[Letter from the Secr[etary] of War — dated Sept[emb]^r [19,] 1798. informing of the [appointment?] of [undecipherable] [undecipherable]] War Department September 19. 1798 Sir, A set of regulations being under consideration relative to the manner in which the Quarter Master General, all Quarter Masters and public Agents shall render their accounts for settlement, as well as the general and particular heads of accounts to be opened in the Accountants books to shew the ultimate application of the public monies; you will in the mean while and until further advised proceed to settle all accounts presented to you by Agents for the sea board fortifications under the heads of accounts already established. The principal agents employed to make contracts, to procure Cannon Carriages, &c and materials and workmen for the erection or repair of fortifications, are Colonel Ebenezer Stevens of New York, Archibald Brary of Newport Rhode Island — Samuel Weeks of Portland Massachusetts. Griffith J McRee of Wilmington North Carolina and William Craft of Charleston South Carolina. It will be proper for the present, to consult the powers or letters to the Agents, having accounts to settle, that the objects of their appointments may be understood and should difficulties arise relative to any point heretofore considered and determined upon by the proper Officers in the Treasury department, where the expenditures for fortifications have been heretofore settled, you will have recourse to such decisions and be governed by the practice of that department in like cases. — I am Sir Your obedient Servant James McHenry William Simmons [Esq^r] Accountant of [the] Department of War