of November last respecting the arrangement which was submitted to you upon the plan of Brigadier-General Wilkinson.

A material object of the arrangement was to prevent, as far as practicable, the dislocation of officers from their men, who, to avoid very inconvenient and expensive changes of position, must be incorporated differently from what they have been. But the effect of that arrangement upon the relative situation of certain officers appears on examination greater than I apprehended it to be, and it is our decisive opinion that the result would operate injuriously to the service.

In conformity with these ideas I have attempted a new arrangement, which is now sent, in which the transpositions are few, and, as I understand the matter, without prejudice to any. I entreat your speedy consideration of and decision upon it.

HAMILTON TO M'HENRY.

NEW-YORK, Feb. 28th, 1800.

SIR:

I send you the inclosed papers as they came to me from the paymaster-general. It appears that the account of Captain Ellery, after having travelled backward and forward between the offices of the paymaster and accountant, has found no person who could adjust it. I cannot presume that it has been finally rejected, because there is no evidence of a definitive application. to you.

If there are any cases in which a commanding general may, by his orders, authorize the incurring of incidental and casual expenses for the good of the service, the present is such. It was impossible for Captain Ellery, with less assistance than he had, to get through the business of the office, especially in the first stages of its operations. A competent number of officers to assist, could not at the time be had without injuring other parts of the service, nor would this expedient have much diminished the ex

pense. I am clearly of opinion that an officer cannot, with propriety, be permanently detached from the peculiar duties of his station, to be employed in services of a clerical nature, without an extra compensation proportioned to the extra labor; and that as often as the measure is necessary, such a compensation ought to be made. And I believe that ours is the only service in which there is not a military chest with a contingent fund applicable to such cases, or some officer of the staff, competent to the defraying of similar expenses as they occur.

In the return of these papers to me, I discern a fresh instance of the want of some interior regulation of your department, by which cases out of the general rules may be decided with due dispatch. Every day shows me more and more the embarrassments, which, from the same cause, perplex and distress every military agent who has any thing to do with directing or making expenditures. A remedy is indispensable to the credit and success of the service.

As to the matter immediately in question, it is my opinion, (as it seems to have been that of the paymaster-general and accountant,) that your special sanction is necessary. It will give me pleasure to learn that you have thought it right to afford that sanction.

MCHENRY TO HAMILTON.

March 1, 1800.

DEAR SIR:

Will you give a few hours to the formation of a bill, or bills, providing, 1st. For the modifications of the two regiments of artillerists, agreeably to the principles laid down in my report. 2d. For establishing the fundamental school and schools of artillerists and engineers. 3d. For such other points mentioned in my report as requiring legislative provisions. 4th. An explanatory clause in the latter bill, defining the officers entitled to double rations. The two first bills, or bills for the two first named

objects, I request you to send me as soon as possible. Such is the pressure of business upon me, that it is out of my power to do justice to these subjects.

HAMILTON TO GENERAL PINCKNEY.

NEW-YORK, March 7th, 1800.

SIR:

I now recur to your letters of the 12th December, 9th, 21st, and 23d of January, and 10th of February.

Instructions for the officers of inspection will form part of the general system in preparation. In the mean time, they will perform the duties which they executed in our war with Great Britain; that is, they will, in aid of the respective general officers, see that all the regulations concerning the tactics and police of the army are observed; and for this purpose will assist at exercises (not however as substitutes for commanding officers, which was too much the case last war); will inspect and muster the troops according to the forms and instructions which proceed from the office of the adjutant-general and paymaster-general; and they will, within their divisions and brigades, receive and issue the different general orders, perform the duties relative to the service of guards, &c., and whatsoever else is connected with the office of the adjutant-general; making all returns of the num ber and state of the troops. The duties formerly incident to the brigade-major are absorbed in this office. You are aware that the deputy inspector-general (section 13 of the act of the 3d of March, 1799,) is ex officio deputy adjutant-general. You may either employ Major Campbell in this capacity, or you may recommend to me another field-officer. Till the regulations shall be matured, you will be pleased to direct the duties of the inspectors according to this outline.

I have written to West Point for the extra Manuels d'Artil lerie which you mention; if procured, one will be transmitted to you.

Captain McClellan's is now almost complete.

That and Captain Ingersoll's will be sent to you next month, and they will bring with them a couple of field-pieces mounted as you desire.

A system for the corps of artillerists is nearly prepared.

I consider the French prisoners as in the charge of the Naval Department, and the military restricted to the mere functions of a guard. For this, however, some ammunition is necessary. I have written to the Superintendent of Military Stores to furnish you with a supply equal to four field-pieces and a regiment of infantry.

You mention your being without a quartermaster. I have arranged with the Secretary of War to appoint, provisionally (that is, subject to the ratification of the Quartermaster-General), a Deputy Quartermaster-General, and Division and Brigade Quartermasters. The plan is, to name fit characters whom he approves, conditionally, allowing them, in the mean time, the prescribed compensations. If you will name to him characters for your particular district, they will be sanctioned. I expected that he had communicated the plan to you.

Inclosed is a list of officers, according to a definitive organization of the four old regiments. All the men of those regiments, in Georgia, South and North Carolina, and Tennessee, are to be incorporated into the fourth regiment which is attached to your command. It is presumed, though the returns are not accurate enough to ascertain it, that they will be sufficient to form one regiment.

All the men recruited and recruiting lately under the superintendence of Major Bradley, now under that of Captain Brooks, except those in North Carolina, with Captain Ross Bird, are to be marched, as soon as the season will conveniently permit, to Pittsburgh, for their final destination. All the officers of the first, second, and third regiments within your district are to join their respective regiments without delay.

I request that you will give the proper orders for carrying this arrangement into effect. Your situation will enable you to judge better than me of the most eligible routes.

Inclosed, also, is the plan which has been settled for the disposition of the four regiments of infantry. It was the intention of General Wilkinson to allot the first regiment to the north and northwestern posts; a battalion of the third to the Mississippi and the southern barrier; and to the reserved corps the second regiment and a battalion of the third. These data will serve you as a guide.

If you find that the fourth regiment will not be complete, upon your giving me information of the actual or probable deficiency, immediate measures will be taken to supply it by recruiting; and, for this purpose, you will reserve at Stanton such officers as you may think requisite. Captain Gibson is said to be a very good recruiting officer. I understand that Captain Bird, at Salisbury, has been furnished with the means of raising a company-Captain Bird, belonging to the first regiment—he will join the troops which are to proceed to Pittsburgh; and another officer, whom you will indicate, must replace him, and receive from him the recruiting money and clothing which may remain unissued. Should the number of men which are to be incorporated into the fourth, exceed a regiment, the surplus will remain attached to it, in such manner as you shall direct.

Your construction of the law, as to the allowance to the Division Inspector, is right. Nor is there any prospect of an increase of the compensation. You recollect that another Brigade Inspector may be appointed within your command, who may be charged with the southern extremity. This may abridge, in some degree, the travelling.

you.

I wait for the recommendation of a fit character from The idea of a rule for the extra travelling expenses of the aids of a general officer, distinct and different from that respecting the general, cannot but work inconveniently. I have expressed my opinion to this effect to the Secretary of War, who, I hope, will change this part of his plan.

With regard to some of the objects you particularize, as boat-hire, express-hire, postage, and all of a similar kind relating to the service, and not to the mere personal accommodation of the officer, I consider them as to be at the expense of the public, and