To Alexander Hamilton from Joseph Mangin, 7 August 1798
From Joseph Mangin1
New York, August 7, 1798.“L’orsque vous m’avez demandé les plans des Batteries de Newyork, J’ai pensé que c’etait pour les remettre au Colonnel Burr; c’est pourquoi Vous avez vu une Lettre à Son adresse, dans Laquelle Je donne quelques explications. J’ai prié un Monsieur que J’ai trouvé dans votre bureau, de Vous engager à ouvrir cette Lettre; ce matin J’ai eu L’honneur de passer Chez vous et comme Je l’ai trouvé cachettée, J’ai pensé qu’il etait de mon devoir de vous en donner L’extrait qui Suit. ‘J’ai L’honneur de vous remettre cyJoint les plans des 4 batteries qui S’executent dans ce moment à Newyork, elles Sont Situés Sur la planeire dans Leur raport respectifs et telles qu’elles Sont Sur le terrein; vous remarquerez egalement les plan, coupe et elevations d’un morceau de parapet qui donneront une Idée Juste de la Construction.…’”
ALS, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress.
1. Mangin was an engineer born in France, who in 1795 succeeded his superior, Charles Vincent, as engineer-in-chief of the fortifications of the port and harbor of New York. On May 9, 1796, Mangin was “admitted & sworn a Free Man of … [New York] City” and on May 18, 1796, was appointed “a Surveyor of this City” (, II, 236, 238). For Mangin’s citizenship, see also the MS Minutes of the New York Supreme Court, January 19–November 5, 1796, under the date of May 7, 1796 (Hall of Records, New York City). On June 18, 1798, Ebenezer Stevens appointed Mangin to work with John Hills and George Fleming to draw up plans for fortifying the harbor of New York. These plans were completed on August 10, and on September 11, 1798, Stevens placed Mangin in charge of completing the fortification of Fort Jay on Governors Island (Stevens to H, February 28, April 4, 1799). Mangin was also the architect of several important buildings erected in New York City in the late seventeen-nineties and with John McComb, Jr., won a competition in 1802 for the plans for New York City Hall.
For background to this letter, see Mangin to the Military Committee of New York City, June 18, 1798. See also the introductory note to H to James McHenry, June 1, 1798.