17 June 1794

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Joseph Peirce

Discusses the situation with the construction of the house and states that "I am making great exertions to endevor [sic] to be arrange my business in such a manner, as to set [out for] the province of Maine in the in the course of the next month ... " Mentions a petition. Watermarked "J Watt & C Patent Copying/Sold by J Woodmason/London." Letterpress copy.

GLC02437.10301

1794

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Joseph Peirce [incomplete]

Discusses money for a payment and concerns about the house. Letterpress copy.

GLC02437.10320

24 October 1781

Laurens, John, 1754-1782

Autograph document signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Colonel Laurens communicates George Washington's request that Knox send "one of the pieces taken in the Redout [sic] by the french troops...to the regiment of Gattenois." This was in accordance with general orders issued 20 October 1781. The ordnance was seized in the Battle of Yorktown. Laurens had marched to Yorktown as an aide to General George Washington.

GLC02437.01259

12 November 1781

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript letter

Title: to John Lamb

Uncertain yet whether he will join the artillery park because General George Washington had not yet arrived. Writes, "He has lately met with a severe Shock to his affections, in the loss of the amiable Mr. Custis, Mrs. Washington's only child." Believes Washington felt as affectionately for Custis as if he were his real father, as he had raised him from childhood. Only other affectionate parents might be able to understand this misfortune. Has nothing to add about the disposition of the park, only that it might be in the vicinity of Head Quarters. Has no objection to Lamb paying his family a…

GLC02437.01289

14 February 1782

Lamb, John, 1735-1800

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written from Burlington, likely in New Jersey. Writes that he was "informed by the Pay-Master that the Financier intended the officers should receive two months Pay, in certain Notes, payable on the 1st of August next." He and the other officers agreed that "our receiving Pay of any kind in which the Soldiers do not share, will have a tendency, to sour their minds, still more, - and, may involve consequences not only fatal to those who command them, but the Public." Is ready to travel to New York state and hopes to stop in Poughkeepsie and convince the legislature there to recruit new…

GLC02437.01354

3 July 1782

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Lamb

Writes, "The General [perhaps General George Washington] is still unable to decide when your regiment shall march. You will continue to work on the Tumbrills. As soon as the General shall give me his directions I will communicate them to you."

GLC02437.01474

11 July 1782

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript letter

Title: to John Lamb

Written by and signed for Knox by Samuel Shaw. Says he would have thought Washington would have ordered Lamb's unit to march by now. Says he just heard from Washington that he will not be giving any orders until he returns from Philadelphia. Washington was leaving for that city this morning to meet with Rochambeau. Assumes Lamb will not be ordered to move until the end of this month or the beginning of the next. Wants his troops to stay employed on the wagons and tumbrils, as the Secretary of War has informed him there are no funds for those items. Reports that "Lt. Fink of your regiment has…

GLC02437.01483

31 July 1782

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Lamb

Has received directions from General George Washington to move the artillery park from Burlington, New Jersey, to New Windsor, New York. Writes that he has contacted the Wagonmaster General for horses and oxen for transport, and the Wagonmaster has arranged for plenty of oxen, but fears that there may be difficulty in obtaining the necessary horses. Also includes directions about obtaining other miliary stores and transporting them.

GLC02437.01511

20 December 1782

Lamb, John, 1735-1800

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written by Colonel Lamb to Major General Knox. Is angry about complications with his leave of absence. Says he thought his friends would help him procure the proper documentation to prove his rank, but they disappointed him. Says he has since looked into the matter and believes in the justice of his "pretentions." Says that a recent report by the Board of General Officers was wrong in its interpretation of General Washington's general order allowing state commissioned officers into the Continental Army on the same date as their state commissions. Claims it is a "mistake." As he previously…

