451Henry Knox to Tobias Lear, 4 January 1793 (Washington Papers)
Please to submit the enclosed letter of General Wayne —Two month’s pay will go as soon as the Bank can prepare the notes. The further pay must depend upon the settlement of accounts, or the payments will get into great disorder—As general Wayne has again sent for the cornplanter, the question is shall Col. Procter go upon that business? Please to return the papers after the President shall...
452To George Washington from Henry Knox, 15 September 1793 (Washington Papers)
On the 13th I received a letter from General Wayne dated the 8th ultimo. He acknowledges to have received mine of the 20th of July, written in consequence of an express from the Commissioners forbidding him from encreasing his force at the head of the line. He complains of these orders and says that “our greatest difficulty will result from the want of timely supplies of provisions at the head...
453To George Washington from Henry Knox, 30 March 1792 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to submit you, an order of a committee, to inquire into the failure of the late expedition. As I do not conceive myself authorized to deliver these papers of myself, I beg your permission, that they may be laid before the committee, if you should see no impropriety therein, together with major general St Clair’s letters; or such others, as the committee may request. I have the...
454To George Washington from Henry Knox, 5 January 1791 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to submit to you three reports upon the following subjects. No: 1. Is a report upon the address of the representatives of the counties of Kentuckey and the other counties of Virginia bordering upon and contiguous to the Ohio as transmitted by general Charles Scott, in his letter of the fourth of December last. No. 2. Is a report upon the letter of his excellency the governor...
455To George Washington from Henry Knox, 27 August 1793 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to submit, the draft of a letter to his Excellency the Governor of the State of Delaware; and also, a letter just received from James Brice, President of the Council of Maryland, dated August 23d 1793. I am, Sir, Most respectfully, Your very humble Servt LS , DLC:GW ; LB , DLC:GW . In his letter to Joshua Clayton of 27 Aug., Knox acknowledged Clayton’s letter to GW of 23 Aug....
456To George Washington from Henry Knox, 4 August 1794 (Washington Papers)
In obedience to your directions that the heads of the department<s,> and the Attorney General should give, in Writing, their opinion on the measure<s> proper to be pursued by the Executive, in consequence of the resistance which has been manifested in the Western Counties of Pennsylvania to the law imposing a duty on spirits distilled within the United States, I have the honor to submit to...
457To George Washington from Henry Knox, 7 July 1789 (Washington Papers)
The Cherokees. This Nation of Indians consisting of separate Towns or villages are seated principally on the head waters of the Tennessee which runs into the Ohio. Their hunting grounds extend from Cumberland River along the frontiers of Virginia, North and South Carolina, and part of Georgia. The frequent Wars they have had with the frontier people of the said States have greatly diminished...
458Brigadier General Henry Knox’s Artillery Estimate for 1778, 10 November 1777 (Washington Papers)
Estimate of Ordnance, Arms, and Stores necessary for the Army of the United States for the Campaign of the year 1778, supposing it to consist of Forty thousand Men. Battering Train of Cannon, Mortars, &ca Iron Cannon 30 18 Pounders } On Travelling Carriages—6 spare ones for the 12 Prs and 6 for the 18 Prs 30 12 Do Iron Mortars 12 13 Inch. } With Beds Complete—3 spare beds to the 13, and 5 to...
459To George Washington from Brigadier General Henry Knox, 13 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
I have received the communication of your Excellency’s intentions the next campaign, with instructions to me to use every exertion in our power to procure those articles which we shall want in a capital operation against New York—or against Charlestown, Savanna, Penobscot, &ca in case of our inability to undertake the siege of the first and principal object. I shall with peculiar pleasure...
460To George Washington from Henry Knox, 13 June 1786 (Washington Papers)
I have received your esteemed favor of the 1st instant, covering the copy of a letter from Mr Jefferson. The Marquis de la Fayette also wrote to me concerning the affair of the eagles. The enclosed papers will fully inform you on the subject. I have not the papers of the general society, they being with General Williams, therefore I cannot speak on the subject so accurately as I could wish....
