Sir Accountants' Office June 2^nd 1798 Before I can report on the arrearages of pay due to the detachment of Recruits at Wilmington North Carolina while under the command of Capt^r Griffith J McRee it will be necessary for me to know whether Capt^r McRee is still in service or whether his commission as Captain was to expire on his accepting of the appointment as Collector. [Annotation in different hand:] His commision of Captⁿ. in the corps of Artillery & will be considered as having expired, on his having entered upon the discharge of [strikethrough: the duties] of the [undecipherable] appointment [strikethrough: to the Collector——], but he Sir has been ever since employed in the duties of his former office he may be entitled to some compensation James McHenry The Secretary of War Your most Obed^t Serv^t [Signature]