Mount Vernon 25. March 1799 My dear Sir, You will not only consider this letter as a private [undecipherable: one], but as a friendly [undecipherable: one]. From [W. H.] & I. [undecipherable] if the sentiments which you will find in it, are delivered with more freedom and candour than are agreeable, say so; not by implication only but in explicit language; and I will [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] no more by such conduct, but confine myself if occasion should require it, to a Official Correspondence. — [undecipherable], let me, in the name and behalf of the Officers; who have been appointed, and of the Army pretended to be raised, what keeps back the Commissions; and arrests the Recruiting Service? Be assured that both, among the friends of Government, excite a [undecipherable] great [and] discontent. — Blame is in every Mind, but tis not known where to [undecipherable] it. Some attach it to the [undecipherable] — [undecipherable] to the S of W — and some [undecipherable: fertile in excuses] seek for other causes. — Many of the appointed Officers have quit their former occupations; that they might be in perfect readiness to proceed in their Military duties, the moment they should receive their Commissions Commissions & Recruiting Instructions. — Others, who [were] about to enter into business, and plans of future life, stand suspended. — Many are highly disgusted, — some talk of giving up the idea of becoming Officers, unable to remain longer in the awkward situation they are involved, — and all are complaining. — Applications are made by numbers to me, to know what the cause of the delay is, — what they are to expect, — and what they ought to do. — What could I say? — Am I not kept in as much [undecipherable: ignorance] as they are themselves? — Am I advised of any appointments? — any changes which have taken place? any of the views or designs of Government relatively to the Army? — It is [not] unreasonable to suppose that if there be reasons of State, [or] policy for these delays, that I was entitled to sufficient confidence to be let into the secret; — or, if they proceeded from [uncontrolable] causes, I still more than the Public, ought not to have been left in the field of Conjecture, without a guide to direct [me] to the knowledge of them. — For I shall frankly declare, that I do [not], [nor] ever shall, consider myself in the light of a [undecipherable: Mercenary] Officer. — Nothing short of a high sense of the [undecipherable: Honor Patria], could have placed me in my [present] situation, — and though I stand bound, and [with] obey the call of my Country, whenever it is made agreeable to my latter [undecipherable: letter] of Acceptance — [None are] more [disposed] to forsake the walks of [Retirement] with more heartfelt [undecipherable], [nor] none, who [will] leave it with more real inconvenience to [his] private concerns, than I should do. — A sixteen years absence from home (with short intervals,) could not fail to derange them considerably; & to require all the time I can spare from the usual avocations of [life] to bring them into order again. — But this is [not] all, nor the worst, for being the Executor, the Administrator, & Trustee, of & for other Estates, my greatest anxiety is to leave all those concerns in such a clear and distinct form, that no reproach may attach itself to me, after I have taken my departure for the Land of Spirits. I have been thus full, as it relates to myself, in order to shew you, that information in all matters of a Military nature, are necessary for my Government, thereby, having a prospective view of things, I may prepare accordingly, and [tho'] detached from the Army until the exigency of our affairs may require my presence with it, [appear] as a [undecipherable] [undecipherable: permanent] [drop?]ped from the [Cloud]s, when I take the Command: — — ignorant ignorant of [the] [proceedings] and [incapacitated] to [give] [undecipherable] to the concerns of others, equally with my own; & no power to [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] in short [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [practices] (which would be [undecipherable]); and if I could discover, before [how] the [undecipherable] — The measure, by the gradual unfolding of the prospects before us. — I should [wish,] my dear friend, to make a few observations, as they respect the Recruiting Service: — Has the organization of the [Recruiting] [Company,] [or] any [arrangements or] Instructions for [carrying] it, [traced] as [closely] on the passage of the law as the nature of the case seemed to have permitted; a fear [arises] for those, — that with the [undecipherable] it might have received) the [best] has now [pasted] but possibly [will] never [occur] again. — The real enthusiasm, which warmed the breasts of the American youth, and [would] have induced the very [respectable] [families] [undecipherable] [part] of the [United] States, to be [re-enlisted] as [undecipherable] Officers & Privates, is now no