Thomas Jefferson - Memoir, Correspondence, And Miscellanies, From The Papers Of Thomas Jefferson

T >> Thomas Jefferson >> Memoir, Correspondence, And Miscellanies, From The Papers Of Thomas Jefferson

Pages:
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45

Our intelligence from the southward is most lamentably defective. Though
Charleston has been in the hands of the enemy a month, we hear nothing
of their movements which can be relied on. Rumors are, that they are
penetrating northward. To remedy this defect, I shall immediately
establish a line of expresses from hence to the neighborhood of
their army, and send thither a sensible, judicious person, to give
us information of their movements. This intelligence will, I hope,
be conveyed to us at the rate of one hundred and twenty miles in the
twenty-four hours. They set out to their stations to-morrow. I wish it
were possible, that a like speedy line of communication could be formed
from hence to your Excellency's head-quarters. Perfect and speedy
information of what is passing in the South, might put it in your power,
perhaps, to frame your measures by theirs. There is really nothing to
oppose the progress of the enemy northward, but the cautious principles
of the military art. North Carolina is without arms. We do not abound.
Those we have, are freely imparted to them; but such is the state of
their resources, that they have not been able to move a single musket
from this State to theirs. All the wagons we can collect, have been
furnished to the Marquis de Kalb, and are assembled for the march of
twenty-five hundred men, under General Stevens, of Culpeper, who will
move on the 19th instant. I have written to Congress to hasten supplies
of arms and military stores for the southern states, and particularly to
aid us with cartridge paper and boxes, the want of which articles, small
as they are, renders our stores useless. The want of money cramps
every effort. This will be supplied by the most unpalatable of all
substitutes, force. Your Excellency will readily conceive, that after
the loss of one arm, our eyes are turned towards the other, and that
we comfort ourselves, if any aids can be furnished by you, without
defeating the operations more beneficial to the general union, they will
be furnished. At the same time, I am happy to find that the wishes of
the people go no further, as far as I have an opportunity of learning
their sentiments. Could arms be furnished, I think this State and North
Carolina would embody from ten to fifteen thousand militia immediately,
and more if necessary.

I hope, ere long, to be able to give you a more certain statement of
the enemy's as well as our situation, which I shall not fail to do.
I enclose you a letter from Major Galvan, being the second I have
forwarded to you.

With sentiments of the most perfect esteem and respect,

I have the honor to be

your Excellency's

most obedient, humble servant,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER XVII.--TO GENERAL WASHINGTON, July 2, 1780

TO HIS EXCELLENCY GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Richmond, July 2, 1780.

Sir,

I have received from the Committee of Congress, at headquarters, three
letters calling for aids of men and provisions. I beg leave to refer
you to my letter to them, of this date, on those subjects. I thought it
necessary, however, to suggest to you the preparing an arrangement of
officers for the men; for, though they are to supply our battalions,
yet, as our whole line officers, almost, are in captivity, I suppose
some temporary provision must be made. We cheerfully transfer to you
every power which the Executive might exercise on this occasion. As it
is possible you may cast your eye on the unemployed officers now within
the State, I write to General Muhlenburg, to send you a return of them.
I think the men will be rendezvoused within the present month. The bill,
indeed, for raising them is not actually passed, but it is in its last
stage, and no opposition to any essential parts of it. I will take care
to notify you of its passage.

I have, with great pain, perceived your situation; and, the more so, as
being situated between two fires, a division of sentiment has arisen,
both in Congress and here, as to which the resources of this country
should be sent. The removal of General Clinton to the northward, must,
of course, have great influence on the determination of this question;
and I have no doubt but considerable aids may be drawn hence for your
army, unless a larger one should be embodied in the South, than the
force of the enemy there seems to call for. I have the honor to be, with
every sentiment of respect and esteem,

your Excellency's

most obedient, humble servant,

Th: Jefferson.

[See Appendix, Note D.]

LETTER XVIII.--TO GENERAL EDWARD STEVENS, August 4, 1780

TO GENERAL EDWARD STEVENS.

Richmond, August 4, 1780.

