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- GLC#
- GLC02437.04875-View header record
- Type
- Letters
- Date
- March 8, 1791
- Author/Creator
- Doughty, John, 1754-1826
- Title
- to Henry Knox
- Place Written
- Morristown, New Jersey
- Pagination
- 3 p. : docket ; Height: 32.9 cm, Width: 21 cm
- Primary time period
- The New Nation, 1783-1815
- Sub-Era
- The Early Republic
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 strongly supports me in this Belief, else why the odious Distinction betwixt the civil and military servants of the Country, the one being regularly & generously rewarded and the other not." Says he will be in Philadelphia "in order to settle some public Accounts & make a surrender of any Commission in the Artillery." Wants to be sure there is nothing "improper" in doing this. See GLC02437.04891 and .4892 for related documents.
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