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.

Wayne, Anthony (1745-1796) to Henry Knox

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.05856 Author/Creator: Wayne, Anthony (1745-1796) Place Written: Legionville, Pennsylvania Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 22 March 1793 Pagination: 4 p. ; 32 x 19.8 cm. Order a Copy

Marked "Private Personal & Confidential." References Knox's letters of 5 and 9 March. Claims some of the officers are drunks who lack military skills. Expresses sarcastic anger over orders given by Knox about ensigns in the army. Wayne does not have enough ensigns to follow Knox's orders from the letter of 5 March and is frustrated that he cannot use the provisional ensigns as ordered in the 9 March letter. The provisional ensigns need to be confirmed by the Senate. Says he does not want to put the men or his own personal honor on the line with some of these officers. Suggests the commandant of the 4th Sub Legion should be given command of the scouts and spies. Says the commandant of the 3rd Sub Legion will be court martialed. Vertical tear at the bottom of the letter, which effects the signature and all four pages.

Legionville was the first formal United States military basic training facility, established by General Anthony Wayne, in 1792, near present-day Ambridge, Pennsylvania to train the soldiers of the Legion of the United States.

Wayne, Anthony, 1745-1796
Knox, Henry, 1750-1806

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