From George Washington to the United States Senate, 31 May 1794
To the United States Senate
United States May 31st 1794
Gentlemen of the Senate.
I nominate the following persons as Company Officers and Surgeon and Surgeons Mates in the Corps of Artiller<is>ts and Engineers.
The nomination of the Field Officers is suspended for the present.
| Captains | ||
| 1. | Griffith McCree | North Carolina |
| 2 | Richard Scott Blackburn | Virginia |
| 3. | James Bruff | Maryland |
| 4. | Alexander Thompson | New York |
| 5. | William Morris | ditto |
| 6. | Decius Wadsworth | Connecticut |
| 7 | Timothy Pi[t]kin1 Junr | ditto |
| 8 | George Taylor | Pennsylvania |
| 9 | James Gamble | ditto |
| 10. | William Littlefield | Rhode Island |
| 11. | Frederick Frye | Massachusetts |
| 12. | Benjamin Williamson | New Jersey |
| Lieutenants | ||
| 1. | Joseph R. Yates | New York |
| 2. | John McClelland | New York |
| 3. | Silas Dinsmore | New Hampshire |
| 4. | John Parker Hales | ditto |
| 5. | Simon Geddes | Delaware |
| 6. | Nehemiah Freeman | Massachusetts |
| 7. | Nathaniel Drinkwater | ditto |
| 8. | Thomas Hutchins | Pennsylvania |
| 9. | James Sterrit | ditto |
| 10. | William Buchanan Smith | Maryland |
| 11. | Benjamin Wall | Georgia |
| 12. | George Izard | South Carolina |
| 13. | Noel Bartholomew Monvel | North Western Territory |
| 14. | William Cox promoted from Ensign’s lately appointed2 | |
| 15. | Charles Harrison | do |
| 16 | William Smallwood Grayson | do |
| 17. | Henry E. Coleman | Virginia |
| 18. | Carey M. Carter | Virginia |
| 19. | William Barton Junr | Rhode Island |
| 20 | James Habersham junr | Georgia |
| 21 | John Phillips Ripley | New Hampshire |
| 22. | Robert Rowan | North Carolina |
| 23. | Jonathan Robertson3 | North Carolina |
| 24. | Henry Muhlenberg | Pennsylvania |
| Surgeon | ||
| Charles Brown | ||
| Surgeon’s Mates | ||
| 1 | Nathaniel4 Gorham Coffin | Massachusetts |
| 2. | John R. Lynch | New York |
| 3. | Francis G. Brewster | New Jersey |
| 4. | Richard Griffith | Delaware |
| Appointments to fill up Vacancies of Ensigns nominated to be Lieutenants of Artillery. | ||
| Aaron Catlin | Connecticut | vice William Cox |
| Robert Torrans | South Carolina | vice Charles Harrison |
| Samuel Allison | Virginia | vice Wm Smallwood Grayson |
Go: Washington
LS, DNA: RG 46, Third Congress, 1793-95, Senate Records of Executive Proceedings, President’s Messages—Executive Nominations; LB, DLC:GW.
The Senate confirmed these nominations, with the exception of Alexander Thompson, on 2 June. Thompson was confirmed on 3 June (Senate Executive Journal, 160-61). William Morris, Timothy Pitkin, Jr., Benjamin Williamson, Joseph R. Yates, Nathaniel Drinkwater, Benjamin Wall, Henry E. Coleman, William Barton, Jr., James Habersham, Jr., and John Phillips Ripley declined their appointments.
1. The LS and LB both read "Pickin," but see Henry Knox to Timothy Pitkin, Jr., 4 June (CSmH: Timothy Pitkin Papers). Pitkin (1766-1847) was at this time a Farmington, Conn., lawyer and member of the state legislature. He subsequently served in Congress from 1805 to 1819.
2. For the previous appointment, see GW to the U.S. Senate, 9 May.
3. Jonathan Robeson (d. 1805) was promoted to captain in 1800.
4. This name is incorrect; John Gorham Coffin (c.1770-1829) served as a surgeon’s mate from June 1794 to May 1798.