James Madison and James Monroe Appoint a Head of Military Procurement and Distribution During the War of 1812

When the War of 1812 broke out, getting supplies and munitions to the armed forces became a matter of great urgency. The system in place soon proved to be a great failure, as official reports from Gen. Henry Dearborn and other commanders of troops on the Canadian frontier showed that as early as November and December, 1812, they were in dire extremities on account of deficiency of rations, arising from failure of contractors to make deliveries according to their contracts. President Madison and Congress determined to integrate the acquisitions and distribution schemes and to name a single director to manage the entire effort. On the 3d of March, 1813, an act was passed with the significant title of "An Act better to provide for the supplies of the Army of the United States, and for the accountability of persons intrusted with the same." One section of this act provided that there should be a "superintendent-general of military supplies," whose functions were to keep proper accounts of all the military stores and supplies purchased for, and distributed to, the U.S. Army; to prescribe the forms of all returns and accounts of stores and supplies; and to perform all other duties respecting the general superintendence, purchase, transportation, and safe-keeping of military stores and supplies, and the accountability therefor as might be prescribed by the Secretary of War.

Congressman Richard Cutts of the Maine District of Massachusetts married Anna Payne, sister of Dolley Madison, and was thus President Madison’s brother-in-law. Cutts was defeated for reelection in 1812 and his last day in that office was March 3, 1813. Madison named him to fill this important office in this very document.

Document Signed, Washington, March 29, 1813, stating “That in pursuance of the Act of Congress entitled ‘An Act better to provide for the supplies of the army of the United States and for the accountability of persons entrusted with the same…,’” it appoints Richard Cutts of Massachusetts as Superintendant General of Military Supplies. The document is signed by President Madison (the signature is light though legible), and also by James Monroe as Secretary of War (his signature is much stronger). This is the highest ranking appointment during the War of 1812 that we have seen, nor does a search of auction records reveal any others.