25 January 1776

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Charles Lee

Gives General Lee additional specifics on the artillery ordered from New York City and being sent to Cambridge, Massachusetts, which George Washington has already written Lee about. He sent a list of items sent by the Second Provincial Congress or Committee of Safety in New York (not included). Explains plans for their transport. Notes that even though Knox has retrieved artillery pieces from Fort Ticonderoga, the pieces from New York are badly needed. Knox also discusses his efforts to obtain artillery from New York City in GLC02437.00212, GLC02437.00220, and GLC02437.00222.

GLC02437.00245

1 February 1776

Gates, Horatio, 1727-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Concerns a complaint by the quartermaster in the regiment of Colonel Prescott, possibly William Prescott, against a member of the regiment of artillery. Discusses a potential garrison court martial and its legality. Gates was then George Washington's adjutant general.

GLC02437.00246

1 February 1776

Washington, George, 1732-1799

Manuscript document

Title: Lucy Knox and Henry Knox

Invitation to dinner, from George and Martha Washington.

GLC02437.00247

6 January 1776-30 March 1776

Manuscript document

Title: [An account of Cash Receiv'd for my Comp'y at Sundry times]

Lists amounts received and days received for Colonel William Burbeck and Colonel Henry Knox.

GLC02437.00239

5 January 1776

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Capt. Bayler

Apologizes for taking Bayler's horse for his brother, William Knox. Had Knox known he would have been away so long, he would not have taken it. Knox was then organizing the transport of artillery from Fort Ticonderoga to Cambridge, Massachusetts.

GLC02437.00240

12 January 1776

Schuyler, Philip John, 1733-1804

Manuscript document

Title: to Henry Knox

Certifies that a Lieutenant Gray "has rode Cannon Seven Miles." Refers to the artillery transport from Fort Ticonderoga to Cambridge, Massachusetts that Knox was overseeing. Contemporary secretarial signature.

GLC02437.00241

14 January 1776

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Mr. Swart

Discusses the movement of artillery from Fort Ticonderoga to Cambridge, Massachusetts, specifically between Blandford and Springfield, Massachusetts. Updates arrangements for the assistance Swart was supplying.

GLC02437.00242

12 December 1775-16 January 1776

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript document

Title: [Account of cash paid the officers under Henry Knox's command]

Lists officers, the amount of cash allotted to them, and the date allotted. Written from Knox's headquarters to Lieutenant Colonel of the Artillery William Burbeck and signed by him.

GLC02437.00243

20 January 1776

Cooper, Samuel, 1757-1840

Autograph note signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Provides a letter of introduction for a man named Mr. Pollard, and asks a Knox to give him an office of some sort. Possibly, Jonathan Pollard, who became a quartermaster for Knox.

GLC02437.00244

6 July 1775

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lucy Knox

Describes meeting generals George Washington and Charles Lee, who begged him to return to Roxbury and expressed great pleasure in the fortifications Knox had supervised the construction of. Tells a story about how General Lee tried to get a letter to General John Burgoyne during the battle of Bunker Hill (17 June 1775), to ask him to use his "influence and endeavor to Heal this unnatural break." Criticizes and offers corrections to a widely published account of Bunker Hill by British General Thomas Gage that claimed only 170 redcoats were killed. The Revolutionary War began at the battle…

GLC02437.00196

7 July 1775

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lucy Knox

Longs to see her, but must be of service to his country. Sends her copies of the addresses made in Congress and directed to generals George Washington and Charles Lee (not included).

GLC02437.00197

9 July 1775

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lucy Knox

Longs to see her and expects to the following week. Expresses esteem for generals George Washington and Charles Lee. Of Washington, he writes: "General Washington fills his place with vast ease and dignity & dispenses happiness all around him." Of Lee: "Genl Lee will become very popular soon." Reports that he is going to visit Washington this evening.

GLC02437.00198

11 July 1775

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lucy Knox

Comments affectionately about writing to Lucy often. Reports that he goes to Roxbury and Cambridge in the mornings and returns to Watertown in the evenings, offering support to Captain Michael Jackson's company. Plans to visit her soon, but feels he must provide his "oppressed Country an essential service." Mentions that General Charles Lee received word that General John Burgoyne wants to have a meeting, but Lee will not comply unless ordered by Congress. Praises the patriot's burning of "Browns House on Boston neck." Also praises George Washington, who took over the Continental Army in…

GLC02437.00199

10 August 1775

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Lucy Knox

Affectionately laments their separation. Mentions that Generals George Washington and Charles Lee inquired about her. Comments on an encounter with navy prisoners. Discusses the "regulars" making a "fine prize" of 2000 sheep and 150 heads of cattle on Fishers Island, off Connecticut. Thinks he will see her Monday. The American Army got into a skirmish with British forces nearby at Plumb Island the day after this letter was written, the first reported clash between regulars in the Continental Army and the redcoats. Letter is dated Thursday morning 9 August 1775 but Thursday was actually…

