Burlington County New Jersery Dec. 30^th 1786 Sir, In Consequence of your letter to M^r Symms one of our late Delegates in Congress, with your reasonings upon my Letter to that Gentleman previous thereto — M^r Benjⁿ Symms was Pleased to Honor me with. — The Objections you make to my demands, I hope will be removed If you will be so good as to Reconsider the whole matter respecting my Accounts— (my Vouchers being in your Office) You have Then Stated my accounts.— In the year 1777, I am Charged with 11.800 dollars, the amount of my Vouchers in that year 14.468 ½ Dollar the Allowance for Devertising my Regt: you lay is as follows:— the whole of the men that [undecipherable] said Regt: that year was 618 [undecipherable] Bounties amounts to 10.260 Dollars, premium to the officers 634 doll and Some Incidental Expenses which will Probably amount to 556 Dollars. —— which makes up the Sum of 11.800 Dollars which I am Charged with. — The above Statement Seems to Ballance the accounts though very unfavourable to me as well as unjust. But whether all the Monthly Rolls for that whole year are in your office or not I cannot Determine, But Rather think they are not. Also the Number of men that Served Cannot be determined; as Some of the officer were on the recruiting Service nearly the whole year and as we Served In or near our own State, Bounties free— grantly offered and were never rejected. If a Bounty could be raised in the Regt. — Another. Annother Reason I Shall Give, why my Advances were Not out of all Reason that year to my recruiting Officers — we recruited a number of men at Ticonderoga Before we left that place in the fall 1776, here we drew no money I advanced all the money I could Command Borrowing Some of my Officers, in coming home through the State of New York Several of our recruits for the War Departed, some of which we afterwards took and of the New york Aug^t 8^th — 15^th Decemb^r 1776 the regt: was — Paid of and Discharged, those Enlisted men Judged agreeable to prompt. — Soon after the officers were for [undecipherable]fission — I am will recollect that at this time the Flying Comp^t: Books of the men Discharged, their belonging to the Southern States going home; — Many of which men were Inlisted by my recruiting officers, Sworn that very time I [undecipherable] Desertion was the Enemy were Inlisted Deserted and Inlisted in the Enemys new Levy Regt:, the whole of those Disadvantages caused Great Number to Defect, that never did Duty in the Regt: after they Inlisted, all those were Entirely left out of the Rolls: — and I verily believe if the Number that the whole money was paid to recruits for — Bounties, Premiums and other Expenses allowed the Officers at that time, — — It is my Misfortune to have no other Accounts but the Vouchers you have, I once Mentioned to you that I had New Company belonging to my Regt the forepart of the Campaign 1777. — the The Captains Names were, Laurie, Hoyt, Dillon, Anderson & Cummings; Hollinshead, Sup: Floyd and Maxwell. — the 26^th of June 1777 Anderson was killed at Short Hills in July Davis taken prisoner, died [undecipherable] at New York soon after, at the Battle of Brandywine Hoyt was killed, I was Badly Wounded so as Not to be able to do duty, untill Jan^ry 1778, Drawing my absence from the Regt; Dillon, Maxwell and Floyd [undecipherable] and were gone. It is that 3 of the three Captains were out of my Power — In November 1776 at Elizabeth town I drew Money to recruit three Month Men [undecipherable] times were Nearly and — here Hollinshead Cummings and Sup: produced their [undecipherable]listments, and settled up with me to that time — these are facts to which I can safely be Sworn if required — and as I never Expected to be called upon to be accountable for the Conduct of My officer, I kept no other Accounts but took Receipts of my Officers for money to them Advanced. — I say I ought to have been more particular as to my own, and The Hollins[undecipherable]: — If I were to raise another Regt: I believe I Should, but at that time there being a most Continually upon honor Duty, my Mind was taken up in defense of our cause, Not Doubting but if we carried our pains as we have — My Country would Cheerfully reward my Services fully repaying the Vouchers I had would be sufficient for me to Settle by — to be calling upon the Officers and my Captains is now out of my power, and the three old [undecipherable] Captains, I know I am as [undecipherable] have accounted [undecipherable] If I understand your letter to M^r Symms, It is in your own Breast whether to allow or Disallow my Accounts. As you are placed in [undecipherable] a Considerable a Trust. I make no Doubt but you will do Justice according to your Confidence If you Determine in my favours I hope you will Give Notes for the Ballance which is Due to me and Send them by the Bearer James Finemore who hath an Order to receive them of you. — If not and my attendance at New York is again really Nessary please to let me know it by a Letter, But if it can be done with my being there it will Save much Expense I am D^r Sir with Respect yours Most Ob^d Serv^t. Israel Nourse John Pierce Y^s Commissioner of Army Accounts &c. — [Col^a Nourse's Letter / Decemb^er 30. 1786 / N^o pages [undecipherable]] [John Pierce, Commissioner / of Army Accounts &c.]