GLC02437.01753

14 December 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Marquis de Lafayette

Says he wrote Lafayette "several letters" expressing his affection for him. Says America as a nation believes the same thing and that "you must not regard [such expressions] as compliments but the language of sincerity." Goes on to say "Our independence is now established and we feel the warmest gratitude to all the means what have contributed to effect it." Reports that "The English have at last left us to ourselves, with the full expectation that we shall not know how to govern the ship of state and that we must apply to the Steady and well experienced pilots of Britain." Says "Our much…

GLC02437.02830

16 June 1786

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript document

Title: to Marquis de Lafayette

Later copy of letter written by Knox to Lafayette at GLC02437.03276. Thanks Lafayette for the kind treatment given to his brother William. Discusses the affair of Major Pierre Charles L'Enfant, who had been sent to France in 1783 to purchase jeweled eagle badges for the members of the Society of the Cincinnati. L'Enfant returned to America in 1784 and brought back many badges purchased on credit. The price proved too high for some officers, which left L'Enfant in a bind. Goes on to say that the Society approved of L'Enfant's conduct and owed 630 dollars to him for his services in France…

GLC02437.03275

25 July 1787

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Marquis de Lafayette

References Lafayette's letter of 5 May 1787. Says the letter gave information that was "truly important and evinces that the french nobility possess the true spirit of justice & liberality." Tells him that there are dangers and that he "must not either sleep nor slumber politically." Reports that "Our friend Genl Washington is anxiously engaged in the business of thr forming of the political machine." Says delegates from every state except Rhode Island have met at a constitutional convention for the past two months. Declares, "They are secret in their councils, [conceiving] such great…

GLC02437.03616

24 October 1787

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter

Title: to Marquis de Lafayette

Says he has probably already heard of the results of the Constitutional Convention. Says "The propositions being essentially different, in many respects from the existing Confederation, and which will probably produce different national effects, are contemplated by the public at large with an anxious attention. The discussions are commenced in the news papers & in Pamphlets, with all the freedom & liberality which challenge a people who are searching by their own experience after a form of government most productive of happiness." Expresses his affinity for a stronger national…

GLC02437.03680

18 March 1788

Lafayette, Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier, marquis de, 1757-1834

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Expected to write this morning, but was interrupted by deputies of the "dutch patriots." While he was speaking to them he says he had a copy made of his letter to the General, possibly referring to George Washington, and has enclosed it (not included here). Asks him to communicate it to Alexander Hamilton. Has not written to John Jay as [William] Short has promised to do so.

GLC02437.03825

15 May 1788

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript letter

Title: to Marquis de Lafayette

Marked "Copy." Letter in a secretarial hand. Says that Joel Barlow, later known as one of the Connecticut Wits, will deliver this letter. Knox identifies Barlow as the author of "The vision of Columbus," a long epic poem in heroic couplets. Barlow went to Europe as an agent for a company that wanted to sell western lands to French emigrants. Knox says Barlow is traveling with the son of Nathanael Greene, George Washington Greene, who is to study with Lafayette in France. Says Catharine Greene and Colonel Wadsworth have written him on the subject of "Master Washington's education," and he will…

GLC02437.03874

3 January 1789

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Marquis de Lafayette

Has only received a short note from Lafayette (on recommendations for the Society of the Cincinnati), since last June. Believes it is due to the suspension of packets between France and America, as Count de Moustier, the French minister to America, has also not received letters. Says they heard that General Nathanael Greene's son was placed in a respectable academy near Paris. Hopes his conduct is good. Reports that "Our Country is busy in making elections for the new Government - what is to take place the 1st of March. The people at large are becoming more and more strongly attached to it…

GLC02437.04071

4 February 1789

Lafayette, Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert Du Motier, marquis de, 1757-1834

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Lafayette anxiously awaits ratification results of the U.S. Constitution, discusses debates between himself, Mr. [Thomas] Jefferson and "Common Sense" [Thomas Paine] regarding the need for Constitutional amendments, and stresses the importance of "the General's" [George Washington's] acceptance of the presidency. He begins by updating Knox on European affairs, saying that they are "too much Entangled together for me to give you an Exact description." He mentions that the Ottoman Empire, with the assistance of Great Britain, is attacking both the Russians and Austrians, and that Britain fears…