Sir,

Your several favors of July the 16th, 21st, and 22nd, are now before me.
Our smiths are engaged in making five hundred axes and some tomahawks
for General Gates. About one hundred of these will go by the wagons now
taking in their loads. As these are for the army in general, no doubt
but you will participate of them. A chest of medicine was made up for
you in Williamsburg, and by a strange kind of forgetfulness, the vessel
ordered to bring that, left it and brought the rest of the shop. It is
sent for again, and I am not without hopes will be here in time to go
by the present wagons. They will carry some ammunition and the axes, and
will make up their load with spirits. Tents, I fear, cannot be got in
this country; we have, however, sent out powers to all the trading towns
here, to take it wherever they can find it. I write to General Gates,
to try whether the duck in North Carolina cannot be procured by the
Executive of that State on Continental account; for, surely, the whole
army, as well our militia as the rest, is Continental. The arms you
have to spare may be delivered to General Gates's order, taking and
furnishing us with proper vouchers. We shall endeavor to send our drafts
armed. I cannot conceive how the arms before sent could have got into
so very bad order; they certainly went from hence in good condition. You
wish to know how far the property of this State in your hands is meant
to be subject to the orders of the commander in chief. Arms and military
stores we mean to be perfectly subject to him. The provisions going from
this country will be for the whole army. If we can get any tents,
they must be appropriated to the use of our own troops. Medicine, sick
stores, spirits, and such things, we expect shall be on the same footing
as with the northern army. There, you know, each State furnishes its own
troops with these articles, and, of course, has an exclusive right
to what is furnished. The money put into your hands, was meant as a
particular resource for any extra wants of our own troops, yet in case
of great distress, you would probably not see the others suffer without
communicating part of it for their use. We debit Congress with this
whole sum. There can be nothing but what is right in your paying
Major Mazaret's troops out of it. I wish the plan you have adopted for
securing a return of the arms from the militia, may answer. I apprehend
any man, who has a good gun on his shoulder, would agree to keep it, and
have the worth of it deducted out of his pay, more especially when
the receipt of the pay is at some distance. What would you think of
notifying to them, further, that a proper certificate that they are
discharged, and have _returned their arms_, will be required before
any pay is issued to them. A roll, kept and forwarded, of those
so discharged, and who have delivered up their arms, would supply
accidental losses of their certificates. We are endeavoring to get
bayonet belts made. The State quarter-master affirms the cartouch boxes
sent from this place, (nine hundred and fifty-nine in number,) were all
in good condition. I therefore suppose the three hundred you received in
such very bad order, must have gone from the continental quarter-master
at Petersburg, or, perhaps, have been pillaged, on the road, of their
flaps, to mend shoes, &c. I must still press the return of as many
wagons as possible. All you will send, shall be loaded with spirits or
something else for the army. By their next return, we shall have a good
deal of bacon collected. The enclosed is a copy of what was reported to
me, as heretofore sent by the wagons.

I am. Sir, with the greatest esteem,

your most obedient, humble servant,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER XIX.--TO MAJOR GENERAL GATES, August 15, 1780

TO MAJOR GENERAL GATES.

Richmond, August 15, 1780.

Sir,

Your favor of August 3rd is just now put into my hand. Those formerly
received have been duly answered, and my replies will, no doubt, have
reached you before this date. My last letter to you was by Colonel
Drayton.

I spoke fully with you on the difficulty of procuring wagons here,
when I had the pleasure of seeing you, and for that reason pressed
the sending back as many as possible. One brigade of twelve has since
returned, and is again on its way with medicine, military stores,
and spirit. Any others which come, and as fast as they come, shall be
returned to you with spirit and bacon. I have ever been informed,
that the very plentiful harvests of North Carolina would render the
transportation of flour from this State, as unnecessary as it would be
tedious, and that, in this point of view, the wagons should carry hence
only the articles before mentioned, which are equally wanting with you.
Finding that no great number of wagons is likely to return to us, we
will immediately order as many more to be bought and sent on, as we
possibly can. But to prevent too great expectations, I must again
repeat, that I fear no great number can be got. I do assure you,
however, that neither attention nor expense shall be spared, to forward
to you every support for which we can obtain means of transportation.
You have, probably, received our order on Colonel Lewis to deliver you
any of the beeves he may have purchased.

Tents, I fear, it is in vain to expect, because there is not in this
country stuff to make them. We have agents and commissioners in constant
pursuit of stuff, but hitherto researches have been fruitless. Your
order to Colonel Carrington shall be immediately communicated. A
hundred copies of the proclamation shall also be immediately printed
and forwarded to you. General Muhlenburg is come to this place, which
he will now make his headquarters. I think he will be able to set into
motion, within a very few days, five hundred regulars, who are now
equipped for their march, except some blankets still wanting, but I hope
nearly procured and ready to be delivered.

I sincerely congratulate you on your successful advances on the enemy,
and wish to do every thing to second your enterprises, which the
situation of this country, and the means and powers put into my hands,
enable me to do.

I am, Sir, with sincere respect and esteem,

your most obedient

and most humble servant,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER XX.--TO GENERAL WASHINGTON, September 8, 1780

TO HIS EXCELLENCY GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Richmond, September 8, 1780.

