Jackson, Henry (1747-1809) to Henry Knox
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.00561 Author/Creator: Jackson, Henry (1747-1809) Place Written: Boston, Massachusetts Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 1 April 1777 Pagination: 3 p. : address : docket ; 30.5 x 18 cm. Order a Copy
Received Knox's letter via Captain Shaw, and was pleased by Knox's good spirits. Hopes to defeat the British, but worries about the lack of manpower, hearing that Washington only has 4,000 men. "If this is the case you must expect a whipping very soon." Hears that there are only 1,200 men and no field officers at Fort Ticonderoga, that Indian skirmishes there have cost many American lives, and that "Colonel Baldwin the Engineer" was taken prisoner. Unless action is taken he fears this "most important post on the Continent" may be lost. Colonel Crane lost his struggle to be permitted to use the town bounty in recruiting men. Without the bounty he will lose fine men he could otherwise recruit. Nothing has been done about raising their three battalions, and the legislature says nothing will be done until fifteen other battalions are raised first. Thinks this point will never come, and wishes Washington would order these battalions raised quickly. Worries his young officers will leave if the situation remains stagnant. Has a number of boys learning the drum and fife, but nothing for them to do.
Henry Jackson was a colonel in a continental regiment who later rose to the rank of brevet Brigadier-General.
John Crane was a colonel in the Third Continental Artillery.
[draft]
Boston Apr: 1 1777
dear Harry
Your favor of the 23d by Capt: Shaw I recd: - am much pleas'd to find you are in so good spirits. I wish we may be able to look the enemy in the face the first of the Campaign, but am much afraid you will want men, from the best accounts we have to General has not, but about 4,000 men at this time includi'g Militia - if this is the case you must expect a whipping very soon - an Express arrd: here yesterday from Tye - who informs we had but 1200 men there 5 days ago and not one Field Officer - that the Indians had kill'd severall of our men and taken a number Prisoners - amongst which are Collo: Bauldwin the Engener - Harry I think we shall loose that Post if we do not exert ourselves - I look on it the most Important post on the Continent and if we by over neglect loose it we ought to be -
[2] I wrote you in my last there was a great difficulty in Colo Cranes get'g his man, with respect to the Town bounty, he has since petition'd the Court to be allow'd the [sd:] town Bounty, it past the lower House and it was nonconcur'd in the upper House for there is an End of that - Crane has a number of fine men, if they don't allow him the Towns bounty he will [loose] them -
As to the three Battaln: of Infantry they have not done any thing about them I have spoke to most of the lead'g men in Court and they say they can not do any thing about them till the fifteen are full - If we are to wait till then, they will never do any thing for us, for I am sure the 15 will never be full the way they go on - I believe this only an [illegible] to put us off they say if the General had told them, those were the Proportion of the additionall Battalions, and Order'd them to raise them Immediately they have no doubt [3] they would have been raisd: immediately - this is Language of some of the leding members - I want the matter to be determined - my Young Gentlemen are very uneasy, and if it is not determin'd soon am affra'd I shall loose most of them - some talk of go'g to France and some to the West Indies, they quit'd Business and nothing to do but walk about street -
I have a number of Boy's Learn'g [text lost] Drum and Fife and no place to put them in - they are out to [board] and a great expense to me - I don't know what to do nor what to think - I wish the matter was deterind so I do. - there is no news here Therefore will write none
Yours
HJackson
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