Department of War Accountants Office November 24^th 1800 Sir Capt. Charles Hyde of the 1^st U.S. Regiment, having been appointed some time in the Year 1794 paymaster to that Regiment, I received very considerable sums of Public money while acting as such, a greater part of which at this time remains unaccounted for. The amount now standing to his debit being Dollars 79,000 and altho M^r Hyde has been repeatedly called upon by me, I agreeably to my directions, by the Pay master General, to render his [undecipherable] nation agreeably to his instructions, [undecipherable] [undecipherable: several lines lost to physical damage] balances are improperly withheld [undecipherable] of War [undecipherable] makes it my duty [undecipherable] head of this Department I accordingly Sir hand you [undecipherable: evi]dence of the [Pay] master General on on this subject, and of my letters to M^r Hyde & his answers. To have granted further indulgence would in my opinion not be performing my duty to the Public. Every mea[ns] having been used to bring him to a settlement but without effect. The subject therefore Sir is referred [to] you, agreea[bly] to the aforesaid instructions — I am with respect Sir Your Obed^t Serv^t [Signature: Wm. Simmons] [docket: Nov 24; Secretary of War]