51From John Adams to James McHenry, 27 April 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of the 22d with their inclosures. In addition to the approbation expressed in your letter to Gen Macpherson of the 20th, you may if you please, present the thanks of the president to the Gen. & to the gentlemen composing the volunteer & militia detachments, for their patriotism and good conduct during the whole expedition. I have also received your favor of the 19th...
52From John Adams to James McHenry, 29 April 1799 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a letter from Mr Thatcher, member of congress recommending Major Joseph Savage to be a lieutenant Col commandant of the second regiment of Artillerists & engineers. You will please to consider this when you consider other applications for the same vacancy I am Sir your servant MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
53From John Adams to James McHenry, 7 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of the 29th of April and have considered the subject of it with as much attention as will be necessary to agree in general to your principles. Merit however I consider as the only true scale of graduation in the army. Services & rank in the last war or any other war are only to be taken into consideration as presumptive evidence of merit & may at any time be set...
54From John Adams to James McHenry, 7 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return you all the recommendations in your letter of 29 of April & as I am perfectly satisfied with them I concur in your opinion that they may be appointed as soon as you think fit I am Sir your servant MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
55From John Adams to James McHenry, 8 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed is a letter from Miles Carey inclosing a certificate from Capt Samuel Eddens. Mr. Cary I suppose wishes to be promoted from a cadet to a lietenant. yours MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
56From John Adams to James McHenry, 13 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
I do myself the honor to inclose to you a letter to me of the 2d, from Mr Ashley Colton, with three certificates, inclosed in it from Gentlemen, whom I know to be of the very best character for probity. I pray you to consider these papers, and do as justice and prudence shall dictate. I have the honor to be Sir your very humble &c MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
57From John Adams to James McHenry, 14 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return your List of Appointments for the 16th Regiment and that of Major Theodosius Fowler for the 12th. approved. I inclose also the Recommendations of those officers, recd in yours of May 9th. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
58From John Adams to James McHenry, 16 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received your Letter of the 7th May and since there appears a difference of opinion concerning the Construction of the Constitution and the Law, and as I see no necessity for an immediate appointment, I am content to suspend it for the present, perhaps till the meeting of the Senate— I think well of Mr. Williams as a gentleman of Science & Literature, as a good Citizen & brave man But...
59From John Adams to James McHenry, 16 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return the List of Appointments for the Eleventh Regiment Commanded by Colo. Ogden, inclosed in your favr. of the 9th: Approved— MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
60From John Adams to James McHenry, 16 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have the honor received your favour of the 10th. and have read the Letter of Brigadier General Macpherson to you of the 3d. and the letters of Mr. Chapman and Mr. Eyerly to him, with great pleasure— I pray you to present to General Macpherson and the Officers & troops under his Command in the late expedition my thanks for the prudence, Caution, Fortitude & perseverance with which they have...
61From John Adams to James McHenry, 16 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed are Letters from Colo. Rice, Lt. Soper, and from General Knox and Mr. HG Otis—which I pray you to file with all other applications of Similar natures. Mr. Henry Sargent appears a very respectable Man— MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
62From John Adams to James McHenry, 18 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
As we have taken Capt. Chandler & Lieut. Flagg from the volunteer company of cadet Infantry of Worcester in Massachusetts into the regular army, other officers must be appointed: Thomas Denny Capt. Nathan Felton Lieut. Enoch Flagg second lieutenant are recommended to me by the company and others as suitable characters for the officers & I pray you to send their commissions accordingly as soon...
63From John Adams to James McHenry, 24 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
The recommendations of Laurance Butler to be Major in case Mr. Morgan should ultimately refuse his appointment received in your favor of the 16th which I received last night from Gen. Washington. Gen Morgan and Mr. Mede are quite sufficient to authorize me to consent to Mr Butlers appointment. I return the recommendations & inclose a letter of the 20th from John Lillie which I recommend to...
64From John Adams to James McHenry, 26 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
I enclose you a letter from Mr Jonathan Allen one of our most federal clergymen & a certificate from the medical society of Vermont in favor of Dr Benjamin Walker as a surgeon. Dr Walkers appearance justifies the recommendation. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
65From John Adams to James McHenry, 27 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
Inclosed are letters from Gen Lincoln Col Rice & Mr. Noble I am &c MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
66From John Adams to James McHenry, 28 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Tracy and Mr Swift and the other testimonies in your letter of the 22d are sufficient to justify the list of appointments in the 13th regiment which you have sent me, which list with all the papers I return. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
67From John Adams to James McHenry, 30 May 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of the 24th & have no objections to the proposed laboratory except that government is to be removed next year to Washington which perhaps you had forgotten. If this is no objection in your mind it will not be any in mine.—Inclosed is a note from Col Leonard recommending his nephew Charles Leonard to be an officer in the marine corps. Upon second thoughts I believe,...
