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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.

Knox, Henry (1750-1806) to Lucy Knox [incomplete]

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.00557 Author/Creator: Knox, Henry (1750-1806) Place Written: Morristown, New Jersey Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 23 March 1777 Pagination: 1 p. : address : docket ; 32.3 x 21 cm. Order a Copy

The first page or pages of the letter are missing. Feels it is wrong that other officers were promoted over the more senior Benedict Arnold. Worries this action will push Arnold out of the service, and hopes it is remedied. The lack of a promotion would offend Arnold, and was one of the many slights that contributed to his defection years later to the British side. Requests various articles of clothing and expresses his love for her. Asks her to number her letters, as he has begun doing, so they can easily be referenced in the future.

[draft]

and other subjects. The Congress have lately made a promotion of General officers but would you have thought it they have skipped over Genl. Arnold who was the eldest Brigadr and made [five] Younger Brigadiers over him - This most [infalibly] pushes him out of the Service. I hope the affair will be remedied - I shall want [white] [thin] Waiscoats and Britches - those which I had last year are I [illegible] [believe] at N Haven - don't omit my lovely Girl to [text loss] them to me - Give my love to all who [think] me worthy of theirs - and however you may [lay] [text loss] I do most devoutly ejaculate the Supreme [text loss] Universe to take your and your babe as [text loss] divine protection and [struck: give] in proper time [text loss] us together again with an increase of happiness
H Knox -
I wrote you in a former paper that [text loss] for the future Number my Letters and I shall [text loss] to keep them fil'd in the order you receive [text loss] there may be many matters to which [text loss] to refer in some future period -

Mrs Lucy Knox

[address leaf]
Mrs Lucy Knox
Boston
[written vertically] General
Favd. By Capt Shaw

[docket 1]
[illegible] 1777 at Boston

[docket 2]
22nd March
[struck: 2nd March]
1777
[in a different hand] Arnold superseded

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806
Knox, Lucy Flucker, 1756-1824
Arnold, Benedict, 1741-1801

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