The investigation of claims upon the United States for bounty lands promised to officers and Soldiers is devolved upon this office; and the heirs of the late Colo. Wm. Grayson1 have presented a claim for his services. You probably remember that to intitle an officer in the revolutionary army to land it was necessary to serve to the end of the War. There is in this office no document to shew that Colo. Grayson did so serve, if such an one existed, it was probably consumed with the War office in 1800. It appears by a document from Richmond that Colo. Grayson on the 25th. June 1783 settled with the state and received a certificate for £466.16.3. But officers are not considered to have served to the end of the War, who left the Army before the 3d. or 4th. of Novr. 1783. Colo. Grayson was once a member of the board of War, but resigned his seat in 1781 and we have nothing to shew that he e⟨ve⟩r returned into active service. On the 30th. of Oct: 1783 the Secretary of War reported the lines and corps which had accepted the commutation and reports Colo. Wm. Grayson and two others to have accepted it. But it was to be done by lines and corps—how it comes that Colo. Grayson should be individually named does not appear. Knowing that you were intimate with Colo. Grayson, have thought you might be able to throw some light upon this subject either from your personal knowledge or from what you may have heard him say. You can perhaps explain in what service he was, whether he served to the end of the War, whether he was ever in active service after he quitted the board of War, whether he was amongst those who had leave to retire upon the promise of half pay for life or whether he was amongst those who were furloughed & never after called into service. Any information which you can give upon these points and any other which may conduce to the solution of the difficulty, to this office, will be acceptably received. Present me most respectfully to Mrs. Madison. Yrs. most respectfully