February 26, 1783

Brewster, Caleb, 1747-1827

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Recounts and describes a gunboat fight with an enemy ship, which they boarded.

GLC02437.01954

19 October 1781

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Washington

Indicates that he has received an inaccurate (imprecise) report of the (captured) cannons and mortars at the lines during the siege of Yorktown, which he blames on the confusion there. Thought the report would still be useful, knowing Colonel Tench Tilghman's destination. Has not yet received word of the artillery captured at Gloucester. Tilghman, an aide-de-camp and military secretary to Washington, was on his way to Philadelphia to announce the formal surrender of Lord Cornwallis, which happened that day. See GLC02437.01245 for a related item.

GLC02437.01241

1 November 1781

Cobb, David, 1748-1830

Autograph letter signed

Title: to General Kingsley

Communicates orders from General George Washington to expeditiously load all the stores that are being transported to Head Of Elk, Maryland onto vessels. Anything that cannot fit should be loaded onto French ships. The ordnance being transported had been used in the siege of Yorktown. Probably intended for Henry Knox. Docket written in Henry Knox's hand. Cobb was an aide-de-camp to Washington.

GLC02437.01279

19-26 October 1781

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph document

Title: [Ordnance taken at York and Gloucester]

List of ordnance, arms and military stores "taken in the Enemies posts of" York and Gloucester. This "summary return" likely dates between October 19 and October 26, 1781. On the 26th, Washington drafted a letter to Congress (the final is addressed October 27) enclosing a number of final returns (which he had just received) of material captured at Yorktown, including one for arms, ordnance and military supplies. This summary appears to include estimates of captured arms and ordnance based on early assessments, before detailed inventories had been made. As such, it probably dates to within a…

GLC02437.01316

4 January 1782

Davies, William, fl. 1781-1782

Manuscript letter

Title: to Edward Carrington

Marked "copy." Writes to Colonel Edward Carrington regarding movement of military stores to Richmond or Westham, Virginia. Advises that "Westham is a very unsafe place & Richmond much worse. An Easterly wind is a fair wind for the Enemy's shipping to run up the river, it generally brings rain which prevents the militia from turning out so readily, and of course [lessens?] the opposition; besides it swells the River in such a manner that there is no moving against it: and if you have your stores at Richmond or Manchester, the same objections apply, with the additional risk from the want…

GLC02437.01325

September 1781

Manuscript document

Title: A list of the Vessels appropriated to the American Army, loaded with Ordnance & Stores.

Enumerates military stores for use in the siege of Yorktown embarked on sixty-four ships at Head of Elk, Maryland. The names of the ships and captains are recorded. - Pages 1-3 list 64 ships, enumerating type (sloop, schooner, etc.), name, captain and tonnage. (The captain of the schooner "Dolphin" is listed as "James. Negro.") Page 4 (entirely in Shaw's hand) lists quantities of ball and shell. (An annotation indicates a quantity of ball "unloaded to give the French the vessel and put on board the others...." Another indicates that a quantity of shell was on a vessel that was "cast…

GLC02437.01202

2 October 1781

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Board of War & Ordnance

Reports that Colonel Robert Harrison will wait for the Board to send a supply of musket ammunition for the Southern Army commanded by General Nathanael Greene. Explains that the frequent activity has depleted stores and the free navigation of the Chesapeake Bay provides an opportunity for delivery. Asks that stores from Williamsburg, Virginia also be forwarded. Reports that they invested Yorktown on 28 September 1781 and that General Cornwallis' evacuated his outer works the following day. The Continental Army hopes to open its batteries in three days.

GLC02437.01204

15 October 1781

Carrington, Edward, 1749-1810

Autograph document signed

Title: Report of the Stores expended in the Grand Battery, Oct. 15. 1781 under the Command of Capt. Stevens.

Lists quantities of stores used and on hand at the Grand Battery and Redoubt under the command of Colonel Ebenezer Stevens, at the Left Battery under the command of Captain Lt. Thompson and by 10" mortars commanded by Capt. Gvion, during the siege of Yorktown. A note at the end by Carrington cites the taking of the British forces' left and right redoubts by Lafayette and French forces.

GLC02437.01228

19 October 1781

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph document signed

Title: A Summary return of the Ordnance, Arms and military stores taken in the Enemies posts of York and Glocester.

Short list of British ordnance confiscated after the siege of Yorktown and a note indicating that the totals are so numerous that a complete detailed return has not yet been obtained.

GLC02437.01245

October 1781

Manuscript document

Title: [Quotations from the Marquis de Chastellux about Henry Knox]

Later copy. Paraphrases quotations by the Marquis de Chastellux that praise the activities of Knox and the artillery in aiding the siege of Yorktown. Chastellux was one of three major French generals sent with General Rochambeau to assist in the Battle of Yorktown.

GLC02437.01275

22 March 1783

Livingston, Robert L., 1746-1813

Manuscript letter

Title: to George Washington

Written in the hand of Jonathan Trumbull, Jr., Washington's Secretary. Marked as a copy of a letter from Secretary of Foreign Affairs Livingston to General Washington. Docket in Knox's hand. Sends "the agreeable Intelligence of Peace, upon which I most sincerely congratulate you and the Army - Harmony, a Regard for Justice, & Fidelity to our Engagements, are all that now remains to render us a happy people." Says the vessel with the news was sent by Comte d'Estaing, who was recalling French cruisers from America waters. Says this news should be immediately sent to British commander Sir…

GLC02437.02018

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

28 March 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Washington

Written by Major General Knox to General Washington. Contains florid congratulations to Washington over peace. Says "how sublime must be your sensations at this moment!" Claims it is a "happy day for America!" Retained copy.

