[502.] M^r Robert Orr Accountants' Office Springfield Mass^t. February 4^th 1800 Sir I have received your letters of the 27^th Ult^o accompanied by your account for services Inspecting & proving Pistoll Barrils made by Simeon North at Berlin in Connecticut, amounting to Twenty three dollars & 71/100, which being admitted, the amount will be transmitted to you by the Treasurer of the United States, to whom you will grant the necessary receipts for the same ~ I am &c W.S. The Secretary of War February 6^th 1800 Sir Your letter of the 24^th Ult^o informing me that Brigadier General M^cPherson has represented to you that his Pay & Emoluments as fixed by Law for a Brigadier Gen^l, were insufficient for his outfit & other expences incurred by himself & Family whilst on the Northampton expedition; and authorizing me to admit to the debit of the United States, the extraordinary expences he has incurred for himself & family and for Guards or Guests at Taverns, under the precautions usual in such cases; has been rec^d and is now before me. As I am unacquainted with any case that will apply; before I can undertake to decide on the amount proper to be admitted, over & above the allowances fixed by Law, I have deem^d it necessary to put you in full possession of all the charges exhibited on his accounts, as claims against the United States — which will appear from copies of the Vouchers herewith, with several explanations noted on them, to wit — Benjⁿ W Morris's Acc^t marked A for Wine, Porter Brandy &c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95.46. [503.] Benjⁿ W Morris's acc^t marked B for Wines, Sugar, Porter Brandy, Crackers, Segars &c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136.86 Thomas Pasmore's acc^t marked C for Stewpans, Plates Knives & Forks & sundry articles of Tin Ware furniture 69.92. Michael Dunkle's acc^t marked D for sundry sums paid by him for Beef, Tongues, Hams, Cheese, Crackers, Tea &c . . . 143.29. Jonathan Williams, aid deCamp's acc^t marked E for sundry sums paid by him for Tavern Expences of a Detachment of Cap^t Williams Rodman's Troop of Light Dragoons, the allowances Cap^t Rodman's Troop was entitled to, has been &c. 140.55. Jonⁿ Williams, aid deCamp's acc^t marked E.E. for sundry sums paid by him for sundry Tavern expences of Gen^l M^cPherson's & Family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227.78 Dols 813.86 In addition to the above, Gen^l M^cPherson & his Aid de Camp Jonⁿ Williams, have received all their pay & forage money allowed to them by law from the 11 March to the 7^th May, 1799, as appears by the Pay & Muster Rolls on file in this Office; they have also received forage in kind from the Quarter master as will appear by acc^t marked F. It doth not appear that Gen^l M^cPherson has received any rations of Provisions from the Contractor; the rations he was entitled to from the 11 of March to the 7^th May 1799, being 58 days at 12 rations p^r day is 696 Rations at 15 Cents 1 M 3/10 p^r Ration would amount to 105 ³⁸/100 Dollars — The foregoing is all the information at present within my knowledge, of the charges exhibited on account of Gen^l M^cPherson. The Secretary of War will therefore please, explicitly to state, whether under such circumstances, these extraordinary allowances should be made I am &c