26 August 1782

Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written by Secretary of War Lincoln to Major General Knox. Marked "Private." References Knox's private letter of last Saturday evening sent by Frothingham. Asked him to reread his public letter of 31 July because "fearing from the warmth of expression that you supposed me more responsible than I really was & that I had omitted a part of my duty -- I am now satisfied -- do not wonder at my noticing every thing which looks like a hint that there has been an omission." Believes the officers should not address the assembly of Massachusetts on half pay at this time, as Congress has not…

GLC02437.01540

4 September 1782

Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Writes that he will receive "the resolve of Congress relative to the department of Field commissary of military stores - as the officers must be under your particular eye & as you are better acquainted than any other the appointment is left to you - In your instructions you will order proper returns to the war office."

GLC02437.01571

9 September 1782

Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Marked "private." Writes that Congress has recently repeated its "solution respecting the additional allowance to the commanding officer at west point." Does not think there is any chance Congress will help them. Suggests Knox talk to his "good friend General [Ezekiel] Cornell" and either apply to Congress directly or through Lincoln. Promises he will "speak to your friends on the subject - though I am convinced that this is not the proper moment to make the application."

GLC02437.01592

30 November 1782

Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810

Manuscript letter

Title: to Henry Knox

Signature is clipped, but docket confirms General Benjamin Lincoln, Secretary at War, as the author. Written from "War Office." Writes, "I have been honored with your letter of the 18 ultimo, informing the appointments which have been made in the field commissary's department - it was received but a few days since."

GLC02437.01726

3 December 1782

Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written by Secretary of War Lincoln to Major General Knox. References Knox's letter of 25 November. Says he has suffered anxiety over his long silence and lack of acknowledgement of his letters. Says he told Congress in strong terms of the distress the army suffered for want of pay. Says he told Congress that the information came from the best sources and was not simply grumbling. Says he told Congress that many troops still need pay dating back to 1 January and that some states have helped, but others have not. Reported to the legislature that this caused "uneasiness" among the troops. Also…

GLC02437.01729

22 December 1782

Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written from "Head Quarters." Writes, "I just now arrived from Philadelphia - I have been detained on [the] road - I wish to see you - I can not have the pleasure of seeing you at West Point - Pray let me see you to morrow morning at this place - My affectionate regards to Mrs. Knox."

GLC02437.01756

11 March 1783

Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810

Manuscript letter

Title: to Henry Knox

Signature has been clipped. Discusses a purchase of paint and oil. Written in a secretarial hand. Noted as written at the War Office. Creator identified from docket.

GLC02437.01996

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

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

14 June 1783

Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810

Manuscript letter

Title: to Henry Knox

Written by Secretary of War Lincoln to Major General Knox. Says he will probably go to Virginia on public business in a few days. Says he was so impressed with Captain "Lilly" (Jonathan Lillie, Knox's aide-de-camp) on his trip from West Point, New York to Philadelphia, that he has asked Lilly to join him on the trip south. Notes he would not normally do this without asking for Knox's permission, "but you will, I know, forgive it, as Captn Lilly's happiness is concerned in the measure as well as mine." Informs Knox he wrote to Colonel Stevens about the buildings in Virginia and requested him…

GLC02437.02161

30 October - 1 November 1783

Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810

Manuscript letter

Title: to Henry Knox

Copy of a letter dated 1 November 1783 from Benjamin Lincoln to Robert Morris, along with a copy of a Congressional resolution dated 30 October 1783. The letter and the resolution concern Congress's decision that Henry Knox should be allowed the pay of a Major General in a separate department during his command at West Point. The original resolution was signed by Charles Thomson, miscopied here as "Thompson." Copies written in the hand of Samuel Shaw, Knox's aide de camp.

GLC02437.02748

February 17, 1787

Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810

Autograph letter

Title: to Henry Knox

Reports on the disbanding and scattering of the members of Shays' force, and explains that they are in pursuit of Shays, but "with little hope however of overtaking him." Describes how he chose to rearrange the troops in Hampshire and Worcester and the tasks given to many of the troops. Comments on how the government might now promote the best interests of the people. Marked "private" in Lincoln's hand. Signature clipped.

