13 August 1775

Howland, Joseph, 1749-1836

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Indicates that he sent Knox some hosiery. Describes Norwich as confused. Discusses current preparations to defend against the British, who would like to seize their provisions. Calls the uncontested British seizure of provisions on Fishers Island the previous week shameful for the Americans. Interprets a letter from George Washington to the Rhode Island Committee of Correspondence in regard to transports as a reprimand. Asks Knox his rank and requests that he show the works at Roxbury and Cambridge to two of Howland's friends. Discusses forming a light infantry in Rhode Island and asks…

GLC02437.00201

25 September 1775

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Knox

Mentions making daily excursions to Cambridge. Reports that General Charles Lee said William could easily get a commission, and Knox will discuss it further with George Washington and Horatio Gates. Knox wants William to join the artillery. Discusses the British troops' ineffectual cannon shot against the American works at Roxbury on 23 September 1775. Asks William to send one of the Watertown newspapers to Edward Parry, Esq. Some of the text on the original is faded.

GLC02437.00203

23 October 1775

Greenleaf, Joseph, 1720-1810

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Washington

Docketed by George Washington. Forwards Knox a plan (not included) given to Greenleaf "by a country gentleman." He concludes that Knox could make the best use of it, commenting that "if it affords any good hints they will be improved by you for the public good." On verso, there is a brief notation believed to be in George Washington's hand: "200 Tons Hay /10,000 Cords W."

GLC02437.00207

6 March 1775

Waldo, Jonathon, fl. 1721-1779

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Knox

Entreats Knox to procure a gun for him so that he can answer a demand issued in the newspaper for every man above the age of 16 to congregate on the next Thursday "with every necessary Warlike accouterment." All who do not join "will be deemed Enemies to the Glorious Cause of Liberty and america." Waldo asserts that he will appear without a doubt. Waldo had earlier asked Knox to obtain arms for him (see GLC02437.00190).

GLC02437.00194

30 June 1775

Brickett, James, 1738-1818

Autograph letter signed

Title: Report of the day.

Indicates that Brickett, the Officer of the Day, made the usual rounds, found the sentries alert, and discovered nothing extraordinary. A note on the back lists some names, places, and numbers. Brickett was a Lieutenant Colonel in Col. James Frye's regiment of Minutemen. He fought at Bunker Hill and later during the Revolutionary War became a brigadier general.

GLC02437.00195

20 September 1775

Pemberton, Robert, ?-1788

Manuscript document

Title: to Henry Knox

Copy of an extract from general orders pertaining to applications for commissions in the Continental Army. Explains that before anyone obtains a commission from the Army of the United Colonies, they must first obtain one from the colony they will serve. Pemberton was an assistant adjutant general. Written at "Headquarters."

GLC02437.00202

25 September 1775

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript letter

Title: to William Knox

Later copy of original letter (see GLC02437.00203).

GLC02437.00204

27 September 1775

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Knox

Docket is written in another hand. Attempts to facilitate the sale of a stallion. Briefly mentions that two deserters will have to face the lash.

GLC02437.00205

2 October 1775

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Knox

Seeks a response to an earlier inquiry about finding a strong horse for an acquaintance (see GLC02437.00205). Indicates that he will leave for Newbury today and hopes for better luck collecting monies there. Asks William to entertain a man named Mr. Davis "in the best manner the house can afford." Notes that he received the letter from James Rivington William forwarded. Claims that he plans to get William a commission before returning to Worcester (see GLC02437.00203). Lucy Knox was staying in Worcester.

GLC02437.00206

5 January 1776

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter

Title: to Lucy Knox

Laments not being able to return to Lucy when he had hoped to. Praises Lucy at length and reaffirms his love for her. Notes that this is only the fourth letter he has been able to write to her in the two months they have been apart, and explains why his letter of 5 December 1775 was so short (see GLC02437.00215). Comments on the weather and the lack of snow, which impeded his plans to transport artillery from Fort Ticonderoga to Cambridge, Massachusetts. Mentions that his brother William Knox is now at Lake George preparing the sleds for the transport. Describes his travels. Comments…

GLC02437.00237

5 January 1776

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Washington

Explains delays in transporting the artillery from Fort Ticonderoga to Cambridge, Massachusetts caused by the lack of snow on the ground and ice on the Hudson River. He realizes the importance of the transport and explains plans for moving forward. Also mentions that he has sent another list of the artillery being moved (not included). Knox's retained draft.

GLC02437.00238

January 25, 1776

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Charles Lee

Gives General Lee additional specifics on the artillery ordered from New York City and being sent to Cambridge, Massachusetts, which George Washington has already written Lee about. He sent a list of items sent by the Second Provincial Congress or Committee of Safety in New York (not included). Explains plans for their transport. Notes that even though Knox has retrieved artillery pieces from Fort Ticonderoga, the pieces from New York are badly needed. Knox also discusses his efforts to obtain artillery from New York City in GLC02437.00212, GLC02437.00220, and GLC02437.00222.

