[James Bedinger Norfolk * [undecipherable] Fortifications [undecipherable] 18^th [undecipherable] 1797] William Simmons Esq^r Accountant Department of War Norfolk August 29^th 1797. Sir I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 1^st inst. and accordingly transmit you herewith, my account & vouchers for the monies disbursed by me in [underline: manning] of Garrison at this Place. You will observe that this account hath been kept separate & distinct from that of the Fortifications, for which I was the Agent. Previous to my obtaining that appointment, I received a letter from Henry Knox Esq^r then Sec^y of War, requiring me to have New Carriages & implements made for the Guns at this Place with all possible dispatch — and also to have the guns scaled out. adding, that "I should be allowed "a reasonable compensation for my Trouble "in this affair". His request was accordingly complied with — inconsequence of which I have, as you will observe, charged a commission of 5. pC^t. Which (when the difficulties attendant on procuring proper materials for, and Workmen to execute, a business so unusual are considered) will not I presume be deem'd more than a reasonable compensation for my trouble. The Balance of unexpended money remaining in my hands shall be refunded to the Treasurer of the United States at any moment he may think proper to to call upon me for it. Although no instructions were given me in the letter of the Secretary of War, above mentioned, with respect to the manner in which my vouchers were to be authenticated Yet I adopted the same mode which was afterwards prescribed for those vouchers which were to accompany my account of the Fortifications & which Vouchers passed without the smallest difficulty on the adjustment of that account by the Comptroller of the Treasury, up to the 1^st of Jan^y 1796. And therefore [strikethrough: [undecipherable]] flatter myself that no difficulties can possibly arise, with respect to the formality of the Vouchers which now accompany the account sent you herewith. Dear Sir Your Most Obedient Serv^t Daniel Bedinger William Simmons Esq^r Accountant, Department of War