Officers' Accounts & Vouchers
Document 1793The Comptroller of the Treasury and the Accountant of the War Department have directed Swan to make application to sundry officers for their accounts and vouchers for expenditure of monies charged to them for the purpose of recruiting, contingency expenses for marching companies or detachments, and pay due their late company of levies.
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[Docketing on cover, written sideways:]
Legion Ville 12 ap[ril] '93
From
[undecipherable]
to Joseph Howell
Legion Ville April 12th 1793.
Mr.
Your favors, one of the 29th and two of the 30th Ultimo, together with the Schedules and charges enclosed were duly received on the 8th instant.
In answer to which I refer you to the enclosed Copy of my report to General Wayne dated the 8th instant Marked No 1. and its appendage dated 21 January 1793 No 2. — Which you will please to consider as copies of my proceedings on the Subject of accounts and monies directed to be received by me from accountable officers. In doing this, I conceive I have complied with my instructions. — In addition to the applications contained in No 2. I have to inform you that I authorized and requested Lt Daniel Britt Paymaster &c., by letter dated 21 January 1793. to call on the following officers who are under general Wilkinson's orders, for their accounts, and the balances of unexpended public money in their hands; but have had no returns from him.
Viz. Capt. Thomas Doyle Lieut William A Lee
Capt Alexr Gibbon Lieut. Benj: Strother
Capt Howell Lewis Cornet J. Webb
Capt Thomas Lewis Ens. J. Kreamer
Capt William Prfton Ens. Wm Mills
Capt William Winston Majr J.F. Hamtramck.
Capt Mahlon Ford
It is a circumstance by no means favorable to the officers, that their public accounts are not yet handed in. — but if I am to proceed immediately to make Stoppages of their pay it will be considered as an ex-parte business. While the officers are here they cannot be heard before you as the arbiter of their accounts. — And at this season they cannot obtain furloughs. — Some of them assert that they have never been instructed in what Manner to take Vouchers or render their accounts.
Your last instruction to Stop the officers pay is So unqualified as to embarrass me. It would authorize me to Stop all the pay that is due and growing due until their accounts are Settled; But I expect I Shall be justified in waiting for further instructions on the Subject.
If I were to Suggest any thing on this head it would be that no more Stoppages be made at the present moment, than can well be dispensed with. As the officers will probably be continued some time longer in Service it will be best to fix on Some Given Sum to be Stopped from each, as May be proportionate to, and indemnify the United States, for their advances.
I am Sir
your obedient Serv[an]t
Caleb Swan Pay Master
of the troops of the U. Stat[es].
P.S. Howell Esqre
P.S. I wish to be instructed on what principles the Cavalry officers have heretofore drawn forage money from you; And as the law is silent on that head, what allowance is to be made in future, or whether any. Please to let me know by the next post. Yrs C. Swan
[Copy No 1] Legion Ville April 8th 1793.
Sir. The following quotation is extracted from the instructions of the Comptroller of the treasury of the United States, directed to me and dated July 26. 1792.
" If any officer to whom money Shall appear to have been advanced, Shall neglect to exhibit account of the application thereof So that the proper deductions may be made from their pay, you will report their delinquent to the Commanding officer." "And transmit copies of your proceedings to the office of the accountant of the war department."
"The accountants of this war department will transmit to you a list of advances to Sundry officers for the recruiting Service, you will apply to Such officers for their accounts, and will receive any balances, which Shall appear to be in their hands, for which, as also for the accounts, which they Shall deliver to you, you will pass receipts."
"For the monies you will pass credits in your books, and the amounts you will herewith transmit to the accountant of war department."
