On your taking the Command of West point,1 I wish your attention to the following perticulars. Visit the Redoubts twice or thrice a week at uncertain periods. call the Roles regularly, and every Man to be present or satisfactorily accounted for. the Redoubts to be kept perfectly clean & sweet. no Officer to be absent without your leave; nor any Soldier without leave from a Field Officer. ten days wood, water & provissions to be deposited in each Redoubt; the Garrison to sleep within them, and to keep, at least, two Sentries upon the parapet. the upper Barracks to be clean’d out & kept for Hospitals, & perticular attention will be paid to prevent damage being done either to Barracks or Houses.2 if there shou’d be provissions in any of the public Magazines, it must be frequently inspected; and the safety of the Magazines of Military Stores will require your perticular attention.

I shall furnish you with a detail of the number of Men, that I think wou’d be necessary for the defence of each Work; but I wish it not to influence you so far as to prevent your increasing or diminishing the number whenever you think necessary.3 I am, Sir, with personal respect, Your most Obedt Servant