The U.S. superintendent of finance, Robert Morris, wrote to Congress that while “the merit of Col. Kosciuszko is great and acknowledged,” a law passed in 1781 stipulated that foreign officers were to receive one-fifth of the amount due, and four-fifths in bank notes with interest.15 Morris wrote a glowing letter about Kosciuszko to Congress, but left the matter up to the legislature, which stalled on paying all soldiers. Morris even wiggled out of paying Kosciuszko the one-fifth that was due him, yet when Duportail and the French engineers came knocking several weeks later and demanded their
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