[James [undecipherable: Bruff?] rec'd [undecipherable] Belknap Ans[wered]] Niagara. Sir. April 7. 1797. With this are my Receipt Rolls from June to Decemb. inclusive; amounting to 3 185 d[ollars] [undecipherable] 11 Cents: for which I expect your acknowledgment. The balance 59 d[ollars] & 79 Cents is subject to your disposal; except such part thereof as has been made use of in paying exprofes — or expended in pursuit of deserters. The account for pursuits are inclosed — and that for paid exprofes will be in my next. The Muster & Pay Rolls for January, February & March; with the Pay Master Generals dispatches (for which the D. Mast p. 148 N.Y.) also make up part of this communication. The winter has been so severe; that it was almost impossible to send them sooner. Lieutenant Vischer was disappointed in getting to Osrego in the winter. He however left this the 1^st instant in the first batteaux of this season. When he returns, I will forward the receipt roll for additional bounty p[er] the detachment. which will more than exonerate me from the charge on that score. I have not yet received anything from you acknowledging the receipt of my Receipt Rolls for pay to the Med Island — nor present detachments — be so good as to send them. I have made such remarks on the Muster, Pay & Receipt Rolls, as I presume will supersede the necessity of any here. The Blanks you sent on are tiled — Is there any necessity to mention the companies men are transfered from, more than once? If not, I wou'd prefer company Rolls. I have not had any communication from the Secretary of War since his letter of the 24 November, which came to hand the 20 January. The British Express from N. York, saw a letter for me in the Post office at Canandagua more than 8 weeks since. He wou'd have got it on; but the Postmaster refused to let him have it — & that he wou'd find it on by express. I presume it must be a public one — it is so long on its way. Imperfect Contingent accounts from the Quarter Master & Commissary are inclosed to the Secretary of War for his inspection & information only — those accounts I imagine can only be settled with the Heads of Departments. Elisha, d. Hunt. John Welply & Sam^l Heaton have returned to their duty. — I had advanced them part of their pay & taken their receipts before they deserted. the [undecipherable] have paid them since their return. This is the practice at West Point — I hope it will do here. I found it expedient to pay the men at several payments — at some distance a part to prevent drunkenness — the parent of most of the disorders in the army. It is often in consequence of some enormity committed in a debauch, that men desert — I mentioned in my last — that if it was contemplated to reenlist the men whose times expire this summer; Instructions, Money & Inlistments ought to be sent on — and the bounty offered them in time. They have had a hard winter of it between starving and freezing — to bring their firewood in hand sleds & on their shoulders upwards of two miles — they are quite out of temper with the service, & a country that affords them no room when groceries are so high; & nobody to be seen but Indians — who they cannot bear: I dare not trust many of them over the river — nor are they much esteemed by the old inveterate refuges — nor do our men relish much the epithets of Rebel & Yankee that are in every body's mouths — even the Indians have learnt it — It, however, wears off; & they begin — awkwardly to call us Americans. The back settlers, however, are of quite another description — natives of Jersey & the Eastern States who have moved there since the Revolution and spite of their oath of allegiance feel themselves Americans — many of them wish to purchase and settle on this side the river. They and many who wou'd move from the interior, wou'd make valuable citizens and settlers on the lands to which the Indian right is extinguishing near this — Wou'd be a Corps de reserve, that on an emergency might reinforce us — they wou'd also serve to keep the Indians in check. With respect to the forms & arrangements we make use of in our public accounts; — if they are not such as you approve of — mention such alterations as you wish — I am with respect Your Obedient Servant The Accountants of the } War department. — } [signed] [undecipherable]