[undecipherable] [Hon^d. [undecipherable] Nathan / Malone] War Department 7^th December 1800 Sir I have your favor of the 13^th instant enclosing Petitions of Captain Lightfoot and Major Jackson. Nothing is known at this Office respecting the appointment of the former as Judge Advocate which is stated to have been made by General Pinckney. it is recollected that proceedings of one or more Courts Martial at which Captain Lightfoot was stated to have acted as Judge Advocate were forwarded [undecipherable] in this Office; but by the loss of all the papers I am disabled from giving particulars. Appointments of Judge Advocates have been made by other Commanding Officers for particular occasions, but I do not know that any allowance has been made at this Office for such services, they being considered as Military duty. None has been made since I came into the Department. In one instance allowance for extra services has been refused to Captain [undecipherable] and the extra Expense of travelling to perform the duty [undecipherable] With respect to the petition of Major Jackson he was excluded from double Rations by virtue [of] a strict Construction of the act referred to in [undecipherable]. His case appears to be a hard one, and I believe the facts are correctly stated. I gave a Construction of the act according to my best understanding, not feeling myself at liberty to make an exception in his favor. My opinion was that no officer resident at any post, the Commanding Officer alone but was entitled to double Rations by the letter of the Law. and no further provision was made that could be found to reach the case of Major Jackson. If entitled to relief I think it must be granted by the Legislature. Enclosed Herewith I return the Petitions & Have the Honor to be &c