William Simmons letter September 27th 1799

Edward Carrington                                                                      September 27th 1799
Sup Richmond Va
Sir
I received this day yours of the 18 Inst. Enclosing a letter from John S Westwood the contents of which have been duly noted.  In answer thereto I have to inform that the account of William Westwood (commencing in April & ends in July) have been exhibited at this office for settlement, and are suspended until the Sec of War’s decision is had upon the four following charges..towit…
April – this sum paid for drawing plans of barracks previous to the arrival of an Engineer …Dollars 20.—
30’ this sum paid William Willoughby (as an advance) by order of Capt. Blackburn said to be work done & to be done to Fort Nelson …
May – this sum paid for a Boat for Fort Nelson 30
Altering sails & rigging & c  9 done, without any voucher to shew that the sanction of the Sec of War or comm of Gen had been obtained …. 130.—
June 30’ this sum paid William Willoughby said to be the second moiety of his contract for building Fort Nelson …..700.—
The letter which Mr. Westwood mentions to have been sent by Capt. Blackburn enclosing a particular account of the expenditure of the above 1400 dollars has never been recorded at this office.  You will readily perceive from what has heretofore been written upon this subject that neither the letter nor the particular account of Capt Blackburn would be sufficient to Warrant the passing of the objectional parts of William Westwood’s accounts, unless sanctioned by the commanding General, & approval by the Secretary of War.
I am & c
W.S.

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Papers of the War Department 1784 to 1800

Papers of the War Department is a project of the Roy Rosenzweig Center for History and New Media, George Mason University with funding from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Fire destroyed the War Department office in 1800. For decades historians believed that its files, and the window they provide into the early federal government, had been lost forever. This collection unites copies of the lost files in a digital archive that reconstitutes this invaluable historical resource.