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At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Jackson, Henry (1747-1809) to Henry Knox

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.00402 Author/Creator: Jackson, Henry (1747-1809) Place Written: Boston, Massachusetts Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 29 July 1776 Pagination: 2 p. ; 20.4 x 15.7 cm. Order a Copy

Reports on intelligence on British forces gathered from Benjamin Davis, one of about 150 prisoners taken from a ship captured by a privateer named Captain Skimmer and brought it to Marblehead, Massachusetts.

[draft]
Monday Mor:g 11oc
July 29 1776
This moment Benja Davis & son with the rest of passengers came round here by water from Marblehead - there is about 150 of them Many Women. Mostly Scotchmen amongst them are two [illegible] of the Semples - that use to keep shop in Cornhill -
I went up to Goal House with them where I had some Conversation with young Benja Davis - he told me they sail'd in Company with 24 Sail of Transports from Halifax the 3d Inst: Bound to New York. that 120 of the Sail were the Highlands that we drove out of Nantasket The 14th of June - that 4 Sail were Hanoverans that arriv'd at Halifax the 1st of July - and they were Immeadiatly Order to Join them [2] the Next day after they left Halifax they saw 40 Sail of Transports stand'g into Halifax - which they suppos'd were the Hanoveran troops the 4 Sail had Left a few days before - The Prisoners are under Examination by Athority & I suppose an Express will be sent to General Washington Immedeatly - I wish you health and happiness and I pray God may cover your head in the day of Battle is the sincere wish of your sencear friend
Henry Jackson

Jackson, Henry, 1747-1809
Knox, Henry, 1750-1806
Davis, Benjamin, fl. 1776-1778

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