68From John Adams to James McHenry, 2 June 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return Mr. Tracy’s letter as you desire in yours of the 27th Both Badger and Tracy recommended as subaltern officers are wholly unknown to me I am disposed to give great attention to the recommendation of Mr Tracy the Senator and Col Taylor, but if there is any considerable difference of sentiment about the appointment, among the gentlemen of Connecticut, perhaps it might be wise to write to...
69From John Adams to James McHenry, 5 June 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return the inclosures in your letter of 29th May. I know of no reason why Lt. James Sterit should not succeed to the vancy created by the death of Capt Demlar. The other papers, which I have read with pleasure require no comment from me. With great regard MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
70From John Adams to James McHenry, 5 June 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return Col. Ogdens letter inclosed in yours of 28 Ult. & have no objection to the appointment of Wm: J Anderson as you propose. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
71From John Adams to James McHenry, 5 June 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received your favor of 27 May & have read the inclosures. The discipline of the army will require no doubt the punishment of death for desertion in many cases, & none perhaps will deserve it more, than that of Richard Hunter, & I should not hesitate to sign the warrant for his execution serious as is the act of depriving a fellow of his life—But I wish to know, whether the officers who...
72From John Adams to James McHenry, 13 June 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return you the papers inclosed in your letter of the 1st. I have carefully read the proceedings of the court martial on Ensign David Fero It will be necessary for the legislature at their next session to make some provisions for cases of standing mute. The best possible jurisprudence in this case in my opinion is, to order the refusal to plead, to be recorded & then proceed to tryal in all...
73From John Adams to James McHenry, 19 June 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return you the selection of two majors from North Carolina & that of officers for South Carolina and Georgia with the letter of Genls Pinckney & Washington with that of Mr Steele. I am satisfied with these recommendations and approve the selections.—I return the proceedings of the court martial in the cases of the deserters. The absolute necessity of examples in such cases as that of Richard...
74From John Adams to James McHenry, 24 June 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received your letter of the 18th and have read Count read Rumford’s letter to Mr. King. For five or six years past I have been attentive to the character of this gentleman, and have read some of his essays. From these, I have formed an esteem for his genius, talents, enterprise & benevolence, which will secure him from me, in case of his return to his native Country, a reception as kind...
75From John Adams to James McHenry, 24 June 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return the letters of Gen. Pinckney and your answers inclosed in yours of 17th. There is no occasion for any comments on my part. I cannot refrain however from expressing a high gratification in the intelligence activity and zeal exhibited by the Gen. and my entire satisfaction with your answers. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
76From John Adams to James McHenry, 28 June 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received yours of the 20th & return the letter of Gen. Pinckney & Capt Taylors report & readily consent to the exchange of names proposed by the General MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
77From John Adams to James McHenry, 1 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I have received your two letters of 25 June and return you all the papers inclosed.—If you believe Fonda has a shade in his favor, you are at liberty to appoint him. He is to me a stranger. Fowler has been presented to me as an old officer and a man of property. I have read all the recommendations & approve of your list for the 7th. 8 & 9 regiments. If any of the surgeon’s mates should refuse...
78From John Adams to James McHenry, 1 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
I return you the recommendations inclosed in your favor of the 25th of June & approve of the medical appointments, proposed by you and authorize you to make the necessary substitutions as you desire. Indeed in capacity double at least, you are better qualified to judge in these cases than MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
79From John Adams to James McHenry, 5 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
Last night I received the two letters inclosed dated Natchez 2d May & 10th August from David Fero, ensign third regiment. I pray you to inform me if you have any official information, relative to the subject, & to report to me your opinion what is proper to be done. MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
80From John Adams to James McHenry, 7 July 1799 (Adams Papers)
As It is an excellent Principle for every Man in public Life, to magnify his office and make it honourable I admire the Dexterity with which you dignify yours by representing an Army and means adequate to its Support as the first thing necessary to make the nation respected. Genius in a General is oftener, an Instrument of divine Vengeance, than a Guardian Angell. Stoddert I warrant you,...