[12th (The Suffolk) Regiment of Foot.] Manuscript 'Assignment Offreckonings [sic]' to Messrs John, Nicholas & Brice Pearse, with Clothing Board certification, signed by 3 British Army Generals: William Picton, Sir William Fawcett, Sir David Dundas.

See E. A. H. Webb, 'History of the 12th (The Suffolk) Regiment, 1685-1913' (1914). Picton was the uncle of 'the illustrious Picton', Lt-Gen. Sir Thomas Picton (1758-1815), who was his sole executor and residuary legatee. The year of Picton's birth is variously reported, but the Monthly Magazine, December 1811, is among several sources reporting his death in Bond Street at the age of 87. 4pp, folio. Bifolium. In fair condition, aged and with closed tears along the three fold lines. Endorsed on reverse of second leaf: '12th. Regiment of Infantry | General William Picton | to J: N & B: Pearse | Assignment Offreckonings | From 6th July 1800: | To 5th July 1801 | For £3825: 5s: 4d'. Beneath this, in another hand: 'Entered at the Board of General Officers | J: Johnson' and in a third hand: 'Entd. In the Office of the Paymr. General. | Henry Harmood.' The page also carries a statement of the accounts, with four entries, with the total of £3825 5s 4d over '365 days'. The document proper is on the recto of the first leaf, written out in a secretarial hand, and signed at the foot by 'William Picton.' with his chipped seal in red wax at bottom right. Witnessed by 'J. C. Pleydell' and 'Alexr Cumming'. It is addressed by 'William Picton General in the Army, & Colonel of the 12th Regiment of Foot', to 'Messrs: John, Nicholas, & Brice Pearse, of Lothbury, in the City of London' (according to the article on John Pearse in the History of Parliament, his firm 'operated as Blackwell Hall factors at 41 Lothbury and as army clothiers at 98 Long Acre'). The document is intended for 'the Right Honourable Thomas Steele & George Canning, joint Paymaster's [sic] general of His Majesty's Forces'. Giving the total of 'all the Offreckonings [sic] of all and Singular, the Serjeants, Corporals, Drummers, Fifers, and Private Men, of, and belonging to the 12th Regiment of Foot, under my Command'. On the reverse of the first leaf: 'Entered in the Office for Inditing the Public Accounts the 3d December 1801 | Thos Gibbes'. Covering the whole of the recto of the second leaf is a communication, dated 18 November 1801, 'To | The Paymaster General of His Majestys Forces, or the Paymaster General for the time being', signed by three 'General Officers of the Clothing Board': 'Wm. Fawcett Genl. | G: Hotham Lt Genl. | D. Dundas [Lt?]'. (Fawcett (1727-1804) had been Adjutant-General to the Forces, and at the time of writing was Governor of Chelsea Hospital. After a distinguished military career Dundas (1735-1820) would serve as s Commander-in-Chief of the Forces from 1809 to 1811. Lt-Col. George Hotham was elder brother of the distinguished admiral Sir William Hotham (later Lord Hotham).) The letter states that, further to a letter from the Secretary at War, the Clothing Board have 'passed and allowed' the offreckonings, 'without requiring the usual Certificate of the View of the said Clothing'.