[undecipherable] War Dept Oct [undecipherable] 1797 of the Col. Major [undecipherable: probable reading Painter] I have attended to the papers sent to my office, and find that he has transacted business in the Quartermaster Generals department, under Col [undecipherable] Hays & [undecipherable] — in which it appears [undecipherable] [undecipherable] of Public Money [undecipherable] in his hands — the whole of Col [undecipherable] Hays papers & accounts, have been destroyed by fire — and those of Col Hughes, have not been tendered to the Commissioners for settling the Acc^ts. of the Q.M.Genl. Department — Whereby I am Prevented from Obtaining the charges that Probably ought to exist against him. I have therefore returned the papers — Not being Able to adjust his Claims under their present Situation. — I have procured a certificate from W^m [undecipherable] Conf^r that 2000 dollars which is all that [undecipherable] charged to Major [undecipherable: probable reading Painter] in my office, has been accounted for by him to Col [undecipherable] Hays, and have given a [undecipherable] in the books of my Office [undecipherable] to the 2 M.Genl. Dep^t accordingly. which discharges Major [undecipherable: probable reading Painter] from that [undecipherable] — [undecipherable] Col Wadsworth J [undecipherable]