1From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 2 July 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, July 2, 1800. “I send you the inclosed paper, and request that you will take measures for having me reimbursed, in the sum mentioned.…” Df , in the handwriting of Thomas Y. How, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress. Swan was paymaster general of the United States Army.
2From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 31 May 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
In the Postscript of a letter which I wrote to you on the 8th. instant, I mentioned to desired you, (in conformity to what I had understood to be a rule , in that subject cases of Officers marching to the Western Country,) to furnish all the Officers stationed at Staunton (Virga.) with two month’s pay in advance— From a recent conversation with an Officer of that Detachmt. who says he has...
3From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 28 May 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have just received your letter of the twenty sixth instant. My intention was that you should deliver transmit to Lieut Richmond bounty money for four complete companies independently of the sum of 1960 dollars paid to him some time since—But as so large a the large as so large a sum has been recently delivered to him, I am lead to modify my order change the order on the subject—You will...
4From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 28 May 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your letter of the 24th. inst., and approve of the advance of pay to Lt. Hooke, which you mention. I shall be ready to cover the disbursement with my warrant, when ever required— W— ( Df , in the handwriting of Ethan Brown, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress).
5From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 28 May 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
You will send with out delay, to the D PM General with General Pinckney subject to the orders of the latter bounty money sufficient to recruit two companies of Infantry in addition to the four mentioned in my letter of the twenty third instant ; and to Lieutenant Woolstonecraft, bounties subject to the orders of Major Tousard, bounty Money sufficient to recruit two new Companies of Artillery —...
6From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 26 May 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I send you some letters of the Adjutant & Ast A General respecting a cla i m of Lt McComb for compensation for services in that Department. I think 15 Ds. ⅌ Month will be an adequate allowance I request that you will cause the cla i m to be presented to the Accountant & if refused that You will have an appeal made to the Comptroller of the Treasury. The principle is the same as in the case of...
7From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 26 May 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
Lt. Hook has stated to me the embarrassments under which he labors, and requested an advance of one months pay to enable him to repair to his station— If this would not involve his so great a departure from established — as to be injurious precedent I should be well satisfied with the granting of his the request. ( Df , in the handwriting of Thomas Y. How, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress).
8From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 24 May 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I send you the copy of a letter of the 14th. instant from Capt Ellery with the documents to which it refers. If my recollection be right, there lies an appeal from the Accountant to the Comptroller of the Treasury. If so, I request that you will, without delay, on behalf of Capt Ellery make an appeal. After much reflection, I do not perceive any sound distinction between special compensations...
9From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 23 May 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
You will send without delay to the Deputy P M General with General Pinckney subject to the orders of the latter, bounty money for four complete companies of Infantry. To Lieutenant Woolstencraft bounty money for six companies of Artillerists. To Lieutenant Richmond, subject to the orders of Major Bewell, bounty money for four companies of Infantry. Df , in the handwriting of Thomas Y. How,...
10From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 23 May 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have just received your letter of the twenty first instant. I did contemplate, as the most expedient arrangement, the transmission of the requisite funds, for settling with the troops to the Deputy Pay Master Generals, but hope that the plan you have adopted will answer the end. I am, however, not without apprehensions that it may occasion delay. You will recollect that, by an existing law...
11From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 22 May 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have recd your letter of the 20th. inst. Lt. Wilson is appointed P. Master to the Detachmt. under the command of Major Cass. You will deal with him proceed accordingly. With &c— ( Df , in the handwriting of Ethan Brown and H, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress).
12From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 20 May 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
Your two letters of the 17 & 19 instant have been received. I am glad to find in that of the 17. instant ideas which correspond with my own, and will tend so much to facilitate the payment of the Troops prior to their being disbanded—a point in my mind essential. The plan will be pursued. The chief difficulty will be with the Regiments in the south. Of course it is essential that the...
13From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 19 May 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I send you herewith an abstract of the situation of the Twelve Additional Regiments according to the last returns as to numbers of N C officers and privates with the copy of a letter from the Assistant Adjutant General expressing his opinion as to these returns falling short of the fact. This abstract nevertheless will serve as the standard of an estimate, making some addition to the numbers....
