William C. C. Claiborne to Thomas Jefferson, 31 October 1805
From William C. C. Claiborne
New Orleans October 31st 1805
Dear Sir,
Of late there has been a defference between the Mayor of this City, and the officer commanding the Troops: The correspondence which ensued, I now have the Honor to enclose You, in conformity to the particular request of the Mayor, who is desirous that his conduct on the occasion should be Known to you.—
My official Letters to the Secretary of State, will acquaint you with the state of things in this Quarter.—
I am Dear Sir, With Great Respect your faithful Friend
William C. C. Claiborne
RC (DLC); in a clerk’s hand, signed by Claiborne; at foot of text in Claiborne’s hand: “The President of the United States”; endorsed by TJ as received 2 Dec. and so recorded in SJL. Enclosures not found.
On 31 Oct., Claiborne informed John Watkins, the Mayor of New Orleans, that he had received Watkins’s “Letter of the Morning, together with its enclosures” and would forward them to the president as requested. Claiborne agreed that U.S. troops “should have no concern with the police of the City” and believed that “their late Interference with the City Guard, originated in mistake.” He also hoped that “the Necessary Steps will be taken, to render Your City Watch or Guard as little exceptionable as possible” (, 3:219-20; see also Notes on Letters Received by the War Department, 5 Oct.).
officer commanding: Constant Freeman.