To Alexander Hamilton from James McHenry, 24 May 1799
From James McHenry
War Department
24th May 1799
Sir
Letters similar to the enclosed1 have been transmitted to the Senators of each State from New Hampshire to Maryland, and to Generals Washington Pinckney and Davie2 for the States of Virginia, North and South Carolina and Georgia.
Messrs Watson and Lawrence3 find it difficult, if not impracticable to co-operate in the object of this letter from the distance of their places of residence from each other, and have declined acting. You will perceive that this measure is purely precautionary, and that the officers who may be appointed are not to receive any pay or emoluments until called into actual service.4
I have the honor to be, with great respect, Sir, Your Most Obt Hb St
James McHenry
Major Genl A Hamilton
LS, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress; LS letterpress copy, dated May 23, James McHenry Papers, Library of Congress.
1. Enclosure not found, but see McHenry to H, second letter of May 23, 1799. McHenry enclosed a list of names of persons appointed from Virginia for the cavalry and infantry in McHenry to George Washington, May 21, 1799 (LS, George Washington Papers, Library of Congress).
2. William Richardson Davie was a colonel and commissary general in the American Revolution. After the war he practiced law in North Carolina and was a member of the state legislature from Halifax County from 1786 to 1798. He was elected governor of North Carolina in 1798 and was appointed a brigadier general in the Provisional Army on July 19, 1798 (, 292–93). On June 1, 1799, he was appointed Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to France (, 326–27).
3. James Watson and John Laurance were members of the United States Senate from New York.
4. This is a reference to the appointment of officers under the authority of “An Act giving eventual authority to the President of the United States to augment the Army” ( 725–27 [March 2, 1799]).