[4614] [Henry Gaither Lieut. Col^s Comm^t M^r William Simmons Accountants Office City of Washington] [postal/administrative notations at bottom left: 4241 / 1598 / 2203] [additional notations at lower right, partially illegible: [undecipherable]] Fort Wilkinson 14^th Oct^r 1800 Sir your letter dated the 16^th buttons with the inclosure therein mentioned came to hand this day, the receipts you want to substantiate the charges in my Acc^t. against the united States are taken in a book I kept for that purpose and cannot be immediately conveyed to you you have already every necessary proof to enable you to close my Acc^t. in the Settled Accounts of the Commissioned Officers, there you will find the united States has credit for the sums the Officers have rec^d. from me, the sums advanced to the nonCommiss^d. Officers, are covered by the receipts of the returns on the inlistments which are in my possession In 1792 the then Secretary for the department of war put into my hands One thousand dollars for contingent purposes, to feed the Soldiers of the united States and public Horses in Service, when and where provision and forage could not be had from the Contractor for Supplying me, every charge in my Acc^t. rendered is just and true and hundreds of dollars over and above the charges in that Acc^t. have been paid out of my own purse for the good of the Service, owing only to the loss of papers in payments made to persons on the road that we not capable of giving receipts for [strikethrough: them] unavoidable circumstances I have laboured under Very great difficulties with my Contractors and been compelled to apply to the contingent fund in my hands for articles they were bound to furnish, this can be proved by viewing the small charges in the Books (perhaps in your Office) against the D^r. masters & Hospitals departments I will venture to say they are not half as high as the same number of Soldiers have cost the U.S. in Other districts The money for remitting has heretofore been advanced by the U.S. before a Settlement was was demanded or Ought in this case and by a letter from the late Secretary, a sum for that purpose has been sent to me — but I cannot find by whome or where it may be found The sum paid to Tho^s. I. Lee on my dep I consider the balance due me in this district when I hear from — the receipt thereof, I am ready to close my Acc^t. with the U.S. and perhaps may be at your Office for that purpose with a long Standing claim that cannot be rejected which I have mentioned to you years past — I am Sir your Humble Ser^t. Henry Gaither Lieut. Col^o. Comm^t. [attestation notations at lower right, partially illegible: [undecipherable]]