Accountant W.D. Letter Book G Page 377 The accountant for the War Department reports agreeably to the request of the Secretary of War in conformity with the Resolution of the House of Representatiges of the 2nd February 1801 as far as related to less ascertained in his office in the House occupied by the War Department destroyed by fire on the evening of the 8th Nov. 1800 [8th Nov. 1800. circled on typescript.] That the papers destroyed were those only which had been lodged in the 3rd story of the building & consisted as follows: RELATING TO THE ACCOUNTS OF THE OLD ARMY [Left column]
Several cases containing muster and pay
Rolls, others containing accounts and
vouchers of sundry paymasters & Agents
for paying troops, and one case contain
ing individual settlements made by the
late paymaster General & Commissioner of
army accounts
[Circled text around the words individual settlements….army accounts. Illegible signature beginning with C ] [Right column] These papers could only be of used in the examination of claims for services prior to the Estab- lishment of the present Government which if not already settled are which if not already settled are all barred & foreclosed by act of Limitation. The loss will therefor not materially effect the unsettled accounts of the United States Wm Colfax accounts as contractor for the state of new York from 1 Jan. to 31 Dec. 1799 Robert Balls accounts as contractor for North Carolina for supplies furnished in 1799-1800 Wm Colfax & Co. account as contractors for the states of NY Mass RI & Vt. from 1 Jan to the 31 Dec. 1800. Nathan Starr’s account as contractor for furnish ing Swords Belts and Scxabbards per contract 1799 Part of the vouchers belonging to the Paymaster Generals Accounts. Dept War Accountant Office 2-6-01. P 297 to David Henly Nov 14, 1800. “The unfortunate accident which occurred last Saturday night in the house in which the War office was held having taken fire and consumed many of the papers belonging thereto, has put us in much confusion-my papers fortunately have been [underlined] very generally [end underlining] saved- they having been removed before the fire communicated to my apartments but those of the Secretary of War are very generally consumed–