John Adams to Henry Knox about materials for making cannon - American History 1493-1945 - Adam Matthew Digital

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Field name	Value
Collection Reference Number	GLC02437.00424
From Archive Folder	The Henry Knox Papers [0014] July-August 1776
Title	John Adams to Henry Knox about materials for making cannon
Date	25 August 1776
Author	Adams, John (1735-1826)
Recipient	Knox, Henry
Document Type	Correspondence
Content Description	Responds to Knox's letter (see GLC02437.00423). Discusses the difficulty of obtaining copper in order to cast canons. Also discusses importance of officers to an army and the issue of appointing more officers from Massachusetts. Asks Knox for a list of the best prospects and comments on their characters. Explains his advocacy of a permanent regular army but also his doubts about one being created. Writes, "I am a constant Advocate for a regular Army, and the most masterly Discipline, because, I know that without these We cannot reasonably hope to be a powerfull, a prosperous, or a free People...Men of Genius and spirit, must be promoted, wherever they are…”
Subjects	President Revolutionary War Revolutionary War General Military History Artillery Mining Continental Army Standing Army Freedom and Independence Recruitment
People	Adams, John (1735-1826) Knox, Henry (1750-1806)
Place written	Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Theme	The American Revolution; The Presidency; Government & Politics
Sub-collection	The Henry Knox Papers
Copyright	The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History
Module	Settlement, Commerce, Revolution and Reform: 1493-1859
Related documents	Letter from John Adams to Henry Knox about Congress and cannons Letter from Henry Knox to John Adams about obtaining materials for artillery production and recruitment [copy]
Transcript	Show/hide Download PDF Philadelphia, August 25. 1776 Dear Sir Your Favor of the 21. is before me. - I agree that We ought to have an hundred more of Mortars, Howitzers and Field Pieces, And if I knew where to procure the Brass, I should be glad to promote the Manufacture of that Number. - You say that Copper can be purchased at a little advanced Price. I wish I knew, where, and at what Price. We have contracted with a Gentleman in Maryland, for a large Quantity of Iron Cannon. Able officers, are the Soul of an army. ~ ~ ~ Gentlemen of Success, and Knowledge, as well as Valour, must be advanced. ~ ~ I wish you would give me in Confidence a List of the best officers from the Massachusetts, with their Characters - this may be delicate, but it will be Safe. - pray write me the Characters of Coll Shepherd, Coll Henshaw, and Major Brooks. ~ ~ Does Austin merit Promotion, or not? - I am much distressed for want of a List of all the Massachusetts officers, in their Ranks, as they now stand. ~ ~ I have Sought it, a long time but never could obtain it. Will you favour me with one. I am determined to find out the Characters of our officers, by Some means or other. if a Second Battallion of Artillery is formed, who are the officers, of it? Would not Austin make a good Lt. Coll of Artillery? pray give me, your Sentiments frankly, and candidly. We have been delicate too long. Our Country, is too much interested, in this subject. - Men of Genius and Spirit, must be promoted, wherever they are. if you have no Lt Coll, who shall We put in that Place? I wish Austin was in the Artillery, because I know him to have a Capacity equal to any Thing, and I conjecture he would turn his Thoughts to those Sciences, which an officer of Artillery ought to be Master of. - [2] I am a constant Advocate for a regular Army, and the most masterly Discipline, because, I know that without these We cannot reasonably hope to be a powerfull, a prosperous, or a free People, and therefore, I have been constantly labouring to obtain an handsome Encouragement for inlisting a permanent Body of Troops. But have not as yet prevailed, and indeed, I despair of ever Succeeding, unless the General, and the officers from the South ward, Should convince Gentlemen here; or unless two or three horrid Defeats, Should bring a more melancholy Conviction, which I expect and believe will one day, or other be the Case. I am, your humble Servant, John Adams Coll Knox

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