[Colonel Samuel Hodgdon Commandant of Stores [undecipherable] Philadelphia] [Received from State Dep't. Nov. 24, 1894. B.P.O. 401810.] Marietta 2^nd February 1800. Sir In my letter of the 1st November 1797 from D'Etroit I informed you that I had obtained a furlough to visit my family, and that the next Returns would be made by Mr. A. Sheiffelin was then appointed an assistant in this business & who was to succeed me in the Departments in which I acted & concluded that you was engage informed of it by General Wilkinsons letter — a copy of his to me on the subject & will enclose for you. As I had never been absent from my employment only 23 Days in the term of almost three years & hired a man to attend the Stores during my absence — the General gave me a leave of absence without specifying the time of my [undecipherable] which depended on the event of my wages being augmented, which I always thought incompetent to my Services, this was also the opinion of both the Generals — General [undecipherable: Pickering] then Secretary of War from whom I had my appointment being removed to the Office of Secretary of State and General Waynes Death prevented me from pursuing my applications for an addition to my wages. I therefore informed General Wilkinson that I wished to retire from the business. Sometime after he wrote me that he had announced my resignation on the first of [undecipherable] 1798; but as you did not receive his letter, it is probable that it was addressed to the Secretary of War. Previous to my leaving D'Etroit I formed new Books for both Departments & carried all the accounts into them, and informed Mr Sheiffelin under what authority he acted & gave him every information in me [undecipherable] relating to the business, this I did as I proposed not to return unless my wages were raised. — I now forward dated accounts correspondence with me, Returns & sent to me from D'Etroit to the 1st November 1797. I cannot carry the accounts any farther than to the time at which Mr. Sheiffelin took up the business without going to D'Etroit which is 300 miles from this place. When the troops left Greeneville for D'Etroit a considerable quantity of Stores were left here — some months after these Stores were ordered to be separated & sent some to the northward & some to the southward, & no account was sent to me of this Separation or distribution; which will account in a great measure for the Deficiencies in the accounts. I did every thing in my power to keep the accounts as regular as possible: but in the extensive circle of posts, the number of the Books in various situations required that issues should be made when I had no knowledge of it, & no accounts of the same being sent to me some irregularity must inevitably take place — I presume Sir that you must have experienced some thing of this kind in the business in which you have acted in the various Departments in the public Service. I wish Sir to assure you that I did not retire from the Service because I was dissatisfied with you or any of the Heads of Departments: but for the reasons above mentioned. — Should you consider Mr Sheiffelin as still acting under me & that I should settle the accounts I must go to D'Etroit in such case & hope my time will be considered as going on. Since my return from Cincinnati I have received your letter of the 24^th December last. I regret to attend at that place again in November & December next — when I will attend to the subject of your lands in that Quarter & make such communications respecting them as you have desired. I am Sir with great respect R: Jas Meigs. Col. Hodgdon P.S. Sir I had forgot your mentioning that a quantity of Clothing was sent forward in the fall of '97 addressed to me as a Deposite to meet the calls that might be — [undecipherable] marked "Fort Maspac Deposite." — With respect to this Clothing I can give no information. I left D'Etroit the beginning of November '97 which may be the reason of the address not coming to my hands. — I think it probable that the clothing you mention was sent immediately from Pittsburgh on its arrival there down the River & the letters to D'Etroit. R: Js Meigs --- [Copy] Marietta June 11^th 1798 My dear Sir — I have announced your resignation on the first of the present month, at which time you will be pleased to take notice, your pay & emoluments are to cease. I hailed to take you by the hand, and regret that I had not the opportunity, as the lord only knows where we may again meet — I shall continue some Days at Fort Washington, and probably proceed thence to the Mississippi, we shall have [undecipherable] & I trust in heaven the [undecipherable] hands of our Country men will be in strict unison — Heaven prosper you & yours ways your friend. Ja: Wilkinson. Copy Col.^o Meigs