331From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 8 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Nothing can be more desireable than a well digested plan for connecting the different parts of our Military System, in regard to the procuring and issuing of supplies. I send you the outline of a scheme for that purpose. It is important that this, or a substitute more eligible, should be without delay established. It is particularly essential that the channels through which supplies are to...
332Enclosure: Plan for the Providing and Issuing of Military Supplies, [8 April 1799] (Hamilton Papers)
The business of providing shall constitute one distinct branch of service that of issuing another. The Purveyor shall be charged with the procuring of all supplies except those for which contracts are made directly by the Chiefs of the Treasury or War Departments. The Superintendant of Military Stores shall superintend the issues of all supplies. The Purveyor shall have near him three...
333From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 8 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, April 8, 1799. “The Commander in Chief having approved the idea of calling the Pay Master to the Seat of Government, I send you inclosed by his direction an order for him to repair to the seat of Government.…” ADfS , Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress. George Washington to H, March 25, 1799 . H to Caleb Swan, April 3, 1799 .
334From Alexander Hamilton to Oliver Wolcott, Junior, 8 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I send you in confidence the copy of a letter of this date to the Secretary of War and of the plan to which it refers. Consider it well. Make the Secretary of War talk to you about it, without letting him know that I have sent it to you—And urge the establishment of some plan which will effectually organise this important branch of our Military service. The proper course in the interior of the...
335From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 9 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Your letter of the 4th. instant, informs me of the contracts, which have been already made, and of the measures, which are in train for forming others in the states where none at present exist. There is an omission of New Jersey. I request information concerning this State also. You understand me rightly as to the issuing of Cloathing through the Regimental Pay Master. The execution will no...
336From Alexander Hamilton to Richard Hunewell and Nathan Rice, 10 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
In consequence of a letter of which the inclosed is a copy, the arrangement, of which a copy is also inclosed, was made by General Brooks. But you will perceive that it is incomplete in respect to the delineation of the subdistricts and the fixing upon a place in each for a rendezvous. This place ought to be chosen with an eye to the accommodation of the recruits, to the convenient procuring...
337From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 10 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
As it will require time to form contracts where there are none already existing, I submit that it will be expedient, in such cases, to advance money to some person, to procure them by purchases on account of the Government; Where there is no Agent preferred by you the Regimental Quarter Master Naturally presents himself, as the person to whom the service may be Committed. New Jersey and...
338From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 13 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I have been yesterday & this morning honored with your several favours, three of the 11th and two of the 12th instant. The injunctions respecting the Indian boundary line will be carefully & promptly attended to. Speedy attention will also be paid to the affair of proclaiming Martial law at Detroit. At present I am not aware how the authority for it is found. But this as well as its expediency...
339From Alexander Hamilton to Thomas Lloyd Moore and Aaron Ogden, 13 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, April 13, 1799. “Relying that you will lose no time in assigning your Officers to the different subdistricts—I request that you will transmit me a list, showing the name of the principal Officer of each sub-district and the particular sub-district to which he is assigned. You will also … forward a duplicate to the Secy of War.” ADf , Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress. For...
340Circular to the Commandants of Regiments, 15 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
It is a question whether it will be most adviseable to distribute the Cloathing for your Regiment among the several sub districts to be furnished to the recruits as they shall be raised or to deposit the whole either at the Regimental Rendezvous or at the place which you shall fix as the rendezvous of each district. As the right decision of this question may depend in part upon circumstances...
341From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 15 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, April 15, 1799. “… A letter from General Washington of the 10th. instant has this passage ‘Not an officer in this state has yet received his Commission to the great dissatisfaction of all and relinquishment of many, who would no longer remain in a state of suspense and idleness.’ There is a strong impatience in the officers every where to have their commissions. It seems to me that...
342From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 17 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, April 17, 1799. “Your letters of the 15th. and 16th. are duly come to hand.… Tomorrow I shall leave this place for Philadelphia. Several things will best be settled by personal conference which in future will be mutually convenient & will promote the service.” Copy, in the handwriting of Ethan Brown, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress.
343From Alexander Hamilton to John De Barth Walbach, 17 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, April 17, 1799. “My object is to See exemplified the elementary evolutions of the Cavalry according to the Systems of Prussia, France, and Great Britain in order to compare them with each other and Select the best. For this purpose I wished you to instruct in those different evolutions a troop of Volunteer horse.… You will readily understand that I do not wish to extend your...
344From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, 17 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, April 17, 1799. “I have the honor of your letter of the 10th. instant.… The alterations you suggest are adopted.…” LS , in the handwriting of Ethan Brown, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress; copy, in the handwriting of Ethan Brown, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress.
345From Alexander Hamilton to Elizabeth Hamilton, 19 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
[ Philadelphia, April 19, 1799. On April 20, 1799, Hamilton wrote to Elizabeth Hamilton : “I yesterday informed my beloved of my arrival here.” Letter not found. ]
346From Alexander Hamilton to Elizabeth Hamilton, 20 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I yesterday informed my beloved of my arrival here. A very good night’s rest has put me in as pleasant a state as I can be when absent from my dear and excellent Eliza. But the pressure of my engagements obliges me to confine myself to the information that I am in good health; which I am glad to know is of more importance than any thing else I could say. Kiss all my Children for me. Adieu My...
