Autograph Letter

Letter from George Washington, Commander in Chief of the Armies of the United States to James McHenry Secretary of War expressing satisfaction with McHenry and President Adams in preparing for war with France, McHenry's lack of substantive letters, poor choices of General Officers and procurement of foreign manufactured arms

Writing from Mt Vernon, Washington expresses dissatisfaction with President John Adams and his Secretary of War James McHenry for inadequate preparations for the Quasi-War with France. Washington regrets that the spirit of enthusiasm for war with France, stemming from the treatment of the US commissioners by the French Directory, and the demands made on them as a precondition to negotiations, has since passed, and laments that this is to the detriment of the military recruiting effort. Washington goes on to criticize McHenry's correspondence as being lacking in substance and wanting of information. Short letters he notes are unsatisfactory and distressing. Washington expresses dissatisfaction that he does not receive adequate attention from the Secretary of War; that he has put more into his letters than McHenry into his, despite Washington's debilitated state. He asks that McHenry contrast recent correspondence as evidence of his unanswered questions. Washington says he will defer saying anything on the President's new [underlined] arrangement respecting the Major Generals until he has heard from Alexander Hamilton. Washington complains about the nomination of Anthony Walton White of New Jersey to rank of Brigadier. Off all the characters in the revolutionary army, no one is more obnoxious; especially among the southerners, where he is celebrated for nothing but frivolity. As for Sevier, he is best known for murder of Indians.
What measures, Washington asks, are being made for the supply of small arms? If any foreign manufactured articles are needed such as cannon and horse artillery from Britain or Scotland, then no time should be lost in obtaining them. Closes by saying he has written as a friend.

1798

09

14

Mount Vernon

Private & Confidential. Cited in McHenry to Washington, 09/21/1798.

Cited document addressed to the War Office

James McHenry

George Washington

President John Adams

US commissioners to France

Directory

Commander in Chief of the Armies of the United States

Colonel North

Office of Adjutant General

Alexander Hamilton

Anthony Walton White

General John Sevier

Indians

Mount Vernon

France

Philadelphia

Britain

Scotland

New Jersey

South

Philadelphia

cannon

horse artillery

muskets

arms

Quasi War with France

XYZ affair

civil military relations

General Officer selection during Adams administration

1798091440101

1

4

[Private & confidential] 103
Mount Vernon 14th Septr. 1798.
My dear Sir [centered] 108 [far right] 58
Your letter of the 7th. instt. from Trenton is before me;_ and no plan yet decided on that I can discover for Recruiting the augmented force; or even for appointing the Officer therefor.___
It is for the Executive to account for this delay._ sufficient it is for me to regret, and I do regret it [undecipherable] that spirit & enthusiasm who of was inspired by the Dispatches from our Envoys,-- that resentment which was viewed by the treatment of our Commissioners by the Directory, and the demands which were made on them as a preliminary to Negotiation by the later; is evaporating fast;_ and the Recruiting Service ^which might have been successful (of the set men) a month ago, may be found ver difficult a month hence (of the worst kind).
The law passed before the middle of July, and was positive:_ and the middle of September has produced no fruit from it.__
This,
64
-__ This, to me, is inconceivable!.__
I must once more too, my dear Mc.Henry, request that your correspondence with me, may be more full & communicative. __ You have a great deal of business I shall acknowledge. but I [undecipherable]ruple nor to add, at the sametime, that much of the important & interesting part of it will be to be transacted with the Commander in Chief of the Armies of the U. States; from whom there ought to be no concealment, or want of information.___Short letters therefore, taking no notice of suggestions, or queries, are unsatisfactory & distressing,__ Considering the light in which I think my sacrifices have placed me, I should expect more attention from the Secretary of War, but from Mr. Mc.Henry as a friend & coadjutor, I certainly shall look for it.__ Compare then my letter to you of the 3d. instt. which I wrote in much pain, from the debilitated state into which the fever had thrown me, with your acknowledgement thereof dated the 7th, & judge yourself who then I cd. derive any satisfaction therefrom, on the score of business.__ Nor to this moment, although you knew my solicitude respecting the General Staff of the Army,_ and my asking the question (in one of my letters) in direct terms, what truth there was in
the
265
the Report of Colo. Norths nomination to the Office of Adjutant General, has there been the least notice taken of the matter since.____.
I will defer saint anything on the Presidnet's new arrangement of the three Major Generals until you shall have communicated the result of Colo Hamiltons answer to me.__ But, in the name of the Army, what could have induced the nomination of Walton White to the rank of Brigadier, after the State of New Jersey had been complimented with one Brigadier, and other States of importance had received none? __ I formerly asked the same question with respect to Severe to which no reply was made.__
White's name was placed in the list of Five[?] Officers (for New Jersey) merely as one that might be considered in that grade when[undecipherable] the general organization^came on but I had no idea when you left this place that General Officers would be appointed at the time they were, for the Provisional Army:- and taking it for granted that it was a work for after consideration, I bestored no thought thereon.__ Of all the characters in the Revolutionary Army; I believe one more obnoxious to the Officers who composed it could not have been hit upon for a Gene Officer^than White -- especially among those to the Southward where he was best known, &
celebrated
266
celebrated for nothing but frevolity_dress_empty shew_ & something worse_in short for being a notorious l_r.__ This appointment will, I am told; exclude many valuable Officers who will not serve as his juniors.__ As to Severe, the only exploit I ever heard of his performance, was the murder of Indians.___
What measures, of any, are pursuing to provide Snake Arms I know not, whom of what sort, or length, they are intended to.___ My opinion is, that both Musket & Bayonet ought to be full as long as those with whom we expect to contend, to give confidence to the Soldiery, _ and it is a matter deceiving consideration, whether the latter ought not to resemble the dagger, more than those wch. have been in common are with us.
If these sit the new invented artillery of G: Britain at the Cannon works in Scotland, if the horse artillery,_ In short if any other articles of foreign manufacture are needed, not a moment is to be lost in the Importation,_ Besides this coming much higher after hostilities shall have commenced; _ the obtaining them at all will be attended with hazard & delay.
I have written you a free & friendly letter.__ It is intended, and I hope will be received in that light, from ___ My dear Sir
Your sincere friend & Affecte Servt
G:o Washington
Iad. Mc.Henry Esqr