West point January 19^th 1797. Sir, [Received from State Dep't. Nov. 24. 1894. R.P.O.401810.] I received yesterday your letter of the 13^th Inst. [strikethrough: requesting] explaining your views respecting the Publick Stores to be Delivered to the Several Detachments of the troops of art: & Eng: of which you will find 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 Jan.y, 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 Estimates might be sent here for Examination & comparison with the actual Situation of the Detachment, 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 commencement they are at the head of a Command, their troop form a Corps by itself, Subject to no comptroal but that of the Sec.^y of war, — under whose authority they are provided with whatever they are in want of, the account 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 formation of the Detachments. Thus the Quarter [Address leaf:] [Endorsed: [undecipherable] of Military [undecipherable] / [undecipherable] Jan.^y 19^th 1797] Samuel Hodgdon Esq. Super intendant of Military Stores — Philadelphia