14From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 18 May 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have recommended Lt. Jacob Wilson as Pay Master to the detachment under Major Cass in place of Lt. Blake resigned—The nomination however has not yet received the sanction of the S of War— I understand from Major Cass that the bounty money deposited in the hands of the different recruiting officers has been withdrawn by your orders, and the recruiting service thus brought to a stand. I...
15From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 18 May 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have recd. your letter of the 14th inst, and am happy glad that the plan arrangement relative to incidental expenditures meets your approbation— I shall be ready to grant a special warrant in your favor. ( Df , in the handwriting of Thomas Y. How, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress)
16From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 17 May 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I am officially informed that an act of Congress has passed for disbanding the twelve additional regiments on or before the fifteenth of June next, granting an allowance of three months pay to the officers and Soldiers from the time of their discharge. The P. has fixed upon the 14th as the precise day. You will therefore send without delay the necessary sums to the D P M General with General...
17From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 16 May 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
A representation has been made to me by Charles Lee, Rufus Hundy, Ebenezer Ross, and Nathaniel Walker Privates in Captain Ingersoll’s company that they were enlisted as Artificers but have part of the time received only the emoluments of private soldiers. It is stated to me, however, that there was a particular agreement between them and their Captain that they should receive the pay of...
18From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 13 May 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
Enclosed is an extract of a letter wher from Major Hoops— I know it is the regular established method to demand the receipt of the soldier himself as a necessary voucher. But it appears to me that a case of this kind, where the vouchers represented stated to have been forwarded by Lieut Pope are received, is an exception to the general Rule, and that such vouchers ought to be deemed an a...
19From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 9 May 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
Enclosed are copies of letters a letter to Captain Williamson the DP General, and of instructions to him relative to certain objects of incidental expenditure—I send them to you that you may inform me whether they coincide with the general plan of your instructions. ( Df , in the handwriting of Thomas Y. How, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress).
20From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 8 May 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
Enclosed is a letter from Mr. Brooks of the Artillery. I think it will be expedient to continue to employ him as Agent for the payment of the troops at Staunton untill they reach their destination at Pittsburgh . As This was my idea originally, as these troops are under marching orders for Pittsburg you will have Mr. Brooks supplied with the requisite fund for discharging any arrears of pay...
21From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 2 May 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
As I understand it has been usual to make advances to Officers marching for the Western Army, on account, you will be pleased to do this f advance pay for two Months to Lieut Captain Claiborne and his officers—You will likewise deliver to Captain Claiborne bounty money for twenty men— ( Df , in the handwriting of Thomas Y. How, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress).
22From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 1 May 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
Enclosed is a duplicate of a letter written some time since to Lieutenant Hyde relative to the settlement of his accounts I am surprised at having received not no answer to it— You will be pleased, if Mr. Hyde is in Philadelphia or any where within your reach, to deliver the letter to him yourself—If not you will send it to him in such a manner that you can be certain of its arrival, and that...
23From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 26 April 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have just received your letter of the twenty fourth instant. The new mode of negotiation in the disbursement of public money is matter of Executive arrangement. It is therefore clearly within the Executive Competency to alter the mode where To alter the mode is therefore clearly within the Competency of the Executive. It might have been a question with the persons who took the Bills whether...
24From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 24 April 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have just received your two letters of the twenty first and twenty second instants. The fact stated in Lieutenant Boote’s letter had been even communicated to me by General Wilkinson himself—But as a Pay Master had been appointed for the third regiment with the sanction of the S of War I do not think the appointment of Lieutenant Boote will be confirmed. However Nevertheless as the credit of...
25From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 11 April 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your letter of the 29th of March with it’s enclosure, and have Captain George Demler being dead I can not say what ought to be done in respect to the ballance due from in this case relative I have written to Lt. Hyde requesting him to state to me the causes which have retarded a the settlement of his Accounts. You may rely be assured I shall omit no measures that may be...
