1Enclosure: Thomas Jefferson’s Memorandum on Correspondence with James Wilkinson, 6 March 1811 (Jefferson Papers)
I. II. III. Notes 1. Sep. 1. (a) my
2To James Madison from William C. C. Claiborne and James Wilkinson, 20 December 1803 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
20 December 1803, New Orleans. “We have the satisfaction to announce to you, that the province of Louisiana was this day surrendered to the United States by the Commissioner of France; and to add that the flag of our Country was raised in this City amidst the acclamations of the inhabitants. “The enclosed is a copy of an instrument of writing which was signed and exchanged by the Commissioners...
3To James Madison from William C. C. Claiborne and James Wilkinson, 7 February 1804 (Madison Papers)
In our Letter of the 16th ultimo, we informed you that we have just then received Information, of the Arrival in the River, of a Vessel with French Troops from St. Domingo. It Appeared by the first Accounts, that a great Mortality had prevailed on Board, and we were Apprehensive of her being infected by some Contagious distemper; It now Appears, that her Company consists of Officers, Surgeons,...
4To James Madison from William C. C. Claiborne and James Wilkinson, 30 March 1804 (Abstract) (Madison Papers)
30 March 1804, New Orleans. “Since our last of the 11 instant, a Duplicate of which is under cover we have received the Remainder of the public Records of the Province. The Delivery of the Store-Houses and Magazines & the Evacuation of the City by the Spanish Troops are the only important unfinished Objects relating to our Commission.” Enclose a 27 Mar. 1804 letter from Laussat showing “that...
Since our last of the 27. ulto. a Duplicate of which goes under Cover, the Spaniards have sent off a small Part of their Troops; and we have received repeated verbal Assurances from several of their Officers that a final Evacuation by them is fixed for the 20 of the present Month; and appearances seem to indicate the Reality of their Intention. We have received two Letters from the...
6To James Madison from William C. C. Claiborne and James Wilkinson, 14 February 1804 (Madison Papers)
You will receive under cover herewith a duplicate of our last of the 7th current, also a copy of a Report made to us by Docr. Watkins Physician of the Port, relative to the Situation of the People on Board the French Transport from St Domingo, and the arrangements to be made for them at Placquemines. On the first of the present Month we received a Letter from the French Commissioner a copy of...
7To James Madison from William C. C. Claiborne and James Wilkinson, 8 December 1803 (Madison Papers)
It is with singular Satisfaction, we announce to you the peaceful Transfer of the Province of Louisiana by the Commissioners of Spain to the Commissary of the French Republic, communicated to us by that officer in a Letter, received last Evening (bearing Date the 30. ulto) a Copy of which we transmit you, under Cover, together with his Proclamation, issued on the Occasion, to which we have...
Since our Letter of the 27. ulto but little Progress has been made in the Business of the Commission. Orders have been issued, by Mr Laussat for the Delivery of the Posts of Concord, Atakapas & Opelousas , to such American Officers as have been selected for those stations, and we are waiting like Orders for the Surrender of the Post of Natchitoches on Red River and those in upper Louisiana....
9To James Madison from William C. C. Claiborne and James Wilkinson, 27 December 1803 (Madison Papers)
Our Letter of the 20th Inst. informed you of the Delivery of Louisiana to the United States, and we now inclose an original Copy of the Process Verbal , or minutes of the transaction, which was signed on the occasion by the Commissioners of France and of the United States. The Barracks Magazines Hospital, and public Store Houses in this City, yet remain in the occupancy of the Spanish...
10To James Madison from William C. C. Claiborne and James Wilkinson, 27 February 1804 (Madison Papers)
Since our last of the 14 current, of which a Duplicate was forwarded by the last Mail; the French national Brig the Argo has dropped down the River, to Placquemines, for the Purpose, as we understand, of taking on Board the People, who came in the Brig Express from St. Nicholas Mole, and proceeding to France. We hope in Consequence thereof, to be relieved from the accumulating Embarrassments...
