ness has prevented a reply. Such of your remarks as are personal to me are very gratifying. I hope your expectations will not finally be disappointed, though it will require time before a complete organization of what is now a very disjointed mass, will enable me to establish a perfect order. Zeal, at least, my friends know will not be wanting. The request you make with respect to yourself, though unusual, is very natural, considering past experience. It will not fail to influence my advice, unless I perceive that your feelings and your interest as a soldier can be mutually consulted. Communicate to me freely and confidentially on the subject of western affairs, you are sure of my discretion and honor. HAMILTON TO WASHINGTON. NEW-YORK, June 7th, 1799. DEAR SIR: I did myself the honor to write to you at some length on the 3d of May, I hope the letter got safe to hand. The recruiting service is now in motion in Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New-York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts; I might, perhaps, add Virginia, from the assu. rances which I have received as to the transmission of supplies, but I am not as yet informed of its actual commencement in that State. This cannot be much longer delayed. The field officers for the regiment, which embraces New Hampshire, Vermont and Rhode Island, have been lately appointed. They are Rufus Graves, lieutenant-colonel; Timothy Tarling and Cornelius Lynde, majors. The moment money and clothing shall arrive the recruiting will begin there and in North Carolina. But I do not view this as very near. I do not understand that the officers for South Carolina and Georgia have yet been recommended. The information I receive as to the progress and prosperity of the recruiting service, is sufficiently encouraging. Colonel Taylor, commandant of the regiment raising in Connecticut, assures me that he is persuaded, if no obstacle arises from supplies, that in two months his regiment will be filled by native Americans. From other quarters the intelligence is very well. I permit myself to hope that in the summer and fall the army will be at its complement. I send you a copy of the arrangement which has been made of the two regiments of artillerists; measures are taking to carry it into execution;-the distribution of the officers of the western army is referred to Colonel Burbeck. There is nothing further in the military line worthy of your attention to communicate. When I shall have obtained more assistance I shall write more frequently. A letter from Mr. King contains this unpleasant intelligence. The publication of the treaty of Campo-Formio by the Directory, will injure the affairs of the emperor. It will increase the jealousy of the king of Prussia and of the emperor, whose safety and interests were too little in view in that treaty. There is no end to the folly of the potentates who are arrayed against France. We impatiently expect further accounts of the operations of the archduke, and entertain a strong hope that his genius and energy will turn to good account the advantage he has gained. Most respectfully and affectionately I have the honor to be, &c. HAMILTON TO ADLUM. NEW-YORK, June 8th, 1799. SIR: It is conceived to be expedient for some time to come, to keep a body of troops in and near that district of country in which the late insurrection existed. For this service, it is intended for the present to continue the troops now at Reading, viz.: two companies of artillerists (Elliot's and Irvin's); a company of infantry (Shoemaker's), and a detachment of infantry under Lieutenant Boote. General McPherson recommended the occupying of three stations, Reading, Allentown, and Easton. If the corps of troops was more considerable, I should entirely approve this idea. But to render them at all impressive, there must not be too few at one point. I have thought that a company at Easton, and the remainder at Reading, might be the best disposition. It is my desire that you assume the command of the whole body, as above described, and that you make such a disposition of it in reference to those points, as information on the spot shall induce you to prefer. This command need not interfere with the duties to which you have been assigned, in regard to the recruiting service. You must so manage as to reconcile the two objects with each other. HAMILTON TO MAJOR HOOPS. NEW-YORK, June 10th, 1799. SIR: You will cause McGregor to be furnished with the requisite certificates, from the captain of his company, and the acting surgeon, in order to an application to me for a discharge. The service is best rid of such men. I am desirous of seeing in practice the French manual of the artillery, in order to a comparison of it with our own. The necessary apparatus, if not in the garrison, will be provided by Colonel Stevens, on your application, showing him this paragraph of my letter. If you have not in the garrison some field-pieces, you will obtain four from Colonel Stevens, in order to the exercise of the men; if he has none belonging to the United States, you will, in my name, request a loan out of those belonging to the State. I requested that Captain Read, lately from West Point, might be directed to call upon me. As he has not called, I pre sume my note to you must have miscarried. I request that he may be informed of my desire to see him. HAMILTON TO NEW-YORK, June 12th, 1799. It will be with great regret that I shall at any time see in the conduct of an officer intentional negligence or disrespect. I am the less disposed to suppose either in the present case, because it is impossible to imagine a motive. Yet I owe it to propriety to remark, that your continued silence has been ill-judged. The obstacles which you mention to the making of the returns, did not render it impracticable to acknowledge the receipt of my letters, and to inform me of the causes of delay, and of what was intended, which certainly ought to have been done. HAMILTON TO WASHINGTON. (PRIVATE.) NEW-YORK, June 15th, 1799. DEAR SIR: I wrote to you a few days since, chiefly to inform you of the progress of the measures respecting the recruiting service, and that the symptoms with regard to it were sufficiently promising. The accounts continue favorable. I have just received a letter from General Wilkinson, dated the 13th April, in which he assures me he will set out in the ensuing month for the seat of government. The interview with him will be useful. It strikes me forcibly, that it will be right and expedient to advance this gentleman to the grade of major-general. He has been long steadily in service, and long a brigadier. This, in so considerable an extension of the military establishment, gives him a pretension to promotion. I am aware, that some doubts have been entertained of him, and that his character on certain sides, gives room for doubt. Yet he is at present in the service, is a man of more than ordinary talent, of courage and enterprise-has discovered upon various occasions a good zeal-has embraced military pursuits as a profession, and will naturally find his interest, as an ambitious man, in deserving the favor of the government; while he will be apt to become disgusted, if neglected; and through disgust may be rendered really what he is now only suspected to be. Under such circumstances, it seems to me good policy to avoid all just grounds of discontent, and to make it the interest of the individual to pursue his duty. If you should be also of this opinion, I submit to your consideration, whether it would not be advisable for you to express it in a private letter to the Secretary of War. HAMILTON TO MCHENRY. NEW-YORK, June 16th, 1799. DEAR SIR: Seeing the terrible delays which take place, is it not advisable immediately to authorize your agent at New-York and Boston, to take prompt measures for increasing your supply of clothing, tents, and such other articles as are in arrear? Considering past experience, can you possibly depend on the present plan for the future supply? If blue cloth cannot be found for the whole, better to take some other color by entire regiments for those which have not yet begun to recruit. The Brest fleet is out. Its destination is in all probability Ireland; but ought we so entirely to rely upon this as to omit |