Copy of document

Requests Appointment of Josiah Harmar as Brigadier General

Presents case before Congress for Lieut. Col. Josiah Harmar, the commanding officer for troops on the Ohio. Has had honorable conduct for the past 3 years with great discipline and economy. Explains his expenses and that recent orders will require more money. Fears contention among ranks of militia. Suggests he be awarded the rank of Brigadier General. Explains pay scale of different officers. Presents resolution for the Secretary of War commission Harmar and continue his command on the frontier.

1787

07

30

War Office

President of Congress

Arthur St. Clair

Henry Knox

Congress

Josiah Harmar

Lieutenant Colonel Harmar

commanding officer

militia officer

Brigadier General

Secretary at War

President of Congress

War Office

Ohio River

Pennsylvania

frontier

service

conduct

principles of economy

discipline

emoluments

brevet rank

pay

forage

subsistence

late war

brevet commission

1787073000001

1

War Office. July. 30. 1787.
Sir,
I humbly request permission to bring forward to the view of Congress, the case of Lieut-enant Colonel Harmar, the commanding officer of the troops of the United States on the Ohio.
This officer has been in service on the frontiers upwards of three years during which time his conduct has been highly meritorious and honorable to the public.
He has invariably manifested the most perfect attention to the principles of economy, the discipline of his corps, and to the various im-portant political objects with which he has been charged.
The circumstances of his command have been such as to constrain him to [undecipherable] ex-penses, disproportionate to his emoluments. I had the honor to mention this subject in a letter
to Congress date the 4th of May 1786, a copy of which is herein enclosed.
The recent orders transmitted to Lieutenant Colonel Harmar will not only considerably enhance his expenses, but may involve him in disputes of rank prejudicial to the service.
In order to avoid the evils consequent on a contention of rank with the militia officers I beg leave to suggest that Congress honor Lieutenant Colonel Commandant Harmar with the Brevet rank of Brigadier General. And that an officer so highly important and confidential should not suffer the mortification of expending his own fortune in the public service. I beg leave further to suggest, that he should be allowed the emoluments but not the pay of said rank to commence with the time of his command on the frontier.
The value of the additional emoluments of forage and subsistence would amount at the
rate of thirty six dollars per month, or 432 dollars per annum.
The pay of a Lieutenant Colonel Commandant is fixed at forty five dollars per month. To raise this pay to a Brigadiers pay at the rate of the late War would require eighty dollars per month or 960 dollars per annum.
I mention the brevet not to the actual rank of Brigadier because the number of troops in service do not require a general officer to command them, excepting when combined with militia, for temporary purposes, and because the promotion of Lieutenant Colonel Harmar so as to remove him from the immediate command of his regiment, would occasion a vacancy of Lieutenant Colonel Commandant, which according to the Confederation must be filled up by the next senior officer from Pennsylvania, who is a Captain. A promotion which would supercede
all the Majors is to be avoided as a cause of great confusion and [indecipherable] to the public interest.
I have the honor to submit to the consideration of Congress the following resolve.
Resolved. The the Secretary at War transmit to Lieutenant Colonel Commandant Harmar a brevet commission of Brigadier General and that he be allowed the emoluments but not the pay of said rank. The allowance to commence with and continue during his command on the frontiers.
I have the honor to be with the highest respect,
Your Excellencys,
Most obt humb'l Servt.
H. Knox
His Excellency,
The President of Congress.