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.

Tudor, William (1750-1819) to Henry Knox

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.09544 Author/Creator: Tudor, William (1750-1819) Place Written: Boston, Massachusetts Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 24 April 1777 Pagination: 1 p. : address : docket ; 31.6 x 19.7 cm. Order a Copy

Signed with initials. Informs Knox that a French ship arrived the previous Sunday at Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Notes that the ship carried 52 brass cannons, 10,000 cannon shot, and 9000 grenade shells, among other military supplies. Comments on other ships, including two taken as prizes with provisions for General How (British General William Howe). Notes that the [HMS] Milford is cruising in the bay near Boston "taking or driving a shore every vessel that puts out." Notes the presence of two frigates, a twenty gun ship, and five privateers that are not making any effort to protect American vessels. In closing, writes, "We have the most wretched Management in our marine Department."

Tudor was a Massachusetts lawyer and statesman.

Tudor, William, 1750-1819
Knox, Henry, 1750-1806
Howe, William, 1729-1814

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