Instructions for Superintendent of Military Stores
Item
Type
Letterbook Copy
Title
Instructions for Superintendent of Military Stores
Description
Lays out instructions for office of Superintendent of Military Stores, including inspection & reporting on the condition of supply houses, armories, arsenals, etc.; proper record keeping; and cooperation with the Treasury.
year created
1796
month created
11
day created
11
author
sent from location
War Office
recipient
in collection
in image
note
No tif image.
notable person/group
Samuel Hodgdon
James McHenry
storekeeper
Harrison
purveyor
Secretary of War
Henry Knox
Postmaster General
Secretary of the Treasury
notable location
War Office
notable item/thing
annexed instructions
returns
articles
store
public supplies
invoices
inspect
state and condition of the stores
report
military stores
repairs
ordnance
arms
military articles
principal arsenals, stores and armories
quarterly return
manufacture
books
magazines
repositories
clothing
Indian goods
supplies
document number
1796111100002
page start
139
transcription
137 215
To Samuel Hodgdon, Superintendant of Military Stores.
Sir,
The annexed instructions have been given to the Storekeepers in this City, Mr. Harris for his Government to which you will be pleased to attend.
1. You will as soon as the returns directed therein shall be made to you charge Mr. Harris with all the articles which he has in store, and turn over to him any which you may have under your particular care, taking his receipt for the same. You will also debit him with all those which he shall in future receive. To enable you to do the latter the Purveyor of public Supplies will be directed to furnish you with invoices of all articles delivered to the said Storekeeper and his acknowledgment of their reception.
2. As Superintendant you will inspect, at least, monthly into the state and condition of the Stores and make report thereof every two months to the Secretary of War in writing.
3. As often in your opinion as any military stores shall be wanted or any repairs of Ordnance, Arms or military articles are necessary to be made, you will state the same to the Secretary of War in writing that such order may be taken as the case may require.
4. You will visit once every year the principal arsenals, Stores and Armouries, inspect the articles deposited or made therein, and compare them with the returns and report upon each respectively your observations and remarks in writing to the Secretary of War.
5. You will require from all persons intrusted with the safekeeping or manufacture of any military Stores to render you a quarterly return, exhibiting the articles on hand and what they have received, manufactured, or delivered during the preceding quarter.
6th
138
6th. Your books must exhibit the ordnance and all military articles and supplies in the different stores, arsenals magazines & manufactories; from which no issues will be made but in consequence of an order signed by the Secretary of War and countersigned by you which order you will record and forward.
7. You will make a quarterly return to the Secretary of War of the military Stores in the different magazines, arsenals, or repositories and a half yearly return of the military stores in the different forts & garrisons or with the Troops of the United States.
8. It is to be understood that the purchase of military Stores, Clothing, Indian Goods, supplies in the Quarter Masters department and in short all articles of a military nature will be made by or under the direction of the Treasury in consequence of requisitions by the Secretary of War.
9. You will be pleased to consider such parts of the instructions dated the 26 of July 1794 addressed to you as Superintendant of military Stores and signed Henry Knox as are not comprehended in, or altered by, the present instructions as in full force and will Observe and be governed by them accordingly.
10. As soon as the rooms now occupied by the Post Master General shall become vacant, you will be pleased to remove your Office thither.
11. In keeping your accounts you will observe the forms prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury and will furnish the different Storekeepers with corresponding forms for their Government.
Given at the War Office in Philadelphia this eleventh day of November 1796.
James McHenry
To Samuel Hodgdon, Superintendant of Military Stores.
Sir,
The annexed instructions have been given to the Storekeepers in this City, Mr. Harris for his Government to which you will be pleased to attend.
1. You will as soon as the returns directed therein shall be made to you charge Mr. Harris with all the articles which he has in store, and turn over to him any which you may have under your particular care, taking his receipt for the same. You will also debit him with all those which he shall in future receive. To enable you to do the latter the Purveyor of public Supplies will be directed to furnish you with invoices of all articles delivered to the said Storekeeper and his acknowledgment of their reception.
2. As Superintendant you will inspect, at least, monthly into the state and condition of the Stores and make report thereof every two months to the Secretary of War in writing.
3. As often in your opinion as any military stores shall be wanted or any repairs of Ordnance, Arms or military articles are necessary to be made, you will state the same to the Secretary of War in writing that such order may be taken as the case may require.
4. You will visit once every year the principal arsenals, Stores and Armouries, inspect the articles deposited or made therein, and compare them with the returns and report upon each respectively your observations and remarks in writing to the Secretary of War.
5. You will require from all persons intrusted with the safekeeping or manufacture of any military Stores to render you a quarterly return, exhibiting the articles on hand and what they have received, manufactured, or delivered during the preceding quarter.
6th
138
6th. Your books must exhibit the ordnance and all military articles and supplies in the different stores, arsenals magazines & manufactories; from which no issues will be made but in consequence of an order signed by the Secretary of War and countersigned by you which order you will record and forward.
7. You will make a quarterly return to the Secretary of War of the military Stores in the different magazines, arsenals, or repositories and a half yearly return of the military stores in the different forts & garrisons or with the Troops of the United States.
8. It is to be understood that the purchase of military Stores, Clothing, Indian Goods, supplies in the Quarter Masters department and in short all articles of a military nature will be made by or under the direction of the Treasury in consequence of requisitions by the Secretary of War.
9. You will be pleased to consider such parts of the instructions dated the 26 of July 1794 addressed to you as Superintendant of military Stores and signed Henry Knox as are not comprehended in, or altered by, the present instructions as in full force and will Observe and be governed by them accordingly.
10. As soon as the rooms now occupied by the Post Master General shall become vacant, you will be pleased to remove your Office thither.
11. In keeping your accounts you will observe the forms prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury and will furnish the different Storekeepers with corresponding forms for their Government.
Given at the War Office in Philadelphia this eleventh day of November 1796.
James McHenry
Item sets
Document instances
| In image | In source | Location in source | |
|---|---|---|---|
| [view document] (2 pages) | IDD03 (157 pages) | Collection: John Adams Papers | R: 384 |
Document names
| Type | Name | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | James McHenry | War Office | [n/a] |
| Recipient | Samuel Hodgdon | [unknown] | [n/a] |