put into my hands. I enclose by this express, a power to Mr. Lambe,
quarter-master, to impress, for a month, ten wagons from each of the
counties of Brunswick, Mecklenburg, Lunenburg, Charlotte, and Halifax,
and direct him to take your orders, whether they shall go first to you,
or come here. If the latter, we can load them with arms and spirits.
Before their month is out, I hope the hundred wagons from the westward
will have come in. We will otherwise provide a relief for these. I am
perfectly astonished at your not having yet received my letters before
mentioned. I send you a copy of that of the 4th of October, as being
most material. I learn, from one of General Muhlenburg’s family, that
five wagons have set out from hence, with three hundred stand of arms,
&c. However, the General writes to you himself. T.J.
LETTER XXVIII.--TO GENERAL WASHINGTON, October 22, 1780
TO HIS EXCELLENCY GENERAL WASHINGTON.
Richmond, October 22, 1780.
Sir,
I have this morning received certain information of the arrival of a
hostile fleet in our bay, of about sixty sail. The debarkation of some
light-horse, in the neighborhood of Portsmouth, seems to indicate that
as the first scene of action. We are endeavoring to collect as large a
body to oppose them as we can arm: this will be lamentably inadequate,
if the enemy be in any force. It is mortifying to suppose that a people,
able and zealous to contend with their enemy, should be reduced to fold
their arms for want of the means of defence. Yet no resources, that we
know of, ensure us against this event. It has become necessary to divert
to this new object, a considerable part of the aids we had destined
for General Gates. We are still, however, sensible of the necessity
of supporting him, and have left that part of our country nearest him
uncalled on, at present, that they may reinforce him as soon as arms
can be received. We have called to the command of our forces, Generals
Weeden and Muhlenburg, of the line, and Nelson and Stevens of the
militia. You will be pleased to make to these such additions as you may
think proper. As to the aids of men, I ask for none, knowing that if the
late detachment of the enemy shall have left it safe for you to spare
aids of that kind, you will not await my application. Of the troops
we shall raise, there is not a single man who ever saw the face of an
enemy. Whether the Convention troops will be removed or not, is yet
undetermined. This must depend on the force of the enemy, and the aspect
of their movements.
I have the honor to be
your Excellency’s most obedient,
humble servant,
Th: Jefferson.
LETTER XXIX.--TO GENERAL WASHINGTON, October 25,1780
TO HIS EXCELLENCY GENERAL WASHINGTON.
Richmond, October 25,1780.
Sir,
I take the liberty of enclosing to you letters from Governor Hamilton,
for New York. On some representations received by Colonel Towles, that
an indulgence to Governor Hamilton and his companions to go to New York,
on parole, would produce the happiest,effect on the situation of our
officers in Long Island, we have given him, Major Hay, and some of the
same party at Winchester, leave to go there on parole. The two former go
by water, the latter by land.
By this express I hand on, from General Gates to Congress, intelligence
of the capture of Augusta, in Georgia, with considerable quantities of
goods; and information, which carries a fair appearance, of the taking
of Georgetown, in South Carolina, by a party of ours, and that an army
of six thousand French and Spaniards had landed at Sunbury. This is
the more credible, as Cornwallis retreated from Charlotte on the 12th
instant, with great marks of precipitation. Since my last to you,
informing you of an enemy’s fleet, they have landed eight hundred men
in the neighborhood of Portsmouth, and some more on the bay side of
Princess Anne. One thousand infantry landed at New-ports-news, on the
morning of the 23rd, and immediately took possession of Hampton. The
horse were proceeding up the road. Such a corps as Major Lee’s would be
of infinite service to us. Next to a naval force, horse seems to be the
most capable of protecting a country so intersected by waters.
I am, with the most sincere esteem,
your Excellency’s most obedient
and most humble servant,
Th: Jefferson.
LETTER XXX.--TO GENERAL WASHINGTON, October 26, 1780
TO HIS EXCELLENCY GENERAL WASHINGTON.
Richmond, October 26, 1780.
Sir,
The Executive of this State think it expedient, under our present
circumstances, that the prisoners of war under the Convention
of Saratoga, be removed from their present situation. It will be
impossible, as long as they remain with us, to prevent the hostile army
from being reinforced by numerous desertions from this corps; and this
expectation may be one among the probable causes of this movement of the
enemy. Should, moreover, a rescue of them be attempted, the extensive
disaffection which has of late been discovered, and the almost total
want of arms in the hands of our good people, render the success of such
an enterprise by no means desperate. The fear of this, and the dangerous
convulsions to which such an attempt would expose us, divert the
attention of a very considerable part of our militia, from an opposition
to an invading enemy. An order has been, therefore, this day issued to
Colonel Wood, to take immediate measures for their removal; and every
aid has been and will be given him, for transporting, guarding, and
subsisting them on the road, which our powers can accomplish. Notice
hereof is sent to his Excellency Governor Lee, on whose part, I doubt
not, necessary preparations will be made.