Sir,

As I know the anxieties you must have felt, since the late misfortune to
the South, and our latter accounts have not been quite so unfavorable
as the first, I take the liberty of enclosing you a statement of this
unlucky affair, taken from letters from General Gates, General Stevens,
and Governor Nash, and, as to some circumstances, from an officer who
was in the action.* Another army is collecting; this amounted, on the
23rd ultimo, to between four and five thousand men, consisting of about
five hundred Maryland regulars, a few of Hamilton's artillery, and
Porterfield's corps, Armand's legion, such of the Virginia militia as
had been reclaimed, and about three thousand North Carolina militia,
newly embodied. We are told they will increase these to eight thousand.
Our new recruits will rendezvous in this State between the 10th and 25th
instant. We are calling out two thousand militia, who, I think, however,
will not be got to Hillsborough till the 25th of October. About three
hundred and fifty regulars marched from Chesterfield a week ago. Fifty
march to-morrow, and there will be one hundred or one hundred and fifty
more from that post, when they can be cleared of the hospital. This
is as good a view as I can give you of the force we are endeavoring to
collect; but they are unarmed. Almost the whole small arms seem to have
been lost in the late rout. There are here, on their way southwardly,
three thousand stand of arms, sent by Congress, and we have still a
few in our magazine. I have written pressingly, as the subject well
deserves, to Congress, to send immediate supplies, and to think of
forming a magazine here, that in case of another disaster, we may not be
left without all means of opposition.

[* The circumstances of the defeat of General Gates's army,
near Camden in August, 1780, being of historical notoriety,
this statement is omitted.]

I enclosed to your Excellency, some time ago, a resolution of the
Assembly, instructing us to send a quantity of tobacco to New York for
the relief of our officers there, and asking the favor of you to obtain
permission. Having received no answer, I fear my letter or your answer
has miscarried. I therefore take the liberty of repeating my application
to you.

I have the honor to be, with the most profound respect,

your Excellency's most obedient

and most humble servant,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER XXI.--TO GENERAL EDWARD STEVENS, September 12,1780

TO GENERAL EDWARD STEVENS.

Richmond, September 12,1780.

Sir,

Your letters of August 27th and 30th are now before me. The subsequent
desertions of your militia have taken away the necessity of answering
the question, how they shall be armed. On the contrary, as there must
now be a surplus of arms, I am in hopes you will endeavor to reserve
them, as we have not here a sufficient number by fifteen hundred or two
thousand, for the men who will march hence, if they march in numbers
equal to our expectations. I have sent expresses into all the counties
from which those militia went, requiring the county lieutenants to exert
themselves in taking them; and such is the detestation with which they
have been received, that I have heard from many counties they were going
back of themselves. You will of course, hold courts martial on them, and
make them soldiers for eight months. If you will be so good as to inform
me, from time to time, how many you have, we may, perhaps, get the
supernumerary officers in the State, to take command of them. By the
same opportunities, I desired notice to be given to the friends of the
few remaining with you, that they had lost their clothes and blankets,
and recommended, that they should avail themselves of any good
opportunity to send them supplies.

We approve of your accommodating the hospital with medicines, and the
Maryland troops with spirits. They really deserve the whole, and I wish
we had means of transportation for much greater quantities, which
we have on hand and cannot convey. This article we could furnish
plentifully to you and them. What is to be done for wagons, I do not
know. We have not now one shilling in the treasury to purchase them.
We have ordered an active quarter-master to go to the westward, and
endeavor to purchase on credit, or impress a hundred wagons and teams.
But I really see no prospect of sending you additional supplies, till
the same wagons return from you, which we sent on with the last. I
informed you in my last letter, we had ordered two thousand militia
more, to rendezvous at Hillsborough on the 25th of October. You will
judge yourself, whether in the mean time you can be more useful by
remaining where you are, with the few militia left and coming in, or by
returning home, where, besides again accommodating yourself after your
losses, you may also aid us in getting those men into motion, and in
pointing out such things as are within our power, and may be useful to
the service. And you will act accordingly. I am with great friendship
and esteem, dear Sir,

your most obedient, humble servant,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER XXII.--TO GENERAL EDWARD STEVENS, September 15, 1780

TO GENERAL EDWARD STEVENS.

Richmond, September 15, 1780.

Sir,

I beg leave to trouble you with a private letter, on a little matter
of my own, having no acquaintance at camp, with whom I can take that,
liberty. Among the wagons impressed, for the use of your militia, were
two of mine. One of these, I know is safe, having been on its way from
hence to Hillsborough, at the time of the late engagement. The other,
I have reason to believe, was on the field. A wagon-master, who says
he was near it, informs me the brigade quarter-master cut out one of
my best horses, and made his escape on him, and that he saw my wagoner
loosening his own horse to come off, but the enemy's horse were then
coming up, and he knows nothing further. He was a negro man, named
Phill, lame in one arm and leg. If you will do me the favor to inquire
what is become of him, what horses are saved, and to send them to me,
I shall be much obliged to you. The horses were not public property, as
they were only impressed and not sold. Perhaps your certificate of what
is lost, may be necessary for me. The wagon-master told me, that the
public money was in my wagon, a circumstance, which, perhaps, may aid
your inquiries. After apologizing for the trouble, I beg leave to assure
you, that I am, with great sincerity,

your friend and servant,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER XXIII.--TO MAJOR GENERAL GATES, September 23, 1780

TO MAJOR GENERAL GATES.

