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PHILADELPHIA, April 22, 1780.

GENTLEMEN :-If the regiments in the service will hereafter be as strong as they have been, their pay will be about 3,000 dollars a month, and their present subsistence about 7,600 dollars. The Maryland line being marched, there remains in the maine army 35 regiments. As to the contingencies of the department, it is impossible to determine the sum which will be paid, as they depend, except the pay of the General Staff, on unforeseen circumstances. I have the honor to be your obedient servant,

Honorable Board of Treasury.

JOHN PIERCE.

PAY OFFICE, PHILADELPHIA, April 27, 1780. GENTLEMEN:-The Board of War have directed me to make application for 230,000 dollars to pay two warrants which they have drawn on me this day; one in favor of Major-general Baron De Kalb for 200,000 dollars, for the purpose of defraying the expenses of the Maryland troops on their march to the southward, and the other in favor of Major Lee for 30,000, to defray the expenses of

his corps.

These warrants the Board of War desire may be paid as soon as possible, that the troops may not be delayed in marching.

I have the honor to be your obedient servant,

Honorable Board of Treasury.

J. BURRALL.

PAY OFFICE, PHILADELPHIA, May 3, 1780. GENTLEMEN-I have lately received a letter from Mr. Boreman, Deputy Paymaster-general at Fort Pitt, requesting a further supply of cash to pay the troops in his department. There are at that post two regiments and three independent corps, the monthly pay of which will amount to about 30,000 dollars. The troops are so much in arrears that 150,000 dollars will be necessary to pay them to the usual time, and I must request you will report a warrant for that sum. The Board will also be pleased to report a warrant in my favor for 500,000 dollars to answer the drafts of the Board of

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War. There are now lying in my office two drafts from them; one in favor of the Baron De Kalb for 200,000 dollars, and another in favor of Major Lee for 30,000 dollars. These sums are greatly wanted to forward the march of the troops destined for Carolina.

I would also beg leave to repeat my request that the Board would take some effectual measures that I may be furnished with the accounts and vouchers which have been settled by the Deputy Paymaster-general, and lodged in different offices, without which it will be impossible for me to complete the public books in the manner prescribed by the resolve of Congress passed May 29, 1779. I am particularly in want of the vouchers of Mr. Trumbull's accounts, which were settled with the Commissioners at Albany, and lodged in their office. These gentlemen have been repeatedly applied to, but have constantly refused to send them, by which means the business of my office has been retarded and great loss may accrue to the public by the Auditors of the Army not being seasonably supplied with the proper accounts, which cannot be completed until all the vouchers necessary for forming them are deposited in my office.

I would further beg leave to submit to the Board the propriety of continuing a Deputy at the two posts of Rhode Island and Boston. There are no Continental troops at the latter place except a few invalids, and at the former only a few State troops. The distance between Providence and Boston being only forty-five miles, one person could certainly do the business of the whole.

I have the honor to be, with great respect, your obedient servant, J. BURRALL

Honorable Board of Treasury.

MORRISTOWN, May 6, 1780.

SIR-I arrived here yesterday evening, nothing material occurring on my journey. I find the greatest want of money among the officers and soldiers, and could wish for the satisfaction that exertions may be made to obtain a supply. By the estimate annexed, you will see what sum will be sufficient to pay from the 1st of January to this day, being at least 1,500,000 dollars.

Perhaps some favorable circumstance may enable you to obtain the money, which I would forward as soon as possible.

Estimate of pay and subsistence of the main army from January

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228,621

Balance remaining on hand, per account ren

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dered for April, Money paid to the Quartermaster-general's department, by his Excellency's desire to be returned, .

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Wanting to pay the army

I am, sir, with respect and esteem, your obedient servant,

WM. PALFREY, Esq., Paymaster general.

JOHN PIERCE.

