Knox, Henry (1750-1806) to Lucy Knox

[Draft]
[Beverpoint] 8 miles North of Morris Town 26 [text loss]
1777
I received your two kind Letter the one of the 30th June and [strikeout] Doctor Morgan and the other of the 17th July instant - my sincere Love for you my dearest Lucy consists in more than mere words. I have the most [undauted] [sic] attachment to you that the human heart is capable of. I wish to make you happy & had it not been for this cursed war I should have been one of the happiest of the human race [strikeout] as it is I am bound by every principle of honor and moral attachment to stand by the Country while I can do it any service - the instant I am convinc'd that I cannot I will retire from public to private Life consol'd by well meant endevors - [struck: I have] - the instant those intrusted with the management of the concerns of my country supersede me and by that means show a diffidence of my abilities or attachment that instant I return to the arms of my Lover - you say if I do not consent to your coming to head Qrs it will [betray] a want of Love to you and you will endevor to be as indifferent as I appear to be - I don't like the sentiment, and it is very unlike my Lucy - there is no circumstance in Life that you are capable of that could make you [indiff] [text loss] to me & I flatter myself that you possess the same sentiment altho you have written to the contrary [2] I long to see you with as much devoutness as is possible for you to do me - and my dearest Love may rest perfectly assur'd that I shall embrace the first moment to either send for her or come to her, that is possible and consistent with rationality - You are anxious about a future provision, and with reason my dear but you may rely upon it that [after] this Campaign if God should continue me I shall take some very vigorous measures to increase the property we already possess - I have some hopes from the property [rented] in the Ships, but that is precarious - I am exceedingly chagrined at Mr Will that he should have come away before he had finally settled and arrang'd all monies for my part of them - my friend Harry writes me word that he expects in a day or two to be call'd upon for 200 or 300 pounds [strikeout] the Ship at Newbury - which its impossible you should supply [struck: without] from the scanty pitance left to you by him - the sum you write of and those he said he left you, is widely different - but I suppose the incumbrances you speak of will reconcile the difference. - I know not how to make up this sum without your consent to part with the Phaeton which will sell for [L]200 and which will lose value every day - if you come to Head Qrs you must [strikeout] hire a carriage & I will send you horses - to get one to match the overgrown one you now have will cost [L]150 at least - If I should come home you may rely upon my possessing a Phaeton for your sake - the one you now have will by no means answer for a Jenny [3] especially through the rough roads of New England - I am sure this will satisfy my Lucy to part with it a present - if so the Colonel will dispose of it for you and I shall write him accordingly - but at your option entirely - The loss of Ty and the re-taking the six are circumstances more chagrining and distressing than dangerous - however they have too much of the former for me to speak of them with any kind of patience - all I have to say is that I firmly believe providence will carry america thro' all her difficulties, not withstanding all the rascality of [inserted: some of] those who are [strikeout] employ'd in her defense and the misfortunes of others - Genl St Clair was in my opinion very unhappy in being oblig'd to stake his reputation upon the defense of Ty with the force allotted him for that purpose - Genl Howe has sail'd from the hook, we suppose for Philadelphia therefore we are now [steering] this way - if he is not going there Boston must be his object - We intercepted a Letter from him to Genl Burgoyne purporting that the expedition up the North river is given up for one to Boston - this Letter was design'd to fall in our hands in order to deceive - we suppose he will be at Philadelphia near as soon as we - we are now four days march from it - upon the whole I know he ought in justice to his masters to go either up the N. River or the eastward & endevor to form a junction with Burgoyne therefore [struck: Philadelphia] [4] (if he is not a fool) he will operate accordingly - but we are bound to Philadelphia upon this supposition - and its [illegible] [reasonable] - I am sorry that I cant find an opportunity to send you the watch - a young Mr Appleton pass'd thro' the line as it was on the march to day but I could not stop the waggon without stopping the whole line - may your Guardian God and the God of your Harry soon return as to each other again and protect you Adieu H Knox

Mrs Knox