I have the honor to be, with the greatest esteem and respect,
your Excellency’s most obedient
and most humble servant,
Th: Jefferson.
LETTER XXXI.--TO GENERAL GATES, October 28, 1780
TO GENERAL GATES.
Richmond, October 28, 1780.
Sir,
Your letters of the 14th, 20th, and 21st have come to hand, and your
despatches to Congress have been regularly forwarded. I shall attend
to the caveat against Mr. Ochiltree’s bill. Your letter to Colonel Senf
remains still in my hands, as it did not come till the enemy had taken
possession of the ground, on which I knew him to have been, and I have
since no certain information where a letter might surely find him. My
proposition as to your bills in favor of the quarter-master, referred
to yours of September 27th. I have notified to the Continental
quarter-master, your advance of nine hundred dollars to Cooper. As yet,
we have received no wagons. I wish Mr. Lambe may have supplied you.
Should those from the western quarter not come in, we will authorize him
or some other, to procure a relief, in time, for those first impressed.
We are upon the eve of a new arrangement as to our commissary’s and
quarter-master’s departments, as the want of money, introducing its
substitute, force, requires the establishment of a different kind of
system.
Since my first information to you of the arrival of an enemy, they have
landed about eight hundred men near Portsmouth, some on the bay side of
Princess Anne, one thousand at Hampton, and still retained considerable
part on board their ships. Those at Hampton, after committing horrid
depredations, have again retired to their ships, which, on the evening
of the 26th, were strung along the Road from New-ports-news, to the
mouth of Nansemond, which seems to indicate an intention of coming
up James river. Our information is, that they have from four to five
thousand men, commanded by General Leslie, and that they have come under
convoy of one forty-gun ship, and some frigates (how many, has never
been said), commanded by Commodore Rodney. Would it not be worth while
to send out a swift boat from some of the inlets of Carolina, to notify
the French Admiral that his enemies are in a net, if he has leisure to
close the mouth of it? Generals Muhlenburg and Nelson are assembling a
force to be ready for them, and General Weeden has come to this place,
where he is at present employed in some arrangements. We have ordered
the removal of the Saratoga prisoners, that we may have our hands clear
for these new guests.
I have the honor to be, with the most perfect esteem and respect, Sir,
your most obedient
and most humble servant,
Th: Jefferson.
LETTER XXXII.--TO GENERAL WASHINGTON, November 3,1780
TO HIS EXCELLENCY GENERAL WASHINGTON.
Richmond, November 3,1780.
Sir,
Since I had the honor of writing to your Excellency, on the 25th ultimo,
the enemy have withdrawn their forces from the north side of James
river, and have taken post at Portsmouth, which, we learn, they are
fortifying. Their highest post is Suffolk, where there is a very narrow
and defensible pass between Nansemond river and the Dismal Swamp,
which covers the country below, from being entered by us. More accurate
information of their force, than we at first had, gives us reason to
suppose them to be from twenty-five hundred to three thousand strong,
of which, between sixty and seventy are cavalry. They are commanded by
General Leslie, and were convoyed by the Romulus, of forty guns, the
Blonde, of thirty-two guns, the Delight sloop, of sixteen, a twenty-gun
ship of John Goodwick’s, and two row-galleys, commanded by Commodore
Grayton. We are not assured, as yet, that they have landed their whole
force. Indeed, they give out themselves, that after drawing the force
of this State to Suffolk, they mean, to go to Baltimore. Their movements
had induced me to think they came with an expectation of meeting with
Lord Cornwallis in this country, that his precipitate retreat has left
them without a concerted object, and that they were waiting further
orders. Information of this morning says, that being informed of Lord
Cornwallis’s retreat, and a public paper having been procured by
them, wherein were printed the several despatches which brought this
intelligence from General Gates, they unladed a vessel and sent, her off
to Charleston immediately. The fate of this army of theirs hangs on a
very slender naval force, indeed.
The want of barracks at Fort Frederick, as represented by Colonel Wood,
the difficulty of getting wagons sufficient to move the whole Convention
troops, and the state of uneasiness in which the regiment of guards is,
have induced me to think it would be better to move these troops in
two divisions; and as the whole danger of desertion to the enemy, and
correspondence with the disaffected in our southern counties, is from
the British only (for from the Germans we have no apprehensions on
either head), we have advised Colonel Wood to move on the British in the
first division, and to leave the Germans in their present situation, to
form a second division, when barracks may be erected at Fort Frederick.
