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WAR OFFICE, April 19, 1778.

SIR-At the request of Capt. Baldesqui, I now inclose for your inspection a copy of the payments made to Count Pulaski and himself, for the pay and other expenses of the Legion, amounting to 133,500 dollars; the charges in the abstract will show the purposes for which the sums respectively were advanced. The last sum of 35,000 dollars was paid only a few days ago to General Pulaski for the recruiting services of his Legion. It will therefore be out of the power of Capt. Baldesqui to account at present for the above sum, he having had no returns from the General that show how it has been expended.

I am, gentlemen, your obedient servant,

Auditors of Accounts.

JOSEPH CARLETON, Secretary.

PHILADELPHIA, May 15, 1779.

GENTLEMEN :-The accounts of General Count Pulaski and Capt. Baldesqui have been carefully examined, amounting to 105,111 dollars, and compared with as many vouchers as are produced; but as many are wanting-such as muster-rolls and receipts for several articles, and some articles for large sums are guessed at, as will appear by his remarks herewith-I find that I cannot settle said accounts, they not being agreeable to the resolves of Congress and orders of the Board of Treasury. It appears that the General and Paymaster have received at sundry times 181,286 dollars. The General, in a letter to the Auditors of the 27th of March, mentions that some receipts were lost by Colonel Boze, who was killed at Egg Harbor, but hopes that will make no difficulty, as he is persuaded we shall depend on his honor to pass over that matter.

The accounts of Captain Baldesqui, amounting to 44,70621 dollars, are not agreeable to the resolves of Congress or Board of Treasury-he having not produced any receipts for either officer or private; instead of which, he produces certificates at the bottom of each account, that the account is true and exact, and that the amount of each has been paid by his Paymaster-from all which it appears that these accounts as rendered cannot be settled.

JAMES JOHNSTON, Auditor.

Board of Treasury.

PHILADELPHIA, July 28, 1779.

The Honorable Gentlemen, Members of Congress :

I went to camp a few days after General Count Pulaski's departure for South Carolina, for the purpose of settling the accounts of the Legion with the Auditors of the Army, according to the resolution of the honorable Congress.

The Auditors told me they had so much business in hands at that time that they did not believe they could be able to look over said accounts before three weeks or a month ; in consequence whereof I determined to go to Boston, as I had some business there. I gave to said Auditors all the papers I received from Count Pulaski concerning the Legion, together with all the payments made by me to the officers and privates, and told them we should settle at my coming back.

I happened to be sick during my stay at Boston, which obliged me to be absent longer than I thought I should have been; and found at my arrival at camp the Auditors had already visited the accounts, and made such report to the Treasury Board as to induce you, gentlemen, to pass a resolve, which has since been published in the newspapers, and which seems greatly to my disadvantage.

General Count Pulaski had begun his expenses for his Legion three months before I was appointed in it, and at that time almost all the business had been done by him, or some of the officers of his corps, who were so negligent as to lose several vouchers, which are now missing. This is a thing, gentlemen, I cannot help. Count Pulaski confesses it himself by a letter he wrote to the Auditors of the Army, which letter I delivered them; and besides this, I add here a general receipt from Count Pulaski, by which he does acknowledge I have given him an exact account of all the sums whatever I received for him, by order of the honorable Congress, during all the time I have been appointed in his corps.

This is, gentlemen, the present situation of the accounts of the Legion; and though some of the vouchers have been lost, they are true and as exact and regular as I could possibly make them. I am furthermore certain that Count Pulaski has laid out for the Legion at least fifty thousand dollars of his own money, which are not men

tioned in his accounts. However, gentlemen, should the regularity with which public business ought to be transacted not permit you to fully trust Count Pulaski's honor, in respect of the vouchers which have been lost, please to order the accounts to be settled in the manner you will think it the most right and best; and as to the deficiency, whatever that shall be found in the said accounts, I know Count Pulaski well enough to be certain that he will pay it as soon as he will be informed thereof.

