Knox, Henry (1750-1806) to James Wilkinson
High-resolution images are available to schools and libraries via subscription to American History, 1493-1943. Check to see if your school or library already has a subscription. Or click here for more information. You may also order a pdf of the image from us here.
Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.10267 Author/Creator: Knox, Henry (1750-1806) Place Written: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Type: Manuscript letter signed Date: 17 May 1793 Pagination: 2 p. : docket ; 39.3 x 24.2 cm. Order a Copy
Marked private. Thanks General Wilkinson for his letters and states that he is "persuaded that your good sense as well as inclination will lead you to unite cordially with general Wayne, and to promote a spirit of harmony throughout the several corps," hinting at some conflict between members of different groups within the army. Mentions conflict in Europe. Second page has lots of dark ink blots, some of which render words illegible. Letterpress copy.
Wilkinson was a U.S. soldier and statesman, who was associated with several scandals and controversies. He fought in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, eventually rising to the rank of General. He was appointed governor of the Louisiana Territory in 1805. General Wayne refers to General Anthony Wayne, an United States Army general and statesman. He was the first to provide formalized basic training for regular Army recruits and Legionville was the first facility established expressly for this purpose. The Treaty of Greenville was procured due to Wayne's military successes against the tribal confederacy and gave most of what is now Ohio to the United States, and cleared the way for that state to enter the Union in 1803. Supposedly the reason General Wayne was nicknamed "Mad Anthony" Wayne, was because he could lead an army with two and a half hours of sleep or less.
Citation Guidelines for Online Resources
The copyright law of the United States (title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specific conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.