Autograph Letter Signed

Secretary at War Unable to Foster the Art of War

Henry Knox, Secretary at War, informs Major General Ebenezer Huntington that "the Confederation directs that each state must provide themselves with warlike apparatices." As such, Knox has no authority to allocate public stores [artillery] for state usage. Knox laments his inability to "foster the knowledge of the art of war."

1785

09

24

New York

Poor image quality. DE2 completed from image on cd rom.

Ebenezer Huntington

General Knox

Henry Knox

Mrs. Huntington

Mrs. Knox

Congress

people of the United States

Major General Huntington

confedration

Major General Huntingdon

New York

New Hampshire

Norwich

Articles of Confederation

public stores

cannon

field pieces

orders of congress

military equipment

warlike apparatices

the art of war

artillery

little flock

chess

apparatuses

1785092400001

1

2

General Knox

Sept 24




2.16

Honorable Major General Huntington

Norwich
New York September 24 1785
Dear Sir: I have received your favor of the
20th instant. I should have been happy
to have been able to comply with any request
of yours, especially as it relates to fostering the
knowledge of the acts of war, which
may, considering the dispositions of the
good people of the United States be more likely
to [undecipherable] away than any other — But I
conceive that I have not power to
loan or appropriate any of the public
[undecipherable] without an order of Congress. There
is an application of New-Hampshire to Congress for sixteen [unreadable]ices but
it was not yet been acted when and
where [unreadable] I hope it may yet be
granted — If Congress suffer the in Cannon
[unreadable] stores they have to be parcelled
out among
among the respective states it [undecipherable] my
opinion [undecipherable] near [undecipherable] a total desrepution
of them. The confederation directs that each
State shall provide themselves with warlike
apparatus, but its Congress shall supply
the States, this article will be totally neglected.
I thank you and Mrs. Huntington for your kind remembrance of Mrs Knox and myself -- We often speak of you and number the days which we passed [undecipherable] chess points among [undecipherable] happy ones — Do you play chess now? -we have revined[?] to since we came here, as it is in considerable practice. Mrs Knox unites with me in presenting our affectionate respects to you Mrs Huntington and your little flock.
I am [undecipherable] with the greatest regard Your very humble servant
Knox

M. Genl Huntington