Sir, By the manoeuvre the army is about to make and [inserted: by] my destination the command of the artillery upon this river and in this quarter will devolve upon you. West point and the posts in [struck: this] its vicinity have their importance too well known & understood to need any explanation. The numerous Artillery and [inserted: ordnance] stores in these places will demand your utmost attention. The magazines the repair of the carriages and every thing [respcting] the safe keeping and right using of the Artillery and stores will be under your direction & for which you must be responsible as far as the means in your power. The deposit of military stores at Fish Kill under the charge of Mr Ruddock, [struck: with] will be an appendage of yr [struck: office] - command, under the direction of the General commanding in the department. You must frequently request untill it shall be accomplished, to have the intended stone magazine in the interior work [2] [inserted: in Fort Clinton] built & put in proper order to receive powder & that the bomb proof in the exterior work is also put in such repair as perfectly [& then] the powder & stores which are or may deposited [sic] in it from being injured by the weather. The Magazine & fort putnam must have the east face built with stone as well to prevent any danger from the barracks in the fort as to prevent [struck: any accident] the magazine from being injured by the fire of the Enemy [inserted: if they should erect batteries] on the East side the river. The Cannon & stores which have been brought from the eastward & which are now afloat on vessels above West point and those sent by Major Perkins from Providence & which are principally at Fish Kill & Fish Kill Landing are all to be brought to West point & mounted in such batteries & Works as [want them] and the [inserted: powder &] stores placed in the proper depositories. There is a quantity of damaged [inserted: powder] and [3] and good salt petre at [Wiesners] mills at Goshen which he is to [inserted: repair &] manufacture & [struck: remanufacture] on the part of the Continent, the quantity of damagd powder may be about 120 barrels & 2 or three tons salt petre. Mr. Ruddock can inform you more particularly of this matter. [inserted: no powder] [struck: none] [inserted: must be received from Mr Wiesner or any other person on part of the public which will not throw a 24 pound ball 35 yards with one ounce powder from a 5 ½ inch mortar by at an angle 45 degrees] here are about 130 or 140 [13] inch shells at the furnace of Mr [struck: David] [inserted: Garbiel] Ogden at Pompton, you must have these brought to West Point as soon as possible & apply to the commanding general for the means of transportation. There are 2500 Arms or there abouts at Albany which are not in a state of repair. If it is possible you must [struck: have these brought] to have these repaird at West point you must order them down for that purpose, [struck: and a] This however is upon the principle that Phillip Van Ranselaer Eqr at Albany [inserted: who has them in possession] can not have them repaird there. This is a matter of peculiar consequence & I request [4] the utmost attention to it. It will be [struck: an affair] of [struck: consequence] [inserted: importance] to have a good Armory established at West point [struck: this] [inserted: which] cannot be done without the commandg General will give soldiers for this purpose, you will [inserted: therefore] represent to him the importance of the measure & that it is the only one which can be adopted in the present state of our affairs You must have a laboratory instantly established at West point at which [inserted in left margin: [Fuzes] & every preparation to complete the mortars [struck: will] [inserted: must] be executed [struck: instantly immediately] as soon as possible, so as to have a sufficiency of 500 pounds to each] shall be prepared every species of composition used in the Artillery. This party must consist of at least [strikeout] [inserted: twelve] under the direction of an officer. perhaps Lt Mason would be highly proper for this duty provided I take Lt Price with me. when any musquet cartridgs are to be made some [illegible] must be added I shall leave at [struck: West Point] [inserted: New Windsor] about [inserted and struck: 2 officers] 20 [inserted: or 24] [inserted: artillery] artificers [inserted: or 24] including those which are now [struck: there] [inserted: at West point] working I believe in the engineers Department [inserted: and 4 harness makers & 2 Taylors at Fish Kill] for whom you must apply to the General commandg in the department with these men you will repair all [5] carriages &c belonging to the artillery and when that is not the case be making Sprue carriages as well for the Garrison peices as those which are to [travell - ] They are never to be idle & [you] will take special care to secure a large quantity of the best of White Oak & ash timber for any sudden emergency. This can be done by sending 6 or 7 men to any of the sawmills in the vicinity of the River. [inserted: turn over for this note] [note is inserted on page six] There are at Mount Hope & Hibernia Furnaces in Jersey near six thous[text loss] shells for the french mortars. and [struck: some at Pompton] about 410 at pompton with [struck: some] about the same number of carriages and at all the furnaces above named here where about 8000 - 18 pound shot. The 24 shot which I designed for the Cannon of that calibre are in Pennsylvania for any of which you must apply to the board of War and also for any other stores which may be necessary for [6] note referred to from the other side. There is a quantity of excellent iron belonging to an old chain lying on constitution Island which may be drawn in to any sizes at Brewsters or Boyds Forge near [Menters] Creek & [struck: Newburrough] Newburgh. I would have the brass field peices at West point new mounted as soon as possible after the mortar beds & carriages which are now in hand are finished. [inserted: also some of the travelling forge finished] which are now at W.P. [strikeout] your regiment will be left to answer the purposes of the service in this part except one Company which in November must be sent to releive Capt Moodie of Colonel Lambs which is at the posts above Albany. [7] You must enclose me regularly a return of wh[text loss] the Cannon [struck: stores] and every species of ordnance Stores monthly. This return, you will cause the [struck: conductors the] field commissary to make out & deliver [struck: you] to you [struck: for] this particular purpose. Such of Col. Lamb's regiment as may be left sick or unable to march are to join your regiment until further orders. [struck: last year I] Colonel Hughes - QM General will if he has been able to comply with my requisition have provided the materials for an ordnance store, Laboratory and artificers Shops. It be created in the most convenient places at West point. I request that you would urge this matter as they are of the utmost consequence there. The Artificers have had no pay for a long time past. If you will [8] endeavor to procure them [inserted: some] out of the first mony that shall arrive. the officers pay is the same as the officers of Artillery of similar rank. The sergeants and men from the time they joind us in the beginning of April will be as the pay of the artillery artificers has been, which is twenty five dollars for the sergeants and twenty for the men Pr month. The artificers and [inserted: [part] of the] stores [inserted: as will be of use [whch are left at the [park] at this place you will have removed to West point as soon as you shall think it conducive to the good of the service. perhaps it will be best to let them remain at present untill they shall have finished in some degree their [struck: present] work they have in hand. [9] Such of the artillery men who have been employ'd as artificers, or the saw mills [strikeout] who shall produce certificates of the same from Capt Lt Sears must have accord[ing] to my promise, [struck: one per] two shillings york currency Pr day in addition to their pay as soldiers. this money must be drawn by special abstact at the same time the mony will be drawn for the pay of the regular artificers. The [struck: Laborto] laboratory men to have as additional pay one shilling York Pr day. For all other matters & things respecting the department, you will use your own judgement under the direction of the general commanding in this [struck: department] district. I am dear sir your huml Servt HKnox BG Artillery To Colonel John Crane [10] You will please to shew these instructions to General Heath [struck: and it] who will command in this quarter, and if he should request it to Give him a copy of them. I am Sr HKnox [docket] Instructions to Col Crane - 22d Augt 1781.