1790-1795
The Indian Wars of the Old Northwest Territory
When John Stagg, Jr., joined the War Department on 16 June 1790, he became
not only the Chief Clerk, but also the only clerk. The entire establishment
consisted of the Secretary of War, Henry Knox, one secretary, and Stagg.
During the Indian Wars, Maj. Gen. Arthur St. Clair was ambushed on 4 November 1791,
losing over 600 of his men. Stagg assembled true copies of all correspondence
pertaining to the St. Clair Expedition. Secretary Knox followed the developments
in the Northwest Territory closely and generated a considerable volume of correspondence.
In the process, he validated the need for a Chief Clerk in the department.
1804-1806
The Lewis and Clark Expedition
President Thomas Jefferson, culminating his long-standing desire to explore the West,
sent a military mission to the new territory in 1804 for that purpose. Known today
as the Lewis and Clark Expedition, it was led by two Army captains, Meriwether Lewis
and William Clark. Secretary of War Henry Dearborn wrote letters of credit and
authorization for hiring men from Army posts to assist Lewis and Clark, and Lewis
named a river that begins near modern-day Lincoln, Montana, after the Secretary.
August 1814
The Burning of Washington D.C.
American citizens witnessed the destruction of Washington, D.C., by British forces under
Vice Admiral Alexander Cochrane, Rear Admiral George Cockburn, and Major General Robert Ross
during the War of 1812. Congress had failed to provide the forces, armaments, or plans necessary
to protect the capital from attack. Although many important buildings and valuables went up
in flames, Chief Clerk Daniel Parker and his staff removed nearly all papers from the Secretary of
War’s offices before the British arrived. They also saved standards and colors captured from
the British during the American Revolution.
1864
The Defense of Washington D.C.
To bolster the capital’s weak defenses, the Quartermaster General, Maj. Gen. Montgomery Meigs,
mustered War Department clerks and other civilian employees into service. By buying time
for the combat veterans to arrive, the clerks of the War Department had contributed to saving
the capital.
1906
Intervention in Cuba
In the summer of 1906 a disputed election in Cuba led to a revolt by the challenger’s
supporters. Both sides appealed for the United States to intervene to maintain order
and confirm them in power. The Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. Fred C. Ainsworth, who was
the acting Secretary of War, and the Chief of Staff, Brig. Gen. J. Franklin Bell, traveled
to Oyster Bay to brief the President on the latest developments. During their absence, John C.
Scofield stepped in as the acting Secretary of War, while still upholding his role as Chief Clerk.