Philada. May 31st. 1776 Dr. Sr.,1

The Congress have ordered 40 Howitzers to be cast,2 in the direction of which I have some concern, & shall esteem my self much obliged to you if you will send me the weight & the bore of the Iron Howitzers you have with you as also the diameter & depth of the Chamber & the length of the bore. My perticular reason for these Quæres is that a Workman with whom I have conferred on the Subject differs much in his dimension & Weight from the discription Muller gives of them as commonly made in England. Your opinion of the most profitable sizes of Howitzers will be very acceptable. Two uses are prepared 5 or 6 inch Howitzers to play upon Troops with Shells or Grape shott and some of 8 or 10 inch to fire point blank at Ships, at what distance will they drive a Shell through the Side of a Ship. Please to inform me also the weight of the 24 pounders & also of the largest Cannon you have. We make good 18.12.9.& 4 pounders & when we have got a Sufficiency of these hope to make larger Sizes. The Opinion I have of your understanding & Zeal in these matters induces me to write thus freely to you hoping you will with all Convenient speed inform me of those matters & favour me with such further Observations as you May think of Service in the affair, hoping yr. Welfare in all things I Subscribe with great Esteem yr. hble. Svnt.,

Daniel Joy

P:S Pray inform me whether they now cast Iron Cannon at the Air Furnace in New York and of what Sizes & whether they can Cast Iron Howitzers there (Brass we cant get) & think the owner of that Furnace told me he cou’d not & whether they can bore Cannon after they have Cast them.

Dft. ; addressed: “To Henry Knox Esq. Col. of Artillery New York”; endorsed: “Phila. May 31. 1776. To Col. Knox. Howitzers.”

1.

Henry Knox (1750–1806), a Boston bookseller before the Revolution, was commissioned on Nov. 17, 1775, as colonel and head of the artillery regiment of 12 companies in the Continental Army. He later became chief of artillery for the entire army. His feat of hauling captured British cannon and arms from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston in January 1776 ensured British evacuation of that town. Knox was promoted to brigadier general in December 1776 and to major general in March 1782. He later served as secretary of war under both the confederation and federal congresses ( ANB ).

216 2.

On Apr. 13 Congress had directed the Cannon Committee to contract for these 40 howitzers as well as “a sufficient quantity of shells” (Journals of the Continental Congress, 4:280).