Discover the Surprising Side of History: Top 8 Fun Facts About Henry Knox You Never Knew!

1. Master Yoda's Predecessor

Before Master Yoda, there was Master Knox: a bookseller turned artillery-moving maestro who turned the tides for General George Washington. In a grueling 56-day winter expedition, Henry Knox transported a jaw-dropping 62 tons of artillery from Fort Ticonderoga in New York to the Continental Army's base outside Boston, resulting in a vital victory over the British troops. To this day, the Henry Knox Cannon Trail with its 56 granite and bronze monuments pays tribute to this unsung hero, marking each day of his epic feat.
Source => nps.gov

2. Self-Taught Military Genius

Who needs military school when you've got books, right?: Henry Knox, a self-taught military genius, managed to become Chief Artillery Officer, General, and eventually Secretary of War just by devouring military history and strategy books at his day job in a bookbindery and his own bookstore, where John Adams was known to stop by for some good reads.
Source => mountvernon.org

Did you know George Washington's famous dentures were far from wooden? Discover the surprising materials used in his peculiar pearly whites!

=> Fun Facts about George-Washington

3. Founding Frat Boy Extraordinaire

Ready to join the revolution of fun? Henry Knox, founding frat boy extraordinaire, was the life of the party when it came to making friends and preserving memories: He created The Society of the Cincinnati, a still-active organization for Revolutionary War veteran officers. This society, named after Roman hero Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus who preferred plowing fields over conquering them, aimed to promote camaraderie among citizen-soldiers who served their nation before returning to civilian life.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

4. Excessive "Knox and Chill"

It seems the Knox family practiced a little too much "Knox and chill": Henry Knox and his wife Lucy only saw three of their thirteen children survive into adulthood.
Source => mountvernon.org

5. Fox Remedies Salesman

Before snake oil became an expression, Henry Knox was selling fox remedies: This 18th-century entrepreneur dabbled in the sale of curiously named medicinal concoctions such as Maredant's Antiscorbutic Drops, rappee snuff, Cordial Cephalic Snuff, Mad Dog Bite Pills, and Dr. Keyser's Pills, showcasing his enthusiastic participation in the wild and unregulated world of colonial American apothecaries.
Source => allthingsliberty.com

6. Fireworks and the Art of War

Prepare for fireworks and the art of war, folks: Henry Knox was a self-made military mastermind who transformed a ragtag American militia into a formidable force that helped snatch victory at the epic Battles of Trenton, Princeton and, finally, the grand finale at the Battle of Yorktown, where the artillery show put on by the Continental Army had the Marquis de Lafayette dubbing it as "one of the wonders of the Revolution."
Source => mountvernon.org

7. The Great Winter Haul

Move over, Santa's sleigh: Henry Knox had a far more impressive winter haul! The Revolutionary War's artillery commander masterminded the transportation of 62 tons of captured artillery from Fort Ticonderoga to Boston, traversing over 300 miles of frosty terrain. Thanks to Knox's daring feat on that frosty trail, Washington was finally armed for the siege of Boston, giving the Continental Army the upper hand in the war.
Source => nps.gov

8. The 25-Year-Old Artillery Juggler

Before he became America's favorite "heaver of cannons," young Henry Knox was busy juggling massive artillery like it was nobody's business: At the tender age of 25, he orchestrated the transport of 59 artillery pieces over roughly 300 miles of treacherous terrain, using sleds and 80 yoke of oxen to shift them through thick snow and steep inclines, all to turn the tides of the American Revolution when his "Noble Train of Artillery" put an end to the siege of Boston!
Source => encyclopedia.com