To George Washington from Brigadier General Henry Knox, 3 July 1780
From Brigadier General Henry Knox
Camp Prackenis N. Jersey 3d July 1780
Return of Shells, Shot and Powder, in possession of the Continent, and the places where they are deposited; compared with an estimate of stores presented to the Committee of Congress with the Army, 27 June 1780, and the deficiencies pointed out.1
In addition to the remarks already presented on the estimate made last October,2 it is to be observed, that 50 shells and sixty shot were then, agregately on the total, thought to be sufficient for each piece. But the day’s being now one third longer than when that calculation was made, consequently the estimate is deficient one third of the quantities necessary for sixty days service of the mortars and cannon specified.
It was, in the former remarks, mentioned, that the twelve pounders were scarcely heavy enough for batteries. From returns received lately, it appears that six 24 pounders and forty eight 18 pounders can be procured from Providence, West Point and Philadelphia, provided a sufficiency of shot can be had for them.3 The only possible method to obtain them, is to have a number of furnaces in Jersey and Pennsylvania instantly put into blast. It is true, this mode would be expensive, if it is practicable; but the magnitude of the object in view would amply justify the measure.
H. Knox Brig. Genl Artillery
DS, DLC:GW; copy, NNGL: Knox Papers. A note on the copy reads: “one presented to the Commander in cheif and one transmitted to the board of War” (see GW to the Board of War, 8 July, DLC:GW).
1. Following this paragraph, Knox placed a table detailing the quantities on hand of shells, shot, and powder and the deficiencies necessary to be made up, in order to bring the supplies of each item to that required “For Sixty Days Service” during a siege. The table reads: “Number requested—Ten inch shells—30,000. On hand, at Boston 1500[,] Pennsylvania 2923[,] Jersey 2927[,] West Point 1345[,] Springfield 48[,] Providence 75” for a total of 8,818, leaving a deficiency of 21,182.
“Number requested—Eight inch shells—18,000[.] On hand, at West Point 685[,] Morris Town 300[,] Pennsylvania 454” for a total of 1439, leaving a deficiency of 16,561.
“Number requested—Eighteen pound shot—72,000. On hand, at Providence 856[,] West Point 5751[,] Furnaces in Jersey 4755[,] Pennsylvania 6487” for a total of 17,849, leaving a deficiency of 54,151.
“Number requested—Twelve pound shot—72,000. On hand, at Pennsylvania—3701[,] West Point—6672[,] Providence—1948” for a total of 12,321, leaving a deficiency of 59,679.
“Powder Quantity requested—Barrells, 100 lbs. each—11,720. On hand, at Pennsylvania 690 [barrels] & 534 [barrels] musket [powder,] West Point in barrells & cartridges—688[,] Fishkill 71[,] Springfield 24[,] Rhode Island 64” for a total of 2,071 barrels with 1,000 barrels “Expected from France” making 3,071 barrels in all and leaving a powder deficiency of 8,649 barrels.
2. For the letter to the Committee at Headquarters and both estimates, see GW to Knox, 26 June, n.4.
3. These returns have not been identified.