347From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 20 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Philadelphia, April 20, 1799. “… As I do not conceive the United States to be now at War in the legal import of that term (which I construe to be a state not of partial but of general , hostility) I consider it as beyond my power to approve or execute such sentences as by the Articles of War are referred to the President in time of peace. But while I think it my duty on this ground to transmit...
348Circular to the Commandants of Regiments, 23[–24] April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
The Secretary of War has assured me that a competent number of drums and fifes for your Regiment shall be forwarded with its Cloathing. And he has authorised me to instruct you to hire temporarily persons in the capacities of drummers and fifers to be employed in the Recruiting service till others can be enlisted, provided that they can be obtained for a compensation not exceeding eight...
349From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 23 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Upon a careful inspection of the Articles of War I entertain doubts, whether I can act upon, by approving or disapproving sentences of Courts Martial referred to me from the Department of War, in cases in which the Courts have been instituted by that Department through organs other than myself. As there is peculiar delicacy in inflicting punishment upon questionable authority, I shall be glad...
350From Alexander Hamilton to Washington Morton, 23 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
On revising the proceedings of the General Court Martial received from you, I find that it does not appear by them whether two thirds of the members of the Court concurred on the Conviction of Sergeant Hunt. The articles of War (8th of Chapter Administration of Justice) require that two thirds shall agree in cases where death is inflicted, and I am of opinion that this agreement ought to...
351From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 26 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
It being urgent that the Two Regiments of Artillery should be organised into companies and disposed of to the several destinations which you have contemplated it results that a very inconvenient delay would attend the making of that arrangement in concert with General Pinckney as suggested in your late letter. As, likewise, this arrangement is mere matter of organisation, the distribution of...
352Enclosure: Arrangement of the Artillery, [25 April 1799] (Hamilton Papers)
Names Rank Date of Commission Residence Henry Burbeck Lieut. Colonel 7. May 1798 Michilimacinac John J. Ulrich Rivardi Major 26. February 1798 Niagara Moses Porter Captain 4 November 1791 Michilimacinac Alexander Thompson ditto 2. June 1794 Niagara
353From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 26 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I have reflected, as you have desired, on the most proper principles for regulating the relative rank of the field Officers of the twelve additional Regiments. It is always prudent, when no special reasons dictate a deviation, to adopt for cases of this kind a rule which steers clear of comparison of personal merit and avoids the danger of wounding the pride of any of the parties concerned....
354From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 26 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I have a second time maturely reflected on the proper rule for promotions in the army, and I continue to adhere to that which was adopted by the General Officers last Winter, & which is recapitulated in your letter. I am persuaded that in the general course of things it will work well and satisfactorily. A moment’s hesitation as to its universal application arose from the situation of the four...
355From Alexander Hamilton to John F. Hamtramck, 27 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
You will receive herewith duplicate of my letter to you of the 9th instant. It appearing that discontent has arisen from the establishment of Martial Law at Detroit, and a representation having been made against its exercise by Governor St Clair, and there being a question of delicacy about the boundaries of the authority to establish and exercise Martial Law in time of peace, it has been...
356From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 27 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, April 27, 1799. “I have reflected on the idea of furnishing the Regimental Quarter Masters with money to procure Quarters Transportation &c for the Recruits. It is a service which in an extensive State (New York for example) he cannot execute personally. If he employs substitutes at the different Stations, as the Contractor must do so likewise for his objects, it will either, by...
357From Alexander Hamilton to John F. Hamtramck, 29 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, April 29, 1799. “… Are the Regimental Staff of the Regiments of the Western army complete? If not, let them be completed. I am not certain what has been the mode in time past of appointing Officers in that army; but the mode intended to be pursued hereafter is this—The commander of each Regiment is to nominate his Quarter Master & Adjutant, and the Pay Master so far as may be...
358From Alexander Hamilton to John F. Hamtramck, 29 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, April 29, 1799. “… a Galley lately built at Pittsburgh called the Senator Ross has been … ordered to Massac there to receive further orders. The Commander of the Western Army being from situation most competent to judge what will be the most useful employment of this Galley, I leave it with you to dispose of her as you shall think best; observing only that the lower posts on the...
359From Alexander Hamilton to John F. Hamtramck, 29 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, April 29, 1799. On July 17, 1799, Hamtramck wrote to Hamilton acknowledging receipt of “three letters of the 29th of April.” Third letter of April 29 not found. ]
360From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 30 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I hear of no Cloathing arrived. The recruiting service is now actually begun here and elsewhere. I trust that the cloathing and other articles will certainly reach the Regimental rendezvousses before any of the men are there. It will be a discouraging omen if it proves otherwise. I beg you to appreciate the importance of having the articles forwarded as soon as they can be, even to those...