George Washington's Expense Account, by George Washington and Marvin Kitman (HC, 1970, $4)
It is amazing what things turn up in the stacks of the New York Public Library. Kitman found this ledger while doing research for another book.
According to Kitman, Washington took no pay from the British when he served under Gen. Braddock because "the British War Office refused to hire him as an officer." When the Revolution rolled around, Congress voted Washington a salary of $500 per month. Happily, Washington refused to accept any pay, except for reimbursements for expenses. Of course he was rich and could afford to work without pay. Except, actually he didn't. If he had taken a salary, the US government would have owed him $48,000 for 8 years of generaling. According to Kitman, George saved us $48,000 by only requesting reimbursement for $449,261.51! Amazingly, Congress paid Washington promptly, unlike the common soldier.
Photocopies of Washington's ledger are followed with line by line interpretation by Kitman of what exactly those accounts were for. Is this really non-fiction? I didn't learn this in school. Look for this on the new non-fiction table. (L-mh)
