Now I have all the pages. Let me compile the full transcription. [undecipherable: 1798 S.19] Trenton 19 Sep^t 1798 (Confidential) My Dear General. I received your letter of the 20^th instant yesterday evening. Be assured I regret and cannot from the bottom of my [undecipherable] heart destroying [undecipherable] which have prevented the nominations of the field and other officers for the 12 additional regiments and cavalry. It is not, however (whatever the [undecipherable] opinion may be) to me that any of them can be ascribed, for what ever depended upon me, [undecipherable] or to do, has been proposed or done. It is best I believe to give you a long statement of [undecipherable] and the circumstances that have embarrassed and [strikethrough: undecipherable] public service [undecipherable] among them. As the rejection of the precedents nomination of Col. Smith as adjutant General. 2 the [undecipherable] upon [undecipherable] to priority of rank to either Knox [undecipherable] or Pinckney. And 3^d his personal distance from the seat of government. I shall say a few words respecting each of these causes. Immediately [undecipherable] my return to Philadelphia from Mount Vernon, I made the President acquainted with the result of my mission, with which he appeared very well pleased, and particularly[?] your affairs. [strikethrough: undecipherable] He was then at breakfast, and I had not seen my own family. After having visited them, I laid before him the paper signed by yourself, containing the names of the persons you had selected for the General Officers and General Staff, and informed him that the three first in particular, viz. [undecipherable] Hamilton [undecipherable] Knox, were expected, by [undecipherable] by rank in the order they were arranged in your list. As the Congress had adjourned before my return, and the Senate were determined by the President to receive his nominations, in consequence of my mission, it was his intention to have offered them the [undecipherable] which I arrived. He accordingly [strikethrough: undecipherable] message, in which he mentioned the names of General Hamilton [undecipherable] Knox in the order in which they were arranged [undecipherable] and also you as Dayton for adjutant general and Col. [strikethrough: undecipherable] for one of the three Brigades. Previous to his thus writing their names [undecipherable] from, he observed that in his opinion, Col. [strikethrough: Hamilton] [undecipherable] former rank [undecipherable] was not entitled to stand so [undecipherable], and that he did not know what [undecipherable] mostly which gave General Pinckney preference to Knox. I mentioned to him your opinions, and to prevent any misunderstanding of these your [undecipherable] as the motives, by which you had been actuated to the arrangement upon his [undecipherable]. I thought it advisable and proper to communicate to him immediately a private letter you had written to Col. Hamilton on the subject, and open to me with permission to [undecipherable] a copy of it. It appeared to me, at the time, that it settled the arrangement, as he made no further observations, and was only prevented from sending in the nomination as arranged in his message and your list, by Mr. Pickering coming in and informing him that the Senate had adjourned 'till next day. I waited upon the President the following and found that something for him, of which I was ignorant, had caused a very great change in his mind. He now said he could not think of placing Hamilton before Knox; that [undecipherable] for various reasons (among them his former rank in the army) was strongly indisposed to rank next to General Washington. He [undecipherable] however agreed to follow your [undecipherable] upon my admitting that any of [undecipherable] disatisfied with the order of arrangement [undecipherable] has this claim disputed and [undecipherable] a board of [undecipherable] or the [undecipherable] I thought the business now [undecipherable] arranged. He was writing down in a [strikethrough: undecipherable] 1 [undecipherable] (the first being blotted) the names of [undecipherable] when Mr. [undecipherable] came in [undecipherable] conversation ensued, when [undecipherable] made an observation that seemed to [undecipherable] General Dayton's military [undecipherable] Col. [undecipherable]. [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] in [undecipherable]; [undecipherable] and my more was said on the - subject subject, except by the President, he [undecipherable] I will nominate him for adjutant [undecipherable] and Dayton for Brigadier. [undecipherable] expected he would have nominated [undecipherable] Dayton for [undecipherable] Adjutant [undecipherable] as had been [undecipherable] upon the day before and I still think he would, but for the then vations made by Mr. Pickering whose [undecipherable] objections to [undecipherable] I was not apprised of at that