more, [undecipherable] is evaporated, & [worthlessness] has supplied its place. — The next, most favourable opportunity namely, the Idle & dreamy season of the winter, [on] dissipation & rest, from the cessation of labour, has also passed away. — The enlivening prospect of Spring, the calls on the Husbandman, [indeed] of every avocation, for labourers in the approaching busy season, hath supplanted all thoughts of becoming Soldiers, — and [now,] many young Gentlemen who had (conditionally) [last] Summer & Autumn engaged their Companies, will find it difficult to enlist a [single] [undecipherable: one] of those so engaged. — [Pretending,] that [having] waited a considerable time to see if their services would be wanted in the field, and [overtures] for them, it became necessary, for them to seek some other employment. — What is the natural consequence of all this? — Why, that we must take the [Riff-raff] of the populous Cities, — Convicts, & Foreigners, — or have Officers without men. — But even this is not the worst of it. — The Augmented Corps (if I have conceived the matter rightly,) must have been entered as a well organized, and well disciplined [body] of [men,] for others (in case of need) to resort to, & take example from. — Will this be the case if the enemy [should] invade this Country? — Far from it! — What better, in the first instance, are Regiments [so] so composed than Militia? — and what [prospects] have those who [are] rendering service to their Country, [or] [can] honor to themselves in the field, opposed to [Veteran] Troops, [practiced] in Tactics, and unaccustomed, defeat? — These, my dear McHenry, are serious considerations to a man who has nothing to gain, and is putting every thing to a hazard. When I began this letter, I [intended] to have stopped [here]; but as I may not again write to you with the freedom I [now] do, I shall make a few remarks on some other transactions, which have [not] struck me [in] the most favourable [point] of view. — The two Major Generals and myself were called to Philadelphia in November last, and there detained [five] weeks ([very] inconveniently to all of us) at an enormous expence, [wading] through volumes of applications & recommendations to Military [Appointments;] and I will venture to say that it was executed with as much assiduity, and [under] as little [influence] of [favor] or prejudice, as a work of that sort ([from] the materials, which were laid before us) ever was accomplished; and what followed? — [Why] [any] Member of Congress who had a friend to serve, or a prejudice prejudice to indulge, could [not] [these] at nought — but of a number, I will select [this] [as] the [only] one. — The case of [undecipherable] I allude to. — It was personally known to you, General Hamilton & myself, in his former Services. — He served through the [whole] [Revolutionary] war, from the Assembling of the First Troops at Cambridge, [to] the closing of the Military Drama at the conclusion of [the] [undecipherable] [undecipherable]. — The last Act of it, [if] I [mistake] not, was a Major in the selected Corps of [light] Infantry. — [He] was strongly recommended by Generals Lincoln, Knox, Brooks & Jackson, [as] [on] the same theatre, and who ought to be perfectly acquainted with his [respectability] & [professions.] — yet the [fate] of a member of Congress [undecipherable] [prevailed] — [let] his age — [I] [another] thing I will remark on, because if the practice is continued, you will [find] that serious discontent, [devils] will result from it. — I had by the [Gazettes] (I have [no] other information of these matters) that Lieut. Mercer of the Light Dragoons, is promoted to the Rank of Cap^t in [that] Corps. — In the arrangement of Officers, where every attention was paid that personal knowledge or information could [lead] to merit, age, respectability, & [undecipherable: standing] in the Community, he was not even placed [(if] my me more [serves] me) high up among the Lieutenants. — What then, with those Lieutenants, who were his Seniors in [that] arrangement, greatly his [seniors] in age, of at least [as] much [respectability,] better known, — and of [equal] Merit [tho't] of having [him] placed over [them?] — Mercer, compared to some of them, is a boy; and in such an Army as it was our wish to form, it will have an odd appearance to place a young man of 20 or 21 years of age, over a Lieutenant of 30, in every [other] [respect] his equal. — I do not mean to derogate from the merit or deserts of this young Gentleman; on the contrary, I wish to see them [properly] rewarded, [although] his whole family, are [undecipherable: bitter] in their [undecipherable: enmity] to the General [Government] — [I] [should] be understood to mean that a Captain (and [so] of any other grade) declines his [appointment,] [that] during [the] [formation,] the vacancy is to be filled by the next in seniority, [necessarily.] — So far from this, I maintain, that where a vacancy is [occasioned] by non-acceptance, that it may, [and not] injustice, be filled