Autograph Letter Signed

Answering the Charges Against Me

In exhaustive detail, Major Rivardi answers the charges against him by Captain Bruff and laments the hardships and ill health he and his family have endured in the service of the United States.

1799

03

21

Niagara, New York

Cited in Hamilton to Rivardi, 06/25/1799

Cited document that was neither sent to nor from the War Office

Alexander Hamilton

John Rivardi

artificers

extradutymen

lance corporal

guard

valuable men

Quartermaster's department

Surgeon's mate

British merchants

infantry

man of honor

my Regiment

[Stephen Rochefontaine]

his enemies

his only friend

Major [Henry] Burbeck

Major [Lewis] Tousard

Mrs. [Rivardi]

a son

General [James] Wilkinson

disbanded dragoons

Capt. [James] Bruff

Colonel [Timothy] Pickering

most despotic of all armies

my friend Thornton

engineer

wife

my children

masons

Mr. [Patrick] MacNiff

magistrate

British neighbors

northern and northwestern Indians

Sir John Johnson

Captain Brent

body of militia

Niagara, New York

Detroit

Prussia

Oswego

Mackinac

West Indies

Fort Lernoult (an appendage of Detroit)

Niagara

Europe

Virginia

Fort Erie

Fort Defiance

New Ark [Newark]

fever

apology

laconism

incoherence

happiness

abilities and patriotism

my communications

conflict

reports concerning the garrison

Plan of Detroit

Annexed plan of Niagara

board of War

discipline of the troops

abuse

[Bache's] democratic [news]paper

clothing

disorder in the posts

irregular payment of the troops

articles essential to their cleanliness and comfort

riot

military chest

payments

expenses

desertion

purse

certificate

recruiting

entreaties and persuasion

pro amore dei

stationery

tools

evils

habits of friendship

situation of Oswego

rags

parade

situation degrading to a gentleman

artillery

long coats

arms

vest

sleeves

battery

yellow tapes

trifling ornaments

long flat bayonets

sabres

old English dragrope exercise

French mode of maneuvering with slings

mark of confidence

prolixity

my commission

ideas of service

spirit of liberty

strange insurrection against Colonel [Rochefontaine]

causes of complaint

discipline

indecency

impropriety

my conduct

coolness on the side of the Officers

dangerous journey

horses

charges exhibited against me

reprimand

blood of the Swiss

motives

powerful incitement

resignation

guilt

journey

rambling life

dystentary

climate

lake fevers

comforts

fate of Switzerland

subsistence

sacrifices to their country

encampment

The ungenerous expression which I read before I received Captain Bruff's impertinent notice wounded my feelings to the quick.

