[Caleb Swan rec'd 25 May Am 4] D'Etroit April 16 1797 I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 10 February 1797 and of the two news papers which were enclosed, with the [undecipherable] thank you, and hope you will be so obliging as to do the like, and send us as often as it is convenient. a news paper here is rarely to be seen, and of course very acceptable. In order to [undecipherable] to meet any complaints that may be made to you [?] on the score of [arrearages?] of pay due to the army I beg you to [undecipherable] that [undecipherable] informed you and [undecipherable] that [undecipherable] Captain [Turpser?] with the [undecipherable] on the [10?] March 1797 [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable: Washington?] from whence they are to bring out the public Clothing and was not probably able to reach the [place?] again before June next, at which time I must be at Fort Washington [undecipherable] to take up and bring on the 35000 dollars for which [undecipherable] has [a?] [draft?] [undecipherable] the army for November & December 1796. [undecipherable] will return here sometime in June and [undecipherable] I shall have [undecipherable] time to [adjust?] the Pay Rolls of the [undecipherable] Regiment and Capts of Artillery, all the first [arrears?] for [Michilimackinac?] will have failed — Hence I Calculate, that on the 1^st of August next the first Regiment will be 15 months in arrear — And one Company [undecipherable] at [Michilimackinac?] having now been [18?] months of pay in the hands of [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] since the 10 [undecipherable] last) will be on the [undecipherable] 1^st day of [August?] [undecipherable] to be 22 months in arrear— I learn from your letters that the complaints heretofore made by Officers and soldiers in Philadelphia have made Various impressions, as to induce an inquiry by members of Congress into the conduct of them [undecipherable] — the same charges that have constantly been made, & I suppose will never be [undecipherable] Unless to avoid any imputation of neglect or delay on my part, and it my duty to present the [undecipherable] of my operations [undecipherable] the probable results of the [undecipherable] arrangements which have heretofore and will continue to [undecipherable] the payments to the army — Sam Sir your Ob't Serv't [signature] M^r [Simmons?] D.pt. Acct. W. Dept.