President John Adams Seeks to Bolster the Army During the Quasi-War With France

When Adams became President in March of 1797, the French had seized nearly 300 American ships bound for British ports. They had ordered this measure in retaliation for the Jay Treaty the U.S. had signed with Great Britain, which the French considered evidence of an Anglo-American alliance. Relations between France and the U.S. worsened when Talleyrand, the French foreign minister, rejected the Federalist Charles C. Pinckney as America’s minister to France.

In the U.S., Republicans believed that it was the intention of the Adams administration to stir up trouble with France (like selecting an anti-French ambassador to Paris) so as to steer the U.S. towards the British, and they opposed the President’s measures and appointments. The American people were more disunited and disaffected than ever; the French continued to seize American ships, many Federalists demanded war on France, and Republicans cried foul. Seeking to avoid a war, President Adams sent a three member commission to Paris consisting of Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, John Marshall, and Elbridge Gerry. After many delays the American commissioners were approached by three intermediaries of Talleyrand, who demanded apologies for allusions critical of France made by Adams and payment of a bribe of several million dollars before official negotiations could proceed.

The American delegates found this bribery unacceptable and the mission ended unsuccessfully. Adams received a report of this exchange in March 1798 and he was outraged. He hesitated, however, to release the complete details of the report for fear that it would increase war fever. Congress, and particularly his Republican opponents, thought he was withholding information because the talks showed a peaceable resolution was feasible, and on April 2 demanded the entire report be immediately turned over to it. Adams complied.

Americans clamored for a strong reaction to France and there was a motion to build up the U.S. Army. In July 1798, Congress passed “An Act to Augment the Army of the United States.”  In a letter to Congress in December 1798, Adams sent a list of men he wanted appointed to appoint as officers. Among these was William Woodward; this is Woodward’s appointment.

Document signed, Philadelphia, April 17, 1799, appointing William Woodward Captain in the 16th Regiment of Infantry. It is countersigned by Secretary of War James McHenry.

Compared to other presidents, Adams signed only a small number of these military appointments, and they have become scarce.  Only a small number have surfaced for sale in the past decade.