1From Alexander Hamilton to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 5 April 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your letter of the 28th. ultimo. I approve of your reasons, & the plan you propose, for the disposition of the fifth sixth and seventh Regiments. Captain Ingersoll & Captain McClellan will proceed to join you as soon as Capt. Huger, who is hourly expected, shall arrive with his company from the Southward. Major Tousard I believe will be employed, in the Eastern Quarter, by the...
2From Alexander Hamilton to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 2 December 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Agreeable to a conversation which we had while you were in this city I have directed Lieutenant Walbach to repair to your Head Quarters for the purpose of assisting in preparing a system for the Tactics and police of the Cavalry. It being of importance that this object should be accomplished in the course of the ensuing winter I shall count on your obliging disposition towards me no less than...
3From Alexander Hamilton to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 20 May 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
Not knowing certainly what may be the communication to you from the Department of War, I think it proper that you should be apprised of what is doing here towards the disbanding of the army. For this purpose, besides the general orders which will be sent you, I shall keep you advised by letter of my views. I now send you the copy of a letter which I wrote yesterday to the Secy of War, and of...
4From Alexander Hamilton to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 8 April 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your letter of the twenty fourth of March. You will find its general object anticipated by mine of the 17th. of the same month, a copy of which is enclosed. I do not think it advisable materially to vary the plan indicated in that letter, as it is desirable that the troops for reinforcing General Wilkinson Should avail themselves of the Situation of the rivers in the Spring,...
5From Alexander Hamilton to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 18 November 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Pursuant to a conversation which I had with you while in this city I have concluded to offer to Lt. Izzard the place of Aid de camp in my family. I have mentioned to Mr. Izzard that you will dispense with the form of an application to you as Commanding General of the district. Df , in the handwriting of Thomas Y. How, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress. H to George Izard, November 18, 1799 .
6From Alexander Hamilton to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 29 April 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
The S of War mentions to me that the recruiting service still continues in some of the corps under your command. I presume from this that my intention has been misapprehended. The General order of the eleventh of March was sent to you under the idea that you would communicate it to the respective posts in your district. I would thank you to have this done as soon as possible. Df , in the...
7From Alexander Hamilton to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, Nathan Rice, and William S. Smith, 26 March 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
Inclosed is a plan of the Formation of a Regiment for Exercise or Battle, of which I request your mature consideration, and that you will favour me as early as may be with the result of your reflections. The more careful and particular your criticism, the more will it oblige me. ADf , Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress. In the margin of this letter H wrote: “Two copies as in the original...
8From Alexander Hamilton to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 23 May 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have directed the Pay Master General to send to his Deputy in your district bounty money subject to your order for four complete companies of Infantry. You will be pleased, if there are any officers of the four old regiments within your reach, to send for them that they may be employed in recruiting the men. If none such are near you, you will imploy the officers of the new regiments for the...
9From Alexander Hamilton to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 14 April 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your letter of the third instant with its enclosure. The arrangement of which you have sent me a copy perfectly agrees with my instructions. Previously to the receipt of your letter of the third instant, I had written one to you on the eighth, a duplicate of which is enclosed. The supplementary instructions contained in this will be observed except in one particular. As the...
10From Alexander Hamilton to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 8 November 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, November 8, 1799. “I enclose to you a letter from Col. Lear on the subject of winter Quarters that you may take such measures as shall appear to you to be necessary in the case. I do not see that any thing better can be done than to send the tenth regiment to Carlisle where the barracks can easily be prepared for their reception. According to the orders that have been given to Col....
11From Alexander Hamilton to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 19 April 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I send you enclosed for your information a Copy of a letter which I have written to the Deputy Qr. Master General within my district— Sketching the outlines of the duty of that Officer. With Copy, in the handwriting of Ethan Brown, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress. H to Aaron Ogden, April 15, 1800 ; H to James McHenry, April 19, 1800 .
12From Alexander Hamilton to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, Nathan Rice, and William S. Smith, 17 May 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
Altho’ I have not been officially advised of it, yet I have received information sufficient to satisfy me that an act of Congress has passed for disbanding the twelve additional regiments on or before the fifteenth of June next, granting an allowance to the officers and soldiers of three months pay from the time of their discharge. I mention this to you that it may be understood unofficially...
13From Alexander Hamilton to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 21 April 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your two letters of the tenth and eleventh instant. You will have been informed by the General order, before this, of the appointment of Major Beall as Deputy Inspector General. I consider it as entirely within your competency to order the seventh regiment as well as the tenth or any other annexed to your command to repair to your Head Quarters wherever they may be. I do not...
