Capt. R. S. Blackburn Dumfries Virg.^a Accountants Office Decem.^r 2. 1800 Sir Your letter dated Yesterday I have received & in reply, have to inform you that the contractor for Virginia for 1801 is Michael McKeown at Martinsburg. Sam. &c. Griffith J. McRee Esq.^r December 6.^th 1800 Wilmington N.C. Sir You having had the forming of the Contracts in the State of North Carolina, for the Year 1800, many of which are involved in mystery & apparently militate against each other I have thought you the proper person to obviate the apparent contradictions which appear on those which have come to hand. Viz:— a contract formed on the 24 May 1800, with Dan.^l Wheaton "for all & every place in the state of N.C. from the 1^st day of Jan.^y 1800 (which of course retrospects near 6 months) to the 31 December following at 16½ C^ts p Ration" — this, this being a general Contract none other could be necessary, and yet there appear to be four others for part of the same period & State— Viz:— James Garraways with you for Rations at Averysboro, in Jan.^y Feb.^y & march 1800, at 13 p C^ts each— Conrad Brems with Cap^t Bird (because there was no Contractor there) for Rations at Salisbury from 1 Jan.^y to 31 May 1800— Robert Bale's accounts exhibited at this office appears to have been issuing under his Contract of the Year 1799 to all the Stations in N.C. for the first 3 or 4 months of the Year 1800— and the same Dan.^l Wheaton (above mentioned) by your direction [vide your letter of the 25 Aug.^t last] received 17 Cents p Ration for all issued at Fort Johnston from 1 Jan.^y to 30 Ap.^t 1800— From a consideration of the premises you will perceive the propriety of this request that you will satisfactorily explain the causes which have given rise to so many contracts, and how they are to be understood— Should you conceive yourself authorised to form these contracts, by your correspondence with this Department, be pleased to refer to the letters & transmit copies of them— Sam. &c. W.S. P.S. Separate accounts have also lately been exhibited by W. N. Ervin being for rations &c. supplied Cap.^t W. G. Dickson's Recruiting party at Morgantown from the 21 Sep.^t 1799 to 15 May 1800— And Sterling Marshalls for 183 Rations, supplied Lieu.^t Books' Recruits at Halifax from 7 Ap^l to 23 May 1800 @ 22½ Cents— which will also require explanation— Edw.^d Carrington Esq.^r Accountants Office Supervisor December 6^th 1800 Richmond. Va. Sir The foregoing is a copy of my letter to you of the 13. Sep.^t last, enclosing to you the papers of M. A. Rodgers' claim for supplies of Rations &c.— not having received any answer from you upon the subject, permit me Sir again to call your attention to it. Sam. &c. W.S. See Page 255.