St. Croix, December 10, 1777.
Dear Hamilton:
The fine, impartial, laconic, and highly descriptive account you
favored me with of the last year’s campaign, in your letter of March
last, excited in me, and many of your other friends here, an earnest
desire of further accounts from your pen, of the succeeding fortunes
of the Great American War: a war which will, one day, shine more
illustriously in the historic page, than any which has happened since
the times of Nimrod and the Giants; and deservedly, on account of
the goodness of the cause, the grandeur of the object, the eclat of
the Generals, the bravery of the troops--and (alas! that I should be
obliged to add) of the cruelty and ferocity which has marked the route
of your enemies; and the tons of brothers’ blood which have been shed
on the unhappy occasion!
I wrote two answers to your obliging letter, both of which I hope have
reached you; and in both of which I have urged it upon you, to make and
collect such memoirs as the urgency of your affairs will permit you;
which may furnish materials for an accurate history of the war, when
you shall have leisure to fill up and embellish such a skeleton, with
all that elegance and dignity of which your fine pen is capable.
The honorable post you hold under the GREAT General Washington, and so
near his person, will give you a peculiar advantage for delineating
his character, both in his amiable private virtues, and military
abilities. And depend upon it, the very minutiæ of that incomparable
man will be read with avidity by posterity. You know me too well, I
hope, to suspect me of superstition; yet I feel myself, at times,
under a strong impulse to _prophesy_, that _Washington_ was born for
the deliverance of America--that that Providence who has raised and
trained him up for that very purpose, will watch over his _sacred_ life
with a paternal and solicitous care; will shield his head in every
day of battle--_will_ give him to see America _free_, _flourishing_,
and _happy_--and _will_ adorn his fame, among latest posterity, with
a Garland of Laurel, more verdant, blooming, and enviable, than ever
adorned the brow of a _Marlborough_!
The bearer of this line (if he should be indeed so fortunate as to put
it into your hand) is our worthy friend, Mr. Cornelius Durant, who is
possessed of an ardent desire of having the honor of a short interview
with General Washington; principally, that he may have it to say, that
he has seen and spoken to _the greatest man of this Age_: and, indeed,
considering Mr. Durant’s personal worth; his uncommon zeal for, and
attachment to, the American cause; the losses he has sustained in
attempting to assist her; and his extraordinary admiration of, and love
to, the General’s character and person; few men more richly merit this
indulgence. If you still exist, and exist near the General’s person
(and I have not yet seen your name among the lists of the slain or the
disgraced), you can easily procure him this honor--and I trust you will.
We are now blessed with, and certified of, the glorious news of
Burgoyne’s surrender to the immortal Gates; another bright
star in the Constellation of American Heroes: and we are momently
expecting to hear, that General Washington has done something like
the same by General Howe! But we yet tremble in suspense--and it is
indeed a _painful one_. Probably before this letter goes, we shall hear
more of the matter. Our general accounts are favorable: and while the
_Chevaux de frize_ are defended, we have no fears about Philadelphia.
May this campaign decide the matter!
By the time this reaches you, you will be (if you are at all) in winter
quarters; and perhaps may be at leisure to write me a half folio, of
which Mr. Durant will take care to write me duplicates or triplicates,
for fear of miscarriage.
A piece of mine, entitled “An Address to America, by a friend in a
foreign government,” has been sent to the Congress for publication
(if approved). I know not yet its fate. It is, at least, an honestly
designed and animating piece, but written incorrectly, and in a hurry.
If you have seen it, pray give me your sentiments about it; but let it
be on a loose paper inclosed in your letter; for the knowledge of my
being the author must be a profound secret here.
My wishes are, that the God of Armies may defend and protect you,
and cause you happily to survive, and to hand down to posterity the
present important scenes. Numbers here esteem you, and would join me in
declaring themselves, as I do,
Dear Hamilton,
Your ever affectionate friend and servant,
Hugh Knox.