In 1609 the Virginia Company of London was undergoing a financial and leadership reorganization. After several years of inept leadership, the colony was to receive a career army officer, Sir Thomas Gates. After a long transatlantic voyage, Gates arrived to find the settlement starving and in disrepair. Gates's secretary, William Strachey, recorded a long series of orders aimed at instilling discipline in the colonists and their small military garrison. Shortly after Gates started his reorganization, Sir Thomas West arrived to replace Gates. West initially confirmed Gates's orders, then he edited and added orders, which Strachey added to the compilation. West was joined in May 1611 by Sir Thomas Dale, who, as commander of the military garrison, added a tremendous number of orders to the compilation. Though these were generally common military code detailing responsibilities and requirements, Dale's recorded punishments were all quite severe.