[Geo. Fleming 12 Dec] [Enclosing 234] [Reed 2^d] [Ans. 26^th] West Point Dec. 13. 1797 Sir Your letter of the 21 ultimo I have received. John Kirk was through mistake left out of the pay roll. I now enclose you the ordnance detachment's receipt roll for last October pay, amount thirty dollars & 14 cents — also muster & pay rolls for the month of November last of said detachment, amount of the pay roll thirty five dollars & 40 cents Likewise the muster of Eli Phalet Worthington a recruit. A little vagary of Col. Rochefontaine has been the occasion of his signature not being to the muster rolls! I have heretofore requested him to muster the detachment through politeness to him, as the instructions relative to it I received in Philadelphia from the Secretary of War, when I was last there, "[strikethrough: All the ordnance detachment shall be mustered] by you in pursuance of this instruction must be mustered monthly in the presence of one of the Officers of Artillery or Infantry who may be at West Point who will countersign the same and the Muster Rolls must also be sworn to before some Justice of the peace residing in the vicinity, duplicates of which to be transmitted to the Accountant of the War department." I used to wait upon the Colonel with with the muster rolls, and request to know when it would suit him to muster the men; on receiving his answer I directed the men to be taken to the place he appointed, and attended myself to see him muster them, until a few months since, when he told me it was not necessary to give myself the trouble of attending, only to send the detachment to him. The sunday before last I gave the sergeant of the detachment the muster rolls with a few lines to the Colonel requesting him to muster the detachment. The sergeant returned immediately after and took the men to the Colonel's house, & shortly marched the men to their barracks. I had not a doubt but they were mustered. The next day the Colonel's orderly sergeant delivered me the inclosed note, with the muster rolls not signed! I sent immediately for the sergeant of the ordnance detachment — he informed me that he delivered [strikethrough: them the rolls of any] to the Colonel, that the Colonel received them & told him to bring the men to his house (at which place he generally mustered them) that he took the men there, that the Colonel came out with a muster roll in his hand and regularly mustered them as usual, & then ordered him to march them back. My last letter to you was dated the 22 ultimo. I am, Sir, Your obed. servant, Geo. Fleming. William Simmons Esq.^r --- [address panel:] George Fleming Esq.^r Store Keeper at West Point West Point December 4^th 179[7] Sir ever since you requested me to muster the men composing the detachment under your command, except yesterday and the time previous you had made a practice of attending personally to the muster of your own men, in order to ascertain the identity of the men thus mustered; you will find if you will consider of it, that it is the only mode regular and decent, which I beg you would observe, if you wish me to have any thing to do in the muster of your command. I am, Sir, Your obed. Serv. Step. Rochefontaine [undecipherable] George Fleming Esq^r Store Keeper of Military Stores.