To Alexander Hamilton from William Duer, 16 August 1782
From William Duer1
Albany August 16th. 1782
Sir,
You wish to be informed what, I conceive, will be the Amount of the Monies necessary for defraying the Charges of the Northern Contract, from the first of April to the last day of December; and what Proportion of that Sum will be Expended within the State.
Unless a Considerable Reinforcement of Troops should be ordered into this Quarter (of which at present there does not appear a great Probability) I do not imagine the Monthly Issue of Rations during the Term of the Contract will average more than Sixty Six thousand:
| This at the Contract Price amounts for the Space of nine Months to | Dollrs. | 52,717½ |
| Of this Sum according to the best Estimate I can form, | 23,760 | |
| will be remitted to the Eastern States for the Proportion of Beef, Salt, and Liquor Imported thence; which leaves, | 28,957½ | |
| Ballance of Expenditures within this State. | ||
I am, Sir Your Obed: Hble Servt
Wm. Duer
Colo. Alexr. Hamilton
Receiver of the Continental Taxes
State of New York
ALS, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress.
1. Duer had contracted to supply the levies in northern New York and on the frontier. In a letter to Comfort Sands on June 23, 1782, H wrote that Duer had promised to send him a statement of money expended in the northern part of the state.