21From George Washington to Henry Knox, 10 April 1789 (Washington Papers)
The cloth & Buttons which accompanied your favor of the 30th Ult., came safe by Colo. Hanson; and really do credit to the Manufactures of this Country. As it requires Six more of the large (engraved) button to trim the Coat in the manner I wish it to be, I would thank you, my good Sir, for procuring that number and retaining them in your hands until my arrival at New York. Not to contemplate...
22From George Washington to Henry Knox, 5 December 1784 (Washington Papers)
Apologies are idle things: I will not trouble you with them—that I am your debtor in the epistolary way I acknowledge—and that appearances indicate a disposition to remain so, I cannot deny; but I have neither the inclination nor the effrontary to follow the example of Great Men or St—s to withhold payment altogether. To whatever other causes therefore my silence may be attributed, ascribe it...
23Appendix I, To Henry Knox, c.4–18 May (Washington Papers)
The names which follow, are those mentioned in the Marqs la Fayette’s letter to me. La’ Peyrouse La Touche D’Albert de Rion✻ Tilly✻ Enclosed it seems is the proper address to the characters therein mentioned, I send it that you may be governed thereby—pray return it to me again —The enclosed private letters be so good as to include under cover of the public ones. Yrs affly ✻I am not sure that...
24From George Washington to Henry Knox, 28 September 1783 (Washington Papers)
Supposing the necessary number of Troops to be kept up during the Winter it will be necessary to make some provision to supply their wants of Cloathing. That this may not be delayed I am to request you to call for Returns of such Articles as will be absolutely necessary and to forward me a general Return thereof as soon as possible. I am Dear sir Your very Obed. servant MHi : Henry Knox Papers.
25From George Washington to Henry Knox, 25 February 1787 (Washington Papers)
Accept, my dear General Knox my affectionate thanks for your obliging favors of the 29th, 30th, & 31st of Jany and 1st 8th & 12th of the present month. They were indeed, exceedingly satisfactory, and relieving to my mind which has been filled with great & anxious uneasiness for the issue of General Lincoln’s operations, and the dignity of Government. On the prospect of the happy termination of...
26From George Washington to Henry Knox, 4 December 1783 (Washington Papers)
The splendid display of fire works last Evening were so highly satisfactory that I must request you to present to Cap. Price under whose direction they were prepared and to the Officers who assisted them, my thanks for the great skill and attention shewn in the conduct of that business. I am Sir DLC : Papers of George Washington.
27From George Washington to Henry Knox, 21 August 1786 (Washington Papers)
The inclosed letter I received a short time since. As I am wholly unacquainted with the writer, & circumstances therein mentioned; I can only say, that if the facts are such as there alledged, I think the sufferer is entitled to some redress; but how far it may be in the power of Congress to comply with petitions of this nature I am not able to say. You undoubtedly know much better than I do,...
28From George Washington to Henry Knox, 5 January 1785 (Washington Papers)
About the beginning of last month I wrote you a pretty long letter, & soon after, received your favor of the 23d of November. It is not the letters from my friends which give me trouble—or adds ought to my perplexity. I receive them with pleasure, and pay as much attention to them as my avocations will admit. It is references of old matters with which I have nothing to do. Applications, which...
29From George Washington to Henry Knox, 15 October 1787 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 3d instt came duly to hand. The fourth day after leaving Phila. I arrived at home, and found Mrs Washington and the family tolerably well, but the fruits of the Earth almost entirely destroyed by one of the severest droughts (in this neighbourhood) that ever was experienced. The Crops generally, below the Mountains are injured; but not to the degree that mine, & some of my...
30From George Washington to Henry Knox, 26 October 1783 (Washington Papers)
This will be delivered you by Mr Arthur Noble a Gentleman from Ireland who visits this Country in behalf of a considerable number of his Countrymen to provide a settlement for them. He is Recommended to me by the President of Congress & by Mr Morris and as he is going to the Northward and wishes to take west point in his way—I take the liberty to Request your attention and liberties to him...
31From George Washington to Henry Knox, 8 October 1783 (Washington Papers)
Captain Shaw has handed me your Letter of the 2d instant. I have been impatiently waiting the determination of Congress to ascertain what number of Troops are actually to be kept up in the Garrison of West-point during the Winter but I do not see any probability of their coming to a speedy decision; on the contrary, the Members with whom I have conversed seem unwilling to lessen the present...
