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

4 November 1781

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript letter

Title: to Edward Carrington

Places Colonel Carrington in charge of the establishment of a artillery magazine in Virginia for the use of the Southern Army, as ordered by George Washington. Instructs on how to proceed in transporting ordnance from Yorktown to Westham and obtaining assistance from Governor of Virginia Thomas Nelson. Detailed explanations of how to store and maintain the munitions. Indicates that the Deputy Field Commissary of Military Stores Thomas Jones will be in charge of the stores and discusses regulations regarding ordnance distribution, accounting procedures, and payment processes. Discusses what…

GLC02437.01284

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

circa 26 October 1781

Frothingham, Richard, 1748-1819

Manuscript document

Title: [Return of Ordnance & Military Stores Taken at York & Gloucester in Virginia by the Surrender of the British Army]

This is a copy, in the hand of Samuel Shaw, of a "Return of Ordnance & Military Stores Taken at York & Gloucester in Virginia by the Surrender of the British Army," which Washington enclosed in his letter to Congress of October 27-29, 1781. (See Papers of the Continental Congress, NARA M247, Item 152, Vol. 10, pp. 336+. Note that their copy appears to be missing the final page(s). An additional copy, transcribed by Congress, is in the Papers as well.) Based on the content of Washington's letter, an October 26th draft of which is in the George Washington Papers at the Library of…

GLC02437.10031

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

5 October 1781

Doughty, John, 1754-1826

Autograph document signed

Title: Return of the Companies of Artillery attached to the Brigade of the Line.

Chart enumerating numbers of men in various companies. Created during the siege of Yorktown.

GLC02437.01208

6 October 1781

Peters, Richard, fl. 1732-1828

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Responds to Knox's request for armaments with assurances that the Board of War & Ordnance is working expeditiously to fulfill his request. Explains recent activities of Samuel Hodgdon, the commissary general of military stores appointed by the Board. Knox needed the ordnance for the siege of Yorktown. Peters was the Secretary of the Board of War & Ordnance.

GLC02437.01209

6 October 1781

Peters, Richard, fl. 1732-1828

Manuscript letter

Title: to Samuel Hodgdon

Orders Hodgdon to proceed immediately with fulfilling General Henry Knox's request for ordnance (see GLC02437.01189). Emphasizes the need for swift action and mentions that the Board of War & Ordnance will be held responsible for any failure. Peters was the Secretary of the Board of War & Ordnance. Samuel Hodgdon was the commissary general of military stores appointed by the Board. Knox needed the ordnance for the siege of Yorktown. Written in a clerical hand. This was enclosed with GLC02437.01209.

GLC02437.01210

11 October 1781

Carrington, Edward, 1749-1810

Autograph document signed

Title: Return of the Ammunition expended at the grand Battery October 10th & 11th 1781.

Lists quantities of ammunition used at the Continental Army's grand Battery, redoubt, and left battery under Colonel Edward Carrington's command during the siege of Yorktown on 10 October 1781 and 11 October 1781. Directed to Samuel Shaw, aide de camp of General Henry Knox.

GLC02437.01218

10 October 1781

Lamb, John, 1735-1800

Autograph document signed

Title: Return of stores expended at the Grand Battery on the 9th and 10th Instant.

Lists quantities of ammunition used at the Continental Army's battery under Colonel John Lamb's command during the siege of Yorktown on 9 and 10 October 1781. Reported to Henry Knox. Labeled "9 & 10" on page two in a different hand.

GLC02437.01219

12 October 1781

Stevens, Ebenezer, 1751-1823

Autograph document signed

Title: Report of Ammunition expended in the different Batteries the 11th & 12th Oct. 1781.

List quantities of ordnance used at the Grand Battery, the Mortar Battery, and the Left Battery at the siege of Yorktown. Stevens served under the Marquis de Lafayette in Virginia, and for a part of the time commanded the artillery at Yorktown.

GLC02437.01222

12-13 October 1781

Bauman, Sebastian, 1739-1803

Autograph document signed

Title: A Return of ordnance stores Expended in the differen Batteries on the lines Before York, from the 12th to the 13 of Oct. Inst.

Lists quantities of stores used in the first and second batteries, from 12 to 13 October and 16 to 17 October respectively, under Major Bauman during the siege of Yorktown. Bauman commanded an artillery corps that was a part of Colonel John Lamb's Second Regiment of Continental Artillery.

