31George Washington to James McHenry, 13 December 1798 (Hamilton Papers)
You will observe that in the arrangement of the officers allotted to New York there is an alternative of Wm. S. Smith or Abijah Hammond for Lt Colonel Commandant. Various considerations demand that the motive of this hesitation should be explained. Had military qualifications alone been consulted the name of Colonel Smith would have stood singly and he would have been deemed a valuable...
32George Washington to James McHenry, 13 December 1798 (Hamilton Papers)
I shall now present to your view the additional objects alluded to in my letter of this date. A proper organisation for the troops of the UStates is a principal one. In proportion as the policy of the Country is adverse to extensive military establishments ought to be our care to render the principles of our military system as perfect as possible, and our endeavouring to turn to the best...
33To Alexander Hamilton from George Washington, 25 February 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I have been duly favoured with your letter of the 15th instant. When the disposition was contemplated for assigning to Major General Pinckney and to yourself your respective districts of superintendence, I was of opinion (as you will see by the enclosed copy of a letter which I wrote to the Secretary of War on my way from Philadelphia to this place) that the whole of General Wilkinson’s...
34To Alexander Hamilton from George Washington, 25 February 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Your private letter of the 16th. instant came duly to hand, & safe: and I wish you at all times, and upon all occasions, to communicate interesting occurrences with your opinion thereon (in the manner you have designated) with the utmost unreservedness, to me. If the augmented force was not intended as an interroram measure, the delay in Recruiting it, is unaccountable; and baffles all...
35To Alexander Hamilton from George Washington, 26 February 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Mount Vernon, February 26, 1799. “I received your letter of the 18th. instant yesterday. You refer me to enclosed letters for information on the subject therein mentioned. One letter only came, and that under a Seal to General Lee, which I shall forward, unopened, tomorrow by my Nephew Mr. Bushrod Washington, who is a neighbour of his.…” ALS , Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress; ALS ,...
36To Alexander Hamilton from George Washington, [4 March 1799] (Hamilton Papers)
[Mount Vernon, March 4, 1799. Letter not found.] “List of Letters from G——Washington to General Hamilton,” Columbia University Libraries.
37To Alexander Hamilton from George Washington, [15 March 1799] (Hamilton Papers)
[Mount Vernon, March 15, 1799. Letter not found.] “List of Letters from G—— Washington to General Hamilton,” Columbia University Libraries.
38To Alexander Hamilton from George Washington, 25 March 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Your letter of the 14th. instant, with its enclosures, came to hand by the last Post. In the present State of the Army (or more properly the Embryo of one, for I do not perceive from any thing that has come to my knowledge that we are likely to move beyond this) and until the Augmented force shall have been Recruited, Assembled and in the Field, the residence of the Paymaster Genl (I did not...
39To Alexander Hamilton from George Washington, 10 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Mount Vernon, April 10, 1799. “I have received your letter of the 27th. ulto., enclosing a design of dividing the State of Virginia into Divisions, & Subdivisions, for the head quarters of the Rendezvouses in each: asking my opinion of the proper distribution of them, for the convenience of the Recruiting Service. The Grand division of the State, I conceive to be well allotted and with …...
40Election by the Sixth Triennial General Meeting of the Society of the Cincinnati, 8 May 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Philadelphia, May 8, 1799. “… The members present then proceeded to the election of officers for the ensuing three years, when it appeared from the ballots that the following gentlemen were duly elected: General George Washington, President General. Major General Alexander Hamilton, Vice President General.…” “Journals of the Cincinnati, 1784–1787, Vol. I,” 93–94, Library of Congress.
41To Alexander Hamilton from George Washington, 6 June 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I have duly received your letter of the 3d of May, and am glad to find that the recruiting service is likely to progress without further delay. To facilitate this, nothing will contribute more than Clothing. It is certainly necessary to push on this business with proper energy, and to be provided with an ample and timely supply of every article wanted, if it is expected that such Troops as we...
42To Alexander Hamilton from George Washington, 19 June 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Your favour of the 7th instant, with its inclosures, has been duly received. I am very glad to learn that the recruiting business, so far as it has been put in operation, succeeds agreeably to your wishes. It has commenced in Virginia, and I am informed that, in this vicinity (and I have no intelligence from the more distant parts of the State) its progress is very flattering. A supply of...
43To Alexander Hamilton from George Washington, 25 June 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Your private letter of the 15th instant came duly to hand. So far as my information extends (which by the bye is very limited) the Recruiting Service in this State progresses beyond my expectations, But is retarded very considerably from the want of cloathing, the ragged appearance of the Recruits having a tendency to disgust, rather than to excite enlistments. I think with you, that policy...
44To Alexander Hamilton from George Washington, [11 August 1799] (Hamilton Papers)
[ Mount Vernon, August 11, 1799. Letter not found. ] “List of Letters from G—— Washington to General Hamilton,” Columbia University Libraries.
45To Alexander Hamilton from George Washington, 15 September 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Mrs. Washington’s indisposition (being confined eight or ten days) and other circumstances, would not allow me to give your letter of the 9th instant, and the Reports, Journals &c. &c. which accompanied it, an earlier consideration. Having done this, however, with as much thought as I have been able to bestow, under the circumstances mentioned, I can see no cause (with the limited force which...
