9 October 1784

Doughty, John, 1754-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Major Doughty, commander at West Point, gives a detailed report on matters at that post. Writes, "I intend with your permission to go to Congress about the first of next month upon the concern of my small Corps, to settle their account & procure them if possible some Money, for want of this very essential article, our situation is become so very necessitous as to border upon Wretchedness..." Asks for a letter from Knox introducing him to a Congressman from Massachusetts and to the President of Continental Congress (Thomas Mifflin).

GLC02437.03057

30 October 1784

Doughty, John, 1754-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Encloses the monthly military returns for October. Doughty gives a detailed report on matters at West Point and the surrounding areas. Discusses stores, arrangements to be made for winter, and other topics.

GLC02437.03065

12 March 1785

Doughty, John, 1754-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Major Doughty, commander at West Point, transmits returns of troops and stores (returns not included). Doughty is extremely upset because he hopes to remain in the military as an artillerist, but recently heard that Congress plans to discharge the troops presently in service. Writes, "If this measure takes place, which it is probable will be the case, instead of continuing my military pursuits, I am fearful I shall be thrown upon the wide world without a profession, or a capital to create one..." Asks Knox, who was recently offered the position of Secretary at War, to procure him an office…

GLC02437.03108

21 March 1787

Doughty, John, 1754-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Informs Knox he is extremely busy at the moment and will not be able to return to New York City as expected. Discusses concerns about the men not being paid and feels that if the corps are disbanded for lack of pay, they may never be able to raise another. States that if the federal troops are disbanded he should be allowed the choice of whether to stay or retire and "without one, I cannot see how any government worth living under can be kep up in this country." Comments on the poor quality of the powder at Fort Pitt. Asks Knox about the state of affairs in Massachusetts, "I feel so anxious…

GLC02437.03497

27 March 1787

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Manuscript letter

Title: to John Doughty

Informs Doughty that he will help with procuring subsistence for the troops. Does not believe recruiting service will begin in New York as its quota numbers are deficient. The contracts of Morris and Wadsworth are ending as Congress is not happy with the proposals. Agrees with Doughty, who is in favor of a "national force," as he expects "every evil that can be produced from Anarchy." Also notes that "Congress have had but for a very little time nine States. Therefore nothing has been concluded on respecting higher pay for the Artillery than the Infantry." Mentions supplying artillery…

GLC02437.03502

28 March 1787

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter

Title: to William Duer

Discusses an $800 note that is now in the bank and what needs to be done in relation to it.

GLC02437.03503

24 April 1788

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Doughty

Discusses warrants and [military] pay in New Jersey for the year 1787. Comments on the postponement of New Hampshire's convention to ratify the Constitution. Predicts that Maryland, Virginia, and South Carolina will adopt the Constitution, while Rhode Island is likely not to adopt. Writes, "If the New Constitution takes place, strong hopes may be entertained of our being a respectable nation- If it does not, we have no hope of being united & happy- It is to be apprehended in this case that we shall be torn by factions... But I confess I have no doubt respecting the adoption of the…

GLC02437.03855

5 July 1788

Doughty, John, 1754-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written from Fort Pitt. Thanks Knox for his assistance: "...it has extricated me from a Difficulty which all men must feel who are in Debt, & fail in their resources for payment." Congratulates Knox on Virginia's adoption of the Constitution, writing "I am in Hopes Health & Vigour will soon be restored to our Body politic- This happy circumstance must cheer the Hearts of our Countrymen, particularly those of our military Brethren, who have been struggling through the late Revolution, & who to their immortal Honor appear to feel so much for the Honor and Dignity of their Country…

GLC02437.03927

2 July 1789

Doughty, John, 1754-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Writes to introduce the bearers, Dr. Allison and Ensign Suydam, who are traveling to New York.

GLC02437.04268

19 December 1789

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter

Title: to John Doughty

Notes, "The instructions which you will herewith receive are truly important." Expresses his confidence in Doughty's abilities, adding that he knows Doughty will fulfill the expectations of the President of the United States. Emphasizes the importance of receiving Doughty's report as early as possible. Relates news of mutual acquaintances, informing Doughty of Aunt Ludlow's death. Reports that Captain Burbeck's company returned from Georgia "without the loss of a man." Marked as private and signature has been clipped. Written from the War Office.

GLC02437.04443

2 January 1790

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Duer

Wishes Duer a happy new year and relays information he heard from Major [Winthrop] Sargent. Sargent reports that the bearer, from the Ohio area,indicates trouble with a military provisions agreement. Knox informs Duer to take immediate measures to "remedy any evils" that may have occured. Knox's working draft. Noted as private. Docket is written in Knox's hand.

GLC02437.04459

4 January 1790

Williams, J., fl. 1790

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Samuel Shaw

Forwards a letter (not included) to Shaw regarding information from India. Wishes the information was more agreeable but hopes it is still useful. Asks Shaw to inform his family in Boston, Massachusetts that he has safely arrived and "enjoying the height of domestic felicity with my Wife & Child both of whom I found in good health."

