vision by law should precede the enlistment of the men, to avoid the obstacle to a change, which may result from con

tract.

With great respect and esteem,

I have the honor to be, &c.

HAMILTON TO WASHINGTON.

Answer to questions of the Secretary at War of November 10, 1798. December, 1798.

No. 1. First and second questions.-The rule which appears proper as a primary one, is the relative population of the States severally. In the application of this rule, the distribution made by the Secretary, appears so far correct as to be deemed an eligible standard.

Improper to tie down the recruiting service by an absolute apportionment of the men among the States.

The officers will naturally be assigned to recruit in the States of which they are; if the men can be found there they will be had; but it is possible they may not be obtainable, and there ought to be liberty to obtain them elsewhere.

The troops of horse not to be confined to any division of the United States; but an exact distribution of so small a number would be inconvenient. It is therefore deemed proper to let the arrangement be governed principally by the characters who have occurred as officers. It is proposed to assign to Virginia and Maryland 3 troops; Pennsylvania 1; New Jersey 1; NewYork and Connecticut 1.

The number of horse inadequate. Presuming that an increase will be found eligible, the distribution can be made with an idea to the other States. Consideration has been had as a secondary motive to the fitness of character.

Third question.-The fact solves this question.

Fourth question.-Provisions of law peremptory. Will not examine bounds of executive discretion; but it must be evident that a suspension cannot be justified but by a very urgent mo tive. None such are known to exist.

Nothing has been communicated as to foreign relations, to induce an opinion that the ground upon which the act for augmenting the army was passed has been changed. As far as can be inferred from the Treasury documents communicated, no obstacle is perceived to arise from financial considerations; but this is a point on which it cannot be expected that the responsi bility of any definitive opinion will be assumed. The head of the proper department will no doubt explicitly pronounce.

Fifth question. The opinion is, that they ought all to be immediately appointed, and immediately to receive their pay and be put into activity. This is with the exception, from want of adequate information, of the two Carolinas, Georgia, and Ten

nessee.

It is conceived that it will be expedient to confide to General Pinckney, with the aid of Generals Davie and Washington, to prepare the arrangement for these States, subject to the ratification of the President, but with as large a discretion to fix the arrangement as propriety will permit.

Sixth question. Inexpedient at present to withdraw the troops in question, with a view to reinforce those on the seaboard. But our whole plan on the northwestern and southwestern frontier may require revision, and it is deemed eligible to require General Wilkinson to repair as soon as possible to the seat of the government, in order that it may have the benefit of his local knowledge and advice. He should be cautioned to avoid any demonstrations of hostility towards the Spaniard; but, on the contrary, as far as may be, to assume a different complexion.

Seventh question.-It is conceived best that the additional companies shall reinforce the western army.

Eighth question.-As to artillery. It is understood that the two regiments comprise twenty-eight companies; that of these, eight are in the western country. The remaining companies may temporarily be thus disposed of: one to Boston, three to New

port, one to West Point, three to New-York, two to Fort Mifflin, two to Baltimore, two to Norfolk, one to Cape Fear River, three to Charleston, one to Savannah, one to St. Marys.

It is desirable that entire companies be stationed, and the mingling of different corps be avoided. The field officers will, of course, be distributed proportionally.

Ninth question.--The permanent disposition of the troops after they shall have been raised, may be influenced by circumstances yet to be developed. The first object of attention is the distribution, with a view to the recruiting service. To this end, each State should be divided into districts, equal to the number of companies to be recruited therein. The men to be brought to the company rendezvous as soon as may be after they are recruited; and a certain number of these rendezvous, where it can conveniently be done, to be put under the superintendence of a field officer. During the winter it would be inconvenient in most of the States, to assemble in larger corps than companies.

Tenth question.-The public ought to provide the rations by contract or otherwise, as it may be found best.

The giving money to the recruit would have many inconveniences, by giving pretext of absence to provide supply, unfavorable to discipline, tending to disputes with the inhabitants, and to desertion. Many of the men will apply their money to strong drink, rather than to food.

Eleventh question.-Contracts for stationary posts are to be preferred; but for an army operating in the field, purchasing is to be preferred, except that the magazines, which are to be formed at particular places, may be best formed by contract.

Twelfth question.-Springfield, Harper's Ferry, Rocky Mount on the Wateree.

HAMILTON TO GUNN.

DEAR SIR:

NEW-YORK, December 16th, 1798.

I regretted that my excessive avocations did not permit me, as I intended, to call upon you before I left Philadelphia. In addition to the pleasure of doing it, I was desirous of knowing the state of your mind with regard to military service. It was not that there was any thing worth your acceptance, upon the disposal of which at the time I could have had any influence; but I wished to understand what would be agreeable to you, with a view to the progress of affairs. If we are to be seriously engaged in military operations, 'tis not a compliment to you to say that you are one of those men who must be in the field. With such an enemy, we shall want men who will not barely do their duty, but will do it with an energy equal to all dangers.

With very great regard, &c.

DEAR SIR:

HAMILTON TO MCHENRY.

NEW-YORK, December 16, 1798.

I regretted that I was detained to the last moment of being in time for the stage in which my baggage had been previously sent, and thereby prevented from calling upon you before my final departure from Philadelphia.

If the recruiting service is to be confided to me, I ought as soon as possible to be definitely apprised of it, and in the mean time I shall be glad to have the instructions heretofore prepared for that purpose, that I may endeavor to obtain, for your final decision, new lights from officers who have had experience in this branch of the service. My own was very limited, and it is of great importance to proceed upon a right plan.

You recollect that, shortly after my first appointment, I was desired to turn my attention to a system of regulations for the tactics and discipline of the army. From that moment I have devoted much of my time to the preliminary investigations, and I shall devote a much larger proportion, if I am to consider myself as now in service, and entitled to the emoluments of the station; for, to be frank with you, it is utterly out of my power to apply my time to the public service without the compensations, scanty enough, which the law annexes to the office. If I were to receive them from the day of the appointment, I should be at least a thousand pounds the worse for my acceptance. From the time that it was fully known that I had re-engaged in military life, the uncertainty of my being able to render services for which I might be retained drove away more than one-half of my professional practice, which I may moderately estimate at four thou sand pounds a year. My pecuniary sacrifices already to the public ought to produce the reverse of a disposition every where to compel me to greater than the law imposes. This remark, I am well aware, is not necessary for you personally.

Again, if I am to discharge with effect the duties of my present office, I must make frequent journeys from one part of the army to another. Every body knows that the expenses of such journeys would quickly eat out the narrow allowances of a Major-General.

It will be disagreeable to be exposed to the dilemma of compromiting my reputation and that of the government by not producing the results to be expected from the department, or of ruining myself once more in performing services for which there is no adequate compensation.

The precedent of the last war is a full comment on the propriety of an extra allowance to the Inspector-General. It is indeed indispensable, if he is to be useful.

It is always disagreeable to speak of compensations for one's self, but a man past forty, with a wife and six children, and a very small property beforehand, is compelled to waive the scruples which his nicety would otherwise dictate.

With great esteem and regard, I remain, &c.