14From Alexander Hamilton to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, Nathan Rice, and William S. Smith, 29 May 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
An order was issued, some time since, as you will recollect, directing enlistments to be “for and during the existing differences with France,” or for the term of five years at the pleasure of the government. It appearing probable that the number of men enlisted under these conditions is very inconsiderable, and an expectation having been entertained among them that they would not be separated...
15From Alexander Hamilton to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, [22] December 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
The death of our beloved commander in Chief was known to you before it was to me. I can be at no loss to anticipate what have been your feelings. I need not tell you what are mine. Perhaps no friend of his has more cause to lament, on personal account, than my self. The public misfortune is one which all the friends of our Government will view in the same light. I will not dwell on the...
16From Alexander Hamilton to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 26 March 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have consulted the Secretary of War on the subject of the relative rank of the Field officers. I find that the rules are applied within a regiment as well as between different regiments contrary to what was originally contemplated. In this, I understand our late Commander in Chief has coincided. This operation in particular cases is to be regretted. But perhaps it will work kindly upon the...
17From Alexander Hamilton to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 4 November 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, November 4, 1799. “I send you by way of information an order of the 1st. inst. issued by me respecting the General Disposition of the Army, in conformity with the instructions heretofore received from the Secy. of War. It seemed necessary to have all the regiments thrown into Brigades. The situation of the third and 4th. within different commands created some embarrassment. You will...
18From Alexander Hamilton to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 14 May 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I was in due time favoured with your letter of 25 of April. I am glad that our ideas coincide as to the formation of a Regiment for Exercise & battle. It is a part of the plan (though the extract sent you did not go so far as to shew it) that the companies for those purposes shall always be equalized. This is no doubt essential. The inconvenience of occasionally separating the men from their...
19From Alexander Hamilton to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 10 April 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I am perfectly content with the delay of communication to the Revd. Mr. Hill, till the effect of your Experiment with the Secretary of War shall be known. I have heard nothing as to the impression made by our mission to France upon the combined powers—but I cannot doubt that it is a disagreeable one. And certainly the course of Events lately has not said much for the good policy of the...
20From Alexander Hamilton to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 25 February 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have been for a considerable time unavoidably absent from this city. Recently returned, I find several letters from you to which I shall particularly attend as soon as objects more urgent which have accumulated in my absence will permit. My cooperation with you towards the Secretary of War in certain particulars will not be delayed. With true esteem &c Df , in the handwriting of Ethan Brown,...
21From Alexander Hamilton to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 21 November 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, November 21, 1799. Encloses “regulations which it is proposed to establish relative to the uniform of the troops.” Df , in the handwriting of Thomas Y. How, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress. Enclosure not found, but see H to James McHenry, December 19, 1799 .
22From Alexander Hamilton to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 17 March 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I now recur to your letters of the 12 of December 9th, 21 & 23 of January & 10 of February. Instructions for the Officers of Inspection will form part of the general system in preparation. In the mean time they will perform the duties which they executed in our war with Great Britain; that is they will in aid of the respective general Officers see that all the Regulations concerning the...
23From Alexander Hamilton to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 5 March 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, March 5, 1800. States that Thomas Parker has recommended the Reverend William Hill for chaplain. Quotes from James McHenry’s letter of March 3, 1800. Df , in the handwriting of Thomas Y. How, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress. Thomas Parker to H, October 29, December 19, 1799 (both listed in the appendix to this volume). For Hill, see H to James McHenry, January 2, 1800, note 3 ....
24From Alexander Hamilton to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, Nathan Rice, and William S. Smith, 18 March 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
The proper measure of the pace is a matter of primary importance in the Tactics of the Infantry. The establishments of different Nations differ in this particular. For example—Our pace is two feet English measure. That of the French is two feet French or about 26 Inches English. That of the English is 30 of their Inches, measuring in each case from heel to heel. This is rather capricious. The...
25From Alexander Hamilton to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 23 November 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I enclose to you a letter which I have just written to Col. Parker. When I shall be informed of your arrival within the limits of your district all correspondence between me and the particular Officers in that district will, of course, cease, unless you should think it proper that I should continue to direct them in matters that relate to the recruiting service. I would request an explanation...
26From Alexander Hamilton to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 19 May 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, May 19, 1800. On May 30, 1800, Pinckney wrote to Hamilton: “The last post brought me your favours of the 14th: 17th: 19th: & 20th: instant.” Letter of May 19 not found. ]