25 March 1783

Cochran, John, 1730-1807

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Lillie

Discusses a shipment of sulfur sent by General Henry Knox.

GLC02437.02031

29 September 1783

Holmes, Silas, fl. 1775-1783

Autograph letter signed

Title: to W. S. Smith

Praises a Doctor Bayley for his humanitarian effort and attitude toward the sick and wounded in his care. Noted as a retained copy and on the verso as "No. 2".

GLC02437.02582

13 May 1784

Colerus, Christian de, fl. 1776-1784

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Major Colerus seeks to obtain four months pay for his service in 1776 and 1777. Notes that his wife has died, and "with her all my Happiness is Vanished."

GLC02437.02997

January 18, 1783

Patten, Thomas, fl. 1777-1785

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Recommendation for a leave of absence for Stephen Savage]

Captain Patten recommends Savage for a twenty-five day leave of absence to visit his family. Directs his recommendation to Major General Henry Knox.

GLC02437.09613

25 November 1782

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Cochran

Knox writes to Doctor Cochran, Director General of the Medical Department of the Continental Army. Reports that in the absence of Doctor Burnet (on leave), West Point is in need of medical personnel. Writes, "The men begin to be taken sick, especially those in tents I shall have places warm and comfortable to put the sick into, but there is not the least article of hospital stores." Asks for Cochran to send medical stores under a person of his own appointment (who would presumably remain at West Point after delivering the stores).

GLC02437.10063

December 1782

Manuscript document

Title: [Officers' grievances, to be presented to Congress]

"The Officers of the Army, in Behalf of themselves and the Soldiery, beg leave, in plain & respectful language, to lay a State of their Circumstances and Grievances before Congress." The writer claims that the Government has not upheld its end of the bargain in supplying officers with adequate pay and rations. Argues that Continental money at nominal value was "palmed upon the Army," that the quantity of rations doled out to troops was frequently altered (to the disadvantage of soldiers), and that the account for rations has been unsettled for several years. Includes other grievances…

GLC02437.10073

4 January 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript document

Title: To the United States in Congress assembled, the address and petition of the officers of their Army, most humbly sheweth,

Written by Samuel Shaw, Knox's aide. Last page contains text written in another hand. Appears to be a draft of Knox's petition to Congress on behalf of the Massachusetts officers, regarding their grievances. Similar to GLC02437.10074. Closes with, "[The officers] therefore intreat that, to obviate any ill consequences which may arise from a dependence on the future forbearance of the Army, to convince the soldiery & the world that the Independence of America shall not be placed on the ruin of any particular Class of her Citizens, some mode may be pointed out for immediate redress."

GLC02437.10077

23 October 1786

Lewis, Joseph, 1748-1814

Manuscript document

Title: [Certification regarding Doctors Isaac Stafford and Jonathan Horton]

Joseph Lewis, clerk at Morristown, New Jersey, authorizes this document as a true copy of the original certificates presented to the Court of Quarter Sessions in September 1779. Includes the copied signature and statement of Henry Knox, who certifies that he authorized Stafford to appoint Horton as his assistant in 1777 at Mendham, New Jersey. Attests that Horton was paid "one dollar and two thirds p day," and died in the service of the United States. Also includes the copied statement and signature of Surgeon John Cochran, who attests to the veracity of Knox's statement, noting that he…

GLC02437.10454

16 June 1782

Crane, John, 1744-1805

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Writes, "I mentioned to his Excellency General Washington, that it might be well to send some persons to the State of Vermont after [desertion], and he is pleased to approve of it. I have not the least doubt but the persons who deserted from your guard are gone to that place, as one of them owns a small farm there which he purchased last summer, previous to his being apprehended as a deserter, with an intention, that this [step] might prevent his being at all apprehended. If you should approve the sending some persons, I will do it immediately."

GLC02437.01454

30 April 1782

Crane, John, 1744-1805

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Discusses various issues regarding the ordnance laboratory and supplies at West Point. Includes an estimate of the stores they will need for the laboratory there. Comments that they are working to tow timber and obtain materials. Refers to his letter of 18 February, in which he asked whether they had the correct number of fuses. Declares that when he did not receive an answer from Knox, he ordered more fuses to be made. See GLC02437.01401 for the enclosure that accompanied this letter.

GLC02437.01400

19 June 1782

Crane, John, 1744-1805

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Discusses the appointment of two conductors, Swartland and Trent. Apparently due to some error they were sent as artificers to the wrong company, but as they had been appointed by Knox as conductors, a Captain Sears has ordered their return to their rightful company and position. Note on bottom of verso, in Knox's hand, says the letter was answered by Captain [likely John] Lillie.

GLC02437.01456

12 July 1782

Crane, John, 1744-1805

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Informs Knox that they have in their stores a number of "wide Horseman's belts," and many officers from the Infantry want to split the belts and "make two for their pouches." Is not sure whether Knox had another use for them so declined to give permission until he asked Knox.

