13 January 1781

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Crane

Discusses Colonel John Crane's regiment, which is on its way to West Point to obtain clothing. Mentions that he will have to keep the regiment there to work in the laboratory repairing the ordnance. Describes various repairs that need to be made, and says he will likely need to remain in Philadelphia through the spring.

GLC02437.01333

18 February 1782

Crane, John, 1744-1805

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Apologizes for not responding more quickly to Knox, but was waiting for the commissaries to obtain paper so he might prepare the military returns. Refers to the returns from October, November, and December, which he sent out in the beginning of January; says they were prepared together because of the paper shortage. Includes a "a return of all the ordnance and stores of every kind in the department," and describes the amount and type of supplies in their stores, including ammunition, carriages, mortars, and charcoal.

GLC02437.01356

20 February 1782

Crane, John, 1744-1805

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Received last letter from Knox and is waiting for General William Heath's arrival with an unnamed Sergeant to convene a party of men. Will respond to Knox as soon as they return.

GLC02437.01357

21 April 1782

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Crane

Written from Baskenridge, likely present-day Basking Ridge, New Jersey. Comments that he expected to be at West Point by now, but was delayed at Elizabeth Town. Plans to be in West Point by 15 May at the latest. Asks that Crane save as much timber and iron as possible for their military stores, "as upon these two articles depend our most important work." Requests that he send to Knox in Philadelphia a list of articles needed for the laboratory at West Point, and Knox will order them.

GLC02437.01392

30 April 1782

Crane, John, 1744-1805

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Discusses various issues regarding the ordnance laboratory and supplies at West Point. Includes an estimate of the stores they will need for the laboratory there. Comments that they are working to tow timber and obtain materials. Refers to his letter of 18 February, in which he asked whether they had the correct number of fuses. Declares that when he did not receive an answer from Knox, he ordered more fuses to be made. See GLC02437.01401 for the enclosure that accompanied this letter.

GLC02437.01400

19 June 1782

Crane, John, 1744-1805

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Discusses the appointment of two conductors, Swartland and Trent. Apparently due to some error they were sent as artificers to the wrong company, but as they had been appointed by Knox as conductors, a Captain Sears has ordered their return to their rightful company and position. Note on bottom of verso, in Knox's hand, says the letter was answered by Captain [likely John] Lillie.

GLC02437.01456

20 June 1782

Shaw, Samuel, 1754-1794

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Crane

Writes, "The General desires you will find him an exact return of the firearms and accoutrements at West Point, under the care of the Comy Mil. Stores [Commissary of Military Stores], specifying particularly the number which have bayonets, and distinguishing the good from the bad. The General will be glad to receive this return as early tomorrow as possible."

GLC02437.01461

22 August 1782

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Crane

Directs Crane to send a specified amount and kind of arms and troops to the light infantry [at an unspecified location]. Declares that Crane may choose which men to send, but no more than twelve men may be attached to each piece of artillery. Will contact Colonel Timothy Pickering, the Quartermaster General, to make further arrangements. Also asks for his assistance in erecting buildings for ordnance stores at West Point, and asks that he direct Captain Sears and Captain Moody [Andrew Moodie].

GLC02437.01535

23 August 1782

Shaw, Samuel, 1754-1794

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Crane

Informs Crane that the "horses, geers [gears?] and drivers, for the pieces of artillery to be annexed to the light infantry, are to be at the ferry opposite West Point this evening." Explains that the gears are part of an order of 100 sets placed by the Quartermaster General and obtained in Springfield; they are now in the possession of Major [Thomas] Cogswell, the Wagon Master General. Since the gears are meant to be used with the artillery, Shaw has enclosed an order from Knox to Cogswell, as well as a warrant and a letter to the Deputy Paymaster General so that Crane can obtain the gears…

GLC02437.01537

30 August 1782

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript letter

Title: to John Crane

Written and initialed for Knox in the hand of Samuel Shaw, Knox's aide-de-camp. Writes that he has been informed that regiments encamped on the point have taken boards and other items from the tents and intend to take them away or sell them. Asks that he work with Colonel [Benjamin] Tupper to try to prohibit this from happening by placing sentries at the places of embarkation and issuing a garrison order which forbids any resident of the point [possibly West Point] from purchasing boards or any other public property "on the penalty of severe punishment." Also writes that he has been unable…

GLC02437.01550

8 January 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript letter

Title: to John Crane

Written by Major General Knox to Colonel Crane. This is a reply to GLC02437.01808. Gives his sentiments on the dispute between Captain Lieutenant Kemper and Lieutenant Crowley. Says "there were breaches of that delicacy which ever ought to govern the behavior of officers." Says it was indelicate for a joke to be told at Crowley's expense. Claims that Crowley's "passion on the occasion was not to be justified, yet it by no means lessens the impropriety which produced it." Knox says he believes the two men should make apologies to all the people who witnessed the dispute. Says "This will be…

GLC02437.01812

20 August 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph document signed

Title: [Order to Colonel Crane]

Order from General Knox telling Colonel John Crane to relieve Captain Burbeck's company whose time of service has expired with men whose are enlisted for a longer period.

