Circular Letter from Secretary at War to Department Heads [Cabinet] Concerning Officers & a Court Martial
Item
Type
Letter Signed
Title
Circular Letter from Secretary at War to Department Heads [Cabinet] Concerning Officers & a Court Martial
Description
At the request of the president, McHenry lays out Adams' concerns over the propriety of a recently concluded court-martial in New York [presumably that of Richard Hunt], and asks for the department heads' opinions. These concerns included the possibility of officers serving as members of the court before having received their official commissions, the precise documentation required to prove legal appointment as an officer (an offer and an acceptance, or an actual commission signed by the president), and the requirement that a 2/3 majority of the court martial approve a death sentence.
year created
1799
month created
06
day created
24
author
sent from location
War Department
recipient
in collection
in image
note
Enclosed in McHenry to Adams, 07/12/1799.
Much is illegible.
Much is illegible.
recipient note
Timothy Pickering; Oliver Wolcott; Benjamin Stoddert.
notable person/group
James McHenry
Timothy Pickering
Oliver Wolcott
Benjamin Stoddert
Secretary of War
Secretary of State
Secretary of Treasury
officers
Richard Hunt
President United States
John Adams
Lieutenant Dransy
General Officer
cavalry
troops
regiment
General Alexander Hamilton
district attorney
notable location
New York
War Department
notable item/thing
court martial
officer commission
documentation
legal appointment
death sentence
circular letter
constitution
execution
pay
military court
rules and articles of war
document number
1799062400005
page start
4
Item sets
Transcribe this document
Document instances
| In image | In source | Location in source | |
|---|---|---|---|
| [view document] (5 pages) | IDH13 (14 pages) | Collection: John Adams Papers | R: 395 |
Document names
| Type | Name | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | James McHenry | War Department | [n/a] |
| Recipient | Timothy Pickering | [unknown] | Oliver Wolcott; Benjamin Stoddert; |