New York April 16 1798 Sir I have now concluded, or at least intermitted, the recruiting service at this post. My recruits, who were present at the last muster & who have since joined are put under the care of Capt. Frye. They have been paid up to the 28th of February — which is also certified to Capt. Frye. The receipt rolls for January & February are enclosed — as also Sergt. Welton's receipts for March & April, together with sundry receipts for the payment of bounties. In most of the cases in which I have advanced the pay of the recruits I conceived it absolutely necessary to be done. And when it was determined that I should intermit that service, I preferred, for sake of uniformity, to pay off the whole to a certain day, except indeed one particular case — that of Sergt. Welton, who has been discharged on the 6th instant. I have to request that after examination the amount of the several vouchers may be admitted to my credit. It may be proper not to take any order on my Pay Roll for March, as I shall not now have the payment of the detachment. Being indulged with leave of absence for a short space of time, I contemplate leaving New York this day — My destination, Portland in the district of Maine. On my arrival at that place I shall make out a statement of my recruiting accounts; in the mean time would request to be informed whether in settling it I should transmit the original inlistments. William Simmons Esq^r I am, Sir, your obed^t Serv^t J. Hale [Rec^d: 1/8^th [undecipherable] 98 Ans^d:]