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 Marquis de Lafayette

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.03275 Author/Creator: Knox, Henry (1750-1806) Place Written: New York, New York Type: Manuscript document Date: 16 June 1786 Pagination: 3 p. ; 25 x 19.7 cm. Order a Copy

Later copy of letter written by Knox to Lafayette at GLC02437.03276. Thanks Lafayette for the kind treatment given to his brother William. Discusses the affair of Major Pierre Charles L'Enfant, who had been sent to France in 1783 to purchase jeweled eagle badges for the members of the Society of the Cincinnati. L'Enfant returned to America in 1784 and brought back many badges purchased on credit. The price proved too high for some officers, which left L'Enfant in a bind. Goes on to say that the Society approved of L'Enfant's conduct and owed 630 dollars to him for his services in France, which Knox says was recently offered to him. L'Enfant refused the payment until the entire issue of the badges purchased on credit is cleared up with the Society. Says L'Enfant will write to Lafayette. Reports he will keep Washington informed. Written on lined paper with an embossed image of a building on the upper left corner.

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