32From George Washington to Henry Knox, 16 October 1783 (Washington Papers)
Major Shaw not returning so soon as I immagined, and the subject of your Letter of the 28 September not admitting much delay I take the opportunity of the Post to reply to it. On referring to the Institution of the Society of the Cincinnati I find that the Chevr de la Luzerne, the Sieur Gerard, the Counts D’Estaign, de Barras & De Grasse, the Chevalier des Touches, and the Count de Rochambeau,...
33From George Washington to Henry Knox, 20 March 1784 (Washington Papers)
Your Letter of the 21st ulto did not reach my hands ’till yesterday—Having the Governor here & a house full of company—& the Post being on the point of setting out for the Eastward I must confine the few lines I shall be able (at this time) to write, to the business of the Cincinnati. From what you have said of the temper of your Assembly respecting this Society—from the current of Sentiment...
34From George Washington to Henry Knox, 18 June 1785 (Washington Papers)
I am quite ashamed to be so long deficient in acknowledging the receipt of your favors of the 24th & 29th of March, and 5th of May; but an intervention of circumstances (with the enumeration of which I shall not trouble you) have prevented it. It gave me great pleasure to hear of your appointment as Secretary at War—without a complimt, I think a better choice could not have been made—and...
35From George Washington to Henry Knox, 11 December 1785 (Washington Papers)
Majr Farlie gave me the pleasure of receiving your letter of the 22d Instt, & thereby knowing that you, Mrs Knox & the family were all well. It has always been my opinion you know, that our Affairs with respect to the Indians would never be in a good train whilst the British Garrisons remained on the American side of the territorial line—& that these Posts would not be evacuated by them, as...
36From George Washington to Henry Knox, 20 February 1784 (Washington Papers)
The bad weather, and great care which the Post Riders take of themselves, prevented your letters of the 3d & 9th of last Month from getting to my hands ’till the 10th of this. Setting of next Morning for Fredericksburgh to pay my duty to an aged Mother, and not returning ’till yesterday, will be admitted I hope, as a sufficient apology for my silence ’till now. I am much obliged by the trouble...
37From George Washington to Henry Knox, 2 June 1784 (Washington Papers)
The inconvenience with which I left home, & my impatience to return to it, hastened every step I took back, & but for the delay I met with in crossing the Bay, I might have been at home with ease on the Friday after I parted with you. Before eight on thursday morning I was at Rock-hall, & not until friday evening could I get my horses & carriage over to Annapolis. It is a real misfortune, that...
38From George Washington to Henry Knox, 3 March 1788 (Washington Papers)
I pray you to accept my acknowledgements of your favors of the 10th and 14th Ulto and congratulation on the acceptance of the new Constitution by the State of Massachusetts—Had this been done without its concomitants, and by a larger Majority the stroke would have been more severaly felt by the antifederalists in other States. As it is, it operates as a damper to their hopes, and is a matter...
39From George Washington to Henry Knox, 11 February 1788 [letter not found] (Washington Papers)
Letter not found: to Henry Knox, 11 Feb. 1788. On 10 Mar. Knox wrote GW : “Your favor of the 11th ultimo was duly received.” Knox may have been referring to GW’s letter of 5 February . See Knox to GW, 10 Mar., n.1 .
40From George Washington to Henry Knox, 30 March 1788 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 10th came duly to hand, and by Mr Madison I had the pleasure to hear that you had recovered from a severe indisposition, on which event I sincerely congratulate you. The conduct of the State of New Hampshire has baffled all calculation, and happened extremely mal-apropos for the election of delegates to the Convention of this State; For be the real cause of the adjournment to...
41From George Washington to Henry Knox, 1 January 1789 (Washington Papers)
I have received by the last Mail your favour dated the 21st of Decr and hasten to return this acknowledgment, together with the enclosed Certificate of Service for Major Haskell. I give that testimony with the greater alacrity, because it always affords me satisfaction, when I can gratify the wishes of a worthy man, in perfect conformity to my own judgment. I am much pleased to find that the...
42From George Washington to Henry Knox, 25 March 1789 (Washington Papers)
Permit me, in one line, to acknowledge the receipt of your polite and obliging favors of the 9th 12th & 16th instt and to thank you for the information they contain. Public affairs seem to be in an awkward interregnum—and among other irksome circumstances, can not be quite congenial with the feelings of the attending members of the New Congress. My best wishes, in which Mrs Washington unites,...
