Commission of Martin Luther Hawkins during War of 1812

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“The

President of the United States

To all who shall see these presents Greeting:

Know Ye, That reposing special Trust and Confidence in the Patriotism, Valeur, Fidelity and Abilities of Martin L. Hawkins, I have nominated and by and with the Advice and Consent of the SENATE appoint him a first Lieutenant in the 17th Regiment of Infantry in the service of the UNITED STATES: to take Rank as such from the Sixth of July 1812.

He is therefore carefully and diligently to discharge the duty of a first Lieutenant by doing and performing all manner of things thereunto belonging. And I do strictly charge and require all Officers and Soldiers under his command to be obedient to his Orders as first Lieutenant.

And he is to observe and follow such Orders and Directions from time to time as he shall receive from me or the future President of the United States of America or the Generals, or other superior Officers set over him, according to the Rules and Discipline of War. This Commission to continue in force during the Pleasure of the President of the United States for the time being.

By Command of the President of the
UNITED STATES of AMERICA.

[Signed] W. Eustis

Given under my hand at Washington this Twenty third day of July in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and Twelve and in the Thirty Seventh Year of the Independence of the United States.”

Transcribers notes: Underlined passages were hand written entries on the form. The signer of this commission was James Madison’s Secretary of War at the time, William Eustis.

William Eustis was a physician who joined the Colonial Army during the Revolution and was at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Later he was a senior camp surgeon. He served two terms in Congress as a Republican 1800-1804. He became Madison’s Secretary of War in 1809, an appointment that was mainly political. Historians see Eustis as an ineffective War Secretary. Madison retained Eustis after Madison’s reelection in 1812, but under increasing calls for removal of the Secretary, Eustis resigned on 3 Dec 1812.

Notes on Martin Luther Hawkins: Hawkins rose to Captain by the time of his discharge at the end of the war. He fought primarily in the Lake Erie region, engaging British, Canadians and Indians. From the history I have read, Kentucky troops made up a large share of the U.S. inland military forces during the War of 1812.

After the war, Hawkins studied medicine at the Transylvania School of Medicine in Lexington, Kentucky, and practiced medicine in Arkansas until his untimely death of pneumonia at age 53.

Contributed by: William Mullins
Potomac, Maryland
March 2010