George Washington Papers
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From George Washington to the United States Senate, 22 February 1793

To the United States Senate

United States [Philadelphia]
February 22d 1793

Gentlemen of the Senate

I nominate the following persons for promotions and appointments in the Legion of the United States, viz.

Thomas Posey of Virginia, Brigadier General vice Rufus Putnam resigned 14. February 1793.1

Michael Rudulph Adjutant and Inspector—vice Winthrop Serjeant declined.2

Promotions and Appointments in the Legion of the United States.

Cavalry.
Robert M[i]s Campbell Captain vice Stake resigned 7. October 1792
William Aylet Lee ditto vice Rogers ditto 25 October 1792
Solomon Van Renselaer Lieutenant vice Davidson ditto 18 September 1792
James Taylor ditto vice Ms Campbell promoted 7. October 1792
Leonard Covington ditto vice Lee appointments ditto 25. October 1792
George H. Dunn Cornet vice Renselaer ditto 18 Septemr 1792
Abraham Jones ditto vice Taylor ditto 7. October 1792
Daniel Torrey ditto vice Covington ditto 25. October 1792
First Sub Legion
John F. Hamtramck Lieutenant Colonel Commandant 18. February 1793
Thomas Doyle Major vice Call deceased 28 September 1792
Vacancy of Major occasioned by Beattys resignation to be filled by John Armstrong if acquitted but as he is in arrest no nomination is made.3 27. Novemr 1792
Thomas Hughes Major vice Asheton resigned 27 Novemr 1792
Cornelius R. Sedam Captain vice Montfort killed 23 April 1792
John Jeffers ditto vice Denny resigned 15 May 1792
Abner Prior ditto to take rank from the day the vacancy happened to which Ballard Smith is entitled after the time for which he is suspended shall have expired.4 2 June 1792
Asa Har[t]shorne Captain vice McPherson resigned 1. Septem. 1792
Jacob Melcher ditto vice Doyle promoted 28 Septem. 1792
Vacancy of Captain occasioned by John Armstrongs promotion if acquitted—to be filled by John Morgan if acquitted but as he is in arrest no nomination is made.5 27. Novemr 1792
Ross Bird Lieutenant vice Sedam promoted 23 April 1792
Hastings Marks ditto vice Jeffers ditto 15 May 1792
William H. Harrison ditto vice Prior ditto 2 June 1792
Robert Hunter Lieutenant vice Hartshorne promoted 1 September 1792
Lewis Bond ditto vice Melcher ditto 28 Septem. 1792
John Whistler ditto to take Rank from the day the vacancy happened to which John Morgan is intitled if acquitted. 27. Novem. 1792
Second Sub Legion.
David Strong to be Lieutenant Colonel Commandant 19 February 1793
Thomas Hunt Major vice Hamtramck promoted 18 February 1793
John Mills ditto vice Strong ditto 19 February 1793
John H. Buell ditto to take Rank from the day John Smith is intitled to promotion if acquitted. 20 February 1793
 
Cornelius Lyman Captain vice Platt cashiered 30 July 1792
Richard Surcombe Howe ditto vice Hughes promoted 27 Novem. 1792
Richard H. Greaton ditto vice Hunt ditto 18 February 1793
Russel Bissell ditto vice Mills ditto 19 February 1793
Joseph Dickinson ditto vice Buell ditto 20 February 1793
Edward Miller ditto vice Cass ditto 21 February 1793
Edward Turner Lieutenant vice Sohier deceased 13 July 1792
Theodore Sedgwick ditto vice Lyman promoted 30 July 1792
John Sullivan ditto vice Howe ditto 27 Novem. 1792
Andrew Marschalk ditto vice Greaton ditto 18 February 1793
William Marts ditto vice Bissell ditto 19 February 1793
John Lowrey ditto vice Dickinson ditto 20 February 1793
Andrew McClary ditto vice Miller ditto 21 February 1793
Third Sub Legion.
Vacancy of Lieutenant Colonel to be filled by John Smith if acquitted who is in arrest and therefore no nomination is made.6 20 February 1793
Jonathan Cass Major vice Clark promoted 21 February 1793
Aaron Gregg Lieutenant vice Cummins promoted 30 June 1792
John Polhemus ditto vice Cochran resigned 25 Septem. 1792
John Steele ditto vice Gough declined to rank from
21 February 1793
Fourth Sub Legion.
John Clark Lieutenant Colonel Commandant 21 Februy 1793
Vacancy of Major occasioned by the death of Major Trueman to be filled by Ballard Smith of the first Sub Legion who is suspended by the sentence of a Court Martial for Six Months after the term for which he is suspended shall expire. 2 June 1792
Benjamin Price Captain vice Wells deceased 9 June 1792
Henry De Butts ditto vice Stephenson resigned 28 Decem. 1792
William Diven Lieutenant vice Price promoted 9 June 1792
Peter Grayson ditto vice De Butts do Decem. 1792