461To George Washington from Henry Knox, 21 April 1792 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor respectfully to submit a draft of a proposed letter to Governor Blount, of which, the clerk has just finished a copy. Genl Putnam left this City, this Morning, to return early in the next week. I am Sir Most respectfully Your obedient Servant Dr Allen will be in readiness to return on Monday. He is getting Clothes made and his accounts are to be settled. ALS , DLC:GW ; LB ,...
462To George Washington from Brigadier General Henry Knox, 28 January 1779 (Washington Papers)
The Corps of Artillery being raised in different States upon the same principles as the sixteen additional battalions, labor under great difficulty in obtaining of recruits for the Continental bounty of twenty dollars. The service demands the Battalions of Artillery to be complete, but under the present circumstances it is impracticable. There are four Battalions of Artillery consisting of...
463To George Washington from Henry Knox, 28 October 1791 (Washington Papers)
The Secretary of War, to whom the President of the United States referred the letter of his Excellency the governor of Virginia of the 20th instant, enclosing a letter of the 6th instant from H. Smith commanding officer of the County of Russell, Stating the defenceless situation of his County. Respectfully reports. The enclosed draft of a letter to the said governor in answer to his letter....
464To George Washington from Henry Knox, 17 December 1786 (Washington Papers)
I did myself the pleasure of writing to you last month, and stated generally that certain disturbances existed in Massachusetts. Since that period the legislature have been sitting, and endevoring to conciliate the minds of the disafected, and perhaps in some instances by unjust means. There are people however who hold that if a measure be right in itself, one Should not be very delicate...
465To George Washington from Brigadier General Henry Knox, 29 March 1780 (Washington Papers)
I have endevour’d to consider, in every point of view, the important information, which your Excellency gave your General Officers yesterday, and the question arising from it, Vizt whether any troops shall be detach’d from this army, to the southward, with a view of forming a force, to cover the country, supposing the events at Charlestown, to prove unfortunate? An addition of continental...
466To George Washington from Henry Knox, 17 August 1791 (Washington Papers)
The Secretary of War having examined the Report of Colonel Timothy Pickering, Commissioner at a late Council or treaty of the five Nations of Indians, so called, at Tioga Point—humbly Reports to the President of the United States: That the main object of the said Council was to conciliate the said Indians, to prevent their listening to the invitations of the western hostile Indians, by...
467To George Washington from Henry Knox, 31 January 1785 (Washington Papers)
I have the satisfaction, my dear Sir, to acknowledge the receipt of your kind favors of the 5th of Decr and of the 5th instant for which I beg you to receive my warmest thanks. I regard these letters as fresh proofs of your unchanging friendship and kindness, which I shall ever esteem among the cheif blessings of my Life. The Indians being in a bad temper when you went to the Westward I felt...
468To George Washington from Henry Knox, 17 April 1791 (Washington Papers)
The last letter which I had the honor to write to you was dated on the 10th instant. Since which I have received your favor of the 7th instant. Colonel Hall having declined Colonel Darck agreably to your orders, will have the offer of the 1st regiment of Levies, and if he should decline, it is probable that Colonel Rawlings would accept it. We shall march between the 25th instant, and the 1st...
469To George Washington from Henry Knox, 17 April 1783 (Washington Papers)
The first principle of the security of the United States must rest and consist in a hardy militia, in whom the ideas of freedom and a generous love of their Country shall be inherent. These upon every invasion will form the advanced guard of defence; and if the war should continue a sufficient number must be selected, under the discipline of a regular army, to oppose the invaders. It ought to...
470To George Washington from Henry Knox, 31 March 1791 (Washington Papers)
I had the honor to inform you on the 27th of the murder of certain friendly Indians at the Big beaver Creek, on the 9th instant. I enclose a Proclamation of the Governor of this State, relative to that affair. I assured him of the readiness of the General Government, to pay the reward offered upon the conviction of the Offenders. The Governor has directed the Magistrates to make inquisition...
