[Savannah 8 June 1798 / Constant [undecipherable] Freeman / rec'd [undecipherable] / obs. 25] William Simmons Esq^r. accountant of the Department of War Philadelphia Savannah 8 June 1798 Sir I have the pleasure to inform you that I arrived in this City the day before yesterday I came from Pensacola through the Indian Country in 21 Days. I have received your favour of the 8^th of last month & shall proceed to Charleston as soon as I have dispatched my letters to the Northward & have written to the paymaster of the Militia. I require some rest to recover from the Fatigues of my very long & unpleasant journey— I shall certainly go in three or four days. I wish you had transmitted me Duplicates of such of the Rolls as are in your office, lest Col. Pope should not have them. my papers are not here. I cannot therefore inform you wheth-er I have all the rolls, but I imagine they must be with the Pay Master of the Militia. If I should find him here on my return from Charleston I shall place the money in his hands for all the rolls he may produce which are included on the estimate. He has heretofore received the fullest inst[strikethrough: r]uctions relative to the mode of making the payments, but notwithstanding, I shall expect to receive from you, such further orders, as you may judge necessary for the public Service. they may arrive here before he will be able to make any payments. It is necessary that I should observe to you, that there are several demands which cannot be dispensed with, Such as the accounts of respectable Merchants in this place & Augusta, who have made advances in Clothing for the men & to others for horses & furniture. The commanding officers of the several detachments have been responsible for the payments & I had been with the greatest difficulty they have hitherto prevented lawsuits. A great many of the men, who composed the different detachments, are now dispersed over the United States. Every precaution shall, however be taken to prevent the Speculators from defrauding the Soldiers. You can judge best, being on the spot, whether I shall be permitted to return to Philadelphia. If Col. Pope should attend as I expect, I shall make the greatest exertion to dispatch my business with him. The public Service cannot certainly suffer in an indulgence of a few weeks to enable me to bring my family out to this country. I know your friendship for me, & therefore rely that you will second my application to the Secretary of War. If leave of absence should be granted to me, it would not be necessary to send out my trunk of papers, as it might miss me. My compliments to M^r. Wagner and my acquaintance. I am with the greatest esteem Sir Your obedient humble Servant Wm. B. Freeman [flourish] William Simmons Esq^r. A.D.W.