### *Gen. Henry Knox report to the Continental Congress, Mar. 13^th^, 1787*

Congress assembled. Present as yesterday.

\[Report of Secretary at War on removal of military stores from
Springfield\]

The Secretary of the United States for the department of War, to whom
was referred the Motion of the Honorable Mr. Grayson respecting the
removal of the Arms, and Military Stores from Springfield in the State
of Massachusetts,

Reports

That he humbly conceives it will be necessary, in order to form a right
judgement of the measure proposed, to examine, whether Springfield
possesses those qualities, which are essential to a permanent national
deposit of the United States. To take into consideration the number and
convenience of the buildings erected there. The expence that would be
incurred in removing the ordnance and Stores, and also, to enquire into
the existing political circumstances of Massachusetts, as they may
affect the safety of the federal property at Springfield.

If the local situation of Springfield be examined relatively to the
Country east of Hudsons River, excepting the remote parts of
Massachusetts formerly the province of Main, it will be found, to be
well placed as common centre, whence might be issued such warlike
apparatus as national objects should, from time to time require; Being a
considerable distance up on Connecticut river, it has the benefits of a
water transportation by boats, and a perfect security against a marine
enemy.

In the year 1777, the United States in Congress assembled, decided on
Springfield, as one of their important deposits of Ordnance and Stores.
A lease of 10 acres of ground in an eligible situation, was purchased of
the town for 99 years, on which were erected, a variety of large wooden
buildings for the reception of the Stores, and accomodation of the
troops and artificers, a laboratory, a foundery for casting of brass
cannon, and a spacious and well constructed brick Magazine.

The returns on the files of Congress will show the numbers of Cannon,
and small arms, and the variety of Stores deposited at Springfield, the
whole weight of which amounts by estimation to 450 or 500 Tons.

The expence of removal would depend on the distance and circumstances of
the place to which they should be removed, but in almost any case, a
considerable sum would be required for the purpose.

If the political state of Massachusetts be investigated it will appear,
that a rebellion has arisen within that state, and that it is in a train
of being effectually suppressed by the vigor of the government.

That in the commencement, and progress of the rebellion, the executive
government of said State, manifested the highest degree of attention to
the safety of the federal Arsenal and Magazine.

That on the first application of your Secretary to the Governor of said
State, on the 19th. September 1786, he instantly issued an order to the
Major General of the division of Militia in the vicinity of Springfield,
directing him, to furnish such a guard for the protection of the Stores,
as your Secretary should judge necessary.

Although circusmtances rendered it prudent to pospone the immediate
execution of said order, yet in consequence thereof, a large body of
militia were in constant readiness, to march to the Arsenal on the
shortest notice.

That when the executive government of said State decided on the
employment of troops, against the insurgents as the last remedy, the
security of the federal Arsenal, was considered as a most important
object, and accordingly, Major General Shepard of the Militia, was
directed to take post at the same, with 1200 men, two days before the
troops assembled in the vicinity of Boston. That a large body of armed
insurgents, did make their appearance before General Shepard, on the
25th of January, who repulsed and dispersed them by discharging cannon
against them.

That after the said 25th. of January, an adequate guard was stationed at
the federal buildings by the officers of said State, untill relieved on
the 24th. of February by a detachment of the troops of the United
States, raised in Connecticut, amounting to about 120 men.

That however just, the apprehensions which may have been entertained for
the safety of the Stores at Springfield; yet the power, and dispositions
of the government of Massachusetts to protect the same, have been amply
evinced.

That the guard now stationed at Springfield will be sufficient to
protect the Stores against any small parties of desperate men, and a
large body of such cannot be collected without the circumstance being
known, and time given to assemble a sufficient reinforcement of the well
effected militia of the neighbourhood.

That certain block houses and defences were constructed, and partly
executed, by General Shepard which Colonel Humphreys is finishing, and
which will afford considerable security to the buildings.

That your Secretary is decidedly of opinion, that no Arsenal or
Magazines of the United States, can be deemed perfectly secure, unless
guarded by a military force bound to obey the orders of Congress.

Impressed with the Idea, that in proportion to the freedom of government
is the danger of faction, your Secretary apprehends, that all the States
in the Union, are liable in different degrees, to be agitated with
similar commotions to those which have manifested themselves in
Massachusetts, but that the issues may be dissimilar. He therefore is
utterly at a loss to point out any place, where the stores will be more
secure than at Springfield, unless at the fortified post of West-point
on Hudsons River.

But in the opinion of your Secretary there is an insuperable objection
to West Point as a national Arsenal. The bold navigation of the river,
renders it continually liable to be insulted, or injured by the caprice
or interest, of any foreign marine power. The importance of the place in
a military point of view, is particularly reported and submitted to
Congress on the 31st. July 1786.

Besides its insecurity against a foreign invasion unless strongly
garrisoned, it would be highly injudicious, in addition to the numerous
Ordnance and Stores already there, which are but indifferently
accomodated, to crowd those which are at Springfield. The accidents to
which powder, or other combustible matter is perpetually liable, should
ever prevent too great an accumulation of stores at one point.

