To James Madison from William O. Callis, 20 December 1790
From William O. Callis
Richmond 20th. December 1790
Dear Sir,
In the year 1778 at the White Plains I was as a Lieutenant of 4th Va Regt. deranged: some previous or subsequent to that period, the Congress promised the Officers of the American Army so deranged, one Years Pay: this compensation I have never received; the design of this then is to beg the favour of you to make the proper application to the present Congress to obtain it.1 On reference to the Books and papers in the War Office, it will be found that the above statement is true, and further it will not appear by those or any other Papers that any Compensation has ever been made me. I am also, told I am entitled to some further bounty of Land,2 of this and the above your information, by a letter to be left at the Post Office, in Richmond, will Confer a particular obligation on Dr Sir, Yo. Mo. Obt
W. O. Callis.
RC (DLC). Docketed by JM. A note (probably in the hand of Joseph Howell) at the bottom left corner reads: “Lieut / deranged 1 Octo. 78. / is Returned for Lands.”
1. Acting Paymaster General Joseph Howell informed JM on 28 Dec. that Callis had forfeited his claim, “unless Congress may please to grant him Relief,” by failing to present it for liquidation in accordance with the Continental Congress resolve of 2 Nov. 1785. By that resolution, claims for military services had to be presented before 1 Aug. 1786. Callis continued to correspond with JM about his claim during the next two years. In March 1792 Congress passed “An act providing for the settlement of claims of persons under particular circumstances barred by limitations heretofore established.” By the authority of this act, Callis was issued a certificate, dated 5 Jan. 1793, for $64.02 (, XXIX, 866; Callis to JM, 29 Oct. and 18 Nov. 1791, 19 Nov. and 9 Dec. 1792 [DLC]; , Claims, p. 391).
2. By a resolve of 16 Sept. 1776, lieutenants were to be granted 200 acres (, V, 763).