[Articles of Agreement between the Department of War and Thomas Mason, November 15, 1800] [Cover endorsement, Image 1:] [Endorsement text largely undecipherable due to document condition] [Docketing note, bottom left, partially legible: Articles of Agreement with [undecipherable] [Thomas?] [Mason?] for [undecipherable] commencing the [15^th?] of [November?]] [12-379] [Coontze Mason, Thomas] Nov 15, 1800 Articles of Agreement, Made on the fifteenth day of November in the year Anno Domini, one thousand eight hundred between [undecipherable] Secretary of the Department of War of the United States of America, of the one part, and [Thomas] [Mason?] of the other part. This Agreement Witnesseth, That the said [undecipherable] [Contractor?], for and in consideration of [the?] United States of America, and the said [Thomas Mason?], and by [and?] [these?] profess do mutually promise and agree to and with each other as follows, viz. That the said [undecipherable] as [Contractor?] or Executor or Administrator, Shall Supply and fill all Rations, [in quality of?] the articles hereunder [specified?], that Shall be required of [him?] [in?] [the?] [service?] of the United States, at, and within any place where the troops are, or may be Stationed, [specified?] or received within the limits of the [State?] of [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] at the following prices, that is to say, at any place within the [State?] that is [undecipherable] within the [undecipherable]: [undecipherable] Bread or [Flour?] [undecipherable] [Cents?] [Beef?] [undecipherable] [Cents?] [Pork?] [undecipherable] [Cents?] [Salt?] [undecipherable] [Cents?] [Candles?] [undecipherable] [Cents?] [Soap?] [undecipherable] [Cents?] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [Cents?] [Vinegar?] [undecipherable] [Cents?] Compound [Ration?] [undecipherable] [Cents?] Second, That the Ration to be furnished and delivered by virtue of this contract Shall consist of the follow- ing articles, viz.—Eighteen ounces of Bread or Flour, or when neither can be obtained, of one pound of [dried?] Beef, or three quarters of a pound of [dried?] Pork; and when [fresh?] meat [is issued?], fish at the rate of two quarts for every hundred rations; [Soap?] at the rate of four [pounds?]; [Candles?] at the rate of a pound and a half for every hundred rations; and whenever the [Commanding?] General, or person appointed by him, at each [post?] or place, in case of [deficiency?] [undecipherable] [undecipherable], on their march, Shall have [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] half a gill of Rum or Whiskey, or other similar liquor; and [whatever?] Supplies thereof Shall be on hand. [Vinegar?] at the rate of [undecipherable] for every hundred rations. It is understood and agreed, that when the proper officer Shall make [requisitions?] for [the?] the [articles?], [above?] stated, on the [agent?] of the [same?], Shall [undecipherable] [them?] in place of the [articles?], at the prices aforesaid, unless the parties make no component part, be made conformably to a [Shall?] herein before [referred?] to. [undecipherable] That the [Commanding?] General, or person appointed by him, at each post or place, in case of [deficiency?] or [deficiency?] of the quantity of articles to be furnished, on their march, Shall have the [right?] to [supply?] the deficiency by purchase, at the [expense?] and on account of the [said?] [Thomas Mason?]. [Sixth?], That whenever any articles composing the ration of the [said?] [Thomas Mason?] Shall be with- held, [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] articles with-held. If at the expiration of the [said?] two months, the [contractor?] or [his?] agent, Shall not deliver the articles expected to be supplied daily, within ten days demand [being?] given, [the?] [payment?] for the articles [to with-held?] Shall be made in money by the contractor or [his?] agent at the [contract?] prices. [Eighth?], That all [rations?] [furnished?] by the [depredations?] of an enemy, or by reason of the troops of the United States, in articles [exceeded?] in [one?] hundred rations, to be laid under the regulations of the other articles, on con- troller as will [verify?] and [certify?] in [transporting?] the [same?] at the contract price of [undecipherable], and its [superior?] