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At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

McHenry, James (1753-1816) to William North

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02542.19 Author/Creator: McHenry, James (1753-1816) Place Written: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Type: Letter signed Date: 27 March 1799 Pagination: 1 p. ; 32.5 x 20 cm. Order a Copy

Written in a secretarial hand and signed by McHenry as Secretary of War to Brigadier General North as Adjutant General of the Provisional Army during the Quasi War. McHenry reminds North that the law organzing the Provisional Army states the Adjutant General shall be the ex-officio assistant Inspector General. Since Alexander Hamilton has been called to serve as Inspector General, North is to consider himself under Hamilton's orders.

North was a U.S. Senator from New York from May-August 1798 and was Brigadier General in the Provisional Army 1798-1800.
Signer of the U.S. Constitution.

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