11To James Madison from William C. C. Claiborne and James Wilkinson, 9 January 1804 (Madison Papers)
The Orders from the French Commissioner, for the Delivery of the Posts at Natchitoches and those in upper Louisiana, of which we have been in Expectation for some Days, are not yet received. The Delay has arisen from the Tardiness of the Spanish Commissioners. We are informed however by Mr Laussat, that he has, at Length, received from the Marquis de Casa Calvo, the necessary Instructions to...
12To James Madison from William C. C. Claiborne and James Wilkinson, 17 January 1804 (Madison Papers)
No alteration has taken place since our last, of which you have a duplicate under cover, excepting the receipt of the necessary orders, for the delivery of all the Spanish Posts in upper Louisiana, and at Nachitoches and it’s dependencies. But we have to apprize you of an unexpected occurrence of a most unpleasant nature. Early yesterday morning we were formally advised by Mr. Daniel Clarke,...
13To Thomas Jefferson from James Wilkinson and Benjamin Hawkins, 1 September 1801 (Jefferson Papers)
Understanding from the public prints, that you are at Monticello, we avail ourselves of the direct conveyance to intrude on you our communications of the 25th ult , and of this day , to the secretary of War; and we hope you may approve of this deviation from the regular course of our correspondence, which we hazard, with the intent to secure time, for the seasonable arrival of any order you...
14To Thomas Jefferson from James Wilkinson, 17 February 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I have the Honor to inclose you a duplicate of my Letter of the 13th. Inst., transmitted by the last Mail, and in obedience to your desire, I avail myself of the conveyance by Judge Sprigg, to forward you one of Burr’s original Letters to me, and by the next safe conveyance, I will transmit you a literal Interpretation of it duly attested, which I have not yet taken time to render to my...
15To George Washington from Lieutenant Colonel James Wilkinson, 28 March 1778 (Washington Papers)
I beg you to receive the grateful Homage of a sensible Mind, for your condescension in exposing to me M[ajo]r Genl Gates’s Letters which Unmask his Artifice & efforts to ruin me. The Authenticity of the Information recd thro Lord Stirling I cannot confirm; As I solemnly assure Your Excellency I do not remember the Conversation which passed on that occasion, nor can I recollect particular...
16To Alexander Hamilton from James Wilkinson, 29 June 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
[ U.S. Frigate General Greene, June 29, 1800 . In a letter to Wilkinson dated July, 1800, Hamilton wrote: “I have this morning the pl⟨easure⟩ of your public and private letter of the 29 of June.” Public letter not found. ]
17To Thomas Jefferson from James Wilkinson, 19 June 1804 (Jefferson Papers)
about 130 Leagues above the Cado nation & 230 from Natchitoches, we have discovered on either side the Red River, Cliffs of rock Salt—we also find several salt springs above this point & one below it, which discharge themselves into the River, & actually give a brackish taste to its Waters, as low down as the settlement of Natchitoches, during the recess of the floods, or rather before their...
18To Alexander Hamilton from James Wilkinson, 30 October 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I have the Honor to inclose you an invoice of Medicine & Hospital Stores, intended for the use of the Troops on the Mississippi & Mobile Rivers, which may I hope be purchased & shiped on the Vessel, which — the ordnance & Military Stores, for the sake of Oconomy, dispatch, & accommodation; I am the more particular in this instance, because the Season has been remarkably sickly on our South...
19To Thomas Jefferson from James Wilkinson, 12 March 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
You will find under cover the Report I have promised, and I flatter myself you will not condemn the manner, in which it has been obtained. I beg to refer you for Mr. Burling Character (not a common one) to General S. Smith who has long Known Him—On my own part I profess to you, I consider Him the pure Patriot, & hardly to be equaled in any Enterprize which Interests His feelings; and yet he is...
20To John Adams from James Wilkinson, 24 December 1797 (Adams Papers)
At the particular desire of the Bearer, the Miamis Chief called the little Turtle, I give Him this Letter of Introduction to you; His consequence among the Nations, approximate to one North Western frontier, gave Him pretensions to this distinction, I have deemed it political to indulge Him, and hope the Step may not be displeasing to you.— To the details which I have given the Secretary of...
