8 April 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript letter

Title: to Benjamin Lincoln

Written and signed for Knox in the hand of Samuel Shaw, Knox's aide de camp. To Secretary of War Lincoln. Says with the confirmation of peace the artillery artificers are worried about disbanding before hearing from Congress about a payment settlement for their past services. Says he wrote to Lincoln about this issue previously and asked him to bring it before Congress. Says "it being but reasonable that their stipulated pay, of twenty dollars a per month to the privates and in proportion for the noncommissioned officers, should be made good to them." Hopes Lincoln will use his influence to…

GLC02437.02074

2 June 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Benjamin Lincoln

Gives an account of his advancement in the army and his wages as a way to show the unfair methods of payment of the soldiers and the lack of an organized system to deal with soldiers' wages.

GLC02437.02144

6 June 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript letter

Title: to Benjamin Lincoln

Written and signed for Knox in the hand of Samuel Shaw, Knox's aide de camp. Discusses the pay for army artificers about to be furloughed, and their entitlement to arms.

GLC02437.02150

15 July 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Benjamin Lincoln

Written by Major General Knox to Secretary of War Lincoln. Writes respecting the arsenal and magazines to let Lincoln know that his orders are "impracticable" to execute. Reminds Lincoln that he is the President of the Massachusetts branch of the Society for the Cincinnati and that he is Lincoln's deputy. Wants to know if Lincoln will be giving him his orders. Encloses some additions respecting the Society's medal (not included). References Congress fleeing Philadelphia to Trenton in the face of an angry mob of veterans. Says they all approve of Congress's decision. Informs Lincoln that Lucy…

GLC02437.02291

1 August 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Benjamin Lincoln

Written by Major General Knox to Secretary of War Lincoln. References Lincoln's letter of 22 July. Says he would like to know why his request for compensation was denied, especially the part that relates to his command of West Point. Says his successors all received the pay of a major general and that his expenses have not been greater than any of them. Reports that Captain Patten of the artillery artificers is anxious to have a decision on his communication with Lincoln and will meet with him for that purpose. Says that Patten and his officers are entitled as much as any who have served in…

GLC02437.02359

8 August 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Benjamin Lincoln

Mentions that Richard Frothingham, field commissary, is going to Philadelphia to settle the accounts of his department. Remarks upon the inaccuracy of the accounts, "As there have been a considerable number of persons employed and often under circumstances of great hurry and embarrassment, the accounts of receipts & delivery cannot be supposed to be as accurate as a private merchant." Comments that Frothingham's character is "unimpeachable." Relays that Frothingham would like Lincoln's assistance with the matter.

GLC02437.02376

20 February 1784

Sumner, Job, 1754-1789

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Hull

Appeals to Hull, commanding at West Point, to settle a matter concerning the paymaster's refusal to grant him subsistence pay corresponding to his rank as Major. Informs Hull that he hopes to bring the matter before Congress, and in the meantime wishes Hull to speak to Henry Knox on his behalf.

GLC02437.02959

12 August 1791

Lillie, John, 1755-1801

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written by Knox's former aide-de-camp Lillie. Written on the ship "Eliza" bound for Savannah, Georgia. Says he previously wrote Knox a letter before he left Gibraltar in which he gave a sketch of the character of the Emperor of Morocco. The day after he left Gibraltar he saw two letters in the possession of James Simpson, the consul for the Empress of Prussia, from two European consuls residing in Tangiers. The letters reported that the Emperor's brother has amassed a body of nearly 100,000 troops near Fez with the intention of attacking the northern ports of Morocco to dethrone the…

GLC02437.05116

23 September 1783

Washington, George, 1732-1799

Manuscript letter

Title: to Henry Knox

Later copy of a letter to Henry Knox, discussing many issues regarding the military and Congress. Among the issues discussed are compensation from Congress for officers who served during the revolution, his affection for these officers, the division of Western lands among the states, the Society of the Cincinnati, the possible resignation of General Lincoln, and the future of the army. Copy made 5 February 1854.

GLC02437.09325

January 22, 1791

Waters, Josiah, fl. 1776-1794

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Congratulates Knox on his promotion as Secretary of War. Asks Knox for an appointment in the new Militia and for compensation for past military service. Makes the case for using the Artillery Company of Massachusetts, "which was incorporated in 1638 and possessing a Charter from the Government." Praises General Lincoln as the leader of the company and as someone who can recommend Waters.

