May 1778-Dated VALLEY FORGE, General Henry Knox Signed Revolutionary War Letter From Valley Forge

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Early American History Auctions - December 27...

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Dec 27, 2025

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• Lot Description
  Autographs
  May 23, 1778 Valley Forge, Henry Knox writes Continental Army Deputy Quartermaster General Robert Lettis Hooper
  HENRY KNOX, (1750-1806). Brigadier General of Artillery, at Valley Forge, Revolutionary War Officer of the Continental Army, secured & transported 60 tons of captured British cannons from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston; directed Patriot Militia Cannon Fire at the Battle of Bunker Hill; later First Senior Officer of the United States Army; served as the First United States Secretary of War from 1789 to 1794 being appointed by George Washington; Knox is considered a Founding Father of the United States and helped found and organize the Society of the Cincinnati and authored its Founding Document.
  May 23, 1778-Dated Revolutionary War Period, Letter Signed, "H. Knox" as Brigadier General of Artillery, at Valley Forge, PA, 1 page, measuring 11" tall x 7.5" wide (by sight). In this letter, General Knox is writing to "Col. Hooper" - Colonel Robert Lettis Hooper, Jr., (c. 1730-1797), a Deputy Quartermaster General in the Continental Army, whose department covered Northampton, Philadelphia, Bucks and Berks counties in Pennsylvania, and Sussex County in NJ, with Headquarters at Easton, PA. Written following the horrific brutal Winter at Valley Forge Camp which decimated George Washington's Army. Here, General Knox acknowledges the receipt of 4 Stallions from Col. Hooper and advises him that he is sending a man to bring back much needed artillery, wagons, and horses for the coming campaigns of the Continental Army. This historic Valley Forge letter reads, in full:
  "Valley Forge 23 May 1778
  Sir, -- I have just received your letter, with the four Stallions, for which I am much obliged to you - enclosed is a receipt for them.
  I have sent a person to Allen Town (Pennsylvania) with orders to bring on all the Artillery at that place. I have directed him to wait on you, and beg your assistance in supplying him with Horses, Guns & Waggons, and any thing in your way which he may have occasion for, in order to bringing them on to camp (Valley Forge) with all possible expedition.
  I am, Sir, -- Your most obed't Serv't -- (Signed) H. Knox BG (Brigadier General) Artillery
  (directed to) Colo. Hooper"
  Simple black framed with two engraved insert plaques, a dug musket ball and "USA" Continental Soldier's dug button from the area with a very clear "USA"). Also accompanied by a "JSA" Certificate of Authentication #38675.
  In May 1778, Henry Knox's rank at Valley Forge was Brigadier General. Knox held the rank of Brigadier General and served as Chief of Artillery for the Continental Army, a position he maintained throughout the encampment at Valley Forge. He was later promoted to Major General in March 1782 (holding that rank from November 15, 1781).
  This framed display includes the Latter by Knox, a Continental Army Soldier's dug "USA" design Coat Button that clearly displays its "USA" and a Musket Ball of over 1/2" diameter, both said to have been located nearby on private property, also displayed is a 5.5" x 4" inset color image of George Washington on horseback reviewing his Continental Soldiers marching during the horrible Winter of 1777-1778 at Valley Forge Camp. Professionally modern black painted wood shadowbox with two engraved steel plaques, (not viewed out of the frame) all matted and framed measuring 17" high x 21" wide and ready for display.
  Robert Lettis Hooper (1730-1797) was Assistant Quartermaster of the New Jersey Militia. Commissary of Issues for New Jersey State Troops. Deputy Quartermaster General of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War in 1778; Deputy Commissary of Purchases and Transportation 1779, and Served to 1782. Hooper was an Original Member of the Society of the Cincinnati of the State of New Jersey, admitted in 1783 by George Washington and Henry Knox.
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  Robert Lettis Hooper (1730-1797) was Assistant Quartermaster of the New Jersey Militia. Commissary of Issues for New Jersey State Troops. Deputy Quartermaster General of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War in 1778; Deputy Commissary of Purchases and Transportation 1779, and Served to 1782.
  Born in New Jersey in 1730 and died in Trenton, NJ on July 30th, 1797. He was a Member of the New Jersey Legislative Council 1785-1788; Vice-President for three years and President in 1785; Judge of the Court of Common Pleas Hunterdon County, NJ in 1784. Purchased the home "Belleville" in Trenton that was once owned by General Lord Stirling. He was a Freemason in Trenton Lodge #5 and the first Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New Jersey. Hooper was an Original Member of the Society of the Cincinnati in the State of New Jersey, Admitted in 1783 by George Washington and Henry Knox.
  Henry Knox (1750-1806) was a prominent American military officer during the Revolutionary War and the First United States Secretary of War. He is best known for the "Noble train of artillery," a remarkable feat of logistics. In the winter of 1775-1776, Knox led a 300-mile expedition through snow and ice to transport 60 tons of captured British heavy artillery cannons from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston to break the Siege of Boston in 1776, which forced the British to evacuate the city.
  Knox became General George Washington's most trusted artillery officer, serving in nearly every major engagement of the American Revolutionary War. Knox directed the logistics of the crossing of the Delaware River before the Battle of Trenton in December 1776 and played a crucial role in the American victories at the Battles of Princeton and the decisive Siege of Yorktown.
  While serving at Valley Forge Camp (winter of 1777-1778), Brigadier General Henry Knox served as the Continental Army's Chief of Artillery. Knox oversaw the setup and organization of an "artillery park" at the encampment, a centralized location where all the army's cannons (around 40-50 pieces of various sizes) were stored, maintained, and made ready for use. This ensured they were secure and could be quickly deployed to the defensive redoubts surrounding the camp in the event of a British attack.
  He commanded and trained the approximately 630 officers and soldiers from the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Continental Artillery Regiments, instilling a high level of discipline and standardized procedures previously unseen in the Continental forces. Working alongside Baron von Steuben, who trained the infantry, Knox implemented improved training regimens for his artillerymen, focusing on proper operation, maintenance, and tactical deployment of the cannons.
  These efforts professionalized the artillery corps and, combined with the overall training the army received at Valley Forge, significantly improved the Continental Army's performance and effectiveness, most notably in the subsequent Battle of Monmouth in June 1778, where his artillery was credited with preventing a potentially disastrous defeat. His work at Valley Forge and the subsequent cantonment at Pluckemin also led to the establishment of the army's first de facto Continental Army's first artillery and officer training school at Pluckemin, New Jersey, the precursor to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
  After Washington's resignation, Knox briefly served as the senior officer and Commander-in-chief of the Continental Army in late 1783, overseeing its final demobilization.
  Knox was appointed the Confederation Congress's Secretary at War in 1785. When the U.S. Constitution was adopted, President Washington appointed Knox as the nation's first Secretary of War (1789-1794), where he oversaw the development of a national military, including the creation of the Legion of the United States and the initial steps toward a permanent U.S. Navy.
  Knox was responsible for the new nation's relations with Native American tribes, advocating for treating them as Sovereign Nations through Federal Treaties, although these idealistic views were often frustrated by illegal settlements. Knox is considered a "Founding Father" of the United States and helped found the Society of the Cincinnati, a hereditary society for veteran officers.
  Henry Knox died on October 25, 1806, at the age of 56, from an infection that developed after he swallowed a chicken bone. His legacy is honored by numerous places named after him, most notably Fort Knox in Kentucky and Fort Knox in Maine.
  
  
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