1736-1823
Guide to the Collection
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| Creator: | Knox, Henry,
1750-1806 |
| Title: | Henry Knox papers II |
| Dates: | 1736-1823 |
| Physical Description: | 17 volumes
in 4 document boxes |
| Call Number: | Ms. N-198 |
| Microfilm Call Number: | P-95, P-394, P-467 (some items on
microfilm) |
| Repository: | Massachusetts Historical Society
1154 Boylston Street
Boston, MA 02215
library@masshist.org |
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Abstract:
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This collection consists of volumes kept by Henry
Knox as a bookseller, Revolutionary War officer, and U.S. secretary of war,
with some personal papers.
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Henry Knox (1750-1803) was a bookseller, Revolutionary War officer, and
secretary of war from 1785-1794.
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25 July 1750
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Born in Boston, Mass., seventh son of William Knox (d. 1762) and Mary
Campbell Knox (d. 1711).
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29 July 1771
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Opened bookstore in Boston.
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June 1774
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Married Lucy Flucker, daughter of Thomas Flucker, royal secretary of the
province of Massachusetts Bay.
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17 Nov. 1775
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Commissioned colonel of the Regiment of Artillery by the Continental
Congress.
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17 Nov. 1775-17 Jan. 1776
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Trek from Fort Ticonderoga to retrieve cannon to fortify Dorchester
Heights.
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1776
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Published "Hints for the Improvement of the Artillery of the United
States."
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Spring 1776
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Fortified Manhattan Island, N.Y.
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17 Mar. 1776
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British evacuation of Boston.
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25 Dec. 1776
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Accompanied George Washington across the Delaware River.
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Jan. 1777
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Trenton-Princeton campaign.
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Sep. 1777
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Battle of Brandywine.
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4 Oct. 1777
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Battle at Germantown.
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28 June 1778
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Valley Forge and Battle of Monmouth.
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Winter 1779
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U.S. Military Academy at West Point established.
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Oct. 1781
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Yorktown campaign.
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17 Oct. 1781
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Cornwallis surrender.
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Nov. 1781
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Commissioned major general. Appointed secretary of war under the
Confederation government.
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1783
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Society of the Cincinnati established.
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1785
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Appointed first secretary of war under the Constitution.
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1794
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Retired to private life at mansion Montpelier at Thomaston, Me.
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1806
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Died at Montpelier.
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Callahan, North. Henry Knox: George Washington's
General. New York: Rinehart, 1958.
Fuess, Claude M. "Henry Knox." Dictionary of
American Biography. Ed. Allen Johnson and Dumas Malone. Vol. 10. New
York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1937. 475-477.
This collection contains 17 volumes kept by Henry Knox as a bookseller,
Revolutionary War officer, and U.S. secretary of war, as well as some personal
papers. Volumes related to Knox's "London bookstore" in Boston consist of a
wastebook and a letterbook. Among the Revolutionary War materials are Knox's
diary of a journey from Fort Ticonderoga, N.Y.; three orderly books; and an
undated volume of artillery exercises and experiments. One orderly book also
contains orders for the 40th British Infantry Regiment during the New York City
campaign. Papers from Knox's tenure as secretary of war include an account book
of departmental expenditures and reports and instructions for diplomatic
negotiations and treaties between the War Office and the Wabash, Creek, and
Cherokee Indians. The collection also contains personal papers, including
Knox's notes on the Muscongus (or Waldo) Patent lands in Waldoborough and
Thomaston, Me.; his personal account books; and letters of his daughter
Caroline Knox Swan (b. 1791).
This collection is not part of the Henry Knox papers on microfilm (P-17).
Materials in this collection are not on microfilm with the exception of Knox's
orderly books, diary, and bookseller materials, as noted in the Detailed
Description of the Collection below.
The Massachusetts Historical Society (MHS) holds the following collections
related to the Henry Knox papers II:
Henry Knox papers. P-17 (55 microfilm reels).
