151To George Washington from James McHenry, 29 June 1799 (Washington Papers)
I received yesterday your private letter of the 25th inst. and its inclosures which I now return. The objections you suggest relative to the promotion of the officer in question are intitled to very serious consideration. Major Generals Lee & Hand may expect a station in the regular army, and certainly the Eastern quarter of the Union will not be pleased unless they have in it one Major...
152To George Washington from James McHenry, 29 July 1799 (Washington Papers)
Mr Bordley left the inclosed collection of his works with me with a request that I should forward it to you. There are some useful things in the book, but I believe little of it his own. Francis has procured the Sword for our young warrior, and tells me, the helmit will soon be finished, when the whole will be forwarded. It appears by a letter from Mr Murray to the Secy of State, that he had...
153To George Washington from James McHenry, 5 August 1799 (Washington Papers)
Mr Murray has executed his instructions and Mr Pickering has received from him the answer of Mr Talyrand ⟨so⟩ that Mr Elsworth &c. will be received according to their functions, and respected agreeably to the law of nations, and one or several persons be duly appointed to treat with them. So far the answer would seem a compliance with the conditions announced to the Senate by the President....
154To George Washington from James McHenry, 14 August 1799 (Washington Papers)
Governor Davie of N. Carolina sent me by the last mail, three copies of a little work of his intitled, “instructions to be observed for the formations and movements of Cavalry,” one of which he requested me, which I now do, to present to the commander in chief. I do not recollect whether I mentioned to you, that he is one in the Commission to the Directory. The President has directed the...
155To George Washington from James McHenry, 24 August 1799 (Washington Papers)
At length the articles for my young friend has been procurr’d and is now waiting for a conveyance. There is a vessel up for Alexandria which I am informed is to sail in a day or two. I shall send them on board to day directed to the care of Col. Fitzgerald. They are in two small boxes. The sword is well wrapped up and directed in like manner. The office will move on monday to Trenton. Yours...
156To George Washington from James McHenry, 3 September 1799 (Washington Papers)
Inclosed are the rules which have been adopted by the President of the United States relative to rank and promotion in the Army. It is requested that you will as speedily as the nature of the case and circumstances admit determine the relative rank of the field officers of the Regiment of Cavalry, and of the 12 regiments of Infantry raised in pursuance of the Act of the 16 July 1798. For your...
157Enclosure: List of Field Officers, 3 September 1799 (Washington Papers)
As the Letters from the Colonels and Majors do not exactly agree with the records of the War department, it has been thought proper to annex to such of them as were in service during the late War, the time of their entering and quitting the service as entered in the Books and settlements of the Office. Lieutenant Colonels John Smith Captain 1 April 1778 deranged 1 Jany 1783 James Read Captain...
158To George Washington from James McHenry, 10 November 1799 (Washington Papers)
My attention, for some time past, has been so completely engrossed, that notwithstanding my earnest wish to communicate with you upon several subjects, I could not without neglecting some urgent business devote any moments to that purpose. In truth, the stone, however near I may seem to get it to the summit of the mountain, is perpetually upon the recoil, and demands constant exertion and...
159To George Washington from James McHenry, 3 December 1799 (Washington Papers)
I have recd your private letter of the 17th Novr ulto, since which I have been very closely engaged in business. The inclosed news paper contains the Presidents speech delivered to-day. You will find it nearly what it ought to be, I had feared he would have entered into reasoning upon a certain measure which had he would most assuredly have attracted to the subject a very pointed direct or...
160To George Washington from James McHenry, 14 April 1781 (Washington Papers)
As the within to Col. Tilghman is on business of a public nature, I have taken the liberty to inclose it under cover to your Excellency. I had a letter yesterday from Governor Lee containing the substance of an official dispatch from Governor Jefferson (the date not mentioned) by which it appears that Phillips was still on board his vessels at Portsmouth, but making a large collection of...
161To George Washington from James McHenry, 30 September 1781 (Washington Papers)
Having been elected one of the Senate for the State of Maryland I beg leave to resign the rank of Major which I hold in the army of the United States. With the greatest respect I have the honor to be Sir Your Excellency’s most ob. St DNA : RG 93—Manuscript File.
162To George Washington from James McHenry, 3 December 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have placed my resignation in the hands of one of the electors but he omitted forwarding it to Congress at the usual time. I now take the liberty to send it to your Excellency as the lateness of the resignation makes it rather improper on my own account for it to go to Congress from myself. I make no doubt but your Excellency when here suggested such measures as you saw necessary to be...
