Major Lewis Toussard Accountants O[ffice] Mud Isl. Fort January 13 Sir I received your letter of the 11^th enclosing the Muster & Pay Rolls of the detachment under your Command for November & December 97 the latter has undergone necessary examination & the following is the result &c: Amount as stated by you ——————————————————————————— [undecipherable] To which add: Bro^t For^d ——————————————————————————————————— 702.65 Short calculated on the Pay of W^m Webb, John Doyle & Hugh Brown at 10 Cents each ——————————— .38 Pay of J Glazier from 11^th to 17 Aug^t 97 omitted in Pay roll for that month which sum is to be paid to Col^o Montges ————————————————— 2.17 2.47 705.12 From which Deduct difference of pay between Serg^t. & Private on pay of James Lewis, the former pay being in- admissable —————————————————————————————————— 4.96 difference of Pay between Corporal & Private on the Pay of Thomas Smith & John [undecipherable] for the same reason ————————————————————————— 5.44 difference of Pay between Drummer & Private on pay of William Murray for the same reason — .45 10.85 D^r 694.27 leaving the amount of six hundred ninety four Dollars & twenty Seven Cents, which will be paid to Lieut^t. Van Dyke agreeably to your request and for which you will be held accountable. You will easily conceive that the aforementioned reduction of Pay is occasioned by your having the legal number of non commissioned officers previous to your appointing these men to the grades at which you made up their Pay. I could wish that on every occasion in Cases of Deserters surrendering themselves or being apprehended that you would be pleased to obtain the necessary information from the Officers under whom they may have last served, ascertaining how much or if any Expenses have been incurred for pursuing & advertising