I now conceive it to be my duty to inform you Sir, that, in pursuance of the foregoing instructions, I addressed a circular letter, dated 21 January 1793. (of which the enclosed is a Copy) to the Several officers therein named, and Since that time, have made personal application to Major John Clark, Captain Uriah Springer and Ensign John Steele whose accounts are of a Similar nature with the others. — That in Consequence of these applications, I have received and forwarded the account and Vouchers of Capt. Joseph Brock of the Infantry, and o. Joseph Elliot of the artillery: And None of others. — That no balances of Cash have been refunded to me on the occasion. —
That I received letters last evening from Joseph Howell accountant of the department directing me to make Stoppages of the pay of the Several delinquent officers, and particularly from Captain J Brock, whose accounts has not past in his office, from Some defect in the Vouchers.
I Submit the following Statement to your Excellency, that Such order may be taken thereon as will bring the business into a proper train, and will more fully authorize me to make Stoppages from the pay of the officers; in doing which I Should be as anxious to avoid any Odium from them, as I am Solicitous to fulfil my duty. I have the honor to be
Sir Your Most obedient Servant
Caleb Swan Paymaster
of the troops of the said.
Majr Genl Wayne
[Circular (Copy) No 2] Pittsburg January 21. 1793.
Sir. The comptroller of the treasury and the accountant of the department of war, have directed me to make application to you for your account and Vouchers for the expenditure of the monies charged to you for the purposes of [underline: cruting, Contingent expenses & Marching companies or detachments,] (and for the pay due to your late Company of Levies)
They have directed that each officers accounts and Vouchers, now unsettled, Shall be regularly [strikethrough: fitted] and lodged with me to Secure them from accident, and for which I am directed to give a receipt as a Security to the parties, until the accounts can be finally adjusted at the accountants office. — I am also directed to Call on you for the balance of public money intended for the above mentioned objects which may remain in your hands unaccounted for, for which I am also directed to give you a receipt.
The Adjutant General will furnish you with a copy of a form which has been commonly used in making up a recruiting account.
I have enclosed a transcript of the Several Charges exhibited against you that Such of them as are not already Settled, may be accounted for agreeably to this request as Soon as is Convenient.
I am very respectfully
Sir your obedient Serv[an]t
Caleb Swan Pay Master of the
Troops of the United States
To. Capt Richard Sparks
Capt. William Faulkner
+ Capt. Joseph Brock
Capt William Eaton
Capt Edward Butler
Capt. John Pierce artil[ler]y
Capt. Robt Wm Campbell Pay J.
Capt. Henry Carberry
Capt. William Lewis
Capt. William Buchannaw
Capt. Nicholas Hannah
Capt. Jacob Slough
Capt. John Cummins
Lieut William Devin
Lieut. David N. Jenifer
Lieut. Bent Sr. Massey artil[ler]y
Lieut Percy Pope do
+ Lieut. Joseph Elliott do
Lieut. Benja Price
Ensign Wm P. Gassaway
Ensign John Michael
Ensign Samuel Drake
[Marginal notation, rotated:] Letts. Swan's lette, referred to his 6 Accounts. April 12. 1793
Type
Copy of Signed Document
Description
The Comptroller of the Treasury and the Accountant of the War Department have directed Swan to make application to sundry officers for their accounts and vouchers for expenditure of monies charged to them for the purpose of recruiting, contingency expenses for marching companies or detachments, and pay due their late company of levies.
Date
01/21/1793
Author
Recipient
Sent from
Pittsburg
Document number
1793012115001
Page start
8
Note
Enclosed in Swan to Howell 12 April 1793.
Circular letter, Copy No. 2.
Notable persons
Richard Sparks
Caleb Swan
William Faulkner
Joseph Brock
William Eaton
Edward Butler
John Pierce
Robert M. Campbell
Henry Carberry
William Lewis
William Buchanan
Nicholas Hannah
Jacob Slough
John Cummins
William Devin
Dan Jenefer
Eben Massey
Piercy Pope
Joseph Elliot
Ben Rice
Galsaway
John Michael
Samuel Drake
Comptroller of the Treasury
Accountant of the War Department
levies
detachments
companies
marching companies
officers
Notable locations
Pittsburg
Notable items
monies
vouchers
expenses

