John Armstrong A.L.S., Red Hook [N.Y.], 7th July 1837 : to Col. A[illegible], Washington
1837
MSS L1985.66 M
Available at Main Library
Formats
| Format | |
|---|---|
| BibTeX | |
| MARCXML | |
| TextMARC | |
| MARC | |
| DublinCore | |
| EndNote | |
| NLM | |
| RefWorks | |
| RIS | |
Title
John Armstrong A.L.S., Red Hook [N.Y.], 7th July 1837 : to Col. A[illegible], Washington
Published
Red Hook, [N.Y.] 1837
Description
[2] p. ; 25 cm.
Call Number
MSS L1985.66 M
Indexed In
Encloses a letter (not present) "from a very respectable man ... who thinks he has cause of complaint against a decision made by our old friend ... Mr. [James L.] Edwards [Commissioner of Pensions] [regarding] claims submitted by the widow of the late John Gates, an officer in the army of the revolution ... [which claims lack] proof that the said John Gates was appointed a keeper an issuer of public stores by the Commissary Deparment...."
In 1831, claims of Gates's widow, Gertrude Gates, regarding his claim to bounty lands had been denied on Feb. 13, 1835 by the State of New York. --
Describes early problems in the commissary department: "It may readily be supposed that during the first years of the war, the organization of the staff was not well understood, whence among other blundering it followed that supplies coming from different points and [belonging?] to different departments were thrown promiscuously into the same barn, stable, or cellar and without other protection than a small night guard posted near them...."
Further, "...Such would appear to have been precisely the service assigned to M. Gates - as from the documents produced, we find not only articles of subsistance, but tents, ammunition, cloathing, &c. issued by him -- a fact which, in itself, will show that he could not be considered as exclusively belonging to either department .... The presumption therefore is that the authority under which he performed the services was that of a general order." Armstrong therefore doubts the importance of which authority Gates performed his duties: "The true basis of a claim is satisfactory proof that the duty was performed...."
Armstrong desires that his letter and its enclosure be presented to Mr. Edwards, i.e., James Edwards, Commissioner of Pensions.
Armstrong was an original member of the Pennsylvania Society of the Cincinnati.
In 1831, claims of Gates's widow, Gertrude Gates, regarding his claim to bounty lands had been denied on Feb. 13, 1835 by the State of New York. --
Describes early problems in the commissary department: "It may readily be supposed that during the first years of the war, the organization of the staff was not well understood, whence among other blundering it followed that supplies coming from different points and [belonging?] to different departments were thrown promiscuously into the same barn, stable, or cellar and without other protection than a small night guard posted near them...."
Further, "...Such would appear to have been precisely the service assigned to M. Gates - as from the documents produced, we find not only articles of subsistance, but tents, ammunition, cloathing, &c. issued by him -- a fact which, in itself, will show that he could not be considered as exclusively belonging to either department .... The presumption therefore is that the authority under which he performed the services was that of a general order." Armstrong therefore doubts the importance of which authority Gates performed his duties: "The true basis of a claim is satisfactory proof that the duty was performed...."
Armstrong desires that his letter and its enclosure be presented to Mr. Edwards, i.e., James Edwards, Commissioner of Pensions.
Armstrong was an original member of the Pennsylvania Society of the Cincinnati.
Added Author
Record Appears in