To John Jay from Solomon Van Rensselaer, 3 November 1800
From Solomon Van Rensselaer
Albany 3d November 1800
Dear Sir
By the late act for disbanding the twelve Regiments,1 the President of the United States had the power given him to continue the Regiment of Dragoons, or such parts as he might think proper; two Troops of this Regiment had been raised prior to the late augmentation of the army, and this Squadron is still continued in service— It was the opinion of Generals Hamilton & Wilkinson that a Major was indispensably necessary for this Corps, and that it was more than probable that I would be continued,2 but that this depended on a contingency to wit, whether the President would, or would not, deem a Major necessary for those Companies:— accordingly I took a letter (of which No. 1 is a Copy)3 from Genl. Hamilton to Mr. Dexter Secretary of war, and one to Genl. Wilkinson (of which No. 2 is a Copy)4 and repaired to the City of Washington— on my arrival there, I found Genl. Wilkinson, & he addressed a letter (of which No. 3 is a Copy)5 to the Secretary at war. A consultation was held between Genl. Wilkinson and the Secretaries of the different Departments, and it was resolved in the absence of the President, to let my case lay over till his return, in order that he might exercise the power given him, to continue me in Service, (or cause provision to be made by an Act) the necessity of which they supposed had not occured to him— Genl. Wilkinson mentioned to me the importance of obtaining a letter from Genl. Schuyler, or your Excellency on this subject to the President, so that he might act under the present Law, or recommend the measure, lest the temper of the house of Representatives might be such, that in case an attempt was made by an Individual to provide for a Major, the circumstance of the President’s omitting to continue one in Service might be construed as an argument against the expediency of the measure—
I should Sir most assuredly not have troubled your Excellency on this subject, and that pirticularly at this juncture, were it not almost unavoidable on my part— Genl. Schuyler would no doubt serve me if he could, but I have my fears least the unpleasent rupture between the President, & Genl. Hamilton, might prejudice the President against Genl. Schuyler, and that any recommendations from that quarter would be received coolly at this day— In regard to your Excellency, I can only observe, that the President did last fall at Trenton, speak in my presence at his own table in the most exalted terms of your Public, & private Character,6 and expressed his friendship for you in language equally respectful; and from this occurrence, I have presumed to calculate on your aid in the premisses. If then Sir, you can from this statement of facts, I have taken the liberty to give you, address a few lines to the President without putting yourself under an obligation to him, so as to cause him to act favorable towards continuing me in service, you may assentially serve me, and for which I shall consider myself in duty bound to acknowledge as a favor, and for which I shall ever feel greatful—7 I have the Honor to be with the Highest respect & Esteem Your Excellency’s Mos. obt. & very Huml. Servt.
Sol. Van Rensselaer
P.S. The within copies I obtained from Genl. Wilkinson—8
ALS, NNC (EJ: 08683).
1. “An Act supplementary to the act to suspend part of an act, intitled ‘An act to augment the Army of the United States, and for other purposes,’” 14 May 1800, Stat. 2: 85–86.
2. Solomon Van Rensselaer served as a captain in the Fourth Troop, Squadron of Light Dragoons from July 1793 to January 1799, serving in the campaign against the Ohio Indian Confederacy. Van Rensselaer was appointed as a major in the recently formed Additional Army, before being discharged in June 1800. JJ appointed him to serve as adjutant general of the New York State militia in early 1801.
3. AH to Samuel Dexter, 8 Aug. 1800, PAH, 25: 61.
4. AH to James Wilkinson, 8 Aug. 1800, PAH, 25: 61–62.
5. The letter from Wilkinson to Dexter recommending Van Rensselaer has not been found.
6. The fear of yellow fever in Philadelphia caused many members of the federal government to conduct their business in Trenton, New Jersey. JA spent much of the fall of 1799 in Trenton.
7. JJ wrote a letter on behalf of Van Rensselaer, remarking that Van Rensselaer “merits the attention of Govt.” and that his “Character here as a Citizen and ^a^ Gentleman is attracts general Esteem; and for my own part I think him ^consider him as^ one of the most valuable and promising young Man that I know”. JJ to Samuel Dexter, 19 Nov. 1800, Dft, NNC (EJ: 09017).
8. The copied letters that Van Renssalaer enclosed with this letter have not been found.