471To George Washington from Henry Knox, 21 December 1788 (Washington Papers)
It is a long time my dear Sir since I have had the pleasure of addressing you, owing to my having been into Massachusetts and the province of main, during the period of the last four months. I have received your favor enclosing some foreign applications for admission into the Cincinnati—These papers are placed on the files of the society but cannot be acted on, untill the next general meeting...
472To George Washington from Henry Knox, 27 December 1790 (Washington Papers)
The Secretary of War, to whom the President of the United States was pleased to refer the Speech of the Corn-planter, Half-Town, and the Great Tree-Chiefs and Counsellors of the Seneka nation. Respectfully reports— That the objects stated in the said Speech are as follow— to wit— 1st—A Complaint respecting the hard terms imposed on the six Nations, in the Treaty made at Fort Stanwix October...
473To George Washington from Henry Knox, 5 February 1783 (Washington Papers)
Agreeably to your Excellency’s request I enclose the estimate required in your favor of the 1st instant. I am sorry it is out of my power to render it in the manner you wished. But my not having any general returns of stores from the War Office prevents my stating, in a summary view, the difference of the estimate from what is in possession of the Continent. I am, with the highest degree of...
474Memorandum from Henry Knox, 16 May 1793 (Washington Papers)
At a meeting of the heads of departments and the Attorney General yesterday in pursuance of your direction an equal division of opinion took place upon the question herein stated. It appeared that certain privateers commissioned on the part of the French Nation by Mr Genest at Charleston equipped and manned at that place partly by Citizens of the United States, have brought prizes taken from...
475To George Washington from Brigadier General Henry Knox, 23 April 1778 (Washington Papers)
In the conversation which I had the honor of having lately with your Excellency, you informed me that there appeared to be three methods to open the ensuing campaign, and directed me to consider and report my opinion of each, with the reasons on which it was founded. The first was—To remain in the present Camp, receive the expected recruits, for the Continental Battalions, discipline the Army,...
476To George Washington from Brigadier General Henry Knox, 23 May 1780 (Washington Papers)
To digest a perfect plan of operations, of the magnitude of those proposed by Your Excellency, demands a much greater extent of abilities and military experience than I can pretend to have. It requires a mind, able to comprehend and provide for every possible exigence, so that, in case of success, we might be ready to urge it to the utmost, or, of misfortune, to render it as little distressing...
477Henry Knox’s Notes on the State of the Frontier, January 1790 (Washington Papers)
Although I experience a reluctance in again bringing before you the subject of a treaty with the Wabash indians, yet as some recent events have happened evincing to my mind the propriety of the measure, I conceive it to be my duty to make the following communication, and to request your advice thereon. The indians residing on the Wabash river and its branches, and the people residing on the...
478To George Washington from Henry Knox, 25 October 1790 (Washington Papers)
Having been unavoidably longer detained at Boston, than I expected, I did not return to this place until the 22nd instant, and I shall this day set out for Philadelphia to make the necessary arrangements to remove my office and family to that city. No events of sufficient importance have arisen in my department to warrant my troubling you with particular details at present—But as the...
479To George Washington from Brigadier General Henry Knox, 17 February 1781 (Washington Papers)
[ “Park of Artillery, near New Windsor,” 17 Feb. 1781 ]. In a series of tables, Knox estimates “Ordinance, Ammunition, &ca necessary for an operation against the City of New York, by way of York Island, exclusive of what may be wanted for Long Island and its communications.” The first table estimates “Cannon” as 32 pounders—8, 24 pounders—12, 18 pounders—26, and 12 pounders—22. A second table...
480To George Washington from Henry Knox, 1 May 1794 (Washington Papers)
The great demand for mounted militia for the defensive protection of the frontiers and the immense expence attending the measure far exceeding according to any information in my possession, the supposed security or advantages thereof have induced an anxiety in my mind that some principles should be fixed and adopted upon this subject. The letter of the Governor of Georgia submitted yesterday...
