[undecipherable] [Received from State Dept. Nov. 24, 1894. R.P.O. 401810] Pittsburgh 4^th Dec^r. 1798 Sir If you recollect, when a [undecipherable] letter was [undecipherable] in Phil[adelphia] last Winter of [the] Col. [undecipherable], [we observed] that it was probable some of the men employ'd in that Department has claims against the United States for Services, two [undecipherable] Companies by James Caldwell & James Wilson we knew had not been paid off. we enquired how these men was to be paid, you [undecipherable] settle with them & certify what was due; let them then forward the [undecipherable] so certified for payment. this has been for those two [undecipherable] [undecipherable] being paid. Caldwell since [undecipherable] he lately put [undecipherable] into my hands. the gent who took [undecipherable] presented it he says to the Sec. of War, who answered that I should pay it & [undecipherable] on the Acc^ts this is not only contrary to the Arrangements made for the payment of [undecipherable]. but it could not be expected that I should advance the money, having no public money in my hands; tis as much as could be expected that I would take the trouble to settle with these people, being out of Office and consequently no payment from the [undecipherable] for such services; please to mention the circumstances to the Sec[retary] of War that the necessary arrangements may be made for paying here. [undecipherable] has any steps been taken for honoring the due Bills given by the [undecipherable] &c. I answer your [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] on the Subject of the [undecipherable] or posts on the Lakes by saying that I was never informed of those posts being in the possession of the Troops of the United States and as I [undecipherable] in my [undecipherable] from [undecipherable] Posts at those posts. I can't be charged with the [undecipherable] — it would appear to me that on our Troops being ordered to take possession of these posts that I should have been officially informed of it & desired to make the necessary arrangements for [undecipherable] the provisions &c. this has [undecipherable] been done and as I believe that the [undecipherable] Chief of the Army had such notice and I am persuaded he would have communicated the information to me, no [undecipherable] of their Garrisons appears in the Adj^t Gen^l Books while I was with the Army. those was the only source of information the persons who receiv'd the provisions must account for them. I suppose there was no Troops at those posts. the provisions was rec'd by the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] were [undecipherable] among the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] at [undecipherable] I am with due Respect y[ou]rs &c. [undecipherable] [Col. [undecipherable]]