GLC02437.00245

February 1, 1776

Gates, Horatio, 1727-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Concerns a complaint by the quartermaster in the regiment of Colonel Prescott, possibly William Prescott, against a member of the regiment of artillery. Discusses a potential garrison court martial and its legality. Gates was then George Washington's adjutant general.

GLC02437.00246

February 1, 1776

Washington, George, 1732-1799

Manuscript document

Title: Lucy Knox and Henry Knox

Invitation to dinner, from George and Martha Washington.

GLC02437.00247

1782

Smith, John, fl. 1782

Autograph document signed

Title: [Inventory of the Estate of Aaron White Jr.]

Co-signed by Zebulon Stow. Receipt related to the settlement and administration of the estate of Aaron White Jr. Lists an inventory of the estate taken by Smith and Stow under oath. This document was originally housed in Gideon Savage's wooden chest (GLC01450.013.02) with others decimalized in GLC01450.013. These are the papers of Gideon Savage relative to the settlement of the estate of Aaron White. White was Savage's father-in-law. White died in the West Indies 31 January 1782.

GLC01450.013.05

6 January 1776-30 March 1776

Manuscript document

Title: [An account of Cash Receiv'd for my Comp'y at Sundry times]

Lists amounts received and days received for Colonel William Burbeck and Colonel Henry Knox.

GLC02437.00239

5 January 1776

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Capt. Bayler

Apologizes for taking Bayler's horse for his brother, William Knox. Had Knox known he would have been away so long, he would not have taken it. Knox was then organizing the transport of artillery from Fort Ticonderoga to Cambridge, Massachusetts.

GLC02437.00240

January 12, 1776

Schuyler, Philip John, 1733-1804

Manuscript document

Title: to Henry Knox

Certifies that a Lieutenant Gray "has rode Cannon Seven Miles." Refers to the artillery transport from Fort Ticonderoga to Cambridge, Massachusetts that Knox was overseeing. Contemporary secretarial signature.

GLC02437.00241

January 14, 1776

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mr. Swart

Discusses the movement of artillery from Fort Ticonderoga to Cambridge, Massachusetts, specifically between Blandford and Springfield, Massachusetts. Updates arrangements for the assistance Swart was supplying.

GLC02437.00242

December 12, 1775-January 16, 1776

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript document

Title: [Account of cash paid the officers under Henry Knox's command]

Lists officers, the amount of cash allotted to them, and the date allotted. Written from Knox's headquarters to Lieutenant Colonel of the Artillery William Burbeck and signed by him.

GLC02437.00243

January 20, 1776

Cooper, Samuel, 1757-1840

Autograph note signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Provides a letter of introduction for a man named Mr. Pollard, and asks a Knox to give him an office of some sort. Possibly, Jonathan Pollard, who became a quartermaster for Knox.

GLC02437.00244

16 November 1775

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lucy Knox

Writes lovingly to his wife. Discusses his journey to visit her, getting caught in a violent storm, and expecting to see her tomorrow night. Explains that George Washington has ordered him to go to Fort Ticonderoga. Knox, having recently been appointed head of the artillery, was sent to Ticonderoga to inspect and bring back to Cambridge the British artillery captured there by a force led by Ethan Allen on 15 May 1775.

GLC02437.00209

16 November 1775

Moylan, Stephen, 1737-1811

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Gouverneur Morris

A letter of introduction for Henry Knox. Asks that Morris "make New York as agreeable to [Knox] as the circumstances of the times will admit." Also asks if there were any letters from "our friend Penn." Moylan was a soldier and officer in the Continental Army, and at one point an aide-de-camp to George Washington.

GLC02437.00210

27 November 1775

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lucy Knox

Writes affectionately, asking about Lucy's journey from Worcester. Discusses his own journey to New York City on his way to Fort Ticonderoga, where George Washington had ordered him to travel to in order to bring back to Cambridge the British artillery captured there in the Spring of 1775. He met his brother on the road, a meeting he describes and dubs "truly farcical." Comments on business opportunities. Reports the easy victory by which American forces captured Montreal on 13 November 1775. mentioning the British retreat, the construction of an American battery, and the interception of…

GLC02437.00211

27 November 1775

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Washington

A highly detailed letter in which Knox reports on his efforts to obtain ordnance in New York City for the Continental Army in Cambridge. Discusses similar, unsuccessful activities in regard to the activities of a man named Colonel Read, and his problems with the committee sitting during the recess of the Second Continental Congress, possibly the Second Provincial Congress, which met in New York in late 1775 or the Committee of Safety. Reports Colonel Alexander McDougall's promise to exert his influence on the committee and have them send munitions to Cambridge immediately. Seeks permission…

GLC02437.00212