Lieut^t David Hale Accountants Office West Point May 3^d 1797 Sir I received your letter of the 22^nd. ultimo [undecipherable] Mr. Branch to whom I have paid agreeably to your order, [undecipherable] Dollars [undecipherable] being the balance due to David Clifford [undecipherable] in Capt^t A.Y. Nichols Company. The balance could not [undecipherable] propriety be paid to M^r Branch, which is due to Lieut Dud=worth without letters of Administration being produ=ced and a Power of Attorney from the Administrator. I am &c. W^m Simmons Acct.