163To George Washington from James McHenry, 20 January 1782 (Washington Papers)
I would have thanked your Excellency for your very interesting letter, if I had not waited to render my acknowledgements more valuable by the hand who should present them. It is at least one of the fairest in the world. I need not add that it is Mrs Lloyds. We are just about closing our session. The only novelty which it has given birth to, is a man called an Intendant, whom we have vested...
164To George Washington from James McHenry, 5 April 1782 (Washington Papers)
Doctor Craik gives me but a moment to acknowlege your Excellency’s letter of the 12 of last month. I think precisely with your Excellency in your observations on the war. Its prosecution is certainly intended, and it is our business to bring as early as possible a respectable force into the field. Shall I tell you, that we inlist but slowly, and that I am very apprehensive our Assembly will be...
165To George Washington from James McHenry, 14 July 1782 (Washington Papers)
This packet will be delivered you by Mr Lindsay manager of the Baltimore Theatre, who waits upon your Excellency to solicit a change in the parole of the band of musick at Frederick to this place. If this favor can be granted it will be adding essentially to the obligations which this Town is under to your Excellency, by increasing its pleasures. I would suppose the Band can have no objection...
166To George Washington from John Lynch, 20 July 1782 (Washington Papers)
I beg the Favour of your Excellencys excusing my taking up your time by interfereing with That multiplicity of Business of a higher nature and purpose. A Mr Kennedy left this town and joined the British at the beginning of those times from whom he received the Commission of Captn—he is nearly relatied to my wife on account of Which he Sent me out in the year 1777 a Deed of Gift wherein he...
167To George Washington from James McHenry, 30 September 1782 (Washington Papers)
I am now able to reply to your letter of the 12th instant. I thought to have done it sooner, but I ventured to Annapolis upon a little piece of business before I had quite subdued the remains of a fever, where I had a relapse which confined me once more to my bed. I am at present likely to enjoy better health. You suppose the prospects of peace the order a little further back. I fear this to...
168To George Washington from James McHenry, 10 October 1782 (Washington Papers)
I wrote you upon a variety of matters by Major Lynch, and as some of them were interesting I hope the latter has met with no disasterous accident. I am once again a man of health after five fevers; each of which was violent and obstinate enough to have condemned a constitution much stronger than mine; and yet mine does not give any marks of what it has so recently suffered. I am now going to...
169To George Washington from James McHenry, 2 February 1783 (Washington Papers)
One of the best old ladies in the world who has one of the cleverest young ladies for a daughter has requested my endeavours for the recovery of a negroe man of hers in your army. I inclose you a note of hers on the subject, and have to intreat your Excellency that you will order an enquiry and have the negroe restored. I recollect to have been told by Major Reed in Virginia something of this...
170To George Washington from James McHenry, 15 April 1783 (Washington Papers)
Because I have no reason to believe myself forgotten, notwithstanding you have not written to me for a long time. I would not leave Philadelphia without congratulating with you upon an event the most fortunate for America, and the most glorious for my general. You have carried us through a long war; you have not sunk under the severest tryals; and you live to see a country enjoy the blessings...
171To George Washington from James McHenry, 31 July 1783 (Washington Papers)
You will forgive me for not writing to you sooner and attribute it to its real cause, not want of the sincerest inclination, but of Censure. Perhaps before this reaches you the president will have transmitted our resolve for bringing you here and relieving you from that disagreable situation of which you have so justly complained in your letter to Congress. I was chairman of the committee on...
172To George Washington from James McHenry, 11 August 1783 (Washington Papers)
I am just now honored with your letter of the 6th. You have indeed gone over a great deal of ground in a very short time. The first motive for bringing you here was to get you out of a disagreeable situation, to one less disagreeable. The second was to get your assistance and advice in the arrangements for peace. It may be necessary besides to consult you respecting promotions, and on a...
173To George Washington from James McHenry, 18 August 1783 (Washington Papers)
I am going to receive your thanks for putting it in your power to do good. A Miss Howard, a citizen of Annapolis, of an amiable character and reputable connections married a Capn Le Vacher de Vanbruen, a French gentleman. The Capn served with reputation in our army from the year 1776 til the capture of Lord Cornwallis when he obtained a furlough to visit France. He embarked in the Favorite...