GLC02437.01224

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

17 October 1781

Bauman, Sebastian, 1739-1803

Autograph document signed

Title: A Report of ordnance Ammunition Expended during my Command on the different Batteries in the lines, between the 16 & 17 Oct. inst.

Lists quantities of stores used in the first and second batteries under Major Bauman during the siege of Yorktown. Reports the death of Peter Peiner. Bauman commanded an artillery corps that was a part of Colonel John Lamb's Second Regiment of Continental Artillery.

GLC02437.01232

18 October 1781

Frothingham, Richard, 1748-1819

Autograph document signed

Title: Invoice of Stores at Trebell's Landing.

Lists quantities of ordnance intended for the siege of Yorktown. Frothingham was a Deputy and Principal Field Commissary of Military Stores in Knox's artillery train. Notes appear on the list that associate the items with instructions in a letter created the same day. The notes are in the same hand as the unidentified author of that letter (see GLC02437.01237).

GLC02437.01238

19 October 1781

Shaw, Samuel, 1754-1794

Autograph document

Title: [Return of shot and shells].

Lists shot and shells sent to the line, expended, and left over at Yorktown on 19 October 1781. Also lists shot and shells expended from 9 October 1781 to 17 October 1781 under the command of John Lamb, Edward Carrington, Ebenezer Stevens, and Sebastian Bauman. Henry Knox's copy.

GLC02437.01240

19 October 1781

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph document signed

Title: An account of the Stores in the Magazine & Park of Artillery.

Also signed by Richard Frothingham. Lists quantities of ordnance on hand during the siege of Yorktown. The list was composed by Frothingham, a Deputy and Principal Field Commissary of Military Stores in Knox's artillery train. It was gone over by Knox, who placed symbols next to items indicating that they were to either be shipped to Philadelphia or "remain with Mr. [Thomas] Jones in Virginia."

GLC02437.01243

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

26 October 1781

Shaw, Samuel, 1754-1794

Autograph document

Title: State of the Artillery at York and its vicinity.

Lists quantities of various types of ordnance remaining after the siege of Yorktown including ordnance "taken from the English." Also gives a proposed breakdown between stores held by Colonel Edward Carrington, the state of Virginia, and Philadelphia. A note on the final page indicates that 1,000 arms and accoutrements and 250,000 musket cartridges are to be sent by Carrington to Nathanael Greene, and some to North Carolina. The rest of the ordnance will be deposited at Richmond, Virginia. Henry Knox's copy.

GLC02437.01262

28 October 1781

Shaw, Samuel, 1754-1794

Autograph document

Title: Estimate of horses and waggons necessary for the transportation of the following cannon and stores.

Lists quanties of ordnance and the amount of horses and wagons needed to move them. Compiled shortly after the siege of Yorktown. Docket dated 29 October 1781.

GLC02437.01272

circa 21 October 1781-24 October 1781

Shaw, Samuel, 1754-1794

Autograph document

Title: Ordnance & Stores directed to be Sent up the Bay of Chesapeake.

Lists quantities of different types of ordnance to be transported. The Battle of Yorktown had ended earlier that month.

GLC02437.01274

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

1 November 1781

Hiwell, John, fl. 1788

Autograph document signed

Title: Return of the musick of the Army under the command of the Honlb. Majr. Genl. Heath.

Chart enumerating supplies of musical instruments and their quality held by various regiments under General William Heath. A note at the bottom indicates that "Fifes are Exceedingly wanted." Hiwell was a first Lieutenant in a Massachusetts Artillery regiment. Heath commanded Highlands Department on the east side of the lower Hudson River. Written in "Continental Village." Henry Knox's copy.

GLC02437.01278

2 November 1781

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript document

Title: Return of Cannon Sent to the Head of Elk, subject to the orders of Robert Morris Esq.

Lists quantities of supplies being sent to Head of Elk, Maryland. Clerical copy written by Samuel Shaw from a Park of Artillery. A note at the bottom from Colonel Edward Carrington, written in Samuel Shaw's hand, on 3 November 1781 indicates that he received from Knox one spirit level and one brass quadrant for the Southern Army's use. The siege of Yorktown had recently ended. In Samuel Shaw's hand, and signed by him for Knox.

GLC02437.01281