Letter from the Accountant of the War Department
Document 1799Simmons informs Henley that Capt. Bird's account was improperly settled.
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David Henley Esqr June 7 1799
At M. D. Knoxville
Sir
I have received your letter dated 22d Ulto with the several inclosures — The payments you have made for supplies to the commissioners for treating with the Cherokee Indians in addition to the former will be examined & your explanations of the additional allowances taken into view when you will be informed of the result.
I cannot undertake to judge of the propriety of Samuel Mitchell's account without seeing the vouchers for his payments, the receipts for the delivery of the articles purchas[undecipherable] and the authority on which the purchases were made. The instructions which you forwarded do not warrant any expendit[undecipherable] for supplies to the Indians —
The receipt rolls of Captn Birds Company will be examin[undecipherable] and the proper amount passed to his credit of which he will be informed —
The opinion, you have given, relative to the 6 Months pay & subsistence allowed to Officers deranged on the 31 October 1796, under the act of Congress of the 3 march 1797 is erroneous as relates to Captn Bird, and if, in consequence of your having given it, you have made any payments on account thereof you will consider yourself accountable, and direct Captn Bird to refund the amount immediately. The circumstances attending his claim are as follows, When the act of Congress for reducing the army has passed I requested of The Secretary of War a list of the names of the Officers who became supernumerary by that Law to govern me in making the proper allowances — Shortly after I had been furnished therewith, a Mr Ormsby produced a power of attorney from Captn Bird at this Office for the allowances granted to him as a supernumerary Officer — The list was referred to this name was found not to be included, in consequence of his filling the vacancy of Captn Crawford, and of course was not considered as intitled — The account was accordingly rejected. and the
Type
Letterbook
Description
Simmons informs Henley that Capt. Bird's account was improperly settled.
Date
06/07/1799
Author
Recipient
Document number
1799060721055
Page start
41
Note
Cited in Henley to Simmons, 07/03/1799.
Notable persons
David Henley
William Simmons
Cherokee Indians
Captain Bird
company
congress
Captain Reid
army
Secretary of War
supernumery
Mr. Ormsby
officers
Captain Crawford
agent war department
Samuel Mitchell
Notable locations
Knoxville
Tennessee
Notable items
payments
commissions
explanation
additional allowances
articles
delivery
supplies to Indians
receipts rolls
credit
pay
subsistence
act of Congress
claim
deranged