1799032160100

Major Rivardi
March 21. 1799
Military only
pg.5
Niagara. March 21st - 1799
Sir
I was honored yesterday Night with your letter of the 15.th Ult. & 1stInst.
The Post Setting of again this Morning. & my being tormented with
the fever will I hope Serve as an Apology for my laconism &
for any incoherence which may Slip in my Answer -.
Permit me first, Sir, to express my happiness at my Seeing myself
under the immediate orders of an Officer whom I have allways revered
for his abilities & patriotism - I rejoice Sincerely at the Idea that
in future My communications will not remain as they have been hitherto
unnoticed for it really appeared to me a kind of conflict who
Should Sooner be tired; myself of writing, sending returns &a
or the Person who received them not to answer - .
By Next Mail I shall forward to you all the reports concerning this
Garrison also a correct Plan of Detroit unless my health Should absolutely
prevent me - The annexed plan of Niagara with the remarks
accompanying it had twice been sent by me to the board
of War -.. As to the discipline of the troops under my command
I have done my utmost for Supporting it..& met in consequence,
with a liberal Share of abuse in Beache's democratic paper - . In
the present Situation of this this Post garrisoned as it is by thirty nine
Men Officers, Artificers, Extradutymen included - little can be done
a launce Corporal & three Men is our Guard detail - & even that could
not be kept up without - difficulty a few days ago the greatest
part of that Small aggregate being without any clothing although
they had been in that Situation for almost a whole year -
A great cause of disorder in the Posts which I have Seen is the
irregular payment of the troops - who being Seven or Eight months
& Sometimes more without pay cannot procure Number of Small
Small articles essential to their cleanliness and comfort - They get
discouraged - & when they receive at once large Sum, it is Squandred
away in riot without the least advantage but on the contrary
with infinite detriment to them - had every Corps a Military
Chest with one or two Months in advance - Payments might be
made even as in Prussia weekly - & there would be a possibility
of defraying expenses in case of desertion -. Now the Officers
are obliged to take that money from their own Purse. - An other
inconvenient under which we labour is that the Soldier whose
time expires is forced either to go to the Board of war for his
Money or to take a certificate of pay due, which he negotiates
at considerable loss - these circumstances & the want of funds
for recruiting have made us lose a great number of valuable
men who would have reinlisted had they had a prospect of
being paid & clad regularly - as to the Quarter Masters
department nothing being allowed to the Officer entrusted
with it - a refusal of undertaking the trouble & responsibility
ensues of course. - I have by dint of entreaties & persuasion
got the surgeons mate to act in that capacity pro amore Dei
but he is horribly tired of it, as he never received any funds
to pay the men employed in that department & the bills
incurred with British Merchants for Necessaries indispensable
to the garrison - Such as Stationary, tools &a &a the
want of which has been represented these eighteen months
past - All these Evils are doubly felt as we are within Six
hundred yards & in habits of friendship with a Garrison
of three hundred men completely equiped & regularly paid.
The Situation of Oswego was Still more deplorable when I
received the last information - being all in rags there was no
more any parade & the Officer commanding wrote to me that
he was in a Situation degrading to a Gentleman.
pg 6.
I shall take the liberty of making one More observation with regard to the
Artillery - This is the only Service in the World perhaps except the British were the men are incumbered with long coats - In france
where they had them they were always left with the arms when
Stacked & rest with Sleeves put in previous to a detachment
entering the battery - Coats like those of the Infantry with yellow
tapes would in my opinion perfectly answer the purpose - I
mention yellow tapes because Such triffling ornaments being
denied to the Artillery have within my knowledge induced numbers
to enlist in preference in the Infantry - . I should also
recommend for the Artillery long flat bayonets Sharp on both
Sides & Short pieces - these bayonets having an astonishing
advantage as they answer as Sabres - I am informed that
the English dragrope exercise (which they have abandoned
is resumed by us instead of the French mode of
manœuvering with Slings, I can only Say that I am very Sorry
for it. –.
Now Sir, I shall take the liberty of answering your letter of
the first of March with the frankness of Soldier when he
knows that he writes to a Man of honor.
I feel with Sincere gratitude the mark of confidence which you
are pleased to give me by entrusting to me the care of visiting
the different Posts mentioned in your letter - please to excuse
the prolixity of what I have to observe on this Subject. -
When I was honored with my comission - I was much elated with the
trust - hastened to my Regiment where unfortunately I Soon found
my Ideas of service totally overturned - first by the mode of life &
Spirit of liberty of the officers and men - Secondly by the Strange
insurrection against Col.l R. then considered as an honest man even by his enemies I remained his only friend - &
Should have been so had the causes of complaint been greater
because discipline is blind & because that affair was conducted
in my opinion with as Much indecency as impropriety - My
Conduct in that business was followed by a Coolness on the Side of
the Officers even of my own battalion - . Major Burbeck at that
time Strongly urged to be relieved - it would have been Major
Touzard's tour - but I was ordered to Mackinac, as that Officer's
affairs call'd him to the W Indies - I chearfully obeyed &
was at considerable expense. To move my family - M.rs R. having
presented me with a Son three Months before - I arrived after
a dangerous Journey at Detroit. & was preparing to proceed to
my destination when Gen.l Wilkinson on an application of Major
Burbeck to be continued at Mackinac - granted the request &
thus after much trouble & expense I was left at Fort Lernoult
(an appendage of Detroit): at the head of a few Artillerymen
transferred to that corps from the disbanded Dragoons &a
After remaining ten Months during which with all possible œconomy
I Spent double my pay every thing being extravagantly
dear & not enjoying the advantages of Commanding Officers - I
asked to be sent to Niagara as the year's Command of Capt.n
Bruff was elapsed (a Term fixed by the then General orders) it was
granted with reluctance & the letter which I had to deliver.
To the officer commanding was in Such Terms by what I have
learnt Since that I might truly call it Bellerophontic - it
exasperated Capt.n Bruff, who was in it told that he could no
resist to my importunities &a &a. however the Capt.n like
a true democrat knew how to dissemble - he watched every
opportunity to rouse my feelings - finally finding himself
deserted by the other Officers - he obtained lease of absence
& the first Step he took in Philadelphia was to lodge
at the Secretary's of war charges as absurd as malicious.
Just at a time, where the Secretary in his report had
in mass thrown an aspersion on the foreigners in Service
by observing that experience had taught how difficult
it was to avoid imposition –– That ungenerous expression
pg 7
which I read before I received Captain Bruffs impertinent Notice
wounded my feelings to the quick - I have friends in Europe
who perhaps think me the only foreigner in the Artillery &
who certainly never Shall be informed of Colonel Rochefontaine's
transaction concerning the horses - it is natural for them to conclude
that I am alluded to & whatever value I may set on
my commission - My honor is Still dearer to me -- Impressed
with that Idea I wrote immediately to the Secretary of War
& to Col.l Pickering whom I know to be my friend - I in general
used to receive of Mr. McHenry a mere acknowledgement
of my letters without any answer - but this time I had not
even that to boast of - I served in the Most despotic of all
Armies but I never Saw yet the complaints of an Officer when
his honor is attacked & when represents it in respectfull
terms remain unnoticed -. I transmitted by the Next mail
The Original which Capt.n Bruff Sent me of the charges exhibited
against me, with a pressing request to have the affair
investigated & a Notice that I had myself charges to bring
against my Answer after he would have made an attempt to
Substantiate his against me - but two Months have elapsed
an I remain in Status quo - If the Captain's charges are
deemed frivolous & malicious a reprimand in orders will
Satisfy me - if not I wish a board of Inquiry at this Post
where all the evidences in my favor are collected - I was
hesitating previous to this last Affair whether I should not resign
as I find it impossible to Support an increasing Family on my
pay - The prospect of a War particularly against Nation Still
reeking with the blood of the Swiss - & my partiality for the
Army as well as for a Country which is become my own were
my Motives for not doing it - but now the Most powerfull
incitement is that Resignation would be construed into guilt
-. In these circumstances, Sir, I hope you will not insist on
on my performing the Journey mentioned in your letter - as
other reasons for my begging to decline it I Shall add, that
my health which I began to recover when I had the honor of
first being introduced to you at my friend Thornton, is again
much impaired by the rambling life which in public Service
either as an Engineer or an Officer I have been obliged to
Submit, to: I nearly died in Virginia of the dysentery common
to the climate & had a yearly relapse ever Since. - The
Lake fever have after that much reduced me & having been
nearly three years in this Country I had determined to request
to be Stationed in the U. S.s when those charges came which
of Course fix me at this Post untill they are examined.-
An other impediment is my family - I am the only Officer
in the army whose wife has no relations in America - I can
not possibly expect in Actual War Separate myself from
her & my Children - particularly as her health is delicate
& as She is deprived of the Comforts She has been used to enjoy
An other objection again is that of my fortune, which Since the
fate of Swisserland is probably annihilated - I have reduced
my pecuniary means in an allarming degree by Journey's the
expenses of which were only partialy defrayed -
for Instance I was detained with my family twenty days at Fort Erie,
I charged only the hiring of quarters, but the article was
Struck out of my Account allthough I charged only twenty
doll.rs - where I had to pay for only my Subsistance&.a Eighty
Was I in easy circumstances this would not weight with me,
but it is not every body who although they may have the will
possess also like General Hamilton the power of making
large Sacrifices to their Country.-
With regard to the Posts which you mention - I Shall
as my health permits give you all the Information
I have with regard to Detroit, Niagara & Oswego
pg 8

