From Alexander Hamilton to Caleb Swan, 17 May 1800
To Caleb Swan1
NY. May 17th 1800
Sir
I am officially informed that an act of Congress has passed for disbanding the twelve additional regiments on or before the fifteenth of June next, granting an allowance of three months pay to the officers and Soldiers from the time of their discharge. The P. has fixed upon the 14th as the precise day.2 You will therefore send without delay the necessary sums to the D P M General with General Pinckney3 and to Capt. Williamson4 the D P M General in this district, to discharge the arrears due to the troops, and the three months pay granted by law. It is important that the sum be ample as it would bring great discredit upon the government and injury to the future service of the U States if the troops should be disbanded without receiving their due. If there be an excess it can be accounted for.
C. Swan Esqr.
Df, in the handwriting of Thomas Y. How, Hamilton Papers, Library of Congress.
1. For background to this letter, see H to Nathan Rice, May 13, 1800, note 1; James McHenry to H, first letter of May 16, 1800; Swan to H, May 17, 1800.
3. H was mistaken, for there was no deputy paymaster general for the department commanded by Charles Cotesworth Pinckney. On June 4, 1800, Pinckney issued division orders which read in part: “The paymaster Genl not having appointed any Deputy paymaster General for this department, commanding officers of regiments will transmit the notice required by the Genl Orders of the 26th May to the paymaster Genl at the seat of Government” (LC, RG 98, Post-Revolutionary War Records, Vol. 383, Orderly Book of Major General Charles Pinckney, National Archives).
4. Benjamin Williamson.