4th Dec [December] 1815 W Williams

I have recd [received] and noticed your favour [favor] from Nashville of the 18th ultimo Being no longer a member of the army an order from me would not I concur avail you anything but if it would I have no recolection [recollection] of having ordered you from Fort Winchester to Cincinati [Cincinnati] ; and having lost my orderly books and papers at [unclear: river Rauvin ] I have no record to refer to and tho [though] I have no doubt that you referred to cincinnati as you have stated Genl [General] Payne frequently disposed of the staff of his Brigade

without an immediate order from me and I am the more [unclear: inclined ] to think it possible he might have done so in your case from the opinion I uniformly [unclear: believe ] that it would be a disadvantage to the militia to receive thier pay before their return home as the army was in a wilderness where none of it wants could be supplied with many and there would be some risk of losing it

Yours &c

J. Winchester

[added: Copy]