7 November 1782

Waters, Josiah, fl. 1776-1794

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Writes, "This will be delivered to you by Mr. J. Byles who if I mistake not served his time previous to the war with Mr. John Simpkins." After this time, he suffered "many adverse fortunes which has induced him to enter the service of the united States as a private soldier and being to march for camp has requested of me a line to you. Not being acquainted with him I made inquiry concerning his conduct, before I ventured to give him a Letter and finding that he has really been unfortunate though having committed some imprudences, I have told him that he must not expect the attention he…

GLC02437.01703

4 January 1783

Webb, J., fl. 1783

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written by Jos. Webb, possibly Joseph or Josiah Webb. Writes that he has business to settle with David Porter of Hartford, who has a son, Moses, in Colonel [perhaps Samuel] Webb's regiment. Would like to request Porter's son be allowed to return home to settle the business. Mentions seeing General Huntington and sends regards to Mrs. Knox.

GLC02437.01795

December 1, 1784

Webber, James, fl. 1784-1797

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Webber, a London merchant and friend of William Knox, responds to a letter from Henry Knox (GLC02437.03068). Expresses happiness at William's recovery from an episode of mental illness. Reports that William will soon sail from London to Boston. Discusses economics, commenting on the low price of good in the United States. Notes that credit for American trade is "greatly lessen'd" in England. Writes, "in confidence, I would intimate that if Mr Wm Knox extends his Trade and line of connexions, you sir, would render him an essential service by being a guarantee to some of those with whom he…

GLC02437.03071

25 December 1789

Wayne, Anthony, 1745-1796

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

General Wayne acknowledges a letter from Knox of 28 November and talks about information on a possible treaty between the Creeks and the Spanish government. Wayne gives his opinion of rifles "when a professional gentleman who had been in the British services, asked my Opinion of the efficiacy of rifles, to the fire of which the British attributed in great degree the loss of that Army - I gave my sentiments very candidly, that I thought them a very improper arm for an Army, that a few of them in the hands of expert marksmen might occasionally be servicable for small desultory parties, when…

GLC02437.04808

15 June 1782

Van Rensselaer, Philip, 1747-1798

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Writes, "I am requested by Col. Reid Commanding Officer of this Department to inform you that great part of the Continental Troops in this Quarter are Distitute of Cartridge Boxes, would therefore desire you to order at least 200 to this place. Recruits are dayly expected as also a supply of Cartridge paper thread Twines & flints and some writting paper as I am intirely out and no money to purchase any." Van Rensselaer signs as public storekeeper.

GLC02437.01453

December 1, 1783

Upham, Joshua, 1741-1808

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Expresses his regret on having to leave New York as he is leaving behind many friends, both Loyalists and Patriots, including Knox. Asks for and expects Knox's protection and attention for and to his friends and their families who remained in the city. States that "I am distressed that so many Gentn ... have been under the Necessity of leaving New York etc. and separating from their Families - their sorrows are very much in the extreme ... " Noted as written "On Board the Ceres off Staten Island."

GLC02437.02814

4 June 1787

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to [Pieter Johan] Van Berckel

Written to "P.J." Van Berckel, likely Pieter Johan Van Berckel. Replies to Van Berckel's letter from 9 May, in which he recommended Joseph Mandrillon for membership in the Society of the Cincinnati. Regrets that the Society's rules "did not permit to associate so worthy a character." Refer to GLC02437.03566 for Knox's letter to Mandrillon.

GLC02437.03568

15 June 1791

Franklin, William Temple, 1760-1823

Manuscript letter

Title: to Tench Coxe

Most of the information on this record comes from a letter written by Julian P. Boyd, the editor of The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, in 1969. Boyd's letter is in the file with the original document. The document is not signed, but Boyd identifies its creator as William Temple Franklin, Benjamin Franklin's grandson. Boyd claims it was sent to Tench Coxe who was serving as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury. The letter is a summary of the report of the Lords of Trade to the Privy Council. This report was written mainly by Lord Hawkesbury on 28 January 1791. Having this document was a…

GLC02437.04997

28 December 1783

Manuscript letter

Title: to unknown

Conveys information from Governor George Clinton of New York about enabling officers of the New York Levies to retire from service.

GLC02437.10575

29 October 1782

Walker, Benjamin, 1753-1818

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written from Head Quarters. Writes that the Commander in Chief [General George Washington] would like to inform Knox that "immediately on the arrival of the troops at their places of Cantonment much uneasiness arose as hearing their artificers" were not about to join them. They feel that "hutting" cannot commence until "they get their carpenters to direct the work." Therefore General Washington wishes that "neither they nor the Masons; may be detained one moment after the time agreed on" and that if any of them "as can possibly be spared may be sent even before that time."

GLC02437.01685

February 4, 1783

Walker, Benjamin, 1753-1818

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Asks Knox to transmit the estimate of his department, per George Washington's request. Noted as written at the Head Quarters.

GLC02437.01889

February 4, 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter

Title: to Benjamin Walker

Replies to a note from Major Walker regarding His Excellency [George Washington's] previous request for an estimate [of ordnance and artillery]. Will endeavor to fulfill the request by the latter part of the following day.

GLC02437.10092

January 23, 1783

Walker, Benjamin, 1753-1818

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

"The Commander in Chief has directed me to inclose you Lt. Campbells return, and to request you would cause some enquiry to be made into the loss of stores mentioned therein." Noted as written at Head Quarters. See GLC02437.01853 for Knox's follow-up.