As to my own accounts concerning the payments made to the officers and privates personally by me, the Auditors of the Army pretend also they are not regular, because I did not take a receipt from each of the privates to whom money was advanced. This might have been done very easily, but I did not think it was necessary nor very regular, because the greater part of them could not write their names. I therefore chose to keep their accounts as we are accustomed to do it in France—that is, to pay the troops in presence of the captain of each company, and to make him certify the pay-rolls, together with the colonel and the general, which has been strictly done.

I hope, gentlemen, you will consider that a foreigner cannot be acquainted with the customs of your country as well as yourselves, and you will please to take the necessary steps so as the Auditors of the Army may settle my accounts on the footing they now stand.

I am in hopes, also, gentlemen, that by a future resolve of Congress the effect of the former may be annulled. I mean that of the 10th of June, which I suppose was made through mistake, since it may induce the public to think I have misbehaved.

I am, gentlemen, your most obedient servant,

J. BALDESQUI.

TREASURY OFFICE, Aug. 3, 1779. GENTLEMEN :-The Board have received your letters of the 29th May, and 10th and 14th of July last, with their several inclosures. In answer to them I am instructed to inform you that the accounts of Mr. Kennon, Paymaster to the 6th Virginia regiment,

must be settled with you, as there are no Continental Auditors in Virginia.

The Board are extremely sorry that any of the Regimental Paymasters should be so lost to a sense of duty to the public and their own reputations as to resign before they have settled their accounts. You are to call upon them to join the army immediately, in order to adjust them with you; and if they neglect to attend for that purpose, their names will be reported to Congress as defaulters.

The Board flatters themselves that this evil will be prevented in future, as the Commander-in-chief will not accept their resignations without certificates from you of their accounts being settled.

The inconveniences arising from the allowance granted to officers for purchasing drums, fifes, and cockades, are unavoidable. Justice requires that they should be reimbursed. The Board, therefore, think proper to leave you at liberty to make such allowances for those articles to officers whose accounts are adjusted, as particular circumstances may render expedient.

It is the opinion of the Board that the officers sent to superintend the hospitals are comprehended in the resolve of Congress allowing three dollars per day to officers on command, not incidental to their duty, and are of course entitled to the same allow

ance.

The Board are desirous that the pay of the clerks in your office should be adequate to their services, but recommend it to them to wait till the first of October next, when it is hoped the value of the money will be more fixed, and a regulation take place upon just and equitable principles.

As the expense of horses and forage at this time is enormous, applications for horses on long marches should be made to the Commander-in-chief.

I inclose you an act of Congress of the 29th ult., and an order of the Board of this day, together with a copy of a memorial to Congress of Captain Baldesqui, respecting his accounts as Paymaster to Count Pulaski's Legion, and also the accounts of Count Pulaski for money he has advanced to the Legion-which sev

eral papers I transmit you for your government in settling said.

accounts.

I am, gentlemen, your most obedient and very humble servant, ROBERT TROUP, Secretary.

Messrs. JOHNSON and HOWELL, Auditors.

PROVIDENCE, August 24, 1779. from Philadelphia, and will

SIR:-Captain Travers is returned

soon be with you, after he shall have seen the new French Ambassador at Boston. I beg you will send him again into Canada, and endeavor that no private dissensions obstruct the service.

. I am convinced of your zeal in our cause, and wish to have it in my power to prove to you that I am with sincerity,

Sir, your most obedient humble servant,

To Col. BEDEL, at Coös.

HORATIO GATES.

MORRISTOWN, Jan. 2, 1780.

DEAR SIR:-By this conveyance you have my monthly accounts for November and December. The balance is much less than what appears in the return—having advanced to several Paymasters and other persons, by the general orders, about 120,000 dollars, in part of warrants which I design not to charge before the whole are paid. This reduces the real sum on hand to about 150,000 dollars—a sum which makes but a small figure in this office, and evinces the necessity of a further supply, as the troops are now four months in arrears, three of which I design to pay on the arrival of the money I have lately requested.

I am, dear sir, yours sincerely,

JOHN PIERCE, Dep. Pay. Gen.

JONATHAN BURRALL, Asst. Pay. Gen.

PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 3, 1780.

GENTLEMEN-I inclose you a copy of a warrant which the Board of War have this day drawn, for 150,000 dollars, which I cannot answer without a further supply. As I have not more than 50,000 in hand, I should think it best that a warrant be granted

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