PAY OFFICE, PHILADELPHIA, May 9, 1780. GENTLEMEN:-Agreeably to the direction of the honorable Board, signified by the Secretary, I now inclose you an estimate of the sum necessary for the pay of the army to the period you mention, as nearly as I can ascertain it from the information I have received of their numbers. The Board perhaps are not informed that the returns of the army do not come officially before me, neither can I procure them from the Board of War, unless by a positive resolve of Congress for the purpose. Therefore all estimates furnished by me must be very vague and uncertain. The order on the Loan Office in Boston cannot be procured in less than three weeks or a month, even if the money should be ready there, and I should be very glad to be informed by your honorable Board in what manner and under what escort it is to be sent to camp.

I have the honor to be, with the highest respect, your obedient servant,

Honorable Board of Treasury.

WILLIAM PALFREY, P. M. Gen.

PAY OFFICE, PHILADELPHIA, May 10, 1780.

SIR-Inclosed I send you a draft on John Lawrence, Esq., treasurer of the State of Connecticut, for 864,836 dollars, to pay the arrears of the troops in your department. The great difficulty of obtaining money has been the occasion of this supply being delayed. I therefore hope you will lose no time in getting the amount of this draft from Connecticut.

In the month of February you made a stoppage from the 7th Massachusetts regiment, the amount of which, nor the person by whom advanced, do not appear on your returns, which mode of stopping is directly contrary to your instructions. Instead of deducting from the pay-rolls and charging the balance, you should charge the whole pay-roll, and give credit for the stoppage made. This rule you will please strictly to observe in future.

I am sorry that I am obliged to frequently to complain of your want of punctuality in forwarding your monthly returns. You are now in arrears for March and April, which I beg you will send by the first opportunity. I am very confident that the business of your office is not so great as to prevent you making your returns regularly at the end of every month.

I beg you will present my compliments to Mr. Bedlow and his worthy family. It has not been in my power to send him the red cake-ink he requested.

I am, sir, your most humble servant,

THOMAS REED, Esq,
Dep. P. M. Gen., New Windsor.

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WILLIAM PALFREY.

PAY OFFICE, PHILADELPHIA, May 11, 1780. GENTLEMEN :—Mr. Hillegas is indebted to me 10,000 dollars, balance of a warrant granted in my favor for the purpose of answering the drafts of the Board of War. He has just informed me that there are 16,000 in the hands of Mr. Smith, Continental loan officer, arising from the sale of bills of exchange, which he cannot appropriate to the payment of my balance without the particular direction of your honorable Board.

As the money is extremely wanted for the purposes for which it

was granted, I must request you will be pleased to give Mr. Hillegas directions accordingly, and I am, with the greatest respects, gentlemen,

Your obedient servant,

Honorable Board of Treasury.

WILLIAM PALFREY, P. M. Gen.

PAY OFFICE, PHILADELPHIA, May 13, 1780. GENTLEMEN :-The Secretary of your honorable Board acquainted me that warrants have been reported in my favor for 2,000,000 dollars, accompanied with a request that I would "inform them when it shall be in my power relative to their payment." As the Board have not acquainted me with the particular offices or States on which the warrants are drawn, it is out of my power at present to give a proper answer to the question. I will do myself the honor to wait on the honorable Board at 12 o'clock, and give them all the information in my power.

I am, gentlemen, your obedient servant,

Honorable Board of Treasury.

WILLIAM PALFREY.

PAY OFFICE, PHILADELPHIA, May 14, 1780. SIR-Inclosed you have sundry warrants, with which you are to immediately proceed to the several offices and apply for payment. When you receive the money, you are to return with the same to camp, and deliver to John Pierce, Esq., Deputy Paymaster-general there, one million of dollars. The remainder you are to deliver to me at this office. If you should not be able to procure payment for the whole of these warrants, you will get as much as you possibly can, and proceed with it to camp, keeping a particular account of what part you do receive, which must be endorsed on the warrants. You will take triplicate receipts from Mr. Pierce for whatever sum you pay him.

As the army is greatly in want of the money, I would recommend to you to use all possible dispatch, and I am

Your obedient servant,

Mr. JARED SAXTON, escort.

WM. PALFREY, P. M. Gen.

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