Letterbook Copy

Major General Spencer report on accounts

Major General Spencer submits report on accounts regarding his claims for pay.

1788

08

07

Office of Army Accounts, New York

Commissioners of the Treasury

Joseph Howell

Mr. Hancock

John Hancock

Deputy Quarter Master General

Jonathan Bissell

commissioner

Peter Philips

deputy commissary general

congress

separate department

army

creditor

Office of Army Accounts, New York

Rhode Island

accounts

monies

pay

books

petition

specie

certificatesl

1788080721055

61

61



Office of Army Accounts

New York Augt 7th, 1788


Gentlemen


The Assistant Commissioner to whom

was referred the Petition of Joseph Spencer late a Major
General in the service of the United States begs leave to
report.

That in the month of November 1777 Genl Spencer

received of M. Hancock Deputy Pay Master General the sum of
13,533 dollars for the use of the department in which he then
Commanded, it appears that by a letter from Jonathan Burrell
Esq. Commissioner that the sum of 10,532 67/90 dollars of the
money was paid to Peter Philips deputy Commissary General,
which leaves a Balance of 3000 28/90 dollars to be Accounted for
by General Spencer_

That on the 16th June 1775 Congress grant-

=ed the Additional pay of one hundred and sixty six dollars
to a Major General Commanding a separate department.

That General Spencer claims this additional pay

from the 1st January 1777 to the 17th April 1778 which time
he avers he commanded the Army Stationed at Rhode Island
and its Vicinity by order of the late commander in Chief.

That this claim being admitted (which the

Assistant Commissioner is of opinion is proper) his pay for
this Service will amount to 2534 6/90 dollars which will still
leave a balance due the United States of 416 17/90 dollars, equal
at the rate of exchange by the Army Seale to 33 21/90 dollars specie.

That General Spencer voluntarily acknowledges that the

Monies remaining in his hands was by him returned in
March or April 1779 to the Loan Officer of the State of Connecticut
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for which he received Loan Office Certificates to the amount
of 300 dollars Specie.

That by the tenor of his petition the Assistant

Commissioner is led to believe that General Spencer con=
=ceives himself entitled to the additional pay in Specie
allowed by the aforesaid act of Congress and that the
Monies remaining in his hands should be reduced to
specie Value.

To this your assistant Commissioner begs leave

to Object for
the following reasons via
1st. That in this principal the petitioner would become
a Creditor of the United States, and in lieu of refunding
the balance aforementioned would be entitled to the
sum of 1798 66/90 dollars specie the difference between the
Monies remaining in his hands and the pay due.
2. That it appears by the Books of this Office that on or
about the day he retired from Service he was paid the
full balance of his pay as Major General.
3d. That as he conceived himself entitled to the Extra pay
allowed by the aforesaid Act of Congress, he had it in his
power to oppose that pay to the Monies remaining in his
hands and to refund to the United States the balance
found due.
4th That in lieu of receiving the sum of 890 65/90 dollars (the
last payment made him as Major General) he should in
right only have received 474 48/90 dollars.
5th That Major General Spencer having resigned his Com=
mission previous to the 10th April 1780 is precluded from any
benefits arising on depreciation of pay.

The Assistant Commissioner is therefore of a Opinion

that the petitioner should account for the balance due &
that in consequence of the United States paying interest on
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the Loan Office Certificates received by him, that he should
be charged Interest thereon.

all which is humbly submitted

by Y Most Obt Servt

Joseph Howell

Honbl

The Commissioners

of the Treasury