46To Alexander Hamilton from George Washington, 29 September 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Your letter of the 23d. instant was received the 27th; and this day will proceed in the Mail to Winchester—the nearest Post-Town to Colo. Parker’s residence, if he should be at his own house, the letter enclosed for him. There being no person in my view more eligable than Colo. Parker to carry your Instructions into effect unless Colo. Carrington had been in office as Quarter Master General, I...
47To Alexander Hamilton from George Washington, 13 October 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Incon⟨venient as it was to⟩ my finances, I have been ⟨induced⟩ to erect convenient to the ⟨Capital, in the⟩ Federal City, two houses which have ⟨the⟩ exterior of one, but by an ⟨arrangement of commu⟩nication may, according to the ⟨desire⟩ of the occupant, or occupants—may have all the conveniencies of one, or be entirely seperate & distinct. For these buildings a person of the name of John...
48To Alexander Hamilton from George Washington, 26 October 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I have duly received your letter of the 21st instant, enclosing a letter to Colo. Parker, which I have forwarded to him, and at the same time repeated my instructions for hutting the Troops, in conformity with the idea which you originally suggested. I presume that the impression made on your mind by Colo. Parker’s letter, respecting Winter Quarters for the three Regiments, must have been...
49To Alexander Hamilton from George Washington, 27 October 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Since writing the enclosed letter to you yesterday, I have received a letter from Colo. Parker, and one from Mr. Mackey, Agent for the War Department at Harper’s Ferry; stating the impracticability of procuring plank &c. sufficient for covering the huts intended to have been built for three Regiments at Harper’s Ferry. In consequence of this information I have again written to Colo. Parker,...
50To Alexander Hamilton from George Washington, 27 October 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
To my official letters I refer you for my communication, with Colo. Parker. I have no conception however, that such difficulties as are ennumerated in his and Mr. Mackie’s letters, can exist in the erection of simple Hutts, (such as served us last war); and so I am about to inform the former. I am averse to the seperation of the 8th. 9th and 10th Regiments under any circumstances which exist...
51To Alexander Hamilton from George Washington, 12 December 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I have duly received your letter of the 28th ultimo, enclosing a Copy of what you had written to the Secretary of War, on the subject of a Military Academy. The Establishment of an Institution of this kind, upon a respectable and extensive basis, has ever been considered by me as an Object of primary importance to this Country; and while I was in the Chair of Government, I omitted no proper...
52To Alexander Hamilton from George Washington, 14 August 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Enclosed are sundry letters (as mentioned on the other side) which have come to my hands, recommending Captain Edmund Taylor and Captain William K. Blue for the Office of Brigade Inspector. As this Officer is to be appointed by the Inspector General I forward these letters for your consideration; and add, that I have not a personal knowledge of the Gentlemen recommended which can enable me to...
53To Alexander Hamilton from George Washington, 15 October 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Since writing to you on the 29th ultimo, I have received a letter from Colo. Parker, informing me that he had fixed upon a spot, on the public Ground at Harper’s Ferry, as the most eligable place for cantoning the 7th, 8th and 9th Regiments, agreeably to your instructions, and the ideas which I communicated to him. And, I presume, measures are now taking to provide huts at that place for these...
54March [1797] (Washington Papers)
1. Mercury at 24. Wind Westerly and cold all day. 2. Wind as yesterday; cloudy, cold & Raw all day. Towards night it began to Snow. Mercury at 26. 3. Mercury at 34. Morning very lowering & threatning but clear & pleasant afterwards. Wind fresh from the So. Wt. 4. Much such a day as yesterday in all respects. Mercury at 41. 5. Not unlike the two preceding days. M. at 50. 6. The wind Shifted to...
55[Diary entry: 4 March 1797] (Washington Papers)
4. Much such a day as yesterday in all respects. Mercury at 41.
56[Diary entry: 5 March 1797] (Washington Papers)
5. Not unlike the two preceding days. M. at 50.
57[Diary entry: 6 March 1797] (Washington Papers)
6. The wind Shifted to the No. Wt. and turned Cold M: 24.
58[Diary entry: 7 March 1797] (Washington Papers)
7. A hard No. Wt. [wind] all day. Hard frost this morning & but little [sun] all day—snowing at times. Mer. at 24.
59[Diary entry: 8 March 1797] (Washington Papers)
8. Very thick morning with sprinkling rain clear afterwards with a brisk So. Westerly wind. Mer. 52.
60[Diary entry: 9 March 1797] (Washington Papers)
9. Wind changed to No. Wt. blew very hard & turned very cold. Mer. at 28. Left Phila. on my return to Mt. Vernon—dined at Chester & lodged at Wilmington. Accompanying GW and Mrs. Washington on the trip home to Mount Vernon were Nelly Custis and the marquis de Lafayette’s son, George Washington Motier Lafayette (1779–1849), accompanied by his tutor, Felix Frestal. George Washington Parke Custis...