701From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, [April 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
Situated as I am at this moment I am obliged to confine myself to very general hints respecting the paper of the 15 of April. As to the first head—I think it will be adviseable that the Speech should be confined to the foreign Affairs of the Country giving the primary & prominent place to those with France. This will make the main business the more striking. Domestic matters may follow in...
702From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 12 June 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, June 12, 1799. Quotes from a “letter from Col: Hall of the 10th. instant” and states: “… In the commencement of similar operations, a good Zeal will occasion some wondering, which must be sanctionned as to the past and checked as to the future. I recommend that provisions be made for reimbursement.…” Copy, in the handwriting of Ethan Brown, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress.
703From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 18 March 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
If my memoranda be right I sent Wilkinsons letter, by duplicates through you. If so I presume it is not necessary for the certainty of conveyance to send a triplicate. If I am mistaken in the first idea, or if any thing more is requisite, be good enough to say—If otherwise no reply It is very extraordinary that I receive no acknowlegement of my letters from the commandant at Fort Mifflin (...
704Enclosure: Answer to Questions Proposed by the President of the U States, [29 April 1797] (Hamilton Papers)
To The first. It is difficult to fix the precise point at which indignity or affront from one state to another ceases to be negotiable without absolute humiliation and disgrace. It is for the most part a relative question—relative to the comparitive strength of the parties—the motives for peace or war—the antecedent relations—the circumstances of the moment as well with regard to other...
705From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 24 March 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your letter of the twenty first instant enclosing the petition of a soldier for his discharge. The principle on which the petition is founded would apply to the whole almost all the married men who have enlisted or may be disposed to enlist. This being the case I do not think it would be proper to grant a discharge— ( Df , in the handwriting of Thomas Y. How, Hamilton Papers,...
706From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 25 August 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, August 25, 1799. States that the lack of a rule regarding “compensation to the members of Courts Martial and to persons acting as Judge Advocates” causes “some embarrassment.” Believes that an officer should be indemnified when “employed in objects or at places, not military posts, which oblige him to incur extra expence.” Requests “information in a particular case respecting the...
707From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 6 February 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, February 6, 1799. “… I perceive that it will be useful for me in the progress of the trusts, which I am and shall be charged to execute, to have an accurate statement of the Officers of the corps of Artillerists and Engineers, and the distribution of them which has been heretofore made among the different portions of this Corps.…” Copy, in the handwriting of Philip Church, Hamilton...
708From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 5 March 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
As the original of the inclosed duplicate must have miscarried, I take the liberty to ask the favour of you to cause the Duplicate to the addressed to the proper Officer by name & to be forwarded to him in a mode that will be render the conveyance certain. It is necessary that the Letter for Col. Moore should immediately get to hand. He has requested me to transmit all letters for him under...
709From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 19 April 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have the honor to send you enclosed, for your information, a Copy of a letter which I have written to Colonel Ogden. With Copy, in the handwriting of Ethan Brown, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress. H to Aaron Ogden, April 15, 1800 .
710From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 18 February 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have the honor to send you the following extract of a letter from Major Jackson dated Jany. 25. 1800 the appointments he proposes I recommend taking place should they appear to you for the good of the service. “In my letter of the 21st instant I mentioned that Doctor Tillinghast a Surgeon’s Mate in my Battalion had recently resigned, at the same time recommending, Dr Walter Hunnewell, as a...
711From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 3 July 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I transmit you the proceedings of a Court Martial in the case of Joseph Perkins, who is sentenced to death for desertion aggravated by very atrocious circumstances. I see nothing to occasion a doubt as to the regularity of the proceedings or the propriety of the sentence. I observe indeed that in this as in a former instance the articles on which the sentence is founded are not specified. But...
712From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 16 January 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
Inclosed is a Copy of a letter from of resignation from Lt. Baldwin to Col: Smith which, for the good of the service, I hope may be accepted. With great respect &c— ( Df , in the handwriting of Ethan Brown, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress).
713From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 16 March 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, March 16, 1799. “Though I have not as yet complete materials for arranging all the States into Districts and subdistricts—I now submit to you an arrangement as to some of them, in order that the recruiting service may begin in these, when you deem other things sufficiently mature to commence it. There occurs no important reason why it should not be successively undertaken. On the...
714From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 22 November 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, November 22, 1799. “I have just been honored with your letter of the twentieth instant. The explanation that I entered into in the letter to which this is an answer was founded on a principle of caution, and did not proceed from the supposition that censure had been cast upon my conduct. I can readily assent to the position that in ordinary cases, where [no pressing exigencies...
715From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 10 May 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I am advised that the recruit — has actually begun in Maryland. I recommend that arms and accoutrements be without delay forwarded for the use of the recruits in the several Circles. It is important that they be provided as soon as they reach their Regimental rendezvouses, as well to excite and keep up the military spirit as for the purpose of early instruction. With great respect I have the...
