New York 29^th August 1798 Sir By order of the Secretary of War, I transmit you herewith, my account of Disbursements, with the Receipts & Vouchers, as agent for the War department of the United States in this City, which I flatter myself will be found accurate, and request the favour of you to signify, when they are examined and pass to be my credit — If the mode I have adopted for keeping these accounts should not correspond exactly with your wishes, you will please to give me directions, and I will strictly comply with them — I will in future forward my ac^cts monthly, and to this end, I have closed the present to the last day of this month — I have made no Charge on the Purchase of the Timber, or for my Superintendency, presuming it would be most agreeable to leave it to the Secretary of War, to fix that [undecipherable] — I have the Honor to be respectfully Sir Your most Ob^t Serv^t [signature] William Simmons Esq^r Accountant for the War department [New York 29 Aug^t 1798 Eben. [undecipherable] Rec^d Oct. 31. Ans^d Nov^r 6. 99 answered]