GLC02437.04462

4 January 1790

Williams, J., fl. 1790

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Mentions moving his family to settle in America and discusses the revolution in France. Encloses (not included) letters to [Samuel] Shaw that he has left open for Knox to also read. Writes about the French Revolution, it "supports itself to admiration. What a few years since would have been called the enthusiastic Fables of political madmen is now supported by stubborn Fact. France is perhaps the nearest to a democracy of any Government in the Universe, preserving only a monarch at the head of it pro forma, with no more to do with this composition than the diamond Button has with his…

GLC02437.04463

January 29, 1790

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Duer

A short note informing Duer that he has received the note for the $2,000. Docketed in Knox's hand.

GLC02437.04486

20 February 1790

Donnison, William, fl. 1790

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Discusses the "arrangement that might take place in the Militia, under the Federal Government -" Asks for Knox's help in being continued as the head of the Orderly department of Massachusetts saying "I am at a loss to determine by whom it is intended that the Adjutant Generals for the respective States shall be appointed; whether by the president of the United States; by the Great Adjutant General; or by the individual States according to their own Lawes [sic]- " Also asks Knox to "mention my name for that appointment-" Encloses a copy of the General Return of the Militia of Massachusetts…

GLC02437.04514

30 March 1790

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Duer

Informs Duer that he has endorsed a note for $990. Also reminds Duer that he has two other notes for about the same amount, and asks that Duer return them to Knox soon.

GLC02437.04566

5 May 1790

Williams, Jonathan, 1750-1815

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Describes an incident that took place between England and Spain and the possibility of the two countries going to war. Says yesterday this country was "surprised by a hot press, which like an explosion swept between 3 & 4000 seamen, and to day we find the course in a Message sent by the King to the House of commons." Evidently, two Spanish ships of war seized two British ships that were trading off the northern coast of America. All of the men who were aboard were sent to a Spanish port as prisoners. The justification of the seizure was that Spain had the "exclusive rights of soverignty […

GLC02437.04594

13 May 1790

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to William Duer

In reference to an earlier request (see GLC02437.04603), Knox lends Duer money to pay for his accommodation.

GLC02437.04605

19 August 1790

Doughty, John, 1754-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Major Doughty acknowledges Knox's letter of 25 July. Doughty was worried about his parents who had word that he had died in a skirmish on the frontier (see GLC02437.04606 and GLC02437.04628 for Knox's correspondence with Doughty's family). Thanks Knox for writing to his family and for sending him a letter from Doughty's parents and sister, which eased his mind. Mentions that Judge Turner left him two eagles from "the property of the Society [of Cincinnati]" to sell. Says that General Josiah Harmer wants Doughty to encourage re-enlistment of older soldiers. Doughty says "not one soldier…

GLC02437.04695

27 October 1790

Williams, Jonathan, 1750-1815

Manuscript letter

Title: to the Executors of Dr. Benjamin Franklin's Will

In this contemporary copy of a letter from Franklin's grandnephew Williams to executors of Benjamin Franklin's will, Williams is trying to obtain books from Franklin's library as part of his inheritance: "Being still without your answer to my repeated applications for the legacy left me by the late Doctor Benjamin Franklin, consisting of that part of his library particularized in his catalogue under the head of medicine, surgery, &c... I am instructed to give you notice of my intended appeal to the Laws, that you may possess yourselves of the catalogue and the books I claim before it is…

GLC02437.04758

25 December 1790

Viar, José Ignacio de, fl. 1785-1796

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Wishes Secretary of War Knox "the Compliments of the season" and regrets that his poor health prevented him from seeing Knox. "Free" stamped on address leaf with no signature.

GLC02437.04807

30 December 1790

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Doughty

Knox acknowledges receipt of Major Doughty's letter informing him of Doughty's passage to New Jersey. States he is chagrined that Doughty will not arrive in Philadelphia sooner as he needs information on "the late expedition," likely connected to Doughty's negotiations with Indian tribes. Asks him to hasten his arrival so they may, "form a more accurate judgement of the measures necessary to be adopted." Marked private on docket.

GLC02437.04812

8 March 1791

Doughty, John, 1754-1826

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Declines Knox's request to serve as Lieutenant Colonel Commander. Says after much deliberation, he has decided to leave the service. He wanted to when he served with General Josiah Harmar but the difficult situation with the Indians "forbid my retireing at that Time." Explains in detail his reasons for leaving the military stating, "I have long tried the military Life & have found many Disapointments..." Questions the nature of the military establishment. "A military establishment is certainly a very unpopular measure in this Country," Doughty explains. "Every Act of the Government…

GLC02437.04875

27 March 1791

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Doughty

Express his embarrassment over Doughty refusing the appointment as lieutenant colonel of the 2nd Infantry Regiment Secretary. Writes, "Your declining the appointment of Lt Colonel Commandant has mortified me extremely." Hopes Doughty will not regret his decision. See GLC02437.04875 and .4892 for related documents.

GLC02437.04891

5 November 1791

Duer, William, 1747-1799

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Statement of meeting proceedings]

Statement relating to a meeting held between Henry Knox, William Duer, William Constable, and Royal Flint, in July 1791. Declares that Knox testified to Samuel Ogden's relinquishment of his claims on certain townships in Maine. Outlines a discussion between the attendees about compensating Ogden for the lands.

GLC02437.05226