This appears to be a partial, preliminary draft of Knox's 29 August 1790 letter to George Washington (in the GW Papers at the Library of Congress) responding to Washington's secret communication of 27 August. In that communication, sent to the members of his Cabinet, Washington asked for opinions as to the proper response to take if the British asked for permission to travel across U.S. territory, from Detroit to the Mississippi, in order to attack Spanish posts. Writes, The fact is we cannot enter into any engagements contrary to those we have made with France. This appears to be Knox's first draft to GLC02437.09449. See also GLC02437.04709 and GLC02437.08216 for related drafts.

Original manuscript copy, with clerical signature, of a letter appealing to the Committee of Congress for Cooperation. This copy of the letter was sent to Delaware Governor Rodney. Discusses the shortage of troops in the Continental Army, the unreliability of the militia, and the need to begin this years campaign as soon as possible. Lists the troops received from each state, mentions the shortages of men, supply, and transportation. In this state of things, Gentlemen, I leave it to your own judgement to determine how little it will be in my power to answer the public expectations, unless more competent means can be, and are without delay put into my hands. Says it is not easy to conceive how inadequate our operating forces must be to any capital enterprize against the enemy. Planned arrival of French second division. The letter also lists the numbers of recruits received from some states and the deficiencies remaining.

Re: Pennsylvania troops mutiny, Treaty of Paris. Docketed p.4 by nephew. Also mentions Congress moving to New Jersey. The letter is in very poor condition from severe mold damage (inactive).

Manuscript copy of a letter from Washington to President of Congress Huntington dated 20 June 1780. With address leaf that enclosed this copy sent from South Carolina politician John Mathews to Delaware Governor Caesar Rodney. Washington writes that he anxiously awaits the arrival of the French fleet. He is embarrassed by the condition and supplies of his troops: were this generous Succour of our ally now to arrive, I should find my self in the most awkward embarrassing and painful Situation. Reports that the troops...are absolutely destitute. With John Matthews free frank on address leaf. Docketed twice: on the verso of p. 3 and on the separate address leaf. Date from docket on address leaf, which indicates this copy was sent with a letter from Mathews (not included). The original letter was composed in Springfield, New Jersey.

This collection of documents, including many previously unpublished, details the role of the Army engineers in the American Revolution. Lacking trained military engineers, the Americans relied heavily on foreign officers, mostly from France, for sorely needed technical assistance. Native Americans joined the foreign engineer officers to plan and carry out offensive and defensive operations, direct the erection of fortifications, map vital terrain, and lay out encampments. During the war Congress created the Corps of Engineers with three companies of engineer troops as well as a separate geographer's department to assist the engineers with mapping. Both General George Washington and Major General Louis Lebéque Duportail, his third and longest serving Chief Engineer, recognized the disadvantages of relying on foreign powers to fill the Army's crucial need for engineers. America, they contended, must train its own engineers for the future. Accordingly, at the war's end, they suggested maintaining a peacetime engineering establishment and creating a military academy. However, Congress rejected the proposals, and the Corps of Engineers and its companies of sappers and miners mustered out of service. Eleven years passed before Congress authorized a new establishment, the Corps of Artillerists and Engineers.