GLC02437.01484

December 1782

Manuscript document

Title: Report of the board of general officers for settling the rank of Colonels Crane, & Lamb

Date added later in pencil. Marked "copy." Writes, "That Colo [John] Crane serving as a Captain with the Army from the 8th May 1775 by Virtue of a State Commission of that date, and a General Order, requesting such Officers, to send in their Commissions and receive others of the same date, ought to take precedence of Colo. [John] Lamb whose Commission as Captain in the Continental Army, bears date 30th June 1775. The also appears to this Board that Colo. Crane was Commissioned as Major in the Continental Army the 1st of January 1776, and Colo. Lamb appointed to a Majority the 9th to take…

GLC02437.01768

7 January 1783

Crane, John, 1744-1805

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written by Colonel Crane of the Continental Artillery to Major General Knox. Says the dispute between Captain Lieutenant Kemper and Lieutenant Crawley has been presented to a board of officers and their opinion presented to him. Says he does not know how to proceed and would like Knox's advice.

GLC02437.01808

22 June 1783

Crane, John, 1744-1805

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Duplicate of GLC02437.02175. Discusses orders for officers to hand in returns in a timely manner concerning the "number of Officers ... and privates who will remain in service from the different corps at this post ... " Explains the return was created before all of the officers choosing to remain in service were accounted for, and since there were more officers who chose to stay than were expected, he needs to issue a new return. Had asked the officers to decide among themselves who would remain since "I do not think that I can with propriety derange any officer without his consent. If…

GLC02437.02174

12 July 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript document

Title: [Certificate of service for Florence Crowley]

Written and signed for Knox in the hand of Samuel Shaw, Knox's aide-de-camp. Certifies that retiring Lieutenant Florence Crowley served in the Corps of Artillery under General Knox from 1777 to 1783. Praises Crowley for being an "attentive, brave, and intelligent officer."

GLC02437.02268

22 November 1783

Townsend, David, 1753-1829

Autograph document signed

Title: [Certificate of illness]

Countersigned by Samuel Adams, a hospital surgeon. Certifies that soldiers in the general hospital are "so reduced by Sickness as totally to disqualify them for any Kind of military Duty & in our Opinion they will continue in that situation thro' the Winter. we do therefore recommend them as proper Subjects for a Discharge."

GLC02437.02793

25 July 1786

Crane, John, 1744-1805

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to John Pierce

Writes, "Please to pay into the hands of General Henry Knox all the certificates which may be found due to me on settlement of my accounts lodg'd in your Office, and his receipt will be your sufficient voucher."

GLC02437.03283

24 December 1787

Crane, John, 1744-1805

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Discusses the settlement of his accounts. Mentions being afraid that Mr. Peirce lost his accounts with the "certificates from My Officer and the accounts attested on Oath, [since] it will be very cruel to keep me out of my interest, it will be impossible for me now to procure the certificates again - " Says he does not owe money to the public and that if his troops at the Rhode Island expedition had not been paid, it would have become known by now. Noted as written in Passamaquady, which is most likely by Passamaquoddy Bay, in present-day Maine.

GLC02437.03738

17 June 1788 - 19 June 1788

Swan, Caleb, 1758-1809

Manuscript document signed

Title: Statement of Colonel John Crane's old emission accounts

Signed by Caleb Swan for John Pierce, Paymaster General, 17 June 1788 in the Pay Office at New York (front cover). Signed 19 June 1788 by Joseph Howell, [Junior] Assistant Commissary, in the Office of Army Accounts at New York (page 13). Includes details of John Crane's account with the United States from 1776-1779. Pertains to recruiting accounts.

GLC02437.03900

3 October 1789

Crane, John, 1744-1805

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Discusses settling his account with the Paymasters Office. Mentions having written to Knox several times and has yet to receive a reply. Describes current financial difficulties, including suffering the loss of a saw mill in a fire. Noted as written in Passamaquady, which is most likely in the vicinity of Passamaquoddy Bay in present-day Maine.

GLC02437.04377

29 March 1776

Manuscript document

Title: [Return of officers and men belonging to the detachment under Major John Crane who have been left behind due to sickness]

Includes the names of men left behind from Captains Pierce, Foster, and Drury's companies (possibly Thomas Pierce, Thomas Waite Foster, and Jotham Drury).

GLC02437.09508

22 March 1782

Cutting, John Browne, fl. 1782-1797

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Thoughts on various topics of the day, including the ways people understand the war and military strategy; shifting American perceptions of the war, especially those of people in Massachusetts; financial problems and supply shortages; squabbles among political leadership; the structure of the new government; taxes; and religion. Congratulates Knox on the arrival of his new son, musing, "Pray what kind of features has the late additional young gentleman? Do they indicate peace or war? Has his brow the military scowl of defiance, or do smiles of pacification expand in rosy dimples? If an…

GLC02437.01374

28 October 1781

Custine, Adam Philip, Count de, 1740-1793

Autograph document signed

Title: to Henry Knox [Request for supplies].

Signed in text. Asks Knox to exchange three drums and provide a fourth, and exchange cartridge boxes also. Also mentions that the Major [François-Louis Teissèdre de] Fleury "paid his respects to the general." Colonel Custine led the Régiment de Saintonge, which was selected in 1780 by the Count de Rochambeau to participate in the French expeditionary force to America that aided in the siege of Yorktown.

GLC02437.01268

28 December 1782

Nicolas, Lewis, 1717-1807

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Recommendation for a leave of absence for James Sheridan of the Invalid Regiment]

Colonel Nicola recommends Sheridan for a "furlough to fallow field in Chester County, Pennsylvania, 'til the first April." Directs his request to a General, possibly Henry Knox, and notes that Sheridan's leave will complete the number of furloughs allowed in his regiment.

GLC02437.09592