Department of War. Accountants Office, October 16^th 1799. Sir, I have received your letter of the 14^th instant. In reply to the first paragraph quoting the words of General Hamiltons letter to you of the 30^th ult^o I proceed to state what has been the prevailing custom in effecting settlements here where Deserters have been pursued or apprehended. — When detachments have been sent in pursuit of deserters agreeably to the directions contained in the last Resolutions in the appendix to the Articles of War, their reasonable expenses & not the premium has been allowed, whether they have been successful or not; that such pursuit proving ineffectual & the deserter being advertised, the premium offered has in all cases, been allowed whether the deserter had been apprehended by a private Citizen, a Soldier or detachment of Soldiers — this is the rule which has heretofore governed, no difficulty has arisen relative thereto; and my accounts passing at the Treasury, proves that this construction of the law was in conformity with that of the Office of the Treasury. As respects the complaint made by a Citizen to the president of the United States, that the usual reward had been refused him for apprehending a deserter of Captain Millers Company, I have to observe that no evidence appeared by the Muster Rolls that the person apprehended was a deserter, neither did it appear that he had been advertised as such, or any reward offered for his apprehension. — the claim was on these grounds rejected, such proof being thought necessary previous to the premium being allowed. I am respectfully &^c Secretary of War. (signed) W^m Simmons. [Page 14 ID17]