The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 1 (of 9)

I am, with all sentiments of sincere respect and esteem, Sir, your most obedient and most humble servant.

P. S. Just as I was closing my letter, yours of the 9th instant was 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.

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, insure 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 the 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.

TO MAJOR GENERAL GATES

In Council, Oct. 22d, 1780.

Sir,—The letters which accompany this will inform you of the arrival of a large fleet of the enemy within our capes, and that they have begun their debarkation.93 We are taking measures to collect a body to oppose them, for which purpose it seems necessary to retain such regulars, volunteers and militia as have not yet gone on to you. We have left the counties of Lunenburg, Mecklenburg, Halifax, and all above them on the south side of James river, uncalled on, that they may be in readiness to reinforce you as soon as arms can be procured. I am in hopes the eighteen months' men and western militia, who will have joined you with the volunteers from Washington and Montgomery, as proposed by Col. Preston, and the eighteen months' militia, will be a useful reinforcement to you, and shall continue to divide our attention, both as to men and provisions, between the army in your front and that which is posting itself within our own country.

I have the honor to be, with the greatest esteem, Sir, your most obedient and most humble servant.

P. S. Col. Carrington is arrived since writing the above, and says you want thirty horses to move your artillery. They shall be immediately sent to you.

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 23d, 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 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.

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.

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.

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 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 gallies, 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.

TO HIS EXCELLENCY GENERAL WASHINGTON

Richmond, November 10, 1780.

Sir,—I inclose your Excellency a copy of an intercepted letter from Major General Leslie, to Lord Cornwallis.94 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 inclosed 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 have 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 Excellency's most obedient and most humble servant.

TO – 95

Richmond, November 10, 1780.

Sir,—Your favor of the 3d instant, enclosing Colonel Preston's letter, came to hand on the 8th. The proposals mentioned in the Colonel's letter, for sending volunteers to you, were accepted, and put, as was necessary, into such precise form as that all parties might know what they had a right to expect. In doing this, two circumstances happened to interfere with what had been expected. We required that they should be subject to your orders, and those of such other officer as you should place them under: this was to enable you to make use of them in constituting the corps you had proposed under General Morgan; 2, that there should be two companies of rifles only to each battalion: this was the advice of General Morgan in a conversation with me. We have since dispensed with the last of these conditions, and allowed every man to carry his rifle, as we found that absolutely necessary to induce them to go. Colonel Skiller, of Boletourt, writes me he has 150 engaged, and we shall endeavor to prevail upon Colonel Campbell to raise another corps, in which, if he undertakes it, I trust he will succeed. I am much at a loss what should be done as to the prisoners taken at King's Mountain. I do not think Montgomery Courthouse good place, because it is very disaffected. It is too near their own country, and would admit their co-operation in any enterprize on our lead mines, which are about eight miles from thence. I have taken measures for continuing their march under a guard northwardly, and in the meantime for receiving instructions from Congress where to terminate their journey. The British Convention troops will proceed immediately to Fort Frederick in Maryland. The Germans will remain in Albemarle till accommodations can be provided for them in the same place. From them we have no apprehensions of desertion to the enemy. Some British were taken yesterday, who are said to have been with the enemy, and were returning to the barracks. Two or three days ago, a British emissary from Portsmouth was taken endeavoring to proceed towards Carolina. On a proposal to search him, they observed him to put his hand in his pocket and put something to his mouth like a quid of tobacco. On examination it was 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, the whole not larger than a goose-quill. By this you will find our conjectures verified, that they expected to meet with Lord Cornwallis in the neighborhood at least of this county, and are disappointed and without an object. Can you not take measures for finding out the other messenger to Lord Cornwallis, who went by land? The force we shall now immediately have together, authorizes me to assure you, you need not apprehend their penetrating any distance southwardly. I only lament that this measure should have intercepted our reinforcements to you. We have left all the counties south of James River, and nearer to Hillsborough than Portsmouth, uncalled on, that they may be ready to go to the aid of our Southern friends whenever arms can be procured.

I am, with the greatest esteem and respect, Sir, your most obedient and most humble servant.

TO EDWARD STEVENS

Richmond, November 10, 1780.

Sir,—Your two letters of October 24th and October – have been duly received. I have been informed that the beeves which have been collected in Princess Anne and Norfolk, to be sent southwardly, were the first things which fell into the hands of the enemy. We received notice of this invasion a few hours after you left this place, and despatched a letter to recall you, which we expected would have found you in Petersburg. However, you had gone on, and as there should be a general officer with the men from this State in the Southern service, and we have here three general officers, we have not repeated our call for your assistance. The force called on to oppose the enemy, is as yet in a most chaotic state, consisting of fragments of three months' militia, eight months' men, eighteen months' men, volunteers, and new militia.

Were it possible to arm men, we would send on substantial reinforcements to you, notwithstanding the presence of the enemy with us; but the prospect of arms with us is very bad indeed. I have never received a line from Mr. Lambe as to his success in pressing wagons. None have yet come in from the westward. The Executive were so far from allowing the eight months' men to enlist into the Volunteer Corps, as you say, they pretend they were expressly excluded from it in the several propositions we made for raising volunteers. Nothing of moment has happened here since the arrival of the enemy. General Muhlenburg is at Stoaner's Mills, at the head of Pagan Creek, with our main force. General Nelson is on the north side of James River with another body. General Weeden is gone to join the one or the other. A British emissary was taken two or three days ago with a letter from General Leslie to Lord Cornwallis, informing him he was at Portsmouth, but could not learn where his Lordship was; that he had sent one letter to him to Charlestown by water, another by land, and waited his orders. Cannot measures be taken to apprehend the messenger who went by land?

I am, with the greatest esteem, Sir, your most humble servant.

TO GENERAL GATES. 96

Richmond, November 19, 1780.

Sir,—The vessel which had been sent by General Leslie to Charlestown, as we supposed, returned about the 12th instant. The enemy began to embark soon after from Portsmouth, and in the night of the 15th, completed the embarkation of their whole force. On the morning of the 16th, some of our people entered Portsmouth. They had left their works unfinished and undestroyed. Great numbers of negroes, who had gone over to them, were left, either for the want of ship-room or through choice. They had not moved from Elizabeth river at 11 o'clock a. m. of the 16th. They gave out that they intended to go up James River; but the precipitate abandoning of works on receipt of some communication or other from Charlestown, was not likely to be for the purpose of coming up James River. I received this intelligence by express from General Muhlenburg yesterday morning. As the enemy's situation was such as to give reason to expect every moment a movement in some direction, I delayed sending off notice to you, in hopes that that movement would point out their destination. But no such information being yet come to hand, I think it proper no longer to delay communicating to you so much.

Since writing so far, your favor of the 8th instant comes to hand, accompanied by one from General Stevens at Hillsborough of the 10th—a strange derangement, indeed, our riders have got into, to be nine days coming from Hillsborough. I shall be very happy if the departure of the enemy, which I hourly expect to be confirmed, shall leave us at liberty to send you a substantial reinforcement. The men, being now in the field, may be marched directly southwardly. What may be its precise amount, I cannot say, till I get from General Muhlenburg a return of the eighteen months' men, the eight months' men, and militia, who had been stopped here on their way to the southward, and from General Lawson a return of the volunteers he has engaged to go to the southward.

I have the honor to be, with the greatest esteem, Sir, your most obedient and most humble servant.

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 apprise 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 22d instant, the enemy's fleet got all under way, and were standing towards 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 22d. 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.

TO EDWARD STEVENS