[Pages preceding this point are wholly or in part illegible.] New York January 24 1799 Dear Sir You ask my opinion as to proper arrangem[ents] for the command of the Military force, on the Ground [that] the Commander in Chief declines at present an activ[e] [com]mand. This is a delicate subject for me, yet in the sha[pe] in which it presents itself, I shall wave the sensible[s] which are natural on the occasion. If rightly understood [the] Commander in Chief, his wish was that all the Military points and Military force every where should be put under the directions of the two Major Generals who alone should be the organs of the department of War. The objects of this plan are to disburden the head of that department of infinite details which must unavoidably clog his general arrangements, and to establish a vigilant military superintendence over all the Military points. There is no difficulty in the plan except as to the Western Army. It will be a very natural distribution to give to the Inspector Gene[ra]l the command of all the Troops and forts Nort[h of] Maryland and to General Pinckney the comman[d of] all the troops and posts South of the district assign[ed] to the Inspector General. How will this plan as to [the] Western Army a[nd...] [...can] be united under the command of one [Officer] to be stationed at — Let all the Troops in [Ten]nessee be united under the command of one Officer to be stationed at — Let them consider themselves as under the orders of the General who commands the Western Army- and let the whole be placed under the superintendence of the Inspector General. The Officers commanding on the Lakes and in Tennessee to be permitted to correspond immediately with the Inspector General and receive orders from him. All the communication as well of these [officers] of the General of the Western Army to be sent open under cover of the Secretary of War, who in urgent cases [may] himself give orders [to] the Inspector General [acting] on the spot, which he will communicate for his future government to the Inspector General and in cases not urgent will leave matters to the Agency of the Inspector General according to the instructions which he shall receive from the department of War. It is easy to perceive there are objections to this plan. I am not sure that it ought to be adopted. The pour and the contre will readily occur to you, and you will take and reject as shall appear to you proper; assured always that personally I shall be content with any arrangement you may think adviseable Affect[ionatel]y & truly y[ou]rs A Hamilton