William Mason Office of Accounts 8 March 1795 Sir In obedience to your request this day I have examined the Books of this Office and find that William Mason late a Soldier in the Virginia Line was made a Prisoner at the Surrender of Charles Town that on the 9 May 80 he was appointed Assistant Steward to the Hospital under the direction of Doc^t. Oliphant and has, by the State of S^o Carolina 4^th Ach [undecipherable] been paid for his services as such from that [undecipherable] to the 1 May 1783 at which period the General exchange of Southern Prisoners took effect — [undecipherable] the claim he has is for depreciation on pay from the time he entered service to the 19 May 1780 This [undecipherable] have been [undecipherable: settled] by the State of Virginia but [undecipherable] Mason [undecipherable] has been [undecipherable] by the State of Virginia and are prevented from a knowledge of the fact as [undecipherable] the Office of Col. Jones, with whom the papers are, not present shall — 19 I have the Honor to be [undecipherable] Jos. Nourse [19.30.6 [undecipherable]] The Hon^ble The Sec^y at War I have also examined the Accounts of depreciation [of?] the State of Virginia & find that a [undecipherable] William Mason has been settled with by that State, and by the signature am led to believe it must be [undecipherable: same] the Memorialist —