Letterbook

Complaints of Discharged Soliders

Addresses complaints made to the War Accountant's Office from discharged soldiers concerning pay.

1796

01

02

War Accountant's Office

Caleb Swan

William Simmons

Congress

discharged soldiers

War Accountant's Office

schedule of warrants

complaints

pay

discharge

begging

subsistence

1796010221155

378

Caleb Swan Esquire Department of War

Pay Master Genl. Accountants' Office

January 2^nd 1796
Sir

After congratulating you on the le=
time of a New Year of which I wish you many and happy
ones, I have to inform you that for your government you
have enclosed a Schedule of the Warrants drawn in
continuation of the last [indecipherable] you-

Complaints having been made to this Office from
various quarters that the discharged Soldier do not receive
their pay to the time of their discharge and which subjects
them to the greatest inconvenience being frequently oblig=
=ed to sell their discharge for half their value to enables
them to return to their respective homes, most being
frequently met on the road begging for a Substence.
These circumstances it is respected will be from an exressi=
=on of one of the Members, thought before Congress in order
to cause an inquiry to be made where the fault lies-

I hope the necessary steps in future will be taken to]
preevent any thing more of this kind- The poor Soldier is certain=
=ly entitled to his pay when due indeed the Act of Congress
of the 4^th June 1794 Possitivly enacts that the arrears of pay
shall at no time be [<s>indecipherable</s>] longer than two months

I am &^c William Simmons