N.º 1 M^r. Sharp. Sir. You will immediately have a Chest, for the purpose of holding the public Money, constructed agreeable to the directions of M^r. Swan. — Sign^d — Ja: Wilkinson June 19^th 1792 Br Gen^l. [Received from State Dep't. Nov. 24, 1894. R.P.O.401810.] [Received from State Dep't. Nov. 24, 1894. R.P.O.401810.] N.º 3. Proceedings of a General Court Martial held at Fort Washington July 11^th 1792 by Order of Brig.^r Gen^l. Wilkinson — [Rec. from State Dep't. Nov. 24, 1894. R.P.O.401810.] Major Strong President Members — { Cap^t. Ford — Cap^t. Pasteur— L^t. Bissell — L^t. Shaumaugh— L^t. McDonough Ens.ⁿ Marks + L^t. Jno. Wade Judge Advocate — The Court, having convened pursuant to the above Order, proceeded to the trial of M^r. Jos. Sharp Superintend.^t of Artificers — who appeared before them charged with a "Contempt of the Commanding Generals Orders" to which Charge he plead [underline: Not Guilty] Caleb Swan Esq.^r being sworn saith. That on or about the 19^th of June he obtained an Order from Brig.^r Gen^l. Wilkinson to M^r. Sharp, to have a Chest for the purpose of holding the public Money, constructed agreeable to the direction of the Depon.^t He presented the Order the very of its date, and agreed with M^r Sharp to have it made in a fortnight. On the 4^th July M^r. Sharp informed the Depon.^t it was not done, the 10^th Inst. it appeared complette in all parts except a Lock & Key, the Depon.^t furnished a Lock & Key, & requested M^r. Sharp to make a pad-lock suitable for the Key, and for the greater security of the Chest, he refused, & said it was not comprehended in the Order, which the Depon.^t had previously given him, that he (the Depon.^t) insisted it was included — M^r. Sharp persisted in his refusal of making without a new Order from the Gen^l., upon which the Deponent, complained to the Gen^l. and observed that should any accident happen, either by robbery, pillage of the Enemy, or other causes, he should claim his exoneration from any blame, from his [strikethrough: having] endeavouring to have the public money properly secured. — The Chest still remains— unfinished. — He farther saith he made application to one Davis an Artificer, to make a Lock, and asked would he do it,? he observed off-hand, "if he had liberty or would have other work"; the Dep.^t then spoke to M^r. Sharp to set Davis about it. He objected to it altogether, observing it would take a week to complete. and the necessary for that business. M^r. Robert Burton being sworn saith, some time in June he heard M^r. Swan mention his having received an Order from Gen.^l Wilkinson to have a chest made for him according to his own directions by M^r. Sharp. Sometime after he Saw M^r. Swan and M^r. Sharp together, the former observed to M^r. Sharp that he expected the Chest would be finished agreeable to engagements — the Depon.^t returned to his room from which he heard M^r. Swan and M^r. Sharp in conversation respecting the completion of the Chest; — M^r. Swan observed, that it was neither completed agreeable to the order, nor was it finished according to promise, M^r. Sharp replied, he did not receive a lock to be included in the Order, & that he could not (or would not, he cannot recollect which) do it. In the course of a conversation held yesterday between M^r. Swan & M^r. Sharp, the latter said that [underline: M^r. Harris] informed him the Order did not call for a Lock and that he should not (or ought not) to make it. — A true Copy from the Original Sign^d Jno. Wade Lieut. 1^st U.S. Reg. Judge Advocate. [Received from State Dep't. Nov. 24, 1894. R.P.O.401810.] N.º 4. Head Quarters Fort Washington July 13^th 1792. At a Gen.^l Court Martial held the 11^th inst. whereof Maj.^r Strong was President, M^r. Jos. Sharp Superintend.^t of Artificers — was tried charged with a "Contempt of the Commanding Gen.^l Orders" to which charge he plead [underline: Not Guilty]. The Court having deliberated on the Evidence adduced against M^r. Sharp, are of opinion he is Guilty of the charge, being a breach of Art. [undecipherable] Art. 5^th of the Rules & Articles of War, but conceiving the source of his disobedience to spring from the principles of Sedition instilled into his mind by the disordant Spirit of the late Quarter Master General Samuel Hodgdon, together with their personal, observations of the Ignorance & Officiousness of said Sharp, in Matters incompatible with his Office; — Sentence him to be reprimanded in General Orders. — The Brig.^r Gen.^l approves the Sentence, and hopes M^r. Sharp and every other Military Dependant, may deduce a useful Lesson from the occasion: — A moments reflection, must teach M^r. Sharp, that he may become subject to the orders of the youngest Ensign in the Army. his deportment should therefore, be marked in every Instance by a respectful obedience, and not by an affected Independence, or vain impertinence, — The difficulties which the Commanding Officer has experienced from some of the Artificers, he can but ascribe to the [undecipherable] Example of their Superintendent, & therefore being determined to suppress with the utmost exertions those principles & practice of Subordination without which an Army becomes a rabble — he warns M^r. Sharp to be cautious in future, as the Brig.^r Gen.^l is determined upon the first well founded complaints, which may be lodged to assert his proper authority, and in a summary way correct the very pernicious Errors into which M^r. Sharp [strikethrough: undecipherable] has been led.— A true Copy, extracted from the Orderly Book of the Garrison of Fort Washington July 11^th 1792 Jno. Wade A. 1^st U.S. Reg.^t Post Adjutant