1To John Adams from Henry Knox, 21 October 1781 (Adams Papers)
I have had the honor of receiving several Letters from your Excellency, since your departure from america, which I have duly answerd, and hope you have received them. Your ideas of the necessity of some important blow to the british power in the southern states were extremely just. The reasons are too obvious to be mentioned. I am happy my dear Sir, in having it in my power to announce to you...
2To John Adams from Henry Knox, 10 October 1779 (Adams Papers)
I received your obliging favor of the 19th last month by Mr. Lowell, for which I thank you. Mr. Gerard has been to Camp, and has return’d to Philadelphia, to embark on board of the Confederacy for France, on board of the same Ship Mr. Jay and his Family embark. Mr. Gerard made us happy, politically so I mean, by informing us of your appointment as sole Minister plenipotentiary for the purpose...
3To John Adams from Henry Knox, 4 September 1779 (Adams Papers)
To the numerous congratulations which you have received on your safe arrival in America, permit me to add my tribute, and to felicitate you on your safe return to your Family, friends and Country, and event which I am certain gives you true pleasure and happiness, whatever motives produc’d it, Whether Faction, Ambition, or—as I am a very bad Statesman—true policy in order to procure proper...
4To John Adams from Henry Knox, 10 May 1777 (Adams Papers)
I am obliged to you for your two favors, one of the 25 Ultimo and the other of the 6 instant both of which I have received. I know not in what condition the Furnace at Salisbury is, but, from the reports which I have had of the Ore, I should suppose they must be bungling workmen indeed if they do not succeed. Shall I enquire into the management of it, and, if practicable, endeavor to get some...
5To John Adams from Henry Knox, 3 May 1777 (Adams Papers)
It is a long time since I have had the pleasure of a Line from you. I was in hopes to have seen you when I went to Boston but you had previously set out for Congress and I miss’d you on the road. Since my return from thence the duties of my department have taken up the whole of my time, which together with the fear of trespassing on your more important engagements has prevented my writing to...
6To John Adams from Henry Knox, 25 September 1776 (Adams Papers)
Thro’ the hurry and confusion of one retreat after another I have omitted to answer your last favor. You are pleas’d to desire a list of the Officers from Massachusetts Bay noting such as bid fair to rise superior to the commonality. I have endevor’d to procure the whole list but in vain. The General sometime since order’d a list to be given in of the Officers of evry Regiment in Order to go...
7To John Adams from Henry Knox, 21 August 1776 (Adams Papers)
I received your favor by the post for which please to accept my thanks. I hope the Copper you mentioned will be purchas’d as speedily as possible, as it appears to me to be matter of the utmost consequence. I have purchas’d about two tons but this is nothing equal to what I wish was collected. We ought at least to have enough to cast an hundred Mortars, Howitzers, and feild peices. A numerous...
8To John Adams from Henry Knox, 29 July 1776 (Adams Papers)
Mr. Paine has done me the honor to write to me on the subject of casting cannon, in consequence of which Mr. Byers a Cannon founder from this place has proceeded to Philadelphia. I take the liberty to beg he may be set to work immediately and if upon a large scale the advantages must be proportionate. As every hint to a Gentleman in Acting in your important Station may be attended with good...
9To John Adams from Henry Knox, 16 May 1776 (Adams Papers)
I did myself the honor to address you sometime ago and soon after it I sat out upon a Journey to New York Ticonderoga &c: whilst I was upon my Journey your kind Letter came to Cambridge but by some mischance it was not till lately I had the pleasure to receive it. I blush at what you must have thought of my negligence. I am much oblig’d to you for the favorable opinion you are pleas’d to...
10To John Adams from Henry Knox, 26 October 1775 (Adams Papers)
Encourag’d by your kindly mentioning my name in your Letters to several Gentlemen this way I now take the liberty of writing to you. A number of the Generals desir’d me to act as engineer and said that when the delegates from the Continental Congress came here the matter should be settl’d—myself as cheif engineer with the rank and pay of Colonel and a Lt. Col. Putnam as second also with the...