GLC02437.00200

9 November 1774

Waldo, Jonathon, fl. 1721-1779

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Knox

Makes a lengthy, poetic comparison of the reception of Knox's last letter to a lost sailor finding land. Also gives a lengthy explanation for why he has not written sooner and apologizes for being remiss. Continues with a discussion of friendship, love, and beauty. Notes that they have received the resolutions from the First Continental Congress. Offers lofty praise of the virtuous and resolute Bostonians and the American movement for freedom, and denounces the Intolerable Acts and the "Tyranny of Kings." The First Continental Congress ended on 26 October 1774. It had voted to cut off…

GLC02437.00185

1 December 1774

Rivington, James, 1724-1802

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Tells Knox that he has sent loyalist pamphlets to his friend Mr. Bates, the "Burser of the Swan man of war" which will set sail for Boston on 2 December 1774. Explains that he did not send them directly to Knox because Knox's friends "on the patriot interest, may be greatly disgusted at your distributing them." But since Knox has shown interest in selling them, Rivington will furnish him with such pamphlets. Rivington was a bookseller, printer, and journalist who came to America in 1760. He published Rivington's New-York Gazetteer.

GLC02437.00188

1774

Waldo, Jonathon, fl. 1721-1779

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Knox

Explains that the militia officers will examine that every man is provided with arms and ammunition, as accorded by law. Asks Knox to purchase arms for him. Also asks Knox's opinion of the times. The Revolutionary War was about to start and the Continental Congress had advised the colonies to begin training their citizens for war.

GLC02437.00190

7 February 1775

Troutbeck, John, fl. 1755-1784

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Reaffirms their friendship and hopes to see him in the future. Expects Knox to write to him before he leaves London, and after he leaves, to record everything noteworthy that occurs and send that to Troutbeck when he returns. Mentions visiting the House of Commons and hearing debates on the law of England. Praises the oratory of Edmund Burke, possibly in reference to his speech on "Conciliation with America." Has heard that Americans relish news of war, but asks how they will react to the coming news concerning peace under the "scandalous terms" that permit Spanish and French trade in…

GLC02437.00192

6 March 1775

Waldo, Jonathon, fl. 1721-1779

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Knox

Entreats Knox to procure a gun for him so that he can answer a demand issued in the newspaper for every man above the age of 16 to congregate on the next Thursday "with every necessary Warlike accouterment." All who do not join "will be deemed Enemies to the Glorious Cause of Liberty and america." Waldo asserts that he will appear without a doubt. Waldo had earlier asked Knox to obtain arms for him (see GLC02437.00190).

GLC02437.00194

30 June 1775

Brickett, James, 1738-1818

Autograph letter signed

Title: Report of the day.

Indicates that Brickett, the Officer of the Day, made the usual rounds, found the sentries alert, and discovered nothing extraordinary. A note on the back lists some names, places, and numbers. Brickett was a Lieutenant Colonel in Col. James Frye's regiment of Minutemen. He fought at Bunker Hill and later during the Revolutionary War became a brigadier general.

GLC02437.00195

20 December 1775-1 February 1776

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript document

Title: [Account of cash paid to named Captains for the new Inlisted men & for Blanket money 1776]

Lists captains, the amount of cash allotted to them, and the date allotted. Written from Knox's headquarters. Addressed to Lieutenant Colonel of the Artillery William Burbeck, and signed by him.

GLC02437.00226

1 January 1776

Newell, Eliphalet, 1735-?

Document

Title: [A Return of Goods drawn out of the Continental Store for Capt. Eliphalet Newell's Company in Col. Henry Knox's Regiment]

Invoice of goods, listing only when goods were drawn by Colonel William Burbeck's orders in December 1774 ("1774" likely written in error for "1775").

GLC02437.00227

13 December 1775

Livingston, Walter, 1740-1797

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Recommends distributing the horses over more sleighs in order to transport the artillery. Knox was then on a mission to bring British artillery pieces captured from the British earlier that year at Fort Ticonderoga to Cambridge, Massachusetts. Livingston was then serving on the commissary of stores and provisions for the department of New York.

GLC02437.00228

1775

Waldo, Jonathon, fl. 1721-1779

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Knox

Thanks Knox for so often obliging him. Reports that Mr. Oliver, possibly Andrew Oliver, will pay Knox for the gun he got for Waldo (see GLC02437.00190 and GLC02437.00194). Assures him that Knox's requests are foremost on his mind. Expresses his desire to get married, placed in the context of a discussion on human nature. Reports that tories in Salem are "scar'd to Death" and leaving the area. Has heard that British soldiers will soon come to attempt to "intercept our Grand muster" but doubts that General Gage could ever "hinder their mutiny." Expresses that he would not like to see…

GLC02437.00230

circa 1775-1776

Autograph document

Title: [Plan for setting fire to British ships in Boston Harbor]

Affirms the practicability of laying siege to Boston Harbor, landing soldiers in the town of Boston, and setting fire to British shipping. Provides a lengthy list of military preparations and plans for the siege, For a map of the plans see GLC02437.00232.

GLC02437.00231