[Outer wrapper. Filing or postal notations written sideways in center panel: [undecipherable] / Oct & 20 / [undecipherable]] Westpoint March 12^th 1797 Sir I received your letter of the 4^th Inst^s. Head has been paid this part of bounty due him; as to Spafford, upon investigation I found that a reward of 10 Dollars had been paid Serg^t Seamen for apprehending him; likewise Sundry other charges which were brought against the US. by the pursuing party, I therefore concluded that the balance of bounty Due him was wholly exhausted by the expences of the Public on account of his desertion. The Muster Roll for february as well as all the Subsequent ones will be made to contain the Trade or occupation of every artificer in the corp, it will be also accompanied with a Certificate of the time that every one has been employed in each month, you will from it deduct if you think proper the additional pay that they are entitled to by law and by their engagement; but I dont conceive myself authorised to do it, and I will take this liberty to Submit to your examination my reasons for it. an artificer is Enlisted to be made use of for the Publick Service as a tradesman and as a Soldier, as circumstances may require, and the Public has agreed to pay him nine [undecipherable] Dollars per Month. if he is found to be unequal to the duty of an artificer of cours he is, after a legal investigation, to be placed upon the Pay Roll at the rate of four Dollars only as a private Soldier. if he is employed as an artificer and if [undecipherable] he is wasting away his time; he is to be punished at the Discretion of a court Martial, which may Direct Stoppages to be made out of his monthly pay. if he falls Sick, he is to be paid as if he was Constantly employed: upon that I will however add some observation. when a non comd officer and Private are Sick in the hospital, the whole of their pay or a part of it at least, might be Stoped with propriety; 1^st because the Public is at great expence to have the Hospital attended to and furnished with Medicines and other necessaries. 2^d because nine tenth of the Sick are brought to that Situation by Intemperance, by the wish of Screening themselves from duty, and too often from deceiving the recruiting officer upon the State of their Constitution when they were Enlisted. 3^d because when a Man is in the Hospital, he has no occasion for his pay, being provided with every necessary and it is, [undecipherable: probable reading "his pay"] but an inducement to intoxication which to my knowledge has been the cause of the death of many. a circumstance in which it would be highly proper to Stop the whole or part of a non comd officer or Privates pay, is when they are going upon furlough. it would have at least that good effect of removing from their mind the wish of applying so often for Leave of absence. Do not mention the comd officers, because I know some upon whom it would fall, I learn that they would not be able to Support the Dignity of their Station. The artificers as soon as they are Enlisted should be ordered to West point when [undecipherable] are employed and for those on repairing Barracks Public Store and Building I have no [undecipherable]. I am in returns from New York and North Carolina; artificers who cannot be employed there for the Public good. a return from Charleston S^o Ca has discovered to me an Evil which arises from the Ignorance Some officers are kept in with respect of Military laws. I have remarked that Captain Kalteisen had continued Enlisting men for 3 years when a law had ordered the Enlistments to be made for five years. I am Respectfully, Sir your obed^t Serv^t Rochefontaine lt. Col. comd^g R^t Y^e corps of art^y. & Eng^rs Inclosed I send you a Claim for part of bounty Due; I am Sorry to receive So often Individual applications, but my Endeavours for obtaining all the claims at once have been without effect as I dont write to the Sect of war this day, I trouble you with this enclosed Letter, which I wish you would find up Stairs. [undecipherable] Simmons Esquire act to the War Dep^t Philadelphia