[Rickard, William / Capt. 3^d Regt U.S.A / 1797] William Simmons Esqu^re accountant Department of War Philadelphia Knoxville 1. May 1797 Sir I have the honor to transmit the Pay rolls with my account Current with the united States for the payments made to my Company of recruits from the date of their enlistments up to the 31^st of August, and for the months of September and October 1796. as well as for issuing Monies expended conformable to your request— I have likewise forwarded as Letters to the honorable the Secretary of War accounting for monies received for the recruiting Servis with a descriptive list— I should have forwarded their accounts at an earlier period; had I not hopes of recovering the men who deserted from me on the march from Tarborough to [undecipherable] places as I have [undecipherable] other Vouchers for [undecipherable] or [undecipherable] than the two Inlistmens and the Mosquitoes certificate— the back of their Inlistments for such part of the boon tis as was paid to them. I hope will plead my apology— I never have been benefited by the assistance of an Officer since I have had the honor of a Commission— and I presume as officer of my rank has had this duty imposed upon him without consideration for duties performed in the Staff department— Should there appear any errors in my accounts, I will esteem it a favor to have them pointed out to me as soon as convenient— as I propose returning from the Service should I be named to Georgia as my health will not permit me to enter that [undecipherable] of America— [x and Receipts for bounties paid] I have the honor to be with great Respect Your your Obedient & very Humble Servant William Simmons Esquire W^m Rickard Cap^t accountant Dep^t of War— 3. Reg^t U.S.A— 55 (Turn Over) P.S. The agent for the Department of [undecipherable] at this place is not yet ready to settle my accounts as Pay master to the Territory of the Ohio— consequently, I have been deprived of my monthly Pay. from the last of [undecipherable] 1796 except Two months I have received of [undecipherable] Wright since my arrival— all this has come from my obeying Gov^o Blounts [undecipherable] orders as my superior Officer