Knox, Henry (1750-1806) to George Washington
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 #: GLC02437.01958 Author/Creator: Knox, Henry (1750-1806) Place Written: West Point, New York Type: Autograph letter Date: 27 February 1783 Pagination: 2 p. : docket ; 33.5 x 21.2 cm. Order a Copy
Discusses the loss of stores at Kings Ferry and informs Washington that he had sent over a lock and key to prevent further mishaps. Also mentions that he plans on removing Captain Lieutenant Ephraim Fenno from his post as he feels Fenno should have kept a more careful account of the stores at Kings Ferry.
[draft]
West Point 27 Feby 1783
I received your Excellencys letter respecting the loss of Stores at the posts at Kings ferry. I take the liberty to enclose the report of Captain Lieut Fenno of the Artillery on that subject. I should have transmitted it to your Excellency when I first received it but I was in hopes that some thing further might have been discover'd - I have sent him the lock & key and directed the quarter master at this post to apply for the hounds, which with the change of the mode of doing duty will in future I hope prevent any [inserted: more] depredations of this nature. -
I am by no means satisfied with [inserted: strike-out] Captain Lieut Fenno's ideas of his [inserted: not being] responsibile [struck: of] [inserted: for] the Stores because he was [inserted: not] the commanding officer of the posts. He ought [inserted: in my opinion] to have considerd himself accountable to the publick for the Stores, and although the frequent change of commanding officers involved [strike-out] him in much trouble yet an actual examination of the Stores ought to have been made every time the return was called for.
[2] Your Excellency will please to observe that the lost barrell of powder ought to have been reportd as part of the fifth robbery, but was not discover'd untill lately. In case of anymore articles being lost while [inserted: struck: I have the honor to be] Capt Lieut Fenno commands at Kings ferry I will relieve [inserted: struck: with the] him, and have the matter enquired into by a court martial or court of enquiry -
I have the honor to be
with the highest respect
Your Excellencys
most obedient
Servant -
His Excellency
Gen. Washington
[docket]
To His Exy
Gen. Washington
27 Feby 1783.
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.