GLC02437.02034

1 April 1783

Shaw, Samuel, 1754-1794

Autograph document signed

Title: [Request for rations]

Request to issue two days' worth of provisions for two deserters from the British. Includes a note on verso from [Rueben Beach].

GLC02437.02052

28 April 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Andrew Billings

Written by Major General Knox to Major Billings. Says he heard Billings would be willing to contract to engrave the cannon recently taken from the enemy for two dollars each. Would like him to take care of this business as soon as possible.

GLC02437.02110

23 April 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to James Myers

Discusses the artillery of the army and corrects a mistake regarding the placement of the dolphins for the guns. Also discusses placement of the "Arms of the United States" on artillery. Closes by saying that "Although peace has taken place" he still wishes to have six of the howitzers cast "as soon as possible." Signature is partially torn off.

GLC02437.02111

10 June 1783

Blair, Samuel, 1741-1818

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Offers his congratulations on ending the war, while expressing his regret on not being able to congratulate him personally. "I pray the Supreme Rewarder of the good & the truly brave may bless you with the copious fruits of that peace you have by so many energies contributed to procure." Also mentions a niece whose husband is no good, "worse than widowed."

GLC02437.02157

7 August 1781

Carrington, Edward, 1749-1810

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Colonel Carrington writes to Knox from "Camp High Hills of Santee," near the Santee River in South Carolina. Reports that he received Knox's previous letter via Governor [John] Rutledge. Informs Knox he has been transferred to Virginia and, per the General's wish, will remain the Quartermaster's Department. Praises General Nathanael Greene's recent campaign in South Carolina.

GLC02437.01123

25 August 1781

Bauman, Sebastian, 1739-1803

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Response to Knox's 23 August 1781 letter (GLC02437.01154). Bauman arrived at the Curtis House, near Potts Mill, where Knox ordered him to halt. Reports that the ground has been "marked out for the left wing of the French line." Requests further instructions on where to move. Bauman commanded an artillery corps that was a part of Colonel John Lamb's Second Regiment of Continental Artillery. Lamb's regiment was part of Knox's Artillery Brigade. Knox had recently appointed Bauman to his post. Bauman was on his way to assist in the siege of Yorktown. Written at Curtises Tavern.

GLC02437.01158

12 September 1781

Bauman, Sebastian, 1739-1803

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Tells Knox that this letter will be delivered by a Lieutenant Ford, who will also deliver ordnance and information about available ships. Describes his activities fulfilling Knox's orders to obtain ordnance and shipping vessels. Mentions using shot and shells as ballast for a ship with French troops. Indicates that General Mordecai Gist was angry that the gun powder, possibly from Frederick, Maryland, had not arrived yet. Citing financial troubles, Bauman reports that "the people here seem Exceedingly slow in forwarding the Services." Discusses problems with and plans for embarking with…

GLC02437.01183

28 June 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Andrew Billings

Written by Major General Knox to Captain Major Billings. Says that General Washington directed him to forward two cannons to Billings to be engraved in a similar fashion to the cannon done for Count De Rochambeau (see GLC02437.02198). These cannons are for Count De Grasse and reports that the inscription to be engraved will be sent from headquarters. Would like to know how long it will take. Hastily written postscript asks that the design for Rochambeau's cannons be sent if he still has them as it will be necessary to make some alterations to the emblems and coat of arms.

GLC02437.02199

5 July 1783

Bauman, Sebastian, 1739-1803

Autograph letter signed

Title: to George Washington

Major Bauman of the artillery corps asks General Washington to discharge four older German men under Bauman's command. Says that the Board of Inspectors of Invalids told him to go to Washington as the men did not "come under the description of men in bad health." Says the Germans are all in their 60s and worn out and want to go back to Germany; they and their families seek discharge. The Germans said "from their short service they have rendered this Country, they could never Expect or demand any bounty from it, and their sphere of live being passed to labour, consequently would become a…

GLC02437.02241

23 July 1783

Shaw, Samuel, 1754-1794

Autograph note signed

Title: [Order to issue army rations to three British deserters]

Order issued by General Knox's aide-de-camp Major Shaw for West Point Commissary James Forsyth to issue seven days worth of rations for three British deserters "to carry them to Philadelphia." It appears that Shaw was reusing paper, as a few lines of poetry are written on the verso of this document.

GLC02437.02316

11 March 1788

Grasse, Alexandre-Francois Auguste, Marquis de, 1765-1845

Manuscript letter

Title: to George Washington [in French]

Extract from a letter (in French) from Augustus de Grasse to George Washington to be presented before the Society of the Cincinnati, regarding Augustus's father, Admiral Francois De Grasse. The younger de Grasse asks Washington's permission to wear his late father's Society of the Cincinnati eagle medallion.

GLC02437.03820

1 August 1788

Broglio, Francois, comte de, fl. 1786-1788

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox [in French]

Discusses the Society of the Cincinnati. Appears to have been written from Fort Dauphin in Santo Domingo (Saint Domingue, in the present-day Dominican Republic).

GLC02437.03952