511To Alexander Hamilton from James McHenry, 29 June 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I received your letter of the 26th instant, and answer. I have again considered the present and probable services rendered and that may be rendered by Colonel Stevens, compared them with the duties of the storekeeper at Philadelphia, and superintendant of military stores and the respective compensations received by those Officers; the result of which is, that unless the services to be rendered...
512To George Washington from James McHenry, 28 June 1799 (Washington Papers)
After every exertion Mr McAlpin has been able to make, and after having procured the gold thread and a man who pretended to be fully competent to working it, he has been obliged to suspend the whole operation. The man was ignorant, and no person can be found more skilful. He has therefore prefered, rather than send you what I am sure you would not wear, sending the coat to England where it...
513To George Washington from James McHenry, 29 April 1799 (Washington Papers)
I received, this morning, your letter of the 23d inst. for which I am much obliged to you. I did not in my own mind consider you dilatory in your answer, aware of the nature of your employments, and the incessant interruptions, by company to which you are subject. There are one or two points you mention which I shall say a few words to. The officers of the additional Regiments were put upon...
514To Alexander Hamilton from James McHenry, 16 September 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
In answer to the last paragraph of your letter of the 13~ instant, just received—I observe—That I have already informed you, Law and express instructions from the Treasury Department, to the Pay Master General, have opposed obstacles to making advances of pay to the troops. After a mature deliberation on the subject, by the Comptroller, he appears indisposed to alter the instructions to the...
515To John Adams from James McHenry, 7 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
Privious to my Taking any ultimate step relative to presenting the names of persons to offices, the battalion added to the 2d Regt. of Artillerists and Engineers by an act for the better organising of the troops of the U.S. and for other purposes, passed the 3d. of March ulto. I thought it adviseable to submit to the attorney General for his opinion the annexed paper. The inclosed is a copy of...
516To Alexander Hamilton from James McHenry, 16 October 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your letter dated the 13 instant. It has been communicated to the President, from whom I have received instructions to make the following reply. The Plan you detail, for the disposition of the four regiments, on the former permanent establishment, as the result of communications with General Wilkinson, and the commander in chief, and according with the communications of the...
517To John Adams from James McHenry, 6 April 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have the honor to inclose a report, and documents, in the case of Lieutenant Colonel Stephen Rochfontaine Commandant of the Corps of Artillerists, and Engineers. I am Sir / with much the greatest respect / Your most Obedient / Humble Servant— James McHenry War Department 6th: April. 1798— To the President of the United States. The Secretary of War respectfully reports. That certain Charges...
518To Alexander Hamilton from James McHenry, 19 November 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I received your letter of the 13 inst yesterday evening. [Altho’ I am not pleased at the facts attached to my name, in your letter to the President, having been brought into public view, without my consent, I can conceive nevertheless what might have prevented you from not requesting it. This supposed reason has weight if the facts could be considered of consequence, still however, in a case...
519To John Adams from James McHenry, 23 May 1800 (Adams Papers)
The Secretary of War has the Honour to submit for the Consideration of the Heads of Departments, the propriety of the President’s selecting & authorizing a qualified person to visit and examine into the actual State of the Garrisons, Indian Trading Houses or Factories, and public property of every description, with the manner of preserving or disposing of the same for use or Consumption, in...
520To Alexander Hamilton from James McHenry, 4 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I have been honored with your letter of the 2d. Inst. Inclosed is a copy of my letter to Mr. J. Huntington of New London, to the purpose of entering into contracts, to supply rations &c. for the troops to be raised in Connecticut. Similar letters have been sent to J. Jackson Supervisor at Boston for Massachusetts, to Jacob Sheaff at Portsmouth for New Hampshire, and one inclosed to Mr. Elijah...
521To John Adams from James McHenry, 8 April 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have been honoured with your letter dated the 29th of March ulto. which was received on the 6th inst. It brought me Majr. Genl. Pinckney’s letter of the 10th of February, his list for appointments for North Carolina, and two letters of the 25th & 28th of March, addressed to you by Benjn. Beale junr. soliciting an appointment in the army. The list and these letters were all the papers...
522To John Adams from James McHenry, 23 May 1800 (Adams Papers)
I received your note yesterday afternoon, inclosing a letter to you, from Wm. S Smith Lt. Colonel of the 12th Regiment of Infantry dated the 21st instant. You request my candid opinion upon the project contained in the letter inclosed. Whether his (Col. Smiths) request can be granted in whole or in part, consistent with military and political justice and propriety, without favour or affection....
523To Alexander Hamilton from James McHenry, 28 December 1798 (Hamilton Papers)
I have this moment received two letters from you under dates of the 20th & one dated the 26th. The President desired the list of nominations to be submitted to the heads of Departments for their observations; and I have not yet been favoured with these observations. I mean from all of these gentlemen. I expect them to day, and that the nominations will be made on monday. Col Smith’s name will...
524To Alexander Hamilton from James McHenry, 10 July 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I received your letter of the 6. of July containing a paragraph from a letter from Colonel Parker, by which it appears that his supply of Clothing had not then arrived except some hats and shoes. The articles in the annexed list No. 1. which comprehends the whole of your requisition left this City as appears by a note made on it by the Assistant Quarter Master General on the 29. May and June...
525To Alexander Hamilton from James McHenry, 13 March 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I received your private letter of the 10th inst. last night. The mode in which the laws are published prevents me from receiving any of them sometimes for six weeks or two months after their being inacted, unless I take copies of them from the originals lodged with the Secry. of State and get them printed. This is what I have done with the organization and eventual army acts, and shall as soon...
