Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 70,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World to soldiers’ letters from World War II and Vietnam. Explore primary sources, visit exhibitions in person or online, or bring your class on a field trip.

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30 July 1781

McDougall, Alexander (1732-1786)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

McDougall signs as "Brutus," a pseudonym often attributed to him related to his involvement in the Newburgh Conspiracy. Writes a cryptic and critical letter, questioning plans made for the Continental army and the authority of Congress. Expresses eagerness to "reduce New York," but admits that the Continental force is too weak to undertake such a venture.

GLC02437.01101

16 November 1782

Greaton, John (1741-1783)

Manuscript document

Title: [Vote and proceedings at Newburgh regarding the grievances of the Massachusetts Line]

Marked "copy" and signed by the transcriber, Samuel Shaw, Knox's aide-de-camp.

GLC02437.01714

3 December 1782

Lincoln, Benjamin (1733-1810)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written by Secretary of War Lincoln to Major General Knox. References Knox's letter of 25 November. Says he has suffered anxiety over his long silence and lack of acknowledgement of his letters. Says he told Congress in strong terms of the distress the army suffered for want of pay. Says he told Congress that the information came from the best sources and was not simply grumbling. Says he told Congress that many troops still need pay dating back to 1 January and that some states have helped, but others have not.

GLC02437.01729

4 December 1782

Osgood, Samuel (1748-1813)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written by Osgood as a Continental Congressmen from Massachusetts to Major General Knox. References Knox's letter of 2 November. After reading it says he "began to repent that I had wrote you with Respect to the System for the Adjutant Genl. Department." Feels honored that Knox was willing to be candid about what he felt were the reasons for the Massachusetts legislature denying half-pay pensions to army officers. It seems that a letter Osgood wrote to Lowell, a member of the legislative committee considering the pension issue, was harmful to the officer's cause.

GLC02437.01730

circa 8 December 1782

Van Cortlandt, Philip (1749-1831)

Autograph document signed

Title: [Report of committee altering petition to Congress]

Report of committee work to alter a petition being sent to Congress in relation to half-pay pensions for officers. The first committee meeting took place on 5 December 1782 at Horton's Tavern. The committee of 3 was made up of General McDougall and Colonels Ogden and Brooks. They offered 3 changes to the petition. A General Committee meeting was held 7-8 December 1782, also at Horton's Tavern, with Major General Knox presiding as chairman. The final copy was signed then. The document was signed "P.

GLC02437.01731

9 December 1782

Paterson, John (1744-1808)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written from "Camp." Writes that agreeable to the wishes of the Committee, he has been trying to get "Capt. Pemberton to transcribe our address." Captain Pemberton has been too busy with his own work, so he has asked Colonel Cortlandt, and though he keeps requesting the finished transcript, Colonel Cortlandt has not yet been "able to procure a fair Transcript." Has enclosed a copy of the transcript but as soon as the other copy is complete and he has it signed, he will send it to Knox.

GLC02437.01734

12 December 1782

Knox, Henry (1750-1806)

Autograph document

Title: to Jeremiah Olney

Asks Colonel Olney (possibly Jeremiah Olney of Rhode Island) to deliver a petition and address regarding soldiers' pay to General [Andrew] McDougall and Colonels [Samuel] Ogden and [John] Brooks, who will carry it to Congress in Philadelphia. Declares that General George Washington has seen the petition and address and "has no objection to its presentation." Briefly discusses the contents of the documents.

GLC02437.01740

13 December 1782

Paterson, John (1744-1808)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Writes that he has received his most recent letter accompanying the address to Congress, and will comply with Knox's request to have it signed by the committee members and then pass it on to Colonel [John] Brooks, who will be leaving for West Point tomorrow. Will also pay close attention to Knox's other requests.

GLC02437.01741

14 December 1782

McDougall, Alexander (1732-1786)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Writes, "I received your favor of this day. I shall be ready to sett off from this, on Tuesday next, if the weather is fair, and all other arrangements are compleated, which dont depend on me. I suppose Col [John] Brooks will bring over the Memorial &c &c with him."

GLC02437.01743

20 December 1782

Knox, Henry (1750-1806)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Samuel Osgood

Written by Major General Knox to Massachusetts Continental Congressman Osgood. This letter is a reply to Osgood's letter at GLC02437.01730. Says that his sentiments have caused "uneasiness" among the officers. Knox made sure the principal officers would hear Osgood's opinions by passing the letter along to General John Paterson to share. Believes that McDougall, Ogden, and Brooks, who have been dispatched to Congress, will be able to convince that body the officers deserve better treatment, especially those that have families.

GLC02437.01752

20 December 1782

Knox, Henry (1750-1806)

Manuscript letter

Title: to Benjamin Lincoln

There is a small note at the top which says "(Copied from the Original) K's rough draft being faded out in parts." Knox writes that he is sorry General Lincoln seems so upset with him for not replying to his letters and emphasizes how much he prizes his friendship with Lincoln. Declares that he received two letters from Lincoln that did not seem to require a reply. Adds that right at the time that he received them, death "had with a strong and an unrelenting hand seized up the youngest of my little flock.

GLC02437.01754

22 December 1782

Olney, Jeremiah (1749-1812)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written by Colonel Olney of the Rhode Island Regiment to Major General Knox. References Knox's letter of 12 December on the petition of the army on pensions to Congress. Says he has told his regiment about it and that it meets their approval. The Rhode Island regiment's part of the expenses for the committee to travel to Congress is 37 dollars. Asks Knox to take the money out of a warrant from the paymaster owed to the regiment and to hold on to the surplus. Asks to be kept informed of events.

