TRANSCRIPT GLC 2437.18.167
Henry Knox. Autograph letter draft signed: New York, to George
Washington, 1786 June 13. 6 p. + doc.
[inserted - different hand: To Washington]
New York 13 June 1786 –
My dear Sir
I received your esteemed favor of 1st instant.
The Marquis de la Fayette, also wrote to me, [struck: that]
concerning the affair of the Eagles of which the enclosed
[strike-out] [inserted: will fully inform you.] – I
have not the papers of the General Society [inserted: they
being with General Williams] therefore I cannot speak [strike-out]
[inserted: on the subject] so [struck: perfectly authentic]
[inserted: accurately], as I could wish. But I have communicated
with Major LEnfant who is here, and the following [struck:
statement] is I beleive very nearly [strike-out] a true statement
of the case –
Major LEnfant conceived that the spirit of his [strike-out]
[inserted: instructions] directed that the order of the Society
should be presented to the french officers who were comprehended
therein. [struck: The] Accordingly he did present to forty
two Gentlemen [inserted: of the french army] the [strike-out]
eagle, at the expence of the American Society – This
measure, was approved at the General Society [2] meeting held
[inserted: in Philadelphia] in May 1784. [strike-out] Some
advances were made to Major LEnfant in 178 [struck: 4] [inserted:
3] previous to his departure to France, in order to enable
him to procure the the plate [inserted: for the diploma] dies
&c. – A committee [strike-out] [inserted: of] the
General meeting examined Major LEnfants account and reported
a balance due to him of six hundred and thirty dollars, [inserted:
which report was accepted]. [strike-out] [inserted: This money]
is still due, and is all that [struck: could said to be due]
[inserted: is due] to him from the Society of the Cincinnati,
as a Society –
But Major LEnfant, [struck: in his zeal to serve the American
officers, and at the earnest solicite any] [inserted: with
a view to serve the american officers, and at the instances
of some] of some [inserted: of them] brought over to America
[struck: one hundred and sixty more eagles] [inserted: upwards
of an hundred eagles more than] than were [strike-out] subscribed
for – I mean those in whom you, myself and others gave
him the money, amountg to about forty – [strike-out]
These eagles [struck: he obtained for <?>] together
with those [struck: from] [inserted: presented] the french
officers he obtained on the credit of six months – On
his arrival in America he found that [struck: the Genl] finances
of the officers generally did not permit them to take [struck:
the] orders [strike-out] [inserted: [strike-out] or] an opinion
that they were too [3] [inserted: charged] too high. Having
bought them <loss> unconditionally he was in danger
of having them remain on his hands [strike-out] a measure
little short of ruin to him. He [inserted: therefore] was
constrained to [strike-out] send them to different parts of
the United States, and accordingly he placed [struck: them
in the hands] most of them in the hands of officers [inserted:
in several of the States.] – [strike-out] Some yet remain
unsold – [strike-out] [inserted: In the State of South
Carolina] upwards of forty were furnished – and the
Gentlemen paid the money [struck: to an] [inserted: into the
hands of Major LEnfants] Agent but [strike-out] by some malarrangement
LEnfant has not [inserted: yet] receivd it [struck: yet] –
[strike-out] His letter will [strike-out] [inserted: to the
M de lay Fayette] express his situation [inserted: fully]
– It appears to me, that his wish to serve the American
officers has involved him in [struck: great] [inserted: his
present] embarrasments – I confess: that I feel [strike-out]
much concerned for him, and that my feelings are also [strike-out]
strongly excited on account of the reputation of [strike-out]
ourselves – For although as [inserted: a] society we
[4] [strike-out] [inserted: are responsible only in a degree],
yet [strike-out] [inserted: some] individuals who [struck:
compose] [inserted: belong to] the society have, by their
neglect, in some instances, and non-payment in others reduced,
not only Major LEnfant, but the whole society to a situation
rather disagreable [struck: affair as the whole] [inserted:
as by an indelicate imputation the whole] may be [struck:
affected] [inserted: suffer] by the conduct of a part –
[inserted: Although I have not the shadow of a fund for the
purpose] I have offered to Major LEnfant to pay [struck: him]
the sum due from the General society – [struck: although]
[inserted: and I should depend on Subscribtions to replace
it to me.] But he says, that having entered into a contract
with the artist Mr. Francastle for the payment of the interest,
and having made arrangements for that purpose that he had
much rather that the whole should [strike-out] [inserted:
rest as it is] untill the [struck: next] General meeting to
be held in May next – That he finds [strike-out] his
sum <?> committed, and [strike-out] being conscious
of having acted from pure motives he wishes to have an examination
into the affair, and if [struck: found to] he has acted right
[strike-out] that he [5] may have the sense of the Society
expressed thereon –
[struck: I <?> Major LEnfant][inserted: He] says he
shall write fully to the Marquis de la Fayette by the packet
which will sail tomorrow [inserted: which will explain everything
to <?> [strike-out]] – I shall write also, and
inform the Marquis that [struck: the] [inserted: there is
a] sum due Major LEnfant of 640 Dollars for the General Society
– [struck: That if it shall appear to him on reflection
<?> that] [inserted: But [strike-out] if in his opinion]
the Society is in any degree likely to be injured by the arrangement
Major LEnfant has made, [strike-out] he [inserted: requests
but to] pays the said six hundred 40 dollars to Mr Francastle
[inserted: with the interest insuing thereon], and, [strike-out]
inform me of the same & – that I will reimburse
him the money myself –
I do not know of any other measure [struck: to be] [inserted:
which can be taken] taken on this subject at present –
If you should be of a different opinion and will have the
goodness to communicate it to me I shall be happy to conform
to it –
[struck: I am <?>] I am persuaded that Major LEnfant
[6] has conducted here prudently on the subject and although
he may have incurred the expence of his residence here, on
this very account [inserted: and have been obliged to appropriate
the small sums of money he <?> had for the eagles, [strike-out]
for that purpose] yet he has not [struck: I am persuaded]
[strike-out] mentioned the circumstance, or at least I have
not heard that he has – So far for Major LEnfant
I blush my dear Sir that I have been so remiss in writing
to you. But I beg you to be persuaded that an apprehension
of [inserted: <?> you into <?>] obliging you to
answer me when it might ill comport with your health or convenience
has been the principal cause of my omission – [struck:
That] I love and respect you, [strike-out] and the sentiment
is deeply engraved on my heart – [struck: It will also]
a line from you at your leisure will always afford me great
happiness – I shall very shortly write you on our present
<?> situation as a nation –
Mrs Knox unites with me in presenting our affectionate respects
to Mrs Washington. And I am my dear Sir Your [struck: affe]
ever affectionate friend and most obliged humble Servant
H Knox
General Washington
[docket]
To his Excellency Genl
Washington, 13 June
1786.
respecting Major LEnfants
transactions in france for
The Society of the Cincinnati
and some papers inclosed
explanatory of that busins
Notes: Published in Twohig, Dorothy et al. The Papers of George
Washington. Confederation series v. 4: 108-11.
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