481To George Washington from Henry Knox, 22 April 1792 (Washington Papers)
[Philadelphia, 22 April 1792] . Submits “Doctor Allens report, Brandts Letter to Kirkland, and a recommendation of Genl Chapin handed to me by Mr Elsworth.” ALS , DLC:GW ; LB , DLC:GW . Tobias Lear docketed the cover of this letter: “From The Secretary of War 22d April 1792.” On this day GW dined with twenty-two of the visiting chiefs from the Five Nations, their interpreter, and Samuel...
482To George Washington from Henry Knox, 15 January 1797 (Washington Papers)
Possessing as I do a thousand evidences of your friendship, I am persuaded that you will readily beleive me, when I say that my silence of late, has been the effect of my unwillingness to intrude, lest I should for a moment prevent the consideration and different views, you give to the important subjects incessantly before you. Although the same cause continues to prevent my interruption, yet...
483To George Washington from Henry Knox, 2 April 1792 (Washington Papers)
[Philadelphia] 2 April 1792. Submits “the Indians reply to Your speech to Colonel Pickering.” ALS , DLC:GW ; LB , DLC:GW . Although the enclosure has not been positively identified, it was probably a copy of Red Jacket’s speech of 31 March. War Department clerk John Stagg, Jr.’s copy of the account of that day’s meeting reads: “The Indians of the five nations present in this City, being...
484To George Washington from Henry Knox, 5 August 1793 (Washington Papers)
It was on the 3d instant agreed between the heads of the departments and the Attorney General that each individual should submit his opinion to you in Writing upon the propriety of calling Congress together before the period at which they are to assemble. In the present state of things in this Country as well as in Europe an expectation of uncommon events has been generally excited. The...
485To George Washington from Henry Knox, 30 May 1791 (Washington Papers)
The last Letter which I had the honor to address you was dated on the 17th ultimo. Since which your progressive distance rendered it improper for me to write, as it was almost certain that my Letters could not overtake you. I now have the honor to address with the expectation of the Letters reaching you at Taylor’s ferry, and a Duplicate to be left at Mount Vernon. Without entering into...
486To George Washington from Henry Knox, 2 March 1792 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor respectfully to submit to your view the following facts and circumstances relative to the promotion shortly to take place in the first and second regiments, in order to enable you to make such determination as may best promote the public interests. The idea is submitted that the Lieutenant Colonel Commandant will be promoted to a brigadier. If this promotion should take place,...
487To George Washington from Henry Knox, 21 April 1782 (Washington Papers)
As it is probable that our report of this date may after having been transmitted to Congress come before the public eye, we have thought it best to give in a distinct letter the information which it may be unnecessary or improper to publish. Your Excellency will perceive that we had no proper oppo rt unity of bringing forward distinctly the affair of Mr Laurens. By pushing it abruptly into...
488To George Washington from Henry Knox, 30 December 1790 (Washington Papers)
The secretary of War, to whom the President of the United States was pleased to refer the Memorial of David Mead and other inhabitants of Cusewauga on french Creek. Respectfully reports, That the object of the said memorialists, representing about thirty families, is, that the garrison of the troops of the United States, occupying Fort Franklin, near the mouth of French Creek, where it joins...
489To George Washington from Henry Knox, 21 February 1784 (Washington Papers)
Agreably to my promise my dear sir, I write you from this place, and flatter myself with the hope, that although my letter contains no important intelligence, yet it may not be unpleasing to you. Your calm retreat, of mount Vernon, must be a source of ineffable delight to you. you can from thence, take a retrospective view, of the critical exigencies of the War, and see a thousand ways, by...
490To George Washington from Brigadier General Henry Knox, 18 June 1778 (Washington Papers)
In compliance with your Excellency’s request of the last evening I shall consider and briefly give my opinion on the following questions. “Whether any enterprize ought to be undertaken against the Enemy in Philadelphia in their present circumstances”? The principles of operations proper to be adopted by us in our present circumstances being taken up and pretty fully discussed last evening by...
