Without waiting to hear from Washington as to his views, Adams nominated him for the command and then tried to overrule his arrangements.

The notion that Washington could be hustled into a false position was a strange blunder to be made by anyone who knew him.

He set forth his views and made his stipulations with his customary precision, in letters to Secretary McHenry, who had been instructed by Adams to obtain Washington's advice as to the list of officers.

Washington recommended as major-generals, Hamilton, C.C.
Pinckney, and Knox, in that order of rank.

Adams made some demur to the preference shown for Hamilton, but McHenry showed him Washington's letter and argued the matter so persistently that Adams finally sent the nominations to the Senate in the same order as Washington had requested.
Confirmation promptly followed, and a few days later Adams departed for his home at Quincy, Massachusetts, without notice to his Cabinet.