THE WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON
1813-1817
To JOHN ARMSTRONG 1
Fort Hampton, September 15, 1813. Sir Your notification of my appointment of Ensign in the service of the United States I received by last Express, and is accepted. I shall report myself to Col. Williams: accordingly. Samuel Houston Ensign 39th U.S. Regt. Inf. The Hon. John Armstrong 2 Secretary of War 1 Original in the War Department, U.S. Courtesy of Colonel M. L. Crim- mins, a photostat from his private library. 2 J ohn Armstrong (November 25, 1758-April 1, 1843), soldier, Secretary of War, diplomat, writer, was born at Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and died at Red Hook, New York. He became Secretary of War, February 5, 1813, and resigned the station on September 3, 1814. See the Dictionary of American Biogmphy, I, 355-358, and the Biographical Di?-ectory of the American Cong1·css, 648, for good biographical sketches of this man. After Armstrong's resignation, James Monroe, the Secretary of State, became also the Secretary of War, and retained that position until March 1, 1815, at which time William H. Crawford became Secretary of War, he having resigned his post as Minister to France, in order to accommodate Mr. Madison in the handling of this somewhat difficult Cabinet position. These short term tenures of the position of Secretary of War account, perhaps, for the apparent confusion of dates, and the persons addressed as head of the War Department during the period from September 27, 1814 to June, 1815.
To JOHN RHEA 1
Maryville March 1st 1815
Mr. John Rhea 2 D Sir Since I wrote you last intelligence has been received here that peace is concluded between U. S. & G. B. in consequence of it there is no doubt but a number of the troops now in service will be disbanded, & it is my wish to be continued in the army I have fought &. bled for my country in consequence of which I am in measure rendered unfit for other business. You are not a stranger to the manner in which I enterd the army at a time I had not friends to patronize me & by my own merits or good
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