Gift of the estate of David Greene Haskins, Jr., Apr. 1927.
The collection is organized into the following series:
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| I. Personal papers, 1736-1803 |
| II. Professional papers, 1771-1823 |
| | A. Revolutionary War papers, 1775-1781 |
| | B. United States War Office papers, 1786-1790 |
| | C. Bookseller papers, 1771-1823 |
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| Box | Volume | Contents |
| | I. Personal papers,
1736-1803 |
| Box 1 | Vol. 1 | | Waldo, Samuel. Defence of the Title of the
Late John Leverett Esq.; To a tract of land of the Province of the
Massachusetts Bay, commonly called Muscongus Lands, lying upon the St.
George's, Muscongus, and Penobscott Rivers [with supplement]. [Boston],
1736. This volume is Henry Knox's personal copy of Brigadier General Samuel
Waldo's defense of John Leverett's claim to the Muscongus (or Waldo) Patent
lands around Thomaston and Waldoborough, Me., which Henry Knox acquired from
General Waldo through Knox's wife and Waldo's granddaughter, Lucy Flucker Knox.
Included are discussions and purchase agreements with local Indians, issues of
jurisdiction and defense responsibility with the Massachusetts Bay government,
and legal history of the patent lands before and after the Utrecht Settlement
of 1713. The supplement contains republished copies of deeds, titles, purchase
agreements, and depositions pertinent to Leverett's claim as referred to in the
text.
The second half of the volume contains Henry Knox's personal manuscript
research findings and comments about the history of the patent after 1736,
including land divisions and subdivisions and procurement of settlers for the
lands in Europe by Waldo around 1738-1739. These notes are undated. Also
included in the volume is a Massachusetts Senate resolve correcting a clerical
error in a 1785 resolution about the Muscongus (or Waldo) Patent lands. The
resolve, dated 1 Nov. 1788, is signed by John Hancock.
The original Massachusetts Senate resolve, 1 Nov.
1788, has been moved to Special Collections. A photocopy is available for use
in this collection.
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| | | Visit to the Patent,
1788 These two notebooks contain information, in diary form, collected by Henry
Knox in Thomaston and Waldoborough, Me., during his visit to his lands in the
Muscongus (or Waldo) Patent to clarify questions of titles, claims, deeds, and
land ownership disputes amongst the inhabitants. Included are comments on the
lands' natural resources, inhabitants, future land purchases by current
residents, town organization and incorporation, and road and bridge development
and improvement. The notebooks also contain transcripts of census lists and tax
collectors' documents and records, expenses incurred, and notes concerning
individual residents.
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| Box 1 | Vol. 2 | | | Notebook 1 |
| Box 1 | Vol. 3 | | | Notebook 2 |
| Box 1 | Vol. 4 | | Cash received,
1789 This volume is Henry Knox's personal record of cash paid out in 1789, with
receipts and acknowledgements from the recipients. Figures are registered in
British pounds sterling and American dollars.
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| Box 1 | Vol. 5 | | Account book,
1 Jan. 1792-19 Jan. 1803 This volume contains a record of Henry Knox's personal debts.
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| Box | Volume | Contents |
| | II. Professional papers,
1771-1823 |
| | | A. Revolutionary War papers,
1775-1781 |
| Box 2 | Vol. 1 | | | [Artillery exercises and experiments], undated This volume contains a series of tables and charts, possibly transcribed
from a published source for Brigadier General Henry Knox's use during his
command of the Continental artillery in the American Revolution. Subjects
include fuses, artillery practice, effective ranges, experimental results and
timing, naval artillery, various field pieces, different types of shot,
time/range determination, and diameter/gauge conversions.
