W.D. Accountants Office March 20^th 1794 Sir The principal reasons that the claim of Virginia for pay of Militia and Scouts rations &c. presented by Major Pryor cannot be finally settled at this time, are 1^st The commencement of Service of the Commissioned officers is not inserted in the Musters— 2^d The Auditor of the State has not made out the pay rolls and general abstracts, or even stated the amount claimed by the State. I have seen your letters of 11^th & 15^th May 1793 which are intended to authorize the State to call forth a certain force, and I believe will apply to the present claim, if so you will be pleased to affix your authority on the descriptive list furnished to you [underline: when I shall] commence an examination of the Account, and in the mean time if you are so disposed a payment may with safety be made of twenty thousand dollars on account. I am Sir &c Joseph Howell The Secretary of War—