decius wadsworth (2 risultati)

No binding. Condizione: Fine. Autograph Letter Signed, to Secretary of War John C. Calhoun, February 10, 1821, Washington, D.C. 2 pp., 8 x 10 in. [With] DECIUS WADSWORTH, Autograph Letter Signed, to Secretary of War John C. Calhoun, July 18, 1818, [ca. February 10, 1821, Washington, D.C.]. Marked copy. 2 pp., 8 x 10 in. "The loaning of Munitions of War, in such large quantities from our Magazines and Arsenals is viewed by me as highly impolitic and hazardous; and it is hardly necessary for me to add, that I have had no agency in the Transaction." Excerpts from February 10, 1821 letter:"That Report seems to me calculated to leave an injurious Impression. The Committee state in their Report in the fourth Page, as follows. One of these Loans of 400 Barrels, was made to Israel Whelen, of Philadelphia, by Capt Jos. H. Rees, and seems to have been reported to the Head of the Ordnance Department in April, 1817." (p1)"The Fact is I left Washington by Order in the beginning of April 1817 on the first day of the Month if I may trust my Memory to attend a Court Martial at Boston. Before I returned to Washington, I received an order from the War Office directing me to visit and inspect the Armoury at Springfield and all the Arsenals situated to the Northward, and afterwards to visit the Armoury at Harper's Ferry and the Arsenal at Pittsburgh. I did not reach Washington until the Month of August and after spending about three Weeks here proceed to Harper's Ferry and Pittsbugh. Certain it is I never saw any such Report, and as I have already stated to you had no Knowledge of these Transactions until after my Return from Pittsburgh in 1818. Very soon after I became acquainted with the Facts I addressed a Letter to the Secretary of War dated the 18th of July 1818 in which I distinctly disclaimed all Knowledge or Participation in these Transactions." (p1-2)"Had the Committee caused that Letter to be printed with their Report, or had they in the Body of their Report stated the Fact of such a Letter having been written by me, I should have judged myself to be sufficiently exculpated. Their omitting to notice that Letter in their Report, and especially their having insinuated that in one Instance I had been officially informed on the Subject leaves a Stigma on me as the Chief of the Department which I do not deserve.""P.S. you will please to communicate my Letter of 18 July 1818 addressed to the Secretary of War, to any Members of the Senate, where you may think it may be useful. That letter I conceive fully exculpates me."Excerpts from July 18, 1818 letter:"Presuming you may be ignorant of the Circumstances, I think it necessary to state that a large Loan of Gunpowder was made from the public Magazines about a Year ago, to Messrs Dupont de Nemours & Co amounting to upwards of 3500 Barrels, conditioned to be returned in 60 days after Demand. The Value of the Powder, at present Prices would be upwards of $100,000. The only Security given, is the Bond of Dupont de Nemours & Co and of V. and Chs Dupont of Wilmington." (p1)"The loaning of Munitions of War, in such large quantities from our Magazines and Arsenals is viewed by me as highly impolitic and hazardous; and it is hardly necessary for me to add, that I have had no agency in the Transaction." (p1)"Stull and Williams of Georgetown borrowed 600 Barrels of Powder, giving Danl Bussard as Surety. By a subsequent Agreement, the Loan was converted into a Sale, and Stull and Williams gave their Note for $21,600, or rather a Bill of Exchange in Favour of John E. Williams and endorsed by him. Before the Bill became payable, another verbal Agreement was made, to take the Value of the Bill in Powder, of which only about 150 Barrels have been received from Bussard. His Powder Works having been lately destroyed at Bladensburgh by an Explosion renders him incapable of fulfilling the Engagement. I understand he now contends the converting of the original Loan into a Sale has exonerated him from R. (See website for full description). Autograph Letter Signed.

No binding. Condizione: Fine. Autograph Document Signed, critique of Senate bill to combine Ordnance and Artillery departments, ca. 1821. 7 pp., 8 1/2 x 12 1/2 in. [with] DECIUS WADSWORTH, Autograph Document Signed, proposal regarding Ordnance Department, ca. 1821. 3 pp., 8 x 10 in. #23067.04 [with] [JAMES MADISON]. An act for the better regulation of the Ordnance Department, passed by Congress, February 8, 1815, signed in type by President James Madison, Speaker of the House Langdon Cheves, and Senate President pro tem John Gaillard. 2 pp., 7 7/8 x 9 5/8 in. "The Idea that an Army shall be entitled to receive whatever may be called for, is monstrous, and is what the Resources of no Nation can support."Colonel Wadsworth provides a lengthy critique of a Senate bill to combine the Ordnance and Artillery departments. He insists on the need to maintain uniformity in arms manufacture and the necessity to control the flow of supplies. Many of his arguments about the tendency to waste in military expenditures resonate with modern critiques. Excerpts from Wadsworth's 1821 Critique of Senate Bill:"I am entirely opposed to this Plan . This Department, on its present Footing, is a powerful Engine to control and check the extravagant Issues and wasteful Expenditures of Stores by the Army. The Controul exercised over the Army by this Department. gives umbrage to the officers, because they have never been accustomed to any thing of the kind, yet it is essentially necessary that this Controul be preserved." (p1)"Each succeeding Secretary of War, entered into Office with new Plans in view in Relation to the artillery and arms . the first Step usually was to abolish as far as was practicable what had been done by his Predecessors. He seldom remained long enough in office to bring his Plans to Maturity, and what he had commenced remained to be overthrown by his Successor. For about thirty years we have been employed in Relation to our artillery in doing and undoing, incurring endless Expences to little or no Purpose." (p2)"Heavy Guns of large Calibers have some Advantages over the lighter, by producing more powerful Effects. They have also their Disadvantages, in impeding the rapid Movements of an Army and retarding its operations. There is Room for the Exercise of a sound Discretion and deliberate Judgment aided by Study and Experience, in deciding upon the Calibers best adapted to the general Purposes of Service . It was never expected by me at least, that the Secretary of War should interfere in these Details after the Institution of an Ordnance Department, the chief of which, according to my Ideas, should be held responsible to the Nation. for the Efficiency of the Means provided under his Direction for the national Defence." (p3)"The great Mass of an Army consists of Men of such Dispositions that if they obtain more than they actually need of military supplies the Surplus will be wasted. Besides, whatever is redundant tends directly to impede the Movements of an Army and obstruct its operations, and will be abandoned without much scruple." (p5)"The Idea that an Army shall be entitled to receive whatever may be called for, is monstrous, and is what the Resources of no Nation can support." (p6)Decius Wadsworth (1768-1821) was born in Connecticut and graduated from Yale University in 1785. President George Washington appointed him as a captain in the Artillerist and Engineer Corps in 1794. Promoted to major in 1800, he supervised the rebuilding of Fort Nelson in Portsmouth, Virginia, in 1802 and served as acting Superintendent of the U.S. Military Academy from 1803 to 1805. In 1812, he became the first Commissary General (later Chief) for the newly formed United States Army Ordnance Department. In 1817, he developed a cipher system based on a design by Thomas Jefferson that was improved and used until the end of World War II. Wadsworth resigned due to illness in June 1821.Historical BackgroundJust before the War of 1812 be. (See website for full description). Autograph Document Signed.