time. Mr. Pickering now mentioned [undecipherable] Sumner [undecipherable] for a Provisional army [undecipherable] Brigadier. I considered him an [undecipherable] rank; but as it was only an appointment that might always remain nominated, and as giving it to him, might have a good effect in Tennessee, I waived my objection and it was acceded to. White had been pressed upon the President by strong and influential characters, was expected to command the [undecipherable]. He [undecipherable] seemed to be overruled on their appointment [undecipherable] preserve the cavalry for a better officer. But wherefore was any of the General officers or staff for the provisional army appointed? The act for raising a provisional army makes the concurrence of the Senate indispensable to the appointment of the Majors and Brigadier Generals. As these, then, could not be appointed without the recess, and as it was possible the service of some of them might be wanted before the next meeting of Congress, in course, the President considered it to be his duty to appoint them. It was, besides holding out to the world a determination to prepare our [undecipherable] military force for action; at least, that if we were in earnest to raise the Provisional troops, by omitting no arrangement necessary thereto. It was not till these had been decided upon, [strikethrough: undecipherable] [undecipherable] that it was mentioned to me, that Smith's nomination would not be concurred in; that he was a swindle- r, dupe, and a disorganizer — that he had betrayed Congress's trust, and that the Eastern States could have no confidence in government, was such a person to be appointed adjutant general of the army. This information was given to me by Mr. Pickering. I told him he ought to have mentioned it sooner; that he had said to the President in my presence before my going down to Mount Vernon, that Smith could be proper to take command of a regiment; that neither General Washington nor I had any knowledge or information that [undecipherable] suspicions of fraud attached to Smith's character. [strikethrough: undecipherable] It may be proper also to remark that I spoke with Hamilton about an appointment for Smith before seeing you and that he concurred in its propriety. The fact was Mr. Pickering, being persuaded of the truth of those suspicions, thought it to be his duty to take an active part with the Senators to defeat his appointment, and [strikethrough: the majority] [above: more] of the Senators entertaining the same opinions Smith was rejected nearly by by an unanimous vote. The President also judged more favourably of Smith, and it may be more justly, from a more intimate knowledge of facts, was exceedingly irritated by the rejection and felt much anger, especially against Mr. Pickering. He said he was certain there had been intrigue to produce it, that it could not have been accomplished otherwise; for if his son in law was in debt and embarrassed, so were Lee and Knox who therefore ought to have met the same fate — that his son in law had called his creditors together to submit to them a full view of his affairs, and he [undecipherable] would be able to procure from them proof of their [undecipherable] being satisfied of his integrity, and that he was no disorganizer. His spite and resentment was very [undecipherable] seemed to be directed chiefly against Mr. Pickering whom he considered as the chief instrument in his rejection. I advocated Mr. Pickering as an man of the strictest integrity, who would not I was persuaded do any act which was the least contrary to his duty. I then proposed that Mr. Dayton might be nominated. No: he would would give him an adjutant general; he would immediately nominate Col. [undecipherable] North. I questioned whether North would [undecipherable] you find that others could be found better qualified. He might refuse if he pleased, that was none of his affair; he would nominate him. The nomination of North was instantly made and concurred in, and he has accepted of his appointment. A few days after these transactions the President suddenly [undecipherable] left for [undecipherable] without apprising either them Mr. Pickering [undecipherable] with his daughter[?] intended departure. Mr. Wolcott was absent in Connecticut. You are to perceive that [undecipherable] under the impression made upon the President's mind by his disappointment respecting [undecipherable] as having influenced [undecipherable] the others [undecipherable] with respect to his [undecipherable] his [undecipherable] general [undecipherable] intelligence [undecipherable] I wrote to [undecipherable] Hamilton or Pinckney. This This has operated very powerfully as an obstractor to all the army arrangements. Upon contemplating the details of organising the 12 regiments of Infantry & [undecipherable] I could not execute them with a [undecipherable] adequate to the emergency: and to the [undecipherable] exigencies, while the President remained at Quincy unless I adopted a course [undecipherable] out of that situation. It appears [undecipherable] that if I was first to concentrate information in this department from all quarters of the United States, then to digest an arrangement, to communicate it to the President for his determination, to receive back that determination, and then to transmit it to the parties, a great and incalculable portion of time must be consumed. I therefore submitted, in a letter to the President under date of the 4^th of August ults. what may be resolved into the following propositions. 