26From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 10 April 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your two letters of the twenty eighth and thirty first of March. Enclosed are the warrants you sent me which you will find signed. I did not advert to the particular circumstances of the case of Lieutenant Smith when I wrote to you respecting it—Upon the whole, however, I am glad you have settled with him, as he has now no excuse for not joining his regiment. ( Df , in the...
27From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 5 April 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
Your letter of the 2d. inst. has been received— It was not intended that the rule The Rule that officers should not be separated from their corps, to which you refer should was not meant to extend to Officers who might be appointed to the General Staff—Lt. McCall can therefore continue to exercise the duties of his station without being transferred W— ( Df , in the handwriting of Ethan Brown,...
28From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 28 March 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
You will forward, without delay, to Lieutt Richmond acting Pay Master to the detachment at Bennington under the command of Major Bewell, bounty money sufficient for recruiting two more full companies— ( Df , in the handwriting of Thomas Y. How, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress).
29From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 27 March 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
You will be pleased, whenever a General Order is issued which requires any thing to be done in your Department, to superintend it’s execution. It will be proper as often as there is an appearance of delay to write to the different Paymasters and persons acting as Paymasters to accelerate, in all such cases, the exertions which it is their duty to make. Should delays occur I shall expect you to...
30From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 25 March 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have just received a letter from Lieutenant Campbell Smith in which he informs me that you declined settling his account to the last of the month— It is not — that this should be done As it is the has been the practice to settle with Officers on furlough distinctly, you will do so in the present case unless there are some strong and peculiar reasons against it—If there are any such, you will...
31From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 24 March 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your letter of the twentieth instant. A Soldier does not, in my opinion, by the mere act of deserting, and without the interference of a Court Martial, forfeit the pay previously due to him—I recollect no principle of law that requires this, and practice, I know, is against it. ( Df , in the handwriting of Thomas Y. How, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress).
32From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 18 March 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received a copy of a letter from Col. Hamtramck to G. Wilkinson which contains the enclosed paragraph—It is sent to you for your information. ( Df , in the handwriting of Thomas Y. How, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress).
33From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 10 March 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your letter of the eighth instant. As it is probable, from the existing state of things, that the money forwarded for the recruiting of the fifth regiment will not be wanted for that purpose, I approve your proposal of furnishing Major Freeman with Nine hundred and eighty dollars out of that sum. W— ( Df , in the handwriting of Thomas Y. How, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress).
34From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 4 March 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
You will transmit, to the order of Major Freeman of the first regiment of Artillerists, bounty money for a full company. This Officer is now at Fort Johnston in South Carolina You will inform me of the arrangement which you make may take for the purpose—Major Freeman is now at Fort Johnston in S. Carolina. He is instructed to — appoint provisorily and subject to the approbation of the Secr. of...
35From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 28 February 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your letters of the fourth and fifth and seventh of January. The hurry of the moment prevented me from attending to the object of your letter of the fourth of January—I presume you have devised some arrangemen t with the advice of the Secretary of War to meet the event, and therefore I forbear at present to say any thing on the subject—Should this however not be the case you...
36From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 17 February 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have been applied to by an old soldier who served during the revolutionary war on the subject of pay which he states to be still due to him. He mentions to me that he was enlisted for the war in the regiment commanded by Col. Livingston, and that he was transferred in the course of the war from that regiment to the one under Col. Weisenfels—His cl aim is to Two years pay for his services i n...
37From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 15 January 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
The section of the Act of the 3 of March 1797, to which you refer in your letter of yesterday, is so obscurely and indefinitely worded, that it is impossible to give it a precise or even a very reasonable interpretation. On this ground it is that I have forborne to act upon it in my own case though Commanding a separate district. But while I am at a loss for its true sense, I have thought that...
38From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 11 January 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have recd. a letter dated Decr. 1st. from Capt. Brock who succeeded Major Bradley in the command of the recruiting parties at Staunton, Virginia, in which he mentions that they are entirely destitute of money for the purpose of carrying on the recruiting Service. I wish you therefore immediately to forward to the Agent at Staunton bounty money sufficient for the recruiting of one Company,...
