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| Field name | Value |
|---|---|
| Collection Reference Number | GLC02437.04875 |
| From Archive Folder | The Henry Knox Papers [0099] March-April 1791 |
| Title | John Doughty to Henry Knox declining request to serve as Lieutenant Colonel Commander as he plans to leave the army and questions establishment of a military in this country |
| Date | 8 March 1791 |
| Author | Doughty, John (1754-1826) |
| Recipient | Knox, Henry |
| Document Type | Correspondence; Military document |
| Content Description | Declines Knox's request to serve as Lieutenant Colonel Commander. Says after much deliberation, he has decided to leave the service. He wanted to when he served with General Josiah Harmar but the difficult situation with the Indians "forbid my retireing at that Time." Explains in detail his reasons for leaving the military stating, "I have long tried the military Life & have found many Disapointments..." Questions the nature of the military establishment. "A military establishment is certainly a very unpopular measure in this Country," Doughty explains. "Every Act of the Government strongly supports me in this Belief, else why the odious Distinction betwixt the civil and military servants of the Country, the one being regularly & generously rewarded and the other not." Says he will be in Philadelphia "in order to settle some public Accounts & make a surrender of any Commission in the Artillery." Wants to be sure there is nothing "improper" in doing this. See GLC02437.04891 and .4892 for related documents. |
| Subjects | American Indian History Revolutionary War General Military History Frontiers and Exploration Westward Expansion American Indian History Standing Army Congress Soldier's Pay Finance Artillery |
| People | Doughty, John (1754-1826) Knox, Henry (1750-1806) Harmar, Josiah (1753-1813) |
| Place written | Morristown, New Jersey |
| Theme | Government & Politics; Westward Expansion; Native Americans |
| Sub-collection | The Henry Knox Papers |
| Copyright | The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History |
| Module | Settlement, Commerce, Revolution and Reform: 1493-1859 |
| Related documents | Henry Knox to John Doughty responding to his decision not to take the appointment Henry Jackson to Henry Knox offering to help appoint officers to the army and the lottery |