M^r Robert Orr Accountants' Office Springfield Mass^t. February 4. 1800 Sir I have received your letters of the 27^th Ulto. accompanied by your account for services Inspecting & proving Pistoll Barrels 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 ~ Sam &c W.S. The Secretary of War February 6^th 1800 Sir Your letter of the 24^th Ulto. informing me that Brigadier General McPherson has represented to you that his Pay & Emoluments as fixed by Law for a Brigadier Gen^l. were insufficient to 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 expenses he has incurred for himself & family and for Guards or Meals 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 - Per W Morris's Acc^t marked A for Wine, Porter Brandy & 95.46. Ben^jn W Morris's acc^t. marked B for Wines, Sugar, Porter Brandy, Crackers, Segars &c . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136.86 Thomas Passmores acc^t. marked C for Stew-pans, Plates Knives & Forks & sundry articles of Tin Ware, furniture 69.92. Michael Dunkles 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 Expenses of a Detachment of Cap^tn. Williams Rodmans Troop of Light Dragoons, the allowances Cap^t. Rodmans Troop was entitled to, has been &c. 140.55. Jon^s. Williams, aid decamp's acc^t. marked E.E. for sundry sums paid by him for sundry Tavern expences, of Gen^l. McPherson's & Family . . . . . . . . . . . 227.78 Dol^rs 813.86 In addition to the above, Gen^l. McPherson & his Aid de Camp^s Jon^s. 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. McPherson 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 day is 696 Rations at 15 Cents 1 M ²/3 p Ration would amount to 105 ²⁶/100 Dollars — The foregoing is all the information at present within my knowledge of the charges exhibited on account of Gen^l. McPherson; the Secretary of War will therefore please explicitly to state whether under such circumstances, these extraordinary allowances should be made Sam &c W.S.