To Alexander Hamilton from James McHenry, 20 September 1799
From James McHenry1
War Department, Trenton,
September 20th: 1799.
Sir,
Upon the repeated representation of Judge peters to the Secretary of State for a Guard of Regular Soldiers to be stationed over certain State prisoners confined in Norristown Goal, and his request for an immediate order to Major Adlum for the purpose, I directed a letter to that Officer of which the enclosed is a copy.2 I return your letter to Colonel Moore3 received yesterday, that it may undergo a modification should you think it proper to relieve the Guard which may have been ordered by Major Adlum from the Troops at Reading.
With great respect, I have the honor to be, Sir, your obedt: servant,
James McHenry
Major General Alexander Hamilton
LS, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress; LS, letterpress copy, James McHenry Papers, Library of Congress.
1. For background to this letter, see McHenry to H, September 13, 1799.
2. On September 14, 1799, Timothy Pickering wrote to Judge Richard Peters that John Adlum would send the troops requested (ALS, letterpress copy, Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston). On September 15, 1799, McHenry directed Adlum to provide a guard for the Norristown prison (copy, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress).
3. H to Thomas Lloyd Moore, September 16, 1799 (listed in the appendix to this volume). For the contents of this letter, see McHenry to H, September 13, 1799, note 3.