GLC02437.03456

12 September 1782

Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810

Manuscript document

Title: [Copy of letter to John Jacob Faesch directed to Henry Knox]

Written from the War Office. Marked "copy." Addressee on verso is Henry Knox, but letter is apparently a copy of one Lincoln wrote to John Jacob Faesch, a metalworker in the army's employ, which he forwarded to Knox. Writes, "I have been honor'd with your Letter of the 8th Instant - the terms you offer to cast the shells upon are generous, and discover a Laudable zeal to serve the public, but under the present state of our finances - I dare not engage - Money is not to be had, and I am unwilling you should be disciev'd. Shall therefore give up further thoughts of the Contract for this…

GLC02437.01605

26 July 1782

Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to John Bryant

General Lincoln sends Captain Bryant a congressional resolution (not included) "relative to the department of military stores." Asks Bryant to fire the commissary of general stores and his clerk at the armory in Springfield and to take over the business of the facility: "I hope and presume you will not refuse it -- for whoever eats the bread of the public ought to be willing to perform such services." Written from the War Office. Letter is split along fold lines causing text loss. Fragile.

GLC03432.034

29 August 1782

Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John Bryant

General Lincoln discusses selling certain items from the armory in Springfield, Massachusetts. Comments on the operations of mechanical and chemical stores. Notes that he has put Captain Hawes in charge of the artificers and that he desires Captain Bryant to be accountable for the laboratory. Discusses procedures related to ration returns. Letter is splitting along fold lines.

GLC03432.035

30 July 1800

Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810

Document signed

Title: Quit Claim Deed

Partially printed deed releasing a "certain tract of Land lying within the Waldo Patent in the county of Hancock" from Benjamin Lincoln and Henry Jackson to Benjamin Joy. James Lovell and William Stevenson sign as witnesses.

GLC02437.07435

31 March 1783

Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to Hawes

Requests Captain Hawes to "furnish for the use of the Artillery as many buttons as General Knox shall report to you are required for that Corps." Noted as written at the War Office. Originally enclosed with GLC02437.02047.

GLC02437.02046

16 April 1802

Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Accounts]

List of transactions between Henry Knox, Benjamin Lincoln and Henry Jackson, mostly dealing with finances and interest. Also signed by Benjamin Jarvis as a witness.

GLC02437.08797

21 September 1804

Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810

Manuscript document signed

Title: [Receipt]

States that Lincoln received $993.73 from Henry Knox for the interest of a bond.

GLC02437.08830

26 September 1804

Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810

Autograph document signed

Title: [Memorandum]

Lists transactions between Lincoln, Henry Jackson and Henry Knox.

GLC02437.08832

4 September 1784

Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810

Manuscript letter

Title: [Speech delivered to the Penobscot Tribe]

Written at the Penobscot River, present-day Maine. Lincoln, a commissioner chosen to negotiate land boundaries with the Penobscot Tribe, praises the Penobscots' involvement in the Revolutionary War. Continues, "It is said that in your own Opinion the Lands you occupy far exceed the Quantity necessary for your own Use; and that you have suffered pretended purchases for trifling Considerations, to engross Part of them... the Sovereign Power of this Commonwealth... will not suffer Individuals to purchase those Lands which you are permitted to occupy." Offers the option for the Penobscots to…

GLC02437.03049

February 1, 1787

Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810

Manuscript document

Title: [Letter of address to the town of Granby]

Honored with their application from the day before. Writes that he sympathizes too much with "the distresses of those unhappy men" who have risen against the government not to try to avoid reclaiming them without bloodshed. Has tried to avoid firing, and has warned Shays of the danger he and his men are in. Hopes they heed his advice. Says that towns which want to put a swift end to the rebellion should aid the government, and provides ways they might help. Marked as a copy. See GLC02437.03435 for a copy of the letter to which he replies.

GLC02437.03439

February 4, 1787

Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810

Manuscript document

Title: [General Benjamin Lincoln's orders]

General orders which congratulate troops on the successful capture of a large number of insurgents. This document is probably one of the enclosures that accompanied Lincoln's 5 February 1787 letter to Knox (GLC02437.03444).

GLC02437.03442

1 March 1787

Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810

Manuscript document

Title: [Remarks on the disfranchisement of the Massachusetts rebels]

Expresses views and thoughts about rebellions, in relation to the recent Shays' Rebellion in Massachusetts. Writes, "The spirit of rebellion is now nearly crushed in this state, and the opposition to Government is hereby decreasing. This therefore is the most critical moment yet seen. Punishment must be such, and be so far extended as thereby others shall be detered from repeating such acts of outrage in the future..." States that the Legislature is best suited to handling rebellions, especially in terms of bringing people back under the government. Writes that "I wish that those Insurgents…

GLC02437.03477

January 23, 1781

Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

General Lincoln discusses the issue of paying officers at half-pay for the rest of their lives at the close of the war. Instead, advocates giving them one lump sum at the end of the war.

GLC02437.00878