1^st. That the arrangements for the four Eastern States and Vermont should be made made out under his immediate direction, commanding the aid if necessary of Major General Knox and Brigadier General Brooks who reside within those States. 2. That the arrangement for New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware & Maryland should be made by myself with the aid of the General Officers within those States for his final determination. 3. That the arrangement for the Southern States (including the Cavalry) should be made [undecipherable] General Washington, with the [undecipherable] of the general officers in that quarter, subject in like manner to his determination. 4. That four of the 12 regiments should be raised within the States of New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut and Vermont. Four within the States of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware & Maryland: And four within the States of Virginia, N. Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina & Georgia. 5. That to facillitate the arrangement I enclosed him a list of the officers of the late army, in the vicinity of the five States first mentioned, and also of all the applications for military appointments, by persons within those States which had come to this office. 6. That I submitted as the result of conferences with the Commander in chief and Inspector General, united with my personal knowledge of some of the characters, the following gentlemen of the late army as worthy of consideration for the command of regiments — Samuel Frazer, David Cobb, William Henry [undecipherable] Churchills Jeremiah Olney, Henry Sherburne & W^m. Peck of Rhode Island; Henry Dearborne and Nicholas [undecipherable] of New Hampshire: Also Col. Talmadge for adjutant General on the event of the non acceptance of Col. North. [undecipherable] Elijah Waldsworth of Litchfield for Major. 7. That he should permit me to call to my aid, the Inspector General; and likewise General Knox, and to charge them with the management of particular branches of the service. 8. That General Washington should be permitted to appoint a Secretary. The The President acknowledged the receipt of this letter of the 4^th of August on the 11^th of the same month. He signified that its contents are of much importance. Desires that General Washington may consider himself in the public service and fully authorized to appoint aids and [undecipherable]. Thinks that calling any other general officers into service at the present, will be attended with difficulty unless their rank were first settled. That in his opinion General Knox, is [undecipherable] to rank next to General Washington, and that no other arrangement could give satisfaction. But if General Washington is of this opinion, and will consent to it, I may call Generals Knox and Hamilton into service; and that I might depend upon it the five New England States would not patiently submit to the humiliation [undecipherable] has been meditated for them. To this I immediately answered on the 22^d Aug^t. "That after I had consulted with, and the conceptions of General [undecipherable] respecting respecting the relative grades [undecipherable] Pickney and Knox, the order [undecipherable] by the President in presenting their nominations, and by the Senate in advising to their appointments, I could not help apprehending some disagreeable consequences to the public service should a different relative grade be [undecipherable] known to be sincerely contemplated. That in submitting this suggestion to his judgement, it was indispensable I should avow, that as well the choice of those gentlemen, as their relative military rank, proceeded originally & exclusively from General Washington, and that I had had no agency direct or indirect, before or while at Mount Vernon, in deciding his mind, either to the choice or the arrangement of the rank of those he had selected. That I had informed him, General Washington made the right to name the General Officers and General Staff a condition of his acceptance, and had presented accordingly the Generals list to him on my return. That when the General communicated his choice to me I was aware it it might be objected to; but having had difficulties [undecipherable] and certain impressions to remove, resulting from his