1799] HUT BUILDING 407 (one of the Administrators of Jas. Mercer Esqr. deceased) I intended to have postponed the acknowledgment thereof until then; but as Mr Brooke seems to have forgot his promise, I shall no longer delay thanking you for the trouble you have been at, on my Account, in this business. My best wishes in wch. Mrs. Washington and the family at this place unite, are offered for yourself Mrs Spotswood and all at New Post. With very great esteem etc. P. S. I was near forgetting to inform you, that if the original Deed of conveyance from me (as Attorney for Colo. George Mercer) to Colo. Fielding Lewis, is produced, that I shall have no objection to certifying before fresh evidence that I did at the time, and in the manner specified in the Instrument, put my signature thereto. But I can do no new act relative to this business; having invariably refused this in similar cases, the business being taken out of my hands by a Decree of the high Court of Chancery in this Commonwealth. [N.Y.P.L.] TO MAJOR GENERAL ALEXANDER HAMILTON Mount Vernon, October 27, 1799. Sir: Since writing the enclosed letter to you yesterday, I have received a letter from Colo. Parker, and one from Mr. Mackey, Agent for the War Department at Harper's Ferry; stating the impracticability of procuring plank &c. sufficient for covering the huts intended to have been built for three Regiments at Harper's Ferry. In consequence of this information I have again written to Colo. Parker, under this date, by Express, conforming my instructions, respecting Winter Quarters for the Troops, to the present state of things. I enclose a copy of my letter to him of this date, as well as that of yesterday, which will exhibit a full view of the business, and enable you to give any additional instructions you may thing proper, directly to Colonel Parker. Altho' I had determined to take no charge of any military operations, unless the Troops should be called into the field; yet, under the present circumstances, and considering that the advanced season of the year will admit of no delay in providing Winter Quarters for the Troops, I have willingly given my aid in this business, and shall never decline any assistance in my power, when necessary, to promote the good of the Service. On the first view, I supposed that the Regiment in this State, commanded by Colo. Bentley, was included in the three to be stationed at Harper's Ferry. I find, however, that it is not. What provision is made for the Winter Quarters of that Regiment? I have not said anything to Colo. Parker respecting compensation, or reimbursement of Expences he may incur by attending to Quartering the other Regiments, if they are seperated from his. On this subject you will be pleased to write him, if necessary. With very great esteem etc.56 *To MAJOR GENERAL ALEXANDER HAMILTON (Private) Mount Vernon, October 27, 1799. Dear Sir: To my official letters I refer you for my communication, with Colo. Parker. I have no conception however, that such difficulties as are ennumerated in his and Mr. Mackie's letters, can exist in the erection of simple Hutts, (such as served us last War); and so I am about to inform the former. I am averse to the seperation of the 8th. 9th and 10th Regiments under any circumstances which exist at present; and In the writing of Tobias Lear in the Hamilton Papers in the Library of Congress. 1799] ENVOYS TO FRANCE 409 still more so to the distribution of them into three States. If they cannot all be accomodated at Harpers Ferry, the Barracks at Frederick town (if sufficient to contain two Regiments) is to be preferred, vastly, to Carlisle; for as much as that it is only twenty miles from the Arsenal which is in great forwardness at the former place; and because fuel alone, at either Frederick Town or Carlisle for the Winter, would double all the expence of the establishment at Harpers ferry. I have gone thus far into this business, and have given these opinions, because you desired it; and because, from the peculiar situation of things, it seemed, in a manner, almost indispensable. But I wish exceedingly, that the state of Mrs. Pinckney's health, and other circumstances, would permit General Pinckney to come forward, and on his own view to decide on matters. To engage partially in Military arrangements is not only contrary to my original design, but unpleasant in its nature and operation; inasmuch as it incurs responsibility with out proper means for decision. With respect to Major Campbell," or any of those who are applying for appointments in the Inspectorate, I have no predeliction whatsoever towards them; handing in their names, with the testimonials of their merit and fitness as I receive them, for information only, is all I have in view. The purport of your (private) letter of the 21st, with respect to a late decision, has surprized me exceedingly. I was surprized at the measure,58 how much more so at the manner of it? This business seems to have commenced in an evil hour, and under unfavourable auspices; and I wish mischief may not tread in all its steps, and be the final result of the measure. A wide door was open, through which a retreat might have been made from the first faux-peaux; the shutting of which, to those "Maj. William Campbell, of the Eighth Infantry, Provisional Army. who are not behind the Curtain, and are as little acquainted with the Secrets of the Cabinet as I am, is, from the present aspect of European Affairs, incomprehensible. But I have the same reliance on Providence which you express, and trust that matters will end well, however unfavourable they may appear at present. With very great esteem etc.50 59 TO RICHARD KIDDER MEADE Mount Vernon, October 27, 1799. Dear Sir: By the last Mail I had the pleasure to receive your letter of the 15th inst. with its enclosures. Whenever the appointments for the Provisional Army take place, the Characters you have recommended will be brought into view, and their respective merits duly considered and attended to. And, in the mean time, I will thank you for the names of such others as you can, with confidence, recommend, and who would be willing to serve. Mrs. Washington unites with me in reciprocating the respects and good wishes of your self and Mrs. Meade. With very great esteem etc." 60 To LIEUTENANT COLONEL THOMAS PARKER Mount Vernon, October 27, 1799. Sir: I wrote to you very fully yesterday on the subject of hutting the Troops at Harper's Ferry, and enclosed a letter from General Hamilton on the same subject. The Messenger who took that letter to the Post Office, brought from thence your letter of the 24th instant, and one of the same date from Mr. 59 From the Hamilton Papers in the Library of Congress. "The draft is in the writing of Tobias Lear. 1799] PLANK FOR HUTS 411 Mackey. As these letters contain information which may make it proper to countermand, in some measure, the instructions given in my letter of yesterday, I shall be obliged to send this by a special Messenger, as the Mail left Alexa. for Berkley, early this morng and will not go into that part of the Country again 'till next week. As a primary object in quartering three Regts. at Harper's Ferry was to collect the Troops in as large bodies as could conveniently be done, from whence many advantages would result, particularly in training and disciplining the Soldiers, I confess I am not a little mortified that the impracticability of getting plank &ca. at that place for building huts, as stated in the letters from yourself and Mr. Mackey, seems likely to defeat this design. I can hardly conceive how the quantity of plank mentioned by Mr. Mackey, as the calculation of Genl. Hamilton, vizt. 84,000 feet, could be wanting; as the intention was to have the huts built in the manner they used to be for our Army in the late war, when we found it no difficult matter for the Soldiers to cut the logs and build their huts in a very short time, without the aid of large quantities of plank. They were covered in the same manner as are the common log Cabbins which are found in every part of the Country; and the principal, and indeed almost only use for plank, was to make floors for the Officers huts and doors &c. for the others. If it be possible to have the three Regiments provided for in this way, at Harper's Ferry, it is very desireable that it should be done. But if that is impracticable, then you will be pleased to hut your own Regiment there, and another, if possible; and the remainder must be quartered as near to that place as accommodations can be had; which I presume will be at Frederick town, where, I am informed, there are Barracks belonging to |