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| Box 2 | Vol. 2 | | | Diary of a journey from Fort Ticonderoga,
20 Nov. 1775-13 Jan. 1776 Henry Knox's manuscript journal and record book covers his travels from Fort
Ticonderoga to obtain artillery for the fortification of Dorchester Heights
during the Siege of Boston and the creation of a Continental artillery
regiment. Entries describe his journey with cannons from Ticonderoga, through
Albany and western Massachusetts to Westfield, Mass., four days before his
arrival in Cambridge. Included are daily accounts of occurrences and progress,
expenses incurred, labor costs, and correspondences sent.
Henry Knox's diary of a journey from Fort Ticonderoga
is available in three alternate formats:
| 1. The diary was digitized as part of
Massachusetts Historical Society's website "The Coming of the American
Revolution, 1764-1776." View the web presentation
here. |
| 2. The diary was published in the New
England Historical and Genealogical Register, July 1876,
pp. 321-326. The published edition contains entries from 1-26 Dec. 1775, which
are no longer part of the original diary or on the microfilm. |
| 3. The diary is available on the Henry Knox diary
microfilm, P-95, 1 reel. |
The original diary has been moved to Special
Collections.
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| Box 2 | Vol. 3 | | | [Orderly book], Crane's Continental Artillery Regiment,
6 Oct. 1776-7 Sep. 1777 This volume contains general, division, and brigade orders from Nathaniel
Greene and General Henry Knox to Captain Benjamin of Frothingham's company of
the Crane Continental Artillery Regiment at Morristown, N.J., and en route to
Brandywine, Penn. Entries were written from 25 Mar.-22 Apr. 1777, 24 May-29
July 1777, 6-19 Aug. 1777, and 27 Aug.-7 Sep. 1777. Subjects include drills,
preparations for battle, marching orders, artillery deployment in the camp, and
personnel and ammunition reports.
The volume also contains general, division, brigade, and regimental orders
for the British 40th Regiment under General James Grant while stationed in and
around New York during the campaign for New York City, 6 Oct.-24 Nov. 1776 and
23-27 Dec. 1776. Orders relate to the organization and deployment of forces in
preparation for New York engagements, courts-martial, duty assignments,
discipline, and provisioning of troops.
Available on the Revolutionary War orderly books
microfilm, P-394, reels 5 (Continental Army portion) and 6 (British
portion).
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| Box 2 | Vol. 4 | | | [Orderly book], Third Continental Artillery Regiment,
9 Aug. 1779-31 Mar. 1780 This volume contains general and brigade orders given by George Washington
and Henry Knox concerning officers' commissions and pensions, announcements of
American victories, marching orders, inspection of the army and guard boats for
West Point, courts-martial, assignments of artillery units, and examination and
repair of artillery ammunition. The orders were recorded by First Lieutenant
Samuel Shaw at Morristown, N.J., and West Point, N.Y.
Available on the Revolutionary War orderly books
microfilm, P-394, reel 5.
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| Box 2 | Vol. 5 | | | [Orderly book], Corps of Artillery, Continental Army,
1 Jan.-8 Aug. 1781 This volume contains orders given by General George Washington, Major
General Henry Knox, and Major General Lord Stirling concerning artillery
reorganization and training in preparation for a rendezvous with Rochambeau, as
well as watch orders for Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. The orders were kept at Dobbs Ferry
and West Point, N.Y.
Available on the Revolutionary War orderly books
microfilm, P-394, reel 5.
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| | | B. United States War Office papers,
1786-1790 |
| Box 3 | Vol. 1 | | | [Account of the War Office],
[4 Jan. 1786-18 Aug. 1790] This volume contains a daily list of expenditures, including
department-by-department allocation and itemization of expenses during Henry
Knox's administration of the War Office under Washington's administration.
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| Box 3 | Vol. 2 | | | Indian Department No. 1: The Wabash Tribes,
15 June 1789 This report to President Washington, signed by Secretary of War Henry Knox,
describes possible methods for assimilating the Wabash Indians, the expenses
and diplomatic merit of each method, and the need to appease American demands
for more land while keeping peace with the local tribes.