not being consulted previously to [undecipherable] the nominations; I did not think it prudent [undecipherable] the grounds he had conceded, or indeed, [undecipherable] should gain any thing by any effort to [undecipherable] to persuade him out of his opinions. That I only therefore mentioned to him, that [undecipherable] regards found in corporated in his letter to [undecipherable] Hamilton vs. that I concurred in his [undecipherable] of officers; but whatever respected the [undecipherable] named by him, and their relative [undecipherable] must finally rest with the President. The [undecipherable] circumstances detailed seemed to require that I should submit to his sound determination, whether it was proper or [undecipherable] to make an alteration in the rank of the officers in question, and if so, whether it would not be better to transfer the decision to others than to undertake to determine it himself." The President on the 29^th of August replied. "That my proposition for settling the the relative rank of the gentlemen in question was not approved of. That his opinion was, and always had been, that as the law now stands, the order of the nomination or of according was no weight or effect, but that officers appointed on the same day, in whatever order, have a right to rank according to antecedent services. That he made the nomination according to the list presented to him by me, from General Washington, in hopes that rank could be settled among them by agreement, [undecipherable], believing at the same time [undecipherable] writing to you that belief that the nomination and appointment was [undecipherable] going [undecipherable] was concerned at all, any rank before any Major General. That this was still his opinion. That he was willing to settle all [undecipherable] at present by dating the commissions [undecipherable] on the 1^st day, Pinckney the 2^d, and Hamilton on the 3^d. "you absolutely must [undecipherable] of the expediency of altering [undecipherable] the [undecipherable] in question. You know, Sir, that no rank has ever been settled by me. You know [undecipherable] Spring has always been as it is now, that the order of the writings for the nominations and record was of no consequence. "[undecipherable] it Washington [undecipherable] through the whole conducted with impartiality and consistency. I [undecipherable] I could not bring him to the office of [undecipherable] I would do it with pleasure; but [undecipherable] and [undecipherable] would hold [undecipherable] and be responsible for its [undecipherable] while he should exercise it. He has always said in all his letters, that these points must ultimately depend upon the President." "The power and authority is in the President. I am willing to exercise this authority at this moment & to be responsible for the exercise of it. All difficulties will not be avoided. But if it is to be [undecipherable] Washington, or to mutual and amicable accommodation among the gentlemen [undecipherable] I foresee it will come to me at last, after much altercation and exasperation of passions, and I shall then determine it exactly as I should now now, Knox, Pickering & Hamilton! "There has been too much intrigue in this business, both with General Washington and me. If I shall ultimately be the dupe of it, I am much mistaken in myself." P. M^S [undecipherable] part of which being [undecipherable] and uncommitted sent a little [undecipherable] very faithfully [undecipherable] described on the same [undecipherable] and received it [undecipherable] of last. [undecipherable] "I happen to answer [undecipherable] this morning receipt of your letter dated [undecipherable] last. August 29^th. "In making out the nomination to Knox also Knox Pickering & Hamilton I chose [undecipherable] the order you proposed and particularly Knox's on the first [undecipherable] General [undecipherable] on the 2^d & General Hamilton on the 3^d. "you deserve to say '[undecipherable] has been too much intrigue in this business, both with General Washington and me. And I shall ultimately be the dupe of it I give much mistaken in myself." "Should you excuse the liberty I take in expressing how much I feel affected at this." Reservation Reservation: "But you [undecipherable] in your mind, the [undecipherable] of intrigues, if any have been carrying on to me. It will, be, however relief to me, [undecipherable] of your opinions on this particular. [undecipherable] I feel [undecipherable] I am persuaded [undecipherable] indirectly practiced upon me - [undecipherable] to attempts you may be [undecipherable] I am positively acting from [undecipherable] Think there is a perfect and amicable correspondence between the President and the person filling it." I received yesterday the following instant, within this letter added January 13^th inst. "I have received your favour [undecipherable] the well and approve of your determination to make out the