From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, 29 October 1794
To George Washington
Jones Mill1 [Pennsylvania]
October 29. 1794
Sir
The Light Corps with the Jersey Infantry and Brigade of Cavalry are at Indian Creek in Legonien Valley, where they continue, ’till this division get up, which will be this Evening, as the march will commence in an hour. This division had, I believe, the worst road, and was besides encumbered with all the spare Stores, which has thrown it a day’s march behind the other. But by a letter received yesterday from Governor Lee2 it appears that the right wing is fully in measure with the left. All is essentially well with both wings & the troops continue to shew as much good humour as could possibly have been expected.
The Meeting at Parkinsons Ferry ended we are told in a new appointment of Commissioners to deprecate the advance of the army and in new expressions of pacific intentions.3 But there is nothing which can occasion a question about the propriety of the army’s proceeding to its ultim⟨ate⟩ destination. No appearances whatever of opposition occur.
You desired that a table of the routes of the left Wing might be sent you. None was left with an officer of this wing.
With the truest respect & attachment I have the honor to be Sir Your obed servt
A Hamilton
P.S. It is hoped that the original papers have been forwarded, as the list furnished from the Secretary of States Office would be a deceptive guide.4 Memoranda of the Atty General brought by the express, will greatly aid—perhaps sufficiently. But the originals would be best.
The President of the UStates.
ALS, George Washington Papers, Library of Congress; copy, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress.
1. William Jones was the owner of this mill, which had been built in 1779. It was situated on Indian Creek in the southern part of the township of Donegal, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania (, 173, 582).
2. Henry Lee’s letter to H has not been found.
3. The meeting at Parkinson’s Ferry was held on October 24, 1794. The resolutions of the meeting are printed in , 423–24. William Findley, David Redick, Ephraim Douglass, and Thomas Morton were appointed to deliver the resolutions of the meeting to the President.
4. This is presumably a reference to the lists of those citizens of western Pennsylvania who had sworn to uphold the excise laws. See H to Henry Lee, October 20, 1794, note 10.
On November 4, 1794, Edmund Randolph wrote to George Washington: “I ought to have added … that the lists, for which Colo. Hamilton has written, were copied at the desire of Mr. [Richard] Peters and Mr. [William] Rawle, and after a consultation with Mr. [William] Bradford, it being supposed that the originals were proper for our archives” (ALS, RG 59, Miscellaneous Letters, 1790–1799, National Archives).