Department of War Accountants Office Novem: 30^th 1799 Sir To lessen the advances standing to the debit of persons receiving public monies, as early as possible & to insure a due application of them, has been, & will continue to be a subject of communication from me to you, as I conceive it a most interesting one to the United States; & in consequence cannot be too much dwelt upon, I therefore again request your particular attention thereto in calling Officers & others to account who have received monies through your hands. It wou'd be [strikethrough: highly] proper particularly to call on such Officers who visit the seat of Government or its vicinity for their accounts & cause a settlement of them; among those now here I have particularly to mention Cap^t Charles Hyde late Pay master to the 1^st U. S. Reg^t. This Officer appears to have received very large sums of Public monies from you, & Agents of the Department, which continue to remain unaccounted for; and as it is proper that his accounts should in the first instance be rendered to you for examination, it will be proper that he should be called upon for them, agreeably to your Instructions — Sam be: [signed] W^m. Simmons Acct. Caleb Swan Esq^r — P. M. G.