commissions in the aforesaid manner, on the aforesaid day. Pickney on the [undecipherable] and Hamilton on the Third. This being done we may call upon both Knox & Hamilton into service as soon as you please. "I propose to be informed [undecipherable] if I could of the intrigue [undecipherable] I would be if any have been brought [undecipherable] to you, unreasonable. but I have no scruple of acknowled- acknowledge, that your conduct throughout the [undecipherable] towards me, has been candidly [undecipherable] instigated however, that occasionally [undecipherable] were taken with your or judged by the your mind, that the public opinion, and the common sense of the Federalists was that [undecipherable] [undecipherable] might happen and seem [undecipherable] of your most senior [undecipherable] opinion by you [undecipherable] Washington more forcibly than I [undecipherable] have done, and that this determined him to make the arrangement as he did. Of this supposition I was well founded I doubt not you would represent it on with integrity. I am very [undecipherable] near free of the opinion, that the public opinion demanded General Hamilton for the first, and I am not altogether that it mean expected or demanded [undecipherable] any other thing. The question being now resolved, the responsibility for which I take upon myself, I have no hard thoughts concerning your conduct in this business, and wish to make your mind easy concerning it. I have the honour to be. Concerning the whole of [undecipherable] of a very serious nature, and [undecipherable] connected with the public interest. I communicated the letters from the President to me, [undecipherable] they were received, to Mr. Wolcott, Mr. Pickering, Mr. Stoddert, as also my answers to him. The services of General Hamilton being considered too important and consequential to be easily parted with, it was [strikethrough: undecipherable], that they should join in a respectful representation to the President. After possessing a good deal of deliberation the idea of a joint address was relinquished for a representation from Mr. Wolcott alone who did not appear to be implicated in his expressions of intrigue. This has been accordingly drawn up and forwarded. It contains the grounds upon which you were induced to expect your arrangement would be adopted, and reasons resulting from the relative talents of the Generals and public opinion. Thus have the arrangements for officering the army been delayed and they public duties duties and private hours embittered and perplexed. It may be that the President has conceived certain prejudices unfavourable to General Hamilton that has influenced him in the present case; and yet I cannot doubt of his receiving the public opinion to be what he states it, altho' I have the strongest reasons and proof to think otherwise than he does. Respecting the third cause of delay, viz. the distance of the President from the seat of Government I need make few more observations. It has paralysed every [undecipherable] matter and measure and thing appertaining to the new army. It is embarrassing beyond and my operations beyond description. You will perceive that [undecipherable] the propositions made to the President [undecipherable] letter of the 4^th of August ults. He only gave his concurrence in the one which authorises you to appoint a secretary, and to my [undecipherable] in the aid of Generals [undecipherable] Hamilton and [undecipherable] Knox, upon the condition of General Knox being [undecipherable] and General Hamilton last in the order of rank; consequently, that I am not to [undecipherable], my propositions relative to the most proper obtaining the fittest characters to be drawn into the army from the different divisions I have described and the distribution of troops to be raised in each division, is still under consideration; and as that it is meant I should pursue the accustomed course, and select and forward for his correction & approbation a list for the whole, with all the recommendations for examination. I do not imagine the letter to be intercepted, and expect, as soon as the question relating to Hamilton & Knox is [undecipherable] settled, that I shall neither [undecipherable] proceed agreeably [undecipherable] propositions. I may be dissuaded by the President as it may, I should think it proper for you that you should prepare the list of officers for the 4 regiments for the Southern division and for the 6 additional companies of cavalry, that no time may be lost when his determination is manifested, to obtain his consent to their being commissioned and to commence the recruiting business. The annexed copy of a letter to Samuel Hodgdon [undecipherable] of military stores dated the 26^th of August will shew you that I have early attended to your request to learn the state of our magazines. It will also be perceived from the inclosed copy of a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury