David Ames Esq^r Springfield M^t Accountants Office October 16, 1799 Sir I have received your letters of the 19^th &24^th ul^to which would have replied in course, but deferred it from day to day under the expectation of being able to advise you of the settlement of your accounts. There is a charge in your accounts of $432— for a lot of land purchased of John Ashley in the U.S. application was made to the Secretary of War to know if the purchase was duly authorized & being only now informed that the same could not be ascertained until the return of his Office to Philadelphia, from a leave of being grant^d &c. I do request that you will forward a Copy of the Instructions which governed you in the expenditure, which when received will enable me to liquidate your acc^ts & to send you a Copy of the Statement made in this Office agreeably to your desire. Sam^l B^d W.S.