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This may Certify, That soon after I
entered upon the duties of my office as Commissioner for Settling
public accounts in this State, the annexed claim was presented
to me for allowance by Mr. Henry H. Williams. As some
part of it was for articles that were destroyed & which were
productive of no advantage to the United States; and
as none of it was Supported by regular vouchers, I suspen-
ded my determination upon it 'till I had obtained the
best evidence that could be found. The charges for the
loss of Household furniture and whatever was received merely
as damage could not be admitted at this Office; therefore
I did not so critically investigate the proofs which were
to establish that part of the Account. But that part
of the claim which related to supplies of provision, or
any other articles which were applied for the benefit of the
United States, could be admitted, if the evidence of the fact
was Satisfactory. Under this idea, I suggested to Mr. Williams
the propriety of stating in a Separate account such

articles as were applied for the use of the Army; and to produce
his evidence both with respect to the value & appropriation
of them. From a great concurrence of testimony, he
established the general fact, that his property was taken
at the time & in the manner set forth in his memorial.
We also made it evident that the horses taken were turned
into public Service; whether for this State or the United
States, some of the witnisses were at a loss. The Honorable
Moses Gill Esqr. & the late Major Genl. Putnam informed
me, they were actually applied for the United States.
The number & value of the horses was not ascertained
with any precision, but it was well proved that the
horses were valuable & the number considerable. It was
proved to me that some Cattle & Sheep were slaughtered
for the use of the Army, but the quantity was altogether
uncertain. Upon the whole, as this claim was for so
large an amount, & the evidence in support of it not
precise, I recommended to Mr. Williams to lay the
affair before the Commissioners of the Treasury. I was
however Satisfied that he was intitled to a large
allowance & should have admitted that part of the account which related to articles appropriated to public use,
with some deductions. But the claimant preferred laying
a memorial before the Honorable Congress under the
expectation that the whole claim will be admitted. It
must be Settled by general estimation. The nature of
the transaction was Such as to exclude all possibility
of accurate testimony. The evidence is satisfactory as far
as it goes. It is perhaps as good as the nature of the case
will admit.

[Subscription (recipient's name at foot of page):] Commissrs. Office
Boston April 1, 1787

[Endorsement]