General Winkinson took all the measures to obtain information to Mackinac where he repaired himself with Officers, Masons, &.a&.a he was at Fort Defiance & Should the Documents not be Sufficient it would be easy to obtain Authentic ones from a M.r Mac Niff formerly Assistant Engineer of the British & now a magistrate under our Government at Detroit. - he is poor & would for a Small consideration perform the tour again if it was necessary.
Before I conclude I shall observe that the greatest uneasiness prevails among our British Neighbours on account of the hostile intentions of the Northern & Northwestern Indian Sir John Johnson is arrived at New Ark on that business which Seems to have originated from Captain Brent's Selling lands to which he had no claims - A Body of Militia is ordered to prepare for encampment - They are mounting their Cannon at Fort George &a – these preparations make me look with encroased Anguish at my thirty odd men placed in a fort which would require Three thousand if the outworks were to be Manned -- I find that my apology for laconism was perfectly Needless - however for inaccuracies - Permit me to assure you that it is with heartfelt regret that I am induced by unavoidable Necessity - To beg to decline the commission entrusted to me in your Second letter - I have been used to obey implicitly without even considering the consequences - however the peculiarity of my Situation will I hope Serve me at an apology with Most respectfull consideration I have the honor to be
Sir
Your Most Obedient &
very Humble Servant
J J U Rivardi
Majr srn Regt Art