[Capt. Philip Lightfoot 8^th U.S. Regiment Woodstock] [marginalia on right side of wrapper, undecipherable] General Orders Newport June 10^th 1799 Major General Hamilton announces to the officers of the troops under his command, the following Regulations respecting the allowances to officers, established by [undecipherable] of the War Department dated [undecipherable] The allowances, which officers are entitled on service which oblige them to incur expenses on the road and at places [where] there are no [public] provisions, [where] the said [undecipherable] Specifically [providing?] [undecipherable] relating [to] travelling expenses, the following regulations [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] thereof [undecipherable] of three servants. 1^st — Every officer [detached on?] official [service?] shall receive a dollar and [undecipherable] twenty [undecipherable] cents per day for man and horse, for such [undecipherable] [undecipherable]. The Officer must [undecipherable] in a place, not [undecipherable] than [undecipherable] the Officer [is?] of rank to be [undecipherable] [undecipherable] a servant and [undecipherable]. That the foregoing rule shall apply to all places in the Seat of Government and the principal [undecipherable] each [undecipherable]. The allowance [undecipherable] a dollar and [undecipherable] half [undecipherable] for the Officer and his horse [undecipherable] 2 — That extraordinary cases only, for which [undecipherable] allowances may be indispensable, be referred to the special [attention?] of the Secretary of War, to be attested by a certificate from the Commanding Officer by whom the Officer [undecipherable] detached on the special service, stating the reasons and circumstances. 3 — That fifty cents without reference to [undecipherable] be allowed to every Officer detached from one military post to [another?], [undecipherable] he may reach the same night not [undecipherable] [forty?] miles distant. In this case it is contemplated the servant can without inconvenience to [undecipherable] his own provision with him. 4^th — That the days journey is regulated by the number of miles, in the following proportions, viz: Thirty [miles?] to a day where the whole distance does not exceed two hundred miles, forty to a day for all above [two] hundred and [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [fifteen?] to a day for [undecipherable] [undecipherable] and twenty to a day for all above [undecipherable] hundred. 5 — [undecipherable] That these rules do not [undecipherable] affect [undecipherable] but ad interim allowances only. That [all?] part and interim [undecipherable] cases [undecipherable] upon a reasonable notice of the same be [undecipherable] the further principles if reasonable expenses [undecipherable] according to circumstances it being supposed that the application of a new rule [undecipherable] as [possible?] [undecipherable] ships and [undecipherable] where [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] performed the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] Respecting the greater allowances [undecipherable] which by the [undecipherable] article is [undecipherable] to the [undecipherable] discretion of the Secretary of War, it is understood that no application to that effect can be made with propriety until a Certificate is produced from the Commanding Officer, by whom the Officer claiming such extra allowances was detached, stating particularly only the reasons and circumstances inducing extraordinary expense and that in all cases, the orders of the Commanding Officer must be produced in writing previous to any allowance being made. Abraham R Ellery 1 Assistant Adjutant General Sir, I write you [undecipherable] requesting you to send the [undecipherable] last [undecipherable] of every month, [every?] week [undecipherable] of the men that you [undecipherable] your [undecipherable] [undecipherable] mention the dates of their [undecipherable] to [undecipherable]. I am Sir with Respect Y^r Most Ob^t Ser^t Laurence [undecipherable] May [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] Lightfoot