Alexander Smyth was the acting inspector general in the early days of 1812. As such, he was in charge of operating the recruiting service, a task he shared with the adjutant general. Below is a copy of a letter he sent to Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Coles who was recruiting his regiment. While most of Smyth’s official correspondence was focused and business-like, in this letter he lets slip a bit of rhetoric for which he became known. In fact, his pronouncements made on the Niagara Frontier have been characterized as “bombastic.” Note also his revelation of the national strategy. The task of the militia was to defend America while the regulars carried on the offensive operations against Quebec, which was considered the key to Canada. Note. Carlisle is in southern Pennsylvania and was an armory since before the revolution. Today, the prestigious U.S. Army War College is located in Carlisle Barracks, making it one of the very oldest continuously occupied military sites in America. Inspector General’s office July 9th 1812 Sir, You will be pleased to proceed immediately to Virginia and recruit and command your regiment, the 20th of Infantry. You will form your recruits into companies of 100 men, including the N.C. officers; and having placed them under proper officers, send them off for Carlisle. Those at Norfolk will go by water to Baltimore, from thence by land. Should your recruits need clothing, purchase the materials; set a hundred mechanics to work, & let all the wants of the troop be provided. Assure your recruiting officers that the regiment you command, and all to the west and north of it is destined for Canada. The citizen soldiers of the militia will have the honor to defend the country, while we march to decorate with laurels the tomb of Montgomery and to plant the American eagle on the walls of Quebec. I have the honor to be Very Respectfully Yr. Most Obt. Alexander Smyth Acting Inspt. Genl. Lt. Col. Isaac A. Coles This letter is found in the National Archives collection: Letters sent by the Office of the Adjutant General: series, 1800-1890, Records Group 94 Back to Table of Contents -- War of 1812 #3 Back to War of 1812 List of Issues Back to MagWeb Magazine List © Copyright 2002 by Rich Barbuto. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com