[pg 179] War Department 10^th May 1799 Sir I have received your two letters of the 9^th instant. I should prefer for the present, to continue the distribution of the command of the troops of the United States, as declared in your instructions dated the 4^th of February ultimo. If hereafter, without reference merely to the Artillery, and upon general considerations, it should be found convenient to annex Maryland to General Pinckneys district it will be done. In a letter dated the 23^d of April ultimo General Washington observes "I once thought, it being more regular, that the old troops under the command of General Wilkinson, had better have remained subordinate to the orders of General Hamilton, to whom, through the department of war (for reasons alledged in the Instructions)" meaning my instructions to you "all reports and returns ought to be made; — but on more mature consideration of the multiplied, extensive and checkered position of these troops, I am disposed to believe that your plan is preferable. I would prefer leaving it to General Pinckney to locate the Artillery Companies allotted to Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia in conformity with the plan of arrangement which has been transmitted to him the 29^th of April ultimo. This however need be no obstacle to the immediate transfer of the companies destined for his command, and now within yours. By the plan of arrangement, there are no companies within General Pinckneys command required to be brought with your command, and Captain M^cClelans and Captain Frys companies only, within your command, which are to be transferred to General Pinckneys. The only question then is, the point or points, on the southern sea board, to which it will be best to send these two companies, to wait General Pinckneys final distribution. At present, there is one company at Norfolk, and one at Charleston. You will determine to which of these places to order Fry and M^cClelans, and direct Colonel Stevens to engage the necessary transportation for Frys company tents &c. Should any serious inconvenience be likely to result from Major Fords superintendance extending into Maryland, it may be obviated by directing him to make his reports &c to Major General Pinckney, in other words the the battalion of Artillery arranged for garrison service in North Carolina Virginia and Maryland, may if you please be assigned [pg 180] to Major Ford, under such an instruction; without the measure affecting the general distribution of force and division of command between you and General Pinckney. In all cases, in which persons have been requested to send forward recommendations, I have experienced complaints from them, if others than those they selected happened to be preferred. I shall however, be very well pleased, to possess the recommendations of the Commandants of Regiments, if to be obtained without my asking for it directly or indirectly; for altho these Gentlemen are interested in having well qualified persons under them as Officers, yet they cannot be considered exempt from the partialities but too apt to intrude upon such occasion. I wish to be under as little restraint as possible, for reasons which need not be enumerated. No information has been received at this Office whether Captain Justis B. Smith, Lieutenant Thom^s Thompson, Lieutenant David Jones, and Ensign Jacob C Ten Eyck of the 11^th Regiment of Infantry, accept or decline their appointments. — Will you be pleased to enquire of Colonel Smith if he knows any thing of the determination of those Officers, and transmit me the necessary information. If you will furnish me with the names of proper persons to fill the vacancies of those who have been appointed Staff Officers in Colonel Smiths Regiment and the vacancy occasioned by the death of Ensign Prosper Brown I will transmit them to the President for his approbation. I do not recollect whether I have mentioned to you, that it will be proper the Contractors should be early apprized of any change which may be made in recruiting districts, and also of the districts where provisions &c will be required: you will give the necessary orders on this head. I have no objection to the appointments made of paymaster and Quarter Master to the Regiments commanded by L^t Col^l Hall, nor to L^t Duncan as pay master to the Regiment commanded by L^t Col^l Rice. Inclosed is the list of Officers in the Regiment of Cavalry. I have the honor to be, with great respect, Sir Your Obedient Servant James McHenry [James McHenry May 10. 1799] Major General Alexander Hamilton