Knox, Henry (1750-1806) to George Washington
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.02092 Author/Creator: Knox, Henry (1750-1806) Place Written: West Point, New York Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 16 April 1783 Pagination: 2 p. : docket ; 34 x 20.6 cm. Order a Copy
Discusses the earnings of commissioned officers and the feelings of uneasiness among noncommissioned officers due to unequal payment. Suggests discharging noncommissioned officers as soon as possible under the pretext that it is being done so that they can "attend to their farms in the present season..." Retained copy.
[draft]
West point 16 April 1783 -
my Dear General
I think it necessary to inform you that there is a general uneasiness in among the Non - Commissioned Officers [inserted: of the Connecticut line] grounded principally upon the inequality of rewards to the officers and soldiers - They say the rewards ought to be in a strict proportion, and if the officers received a five years pay as reward for services the same rule ought to extend to them, instead of which they have only the promise of one years pay. The matter will issue I believe in a petition to your Excellency upon the subject. Whether the idea has originated with themselves or whether it is the suggestion of some designing person I cannot learn. Certain it is, that the claim is new and not connected with any promise of Congress. [strikeout] It is not [inserted: imp]probable that other claims may spring up, therefore I think the sooner we can begin to discharge the War men the better. reasons may be given that many men would want to attend to their farms in the present [strikeout] season, and that every attention ought to be paid to men deserving so much of their [2] Country and therefore that twenty or thirty from each regiment should be discharged upon such a day provided they left orders for to receive their certificates [inserted: of the pay] and the pay what may be advanced previous to the disolution of the Army, & that in three days afterwards an equal number & so on.
I am [inserted: my] Dear General
with the utmost respect
Your Humble Servt
HKnox
His Excellency General Washington
[docket]
To his Excellency General
Washington. 16 April 1783
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