St. Croix, April 31, 1777.
My Dear Friend:
A pretty fair opportunity just offering for Philadelphia, I could
not omit acknowledging the receipt of your very circumstantial and
satisfactory letter of the 14th February. The thing has happened
which I wished for. We have been amazed here by vague, imperfect,
and very false accounts of matters from the Continent: and I always
told my friends, that if you survived the campaign, and had an hour
of leisure to write to me, I expected a more true, circumstantial,
and satisfactory account of matters in your letter, than by all the
public papers and private intelligence we had received here. I have
but a moment to command at present, and have not time to remark
upon your letter. I can only inform you, that it has given high
satisfaction to all friends here. We rejoice in your _good character_
and _advancement_, which is, indeed, only the just reward of merit. May
you still live to deserve more and more from the friends of America,
and to justify the choice, and merit the approbation, of the GREAT AND
GOOD GENERAL WASHINGTON--a name which will shine with distinguished
lustre in the annals of history--a name dear to the friends of the
Liberties of Mankind! _Mark this_: You must be the Annalist and
Biographer, as well as the Aide-de-Camp, of General Washington--and
the Historiographer of the AMERICAN WAR! I take the liberty to insist
on this. I hope you take minutes and keep a Journal! If you have not
hitherto, I pray do it henceforth. I seriously, and with all my little
influence, urge this upon you. This may be a new and strange thought
to you: but if you survive the present troubles, _I aver_--few men
will be as well qualified to write the history of the present glorious
struggle. God only knows how it may terminate. But however that may be,
it will be a most interesting story.
I congratulate you on your recovery from a long and dangerous illness.
It is my own case--I am just convalescent, after the severest attack
I ever had in my life. I hope to write you more at large soon, and
remain, with the tender of every kind and friendly wish,
My dear Sir,
Your affectionate servant,
Hugh Knox.