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Biography of General Henry Knox

Uploaded by surfchick on Feb 20, 2005

The Life of Henry Knox

Henry Knox was born on July 25, 1750 in Boston, Massachusetts. He was the son to William and Mary Campbell Knox. His parents were both pioneers from Northern Ireland. Henry was the seventh of ten children. William Knox was a shipmaster that traded among the West Indies. He suffered from money difficulties and mental stress, passing away at the age of fifty. Because of this, Henry gave up school and became the sole support for his mother.1 At the age of 12, he was employed by a Boston bookseller. Then in 1771, he opened his own shop, the London Bookstore, which became a gathering place for British officers.2 This position that allowed him to acquire a considerable part of his education. He read much of Plutarch and learned of ancient heroes, of military tactics and strategy, and became knowledable in military science.3

Henry Knox joined a local military group when he was 18. He supported the American cause, and in 1772, he became a member of the Boston Grenadier Corps. He was prominent in the colonial militia and tried to keep the Boston citizenry and British soldiers from the clash known as the Boston Massacre. He was a volunteer in June 1775 at the Battle of Bunker Hill. He served under General Ward, in charge of the colonials around Boston.4 In 1775, Washington arrived in Boston, taking command of the army. It was here where Washington developed a friendship with Knox. Washington realized the need of artillery in the American forces and found Knox to be well educated on the subject. Washington asked his opinion on what the army should do. The thought of Knox was to use the cannons from the captured Fort Ticonderoga. Knox was commissioned a colonel, placed in charge of artillery, and given the task to bring cannons from Ticonderoga to Boston. During this time it was winter and the conditions were harsh. By the way of ox sleds, Knox successfully brought fifty cannons to the city of Boston.5

In March 1776, Washington seized Dorchester Heights, which was the key to Boston, and Knox placed the cannons in position there. General Howe, an English general, realizing the danger of an impending American attack, withdrew his troops from the city. On March 17, he embarked his troops for Halifax....

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Uploaded by:   surfchick

Date:   02/20/2005

Category:   Soldiers

Length:   7 pages (1,502 words)

Views:   12529

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