Knox, Henry, 1750-1806 to George Washington
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.01624 Author/Creator: Knox, Henry, 1750-1806 Place Written: s.l. Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 22 September 1782 Pagination: 2 p. : docket ; Height: 35.3 cm, Width: 22.5 cm Order a Copy
Written by Major General Knox to General Washington. Says he arrived at camp to find that 22 American women and children, formerly prisoners who had travelled from Canada, were seeking assistance. They travelled down from Vermont to Albany, New York. From Albany, Lord Stirling sent them southward with the idea that they could reach Philadelphia. Says "These unhappy people, were inhabitants of the frontiers of Virginia and Pennsylvania. Their husbands and fathers have been murdered by the Savages and themselves taken into captivity to Canada." Reports that after "horrors unutterable," they were trying to return to places where they were known. Has given them some provisions and seems to be asking if Washington will give them permission to travel to Philadelphia on army wagons (handwriting is hard to decipher here). Hopes the Minister of War "will take measures to enable them to go with a degree of comfort to the places of their destination."
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