[William Simmons Esq^re / Accountant of the War Department / Philadelphia] [marginalia: Lt. [undecipherable] / [undecipherable] / [undecipherable] / [undecipherable]] Fish Point March 16^th 1797 Sir M^r Freeman has handed to me one of your Letter to him respecting Good, a Private who been returned for one Months Artificers Extra pay for the average of thirty pair of Shoes made for [undecipherable] who could not be Suited with Shoes Sent from Philad^a to the Public Store of this Garrison. It may be wrong in me to have attempted to have that extra Service Discharged out of the Monies appropriated for the payment of the artificers of the corps among whom are no Shoemakers, but it must be Supported by the Public finances, or Else Soldiers will be rendered useless for want of Shoes, untill the observations which I added to the Estimate of clothing wants, which was that a Number of Large Sized men could not be Suited by the Shoes generally Sent, are attended to. another Letter mentioned the impropriety of paying an Adjutant to the 4^th Batⁿ as long as there are no men of that Battalion in this Garrison the Same reasoning might apply to the two other Adjutants, who are filling the offices of pay M^r & D^r M^r. for they are not confined to the Duties of Adj^t. to the 2^d Batⁿ. and to the 3^d Batⁿ. but they both preform Duties in the Staff, which you are convinced in your [undecipherable] of [undecipherable], is deserving an extra pay. when you are acquainted with the Duti. of the Ad^t. of the 4^th Battalion and with the Usefull Extra duty which he is performing with the corps, you will own the same principle which animates you, declare that he is as deserving of the pay of adj^t. to which I appointed him, as the two others. by the organization of the corps of Art^s. & Eng^s. the artificers are distributed in the comp^s. and they are Subject to the Internal police & discipline of their comp^s. under the immediate authority of their Capt. and other officers of the comp^y. the Law as therefore provided for the organization of the artificers, [underline: while they act in the capacity of Military men.] but when they act as tradesmen, they are all upon a level, and none has a right to command to the other. when I joined the corps, the artificers were under the direction of M^r. Hennings foreman (Capt. wright); under that arrangement, the artificers did little or no good, discontentment, Military men would not be under the command and Direction of a man in civil life, the want of Subordination caused disorder, Tools were Missing or Stolen, the Military artificers accused the Civil ones to be the authors, and vice versa. I appointed a Noncommissioned officer to command them and to take charge of the Tools, leaving the Direction of the Works to M^r. wright; that alteration removed Some Evils, but did not Establish that Spirit of Emulation So necessary to a Body of artificers, to turn it to the Public Advantage. — I proposed the Direction of the artificers to the officers. but Many refused it for fear of Deviating from the Duty of a Gentleman in applying themselves to the Direction of Trademen, others considered that Duty as foreign to that of an officer of Art^s. & would not Chuse to do it out of their Tour, unless they were paid for it. the artificers were then placed under the immediate Command of officers, who by turn and Monthly were to attend them daily; it was considered both as an encouragement to Learning, and an advantage for the Service. my Endeavours were totally defeated and experience taught me that the only mode of turning the artificers to Public use, was to lay them under the command of an officer Capable of Directing them in all the Branches of Mechanics, and who would Devote his whole attention to it for the consideration of Some extra pay. Lieu^t. Drausy united in him all the Talents which I could wish and would consent to take upon himself the charge of that essential Duty for the extra pay of an adj^t. I had the adjutancy of the 4^th Batⁿ. Vacant, I proposed the Case to the Consideration of the Sec^t. of War in September last, & I appointed M^r. Drausy Adjutant to the 4^th Batⁿ. under the Circumstances aforesaid, and under the immediate Control of the Sec^t. of War. — M^r. Drausy has ever Since done the company duty, the Adjutant Duty, and the direction of the artificers, has been attended to by him with much credit to his Mechanical genius, to the advantage of good order and discipline, and to the very great profit of the U^s. for Since he has had the Direction of the artificers, they have repaired the Barracks for the Troops of this garrison, they have covered the Powder Magazine 2^d over. they have Constructed 2 Mortar Carriages, & 2 travelling field 4 pounder Carriages, with their implements, and have Elected a great deal of Timber Seasoning for further wants. but to resume myself; The Pay of Adjutant may be refused to Lieu^t. Drausy for his extra Services for the Months of Jan^y. & Feb^y. last; but it will not be consistent with that Justice which regulates the Usages of your Department, for he was appointed [underline: agreeably to the rules of the army], and he has performed [underline: the Services attached to his appointment.] if he is deprived by authority of the appointment and pay of an adjutant, it will be an Injury to the Public, but I will have done my duty in representing that the artificers will become mostly useless in losing an able officer to direct them, and the officers of the corps, will be deprived of a kind of Instruction which can be obtained but in the Shops where artificers are employed in building implements of artillery. I am very Respectfully, Sir, Your obed^t. Serv^t. [undecipherable] Rochefontaine Lt. Col. comd^t. of [the] Corps of Art^s. & Eng^s. William Simmons Esq^re.