GLC02437.01758

1783 ca.

Washington, George (1732-1799)

Broadside

Title: His excellency General Washington's last legacy

A printing in four columns containing Washington's "Circular letter" from Newburgh regarding his resignation as commander-in-chief and discusses the establishment of a stronger government for the United States. Washington wanted a stronger Congress and the ability to raise revenue, amongst other powers. A Rhode Island printing of the famous letter. Tight margins.

GLC06561

1 January 1783

Knox, Henry (1750-1806)

Manuscript letter

Title: to Jeremiah Olney

Originally written and signed for Knox in the hand of Samuel Shaw, Knox's aide-de-camp, but now badly faded. Writes, "I this minute reviewed your favor of the 22 ult. with its enclosures. Major Shaw, my aide de camp, who was chosen Treasurer by the Army will execute your orders respecting the money matters. The Committee set off for Philadelphia ten days ago. I have not yet heard any thing from them. As soon as they have the affair in train I will take a pleasure in informing you of it. We have no news. The compliments of the season to you and your gallant corps."

GLC02437.01785

6 January 1783

Peirce, Joseph (1745-1828)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Discusses sending a box to General Knox, a farm Knox may wish to purchase, and the need for raising money to pay the Army.

GLC02437.01805

9 January 1783

McDougall, Alexander (1732-1786)

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written by General McDougall to Major General Knox. Says nothing decisive about whether the half-pay pension issue has been decided. Says it took a week of travel to get to Philadelphia in bad weather. Wanted to lobby the delegates before the memorial was put before Congress. Says that has been accomplished and after the memorial was submitted, Congress decided to form a committee with a member from each state. Says that they will meet tomorrow night. Encloses a list of the committee members (not included here).

GLC02437.01819

7 February 1783

Morris, Gouverneur (1752-1816)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written by Morris as the Assistant Superintendent of Finance to Major General Knox. Wants to give him an update on affairs. Says "It has given me much Pain to see the army looking wildly for a Redress of Grievances" -- a reference to the half-pay pensions the officers desired. Says that "During the War they find you useful and after a Peace they will wish to get rid of you And they will see you starve rather than pay a six Penny Tax.." Says experience has made him take this point of view.

GLC02437.01897

8 February 1783

McDougall, Alexander (1732-1786)

Manuscript letter

Title: to Henry Knox

Contemporary copy. Report of the Committee of the Army at Philadelphia. Discusses issues of commutation of half pay in the army and mentions how various states voted on this matter.

GLC02437.10515

12 February 1783

McDougall, Alexander (1732-1786)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written by General McDougall, but signed anonymously as "Brutus" to Major General Knox. McDougall reports that he seems to be making progress in lobbying Congress for funding for half-pay pensions for the officers.

GLC02437.01912

15 February 1783

Knox, Henry (1750-1806)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Horatio Gates

Relates a recent adventure in which he was apparently traveling over a frozen waterway to meet a military board that included Gates. On the way, the ice under his party broke, but through a fortunate turn of events they remained safe. Knox and General [Jedediah] Huntington hope that Gates and the board will excuse their absence. Asks that they may make their decision without having to physically attend the board. In a post script, asks Gates to present his [Knox's] compliments to General [Israel] Putnam.

GLC02437.10093

19 February 1783

McDougall, Alexander (1732-1786)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written by General McDougall to Major General Knox. Says that Colonel Brooks has no doubt reached him before this letter, but hopes to give an update to events in Congress since. Says "Nothing has since been done by Congress on the Subject of our memorial [on army pay and officer's pensions]." Reports that Georgia, Maryland, and Delaware are not represented at the moment. Says "The Kings Speech is the only intelligence, which has reached this of any moment, relative to a Peace." Thinks Congress is leaning in support of the army, but he cannot be certain.

GLC02437.01933

21 February 1783

Knox, Henry (1750-1806)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Alexander McDougall

Discusses affairs concerning the military and Congress with General McDougall.

GLC02437.10097

25 February 1783

Von Steuben, Friedrich Wilhelm Ludolf Gerhard Augustin (1730-1794)

Manuscript letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written by Major General von Steuben to Major General Knox. Reports that "In all proba[b]ility the Peace is signed." Says "At present all our lost Battles are turned to Victories. Great Britain acknowledges our Independence, may other nations acknowledge that we are worthy to be free." Says America's first impressions are important as they will decide "whether we shall be respected as an Empire or be despised as a Banditti." Says the situation of the army and the news of peace are all that are talked about.

GLC02437.01952

27 February 1783

McDougall, Alexander (1732-1786)

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Henry Knox

Written by General McDougall under the alias "Brutus" to Major General Knox, lamenting Congress's refusal to pay the army and fund pensions for the officers. Says the motion was declined by Congress "for fear the States would consider it a design in Congress to Establish a Force to awe the States. What conduct will be taken towards the Army on a pace is now very uncertain." Says Congress is fearful that the army might take justice into its own hands.

GLC02437.01959

March 1783 ca.

Washington, George (1732-1799)

Manuscript

Title: Address to officers with General orders 3/11/1783 & Newburgh address

A contemporary transcript written by an unknown soldier on the leaves of a stitched pamphlet. Contains the anonymous "Address to the Officers of the Army" calling the army's general officers to a meeting (a mutinous situation) (pp. 1-12), Washington's orders of 11 March 1783 calling officers to a meeting of his own (15-24; including Washington's letter to the president of Congress after the meeting), the officer's meeting on 15 March, with Washington's address (25-41), and concluding with the officers' resolves (41-47).

GLC02624

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