Autograph Letter Signed

Knox Requires a New Recruitment Campaign

Knox orders the recruitment of troops in Massachusetts and urges that only men of the best character should be enlisted. He warns the two captains that their continuance in service depends upon the success of this effort.

1789

12

08

Department of War

To Captains Burbeck and Savage

Henry Knox

Henry Burbeck

Captain Savage

recruits

Captain John Smith

President of the United States [Washington]

magistrate

Melancton Smith

Paymaster General [Swan]

Department of War

Boston

Worcester

Springfield

Massachusetts

West Point

furloughs

oaths

sobriety

honesty

the most perfect economy

desertion

enlistment papers

re-enist as many of the men of your companies as possible

All your recruits musr be men of the best characters for sobriety and honesty

You must make me weekly returns of your success in recruiting

You may promise your recruits great punctuality of payments and clothing

1789120800001

1

7

Gen. Knox recrui
ting instructions
December 1789
1789
To Captains Burbeck and Savage
Gentlemen,
Having in my letter to you of
of the 19th ultimo directed you to endeavor
to re-enlist as many of the men of your
companies as possible, I now repeat the
direction. To those who will re-enlist you
may give furloughs to join either of your
recruiting parties at Boston, Worcester,
or Springfield on or before the 20th day of
January ensuing. Those who will not
re-enlist you will discharge agreably to
the form herewith enclosed.
After you have shall have dischar-
ged your men, you with all your
officers excepting one [carat symbol] repair immediately
to Massachusetts and recruit your
companies.
[carat symbol] (who shall repair to this city and take
the orders of Captain Smith)
companies to the full number of seventy each_
_to serve for three years unless sooner did-
charged by order of the President of the
United States_ each recruit as soon as
enlisted must be sworn in the manner
herein prescribed.
"I, A.B. do solemnly swear or
"affirm (as the case may be) that I will support
"the Constitution of the United States."
"I, A.B. do solemnly swear or
"affirm (as the case may be) to bear true
"allegiance to the United States of America,
"and to serve them honestly and faithfully
"against all their enemies or opposers what-
"soever, and to observe and obey the orders
"of the President of the United States of
"America, and the orders of the Officers ap-
pointed over me."
All your officers must also
take the same oats before some Magistrate
previously
previously to our leaving West Point, of
which you must obtain duplicate certificates,
one of which you will transmit to tis
office in order to be placed on the files
thereof.
As the number of men you have
to recruit are few, I expect you will not
only obtain men of the best qualifications
for soldiers, but that you will complete
your companies before the 1st of February.
All your recruits must be men of
the best characters for sobriety and honesty
well formed in teir bodies and
limbs__healthy and robust__at least
five feet six inches in eight, not under
eighteen or more than forty five years
of age, and not foreigners unless their
characters shall be well-authenticated.
Springfield must be your
principal rendezvous. As soon as you
shall
4.
shall recruit twelve men at any other place
or places, you will march them to Spring-
field, and as soon as you shall have
assembled forty that at that place you will
march them to West Point.
Melancton Smith Esq. who has
contracted to supply West Point and
Springfield with rations will make
arrangements also to furnish you with
rations at Boston, and other small contin-
gent expences.
I shall transport the clothing
for our companies to Springfield. If
you should think proper to order any
suits to Boston you may direct it.
You must make me weekly
returns of our success in recruiting. I
earnestly urge that you the highest
exertions in this business, or the success
of
5.
of which, candor obliges me to state
depends materially the prospects of your
continuance in service.
I expect that you will direct
all your measures with the most perfect
economy, and that you will take every
precaution to ascertain the characters
of the men offering to enlist. Should
men desert after engaging, it will be
a reproach to you, as well as a loss
to the public.
You must make it a fixed
principle, that your recruits sign
your enlistment papers before witnesses
and that they take their oaths before
you make any advances. Any loss
incurred without these precautions will
be your own, and not the public's
loss.
I
I shall direct the paymaster
general to advance you a months pay
for each of your companies -- one half
of which you will advance as soon
after your men shall be sworn as you
may judge proper. The other half before
they shall march from Springfield. You
may promise your recruits great punctuality
of payment and clothing.
Given at the War Office of the
United States, this eighth day
of December, One thousand and seven
hundred and Eighty Nine.
HKnox Secretary
for the department of War