[70. 10] The Comm^r of Army Accounts to whom was refer'd by the Secretary at War the Claim of L^t Col Mentzes begs leave to Report. That Congress on the [undecipherable] Sept 1779 Resolv'd [strikethrough: that] That any regimental officer order'd by the Commander in Chief or commanding officer of any department on business not incidental to his Office and distant from Camp should be allow'd for the expence of himself and horse three dollars a day whilst necessarily employ'd on Such service — Under the said act a number of Officers were allow'd their expences when after deserters and particularly in superintending Hospitals — the latter duty was generally perform'd by Field Officers and the requirements of the Act of Sept. comply'd with — That on the 1^st [undecipherable] 81 Congress [undecipherable] a repeal of this resolution to take place on the first of march following — That as the service for which L^t Mentzes prays an allowance is subsequent to the repealing Law he is left without a Legal Claim upon the United States — But the Comm^r is still of opinion That as the Union must have been benefited by his Service and his expences necessarily incurr'd