35491From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 27 October 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
The Secretary of the Inspector General is entitled to the pay and emoluments of a captain. The expression is general. It is not stated in the law whether the emoluments of a captain of cavalry, or those of a Captain of Infantry shall be the rule of allowance. In a case of this kind the construction must be governed by the particular situation of the officer, and the nature of the service in...
35492To Alexander Hamilton from George Washington, 27 October 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Since writing the enclosed letter to you yesterday, I have received a letter from Colo. Parker, and one from Mr. Mackey, Agent for the War Department at Harper’s Ferry; stating the impracticability of procuring plank &c. sufficient for covering the huts intended to have been built for three Regiments at Harper’s Ferry. In consequence of this information I have again written to Colo. Parker,...
35493To Alexander Hamilton from George Washington, 27 October 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
To my official letters I refer you for my communication, with Colo. Parker. I have no conception however, that such difficulties as are ennumerated in his and Mr. Mackie’s letters, can exist in the erection of simple Hutts, (such as served us last war); and so I am about to inform the former. I am averse to the seperation of the 8th. 9th and 10th Regiments under any circumstances which exist...
35494To Alexander Hamilton from James Wilkinson, 27 October 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, October 27, 1799. On October 31, 1799, Hamilton wrote to Wilkinson and acknowledged receipt of Wilkinson’s “several communications of the … 13th. 15. 19th. & 27 instant.” Letter of October 27 not found. ]
35495From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 29 October 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
General Wilkinson has furnished me with the inclosed estimates of the cost of the Water Battery Barracks & Magazine, which have been undertaken at Loftus’s Height. And he gives it as his opinion by analogy, but without detail, that the cost of the fort proposed to be erected at the same place will about equal the sum of these Estimates say 16000 Dollars. I send you an estimate, which I have...
35496To Alexander Hamilton from Thomas Parker, 30 October 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I have this moment Received your letter of the 21st Instant Inclosed in one from the Commander in Chief. I Cannot Recollect any expression in my letter which I Conceived Coud induce you to Suppose that I meant to Build Barracks instead of Hutts. I think I Informed you that As there was not a Sufficiency of Timber on the public ground for Huting or Covering the whole of the Troops I had...
35497From 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...
35498From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 31 October 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I have the honor to send you the arrangement which has been proposed by General Wilkinson and approved by me; subject to a negative from your Department, previous to his Departure. This mode has been adopted to accelerate his return. In a few instances, transfers of Officers from one Regiment to another are made in order to avoid as much as possible the separation of Officers from men. But...
35499Enclosure: General Wilkinson’s Proposed Arrangement of Officers, [31 October 1799] (Hamilton Papers)
First Regiment Field & Staff John F. Hamtramck Lieut. Col. Commandant Thomas Hunt 1st Major – – – – – – 2d. Major Lieut. Robert Semple Adjutant Lieut. Yelverton Peyton Paymaster Lieut. Joshua S. Rogers Quarter Master John Elliott Surgeon – – – – – –
35500From Alexander Hamilton to Nathan Rice, 31 October 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your several letters of the twenty third of September and of the fourth and eighth of October. No particular rules were laid down for the government of the Colonels and Majors in the arrangement of relative rank as it was supposed that they wod. naturally take into consideration all circumstances which, in a military point of view, give one man the preference to another. Former...
35501To Alexander Hamilton from Caleb Swan, 31 October 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Trenton, October 31, 1799. “The Express was on the point of departure with Money for the 8th. & 9th. Regiments, when Major Bradley arrived here and informed me that Mr. Bent Pay Master to Coll. Parkers Regiment was on the way to this Place and would be here on saturday Evening, which induced me to Suspend Sending him, as he would probably have missed the Pay Master on the Road and therefore in...
35502From Alexander Hamilton to James Wilkinson, 31 October 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
In order to enable you to regulate your requisitions upon the contractor for supplies of provisions, I give it as my opinion that the recruits which you may expect to reinforce your command, and which will arrive at Pittsburgh will be, in all May, Eight hundred, and in each successive month one hundred more, till your command shall be complete. Of their progress afterwards you can best judge....
35503From Alexander Hamilton to James Wilkinson, 31 October 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
The copious explanation which have been had between us in conversation on the subjects of your several communications of the 6th. of September 12th. 15. 19th. & 27 instant will abrige the observations naturally connected with the plan which has been adopted as the result and which forms the object of the present instruction. This plan, as you know, has the same basis with that which has been...
35504From Alexander Hamilton to Jonathan Dayton, [after 21 December 1799] (Hamilton Papers)
An Accurate view of the internal situation of the UStates presents many discouraging reflections to the enlightened friends of our Government and country. Notwithstanding the unexampled success of our public measures at home and abroad—notwithstanding the instructive comments afforded by the disastrous & disgusting scenes of the french Revolution, public opinion has not been...
35505General Orders, 1 November 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
[ New York, November 1, 1799. On November 4, 1799, Hamilton wrote to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney : “I send you … an order of the 1st. inst. issued by me respecting the General Disposition of the Army.” General Orders not found. ]
35506From 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...