526To John Adams from James McHenry, 15 February 1798 (Adams Papers)
In obedience to the request of the President the Secry. of War respectfully submits the following observations, on the subject of his reference of the 24th of Jany. ulto. It is an undoubted fact, that there is a very general indisposition to war in the minds of the people of the Untied States, and that there is a considerable part of them still peculiarly averse to a war with the French...
527To John Adams from James McHenry, 31 May 1797 (Adams Papers)
In conformity with the request contained in your letter of the 30th relative to an augmentation of artillery & cavalry and arrangements for a provisional army, I have the honour to subjoin the following observations and statements. In order to have a fair view of the subject it may be proper to premise what is the force on the present establishment, and the how it is distributed. It may...
528To Alexander Hamilton from James McHenry, 26 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
A question has arisen, respecting appointments, to a part of the Army establishment, on which I have to request your opinion, as soon as convenient, viz: Is it within the authority of the President, to appoint, the Officers, to the additional batalion, to the second Regiment of Artillerists and Engineers, directed to be raised by “an act, for the better organizing of the troops of the United...
529To Alexander Hamilton from James McHenry, 15 March 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
A Proclamation of the President of the United States, a Copy of which I enclose, will inform you that a combination to defeat the execution of the Laws, for the valuation of lands, and Dwelling houses, have existed, in the Counties of Northampton Montgomery, and Bucks in the State of Pennsylvania, and proceeded in a manner subversive of the just authority of the Government, and that certain...
530To Alexander Hamilton from James McHenry, 10 August 1798 (Hamilton Papers)
I have written to the President lately, mentioning that the more I contemplated the detail of organizing the twelve regiments of Infantry to be raised, the more I perceived the difficulty of effecting it with a dispatch proportioned to the emergency, and the public expectation. That if the course is to be to concenter information in this department from all quarters of the United States then...
531To Alexander Hamilton from James McHenry, 16 July 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I received this morning your letter of the 12th July instant on the subject of a modification of the invitations to supply rations for the troops of the United States on the Sea board. You will recollect that the advertisement, calling for proposals for the year 1799, is dated the 21st March ulto., and that the time within which proposals may be received is limited to the 25th July instant....
532To Alexander Hamilton from James McHenry, 8 November 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I received your letter of the 29th. ulto. prior to the return of the Public offices from the City of Trenton to the Seat of Government. As it presents objects of considerable expenditure, I thought it my duty to lay it before the President, and have since given to the subjects it embraces, an attentive consideration. You inform me, that General Wilkinson furnished estimates which you enclose...
533To Alexander Hamilton from James McHenry, 20 September 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your letter of the 16~ instant containing very important, and detailed observations, on a system of military supplies, for the armies of the United States. Altho’ I fully agree with you, that the old and existing system, is defective in particulars, too weakly manned in some of its branches, and susceptible of amelioration —I must recollect, that it is yet the existing system,...
534To John Adams from James McHenry, 14 March 1798 (Adams Papers)
The Secry. of War, respectfully submits the following result of his reflexions, on the questions propounded yesterday by the President. Q. Will it be advisable to present immediately to Congress, the whole of the communications from our ministers in France, with the exception of the names of the persons employed by the minister Talyrand, to exhibit and enforce his requisitions for a bribe,...
535Enclosure: James McHenry to Philemon Dickinson, [3 September 1800] (Hamilton Papers)
In Maryland from causes which you will easily comprehend it will be extremely difficult, if at all possible to bring the federalists generally into vigorous action, in favour of Mr. Adams, and yet from the force of the impulse which has been given to the people before the subject could be understood, it is likely, whether the electors be chosen by the people, or the Legislature, that Mr. Adams...
536To George Washington from James McHenry, 11 May 1799 (Washington Papers)
I enclose you three letters, one from Mr Posey recommending Mr Thomas Hord to a Majority in the provisional army; another from James Machir Esqr. recommending Mr William Bullett for the same grade; and one from Alexander Spotswood offering his services. You will please to return these letters with the list you have been requested to furnish, when it shall be completed. I have the honor to be,...
537To John Adams from James McHenry, 2 April 1800 (Adams Papers)
I find myself indespenssibly compelled, altho’ with the most perfect deference and respect, to represent, that the greatest embarrassments and impediments, in conducting the business of, and well grounded complaints against, the Department of Government, with which I have the honour to be charged, have been occasioned by delays occurring in the office of the accounting officer, or refusals, to...
538To George Washington from James McHenry, 10 November 1798 (Washington Papers)
It appears by a letter from the President, dated Quincy Octbr 22d 1798, that it will not be in his power to be in Philadelphia ’till near the time fixed upon for the meeting of Congress. In order however, to prevent any injury to the public service, as it respects officering the troops, directed to be raised by the late acts of Congress, he has written to me as follows. “If you, and the...
539To Alexander Hamilton from James McHenry, 16 May 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have to acknowledge the Receipt of your Letter dated the 5th inclosing a Copy of a Letter to you dated the 4th instant from Colo. Taylor, stating that delays & embarrassments arising from what appears to have been a reluctance in the proper Officer to take up the Business, have prevented a final settlement for monies expended for public Service by the Officers of the 13th Regiment whilst on...
540To John Adams from James McHenry, 31 May 1800 (Adams Papers)
The Secretary of War respectfully takes the Liberty to transmit to the President of the United States, a statement of his recollection of the substance and incidents of the Conversation which passed between them the evening preceding the Resignation of his office, committed to Writing immediately afterwards. He also transmits Copies of sundry papers having reference to certain parts of that...