Fort Wilkinson 29^th Dec^r 1797. Sir I shall now proceed to answer your several Communications the Receipt of which [strikethrough: are acknowledged and a Duplicate in lieu] the 25^th Insto. I have attempted communicating to Cap^t Webb such part of your Instructions as respecting him. His verbal answer was ill natured and evasive. Lieut Hough received from me, by order of Col Gaither, all the Pay due him previous to my knowing that the Horse claimed by him was the Property of the United States. Cap^t Webb always gave me to understand that the Horses claimed by Lieut Hough and himself were private property until after the arrival of Cap^t Taylor. and did not then seem willing to acknowledge the contrary. Cap^t Taylor no doubt will represent to the Secretary of War the Circumstances in full. also that Cap^t Webb has yet in his possession an Horse which Cap^t Taylor told me he had some reasons to believe was the Property of the United States. I believe there will be an unappropriated balance of about seven hundred Dollars due the United States from me on a Settlement with M^r Habersham for the Pay of the artillery at Fort S^t Tamany from 1^st January to 30^th April last. which [undecipherable] I have not yet received from him. This Sum with the two hundred & forty Dollars advanced Cap^t Webb shall be appropriated for the Payment of the balance of Cap^t Tinsley's Account and for the [undecipherable] months Pay & Subsistance due Cap^t Webb & Lieut Cobb as deranged Officers. I shall make the Payments to the Hospital Nurses & Matrons supposing that the Certificate of the Surgeons mates specifying that they have performed that duty and are entitled to the Compensations thereunto annexed will be sufficient. I shall transmit to Ens. Allenson & D^r McCree the extracts that severally respect them. I have herewith inclosed Estimates for the Pay of the Troops up to the 31^st Inst. & Duplicates thereof to Maj^r Habersham. The difficulty of Communication in this extensive Frontier will not admit of the Estimates being accurate. I have received from M^r Habersham fifteen thousand [undecipherable] hundred & twenty three Dollars and Sixty eight Cents for which Sum my Vouchers are now ready for the examination of the Agent for the War Department. It is my wish not to forward these Vouchers until Major [undecipherable] arrives which his last Letter mentions will be in fifteen days, otherwise I shall be obliged to go to Major Habersham in Savannah for the express purpose. I am informed that Cap^t Webb received one Thousand Dollars for the expenses of his Troop from Lexington to Fort Fidius. He has never suggested to me whether there was any balance in his Hands or not. [strikethrough: You will please to observe that] Whitney's Salary is not included in the inclosed Estimates. I am Sir, respectfully Your obed^t Ser^t Hugh McCall [undecipherable] Pay Mast^r The Honorable The Accountant [undecipherable / Aug 19]