By these means, the British may march immediately under the guard of
Colonel Crochet’s battalion, while Colonel Taylor’s regiment of guards
remains with the Germans. I cannot suppose this will be deemed such
a separation as is provided against by the Convention, nor that their
officers will wish to have the whole troops crowded into barracks,
probably not sufficient for half of them. Should they, however, insist
on their being kept together, I suppose it would be the opinion that the
second division should follow the first as soon as possible, and that
their being exposed, in that case, to a want of covering, would be
justly imputable to themselves only. The delay of the second division
will lessen the distress for provisions, which may, perhaps, take
place on their first going to the new post, before matters are properly
arranged.
I have the honor to be, with great esteem and respect,
your Excellency’s most obedient
and most humble servant,
Th: Jefferson.
LETTER XXXIII.--TO GENERAL WASHINGTON, November 10, 1780
TO HIS EXCELLENCY GENERAL WASHINGTON.
Richmond, November 10, 1780.
Sir,
I enclose your Excellency a copy of an intercepted letter from Major
General Leslie to Lord Cornwallis. [See Appendix, note F.] It was taken
from a person endeavoring to pass through the country from Portsmouth
towards Carolina. When apprehended, and a proposal made to search him,
he readily consented to be searched, but, at the same time, was observed
to put his hand into his pocket and carry something towards his mouth,
as if it were a quid of tobacco: it was examined, and found to be a
letter, of which the enclosed is a copy, written on silk paper, rolled
up in gold-beater’s skin, and nicely tied at each end, so as not to be
larger than a goose quill. As this is the first authentic disclosure of
their purpose in coming here, and may serve to found, with somewhat more
of certainty, conjectures respecting their future movements, while their
disappointment in not meeting with Lord Cornwallis may occasion
new plans at New York, I thought it worthy of communication to your
Excellency.
Some deserters were taken yesterday, said to be of the British
Convention troops, who had found means to get to the enemy at
Portsmouth, and were seventy or eighty miles on their way back to the
barracks, when they were taken. They were passing under the guise of
deserters from Portsmouth.
I have the honor to be, with the greatest esteem and respect,
your Exellency’s most obedient
and most humble servant,
Th: Jefferson.
LETTER XXXIV.--TO GENERAL WASHINGTON, November 26, 1780
TO HIS EXCELLENCY GENERAL WASHINGTON.
Richmond, November 26, 1780.
Sir,
I have been honored with your Excellency’s letter of the 8th instant.
Having found it impracticable to move, suddenly, the whole Convention
troops, British and German, and it being represented that there could
not, immediately, be covering provided for them all at Fort Frederick,
we concluded to march off the British first, from whom was the principal
danger of desertion, and to permit the Germans, who show little
disposition to join the enemy, to remain in their present quarters till
something further be done. The British, accordingly, marched the 20th
instant. They cross the Blue Ridge at Rock Fish gap, and proceed along
that valley. I am to apprize your Excellency, that the officers of
every rank, both British and German, but particularly the former, have
purchased within this State some of the finest horses in it. You will be
pleased to determine, whether it be proper that they carry them within
their lines. I believe the Convention of Saratoga entitles them to keep
the horses they then had. But I presume none of the line below the rank
of field-officers, had a horse. Considering the British will be now at
Fort Frederick, and the Germans in Albemarle, Alexandria seems to be
the most central point to which there is navigation. Would it not,
therefore, be better that the flag-vessel, solicited by General
Phillips, should go to that place? It is about equally distant from the
two posts. The roads to Albemarle are good. I know not how those are
which lead to Fort Frederick. Your letter referring me to General Green,
for the mode of constructing light, portable boats, unfortunately did
not come to hand till he had left us. We had before determined to have
something done in that way, and as they are still unexecuted, we should
be greatly obliged by any draughts or hints, which could be given by any
person within the reach of your Excellency.
I received advice, that on the 22nd instant, the enemy’s fleet got all
under way, and were standing toward the Capes: as it still remained
undecided, whether they would leave the bay, or turn up it, I waited the
next stage of information, that you might so far be enabled to judge of
their destination. This I hourly expected, but it did not come till this
evening, when I am informed they all got out to sea in the night of the
22nd. What course they steered afterwards, is not known. I must do their
General and Commander the justice to say, that in every case to which
their attention and influence could reach, as far as I have been
well-informed, their conduct was such as does them the greatest honor.
In the few instances of wanton and unnecessary devastation, they
punished the aggressors.
