[undecipherable: War Department, perhaps] [undecipherable] Jan[uary] 179[undecipherable] [Simon North] Sir M^r. Dana has presented to me your letter to him requesting that a further advance may be made to you on your Contract with the Department for fifteen hundred Pistols, Relying on the accuracy of your informa-tion as to the progress made I have directed the Treasurer of the United States to transmit to you the sum of Five Thousand Five hundred Dollars. [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] old Department[s]. [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] given [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [Your obed^t Serv^t?] [undecipherable] [undecipherable: signature]