Difficulty in the Payment of Troops, Etc.

Item

Type

Draft Document

Title

Difficulty in the Payment of Troops, Etc.

Description

Hamilton emphasizes that the troops must be paid promptly or many probems, including desertions, will resutl. The lack of musters or payrolls should not interfere with this goal. He notes that that the chief of each branch of the departments of supply and pay should have a deputy with each army or military district.

year created

1799

month created

09

day created

14

sent from location

New York

recipient

in collection

note

Cited in Swan to Hamilton, 09/19/1799.
Copy in the handwriting of Ethan Brown.

cited note

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

notable person/group

Caleb Swan, Paymaster General
Alexander Hamilton
[Ethan Brown]
another deputy to act with the Army under General Pinckney
new troops must not be disgusted by delays in giving them their dues

notable location

New York

notable item/thing

difficulty has occurred in the payment of the troops
provision which requires the warrant of the Commanding General [Washington]
the chief of each branch of the departments of supply and pay should be stationed at the Seat of Government [Philadelphia]
he should have a deputy with each Army or separate military district to perform the requisite duties there
advance of money
my sanction by warrant to the last payments you mention
selection in the Southern Quarter
assistance of Colonel [Edward] Carrington
desire to promote the service in a manner consistent with the satisfactory discharge of your functions
the law vests you the right of selecting your deputy
it is a rule of military etiquette not to appoint definitively till you have reported to the Commanding General
sanction of General Pinckney which will not doubt be given
much discontent on the article of pay already exists in the new regiments
it is the cause or pretext of desertion
arrear of bounty money and two months pay [must] be sent to each of these regiments
want of muster or payrolls [should not] be an impediment in the progress of raising troops
temporary deviations are right and indespensable
permission of the Secretary of War [McHenry]

document number

1799091437100

Document instances

In image In source Location in source
[view document] (0 pages) [no image] Collection: Printed Versions [unknown]
[view document] (0 pages) [no image] Publication: The Papers of Alexander Hamilton [unknown]

Document names

Type Name Location Notes
Author Alexander Hamilton New York [n/a]
Recipient Caleb Swan [unknown] [n/a]