1781

Manuscript document

Title: No. 9: articles issued in the year 1781

List of military articles by date issued, including muskets, flints and Borax.

GLC02437.01321

4 November 1781

Manuscript document

Title: Return of ordnance and military stores prepared for the Southern detachment.

Lists mortars, howitzers, and their implements, field pieces, items "in common for the whole," and musquetry. Docket notes these items were "order'd to the Southward from York in Virginia under Genl [Arthur] St. Clair." Docketed by Henry Knox.

GLC02437.10027

4 December 1781

Manuscript document

Title: [Return of ordnance & military stores delivered to Samuel Hodgdon]

Lists stores delivered to Hodgdon, Commissary General of Military Stores, in Philadelphia. Ordnance stores were delivered by Mr. [Richard] Frothingham, a field commissary. Lists items such as brass cannons, howitzers, mortars, drag chain, wadhooks, ladles, and gunner belts, among others. Docketed by Samuel Shaw.

GLC02437.10029

15 December 1781

Craig, Isaac, 1742-1826

Manuscript document

Title: [Return of ordnance stores at Fort Pitt and Fort McIntosh]

Lists stores of shells, powder, cartridges, muskets, rifles, swords, etc. Fort Pitt was the site of present day Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Fort McIntosh became the town of Beaver, Pennsylvania. Document is one long narrow sheet folded over many times. Dimensions are approximate. Addressed to William Irvine, Brigadier General.

GLC02437.10030

6 January 1782

Craig, Isaac, 1742-1826

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Return of Ordnance stores at Fort Pitt and Fort McIntosh]

Signed by I. Craig, Captain of Artillery to Henry Knox, Brigadier General of Artillery. Lists stores of shells, powder, cartridges, muskets, rifles, swords, etc. Fort Pitt was the site of present day Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Fort McIntosh became the town of Beaver, Pennsylvania. Document is one long narrow sheet folded over many times. Dimensions are approximate.

GLC02437.10032

1 October 1781

Autograph document

Title: Monthly Return of the Corps of Artillery.

Chart enumerating various types of ordnance held by several regiments, including Colonel John Lamb's 2nd Artillery. The ordnance was needed for the siege of Yorktown, which began that month. Henry Knox's copy.

GLC02437.10495

19 October 1781

Smith, John, ?-1837

Manuscript document signed

Title: Return of ordnance ammunition & stores at Glo'ster Point

Signed by Lieutenant Smith, commanding Royal Artillery Glocester.

GLC02437.10496

1 January 1782

Hiwell, John, fl. 1788

Autograph document signed

Title: Return of the music of the army under the command of the Honble. M. General Heath

Lists Massachusetts and Connecticut regiments of artillery. Indicates the number from each that are fit for duty, learners, good, or bad. Indicates what each regiment needs, including drum heads, drum sticks, blank books, sheets of paper for music, and other items.

GLC02437.10498

30 September 1781

Manuscript document

Title: [Return]

Return for ordnance and stores at Fishkill, New York for the months of August and September 1781. Items listed by type, and date issued. Noted as under the orders of John Ruddock.

GLC02437.10685

4 December 1781

Manuscript document

Title: [Return]

Return for the regiment of artillery and artificers stationed at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania under command of Captain Thomas Wylie. Men listed by name (59 cited), time of enlistment, length of service, occupation and place of work. Bottom appears to have been cut off.

GLC02437.10686

December 31, 1781

Manuscript document

Title: [Return]

Return for ordnance and military stores available, received and delivered for the months of October, November, December 1781 at West Point, New York. Items listed by type, weight and current condition. Date previously inferred, written in pencil.

GLC02437.10687

December 31, 1781

Ruddock, John, fl. 1779-1796

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Return]

Return for ordnance and military stores available, received and delivered for the months of October, November, December 1781 at Fishkill, New York. Items listed by type, weight and current condition. Date previously inferred, written in pencil.

GLC02437.10688

1 January 1782

Jones, Thomas, fl. 1777-1782

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Return]

Return for ordnance and military stores available, received and delivered from 1 August 1781 to 1 January 1782 for the Southern Department in Virginia. Items listed by type, weight and current condition. Date from docket.

