A Noble Train of Artillery

A Noble Train of Artillery. Marlborough, Massachusetts. , In November of 1775, the Revolutionary War was at a stalemate with the British siege of Boston in its seventh month. General George Washington commissioned twenty-five-year-old Henry Knox to “do all things necessary to purchase and otherwise acquire artillery to end the siege.” , On November 16th Knox traveled 300 miles on horseback from Cambridge to Fort Ticonderoga, NY in search of artillery. Along the way, a blizzard forced him to stay in Marlborough at Williams Tavern. , The Henry Knox marker on this site is actually one of 59 plaques mounted throughout Massachusetts and New York, tracing the path he took on his return trip from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston. , Knox, his younger brother and aide Miller, assembled groups of locals along the way to undertake this trek. They dragged 60 tons of artillery using oxen, horses and wooden sleds. Over 300 miles, they encountered freezing rain, muddy roads and bitter cold. On several occasions cannon crashed through the ice on river crossings. , In Boston Knox's artillery gave the Continental Army sufficient strength to show British General Sir William Howe that it was a lost cause to remain occupying Boston. The British soon relinquished their hold on Boston. This became a key turning point in the Revolution. , Promoted by Washington, Knox took command of all Continental artillery. He later became our first Secretary of War. Fort Knox bears his name as do many cities, towns and counties. , According to historian Victor Brooks, Knox's movement of artillery was “one of the most stupendous feats of logistics” of the entire war. , [Captions] , . Left: Portrait of General Henry Knox by Gilbert Stuart, 1806. , . Right: This map shows the route that Knox took with his train of captured artillery.