491To George Washington from Henry Knox, 10 April 1791 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your separate letter of the 4th instant, and also of your joint letter of the same date, to the heads of the departments. By the information from Fort Harmar of the 17th, and Pittsburg of the 31st, it would appear that the Delawares and Wyandots are committing depredations, and that they will be joined in the War against us. But what is still more...
492To George Washington from Henry Knox, 27 March 1783 (Washington Papers)
In compliance with your Excellencys instructions of 12th Feby last having carefully considered the nature and tendency of Courtsmartial in general, and the duties of a Judge Advocate in particular, we beg leave to give it as our opinion, that as Courts martial are bound to administer justice according to the dictates of their consciences, and to the best of their understandings in cases where...
493To George Washington from Brigadier General Henry Knox, 26 November 1777 (Washington Papers)
I exceedingly lament my want of experience and ability to fill properly the important Station in which I am, and I am more particularly distress’d when such important Questions are refer’d to my decission as those which your Excellency gave us in charge the last evening. The happiness or misery of the people of America may be the consequence of a right or erroneous judgement. Much lately has...
494To George Washington from Henry Knox, 22 September 1791 (Washington Papers)
The Minister of France has written me a Letter of which the enclosed is a copy —As this crisis of affairs is of the highest importance to the essential interests of France; and as it appears a singular opportunity for the United States, to manifest their zeal to repay in some degree the assistance afforded us during the perilous struggles of the late war, I have assured him of every aid in my...
495To George Washington from Henry Knox, 9 July 1782 (Washington Papers)
Deeply impressed with the importance of West Point to the existence of the United States, I have, with the approbation of your Excellency, endeavored, from its earliest state as a fortification, to have it and its dependences as amply furnished with cannon and military Stores of all Kinds as could possibly be spared from other uses. But after every exertion for this purpose, there still...
496To George Washington from Henry Knox, 18 February 1793 (Washington Papers)
In considering the subject of promotion in the Legion of the United States the following previous questions arise. First. Shall the Sub Legions be commanded by Brigadiers General or Lieutenant Colonels Commandant? Secondly. If the latter shall the Lieutenant Colonels be taken from the line of Majors now in service? Thirdly—If this be decided in the affirmative shall a Brigadier General be...
497To George Washington from Henry Knox, 9 July 1794 (Washington Papers)
I have the honor to submit to your consideration the following papers. Letter from James Seagrove—4th June 1794. Letter from Israel Chapin—7 June 1794—recd this day— Narrative of Mr Ewing enclosed in Israel Chapin’s letter of the 12th June 1794— Depositions of Peter Tuttle and Charles Evans. Letter from Governor Mifflin, 14th June 1794, to the President of the United States—The copy of a...
498To George Washington from Brigadier General Henry Knox, 2 September 1778 (Washington Papers)
I shall give my opinion on the subjects propos’d by your Excellency to your General Officers with as much brevity as they will admit. The first is. Whether a movement of the greater part of this Army to the Eastward under the present information and circumstances will be eligible? I cannot see the propriety of such a measure at present, or that it could be warranted from the State of...
499To George Washington from Henry Knox, 14 January 1787 (Washington Papers)
I thank you my dear Sir for your Kind favor of the 26th ultimo, which I received on the 7th instant. On the dispersion of the insurgents at Worcester, which was dictated more by the inclemency of the weather, and the consideration of having effected their object, than by any apprehensions of coercion from Government, many people were of opinion that the disorders were at an end, and that...
500To George Washington from Henry Knox, 15 February 1790 (Washington Papers)
The serious crisis of affairs, in which the United States are involved with the Creeks requires that every honorable and probable expedient that can be devised should be used to avert a War with that tribe—The untoward circumstances of the case are such, that no degree of success, could render a War either honorable or profitable to the United States. Events may be expected soon to arise which...