[Administrative notation, written diagonally]: [undecipherable] Hochfontaine 19 January 1797 [Received from State Dep't. Nov. 24. 1894. R.P.O.401810.] 15 Samuel Hodgdon Super Intendant of Military [Stores?] Philadelphia West point January 19^th 1797. Sir, [Received from State Dep't. Nov. 24.1894. R.P.O.401310.] I received yesterday your Letter of the 13^th Inst. [strikethrough: explaining] importing your views respecting the Publick Stores to be delivered to the Several Detachments of the Corps of Art. & Eng.^rs of which you will send here monthly a Statement; I think it will have the desired effect of Checking the improper application, you might even prevent them, if you would require of the Commanding officers of Detachments an Estimate of the Clothing necessary for Six months to come, by ex: in the month of [undecipherable], application might be made to you for all the Clothing & other Stores for the Ensuing Summer. — in June to July, another application might be forwarded for the Winter Supplies — as there would be time Enough before it would be actually wanted; the Estimate might be first here for Examination & Comparison with the actual Situation of the Detachments which are regularly Sent here of the Detachments. but from the immediate application to the Sec. of war for all Supplies, the officers are all persuaded that from the moment they are at the head of a Command, their Corps form a Corps by itself. Subject to no Controul but that of the Sec. of war — under whose authority they are provided with whatever they are in want of, the accounts of Deliveries falling into an improper Channel are lost, and after a while it is impossible to trace where the Stores have been furnished, and how they have been apply'd. I have long been of opinion with you, that the Quarter Masters Office is the proper place where ought to be Collected the returns of Supplies furnished to the Several Detachments, and where the accounts of Deliveries ought to be transmitted, for they may be at all times Checked by the returns and Situation of the Detachments; then the Quarter [missing pages] [Administrative notation]: Colonel Rochfontaine / 31^st January / 1797 / Recd [undecipherable] 7 Samuel Hodgdon — Esquire Superintendant of Military Stores Philadelphia West point Jany 31^st 1797 S^r, I Send you the two enclosed Letters to prove to you there are due to the comp.^y of Kaltisen at Charleston South Carolina, the following articles upon the Due Bill granted to detachment when ready to Depart for New York: — viz: 1. Ser.^t Coat, 1 ditto Vest, 4 ditto Woolen overalls, or Linnen overalls [undecipherable] Climate. 4 Ditto Shirts. the above articles will be Charge'd to [undecipherable] hands they remain'd after the Departure of [undecipherable] Johnson — thirty pairs of Woolen Socks are also due to that Comp.^y, besides what will be applied for directly by the Captain for remainder of his Company, & which was to be incorporated with Der Lieut Robeson. Respectfully I am, Sir, Your Obed.^t Serv.^t Sep. Rochefontaine lt Col. Com.^dt of [the Corps] of Art.^l [Eng.^rs] M^r. Hodgdon — Esquire. Sir Fort Johnston S. Carolina Jany 4^th 1796 I arrived here with the Detachment for this Place on y^e 28^th December. after a very disagreeable passage of 29 Days — my Due bill for one Ser.^t Coat one d.^o Vest four d.^o Woolen overalls & four d.^o Shirts I did not get at Governors Island as Capt Fry had none of those articles — their is a mistake on the dockets the Return to the Qu.^r Master Specifies 39 men. & on my due bill their is only nine —— I am Sir With Respect your Obed^t Serv.^d Jon: Robeson Lieu.^t in the Corps of Art.^l Engineers Lieut Col. Stephen Rochesfontaine Commd of the Corps of Art.^l Engineers West Point Jany 30^th 1797 Sir, Having Compared the Return of Captain McRea for the Clothing due the detachment of Capt Kaltisen, with the Duplicate of the Due Bill given for the balance of the said Clothing, I find the return was for thirty nine pairs of Socks, & that the Due Bill owing to the Same being written in two lines, was by mistake for nine persons only, as stated by Lieut Robeson in his letter of the 4^th [undecipherable] — I have reason also to believe that the Serjeants Clothing intended for that detachment & forwarded to Capt Frye did not arrive in time to be delivered