Know Nothing or American Party

See G. H. Haynes, "A Know Nothing Legislature" (Mass., 1855), in American Historical Assoc. Report, pt. 1 (1896) ; J. B. McMaster, With the Fathers, including "The Riotous Career of the Know Nothings" (1896) ; L. F. Schmeckebier, Know Nothing Party in Maryland (Johns Hopkins university, Baltimore, 1899) ; L. D. Scisco, Political Nativism in New York State (doctoral thesis, Columbia university, New York, 19o1) ; H. F. Desmond, The Know Nothing Party (Washington, 1905) ; J. P. Senning, "The Know-Nothing Movement in Illinois, 1854-56," Ill. State Hist. Soc. Jour., vol. vii., p. 7-33 (Springfield, Ill., 1914) ; E. E. Robinson, The Evolution of American Political Parties (1924) ; Benjamin Tuska, Know-Nothing ism in Baltimore, 1854-6o (1925) ; and H. R. Bruce, American Parties and Politics (1927).

KNOX, HENRY

(1750-18o6), American general, was born in Boston, Mass., of Scottish-Irish parentage, on July 25, 175o. He was prominent in the colonial militia and tried to keep the Boston crowd and the British soldiers from the clash known as the Boston massacre (1770). In 1771 he opened the "London book store" in Boston. He had read much of tactics and strategy, joined the American army at the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, and fought at Bunker Hill, planned the defences of the camps of the army before Boston, and brought from Lake George and border forts much-needed artillery. At Trenton he crossed the river before the main body, and in the attack rendered such good service that he was made brigadier-general and chief of artillery in the Continental army. He was present at Princeton;

was chiefly responsible for the mistake in attacking the "Chew House" at Germantown; urged New York as the objective of the campaign of 1778; served with efficiency at Monmouth and at Yorktown ; and after the surrender of Cornwallis was promoted major-general. His services throughout the war were of great value to the American cause ; he was one of Washington's most trusted advisers, and he brought the artillery to a high degree of efficiency. In April 1783 he had drafted a scheme of a society to be formed by the American officers and the French officers who had served in America during the war, and to be called the "Cincinnati"; of this society he was the first secretary-general (1783-99) and in 18o5 became vice-president-general. Knox was secretary of war in 1785-94, being the first to hold this position after the organization of the Federal Government in 1789. He urged ineffectually a national militia system, to enroll all citizens over 18 and under 6o in the "advanced corps," the "main corps" or the "reserve." For this and for his clOse friendship with Wash ington he was bitterly assailed by the Republicans. He died in Thomaston, Me., on Oct. 25, 18o6.

See F. S. Drake, Memoir of General Henry Knox (Boston, 1873) ; and Noah Brooks, Henry Knox (1900) in the "American Men of Energy" series; and W. R. Sandham, "General Henry Knox," Illinois State Hist. Soc. Journal, vol. xviii., pp. (1925).