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At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Washington, George, 1732-1799 to Henry Knox

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.09370 Author/Creator: Washington, George, 1732-1799 Place Written: Whitemarsh, Pennsylvania Type: Manuscript letter signed Date: 26 October 1777 Pagination: 2 p. : Height: 33.5 cm, Width: 21.5 cm Order a Copy

General Washington writes to Knox, Chief of Artillery for the Continental Army. Informs Knox he will soon be called to a council of War, and will be asked his opinion on several issues: whether the Continental Army should engage in a general attack against the British; if not, what stance the army should take; where Continental troops should be stationed in reference to the British occupation of Philadelphia; how to prevent the British from drawing supplies from the city during the winter, etc.

Washington, George, 1732-1799
Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

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