February 21, 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript document

Title: Queries to Lincoln, and answers

Signed at the conclusion by Benjamin Lincoln. Pages divided into two columns. The left column contains sixteen issues about which Knox would like further direction and information from General Benjamin Lincoln. Some of these include questions and concerns about artillery, ordnance, artillery men, and their pay. The right column has Lincoln's reply concerning the respective issues. The entire document is written in the hand of Samuel Shaw, Knox's aide de camp.

GLC02437.01942

31 March 1783

Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Informs Knox of orders given to Captain Hawes and that the "articles for the ordnance department shall be forwarded as soon as possible." Noted as written at the War Office. GLC02437.02046 was enclosed with this letter.

GLC02437.02047

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

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

7 June 1783

Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810

Manuscript letter

Title: to Henry Knox

Discusses the construction of an ammunitions magazine to house munitions, arms and stores. Gives details concerning the dimensions and the amount of stores and equipment the building should hold as well as building materials. Signature has been cut out, resulting in a large section of text loss. Copy written in the hand of Samuel Shaw, aide-de-camp to General Henry Knox.

GLC02437.02151

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 September 1781

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Knox

Reports to his brother that the army has gathered with all its stores in Head of Elk, Maryland and will proceed to the Chesapeake in three days. He is optimistic about the upcoming siege of Yorktown: "I shall hope to inform you in 15 days that we have had Cornwallis completely invested." He is also confident in the assistance of the French Admiral de Grasse, whose job it was to secure the mouth of the York River. Mentions that his wife Lucy Knox is in Philadelphia with their daughter.

GLC02437.01174

18 November 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript letter

Title: to Thomas Vose

Request to supervise "the arrangement of the Cannon & Stores from the outposts agreeably to the directions which you have received from this day.. - You will request of the Fort Major the number of men which shall be necessary for your purposes, taking care that a proportion of them be Artillery men." Retained "copy" prepared for Knox's files, copied out in the hand of aide-de-camp John Lillie, and signed for Knox by him. Also bears Lillie's docket on verso.

GLC02437.02788

24 August 1781

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph document

Title: to George Washington

Account of ordnance "attached to the American Army." Includes two lists: "Field Artillery" and "For a Siege." The siege being prepared for was the Battle of Yorktown, which began the following month. Written at a Park of Artillery. With closing and Knox's signature (written along the margin) in the hand of Samuel Shaw.

GLC02437.01156

10 February 1776

Waters, Josiah, fl. 1776-1794

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Congratulates Knox on a safe return from Fort Ticonderoga, where he was retrieving artillery pieces for the Continental Army in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Has had trouble obtaining books on military fortification and asks Knox, who had been a bookseller in Boston, if he could find some. Asks Knox to inform him of what maneuvers are being planned against the British, and promises it will "be most sacredly kept." Mentions that the saltpeter (a compound used in gunpowder) works are proceeding rapidly.

GLC02437.00249

30 October 1784

Doughty, John, 1754-1826

Autograph manuscript signed

Title: Proof of powder made at West Point

Titles continues to add that the powder referred to is "made at West Point with a 24 pd Ball fired from a 5 1/2 inch mortar..." Lists powder at Fort Clinton and Fort Putnam.

GLC02437.03066

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

7 July 1794

Wayne, Anthony, 1745-1796

Manuscript letter

Title: to Henry Knox

Copy of a letter describing the build up to the Battle of Fallen Timbers. States Major [William] McMahon was attacked at Fort Recovery by a large band of Indians early in the morning. Reports the attacks lasted all day and night, and throughout the next day before the Indians were finally forced to retreat. Eight to ten bodies were found dead. Comments the real goal of the "savages" was to take the fort by a "coup de main." Notes the camp was left short on supplies and it appears the soldiers killed and ate a number of the pack horses. Reports three small parties of Chickasaw and…

GLC02437.06137

11 June 1784

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript document

Title: [Copy of instructions to the commander of West Point]

Provides detailed instructions for the commander of West Point following the Congressional order to reduce the number of troops at that garrison to one company of 55 men. Notes that "the great principle upon which this company is retained is the preservation of the Stores at this place and the other Magazines..." Title from docket.

GLC02437.03012

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

15 December 1786

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Samuel Ward

Writes that he has received Ward's letter from last month. Thanks him for the information respecting the military stores. Relates that when he came into office, the stores were under the charge of Mr. [John] Stagg in Providence. Has always intended to move them to Springfield but the "want of money has hitherto prevented - I supposed having never heard the contrary that he was faithful and trust worthy. If otherwise I beg you would inform me in confidence and I will request Colonel [likely Jeremiah] Olney or some other person, to take charge of them."

GLC02437.03381

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

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