by a [new] character, as [in] the first instance; but it is my opinion, at the same time, that if you have recourse to [promotion,] that the arrangement which was made by the Board of [General] Officers, [who] has [served] to [trace] the combinations and qualifications of [the] [undecipherable] enumerated, in [the] [undecipherable,] [relatively] close is [the] [undecipherable] [guides] you [don't] have [resorted] to. It is not my intention to dispute the [promotion] of this Present, or to make this, or any other promotion [his] [undecipherable] [endorsement] or [the] solicitation of others, may prompt him to; but I will add, without fear of contradiction by any one acquainted with the usages, & [maxims,] [a] [rights,] of service, that if he wishes to preserve the Peace & harmony of [ours,] rules must be observed, and the feelings of the Officers attended to, in Promotions. These observations, relatively to the promotion of Lieutenant Mercer, are not the result of any discontent I have heard [expressed] on the occasion, for except those who take the Philadelphia [Gazette,] but a few of the Officers may be acquainted [therewith,] and of [that] [few,] I have seen more since its [announcement] to the [public.] — It is my [general] [opinion,] [they] are made, & by [judging] of the feelings of others, by what would be my own, in a [similar] case; for I do not think it will be a very [reconcilable] matter, to Gentlemen of more [respectable] [ages,] better known in the walks of [life,] and much more likely to Recruit men, to have a youth, fresh from [College,] placed over their heads. — As vacancies have happened in the Cavalry, [by] non-acceptances &[c]. and promotions have begun, may I ask if there would be any impropriety in letting M^r Custis step from a Cornet, into the Rank of Lieutenant^t? — If I mistake not, in the arrangement given in, he stands the first for promotion. — [That] is — he was made the senior Cornet. — The Major Generals were [desirous] of placing him [as] [Lieutenant] in the first instance — but, his age [considered,] I thought it more [eligible,] that he should enter in the lowest grade [of] Commissioned Officers. — [If] ample fortune — good [Education] — more than common abilities — and good disposition, free from Vice of any kind, gives him a title, in the 19. year of his age, his [pretensions] ([though] not to the injury [of] [another]) are good. — But it is not my desire to ask this as a favor. — I never have, [nor] never shall, solicit any thing, for myself, [or] connections. — I mean nothing more than the statement of fact, in order to bring his situation to view. There is one matter more, which I was in doubt whether to mention to you, or not, because it is of a more delicate nature than any I have touched upon; but finally, friendship have got the better of my scruples. — [undecipherable] [The] [Secretary] personally. While [there] in Philadelphia, and after the [then] Members of [Congress] had [again] [undecipherable] forth, it was [stated] to me, in [pretty] [strong] terms, by more than one of them, [that] the Department of War would not act to [disadvantage] (if War should ensue) [under] your [direction,] — for [instead] of attending to the [great] outlines, and [principles] of your office, & [keeping] the Subordinate Officers of the Department [assiduously] to their respective duties, [they] were [inattentive,] while you were [buried] with trifles. — You will [recollect,] I dare say, that [more] than [once,] I expressed to you my opinion of the [expediency] of committing the Details of the Department to the execution of others; and to keep your thoughts and attention to the important Duties of it, [which,] [with] the business [we] [were] [contemplating,] were [alone] sufficient to occupy the time, and all the consideration of the Secretary. — I went no further then, [nor] should I have [renewed] the subject [now,] had not the delay in [issuing] of the Commissions, and [commencement] of the Recruiting Service, excited general [reproba-]tion, and blame, [though,] as I have [observed,] as [be-]fore fore, no one knows where, with precision, to affix it. — I sincerely think, it is [attributable] to the want of System & exertion in the Department of War. To apprise you of this, is my motive for the communication. — I prefaced the sentiments of this letter with a request that they might be considered as proceeding from a private & friendly [friend.] — No one would be struck more [forcibly] than myself, with the impropriety of such a letter from the Commander [in] Chief [of] the Armies of the [United] States, to the Secretary of [War,] if they are received in good part. [Thereon] [be] obtained. — If otherwise, my motives, & the purity of my intentions, is the best apology I can offer for the liberty I have taken. — Neither can however, be [assured] of his [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] with very great esteem and regard. I remain, My dear Sir, Your most Obedient and Affectionate H^bl Ser^t G Washington James M^cHenry Esq.