A Letter From Henry Knox To William Knox On Family And War News 5 August 1781

Written at camp near Dobbs Ferry by Brigadier General Knox to his brother William Knox. References William's letter of 25 July 1781. Says he wrote last week and hopes he has received the letter as the post office has been unreliable. It seems that someone in Lucy Knox's family is dying, but Henry says he will not tell her because she will be afflicted by it beyond moderation. Says her family in England will want to know of this information, and wants to be informed when a Mrs. Winslow will sail for Plymouth, so he can write to Lucy's sisters and mother. Says the destruction of paper money will damage the cause. Says the stoppage [of paper money] will create a distress here[.] I am pretty certain it will be temporary. I shall consider it as the dawn of returning honesty and industry. Says they have enough troops to defend themselves, but not to undertake an offensive campaign. References Major General Nathanael Greene's siege at Ninety Six in South Carolina. Says Greene could not storm the position, but that the siege forced the enemy to abandon the position and retire to Charleston. Claims that Twice General Greene has fought General Actions [at Guilford Courthouse and Hobkirk Hill] was defeated completely and yet reaped all the consequences of victory. Says the British probably have control of Plymouth, Virginia, Charleston, South Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia. Says the American and French armies are in the most perfect harmony.