GLC02437.04834

11 June 1794

Wayne, Anthony, 1745-1796

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Informs Knox the people of Kentucky have been opposing the general government. Mentions he enclosed an extract of a letter from a witness to an incident that took place in Kentucky. Notes the letter shows the present temper of the people. Reports the incident took place in Lexington, Kentucky and involved men overtaking the rostrum and addressing the people "in the most inflammatory & invective language." Comments two men gave elaborate speeches for two hours and ended the speech declaring they were pro Britain occupying the N.W. Banks of the Ohio. Also notes an earlier incident…

GLC02437.06117

5 December 1794

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Anthony Wayne

Congratulates Wayne on his success and wishes to end a dispute between Wayne and another general (possibly James Wilkinson; see GLC02437.10308). Mentions that he thinks there will be a pay raise for noncommissioned officers and privates. Writes that "I believe this will be the last letter you will receive from me while I am Secretary of War. I have never attended to my private affairs, and I have a growing family. I must be more attentive, or an unpleasant old age will be stealing up on me." Watermarked "J Watt & C Patent Copying/Sold by J Woodmason/London." Letterpress copy.

GLC02437.10315

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

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

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

1 July 1783

Barber, Silas, fl. 1783

Manuscript document

Title: [Petition for redress to Henry Knox]

This is "A True Coppy" of a petition first written on 24 March 1783. Says at the beginning of the year 1780 they empowered Lt. Col. Popkin to "do us the Strictest Justice" to get their notes from the state of Massachusetts from 1777-1779. He received the notes, but before returning to West Point, he sold one of them at a third discount and then left the other 3 notes in Boston. The petitioners said this went against their agreement, as he was only supposed to receive and deliver the notes. Popkin said he would get the other 3 notes in 3 weeks, but he never did so. 9 other names are copied on…

GLC02437.02219

12 - 16 May 1783

Howes, Lott, fl. 1783

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Petition to Henry Knox]

Petition signed by four non-commissioned officers, and what appears to be ten privates (several of the privates used an "X" as their mark). This petition asks Knox for help in getting money due to them that they feel Lt. Col. Popkin did not handle as instructed. Popkin had been sent to Boston to collect the group's pay notes. When he was returning to West Point, he sold one at a discount of one third, and left the other three in Boston. These men claim he was not given authority to do that. A copy of this can be found at GLC02437.02219. Also see .02220, .02226, and .02236 for other…

GLC02437.02235

30 October - 1 November 1783

Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810

Manuscript letter

Title: to Henry Knox

Copy of a letter dated 1 November 1783 from Benjamin Lincoln to Robert Morris, along with a copy of a Congressional resolution dated 30 October 1783. The letter and the resolution concern Congress's decision that Henry Knox should be allowed the pay of a Major General in a separate department during his command at West Point. The original resolution was signed by Charles Thomson, miscopied here as "Thompson." Copies written in the hand of Samuel Shaw, Knox's aide de camp.

GLC02437.02748

circa 30 October 1783

Osgood, Samuel, 1748-1813

Manuscript document

Title: [Instructions for paying Knox during his command at West Point]

Indicates "That Genl Knox be allowed the pay of a Major Genl in a Separate Department during his Command at West Pt. his additional pay Granted by the Resolution of the 12th of Jany 1781 to cease during the Time he Receives the aforegoing Allowance..." This is most likely the enclosure cited by Samuel Shaw in GLC02437.02726.

GLC02437.02893

28 June 1788

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Order to pay William Smith, Esquire]

Signed by Knox as Secretary at War. Includes the copied signature of Colonel Jeremiah Wadsworth. Smith is paid for "supplies furnished by him for public use..." Smith signs on verso.

GLC02437.03916

29 May 1787

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to [Jeremiah] Wadsworth

Knox left Philadelphia for New York because his daughter Lucy was ill, but by the time he arrived, she was feeling better. Hopes to obtain warrants from the Board of Treasury to pay the arrearages of pay and clothing to the Connecticut troops. Relates that the Constitutional Convention began in Philadelphia on 25 May with seven states. George Washington will preside over the Convention, and [William] Jackson will serve as secretary. Ten states are now present at the Convention, but Maryland, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island are all absent.

GLC02437.03557

January 28, 1787

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Jeremiah Wadsworth

Informs he has persuaded the board of treasury to give orders on Mr. Imlay for $3000, which Knox encloses in another public letter of this same date. States that if Wadsworth could negotiate $1000 more, he will try to get the board to give that sum solely to be applied to the subsistence of the officers and the pay of the men of Colonel [David] Humphreys corps. The money being paid to Wadsworth was related to raising troops that were used to quell Shays' Rebellion. Writes that Congress will probably discuss the troops soon, "it is most likely they must be reduced however keep this entirely a…

GLC02437.03475

25 March 1787

Wadsworth, Jeremiah, 1743-1804

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

States that a Mr. Welles, a subaltern officer, asked about clothing and pay and he is waiting on a warrant to give him an answer. Shoes and shirts are needed and are being made, but again, he needs a warrant to get them delivered. Has heard through General Benjamin Tupper that Colonel Phelps is in favor of the insurgents, referring to the armed uprising of Shays' rebellion. Wants Tupper to sign a statement of facts. Believes a few months time will show the necessity of having the stores guarded. Though the rebels were dispersed in January 1787 and many arrested, Wadsworth worries of another…

GLC02437.03500