De Peyster’s Point, May 2, 1781.
Sir:
I am extremely sorry to have embarrassed you by my late application,
and that you should think there are insuperable obstacles to a
compliance with it. Having renounced my expectations, I have no other
inducement for troubling your Excellency with a second letter, than to
obviate the appearance of having desired a thing inconsistent with the
good of the service, while I was acquainted with the circumstances that
made it so.
I was too interested a spectator of what happened in the case of
Major M’Pherson, not to have remarked, and not to recollect all the
circumstances. The opposition turned ostensibly on his being a brevet
officer, yet having a command in a corps formed entirely from one line:
the propriety of his being employed in a detachment from the army at
large, so far as I remember, was not disputed. In delicacy to Major
M’Pherson, no personal objections were formally made: but in reality
they existed, and contributed to the discontent. It was thought a
peculiar hardship, that a gentleman who had, for a long time, fought
against us, and had not taken part with us till a late period, and when
our affairs had assumed a more prosperous aspect, should be preferred
in one of the most honorary commands of the service. Your Excellency
must be convinced, that I mention this in no other view than to show
the sentiments of the officers at the time, and the whole grounds for
the opposition. My esteem for Major M’Pherson, and other reasons, make
it impossible I can have a different intention.
I know less of the motives of dissatisfaction in the case of Colonel
Gimat and Major Galvan; but I have understood that it is founded on
their being appointed in the light corps for two successive campaigns.
It would be uncandid in me, not to acknowledge that I believe a
disposition to exclude brevet officers in general from command, has
a great share in the opposition in every instance; and that so far
it affects my case. But, at the same time, it appears to me, this
principle alone can never be productive of more than momentary murmurs,
where it is not seconded by some plausible pretext. I also am convinced
that the Pennsylvania officers, for their own sakes, repented the
rash steps they had taken; and, on cool reflection, were happy in an
opportunity to relinquish their menaces of quitting a service to which
they were attached by habit, inclination, and interest, as well as by
patriotism. I believe, too, we shall never have a similar instance
in the army, unless the practice should be carried to excess. Major
Galvan, I am told, will probably be relieved. Colonel Gimat will be
then the only brevet officer remaining in command. Your Excellency is
the best judge of the proper limits; and there can be no doubt, that
the rights of particular officers ought to give place to the general
good and tranquillity of the service.
I cannot forbear repeating, that my case is peculiar, and dissimilar
to all the former. It is distinguished by the circumstances I have
before intimated; my early entrance into the service; my having made
the campaign of ’76, the most disagreeable of the war, at the head of
a company of artillery, and having been entitled, in that corps, to
a rank, equal in degree, more ancient in date, than I now possess;
my having made all the subsequent campaigns in the family of the
Commander-in-Chief, in a constant course of important and laborious
service. These are my pretensions, at this advanced period of the war,
to being employed in the only way which my situation admits; and I
imagine they would have their weight in the minds of the officers in
general. I only urge them a second time, as reasons which will not
suffer me to view the matter in the same light with your Excellency, or
to regard, as impracticable, my appointment in a light corps, should
there be one formed. I entreat they may be understood in this sense
only. I am incapable of wishing to obtain any object by importunity. I
assure your Excellency, that I am too well persuaded of your candor,
to attribute your refusal to any other cause than an apprehension of
inconveniences that may attend the appointment.
I have the honor to be, with perfect respect,
Sir, your most obed’t servant,
A. Hamilton.
General Washington. P. S. I have used the term brevet in the sense your
Excellency appears to have understood it in, as signifying, in general,
all officers not attached to any established corps. Congress seem,
however, to have made a distinction: they only give a kind of warrant
to those whom they designate as brevet officers. Mine is a regular
commission.