From George Washington to the United States Senate, 4 March 1791
To the United States Senate
United States 4th March 1791.
Gentlemen of the Senate,
In pursuance of an Act intitled “An Act for raising and adding another Regiment to the Military establishment of the United States, and making further provision for the protection of the frontiers.” I nominate for the following Offices therein mentioned,
Major General Arthur St Clair.
Quarter Master Samuel Hodgdon.
Chaplain John Hurt.
Go: Washington
LS, DNA: RG 46, Second Congress, 1791–1793, Records of Executive Proceedings, President’s Messages—Executive Nominations; LB, DLC:GW.
These nominations were received by the Senate on 4 Mar. 1791 and approved the same day. The appointment of St. Clair as major general made him the ranking officer in the regular army ( 2:130–31). The appointment of Samuel Hodgdon as quartermaster for the impending expedition against the Indians in the Northwest Territory came only after Timothy Pickering had declined the post (see Henry Knox to Tobias Lear, 25 Feb. 1791 and note).