35507To Alexander Hamilton from James McHenry, 2 November 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
War Department, Trenton, November 2, 1799. “I received this morning your letter of the 31st Octbr. ulto. enclosing and submitting for appraisal, a project of a new arrangement of the officers of the four old Regiments of Infantry. The books and records of this office being packed up, it is out of my power to make any comparison between the project and the order in which these officers stand in...
35508From Alexander Hamilton to James Read, 2 November 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I have received your letters of the twenty seventh and twenty ninth of September. There is as yet no established rule on the subject of forage. I have proposed one to the Secretary of War but it has not yet received his sanction. In the mean time you will exercise a proper discretion in the case. There is a fixed sum which is to be received in the lieu of forage when the article is not...
35509From Alexander Hamilton to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 4 November 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, November 4, 1799. “I send you by way of information an order of the 1st. inst. issued by me respecting the General Disposition of the Army, in conformity with the instructions heretofore received from the Secy. of War. It seemed necessary to have all the regiments thrown into Brigades. The situation of the third and 4th. within different commands created some embarrassment. You will...
35510Circular to the Commandants of Regiments, 5 November 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Cases have occurred in which officers, from a wish to see their men well equipt, have purchased articles for them that are not included in the general provision. These have been admitted in particular instances for special reasons as a public charge; but the Secretary of War has expressed an extreme relu⟨ctance⟩ to give the practice his sanc⟨tion⟩ and has signified to me his desire that...
35511From Alexander Hamilton to Josiah Ogden Hoffman, [6 November 1799] (Hamilton Papers)
“ Greenleafs new Dayly Advertiser ” of this morning contains a publication intitled “Extract of a letter from Philadelphia dated September 20th,” which charges me with being at the “bottom” of an “effort recently made to suppress the Aurora ” (a news paper of that City) by pecuniary means. It is well known that I have long been the object of the most malignant calumnies of the faction opposed...
35512To Alexander Hamilton from Nathan Rice, 6 November 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Since my communication on the subject of the relative rank of my officers, I have become considerably acquainted with them. On a review of the arrangement proposed—If the apparent military Merits of my officers were to be my guide—I should propose the advancement of Captain Mackay to number five or Six among the Captains. And from some hints, I hear he has droped, I suspect he will not serve,...
35513To Alexander Hamilton from Rufus King, 8 November 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
[ London, November 8, 1799. Encloses letter from Francisco de Miranda. Letter not found. ] King was United States Minister Plenipotentiary to Great Britain. Letter listed in Rufus King’s “Memorandum of Private Letters, &c., dates & persons, from 1796 to Augt 1802,” owned by Mr. James G. King, New York City. This is presumably a reference to Miranda to H, October 4, 1799 .
35514To Alexander Hamilton from James McHenry, 8 November 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I received your letter of the 29th. ulto. prior to the return of the Public offices from the City of Trenton to the Seat of Government. As it presents objects of considerable expenditure, I thought it my duty to lay it before the President, and have since given to the subjects it embraces, an attentive consideration. You inform me, that General Wilkinson furnished estimates which you enclose...
35515From Alexander Hamilton to James McHenry, 8 November 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
By the contract with James OHara Esquire, it appears that on the South East side of the Ohio within the State of Kentucke the ration is Ten Cents and two milles, on the North West side, at Cincinnati, thirteen cents, and that nothing is settled between that point and Massac. If the matter should remain as it is, the reserve force must be stationed on the South East side; for the difference of...
35516From Alexander Hamilton to Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, 8 November 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
New York, November 8, 1799. “I enclose to you a letter from Col. Lear on the subject of winter Quarters that you may take such measures as shall appear to you to be necessary in the case. I do not see that any thing better can be done than to send the tenth regiment to Carlisle where the barracks can easily be prepared for their reception. According to the orders that have been given to Col....
35517From Alexander Hamilton to John F. Hamtramck, 9 November 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Your different letters of the 19th and 27th of September, of the 5th. 11th and 18th of October, and of the first of November have been duly received. I am much obliged to you for the particular information which they contain concerning the several posts that you have visited, and for the attention which you have given in correcting the different defects that occurred to your observation. You...
35518To Alexander Hamilton from Nathan Rice, 9 November 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
I arrived at this place the 23d ulto with the recruits belonging to the 14th. Regiment, a return of whom I enclose. The Tools did not arrive in time to enable me to enter on the hutts before the 28th—but by the exertions of both the officers & Men we shall have sufficient for the non Comissd Officers and soldiers completed in another week. Those for the non commissiond Officers & privates...
35519To Alexander Hamilton from Caleb Swan, 9 November 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
Philadelphia, November 9, 1799. “I have offered Captain Williamson the appointment of Deputy Pay Master for that part of the army under your command and he has accepted. The bond required by law goes to him by this day’s mail to be executed; and he will immediately enter on the duties assigned to him. Had he not better come to this place on monday or tuesday next and receive his instructions,...
35520To Alexander Hamilton from William S. Smith, 10 November 1799 (Hamilton Papers)
It would be of Service to the troops if some arrangements were made, that they might attend divine service on Sundays. The minister of this Parish is a firm good friend to Government, & the Army and preaches up the necessity of Supporting the one and accommodating the other. Finding the officers of the 11th. Regt. much disposed to visit their homes frequently I requested the Minister to give...