Our Collection

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.

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806 to George Washington

Order a pdf of this item here.

A high-resolution version of this object is available for registered users. LOG IN

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.01709 Author/Creator: Knox, Henry, 1750-1806 Place Written: s.l. Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 12 November 1782 Pagination: 3 p. : docket ; Height: 33.1 cm, Width: 21.9 cm Order a Copy

Writes to General George Washington that he would like a copy of the "general system of signals" Washington is producing when it is finished. Discusses placement of regiments and guards, including the Invalid Regiment, for the coming winter. Comments briefly on military stores (such as the amount of rachets on hand) and then recounts that General [Alexander] MacDougall's troops in Connecticut are displeased because they will be losing a guard after inspections, and Knox suggests that permitting them to continue having a guard would "probably induce a continuance of favor." Asks for instructions regarding the road for the hospital, and after enquiring to Verplanks about the quality of wood they have there, he has determined they have no more than fifty cords of wood and it is all on the water side, though there is plenty more wood on the West side. Asks General Washington to order Hatch coats for his post as well as several others and estimates the amount they would need. Lastly, discusses the prospects of Colonel [possibly Heman] Swift after the removal of his position.

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806
Washington, George, 1732-1799
Swift, Heman, 1733-1814
McDougall, Alexander, 1732-1786

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources