#henryknox

[whencyclopedia]

Henry Knox

Henry Knox (1750-1806) was a Boston-born bookseller who became a general of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783) and served as the army's Chief Artillery Officer. After the conflict, he was appointed the first Secretary of War of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1794 in the Washington administration.

Knox first distinguished himself in January 1776, when he guided his 'Noble Artillery Train' of 58 artillery pieces on a harrowing 300-mile trek across the snowy and mountainous terrain of New York State and Massachusetts; this effort helped the Continental Army win one of its first major victories at the Siege of Boston. Henry Knox commanded the Continental artillery for most of the American Revolution and was one of George Washington's most trusted subordinates. When Washington became President of the United States in 1789, Henry Knox was put in charge of the War Department. In this capacity, he sought to strengthen the military and helped create the Legion of the United States, a standing army of professional soldiers, while simultaneously overseeing the Northwest Indian War. In 1795, he retired to his estate in Thomaston, Maine, where he died in October 1806, at the age of 56. Today, many American towns, cities, counties, and military bases are named in his honor, including Knoxville, Tennessee, and Fort Knox in Kentucky.

Early Life

Henry Knox was born on 25 July 1750 in Boston, Massachusetts. He was the seventh of ten children born to William Knox and Mary Campbell, both of whom were Scotch-Irish Presbyterians who had emigrated to Boston in 1729. William Knox was a shipbuilder who, in 1759, was spurred on by financial troubles to abandon his family and move to Sint Eustatius in the West Indies to start a new life; his new life would not last long, however, as he died three years later of unknown causes. Henry, who was only nine years old when he was abandoned by his father, was now responsible for caring for his mother and younger siblings, and he eventually found a steady job as a clerk in a Boston bookstore.

The shopkeeper, Nicholas Bowes, became something of a father figure to Knox, encouraging the young clerk to take home books from the shop's extensive library to furnish his self-education. Knox soon became a voracious reader; with the help of the books in Bowes' shop, he educated himself in the topics of philosophy, mathematics, and even French, and spent his free time reading the works of classical literature. Yet Knox also took a special interest in military theory, reading everything he could get his hands on about tactics and military engineering. When he came of age in 1771, Knox opened a bookstore of his own called the London Book Store, which boasted a "large and very elegant assortment" of the newest books and magazines from London (McCullough, 58). Since Henry Knox's store offered a large selection of fashionable English products, it soon became a popular "morning lounge" for the Boston elite; the store, and Knox himself, soon became well-known throughout the city.

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[sandyhookhistory]

So, we also have another birthday to attend to... a loud one. 😁 We'd like to wish a very very Happy 247th Birthday to the United States Army Field Artillery, established (Friday) November 17th, 1775. Despite an obsessive-compulsive (and misguided) concept that it is obsolete, the Artillery remains the largest casualty-causing weapons system on the battlefield. (Not that I'm biased, or anything - I spent six years of my life as a Redleg 😉) The Field Artillery remains on the leading edge of the technology field, staying abrest of all possible modernizations in weapons platforms, ammunition, and fire-control. It is, and will always remain, The King Of Battle. *** Seen here is an M777 .155mm howitzer (affectionately referred to as a "Triple-Seven"). Of British design, it is used by both the US Army and Marine Corps, and depending on ammunition used, can reach out anywhere 14 to 25 miles.*** Happy Birthday, Redlegs!!! 🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲 🇺🇲���🇲 ** Please Like & Follow "Sandy Hook History" on Facebook & Instagram for more amazing maritime and military histories of the Garden State and New York Harbor as well as a review of the 80th Anniversary of the Battle Of The Atlantic and World War 2** 🇺🇲🇺🇲 Photo: US Army #newjerseybuzz #thejournalnj #locallivingnj #journeythroughjersey #onlyinnewjersey #njspots #centraljerseyexists #discovernj #yesnj #newjerseyhistory #newjerseyforyou #sandyhookbeach #sandyhooknj #sandyhookhistory #forthancock #fieldartillery #artillery #redlegs #redleg #henryknox #kingofbattle #m777 #m119 #m109 #paladin #firemission #fortsill #fortsilloklahoma #firecontrol #forwardobserver (at Fort Hancock, New Jersey) https://www.instagram.com/p/ClFlzyqtWx-/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[whencyclopedfr]

Henry Knox

Henry Knox (1750-1806), libraire né à Boston, devint général de l'armée continentale pendant la guerre d'Indépendance américaine (1775-1783) et occupa le poste d'officier en chef de l'artillerie de l'armée. À l'issue du conflit, il fut nommé premier secrétaire à la Guerre des États-Unis et servit de 1789 à 1794 dans l'administration Washington.

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[roadtripnewengland]

#AlwaysReadthePlaque On this day- January 24th, 1776 Colonel #HenryKnox reached the headquarters of the Continental Army in #CambridgeMA and delivered cannon seized from Fort Ticonderoga in New York York to General #GeorgeWashington. Knox and his men moved the 60 tones of artillery 300 miles across frozen lakes & rivers and snow. These guns made for a decisive victory that March when the British Army found itself pinned down on #Boston neck from Washington's position on #DorchesterHeights and were forced to evacuate the city. You'll find #historicalmarkers all along the path of Knox's in #Massachusetts on what is known as Knox's Trail. #newengland_igers #boston_igers (at Cambridge Common) https://www.instagram.com/p/CKb651alZYV/?igshid=i4u7gs72yv2j

[historysisco]

On This Day in History August 8, 1789: President George Washington signs a bill which creates the United States Department of War. The Secretary of War under the Articles of Confederation, Henry Knox was nominated as the first Secretary of War of the War Department. #GeorgeWashington #PresidentialHistory #POTUS #WarDepartment #HenryKnox #SecretaryofWar #AmericanHistory #USHistory #OnThisDayinHistory #ThisDayinHistory #HistoryToday #TodayinHistory #History #Historia #Histoire #HistorySisco

[mylivetube]

#NeptuneNoir is 1 of 4 songs on our new #SpaceEp out next month! #ElectroSwing #ElectroKlezmer #SpaceJam #BigBand #SwingDance #SwingMusic #Noir #TimeMachineMusic #Horns #Brass #Beats #DanceMusic #StraightToTheMoon #RedLightDistrict #JulietteAngeli #Shok #HenryKnox #KyleSax #SexySaxMan Be on the lookout for secret shows. 📯 🎷 🎶 🕺 (at Hollywood Sign)

[michaeljolls]

I shall refrain from writing a lengthy essay about how much I adore Chernow's books, yet as in the case of "Alexander Hamilton," there is so much one can lean on to correlate history to modern events. I started reading this 800-page beast before rioters started pulling down Washington's statue - therefore, to be totally honest, regardless of where you stand on this issue, this book will give you insights into why and how America venerates this man, as well as his faults that modern fanatics point to. Suffice to say that Washington was trapped by his own prestige during his lifetime, Chernow again does a marvelous job of removing historical figures from a pseudo-Roman marble pedestal of modern perception. #Washington #RonChernow #WashingtonALife #GeorgeWashington #RevolutionaryWar #POTUS #President #PresidentoftheUnitedStates #USA #UnitedStates #GeneralGeorgeWashington #RecommendedReading #ReadMore #GoodReads #GoodBook #GreatBook #AmericanHistory #History #ThomasJefferson #AlexanderHamilton #Hamilton #JohnAdams #HenryKnox #WashingtonDC #HisExcellency #MountVernon #Virginia #General #1776 #FoundingFathers https://www.instagram.com/p/CC1nB9Th0FL/?igshid=8725rk38xnbo

[windowinthesky88]

Quote of the Week: Week 1

Quote of the Week: Week 1 #HenryKnox #AmericanHistory #USHistory

[sandyhookhistory]

So, we also have another birthday to attend to... a loud one. 😁 We'd like to wish a very very Happy 247th Birthday to the United States Army Field Artillery, established (Friday) November 17th, 1775. Despite an obsessive-compulsive (and misguided) concept that it is obsolete, the Artillery remains the largest casualty-causing weapons system on the battlefield. (Not that I'm biased, or anything - I spent six years of my life as a Redleg 😉) The Field Artillery remains on the leading edge of the technology field, staying abrest of all possible modernizations in weapons platforms, ammunition, and fire-control. It is, and will always remain, The King Of Battle. *** Seen here is an M777 .155mm howitzer (affectionately referred to as a "Triple-Seven"). Of British design, it is used by both the US Army and Marine Corps, and depending on ammunition used, can reach out anywhere 14 to 25 miles.*** Happy Birthday, Redlegs!!! 🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲 🇺🇲🇺🇲 ** Please Like & Follow "Sandy Hook History" on Facebook & Instagram for more amazing maritime and military histories of the Garden State and New York Harbor as well as a review of the 80th Anniversary of the Battle Of The Atlantic and World War 2** 🇺🇲🇺🇲 Photo: US Army #newjerseybuzz #thejournalnj #locallivingnj #journeythroughjersey #onlyinnewjersey #njspots #centraljerseyexists #discovernj #yesnj #newjerseyhistory #newjerseyforyou #sandyhookbeach #sandyhooknj #sandyhookhistory #forthancock #fieldartillery #artillery #redlegs #redleg #henryknox #kingofbattle #m777 #m119 #m109 #paladin #firemission #fortsill #fortsilloklahoma #firecontrol #forwardobserver (at Fort Hancock, New Jersey) https://www.instagram.com/p/ClFlzyqtWx-/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[roadtripnewengland]

#EvacuationDay Ceremony- after fortifying the strategic Dorchester Heights with cannon delivered by #HenryKnox, General Washington forced the British to abandon (evacuate) Boston #onthisday in 1776 #igersboston #igboston617 #instahistory (at Dorchester Heights, Massachusetts)

[roadtripnewengland]

#AlwaysReadthePlaque On this day- January 24th, #1776, Colonel #HenryKnox reached the headquarters of the Continental Army in #CambridgeMA and delivered cannon seized from #FortTiconeroga in New York York to General #GeorgeWashington. #Knox and his men moved the 60 tones of artillery 300 miles across frozen lakes & rivers and snow. These guns made for a decisive victory that March when the British Army found itself pinned down on #Boston neck from Washington's position on #Dorchester Heights and were forced to evacuate the city. You'll find #historicalmarkers all along the path of Knox's in #Massachusetts on what is known as Knox's Trail. #igersboston #onthisday #igersnewengland #history #americanrevolution #knoxtrail #instahistory #massachusetts #igersmass #harvardsquare #atthisplace #onthisspot (at Harvard Square)