Intendants Office Col. Ebenezer Stevens. Philadelphia 31^st May 1799. Sir, I have received your letter of the 29^th instant. General Hamiltons letter enjoins on you certain services in consequence of your agency for the Department of War. It does not appear to me by the Generals letter that he contemplates the opening a store as a deposit for Military supplies, to be transferred from the public Store here to one to be opened under your direction in New York. It directs that all returns for supplies to be furnished, through you, shall be made to you, that after you have ascertained that no part of the Stores called for by the Indians have been supplied, you are to make the requisitions for them, to the proper Officer, and see that they are promptly furnished. The Quarter Master General is charged with the transportation and safe delivery of all Stores. For such part as are delivered on your requisitions, your account of Stores will be debited, and you are to produce satisfactory vouchers for their proper application. By the system now pursuing, the Quarter Master General is held accountable for the proper application and expenditure of all Stores denominated Quarter Master Stores, of course your accounts for such articles can be settled with him. In like manner the paymasters of Regiments, will have to account for all clothing delivered the Regiment entire or any recruiting party or detachment, of it. You will therefore produce their receipts as vouchers to your quarterly Accounts. Until some person is appointed Commissary of Military Stores, or under some other denomination is placed at the head of that Department, you will have to account with me, for the expenditure of Stores that are forwarded to you, or on your requisitions for that Department. The mass of the stores being supplied as mentioned in the Generals letter you will only be called on incidentally to provide. The purchases necessarily made will appear in your Cash Accounts, and the Articles purchased will be found to your debit in your Account of Stores. A Clerk to attend the business generally, and a small store for partial receipts and deliveries, will in my opinion be necessary; and this I expect the Secretary of War will authorize you to provide. It is of much importance that you commence your business with full information, both as it respects yourself, and the public; it is the reason I have been so particular. In future also on the same subject, when requested, I shall cheerfully communicate. I am, Sir, Your most Ob^t Serv^t Samuel Hodgdon