GLC02437.04105

24 May 1789

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Marquis de Lafayette

Says it is a long time since he has heard from Lafayette. Is glad that the packets between American and Europe will soon be re-established. When he can communicate better says he will update Lafayette on affairs in America. Says "You will have been informed already that our Constitution is established and fully in operation - That the Glorious Washington is at its head, and that therefore it will have the fairest chance for success." Ends by introducing a Mr. Colden (there is a space where the first name was supposed to be filled in) of New York. Colden wants to go to France to study before…

GLC02437.04218

14 August 1781

Lamb, John, 1735-1800

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written by Colonel Lamb to Brigadier General Knox. Accuses Colonel John Crane of defrauding solders under his command of their pay. Says many of the Crane's officers have accused him of these crimes. Says Lieutenant Colonel Stevens has publicly accused him and informed Crane of the names of other officers. Refuses to do duty with Crane until he exonerates himself from the charge. Says Crane needs to "appear before the world" and deny the charges.

GLC02437.01132

18 August 1781

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter

Title: to John Lamb

Written at camp near Dobbs Ferry. Gives specific orders for mobilization of Lamb's regiment, and apparently the entire artillery park. Indicates they should cross the Hudson River at Kings Ferry. Closing and signature in the hand of Samuel Shaw.

GLC02437.01139

28 September 1781

Lamb, John, 1735-1800

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Colonel Lamb asserts that Trebell's Landing is the best place to disembark the ordnance for the siege of Yorktown and requests men for the task. Reports that the return of stores Knox requested is impossible because Colonel Stevens (possibly Ebenezer Stevens, who was Colonel in Lamb's regiment) did not make an account of the stores on the vessels. Informs Knox that Captain Duncan has arrived with howitzers and carriages.

GLC02437.01194

21 October 1781

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Letter

Title: to John Adams

Later copy of GLC02437.01252. A detailed account of the siege of Yorktown. Affirms the correctness of Adams' ideas about a need to conduct a major attack against the British in the southern states. Announces the recent surrender of Lord Cornwallis at the Battle of Yorktown. Explains the "harmonious concurrence of circumstances" that made the victory possible, mentioning the fleet from the West Indies commanded by Admiral Compte de Grasse, the American and French troops marching down from the Hudson River, and a fleet from Rhode Island under the command of Compte de Barras. Provides a…

GLC02437.01251

2 November 1781

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript letter

Title: to John Lamb

Puts Colonel Lamb in charge of ordnance being transported to Head of Elk, Maryland and instructs him on how to proceed. Includes instructions on where to store the ordnance, what to obtain from the quartermaster at Head of Elk, and what to demand of the Board of War & Ordnance. Explains that the company of artificers under Captain Thomas Patten are to be left in Philadelphia and set to work immediately. As much artillery as possible should be removed to the Hudson River and placed under the command of General Benjamin Lincoln. The ordnance being transported had been used for the siege…

GLC02437.01280

15 February 1782

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Lamb

Responds to Lamb's letter (see GLC02437.01354) that the notes which were to be paid to the officers were intended, by Robert Morris, to counterbalance the clothing provided for the soldiers. Morris's priorities are first to provide the soldiers and officers with rations, second to provide clothes (which these notes were intended to do for the officers), and third to provide pay, which they are working on obtaining. Argues that an officer who paid for clothing out of his own purse may use the payment as he likes, but that the intention was to pay for clothing for the officers. Mentions the…

GLC02437.01355

6 May 1782

Lamb, John, 1735-1800

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written from Burlington, likely in New Jersey. Explains to Knox that per his instructions, they have performed some experiments comparing English and French howitzers. They have concluded that French howitzers will be useless unless they have specially-cast shells created for them, because the amount of powder they can hold is different from the amount English howitzers can hold. Has included some samples. Extends his compliments to Mrs. Knox and to Samuel Shaw, Knox's aide-de-camp.

GLC02437.01411