[Cover endorsement, upper right, rotated]: Major [undecipherable] [undecipherable] / [undecipherable] May — [Left margin of cover, rotated]: Shepherds Town 4/12. 97 [Address on cover]: No 6½ Major Samuel Hodgdon Philadelphia Shepherds Town April 12^th 1797 Inclosed is my report relative to such Stores as have come to hand since my last Returns. An estimate for monies Wanting, and my Acc^t for transporting the public Stores from this place to Pitsburg. The report speaks for itself. The estimate for money is forwarded for two reasons, towit: the bayonets so long contracted for are at last nairly finished & also the Tent poles, of course money will be wanting to pay for them, the other monies in the estimate will only be required as usual, [strikethrough: from] monthly. I am very desirous of going to Kentucky and hope you will use your influence with the Secretary of War to obtain leave of Absence for me, leaving a responsible man in my place, say Major [undecipherable], or any other Person in this quarter that might be thought most proper — I have written to you twice (at last) on this Subject before, but have not herd from you — I presume business of importance has so occupied your time lately as not to admit of your attending to those little matters — I hope you now have a leisure hour that will oblige me — Provided I get leave to go to Kentucky I should be glad to have leave to draw a bill for the whole Amount of the estimate as the person who would Represent me would no perhaps like to advance his own money the quarter — If I cannot get leave of Absence I would only wish leave to draw for five hundred Dollars — however, all these things as it may be thought convenient by yourself & the Hon^ble the Sec^ty of War, please consult him & advise me with the [undecipherable] things — Your account has been much delayed! indeed. I know not how to Apologize for it — however I hope it comes in good time — and Should there be a error or any other form Necessary — inform me & I assure you there shall not again be such Delay — There ought to be some other charges of your towit, for Labourers to pack & bales; for boxes to pack in &c — which I incline to think I put into my Acc^t of the U. States the 1^st of last [undecipherable] — of this I am not certain, having by some means or other lost all the Copies of my Acc^ts forwarded at that time — this circumstance has in a great mea=sure delayed your Acc^t I have written to M^r Simmons for a Copy of those Acc^ts which I hope he will have forwarded — When my Accounts now forwarded are examined there will be a balance due me, greater than the balance due you, please Examine Your balance & Ask M^r Simmons to send me Statement of my Acc^t After examination & payment made to you. I take the liberty of asking the favor of you to make Application to the pay in office to receive M^r [undecipherable] [interlined: did for us] [undecipherable]'s Wages agreable to the papers inclosed & forward the money to me as soon as you can — no doubt but the returns at the War Office will shew what is due — Should any formal papers be wanting please advise me & they shall be forwarded with sincere respect. I have the honor to be Major Hodgdon your ob^t S^t [undecipherable: Clansham?]