Front:
Spinit of 76
A Grêat General of the Revohution
USA 13c
Sninitof 76
Do
JAN
FIRST DAY OF ISSUE
1976
91109
1776 1976
General Hennj Knop
1750-1806
TRUSTED AND LOYAL GENERAL
WHOSE “NOBLE TRAIN OF ARTILLERY"
PLAYED A CONSPICUOUS PART IN VICTORY.
Oficial Fust Day Govér Philadelphia 76
CA
Back:
© 1976, Fleetwood, Cheyenne, Wyoming, U.S.A. - F
THE SPIRIT OF ’76
General Henry Knox (1750-1806)
Henry Knox, an amiable Boston bookseller turned
soldier, was commissioned Brigadier General in the
Continental Army in 1776 just eleven months after he
successfully moved the captured artillery of Fort
Ticonderoga, New York, in the dead of winter over 300
miles of snow-laden countryside to Boston. Only 25 at the
time, and newly commissioned Colonel and head of the
virtually non-existent artillery, his epic achievement came
to be remembered as Knox's “Noble Train of Artillery,”
which drove the British from Boston and became the
foundation of America's Continental artillery, with
which Knox played an important part in the eventual
victory of the Revolution. Sometimes described as
“forceful, and often profane,” he had great administrative
abilities and, unlike some other generals, was devoted and
loyal to Washington and to the Revolution. Of his
grestest quality Washington wrote: “If he acquired slowly
the fine points of the employment of artillery, he quickly
developed high skill in dealing with men. His administra-
tion of his arm of the service was quiet and was marred by
few jealousies on the part of his subordinates.” Knox
succeeded Washington as head of the Army in 1783.