GLC02437.10689

11 March 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Washington

Sends his regrets to General George Washington as he was unable to make a meeting at Head Quarters due to the the large amount of ice in the river. Discusses the "extraodinary notification and address forwarded to Colonel Crane" (the first of the anonymous Newburgh letters, which had been circulated at camp the previous day, 10 March 1783). Washington had doubtless asked Knox to attend a confidential meeting of trusted officer to discuss response to the Newburgh Crisis. (For more information on that meeting, see background for GLC02437.10105.) Knox's retained draft.

GLC02437.01995

23 March 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Washington

Written by Major General Knox to General Washington. Reports to Washington that he had to relieve the company of artillery under Captain Lieutenant Ephraim Fenno at Kings Ferry, due to problems with ordnance returns. Replaced Fenno's unit with the company of Colonel John Lamb now under the orders of Captain Fleming. Says if Washington wants a commander responsible directly to him, he recommends Fleming as qualified. Says Fenno was relieved because of an unexplained return which noted 18 damaged barrels of powder. Also, Fenno did not explain why two soldiers in his company left ordnance "…

GLC02437.02019

23 March 1783

Parker, Daniel, 1782-1846

Manuscript letter

Title: to George Washington

In the hand of Jonathan Trumbull, Jr., Washington's Secretary. Copy of a letter from Daniel Parker to George Washington. Informs General Washington that a general peace was signed on 20 January. Says a ship from Cadiz arrived with the news. Congratulates Washington on the event. Docket in Knox's hand.

GLC02437.02020

4 April 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Washington

Discusses issuing ammunition and weaponry to the troops. Warns that if every brigade orders the same proportion the number of weaponry will be immense. Retained copy.

GLC02437.02062

9 April 1783

Hamilton, Alexander, 1757-1804

Manuscript letter

Title: to George Washington

A copy, in the hand of Washington's secretary David Cobb, of the letter Hamilton wrote as a Continental Congressman from New York to General Washington. Hamilton was writing in his capacity as a chairman of a committee (other members included Madison, Osgood, Wilson, and Ellsworth) formed by Congress to organize various departments in the government after the official peace. Would like Washington's "sentiments at large on such institutions of every kind for the interior defence of these States as may be best adapted to their circumstances, and conciliate security with economy and with the…

GLC02437.02078

16 April 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Washington

Discusses the earnings of commissioned officers and the feelings of uneasiness among noncommissioned officers due to unequal payment. Suggests discharging noncommissioned officers as soon as possible under the pretext that it is being done so that they can "attend to their farms in the present season..." Retained copy.

GLC02437.02092

19 May 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Washington

Discusses an "atrocious violation of the Laws of Nations" by a Mr. Honniwell and urges a just punishment for the crime. See GLC02437.02125 for a related document.

GLC02437.02126

6 June 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter

Title: to George Washington

Praises the bravery and character of Sergeant Major [Enos J.] Prindle of Colonel Lamb's regiment.

GLC02437.02148

8 June 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter

Title: to George Washington

Discusses a lack of artificers and the importance of the arsenals and magazines for the artillery and any other branch of the military. Knox's retained draft.

GLC02437.02153

14 May 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter

Title: to George Washington

Declares, "The soldiers of the regiments of this garrison have been tolerably quiet until last night, when the behaviour of most or all of the regiments was totally repugnant to discipline, & in many instances highly mutinous... the rioters appeared to have no particular object in view..." Offers to take the responsibility of granting officers' furlough requests, if Washington thinks it appropriate. Knox' retained draft.

GLC02437.10109

March 14, 1783 circa

Doughty, John, 1754-1826

Document signed

Title: Victualing return

Return issued for the rations for 8 men over 4 days, from 10 March to 13 March. A total of 32 rations were issued. Appears to be for "ye Andrew CMarshal." Signed by Captain John Howell of the main guard and John Doughty as fort major of West Point. Note at bottom says this a copy of an original which was lost. Docket signed by Jonathan Edwards(?) stating the rations arrived from contractors.

GLC02437.01993

10 March 1783

Manuscript letter

Title: to the Officers of the Army [The Newburgh Conspiracy]

Written in the hand of Samuel Shaw, this is Henry Knox's copy, and is docketed by Knox. An anonymous address to the officers of the Army, along with a call for a general meeting of officers. This particular copy was sent to the officers at West Point. Gives high-minded praise to the troops, extolling their virtue, bravery, and patriotism -- but then transitions into an emotional-laden section about America's inability to provide for them after the war is over. Says "If this then be your treatment, while the swords you wear are necessary for the defence of America - what have you to expect…

GLC02437.01994