I have the honor to be,
your Excellency’s
most obedient, humble servant,
Th: Jefferson.
LETTER XXXV.--TO GENERAL WASHINGTON, December 15,1780
TO HIS EXCELLENCY GENERAL WASHINGTON.
Richmond, December 15,1780.
Sir,
I had the honor of writing to your Excellency on the subject of an
expedition contemplated by this State, against the British post at
Detroit, and of receiving your answer of October the 10th. Since the
date of my letter, the face of things has so far changed, as to leave
it no longer optional in us to attempt or decline the expedition, but
compels us to decide in the affirmative, and to begin our preparations
immediately. The army the enemy at present have in the South, the
reinforcements still expected there, and their determination to direct
their future exertions to that quarter, are not unknown to you. The
regular force proposed on our part to counteract those exertions, is
such, either from the real or supposed inability of this State, as by no
means to allow a hope that it may be effectual. It is, therefore, to
be expected that the scene of war will either be within our country, or
very nearly advanced to it; and that our principal dependence is to be
on militia, for which reason it becomes incumbent to keep as great a
proportion of our people as possible, free to act in that quarter. In
the mean time, a combination is forming in the westward, which, if not
diverted, will call thither a principal and most valuable part of our
militia. From intelligence received, we have reason to expect that a
confederacy of British and Indians, to the amount of two thousand men,
is formed for the purpose of spreading destruction and dismay through
the whole extent of our frontier, in the ensuing spring. Should this
take place, we shall certainly lose in the South all aids of militia
beyond the Blue Ridge, besides the inhabitants who must fall a sacrifice
in the course of the savage irruptions.
There seems to be but one method of preventing this, which is to give
the western enemy employment in their own country. The regular force
Colonel Clarke already has, with a proper draft from the militia beyond
the Allegany, and that of three or four of our most northern counties,
will be adequate to the reduction of Fort Detroit, in the opinion
of Colonel Clarke; and he assigns the most probable reasons for that
opinion. We have, therefore, determined to undertake it, and commit
it to his direction. Whether the expense of the enterprise shall
be defrayed by the Continent or State, we will leave to be decided
hereafter by Congress, in whose justice we can confide as to the
determination. In the mean time, we only ask the loan of such
necessaries as, being already at Fort Pitt, will save time and an
immense expense of transportation. These articles shall either be
identically or specifically returned; should we prove successful, it is
not improbable they may be where Congress would choose to keep them. I
am, therefore, to solicit your Excellency’s order to the commandant at
Fort Pitt, for the articles contained on the annexed list, which shall
not be called for until every thing is in readiness; after which, there
can be no danger of their being wanted for the post at which they are:
indeed, there are few of the articles essential for the defence of the
post.
I hope your Excellency will think yourself justified in lending us this
aid without awaiting the effect of an application elsewhere, as such
a delay would render the undertaking abortive, by postponing it to the
breaking up of the ice in the lake. Independent of the favorable effects
which a successful enterprise against Detroit must produce to the United
States in general, by keeping in quiet the frontier of the northern
ones, and leaving our western militia at liberty to aid those of the
South, we think the like friendly offices performed by us to the Sates,
whenever desired, and almost to the absolute exhausture of our own
magazines, give well founded hopes that we may be accommodated on this
occasion. The supplies of military stores which have been furnished by
us to Fort Pitt itself, to the northern army, and, most of all, to the
southern, are not altogether unknown to you. I am the more urgent for
an immediate order, because Colonel Clarke awaits here your Excellency’s
answer by the express, though his presence in the western country to
make preparations for the expedition is so very necessary, if you enable
him to undertake it. To the above, I must add a request to you to send
for us to Pittsburg, persons proper to work the mortars, &c, as Colonel
Clarke has none such, nor is there one in this State. They shall be in
the pay of this State from the time they leave you. Any money necessary
for their journey, shall be repaid at Pittsburg, without fail, by the
first of March.
At the desire of the General Assembly, I take the liberty of
transmitting to you the enclosed resolution; and have the honor to be,
with the most perfect esteem and regard,
your Excellency’s most obedient
and most humble servant,
Th: Jefferson.
LETTER XXXVI.--TO GENERAL WASHINGTON, January 10, 1781
TO HIS EXCELLENCY GENERAL WASHINGTON.
Richmond, January 10, 1781.
Sir,
It may seem odd, considering the important events which have taken place
in this State within the course of ten days, that I should not have
transmitted an account of them to your Excellency; but such has been
their extraordinary rapidity, and such the unremitted attention they
have required from all concerned in government, that I do not recollect
the portion of time which I could have taken to commit them to paper.