GLC02437.01852

February 15, 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Benjamin Walker

Discusses the proportions of pay for artificers and sergeants in the artillery as opposed to the regular army.

GLC02437.01924

February 16, 1783

Walker, Benjamin, 1753-1818

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Discusses salary of the Artillery artificers. States that they "should receive their ... pay with the rest of the army ... " Noted as written at Head Quarters. Appears to be a reply to GLC02437.01924.

GLC02437.01931

21 July 1785

Walker, Thomas, fl. 1785

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Colonel Walker requests that Knox assist him in obtaining money he was granted by a Congressional Resolution of 15 April 1785, likely for his military service. Notes receipt of a bill from an unspecified board via Mr. Lovell, possibly James Lovell, former Massachusetts Continental Congressman and receiver of continental taxes. Writes, "I need not observe to you Sir that, when the draft is paid, upon Mr. Lovell, it will not reimburse me, for the expenses I have been at, in the solicitation."

GLC02437.03167

11 April 1787

Ward, Samuel, 1756-1832

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

States that that Mr. Griffin Green has been informed that the sunk frigates in the North [Hudson] River by Fort Montgomery contain pig iron and perhaps some other articles of interest. Asks for Knox's permission to examine the frigates and their property further to see if it can be acquired without too much expense.

GLC02437.03519

22 March 1782

United States. Continental Congress.

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Resolve of Congress respecting the promotion of Knox to major general]

Signed by Charles Thomson as Secretary of Congress. Congress resolved to promote Henry Knox from brigadier general to major general. States that the promotion was granted on the recommendation of George Washington's letter of 31 October 1781 for merit during the siege of Yorktown. The promotion was dated from 15 November 1781. Knox was the youngest major general in the Continental Army.

GLC02437.01371

March 1777

Manuscript document

Title: [Army expenses]

General Henry Knox's army expenses. $66,937 was brought forward. Includes a $600 and $400 payment for recruiting. Also notes "To cash recd. of Govr. Trumbull of Connect[icu]t. agreeable to a Dra[f]t. on him by His Excellency General Washington for the recruiting - and ordnance service Feb. 26 1777 20,000." The total expense was $87,937.

GLC02437.08399

16 September 1777-16 October 1777

Knox, William, 1756-1795

Autograph document

Title: Knox's army diary [incomplete]

Mostly deals with movements of the army around Philadelphia in September and October 1777, around the time of the Battle of Germantown. On September 19 says "Intelligence recd. of the enemys pushing for Philadelphia the army cross'd the Schylkill." On 20 September, makes reference to General Anthony Wayne being attacked at night and states that General William Smallwood joined Wayne. Makes reference to George Washington riding reconnaissance with a group of officers on 30 September. Makes reference to moving toward Germantown on 3 and 4 October and describes the battle there. Makes…

GLC02437.08417

circa September 1776

Sargent, Winthrop, 1753-1820

Autograph document signed

Title: [Officers' petition to Henry Knox regarding inadequate wages]

Signed by Sargent, William Treadwell, Benjamin Frothingham, Jotham Horton, David Allen, John Johnston, Thomas Seward, and Benajah Carpenter. All sign as Captain Lieutenant, and present a moving request for livable wages. "...We the subscribers, your Honour's Petitioners, finding our present Wages inadequate to our necessary Expenses, wou'd beg your Honour to report the Affair to his Excellency... we are not mercenary- we desire not to hoard up, but had we Millions would with Pleasure spend them in our Country's Cause...we've nothing to offer our Country but our lives, which we'll hazard or…

GLC02437.10008

19 October 1781

Hunter, James, fl. 1781

Autograph document

Title: [Bill to Henry Knox for military supplies needed for the siege of Yorktown].

Bill for iron and waggonage from the Rappahannock Forge in Falmouth, Virginia. Knox's instructions to Hunter to send iron and ordnance to the James River and Hunter's report on fulfilling that request appear in GLC02437.01194 and GLC02437.01217, respectively.

GLC02437.01246

1781

Shaw, Samuel, 1754-1794

Autograph document

Title: [Rations for Henry Knox and his family, 1777-1781]

In the handwriting of Samuel Shaw, Henry Knox's aide-de-camp. Lists the rations to which Henry Knox and his military "family" are entitled from 1777-1781, broken down yearly. Also mentions Colonel John Crane and General Nathanael Greene and their families.

GLC02437.01299

10 March 1782

Shaw, Samuel, 1754-1794

Autograph document signed

Title: Gen. Knox in account with S. Shaw

Lists Henry Knox's accounts with Shaw, beginning 8 June 1781 and ending 12 December, 1781. Contains several memoranda and instructions for what Knox owes to Shaw and what the United States government owes Knox. Expenses range from: groceries and house wares to a payment to Frederick "for dressing the Generals hat," to "Jacob's wife (Peggy) for washing," to "Cato Freeman on account of his wages" (probably an African-American servant), travel and board expenses "From Camp to Philadelphia" [August], from "Philadelphia to Williamsburg in Virginia" [September], and from "York to Mount Vernon" […

GLC02437.01368

18 July 1782

Vose, Thomas, 1753-1810

Manuscript document signed

Title: Return of two pieces of brass ordnance attached to Genl Hows Division, with the ammunition impliments be on hand, & the number of rounds expended at Tarry Town on the 16th & 17th instant

A chart describing the brass ordnance of General Robert Howe's division, including ammunition.

GLC02437.01493