716From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 2 October 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
In a letter from Col. Stevens I am informed that there is no white Cloth to be had for the purpose of woolen overalls for the of the soldiers—If there be not a sufficient supply of the article on hand it will be necessary to purchase Cloth of a different color as the season is at hand has arrived when woolen overalls are necessary to the troops—I wish to hear from you on this subject as soon...
717From John Adams to James McHenry, 18 September 1799 (Adams Papers)
I received last night your favor of the 11, & have read the sentence of the court martial against Lieutenant Jacob Kreemer of the first regiment of infantry & have no hesitation in confirming the sentence that he be dismissed from the service of the US MHi : Adams Family Papers, Letterbooks.
718From George Washington to James McHenry, 31 July 1798 (Washington Papers)
To a person as well acquainted with the writers of the letters herewith enclosed, as you are, it is hardly necessary to add a word in further recommendation of Major Parker to an appointment in the augmented army. and yet, there is some thing so singularly meritorious in his whole family as Military men that I shd think I was not doing Justice to the Service were I not to advise—if in...
719From 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,...
720From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 13 February 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I send you open for your perusal a letter for General Wilkinson dated yesterday. If there be nothing in it which you disapprove, you will oblige me by causing it to be forwarded without delay. I am as fast as possible putting other objects in train. With great respect I have the honor to be Sir Yr. very Obed Ser ( ADf , Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress).
721From George Washington to James McHenry, 13 December 1798 (Washington Papers)
Private Dear Sir, Philadelphia 13th Decr 1798 I am really ashamed to offer the letters &ca herewith sent, with so many erazures &ca; but it was not to be avoided, unless I had remained so much longer here, as to have allowed my Secretary time to copy the whole over again; And my impatience to be on my return homewards, on Account of the Season—the Roads—and more especially the passage of the...
722From John Adams to James McHenry, 14 August 1798 (Adams Papers)
I have received only this morning your Letter of the 4th. of this month. Its Contents are of much importance. I desire that you would inform General Washington, that I consider him in the Public Service from the Date of his Appointment and intitled to all the Emoluments of it. He is at Liberty to receive all or any part, at his Discretion: and is fully Authorised to appoint his Aids and...
723From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 12 October 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
It is now time to contemplate the distribution of the Troops of the UStates into Divisions and Brigades. The arrangement which appears to me expedient for the present is this—“That the four old Regiments shall form One Division and two Brigades the twelve new ones Two Divisions and four Brigades.” The very great sphere of action to which the former are destined, including important and...
724From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 19 December 1798 (Hamilton Papers)
You are informed that Mr. Hill is in possession of drafts of surveys made during the last war of our harbour and bay. It is very interesting that the Government should acquire these drafts. You will I presume think that they ought to be deposited in your department as an item in the general mass of information necessary towards plans of general defence. If so you will purchase them, if it be...
725From George Washington to James McHenry, 16 December 1798 (Washington Papers)
Being detained on the East bank of this River by Northwesterly winds & consequent low tides, I shall devote some of the moments of my detention in writing to you on an important subject. In a conversation [I] had with you in Philadelphia, you discovered the very just opinion, that for the proper & successful direction of our military affairs, it was essential that it should be as far as...
726From George Washington to James McHenry, 22 June 1798 (Washington Papers)
I am not disposed to withdraw your attention from more important matters; or to be troublesome in any degree; or to press my correspondence upon you. But not having even heard whether my letter, of which the enclosed is taken from a Press copy ever reached your hands, I am induced to make the enquiry. I wish also to know what has been done with a letter of mine, put under cover to you (early...
727From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 18 March 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have understood that the late Commander in Chief was forming some system to arrange the relative rank of the Field officers. I would wish you to inform me what progress he may have made, that the arrangement may be completed, and the rank of the Field officers, who are naturally very anxious on this Subject, be determined. I would wish to know, whether the regulations adopted by the...
728From John Adams to James McHenry, 12 August 1799 (Adams Papers)
I will not object to the surgeons & mates selected by Col Rice & Col Hunnewell for their regiments. But I am not fully satisfied with the appointment of Dr Blake. He would do very well as a mate but his age does not entitle him I fear to the preeminence, if his learning is sufficient. I wish we had a system digested & Hospital surgeons appointed who might give us better information. MHi :...
729From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 28 May 1800 (Hamilton Papers)
I have directed the Paymaster General to send to his Deputy with General Pinckney, bounty money sufficient to recruit two companies of Infantry, in addition to those mentioned in my letter to you of the twenty third instant. The first direction was given from memory. The present is founded on the enclosed Statement. I have made allowance for the recruits that may be obtained in Kentucky, & the...
730From 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...