Jonⁿ Jackson Esq^r Boston Accountants' Office February 5^th 1801— Sir I received your letter dated the 24^th Ult^o enclosing duplicate receipts for three thousand dollars transm[itted to] you on account of the Fortifications erecting at Boston which is filed in this Office— I am &c W.S. The Accountant of the War Department Reports agreeably to the request of the Secretary of War in conformity with the Resolution of the House of Representatives of the 2^d February 1801 as far as relates to loss ascertained in his Office in the House occupied by the War Department destroyed by fire on the evening of the 8 Nov.^r 1800. That the papers destroyed were those only which had been lodged in the 3^d Story of the building & consisted as follows Viz.^t Relating to the Accounts of the Old Army, Several cases containing muster & Pay Rolls others containing accounts & vouchers of Sunday Pay masters & Agents for paying Troops, and one case containing individual Settlements made by the late Pay master General, & Commissioner of Army accounts— These papers could only be of use in the examination of claims for services prior to the Establishment of the present Government which if not already settled are all barred & foreclosed by Acts of Limitation. The loss will therefore not materially affect the settled accounts of The United States— Relating to services & Supplies under the present Gov^t. William Colfax's accounts as Contr^r. for the State of New York from 1 January to the 31^st December 1799 Robert Balls accounts as Contr.^or for North Carolina for supplies furnished in 1799 & 1800 .... These accounts had been exam[ined] & the balances ascertained but had not been entered on the Principal Books, owing to differences in the statements of the claimants and those made at this Office of which they had been informed, but had not finally removed the objections. No material incon- venience it is thought will arise from the loss of those ac[counts] William Colfax &Co's accounts as Contractors for the States of New York, Massachusetts Rhode Islands & Vermonts from the 1^st January to 31^st December 1800 .......... This account had not been examined the amo.^ts are therefore only known from the claimants own statements when they was rendered. It is therefore thought that no settlement can be[?] made until a principle shall be fixed for the Settlem.^t of accounts in this situation Nathan Starrs accounts as contractor for furnishing Swords Belts & Scabbards & Contract in 1799 .......... — This acco.^t had not been exami[ned] owing to a want of Voucher[s] It is probable that duplica[tes] of the accounts can be furnish[ed] & that no inconvenience will arise in the settlement— Part of the vouchers belonging to the Pay master Generals acco.^t ———— Some of the muster & Pay Rolls of this acco.^t were lost, but they can[not?] be replaced; No inconvenience but that of having copies made from duplic[ates] in the possession of the Pay master[s] will arise— Department of War Accountants Office Feb.^y 6 1801 W.S.