43From George Washington to Henry Knox, 28 February 1785 (Washington Papers)
Your favor of the 31st Ulto came to my hands by the last Post. enclosed are letters under flying Seals to Count de Rochambeau & the Marqs de Chastellux (late Chevr) introductory of Mr Swan. also certificates for Lieutts Seaver & Henley. if these will answer the purposes designed, I shall think nothing of the trouble, but be happy in having given them. Upon summing up the cost of my projected...
44From George Washington to Henry Knox, 8 March 1787 (Washington Papers)
Will you permit me to give you the trouble of making an indirect, but precise enquiry, into the alligations of the enclosed letters. I flatter myself that from the vicinity of Elizabeth Town to New York, and the constant intercourse between the two, you will be able to do it without much trouble. It is but little in my power to afford the pecuniary aids required by the letter writer; but if...
45From George Washington to Henry Knox, 2 November 1783 (Washington Papers)
You will readily conceive how much I have been chagreened, & vexed at a loss occasioned by the stupidity of the Postmaster at Princeton, when I tell you, that the original of which the enclosed is a duplicate, & the first draughts of all my public & private letters written in the Six Weeks preceeding; were lost with the Mail on Thursday Night last. Having many letters to write by the Post the...
46From George Washington to Henry Knox, 25 September 1783 (Washington Papers)
I have had the pleasure to receive your Letter of the 17 Instant. Your arrangements—in discharging the Invalids and contracting your deposits of Stores meet my fullest approbation—the former especially, not only seconds my views, but those of Congress, whose wish it is, to diminish our force to the number only which may be absolutely necessary—and this I think may be estimated at 3000 Men—A...
47From George Washington to Henry Knox, 10 January 1788 (Washington Papers)
I beg you to accept of my thanks for your obliging favor of the 11th Ult.; which, owing to the dullness of the season, and want of matter to amuse you, has lain unacknowledged till this time. Three States—to wit—Pensylvania New Jersey, and Delaware having adopted the New Constitution in so decisive a manner and those of New Hampshire, Massachusetts & Connecticut having discovered such...
48From George Washington to Henry Knox, 17 September 1783 (Washington Papers)
Your two Letters of the 3d & 10th inst., with the enclosed Returns, have been duly received. To prevent the trouble in Future of transmitting the particular Returns of each Corps, let the Fort Major or Adjutant, digest them into one General Return, as I only wish to have a view of the general strength & state of the Troops. As Congress have reassumed the consideration of a Peace Establishment,...
49From George Washington to Henry Knox, 1 April 1789 (Washington Papers)
The Mail of the 30th brought me your favor of the 23d—For which, & the regular information you have had the goodness to transmit of the state of things in New York, I feel myself very much obliged, and thank you accordingly. I feel for those Members of the new Congress, who, hitherto, have given an unavailing attendance at the theatre of business. For myself, the delay may be compared to a...
50From George Washington to Henry Knox, 23 October 1783 (Washington Papers)
Since the return of Genl Lincoln, I have taken occasion to move a little on the Subject of your letter of the 17th of last March—notwithstanding other matters have kept the Peace Establisment entirely out of view. I suppose, at least I so hope, that it will now be taken up with a determination to go thro’ with it—without more delays. Upon enquiry, I do not perceive any intention to abolish the...
51From George Washington to Henry Knox, 3 December 1783 (Washington Papers)
The splendid display of Fire works last Evening was so highly satisfactory that I must Request you to present to Captain Price under whose direction they were prepared, and to the Officers who assisted him, my thanks for the great skill and attention shewn in the conduct of that business. I am Sir Your most Obedient Servant. MHi : Henry Knox Papers.
52From George Washington to Henry Knox, 3 February 1787 (Washington Papers)
I feel my self exceedingly obliged to you for the full, & friendly communications in your letters of the 14th 21st & 25th ult.; and shall (critically as matters are described in the latter) be extremely anxious to know the issue of the movements of the forces that were assembling, the one to support, the other to oppose the constitutional rights of Massachusetts. The moment is, indeed,...
53From George Washington to Henry Knox, 27 April 1787 (Washington Papers)
After every consideration my judgment was able to give the subject, I had determined to yield to the wishes of many of my friends who seemed extremely anxious for my attending the Convention, which is proposed to be holden in Philadelphia the second Monday of May. And tho’ so much afflicted with a rheumatic complaint (of which I have not been entirely free for Six months) as to be under the...