21Extract of a Letter from James Wilkinson, 31 October 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
Burr had a contract with ______ of Pittsburgh, or a company with which he was concerned, for 20,000 barrels of flour, and 6,000 barrels of pork, deliverable here, or at Natchez. It was to follow Burr, and I understand he made a handsome advance on the contract. Since the expositions ______ has sent orders to Natchez to have these provisions taken care of, and not to deliver them before...
22To George Washington from James Wilkinson, 9 January 1780 (Washington Papers)
The frequent Applications which I receive, from the General officers & other Individuals of the Army, for Articles of Clothing for their Servants & Waiters, occasions me great perplexity & Uneasiness, and obliges me to request your Excellency, either to Authorize my compliance therewith, or to inform the Army that my Duty obliges me to reject them, for from the mistaken Idea of my possessing...
23To Alexander Hamilton from James Wilkinson, 7 September 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
At foot you have the Corps designated, to which the Infantry of the frontier Garrisons respectively appurtain; it may be Essential to note, that a Sergeant, Corporal, & eight Dragoons are included in the Return for Fort Sargent— Most respectfully I am sir Yr. Ob. Ser Oswego, the Garrison of, is from the 1st. Regt. Niagara. Do . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Do. Fort Wayne Do . . . . . . . . . . ....
24To Alexander Hamilton from James Wilkinson, 15 October 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
[ Trenton, October 15, 1799. On October 31, 1799, Hamilton wrote to Wilkinson and referred to “your several communications of the 12th. 15. 19th. & 27 instant.” Letter of October 15 not found. ]
25To Alexander Hamilton from James Wilkinson, 20 April 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
It was not before the last Evening, I had the Honor to receive your Letter of the 12th. Febry: altho the messenger who brought it, delivered me philadelphia Papers, as late as the 8th: Ultimo. I regret the delay but cannot account for it. I wrote you five Days since Fort Washington on the Ohio, & now enclose you a duplicate of that Dispatch, by a confidential half-bred Indian, who will bear...
26To Thomas Jefferson from James Wilkinson, 27 June 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
In a case which excites the sharpest self-reproach & exposes me to severe reprehension, I venture to address myself directly to you, with the hope that you may spare me the publick humiliation, which I have merited by an inexcusable (tho innocent) omission of Duty. The precise injunctions of the Law, relatively to the Oath of Office I am to take, as Governor of the Territory of Louisiana, had...
27To James Madison from James Wilkinson, 7 September 1805 (Madison Papers)
In my last of the 24th. Ultmo. of which you have a duplicate under cover, I fear I intruded on you some details touching the Indian affairs, which in propriety appertained to the department of War; I shall therefore by the pending mail address the Sequel of that Business to General Dearborn. You have under cover, copies of the Instructions of Governor Harrison, to the Surveyor General of this...
28To Thomas Jefferson from James Wilkinson, 27 September 1822 (Jefferson Papers)
Should this letter reach your hands, it will be through the medium of his Excellency Don José Sosaya, Minister Plenipotenciary from this Empire to the United States. This gentleman, a native Mexican of Castilian descent, is highly respected by his Countrymen for his intelligence & amiable dispositions, & he enjoys the entire confidence & esteem of his majesty the Emperor; I know your...
29To Alexander Hamilton from James Wilkinson, 13 November 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
It has been suggested both by the pay Master & Majr Genl Pinkney, that a Lt McCall, now of the 3d. Regt & stationed in Georgia is necessary in that quarter as pay Master, I have therefore, for accommodation of the service, ventured to transfer Mr. McCall to the 4th. Regt., which may I hope meet your approbation. In arranging with Mr Swan for the pay of the Troops on the Missippi, I have named...
30To Alexander Hamilton from James Wilkinson, August 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Genl. Hamilton will find in the “Reglemens pour L’infanterie Prussienne” many substantial principles of duty & of service, inapplicable perhaps to our Modes of thinking & acting, but susceptible of modification. Brig Genl. W. begs leave to refer to the Chapter on “Subordination” in the second Volume particularly—and will be obliged by General Hamiltons attention to the Letter for Lt. Boote. AL...