It was last year intended to arrange the Troops into one Legion of the description acompanying the message, and that each Sub Legion should be commanded by a Brigadier General, four of whom were appointed accordingly. But by the non acceptance of some of the Brigadiers General and by some changes of circumstances, in the line of Majors, it is now judged proper that the Sub Legions should be commanded by Lieutenant Colonels commandant, and that only two Brigadiers General should be upon the general staff—For these reasons, the nominations of Lieutenant Colonels are now made.7

Surgeon’s Mates
John Hammill Pennsylvania served in the 2d Regiment of Levies in the Year 1791.
Charles Watrous Connecticut
Samuel Boyd Pennsylvania
Elihu Lyman Georgia

Go: Washington

LS, DNA: RG 46, Second Congress, 1791–1793, Senate Records of Executive Proceedings, President’s Messages—Executive Nominations; LB, DLC:GW. The U.S. Senate approved these nominations on 23 Feb. 1793 (Executive Journal, description begins Journal of the Executive Proceedings of the Senate of the United States of America: From the commencement of the First, to the termination of the Nineteenth Congress. Vol. 1. Washington, D.C., 1828. description ends 1:134). On that same date, following the Senate’s approval, Henry Knox sent “the copies of the nominations” to Tobias Lear (DLC:GW).

1On Putnam’s resignation, see Knox to Tobias Lear, 14 Feb. 1793, n.3.

2In 1792 Michael Rudulph had unsuccessfully solicited GW for an appointment as collector at Baltimore. He resigned from the U.S. Army on 17 July 1793 (Rudulph to GW, 16 Oct. 1792).

3On the case of John Armstrong, which affected the promotions of Thomas Hughes, John Mills, and Jonathan Cass, see Knox to GW, 18 Feb. 1793 (second letter), and notes 1, 4, and GW to Knox, 19 Feb. 1793, and notes 1, 4.

4Capt. Ballard Smith’s promotion to major filled the vacancy created by the death of John Trueman, who died while on a peace mission to the Northwest Indians (Henry Knox to GW, 16 Aug. 1792, and note 3). On Smith’s court-martial in October 1792 and his subsequent suspension for six months, see Burton, “Wayne’s Orderly Book,” description begins C. M. Burton, ed. “General Wayne’s Orderly Book.” Collections and Researches Made by the Michigan Pioneer and Historical Society, 34 (1904): 341–733. description ends 396–97.

5On the court-martial of John Morgan, see Knox to GW, 28 July 1792, and note 8. Morgan was cashiered from the army in December 1793.

6Despite his court-martial in May 1793, Maj. John Smith (d. 1811) of Massachusetts received his promotion to lieutenant colonel, effective 20 Feb. 1793 (ibid., 422–23, 466).

7For the difficulties encountered by Knox and Gen. Anthony Wayne in their attempt to reorganize the U.S. Army, see Knox to GW, 29 Sept. 1792, and note 3, and 18 Feb. 1793 (first letter), and notes 3, 5, and 6.

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