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable]; and [its?] certificate of a [commissioned?] officer, when the [same?] can be obtained, [the?] [quantity?] of the [rations?], and the [amount?] of the [same?], and the articles for which [compensation?] is [due?]. [Ninth?], That stores and guards for the [safety?] of the provisions, and for the [preventing?] of the cattle against an enemy, Shall be provided in the opinion of the [commanding?] officer of [the?] [post?], [or?] of any [poll?] [to?] [the?] [commanding?] [officer?] [of?] [the?] [?], the [same?] can be done without prejudice to the [service?], and that the [said?] [Thomas?] [Mason?] [or?] [his?] [?] [Shall?] not be [answerable?] for any deficiency of Supplies at any of the [said?] posts or places, if [it?] Shall appear upon [satisfactory?] proof, that [such?] deficiency was [occasioned?] by the [acts?] of an enemy, citizens and others. [Tenth?], That at all stationary [posts?], proper [store-houses?] Shall be provided on behalf of the public for the reception and [safe-keeping?] of the provisions [delivered?] from time to time, at [such?] posts [respectively?], and the [contractor?] Shall [not?] be [charged?] with [such?] [force?]. Signed [?] [force?]. [Eleventh?], That the [said?] [undecipherable] Shall [undecipherable] their accounts to the [said?] [War?] [Department?] [undecipherable] [once?] [in?] [every?] [month?], [agreeably?] to the [form?] [prescribed?] by the [Comptroller?] of the [Treasury?]. That the [said?] [Thomas?] [Mason?] Shall [always?] [be?] at [liberty?] to [be?] at any [time?] the [proper?] [places?] [where?] [he?] is [required?] to [supply?] and [fill?] [rations?], and [the?] [means?] of [transportation?] for the [removal?] of [the?] [same?] from [the?] [farms?] [and?] [distances?], in [quantities?] [sufficient?] [for?] the [supply?] of [such?] [posts?], it is agreed that [he?] Shall be allowed in the [settlement?] of [his?] [undecipherable] accounts, the [monies?] [he?] Shall [actually?] [pay?] for the [quarters?] and [storage?] [so?] [provided?], and the [freight?] [of?] [transportation?] [so?] [provided?], and [the?] [means?] [mentioned?], [furnished?] by [him?], and [also?] a [commission?] of [undecipherable] per cent. on the [monies?] [actually?] [expended?] by [him?] for the [same?]. [Twelfth?], That all [such?] advances of money as may be made to the [said?] [Thomas?] [Mason?] per [and?] on account of the [Supplies?] to be furnished, [shall?] [be?] to [answer?] [that?] to this contract, and all [such?] [list?] of [money?], as [may?] [be?] [directed?], [in?] [order?] to [procure?] [supplies?] [in?] [the?] [parts?] [where?] [Thomas?] [Mason?] [is?] [said?] [there?] [may?] [be?] [directed?], in [order?] to [procure?] [supplies?] [in?] [compliance?] on [any?] [failure?] on [his?] [part?], [may?] [be?] [directed?] out of money [to be?] [due?] to [the?] [said?] [Thomas?] [Mason?] [or?] [his?] [Executors?] or [Administrators?], and [also?] out of the [penalty?] of his [Bond?], [that?] [the?] [said?] [Thomas?] [Mason?] [is?] [bound?] for [all?] [his?] [sums?] of money so [advanced?] or [directed?] [out?], [together?] with the [surplus?], if [any?], to [be?] [repaid?] to [the?] [United?] States, [immediately?] after [the?] expiration of [the?] term [of?] this [contract?], together with the [interest?] thereon [at the?] rate of [six?] per cent. per [annum?], from the [time?] of [such?] [expiration?] until [the?] same [Shall?] be [actually?] [repaid?]. And if [any?] [balance?] [Shall?] be [due?] [Executors?] or [Administrators?], [to?] [be?] found to [be?] due to [undecipherable] [them?], for or on [account?] [of?] [undecipherable] [be?] [liquidated?] [in?] [payments?], the [same?] [Shall?] [immediately?] be [paid?] [and?] [the?] [said?] [Thomas?] [Mason?] [or?] his [Executors?] or [Administrators?] [to?] settle [the?] accounts of the [said?] [Thomas?] [Mason?]. In Witness Whereof, the said Secretary of War, for and on behalf of the United States, hath hereunto [subscribed?] his name, and affixed the Seal of the War Office of the United States; and the said [Thomas?] [Mason?] hath hereunto [set?] his [hers?] [hand and?] [Seal?] the day and year first [above?] [written?]. [Signed, sealed and delivered] [in the presence of] [undecipherable] [signature] [undecipherable: probable reading Wm. Parks? D. S.?] [undecipherable: probable reading James? Fo...? D...?] [Fy: Secretary?] [at?] [the?] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [signature] [undecipherable] [Mason?] [signature]