Enclosed is a copy of a letter written to the Accountant of the War Department relative to General McPherson's accounts included with the accounts themselves.
Brigadier General MacPherson reports the inability to maintain Captain Rodman's horse troops on the Northampton expedition. Discussion of care of family during expeditions.
Freeman chides Hodgdon about franking all letters to and from men in the ranks. He notes that the people of Charleston are still grieving over the death of General Washington.
Major Elias Langham has informed Bedinger that he has long since forwarded his account to Hodgdon which included an amount due Bedinger for the money that he advanced to the United States. Bedinger admits that he should have drawn on Hodgdon for that amount but a severe illness caused him to lose for a time all recollection of prior transactions.
Pinckney expressed his determination in not making terms with deserters until they deliver themselves up. Letter noted, "there are currently three skulking on the Allegheney Mountain" who contacted him but he would do nothing until they come in. Enclosed letter from Freeman which pertained to double rations.
Enclosed letter addressed Secretary of War's opinion on uniform rules in allowing double rations and what to do when the request for double rations is questionable.
Steele did not communicate instructions to the paymaster as he does not approve of establishing general rules that might be disadvantageous to the public. He believes double rations should be approved by the Secretary of War.
Enclosed are the returns of the Armory and Military Departments for the last quarter of 1799. Williams asks that if they are found right, the deliveries and expenditures should be passed to his credit. If the muskets and bayonets received from private factories and deposited in the public magazines are to be reinspected by the Superintendent of the Armory, directions for doing so should be forwarded.
Refers to the correspondence with contractor Elisha Brown about arms fabrication for the use of the public in Rhode Island and at Attleborough in Massachusetts. The War Department agent at that place should receive from the contractors the arms that should be deposited according to their contracts so long as they are accompnied by the proper certificates signed by Capt. Decius Wadsworth or Joseph Morgan.
Simmons discusses claims for pay made by members of the 1st U.S. Regiment with the Secretary at War. Simmons states that no claims can be verified because the regimental paymaster has no rendered his account.
In reference to the expenditures made on the fortifications at New Port, Simmons submits an exhibit of the prices charged by Archibald Crary for bricks and lime.