39From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 2 January 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have just received a letter from Col. Parker in which he calls my attention to the case of Mr. Davidson—It appears that this gentleman made advances to the Captain Bishop’s company at the request of Colonel Parker He must undoubtedly be secured from loss—The honor and interest and honor of the govt are concerned in it. It is of importance that persons who from laudable motives act in make...
40From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 5 December 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your letters of the fourth of October, and of the fourteenth and twenty sixth of November. Lt. Col. Burbeck commands the first regiment of Artillerists and Engineers. He is now at Michillimackinac, but will be stationed at the future Head Quarters of General Wilkinson upon the Ohio. Major Tousard commands the Field battallion to be stationed during the Winter at Harper’s ferry....
41From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 4 December 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Since Lieut. Smith declined acting as Pay Master to the troops at Staunton I have recommended another person for the place. I know not whether an appointment has yet been made—Captain Brock nominates mentions, Lieutenant Merewether Lewis as well ca fitted for the Post—If an appointment has not yet been made I should suppose Lt. Lewis to be a very fit suitable character— ( Df , in the...
42From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 19 November 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I have recommended Mr. Brooks to the Secretary of War as Lieutenant in the corps of Artillerists and Engineers. If he should receive this appointment it will be agreeable to me that he officiate as Paymaster to the troops at Staunton. You will therefore, after obtaining the sanction of the S of War, take the preparatory measures with him as soon as possible. and send him immediately to that...
43From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 14 November 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I send you an extract from a letter of the ninth of this month which I have just received from Colonel Rice. Representations of the kind [have successively come to me from various Quarters.] They give me both pain and mortification. The delay in transmitting the necessary supplies of money [is attended with every disadvantage. It has become a subject of special Inquiry by the Commander in...
44From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 13 November 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
There have been pressing Applications to me from various quarters for supplies of recruiting money. The service is at a stand from the want of this article, and thus the most favorable portion of the year is suffered to pass away. I have made early and pressing applications on the subject. Had these been properly attended to, there would have been no ground of complaint. Should subsequent...
45From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 12 November 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I wish you to send me a statement of the money which you have advanced for to the troops both for pay and bounty since the date of your last statement to me on the subject. I have written to Captain Williamson desiring him to repair immediately to Philadelphia agreeable to the request in your letter of the ninth instant. Enclosed are the Accounts and receipts— With great consideration ( Df ,...
46From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 2 November 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I enclose to you a letter for Lieutenant Campbell Smith appointing him Paymaster to the troops at Staunton for now under the command of Captain Brock. It is more most consistent with my general plan to appoint on such service an officer who is distinct different from the Corps with which he is to act one who has the command of the party. You will be pleased, before you do business with Lieut...
47From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 1 November 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, November 1, 1799. “When I was at Trenton I considered it as perfectly understood between you and me that those officers of the old regiments to whom arrears of pay are due should receive the sums to which they are entitled immediately from your hands. I have been since informed that you decline this and refer the officers to their regimental Paymasters. They are of course left...
48From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 31 October 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
The letter, herewith sent, from the Asst. adjt. General states facts—The employment additional Clerkship was matter of absolute necessity, and compensation is conceived to be due. Under these circumstances of the military at the time, the aid of Officers could not be more extensively called in, and if it could have been done an extra compensation would with propriety have been expected as...
49From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 31 October 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I understand that the Account of Mr. Brown Ast. Secretary has been sanctioned at the War Office, and that the accountant has been instructed to pass it. You will be pleased to have send on a check for the money as soon as possible, and any receipt which the forms of office may render necessary will be immediately given— With Great consideration ( Df , in the handwriting of Thomas Y. How,...
50From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 30 October 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I recur to your several letters of the 19 of September 5th. 22d and 25th of October. The characters which have been brought into my view most prominently as proper for the Office of Deputy Pay Master General, within my command, are Major Huntington of the 13th Regiment and Capt Williamson of the Dragoons. I am well satisfied that each of these Gentlemen is qualified for and worthy of the...