Autograph Letter Signed

Medical services in the military

On the subject of medical services in the military; discusses the employment of Doctor Welford.

1795

12

12

War Office

Enclosed in a 12/20/1795 letter from Henry Lee to Doctor Wellford.

Henry Lee

Timothy Pickering

doctor

Welford

Beddinger (?)

merchants

laborers

surgeons

accountant

War Office

Richmond

Fredericksburg

Philadelphia

1795121215001

1

2

Copy
General Henry Lee
War-Office Decr. 12th 1795
Dear Sir
I have just received your Letter of the 6th
covering Mr. Beddinger's and Doctor Wellfords. I am
sorry do differ from you in respect to the Doctor's argument
to support his demands for what he decerns a moderate, but
which I cannot help thinking as extraordinary compensation.
B., Docctor Wellford's settling, and pursuing the [undecipherable]
of his profession, in this country, he cannot be considered as a
citizen, and consequently, charged with certain duties
which, in common with other citizens, he is bount to render
at the just call of the country. The services to be performed
will natuarlly be [undecipherable] to the citizens according to
these [undecipherable] talents: and while the [undecipherable] merchants
and labourers are bound to appear & to [undecipherable]
and Ammunition, the Surgeons & Physicians are under
equal obligations to serve with their instruments as
[undecipherable] But of these [undecopherable] difference among
those possessions, it is all in favour of the latter[?].
Merchandman [undecipherable]
and the [undecipehrable] at the busiest season in his [undecipherable]
not (this you know was precisely the case of me
of Philadelphia, on the expedition in question)
for the lasting compensation allowed by the [undecipherable]
serving in the [undecipherable]: While the medical
men will receive rewards comparatively very
[?]il.
Doctor Welford urges as surgeon to support his
hand, that the employment was temporary & therefore
at the principle which regulated the compensations
of the Medical Staff in the [undecipherable] War [undecipherable] service
will not apply in this case. But are we not to expect
that all consriptions will be temporary? Are they
not as in their nature? And if the Doctor's reasons
be good one, should not the pay of the Officers
and Soldiers be also doubled? But who else thought
of making such a proposition as the latter? At any
rate, until the authority of the country shall make
the provision, the Officers & Soldiers must be content
with the ordinary pay and every man, whatever be
his profession, who enjoys the advantages, must
consider himself amenable to the duties od Citizenship.
Doctor Welford says " his employment was not
confined to the duties of a Surgeon General, but
embraced a number of arduous duties far out of
the like of that department." Let him then be
allowed the emplumients[?] of Director General, which
surely will cover the whole: to this I shall have
no objection: but I cannot agree to a total
departure from principle.
Major Beddinger's papers will be immediately
delivered to teh Accountant.
I am very respectfully
Dear Sir
Your Obt. Servt.
(Signed) T. Pickering


General Henry Lee
(True Copy)