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 James Byers

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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC02437.10089 Author/Creator: Knox, Henry (1750-1806) Place Written: West Point, New York Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 31 January 1783 Pagination: 2 p. : docket ; 35.7 x 23.2 cm. Order a Copy

General Knox, commanding at West Point, writes to Byers, who operated a foundry in Springfield, Massachusetts. Encloses a letter from the "Minister of War," referring to Benjamin Lincoln, Secretary of War. Indicates that Lincoln ordered Byers to obey Knox's orders regarding ordnance to be cast. Forwards Byers a draft for an eight inch howitzer created by [Richard] Frothingham, Field Commissary of Military Stores. Discusses cannon orders. Verso contains a copy of a note penned and signed for Benjamin Lincoln by Samuel Shaw to Byers written 22 December 1782, confirming that Byers will receive orders from Knox.

Knox, Henry, 1750-1806
Byers, James, fl. 1767-1784
Lincoln, Benjamin, 1733-1810
Frothingham, Richard, 1748-1819

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