Our Collection

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

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.00577 Author/Creator: Knox, Henry (1750-1806) Place Written: Morristown, New Jersey Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 20 April 1777 Pagination: 2 p. : address : docket ; 21.2 x 14.9 cm. Order a Copy

The Americans "are getting strong" while "the enemy by all accounts...must be very imbecile." Hopes she is recovering from the smallpox inoculation, and sends his love to her and their daughter.

[draft]
Morris Town 20th April 1777
My dear Lucy
Captain Speakman being to set of to day I shall write by him but least he should not arrive so soon as the post I write just to let you know I am well - that the enemy are not playing fury with, [struck: and] that all is not lost yet and that we do not expect it will be speedily - If we have been weak we are getting strong, the enemy by all accounts and by their not having mov'd before this, must be very imbecile indeed - May that being who protects the virtuous carry you safe thro' the Small pox and give you [2] a happy re-union with your Harry - kiss my babe and pay Heaven to preserve it as I do
I am my Lucy yours
entirely - HKnox

[address leaf]
4
Mrs. Lucy Knox
Boston

[docket]
Morris Town
April 20th 1777.

[docket]
20th April

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806
Knox, Lucy Flucker, 1756-1824

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