War Department, 26^th March 1800 [seal] Sir I have received your letter of the 18^th January, in which you request me to grant Cap^t Bouyer a furlough & state as your opinion that he is entitled to that favor. It would give me pleasure to indulge Cap^t Bouyer, but as it could not be done without breaking in upon existing Arrangements I must decline it. The proper course for him to pursue will be to address General Hamilton on the Subject, he, doubtless, unless some powerful reasons oppose, will grant his request. The Secretary of State has communicated to me your letter to him dated the 29^th January last. I shall avail myself of the information it contains relative to military men and matters. You observe in your letter to M^r Pickering, speaking of D^r Dart, that he is a steady, thoughtful, temperate man, and deserves well of Government, but has not had a line from the War Office for four years. I wrote to the Doctor in July last, informing him that certain charges which he had exhibited have been referred to Major General Pinckney to take the necessary Order thereon. The general principle is for all requests from subordinate Officers to the Department of War to come through their [strikethrough: General on their] commanding Officer or General in the District, whose Duty it is to correspond with the Secretary of War. To observe a contrary practice would lead to insubordination. It is therefore in cases particularly circumstanced only, that it can be proper for the Secretary of War to correspond with Officers under the command of a General or Commandant. I am, Sir, Your most obedient James McHenry Andrew Ellicott Esq^r