Should the disorders of Massachusetts extend themselves, West Point with
its advantages might tempt some daring usurper to possess himself of it,
in its present weak situation, to the extreme injury of the public.
Anxious to guard against such an event, your Secretary has ordered the
recruits of Massachusetts from Boston to Springfield in order to releive
the recruits of Connecticut who will be ordered to West-Point, Provided
that Massachusetts will furnish the necessary means to march their
recruits to and subsist them at Springfield; and that the means can be
obtained for the same purposes for the Connecticut troops at West Point,
and provided also, that the same should be conformable to the intentions
of Congress.

Convinced as your Secretary is of the probable comparative security of
the Arsenal at Springfield for the present, he cannot report in favor of
removing them\--a measure, the expenses of which, would be great and
immediate, the consequences at least equivocal, if not politically
injurious.

Your Secretary has had under his consideration for a long period, a
system for the establishment of permanent national Magazines, and
Arsenals, throughout the United States. He has not brought it forward
because the state of the public treasury has been such, as to preclude
any expences, but those which are essential to immediate existence. In
the report, which will be submitted on this subject, four places are
pointed out, at which it may be proper to establish the principal
national deposits. Vizt.

1\. Springfield in Massachusetts. To supply all the Country east of
Hudsons River.

2\. At some suitable place on the Delaware not lower than Coriels ferry
nor higher than Easton, for all the Country westward of Hudsons river to
the Potowmak inclusively.

The public are in possession of a variety of brick buildings at Carlisle
in Pennsylvania, constructed and erected specially for the purpose of a
national deposit. The returns on the files of Congress will show that
the military stores now there are inconsiderable. Were the river
Susquehannah navigable for Boats, and also the Creek which runs through
Carlisle, the stores in Philadelphia might be transported to that place.
But as the navigation of the said Creek and River is not a probable
event, at an early period, it would be fortunate if the said buildings
could be sold to any tolerable advantage. It would require a larger sum
of money than can probably be furnished for the object, to transport the
stores by land to Carlisle. But the expence of the first transportation
is not so great an objection as the amount of the successive
transportations and re-transportations during a period of forty or fifty
years. The probability of the navigation of the Delaware being completed
in a few years from the falls of Trenton to Easton, renders the place
beforementioned between Coriels ferry, and Easton, much more eligible
than Carlisle. But its relation to the Country between Hudsons River and
the Delaware, The facility with which stores could be transported to
Christiana Bridge and thence by a portage of 12 miles to the head of Elk
render the Delaware decidedly superior to Carlisle. The Stores in
Philadelphia, are liable to be destroyed by fire and they are not well
deposited being in common buildings in different parts of the City, the
rent of which, annually amounts to a considerable sum of money.

3d. At on near the point of Forks on James River, to serve Virginia and
part of North Carolina.

4th. At or near the junction of the Congaree and Wateree with the
Santee, to serve part of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.

A deposit might be formed at Fort Pitt for all the posts on the Ohio;
and the posts on the lakes might be supplied from West point on Hudsons
river, by the way of the Mohawk river and Wood creek.

The aforesaid proposed principal deposits will enjoy the great
advantages of a water communication with the Ocean without the danger of
being injured by a hostile navy. Circumstanced as the United States are
and as they probably will be for a long period in future, the means of
defence ought to be secured from a sudden approach of a foreign enemy.

It will be proposed, that the number of one hundred thousand arms, shall
be deposited in the respective Arsenals, a train of battering Artillery
and every kind of Stores necessary thereto, field Artillery and every
necessary equipment for an army of every species of troops.

That the respective Arsenals and Magazines should contain Arms,
Ammunition and other stores in proportion to the population of the
districts they were intended to supply. But that the trains of battering
Artillery with their apparatus and Ammunition should be equal at each
Arsenal and Magazine.

That the Ordnance, Arms, and Stores at present in possession of the
United States should be distributed to the Arsenals in proportion to the
numbers and quantities to be deposited at each according to the
directions of Congress. The Arms Ordnance and Stores deficient, should
be manufactured and produced if practicable within the United States, as
soon as the finances of the same would admit agreably to the orders and
appropriations of Congress.

All which is humbly submitted.

H. Knox.

War Office March 13th. 1787.

\[Report of committee on resolution of Virginia\]

The Committee \[consisting of Mr. William Blount, Mr. James Mitchel
Varnum and Mr. William Grayson\] to whom was refered the Resolution of
the State of Virginia of the 13th January 1786 passed in Conformity to a
Resolution entered into by the State of Maryland in the same year and to
whom was refered the Resolutions of the said State of Virginia of the
22d. November 1786 report the following Resolve

That Congress do consent to the Annual Meetings of Commissioners as
proposed in the said Resolutions for the purposes therein expressed for
the Term of seven Years. unless some general Regulation of Congress
shall sooner take place.

### Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774-1789 TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 1787.