The Commissioner of Army accounts to whom was referred by the Secretary at War, the petition of Pattin Jackson, Respectfully Reports — That it appears the petitioner was taken prisoner the 5 of Octo. 1777 and is included in a return of officers exchanged on the 7 Novem. 1780 — That in consequence of the act of Congress of the 27 May 1778 an establishment of the army took place which occasioning a reform thereof a number of Officers then by became supernummerary — That on the arrangement of the regiments to which the petitioner belonged it appears from the muster rolls for the month of May 1779 that he fore the other Officers though prisoner was deranged & became Supernummerary — of the regiment being completely officered under In consequence [strikethrough: undecipherable] borne on the rolls [strikethrough: undecipherable] neither was he considered as an officer of the line after that period. That it appears, the petitioner founds his claim for the commutation of half pay on the resolve of Congress of the January 1^st 1781 & of his being in captivity Subsequent thereto — The Commiss. On these facts the Commissioner begs leave to shew that however fair the [strikethrough: undecipherable] pretention of the petitioner may be in point of equity and however favourable the act of Congress of the 1 May 1781 may be considered [strikethrough: after that period] to those Officers who were [strikethrough: exchanged after that period] Subsequent thereto yet the Commiss. conceives that when an Officer was deranged or became Supernummerary that his rank ceased: The Commissioner is therefore of opinion that the petitioner has no legal claim to the commutation of half pay during life but that he should be considered and settled with under the act of Congress of the 26 May 1781 All which is submitted J. Howell 2 Office Mr. Accts. N. York 28 May 1790 The Hble The Secy of War That the petitioner was taken prisoner on the 6. Octo. 1777. and by a return of the Commissary of Prisoners made to the Command. in chief it appears that his exchange was dated on the 7 Nov. 1779. [Docket: Report on / Lt. Pattin Jackson's Petition / May 29. / 1790 / [initials]]