To Alexander Hamilton from Lewis Tousard, 16 September 1799
From Lewis Tousard
Portsmouth [New Hampshire] September 16, 1799. States that “In general the Fortifications of the New England States are in the most Shabby condition,” that they have been incorrectly constructed by unqualified personnel, and that the mounted guns are altogether inadequate. Also states: “I may tell you, dear Sir, that as long as an Inspector of Artillery is not appointed1 and charged alone with that department—a great deal of money will be Spent to no advantage to the United States and rather to the disadvantage of the Service in the moment of danger.… The President I think is much divested of his antient prejudices against me. I think a new application for that inspectorship as Soon as the Senate is assembled would prove effectual.…”2
ALS, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress.
1. Section 9 of “An Act to augment the Army of the United States, and for other purposes” ( 705 [July 16, 1798]) provided for the appointment of “an inspector of the artillery, taken from the line of artillerists and engineers.…”
2. Tousard had applied for this position in Tousard to H, August 7, 1798; H proposed the appointment in H to John Adams, August 22, 1798; and Adams rejected the proposal in Adams to H, September 4, 1798 (all listed in the appendix to Volume XXII).