to Rufus King that what assistance we may expect from abroad in [undecipherable] the year. Muskets with Bayonets complete to the amount of 30,000 [undecipherable] from cannon for the naval service to the amount of 6,000 [undecipherable] and from Cannon for the land service equal to 4,000 lb. [undecipherable]. Besides besides this for Mr. Wolcott had to be contracted for the fabrication within the United States of [undecipherable] 40,000 stands of arms and has already lost for about half the number. In addition, I expect the two Arsenals of Springfield and [undecipherable] will be now put in the course of [undecipherable] near 7,000 stands of good muskets. It is now necessary I should mention to you a difficulty I have to overcome, in which you may assist me, by a strong question to Mr. Pickering [undecipherable] of your surprise that no steps [undecipherable] to have been taken to obtain so indispensable an article as clothing for the new army. Mr. Wolcott is of opinion, that the first thing that seems to be attended to, is to fill our magazines, with whatever will be necessary and indespensable to the prosecution of a vigorous war. In this I fully agree with him. He thinks resolved to raise the army, or any part of it, at this time will be to incur an expense without any adequate advantage. That the enemy knowing our magazines to be be be filled with every thing necessary to carry on war would produce upon them for a time at least the same effect, as if we were to add to our forces an army ready disciplined for military operations. Further that the appointment of the officers, and hurrying their immediate selection alone, to commence inlistments upon as it were a given signal, will be most that the present situation of things absolutely [undecipherable] requires. That by following this course we shall husband our means and keep them up for emergencies. I consider all this, except where it respects filling our magazines, with munitions, [undecipherable] an idle theory. I have before [undecipherable] that I lived it proper as I [undecipherable] avail ourselves to fill our magazines with the most essential military articles to the extent of our means; but as neither officers nor soldiers can be created in a day, I hold it to be no less necessary, threatened as we are, to prepare an army, [undecipherable] discipline to meet such an enemy as this in [undecipherable] &c. be to encounter. I always have no confidence in troops entirely [undecipherable] superficial, and cannot think it good policy to depend upon a militia to meet the first exigencies. I am [undecipherable] entitled to [undecipherable] and having the better support [undecipherable] which, I am in case of no invasion to [undecipherable] upon drawing militia from [undecipherable] to be subduing — but we may [undecipherable] of the regular troops raised there, to [undecipherable] if therefore our army is yet to be raised, and the approach of an enemy, or [undecipherable] we receive certain information [undecipherable] of preparations for the embarkation of [undecipherable] of the Southern States we will be intent to its own militia, and [undecipherable] over our men and [undecipherable] before any [undecipherable] force can be [undecipherable] and it is needless to mention such reasons to you than am [undecipherable] much impeded in as your mind has more experience to require them [undecipherable] [undecipherable] Mr. Wolcott, I understand, is somewhat alarmed alarmed about the means, and may think it safer to trust a good deal to the chapter of chances than hazard any serious draughts upon the latter to pay and support an army that may never be wanted. In order to give him a distinct view of the extent of the calls of my department, I made out at his instance the inclosed Table which I communicated to him. I believe it contains a tolerably correct exhibit of the sums I may want, and besides shewing the objects for, and the periods at which the money will be wanted. I add also to this table a copy of my letter which accompanied it. What impressions will result I know not. These things my dear and revered Sir, are mentioned to satisfy your solemn and affecting inquiries. You will now see (that altho' I may not [strikethrough: always] have [strikethrough: not] apprised you [undecipherable] information of my proceedings) the the reasons in the very nature of the transactions just detailed, which have prevented me from making to you certain communications until they became unavoidable and necessary as well for your information as my justification. You will also be sensible that I have not been idle nor inattentive to the importance of the objects which interest our country, and has drawn you into your present situation. With the most ardent and affectionate regards I am my dear General ever yours, James McHenry [Geo^s Washington's Commander General of all the armies of the United States.]