Copy of Signed Document

Arrangment of rank for Generals in the Provisional Army

James McHenry had solicited the opinions of the Secretaries of State, Treasury, and the Navy on the matter of seniority for the Generals selected by George Washington for the Provisional Army. The Secretaries agree with Washington's arrangement of rank: General Knox first, General Pinckney second, and General Hamilton third.

1798

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James McHenry requested this opinion in a note dated August 12, 1798.

Timothy Pickering, Oliver Wolcott, and Benjamin Stoddert.

Timothy Pickering

Oliver Wolcott, Jr.

Benjamin Stoddert

James McHenry

George Washington

Alexander Hamilton

Henry Knox

Charles Cotesworth Pinkney

John Adams

Senate

commander-in-chief

Trenton

Mount Vernon

Provisional Army

Quasi-War

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Opinion of the
three Secretaries
relative to the
proceeding to be
observed in the
case of General Knox
The undersigned Secretary of State, Secretary of the Treasury and Secretary of the Navy have considerd the questions upon which the Sect of War has requested their opinions in his note dated the 12th. of Oct. 1798, and submit the following observations to his consideration.
It appears that the President of the United States by a letter dated the 6th. of July 1798 directed the Secretary of War to proceed to Mount Vernon and announce to General Washington his appoint ment to be the Commander in Chief of the new army, and to obtain "his advice in the for- "mation of a List of Officers"; __ that General Washington accepted of the Commission upon two conditions one of which was, that the principal officers should persons persons whom he should approve, that he advised of the appointment of Alexander Hamilton to be Inspector General, with the rank of Major General, & of Charles Cotesworth Pinckney & Henry Knox to be Major Generals; that this arrangement was approved by the President
at least in respect to the characters designated; that in the nominations to the Senate, and in the advice and consent of that body, the arrangement proposed by General Washington was purposed; that since the appointments have been made the President has doubted the propriety of the arrangement in respect to the relative rank of the three Generals, before named; that in his letter of August 29th. to the Sec of War the President expressed his willingness to decide the question of rank, by dating Genl. Knox's commission on the first day, General Pinckney's on the second, and General Hamiltons on the third; that the Secy of War transmitted to the President on the 18th. of September the three commissions, dated according to the foregoing suggestions & that that o the 30.th of September, they were returned by the President executed by him, and all dated on the same day.
The only inference which we can drain from the facts before states, is, that the President consents to the arrangement of rank as
proposed by General Washington and pursued in the order of nomination and appointment by the President & Senate.
This brings the conclusion which we make it is our opinion that the Secretary of War, ought to transmit the Commissions and inform the Generals, that in his opinion the rank is definitively settled according to the original arrangement.

We are of opinion that it will not be respectful to the President to address him again on a subject, which appears to have been attended with difficulties in his mind and the discussion of which can produce no public advantage: we also think that no com- munication of our sentiments will be necessa ry, unless the Secretary of War, shall discover hereafter, that we have mistaken the President's intentions, in which case it will be proper that we should text [illegible] in the [illegible].
We are respectfully your obdt. Servts.
Timothy Pickering
Oliver Wolcott
Ben Stoddert