Knox, Henry (1750-1806) to Benjamin Lincoln
High-resolution images are available to schools and libraries via subscription to American History, 1493-1943. Check to see if your school or library already has a subscription. Or click here for more information. You may also order a pdf of the image from us here.
Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.01326 Author/Creator: Knox, Henry (1750-1806) Place Written: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 6 January 1782 Pagination: 5 p . : docket ; 23.2 x 19.3 cm. Order a Copy
Marked "copy." Writes in response to receiving from Lincoln a proposal by Colonel Timothy Pickering to send the artificers from the Park of Artillery to General Nathanael Greene's Southern Army. Writes that this proposal was made "without a sufficiency of knowledge or due consideration of the service these artificers have to perform, and cannot be complied with in any degree, without mining all prospects of advantage from the Artillery in the operating of the next campaign." Argues that their artificers have been working under the same officers for a long time and have developed a high level of expertise. Declares also that their skill is necessary to perform repairs at their current location. Comments that difficulty in finding men for the Southern campaign is not sufficient reason for removing the artificers from the Artillery Park.
[draft]
Philadelphia 6th Jan.y 1782
Sir
I thank you for communicating to me, Colonel Pickering's letter of the 20th ultimo, wherein he urges that the artificers attached to the Park of Artillery should be sent to the Southern Army.
I beg leave to observe that this proposal is made, without a sufficiency of knowledge or due consideration of the service these artificers have to perform; and cannot be complied with in any degree, without ruining all prospects of advantage from the Artillery in the operations of the next campaign. This will appear clear when it shall be consider'd, that they have to new mount all the howitzers, and a considerable proportion of the [inserted: strikeout large] Cannon taken from the Enemy at York Town, and to put in proper order the field Artillery requisite for the ensuing campaign, [2] the [inserted: strikeout light] Artillery which was carried to Virginia last summer has been forwarded to [struck: him] [inserted: General Greene] or deposited in that state [inserted: the peices] [struck: it] being in perfect order [struck: which] the peices [sic] taken from the enemy want to be new mounted, a stand in need of great repairs. The proposal could not have been made with propriety if the Quarter Master General had reflected that he has deprived the park at different periods for the Southern Service, of nearly all the ammunition Waggons and Trumbrills [struck: in possession] they had in possession and that others must be made to replace them.
The idea that the Artificers now attached to the park may be sent to the Southward and others enlisted [strikeout] [inserted: in] [their] places will not bear examination. These men have been closely engaged since last March to the particular business of making carriages and other work peculiar to the Artillery, and [3] under the unremitting attention of their officers [struck: who also are competent to the business] have acquired, so great a degree of perfection as to render their loss irreparable. The difficulty of obtaining men now to go to the Southward cannot be a sufficient reason for obliging these artificers to march there. The Seige of Charleston is said to be an object for next campaign, if so will the difficulty be less [then] to obtain artificers [struck: to supply the deficiency] [inserted: who are equal to the work] of the Artillery, than it is now for [inserted: strikeout common duty] I [struck: suppose] [inserted: presume] [struck: the QM generals knowledge is not so contracted as to suppose a siege can be carried on without artificers]
It is true that the artillery artificers are the remains of [Baldwins] regiment- But they were put under my orders by his Excellency the Commander in chief in consequence of powers given to him by Congress. I believe [4] they are uncommonly well satisfied with the change and too much pleased with their present officers [strikeout] to willingly undertake a march to Carolina to return under their old officer Captain Pendleton
[struck: It] It may be necessary just to mention that there are about forty of these men attached to the Park, and between twenty and thirty to West Point to execute the [struck: numerous] various repairs [struck: and other matters] in the [ordnance] department in that important post
I hesitated whether I should give a serious answer to a proposal so [illegible] of the good of the service but I [struck: reflected] considered that although you know how essentially necessary these artificers are to forward the prospects of the next campaign, yet it [struck: was] [inserted: is] certain there [struck: were some persons] [inserted: others] [5] who [struck: do] [inserted: do] not. I sincerely wish General Greene to have every assistance he requires but it would be a misapplication of the talents of artificers who have attained a knowledge [struck: which] in a particular [branch] which cannot be learnt [inserted: without] much practice to take them from duties which are important, [struck: to] to do the common [inserted: business] [struck: duties] of the QM generals department in [strikeout] Army. I presume there are a sufficient number of artificers [inserted: that part of the 4th regt] in the [struck: Corps] of artillery lately sent to general Greene to keep the [few] peices he has in repair
[struck: I have the honor]
I have [inserted: the honor] to be sir
Your most Obedient
Humble Servt
HKnox BG Artil
The honorable Genl. Lincoln
Secy. at War.
[docket]
To General Lincoln
to Jany. 1782
respecting the Q M Generals
demand of the [Ar] Artificers.
Citation Guidelines for Online Resources
The copyright law of the United States (title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specific conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law.