[172] Cap^t Lewis Morris Fort M^c Henry near Baltimore Accountant's Office May 21, 1800 Sir In the accounts this day received from Brig^r [undecipherable] Chairman of the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] at [undecipherable] Delaware that he has made payments to a considerable amount for extra pay allow'd to Soldiers for labour done on the [undecipherable] & the return on which payment has been made to forge have your certificate approves stating the same to have [undecipherable] to the Soldiers as a [undecipherable]. As charges of this nature are [undecipherable] as [undecipherable] without the express authority of the Secretary of War, I have to request that you will state to me the authority under which the Soldiers at Fort M^cHenry have been paid the allowance stated in your certificate — Sam H [undecipherable] Lieut. Col^t [undecipherable] S. Smith [undecipherable] of [undecipherable] Camp New Jersey May 21, 1800 Sir In the examination of C Dayton's accounts I find all the [undecipherable] & [undecipherable] [undecipherable] for your [undecipherable] [undecipherable] will come out without [undecipherable] the time or [undecipherable] [undecipherable] for. As this is contrary to the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] on the Army & such as never never has [undecipherable] [undecipherable] of payments [undecipherable] [undecipherable] any check or examination of [undecipherable] [undecipherable]. I shall thank you to [undecipherable] before me all such [undecipherable] accounts of their [undecipherable] by Making every description of [undecipherable] & [undecipherable] [undecipherable] for [undecipherable] will [undecipherable] [undecipherable] them to your credit — Sam H [undecipherable]