The Life of Henry Knox

Washington took away that fear when he launched the attack on Hessian troops. He followed up this victory by a win at Princeton. Next, he was forced to fight a battle that he knew he would lose. The British navy took over Philadelphia at the battle of Brandywine Creek. Washington’s militia was strengthened in October, when General Gates won at Saratoga, New York. In the spring of 1778, good news arrived when the French decided to send money, troops, and a fleet to help the colonies. When the British heard the news they decided to consolidate their position to New York and New Jersey. In the time period between 1778 and 1781 Washington kept the British army concealed to New York City. At the time he faced a variety of disappointments by losing the battles of Brooklyn Heights, Kip’s Bay, Harlem Heights, and White Plains.

The soldier’s time to serve would be up in just ten days, the British continued to win battles, all hope of winning the war was fading and everyone was ready to put down their weapons and surrender to Great Britain. However, George Washington was not settling with anything less than trying their best. He kept that little flicker of hope that was still left, alive. The Continental Congress did not see much hope in the war either and turned the responsibility of the war to General George Washington. Washington received a message from Congress saying,

When the war started to get really bad they made George Washington Commander-in-chief of the continental army, now they have a better chance of winning the war. They put him in this position because he was a noble, courageous, honest, and loving man so they knew he would be perfect for this position. He was also a delegate to the first continental congress from Virginia. They are group that had some of the first

Washington was aware that he and the militia’s needed the artillery to be successful. Many people thought the 300 mile journey was impossible and that the crew and leader would surely die. Washington decided to choose one of his own, Major General Henry Knox, to do the job. Knox and his crew “...traveled 300 miles in the dead of winter to transport over 120,000 pounds of artillery including 59 mortars and cannons, a large supply of gunpowder, and numerous weapons…“ (Strum, 33) that would help the militia defeat the British. So Knox was assigned to move artillery when the funny thing is that Knox actually focused on artillery, “...with a focus on artillery.” (American Revolution: Major General Knox). Knox once said on his journey, “... It is not easy [to] conceive the difficulties we have had in getting them [the artillery] over the lake owing to the advanced season of the year and contrary winds,

Washington and Rochambeau decided that a battle in New York would be too difficult to win. They agreed to attack Charles Cornwallis while he and his army were stationed in Yorktown, Virginia. Cornwallis was located on a peninsula on the Chesapeake Bay because, there, he could receive supplies via boat from New York. (Creating America) They were expecting more troops from New York, but they never arrived. The lack of reinforcements was lucky for General Washington and Rochambeau because Cornwallis had a comparatively better army; the battle might not have ended the same if the enemy had more troops. (The British Surrender at Yorktown)

pleuritis. At the point when the agony and trouble of breathing completely left him, and his family were

“ The resources of his genius have supplied, on this and many other interesting occasions, the defect of means; his distinguished talents and services are equally important and indefatigable entitle him to the same marks of approbation from Congress.”( Puls 172) George Washington said this about Henry Knox when he suggested Congress allow Knox to be promoted to Major-General after his performance in the Battle of Yorktown. The first major accomplishment of Henry Knox was his cannon deployment to Dorchester Heights, forcing British troops to evacuate Boston. Another accomplishment of Henry Knox was his planning and artillery command during the Battle of Trenton. The last major accomplishment of Henry Knox was his skillful use of artillery during

his journey to get an education. With the education of engineering, he became a surveyor and

Henry Knox was a military officer of the Continental Army. He was born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts. Henry owned and operated a bookstore there, cultivating an interest in military history. When the American Revolutionary War broke out in 1775, he befriended General George Washington. After that he quickly rose to become the chief artillery officer of the Continental Army. In this role he accompanied Washington on most of his campaigns. He also had some involvement in many major actions of the war. Henry set up training centers for artillerymen and manufacturing facilities for weaponry that were valuable assets.

“In August Glover leased his schooner Hannah to General Washington as the first of the little army fleet that preyed upon enemy supply ships, and manned her with a crew from his regiment.” With the Marblehead men attacking and stopping the British ships they were able to control the Boston Ports. They were also able to seize some of the weapons and other supplies from the British. This was the first of the two major events that the Marbleheads were involved in, that would change the outcome of the American

Henry was assigned a mission from General Washington himself, and it was to bring stolen arsenal from Fort Ticonderoga back to Washington’s camp at Cambridge. American National Biography mentions, “The hefty, 25-year-old Knox performed a remarkable feat in bringing the captured arsenal at Fort Ticonderoga to Washington’s camp at Cambridge,” (Knox, Henry (1750-1806), Revolutionary War General and Secretary of the Department of War). As this website says, this mission was no ordinary mission. It involved bringing thousands of captured arsenal back to Washington. That same article, American National Biography says, “The 300-mile trek involved crossing frozen rivers and the steep hills of the Berkshires in western Massachusetts. By the end of January 1776, Knox had hauled 43 cannon, two howitzers, 14 mortars and coehorns, 7,000 rounds of cannon shot, 2,000 muskets, and 31 tons of musket shot to Washington’s headquarters. The cannon and munitions, along with the military cargo of the captured British brigantine, the Nancy, enabled Washington to install heavy fire power on Dorchester Heights, overlooking the harbor, thus causing the British to evacuate Boston.” (Knox, Henry (1750-1806), Revolutionary War General and Secretary of the Department of War). All of the equipment that America was taken of had a huge toll on the War. They were the items that kept themselves safe. Crossing frozen rivers,

On Christmas night in 1776, Washington led 2,400 men across the frozen Delaware River to Trenton for a surprise

The Continentals escaped into Virginia, where Greene continued to build up his forces in preparation to face off against Cornwallis’ troops. By March 14, Greene’s soldiers had returned to North Carolina and were camped around Guilford Courthouse, near the present-day city of Greensboro (named for General Greene).

His troops were pushed in a slow retreat across New Jersey into Pennsylvania. Washington struck back on Christmas night 1776, he crossed the Delaware and scattered the Hessians who had taken Trenton. Washington also drove the British from

The Battle of Trenton is widely regarded as a turning point in the American Revolutionary War. With enlistments in the Continental Army about to expire at the end of the year, General George Washington risked everything in harsh winter conditions to advance across the Delaware River and execute a surprise attack on Hessian troops in Trenton, N.J. An evaluation of the moments that led up to the battle, the setting, area of operations, the Continental and Opposing forces, along with the use of intelligence will reveal the major factors that led to the outcome of the battle. An analysis of the battle will illustrate how Washington devised an offensive plan that demonstrated many of the principles of war still utilized in military operations today.