[V Schack] [August 6 — 1798] [Pittsfield August 6. 98. PAID 12½] Major General Hamilton New York or Philadelphia [4933] Pittsfield August 6^th. 179[8] [Major] General Under an impression of my having the Honor of being known to you I am surrounded by applicants to have their names transmitted to you for [undecipherable] into the army of the united[States] — To repel this ardent spirit, so necessary in the present crisis, may not be advisable — to encourage it would probably impose upon you too much trouble — In this situation will once more give the trouble of a letter in behalf of M^r. [Jo]seph Kellogg of Canaan, in your State — he is a young man who sustains an irreproachable character — his father is Col^l Kellogg a man of property and influence in his neighbourhood — the young Gentleman is a lieu. of horse in the Militia and is once disposed to enter the army — his ambition leads him to wish a company of foot — his zeal, in case he cannot be gratif[ied in the com]mand of a company, carries him to lower his pretentions to a lieutenancy of foot — he wished me to mention Doctor David Leavensworth — [a] surgeon to artillerist Regiment — who is disposed to serve in the line of his profession — if no vacancy in that line is open he wishes to serve as a subaltern in a mounting Regt. — I do not personally know M^r Leavensworth — his General Character is well known — and I am informed my Brother knew him so well as to have requested M^r Sec[retary's] favorable attention to him The people in this quarter live at so great a distance from the War Office that personal application there is attended with much loss of time and expense — In the event of disappointment the expense and loss of time to applicants would fall both heavily. — Perhaps the Commander in chief may devise a mode of receiving applications nearer to those who apply than the seat of government — In this hope I shall all endeavour to persuade those who consult with me, to rest easy until they know more — this however will be deficient — because it is feared that there is an influence in the Populous cities that will mar promotion at a distance. I have the Honor to be with Sentiments of the highest Re[spect] Sir, your most Obedient humble Servant H V Schaack [General Hamilton] [4932]