[West Point 3^d Jany 98. Nehemiah Freeman recd 9 Jany ans.a] West Point, January, 3^d. 1798. Sir, I have received your letter of the 26^th ultimo, and I enclose to you Colonel Rochefontaine's to me of this date. With respect, I am Sir, Your very humble Servant Neh. Freeman Lieut. & P.^t Paymaster William Simmons Esquire Accountant of the War Department [extract of y:] West Point Jany 3^d 1798 Sir, I have received the enclosed communications & the Instructions of the comptroller to the Pay Master Gen^l it will be published in order to be attended to in this Garrison —. I return the Letter of Mr. Simmons to you — I could not make out what he had a reference to when he observes — = as to the observations of the commandant I have to observe = that nothing of the kind was ever made use of by other officers = equal and superior in Rank to himself, who were directed to = comply with those instructions. as I have not received any direction from any body respecting those Instructions, I could not make any observations upon them — with Respect I am Sir, yours ob^t Serv^t Step: Rochefontaine Lt Col- comd. Lieut Freeman Pay Master — West Point. West Point, January 3^d. 1798. I have this day sent to Colonel Rochefontaine a copy of the first paragraph of my letter dated Dec. 18. 1797 to the Accountant of the War Department; and, I declare, upon honour, that I did not, in that letter, make any misrepresentation whatever. Neh. Freeman Lieut & P. Paymaster [From the Commanding Officer to the Temporary Paymaster West Point Jan 3.1798]