Department of War Accountants Office February 25— 1796— Edward Carrington Esq^r Sup^o Richmond Sir I received your letter under date of the 14^th Instant— enclosing William Graves's Receipt for One hundred and fourteen Dollars, which will be passed to your Credit on the Books of the Office.— I am Sir Y^rs William Simmons— The Secretary of War. Department of War— Accountants Office February 25— 1796 Sir The Claim made by M^r P. H. Perrault as contained in his letter to you of the 26^th of January 1796 in my opinion must be considered inadmissible. he appears to have been appointed (in consequence of an Act passed to provide for the defence of certain ports and harbors in the United States Vol. 3 pa. 46) by the Secretary of War on the 1^st of April 1794. as Temporary Engineer at Charlestown S^th Carolina at a Salary of 4 Dollars P Day and other allowances for Expences. in October 1795, he applied at this Office for a settlement of his Account which was settled up to the 30^th September 1795. at the same time the Secretary of War made a further advance to him of Two hundred and forty four Dollars to complete his pay up to the 30^th of November at which time it was understood he was to be out of Office, the business for some time before in a great Measure having ceased. I am Sir Y^rs William Simmons