[Address: Colonel Samuel Hodgdon / Commandant of Stores / [undecipherable] / Philadelphia] [Received from State Dep't. Nov. 24, 1894. R.P.O. 401810.] Marietta 2^d February 1800. Sir In my letter of the 1^st 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 M^r. A. Sheiffelin was then appointed an assistant in this business & who was to succeed me in the Departments in which I acted I concluded that you was eng age 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 I hired a man to attend the Stores during my absence - the General gave me a leave of absence without [undecipherable: specifying] the time of my [undecipherable: return] which depended on the [undecipherable: 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] 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: June] 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 opened new Books for both Departments & carried all the accounts into them, and informed M^r Sheiffelin under what authority he acted & gave him every information in my power relating to the business, this I did as I proposed not to return unless my wages were raised. - - I now forward dated [undecipherable] correspondence with the Returns & sent to you from D'Etroit of to the 1^st. November 1797. I cannot cover the accounts any farther than to the time at which M^r. 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 [undecipherable: separated] & sent some to the northward & some to the Southward, & no account was sent to me of this [undecipherable: 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 [undecipherable] 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 [undecipherable: dissatisfied] with you or any of the Heads of Departments: but for the reasons above mentioned. Should you consider M^r. 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 27^th December last I [undecipherable] to attend at that [undecipherable] 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: J: Meigs. Col^o. Hodgdon