Suggestions for Military Appointments, 14 July 1798

Suggestions for Military Appointments

Mount Vernon 14th July 1798

Officers suggested for Appointments in the augmentation proposed1

Majr Genls

Alexr Hamilton—Inspector
Chas C. Pinckney
Henry Knox, or if either refuses
Henry Lee

Brigadiers

Henry Lee (if not M. Genl)
John Brooks [1752–1825], Massts
Wm S. Smith—or
John E[ager] Howard [1752–1827]

Adjt Genl

Either Edward Hand [1744–1802]—Penna
Jonathan Dayton, Jr. N.J.—or
Willm S. Smith

Qr Mastr Genl

Edward Carrington

Directr Hospl

James Craik

The following, as far as my recollection serves are among the most intelligent and active Officers of the late American Army2

New Hampshire	None recollected at present
Massachusetts	[Lt. Col.] David Cobb [1748–1830] very good
	[Col.] Henry Jackson [1747–1809]
	[Maj.] Leml Trescott [1750–1826] good
	[Maj.] Caleb Gibbs [c.1750–1818] good
	[Lt. Col.] Andrew Peters [1742–1822]
	[Maj.] Hodijah Baylies [1756–1843]
Rhode Island	[Lt. Col.] Jerh Olney [1749–1812] very good
	[Col.] Henry Sherburn [1747–1824] good
	[Maj.] Willm Blodget [1754–1809]
	[Maj.] Jno. S. Dexter [1754–1844] good
	[Maj.] Willm Peck [1755–1832] Do

Connecticut	[Col.] Philp P. Bradley [1738–1831] good
	[Lt. Col.] Thos Grosvener [1744–1825]
	[Col.] Elisha Sheldon [1740–1805]
	[Lt. Col.] Ebenezr Huntington [1754–1834] good
	[Maj.] Benj: Talmadge [1754–1835] very good
New York	[Lt. Col.] Ebenezr Stevens [1751–1823] good Exec. Office
	[Maj.] Nichs Fish [1758–1833] very good
	[Maj.] Mathw Clarkson [1758–1825] Do
	[Cap.] William North [1755–1836]
	[Lt. Col.] Benj. Walker [1753–1818] good
New Jersey	[Lt. Col.] Jno. Cummings [1752–1821]
	[Lt. Col.] Anthy W. White [1750–1803]
	[Maj.] Jos[ep]h Bloomfield [1753–1825]
	[Brig. Maj.] Aaron Ogden [1756–1839] very good
Pennsylvania	[Col.] Fran[ci]s Johnson [1748–1815]
	[Lt. Col] Fran[ci]s Mentges [d. 1805]
	[Col.] Thos Robinson [1751–1819]
	[Maj.] Willm McPherson [1756–1813] very good
	[Maj.] Willm Alexander [no dates] good
	[Maj.] Thos Ll Moore [1759-c.1813]
	[Maj.] Willm Jackson [1759–1828]
Delaware	None at present recollected
Maryland	[Col.] Josias C. Hall [1746–1814]
	[Lt. Col.] Nathl Ramsay [1741–1817]
	[Lt. Col.] Nichs Rogers [1753–1822]
	[Maj.] Leven Winder [1757–1819]
	[Lt. Col.] Jno. Eccleston [1750–1789]
	[Lt. Col.] Aquila Giles [1758–1822] now N. York
Virginia	[Col.] William Heth [1750–1807] very good
	[Lt. Col.] Willm Darke [1736–1801] rough
	[Col.] Burges Ball [1749–1800]
	[Maj.] Jos[ep]h Eggleston [1754–1811]
	[Col.] Benj: Temple [c.1734–1800/2]
	[Lt. Col.] Richd C. Anderson [1750–1826]
	[Col.] James Wood [1750–1813] Governor
	[Lt. Col.] Jonathan Clark [1730–1797]
North Carolina	None recollected
South Cara	[Lt. Col.] Willm Washington [1752–1810] very good
	[Board of War] Edwd Rutledge [1749–1800] Do
	[Maj.] Thos Pinckney [1750–1828] Do
Georgia	None recollected

There may be among the foregoing some of bad political principles, and others whose true characters I have mistaken—and the whole of them require to be investigated.

Go: Washington

ADS, MHi: Adams Papers; ADS (letterpress copy), DLC:GW; copy, in the hand of Tobias Lear, NN: Washington Papers. This was written on the reverse of GW’s answers to McHenry’s queries of this date.

1. GW sent the names of these men suggested for senior appointments in the augmented regular army to Alexander Hamilton on this date. See note 4 to that letter.

2. The title inserted in brackets before the name of each man is the highest rank in the Continental army that he reached.

Index Entries

You Are Looking At

Source Project: Washington Papers
Title: Suggestions for Military Appointments, 14 July 1798
Author: Washington, George
Date: 14 July 1798

Reference

Cite as: “Suggestions for Military Appointments, 14 July 1798,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/06-02-02-0319. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Retirement Series, vol. 2, 2 January 1798 – 15 September 1798, ed. W. W. Abbot. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1998, pp. 414–416.]