War Department 20 July 1798 Sir. I have your letter before me respecting a doubt, whether an officer doing the duty of adjutant and paymaster, to a battalion in the corps of artillerist and Engineers under the act of 1794 organising that corps, is intitled to the pay & forage allowed by [undecipherable] to an officer in addition to his pay in the line, for doing such duty to a regiment. And am of opinion, that as the act of the 30th of May 1796. To ascertain and fix the military establishment of the United States" places this corps upon the military establishment and in its provisions makes no distinction as to paymasters and adjutants, that the officers doing duty as such to Battalions of artillery, [undecipherable] be distinguished from, but must be considered intitled to the same pay and forage, as adjutants and paymasters to a regiment. I am Sir your most ob^t st James McHenry M^r William Simmons Acct. Dept of War