James Madison Papers

To James Madison from Robert Taylor, 31 August 1812

From Robert Taylor

Orange. August 31st. 1812.

Dear Sir

When I saw Genl. Moses Green1 last he requested me to write you and inform you that if there was a vacancy of a regimental command in the Army it would give him great pleasure to fill it if he could be thought worthy of it. He would sooner have made known his wishes had he known that there certainly would have been war, but holding the office of adjutant-general in the State, which yeilds some emolument he did not like to part with it unless for active service. With respect to General Green’s qualifications for such a command I expect you are as well acquainted as myself. He is the son of the late Colo. John Green of Culpeper2 with whose character if not person you were well acquainted and I believe that none of that firmness & martial spirit which characterized the father have been lost upon the son. I find an universal opinion amongst his acquaintance that he would make an excellent officer and that the appointment of him would meet with general approbation. I owe to him an apology for not having made this communication sooner as a fortnight has now elapsed since I saw him, but the delay has arisen from the expectation of your return to this county when this communication might have been personally made. I am yr respectfully

Robert Taylor

RC (DLC). Docketed by JM.

1Moses Green represented Culpeper County in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1799 to 1802 and from 1808 to 1811 before serving as adjutant general for Virginia during the War of 1812. Green resigned that post in February 1815, when the state legislature passed a law requiring the adjutant general to reside in Richmond, which he would not do (Butler, Guide to Virginia Militia Units, 8–9, 299–300).

2John Green (1730–1793) had been a soldier in the Seven Years’ War before serving with the Continental army throughout the American Revolution. He rose to the rank of colonel in command of the Tenth and Sixth Virginia Regiments before retiring in 1783 (VMHB description begins Virginia Magazine of History and Biography. description ends 8 [1900]: 215, 23 [1915]: 103).

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