Brief guide to manuscripts collections| William L. Clements Library The University of Michigan James McHenry Papers |
James McHenry emigrated from Ulster to Philadelphia. He had pursued classical studies in Dublin and continued at Neward Academy in Delaware; later he studied medicine with Doctor Benjamin Rush at Philadelphia. During the Revolutionary War McHenry served as a surgeon until his appointment as secretary to Washington in 1778. Two years later he was transferred to Lafayette's staff and remained there until the end of the war. McHenry sat in the Maryland Senate, 1781-1786, was a member of the Continental Congress, 1783-1786, and was a delagate to the federal Constitutional Convention in 1787. He was secretary of war in Washington's cabinet and continued in this post under Adams until his attachment to Hamilton made him politically unacceptable.
A staunch Federalist, McHenry came under attack by Republicans for allegedly misusing War Department funds. Although a formal investigation was averted, McHenry found it necessary to defend himself before the House of Representatives in 1802. He did not return to public life, but retired to Fayetteville, his estate near Baltimore.
Papers of James McHenry, United States secretary of war.
This collection contains correspondence, memoranda, and documents relating primarily to McHenry's tenure as secretary of war. His papers include items concerning Indian affairs, estimates for the military establishment, letters relating to the founding of a military academy and to political patronage. There are drafts of McHenry's correspondence with Washington during the quasi-war with France, including plans to expand the United States Army. The papers after 1800 deal largely with McHenry's justification of his administration as secretary of war. Also in this collection is a manuscript diary kept by McHenry while he was secretary to Washington, with entries from June 18 to July 24, 1778.
Gift of James S. Schoff and purchased, 1944 and 1958
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