George Washington Papers

To George Washington from Alexander Hamilton, 3 November 1794

From Alexander Hamilton

Cherrys Mill [Pa.] Novr 3d 1794

Sir

I have returned to this place from Union Town. A letter from Governor Lee which goes with this probably informs you of the plan of future operations1—but lest it should not I shall briefly state it—The right wing is to take a position with its left towards Budds ferry2 & its right towards Greensburgh—The left wing is to be posted between the Yocghagani & Monongalia with its left towards the latter & its right towards the former. Morgan with his command including the whole of the light corps & perhaps a part of the Brigade of Cavalry will go into Washington County—It is not unlikely that in the course of the business a part of the troops will take a circuit by Pittsburgh—for the more places they can appear in without loss of time the better.

In adopting this plan the circumstance of much delay in crossing & recrossing waters has weighed powerfully & the quiescent state of the Country renders the plan entirely safe—Boats however will be collected on both waters to facilitate mutual communication & support.

I received the letter you was so good as to write me on the road with those that accompanied it.3

The rainy weather continues with short intervals of clear—The left wing has suffered from sickness but the right has been & continues remarkably healthy. The troops also continue to behave well—A Court Martial sits to day to try one or two riotous fellows & one or two Marauders—The appointment of it has checked the licentious corps.4 With the truest respect & attachment—I have the honor to be Sir Your obed. ser.

A. Hamilton

P.S. Not many fugitives from Justice as yet.

ALS, DLC:GW.

1Henry Lee’s letter has not been identified. For his general orders of 2 Nov. directing the disposition of troops on the march that was to begin on 4 Nov., see Baldwin, “Orders Issued by General Lee,” description begins Leland D. Baldwin, ed. “Orders Issued by General Henry Lee during the Campaign against the Whiskey Insurrectionists.” Western Pennsylvania Historical Magazine 19 (June 1936): 79–111. description ends 99–101.

2Budd’s ferry crossed the Youghiogheny River just south of current West Newton, Pennsylvania.

4Hamilton may have been referring to the general court-martial whose verdicts sentencing two non-commissioned officers to corporal punishment and dismissal from the service for “mutiny” were announced in the general orders of New Jersey governor Richard Howell, commanding the right wing, on 6 Nov.; or he may have been anticipating the court-martial that General Lee had ordered at Uniontown. The latter was unable to meet, and those prisoners were tried by a second court-martial ordered on 12 November. Four men were sentenced to receive corporal punishment, but Lee, while approving the sentence in his last general orders, remitted the punishment (Gould, “Journal” description begins “Journal by Major William Gould, of the New Jersey Infantry, During an Expedition into Pennsylvania in 1794.” Proceedings of the New Jersey Historical Society 3 (1848–49): 173–91. description ends , 186; orders of 10, 12, and 18 Nov., in Baldwin, “Orders Issued by General Lee,” description begins Leland D. Baldwin, ed. “Orders Issued by General Henry Lee during the Campaign against the Whiskey Insurrectionists.” Western Pennsylvania Historical Magazine 19 (June 1936): 79–111. description ends 106–7, 110–11).

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