GLC02437.02403

10 November 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript letter

Title: to John Crane

Sends a brevet for the rank of Brigadier General and asks him to deliver the enclosed additional brevets (not present) to four named officers. Noted as a copy.

GLC02437.02766

22 November 1783

Townsend, David, 1753-1829

Autograph document signed

Title: [Certificate of illness]

Countersigned by Samuel Adams, a hospital surgeon. Certifies that soldiers in the general hospital are "so reduced by Sickness as totally to disqualify them for any Kind of military Duty & in our Opinion they will continue in that situation thro' the Winter. we do therefore recommend them as proper Subjects for a Discharge."

GLC02437.02793

15 December 1783

Young, Joseph, 1733-1814

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Discusses the order that the Albany hospital is to be closed, which he was not aware of, and the lack of firewood for the patients. Also reports back to Knox about his preparation for closing the hospital. Young signs as hospital physician. Noted as sent "By Express" and on "Public Service."

GLC02437.02832

25 December 1783

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Joseph Young

Discusses the sick patients that have to stay in Albany, New York for the winter. Also writes about provisioning the sick. Writes that Young "must know the state of the patients better than any other man, and a confidence in your candor induces me to leave the disposition entirely to you." Says the hospital is closed at West Point but that they still have twenty patients that will be need to be supported through the winter. Encloses (not included) Morris's notes of sixty dollars and an order (not included) for provisions for the patients until they are discharged.

GLC02437.02860

30 December 1783

Young, Joseph, 1733-1814

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Young, a hospital physician, thanks Knox for orders he recently sent which Young claims saved him from embarrassment. Also thanks Knox "for the Sixty Dollars you sent to supply them with firewood, which was greatly needed ... " Transferred Knox's orders to a contractor. Reports news of hospital matters, including Doctor Egbert's retirement.

GLC02437.02874

30 April 1785

Cranch, Richard, 1726-1811

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Recommends his nephew Joseph Cranch for appointment by Knox, Secretary at War. Relates the details of Joseph's life, including the loss of both of his parents at an early age. Joseph sold his land in England and opened up a shop in Boston that was seized by the British during the Revolutionary War. Recommends his nephew as a worthy gunsmith, and asks if Knox can "procure an Employment for him in the Armourer's Department that might enable him to gain a decent Livelyhood after his great sufferings, in the common cause..."

GLC02437.03134

28 October 1788

Cranch, Joseph, 1769-1791

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Solicits employment from Knox. Offers to clean some pistols in Springfield, Massachusetts. After the task is finished, will wait for Knox's further commands. Instructs Knox to direct his reply to the care of William Cranch in Boston.

GLC02437.04016

5 October 1790

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Crane

Insists on commenting on accounts General Crane had left for him. Knox had the paymaster go over Crane's account with great care so that it would be satisfactory to both Crane and the public. Knox writes that "the result doe not leave any balance in your favor." Knox is currently not in possession of the statements, but will take care of the matters as soon as he returns [to New York] so that "the difficulties will be removed."

GLC02437.04744

16 February 1791

Zollickoffer, John Conrad, 1742-1797

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Informs Knox that he "transferd to Capt. Cottineau the resolve of the General Meeting of the Society of the Cincinnati held at Philadelphia." Hopes Cottineau is accepted as a member of the society and that he receives a diploma from Knox.

GLC02437.04857

15 July 1791

Zollickoffer, John Conrad, 1742-1797

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Fears he is bothering Knox by continuing to bring up the status of Captain [Denis Nicholas] Cottineau [de Kloguene]'s claim to be admitted as a member of the Society of the Cincinnati (he spells it "Sincinaty"). Says he wrote twice to Knox, but has not received a response. Reports that Cottineau writes Zollickoffer from Port-au-Prince, Haiti, whenever he can, for this information. Hopes Knox can find some information "by which means Capt. Cottineau would be more easier than he appears." Mentions that Cottineau reported, in his letter of 25 May 1791, that the General of Hispaniola wrote to…

GLC02437.05065

19 July 1791

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter

Title: to John Conrad Zollickoffer

Reference's Zollickoffer's letter of 15 July (GLC02437.05065). Says that all foreign members of the Society of the Cincinnati are to be selected by Comte D'Estaing, Comte de Rochambeau, and the Marquis de Lafayette. Says Captain Cottineau should direct his application to those gentlemen. Place not listed, however, another letter (GLC02437.05074) written on the same day places Knox in Philadelphia.

GLC02437.05075

24 November 1791

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Wright & Gill

Writes to the firm of Wright & Gill, in London. Writes that Mr. Thomas Longman will pay the balance on his account with Wright & Gill, a London stationery company. Touches on several other business matters.

GLC02437.05245

11-14 October 1793

Autograph document

Title: [An account of the yellow fever outbreak in Philadelphia]

Top half of this document is dated 11 October from Philadelphia. The bottom half is dated 14 October from New York. The Philadelphia report gives a grim account of the yellow fever outbreak. The New York report says 137 were officially buried in Philadelphia last Friday, not including independent burials. A short list of individuals who died on 11 October (including Major [David] Franks) is provided at the very bottom of this document.

GLC02437.05942