On This Day in 1780… Hamilton wrote the following letter to Baron von Steuben:

Dear Baron,

General Knox in conversation has observed to The General, that instead of sending to Philadelphia for the 1500 arms mentioned in your letter of the 6th. and sending those here to that place to be fitted, it would be a great saving of expence in the article of transportation, to have the bayonets and accoutrements brought on without the arms, and fitted to those now here which can easily be done at the Park. The question is if the arms here have no other defect than that of bayonets. The General will be glad to know what you think of General Knox’s proposal. It seems to him eligible unless there are reasons he is not acquainted with.

If there are any other articles you wish to have sent for, (The General thinks you mentioned something of the kind to him) he will be glad to know what they are.

I have the honor to be, Dr Baron Yr very hum S

Alex Hamilton ADC
May 10th. 1780

We have heard from the Marquis. He will be here at Dinner. Will you dine with us also? The General requests it.

My favorite part of this letter is the postscript, where he basically says oh btw, Lafayette is back in town and we’re having dinner with him, George wants you there too. It’s such a normal and friendly invitation to follow a paragraph about guns and bayonets.

It is worth noting that at the time this was written, Hamilton was newly engaged to Elizabeth Schuyler and pretty much out of his mind in love with her and probably constantly distracted by this in one way or another, being twenty-three and everything.

Oh and also, of course, “Alex Hamilton, ADC.”