[Accountants Of*] John Wallace Esquire Shell Castle Ocracock Inlet near Washington N. Carolina Sir I have received your letter of the [undecipherable] Ult: enclosing the receipt of Jacob Blount for two hundred & fifty Dollars the sum I advanced you from this Department for the purpose of mounting the Artillery on Beacon Island. I have in answer to inform you that before this amount can be entered to your credit, M^r Blount must render his account of expenditures to you, charging the particulars, and crediting the Sum^d. and if any balance remains due to him it shall be paid, on the other hand, if you have overpaid his bill, you will receive the balance from him and place it into the hands of M^r Polk Esq^r. Supervisor of the Revenue Charlotte N. Carolina, whose receipt to you will be a Voucher for the D[epartment]. you will then state an Acc^t Current accompanied by the Account of M^r Bl[ount] Stating the monies you have received, and paid, which be pleased to forward this Office for examination. It may also be proper that a Copy of your instru-ctions on which you disbursed the Money, should accompany them. Sam H[undecipherable] [undecipherable] Simm[ons?] Act[g]. December 6 179[7]