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| Box 3 | Vol. 3 | | | Indian Department No. 2: Southern District; The Creeks, with an
appendix,
1789 This report to President Washington, signed by Secretary of War Henry Knox,
relates to the existing treaties between the state of Georgia and the Southern
Indians and includes references back to 1787. The volume refers to dealings
with George McGillveray, chief negotiator for the Creeks; his financial
interests and holdings; and previous correspondences. Also included are
instructions for the negotiation of a new agreement between the United States
and the Creeks.
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| Box 3 | Vol. 4 | | | Southern District: The Cherokees,
7 July 1789 This report to President Washington from Secretary of War Henry Knox
concerns standing relations between the Cherokee Indians and Creek Indians (in
and around the Ohio River) and frontier settlers, as well as relations among
the Cherokees, Creeks, and the American government. Included are transcripts of
documents, negotiation proceedings, correspondences between the federal
government and its diplomatic representatives, and treaties in effect.
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| Box 3 | Vol. 5 | | | Instructions [for Indian negotiations],
ca. 1789 This volume contains instructions from the War Office under Henry Knox to
Benjamin Lincoln, Cyrus Griffin, and David Humphries, commissioners
plenipotentiary of the United States, for the negotiation of a treaty between
the United States and the Indian tribes within U.S. borders south of the Ohio
River.
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| | | C. Bookseller papers,
1771-1823 |
| Box 4 | Vol. 1 | | | Henry Knox's wastebook,
22 July 1771-15 Apr. 1775 This volume contains a list of daily transactions and expenditures from
Henry Knox's "London Bookstore" in Boston.
Available on the Henry Knox bookseller papers
microfilm, P-467, 1 reel.
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| Box 4 | Vol. 2 | | | Letterbook,
8 Jan. 1774-9 Mar. 1775 This letterbook contains copies of Henry Knox's outgoing letters related to
his bookstore. Included at the end of the volume are letters written by Knox's
daughter Caroline Knox Swan of Thomaston, Me., 29 Apr. 1822-13 Oct. 1823.
Available on the Henry Knox bookseller papers
microfilm, P-467, 1 reel (Knox's letters only).
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Henry Knox papers II, Massachusetts Historical Society.
This collection is indexed under the following headings in
ABIGAIL,
the online catalog of the Massachusetts Historical Society. Researchers
desiring materials about related persons, organizations, or subjects should
search the catalog using these headings.
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| Organizations: |
| | Great Britain. Army. Infantry Regiment, 40th
(1775-1783). |
| | United States. Continental Army. Continental
Artillery Regiment, 3rd (John Crane's). |
| | United States. Continental Army. Continental
Artillery Regiment, Henry Knox's. |
| | United States. War Dept. |
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| Subjects: |
| | Account books--1771. |
| | Account books--1786-1790. |
| | Account books--1789. |
| | Account books--1792-1803. |
| | Booksellers and
bookselling--Massachusetts--Boston. |
| | Boston (Mass.)--History--Siege,
1775-1776. |
| | Cherokee Indians. |
| | Creek Indians. |
| | Diaries--1788. |
| | Fort Ticonderoga (N.Y.). |
| | Indians of North America--Government
relations--1789-1869. |
| | Indians of North America--Treaties. |
| | Muscongus Patent (Me.). |
| | Real property--Maine--Thomaston. |
| | Real property--Maine--Waldoborough. |
| | United States--History--1783-1815. |
| | United States--History--Revolution,
1775-1783--Campaigns. |
| | Waldo Patent (Me.). |
| | West Point (N.Y.)--History--Revolution,
1775-1783. |
The following item has been removed from the collection and cataloged with
MHS printed materials:
United States Continental Congress, 1775. Rules and
Articles, for the better government of the troops raised, or to be raised, and
kept in pay by and at the joint expense of the twelve United Colonies of North
America. Philadelphia, printed: Watertown, reprinted and sold by
Benjamin Edes, 1775 (with a list of officers of Col. Henry Knox's regiment in
manuscript following text).
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