Intendant of Stores Office July 23^d 1799. Sir, The Purveyor has put into my hands your letter to him, enclosing a number of vouchers for clothing delivered, and a return, shewing the quantity received for your Regiment. I concluded the necessary instructions had been given by the Inspector General of the troops for the conduct of this business, but it appears by your letter, that you have received no instructions on this subject. To prevent any mistake in the outset of this business permit me to inform you, that the mode adopted by the Secretary of War, in concert with the Inspector General of the Army, directs, that the paymasters of the several Regiments, shall be charged & held accountable for all the clothing delivered for the use of their respective Regiments, and that they shall at stated periods, or whenever required account for the same, by producing the vouchers of the identical persons to who the clothing is due — thus you are an officer responsible for a gross quantity cannot avail you on settlement — he must settle his account with you for the articles drawn, and you must produce his vouchers with his Account adjusted, as vouchers to your own. The returns of the clothing, I presume, should be made to the Inspector General, who will communicate to the War Department as occasions require. The Quarter Master General is charged with the transportation of all the Clothing to him therefore the acknowledgement of its receipt must be made, as well to enable him to adjust his account with the Store, as to make payment for the transportation. Retain your vouchers, as they can be of no use to me, and not knowing whether you have taken duplicates. The Return I have retained, as you can make another from the same documents, that it was made from — The form I think will answer every purpose to the Inspector General. I am, Sir, Your most obedient Servant, Samuel Hodgdon L^t Winnan Pinckney Pay Master 9^th Reg^mt Havre De Grace Maryland Sir Philadelphia 23^d July 1799 After a thorough examination of my books with your returns, a difference equal to that expressed in the enclosed Statement appears. I wish you also to examine it, and account for the difference that your account may be closed to the period to which the Statement refers. The damaged Stores have not been brought into view in the course of the examination, of course do not appear in the Statement — perhaps some part of the disagreement may be found to arise from a connection of these, which we have not traced — let me hear from you as early as possible on the subject. I am Sir, Your most ob^t Servant Samuel Hodgdon M^r John Harris