Autograph Letter Signed

Unsigned Muster Rolls with Explanation

Fleming gave account of delinquency of Colonel Rochefontaine in signing muster rolls for his troops.

Enclosures in 12/04/97 Rochefontaine to Fleming.

1797

12

18

West Point

Cited in Simmons to Fleming, 12/26/1797.

George Fleming

William Simmons

Cited document addressed to the War Office

William Simmons

George Fleming

storekeeper of military stores

John Kirk

Colonel Stephen Rochefontaine

sergeant

Officer of Infantry

Officer of Artillery

Officers

Secretary of War

ordnance detachment

Secretary of War

Justice of the Peace

Accountant of War Department

Sergeant of detachment

West Point

Colonel Rochefontaine's house

barracks

Philadelphia

New York

muster roll

pay roll

instructions for muster of troops

1797121870101

1

6

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 detachments receipt roll for last October pay, amount thirty dollars and 14 cents_ also must and pay rolls for the month of November last and said detachment, amount of the pay roll thirty five dollars and 40 cents. likewise the muster of Elippale and Worthington a recruit.
A little [vagary] of Col. Rochefontaine has been the occasion for 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[__]"All those who shall be enlisted 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 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 serjeant of the detachment the muster rolls, with a few lines to the Colonel requesting him to muster the detachment. The serjeant returned immediately and took the men to the Colonel's house, shortly after 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 to the inclosed note, with the muster rolls not signed! I sent immediately for the serjeant of the ordnance detachment_he informed me that he delivered the muster rolls to the Colonel, that the Colonel received them and 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, and then ordered him to march them back.
My last letter to you was dated the 22nd ultimo.