Knox, Henry

Knox, Henry
born July 25, 1750, Boston, Mass.
died Oct. 25, 1806, Thomaston, Maine, U.S.

American Revolutionary officer.

Active in the colonial militia, he joined the Continental Army and was sent by George Washington to transport British artillery captured in the Battle of Ticonderoga. In mid-winter, he oversaw the transport of 120,000 lbs (55,000 kg) of artillery by oxen and horses over snow and ice 300 mi (480 km) to Boston. Promoted to general, he commanded the artillery in the battles of Monmouth and Yorktown, and in 1783 he succeeded Washington as commander of the army. He was secretary of war under the Articles of Confederation from 1785 to 1789 and served as the first U.S. secretary of war from 1789 to 1795.

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▪ United States general
born July 25, 1750, Boston, Massachusetts [U.S.]
died October 25, 1806, Thomaston, Maine, U.S.
 American general in the American Revolution (1775–83) and first secretary of war under the U.S. Constitution (Constitution of the United States of America).

      Forced by family circumstances to leave school at age nine, Knox worked in a Boston bookstore and by age 21 had acquired his own store. He became active in the colonial militia and in 1775 joined the Continental Army at Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was commissioned a colonel and placed in charge of the artillery. During the winter of 1775–76 General George Washington (Washington, George) sent him to Fort Ticonderoga, in New York, to bring back captured British artillery there. In a remarkable feat, Knox brought back artillery totaling 120,000 pounds (55,000 kg), using oxen, horses, and men to transport the guns over snow and ice 300 miles (480 km) to Boston. The weapons were used to drive the British from that besieged city and formed the basis for the Revolutionary artillery.

      In the Philadelphia campaign (1778), Knox, then a brigadier general, distinguished himself in commanding the artillery at Monmouth (Monmouth, Battle of), New Jersey (June), and later at the decisive Siege of Yorktown (Yorktown, Siege of) (1781). He was made a major general and at the end of the war succeeded Washington as commander of the army (December 1783). Knox resigned his command early in 1784 and returned to Boston. He became secretary of war (1785) in the government under the Articles of Confederation and was carried over into President Washington's first cabinet (1789). He retired to a large estate at Thomaston, Maine, in 1795.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Knox,Henry — Knox (nŏks), Henry. 1750 1806. American Revolutionary soldier who transported 55 captured British cannon from Fort Ticonderoga, New York, to Boston, where George Washington used them to force the British to evacuate the city (1776). * * * …   Universalium

  • Knox, Henry — (1750 1806)    American general, in Revolutionary War.    Index: Dr Commissioner on American side for exchange of prisoners, 208.    Bib.: Drake, Life and Correspondence of Henry Knox …   The makers of Canada

  • Knox, Henry County, Indiana — Infobox Settlement official name = Knox settlement type = Town motto = imagesize = image caption = mapsize = map caption = mapsize1 = map caption1 = image dot dot mapsize = dot map caption = dot x = dot y = pushpin pushpin label position =… …   Wikipedia

  • Knox, Henry — (25 jul. 1750, Boston, Mass. EE.UU.–25 oct. 1806, Thomaston, Maine). Oficial de la guerra de independencia de los EE.UU. Perteneció a la milicia colonial y se incorporó al Ejército continental; George Washington lo envió a transportar piezas de… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Henry Knox — Naissance 25 juillet 1750 Boston Décès 25 octobre 1806 (à 56 ans) Thomaston …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Knox — is a Scottish surname that comes from the Scots Gaelic, Knock , meaning hillock or hump.Arguably, the most famous Knoxes are Presbyterian reformer John Knox, and United States Army post Fort Knox, but the name has come to be identified with many… …   Wikipedia

  • Henry Daniell — Nombre real Charles Henry Daniel Nacimiento 5 de marzo de 1894 Barnes, Inglaterra, Reino Unido Fallecimiento …   Wikipedia Español

  • Knox — Knox, John * * * (as used in expressions) D Arcy, William Knox Fort Knox Knox, Henry Knox, John Knox, Philander Chase Polk, James K(nox) …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Knox — /noks/, n. 1. (William) Frank(lin), 1874 1944, U.S. publisher and government official. 2. Henry, 1750 1806, American Revolutionary general: 1st U.S. secretary of war 1785 94. 3. John, c1510 72, Scottish religious reformer and historian. 4.… …   Universalium

  • Knox, Fort — ▪ fort, Kentucky, United States  major U.S. military reservation in Meade, Hardin, and Bullitt counties, northern Kentucky, U.S. It lies 30 miles (48 km) southwest of Louisville and occupies an area of 172 square miles (445 square km).… …   Universalium

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