Contingent Expenses of Military Officers
Document 1800Enclosed is a copy of Gen. Hamilton's letter to Benjamin Williamson, Deputy Paymaster General at New York, instructing him to settle certain contingent and incidental expenses of military officers through regimental paymasters or agents. This matter should be given immediate attention.
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[Docket endorsement, upper right:] Philad: 12th [undecipherable] 1800
C. Irvine
No. [undecipherable] Jan [undecipherable]
enclosing a Copy of G.H.'s [undecipherable] letter to
[Captain] Benjamin Williamson — whether to certify Memorandum —
Regarding — An[undecipherable] regarding the Confirming
whether they are not
to be informed if they are not
necessary.
[Address:] Mr. Simmons Copy
See to War Dept.
Sir Philadelphia 12th May 1800
Enclosed is a copy of General Hamilton's letter to Captain Benjamin Williamson Dep.y Pay Master General at New York, with an instruction to him to cause to be paid certain contingent and incidental expenses of Military Officers, through the medium of the Regimental Paymasters or agents —
As this business will probably require immediate attention, I have to request that you will be pleased to say in what manner funds are to be furnished, and what vouchers (if any) are necessary, other than those pointed out by General Hamilton I am Sir
your most Obed. Ser.t
Wm. Simmons Esq.r [undecipherable] Pmgen.l
Act.g W. Dept.
[Enclosure — Gen.l Ham.'s letter to M.r Williamson]
New York 8th May 1800
B. Williamson
D.P.M.G.
I send you a memorandum by way of instruction respecting certain objects of incidental expenditures, which have hitherto produced embarrassing applications to me. It is my wish that the plan may be communicated to the Regimental Pay masters and special agents in that capacity, to be observed by them unless it should appear to you to interfere with the instructions which you may have received from the Pay Master General, in which case you will state to me the particulars of the supposed interference.
It is my intention that small sums shall from time to time be furnished to those Officers upon accounts, distinct from the monies furnished for the ordinary objects of their agency for which I shall in particular cases give you Special Warrants.
I am Sir [your]
(Sygd) Alex.r Hamilton
[Memorandum of General Hamilton to B. Williamson D.pm.gen.l New York]
The following objects of incidental expences occur
1st In travelling expences pursuant to the regulations of the Department of War of the 19th December 1798 — the allowance as to servants extends only to Field Officers and the Regimental Staff.
The following example is to govern supposing the whole distance to be eight hundred miles
Distance . . . . . Rate . . . . . days
200 . . . . . . . . 40 . . . . . . 5
150 . . . . . . . . 30 . . . . . . 5
[undecipherable]50 . . . . . . . 25 . . . . . . 10
[undecipherable] . . . . . . . . 20 . . . . . . 10
——
30.
——
making the whole term for which compensation is to be made, thirty days. On these points some misapprehension has taken place.
2d Travelling expences of officers commanding Regimental [underline: circles and districts], pursuant to the 15th Section of the recruiting instructions — note, this does not extend to commanders of sub-districts.
3. The expences of apprehending deserters — note, besides the ten dollars as a reward, the actual expences of effecting the apprehension of the deserters are to be paid.
4. Fees to Magistrates for the attestations of recruits.
5. Stationary and postage.
The foregoing expences are to be paid by the Regimental Pay masters, or person acting as such out of any funds which may be in their hands.
For N.o 1. the voucher must be the certificate of the particular commanding officer by whom the officer claiming was detached, and the receipt of the latter.
For N.o 2 in the case of a Commandant of a circle, or of a district which is not part of a circle, the voucher must be a certificate upon honor of the officer claiming and his receipt — In the case of a Commandant of a district which is part of a circle, the voucher must be a like certificate of the officer claiming, approved by the Commandant of the circle, with the receipt of the same.
For N.o 3. The voucher must be the order of the officers who procured the service to be performed and the receipt of the person who performed it.
For N.o 4 The certificate upon honor of the officer who may have paid the fees and his receipt.
For N.o 5. In cases within the recruiting instructions, the vouchers required by them — in other cases the certificate upon honor of the officer who may have paid the postage, and when he has an immediate Superior the order of that Superior with the receipt of the claimant.
The accounts for such expenditures must be made out and rendered distinct from those for pay, subsistence &c.
[Copy] New York
May 10th 1800.
Signed B. Williamson
Dep. P.m.gen.t
Type
Autograph Letter Signed
Description
Enclosed is a copy of Gen. Hamilton's letter to Benjamin Williamson, Deputy Paymaster General at New York, instructing him to settle certain contingent and incidental expenses of military officers through regimental paymasters or agents. This matter should be given immediate attention.
Date
05/08/1800
Author
Recipient
Sent from
Philadelphia
Document number
1800051290101
Page start
4
Notable persons
Caleb Swan
William Simmons
Notable locations
New York