Richmond, September 23, 1780.

Sir,

I have empowered Colonel Carrington to have twelve boats, scows, or
batteaux, built at Taylor's Ferry, and to draw on me for the cost. I
recommended the constructing them so as to answer the transportation of
provisions along that river, as a change of position of the two armies
may render them unnecessary at Taylor's Ferry, and I am thoroughly
persuaded, that, unless we can find out some channel of transportation
by water, no supplies of bread, of any consequence can be sent you
from this State for a long time to come. The want of wagons is a bar
insuperable, at least in any reasonable time. I have given orders to
have Fry and Jefferson's map, and Henry's map of Virginia, sought for
and purchased. As soon as they can be got, I will forward them. I have
also written to General Washington on the subject of wintering the
French fleet in the Chesapeake. Our new levies rendezvous in large
numbers. As General Washington had constituted them in eight battalions,
and allotted none to Colonel Harrison, we think to deliver him about
four hundred drafts of another kind, who are to serve eighteen months
also. Unless Congress furnish small arms, we cannot arm more than half
the men who will go from this State. The prize you mention of tents and
blankets is very fortunate. It is absolutely out of our power to get
these articles, to any amount, in this country, nor have we clothing for
our new levies. They must, therefore, go to you clothed as militia,
till we can procure and send on supplies. They will be as warm in their
present clothing at Hillsborough, as at Chesterfield Court House.

We have an agent collecting all the beeves which can be got from the
counties round about Portsmouth, to send off to you.

They have there also plentiful crops of corn growing. We have instructed
him to try whether means of conveying it down into the Sounds, and up
some of the rivers of North Carolina, or by land to Meherrin river, and
thence down Chowan, and up Roanoke, cannot be rendered practicable.

I am, with every sentiment of esteem and respect,

your most obedient

and most humble servant,

Th: Jefferson.

P.S. I enclose a certificate, acknowledging satisfaction for the money
furnished Colonel Kosciusko. T. J.

LETTER XXIV.--TO GENERAL WASHINGTON, September 23, 1780

TO HIS EXCELLENCY GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Richmond, September 23, 1780.

Sir,

I yesterday forwarded to you a letter from Colonel Wood, informing
you of his situation. That post has, for some time past, been pretty
regularly supplied, and I hope will continue to be for some time to
come. A person whose punctuality can be relied on, offers to contract
for victualling it. If we can agree on terms, and the Assembly will
strengthen our hands sufficiently, we think to adopt that method, as
the only one to be relied on with certainty. I have heard it hinted
that Colonel Wood thinks of quitting that post. I should be exceedingly
sorry, indeed, were he to do it. He has given to those under his charge,
the most perfect satisfaction, and, at the same time, used all the
cautions which the nature of his charge has required. It is principally
owing to his prudence and good temper that the late difficulties have
been passed over, almost without a murmur. Any influence which your
Excellency shall think proper to me, for retaining him in his present
situation, will promote the public good, and have a great tendency to
keep up a desirable harmony with the officers of that corps. Our new
recruits are rendezvousing very generally. Colonel Harrison was uneasy
at having none of them assigned to his corps of artillery, who have very
much distinguished themselves in the late unfortunate action, and
are reduced almost to nothing. We happened to have about four hundred
drafts, raised in the last year, and never called out and sent on duty
by their county lieutenants, whom we have collected and are collecting.
We think to deliver these to Colonel Harrison: they are to serve
eighteen months from the time of rendezvous. The numbers of regulars
and militia ordered from this State into the southern service, are
about seven thousand. I trust we may count that fifty-five hundred
will actually proceed: but we have arms for three thousand only. If,
therefore, we do not speedily receive a supply from Congress, we must
countermand a proper number of these troops. Besides this supply,
there should certainly be a magazine laid in here, to provide against
a general loss as well as daily waste. When we deliver out those now in
our magazine, we shall have sent seven thousand stand of our own into
the southern service, in the course of this summer. We are still more
destitute of clothing, tents, and wagons for our troops. The southern
army suffers for provisions, which we could plentifully supply, were
it possible to find means of transportation. Despairing of this, we
directed very considerable quantities, collected on the navigable
waters, to be sent northwardly by the quarter-master. This he is now
doing; slowly, however. Unapprized what may be proposed by our allies
to be done with their fleet in the course of the ensuing winter, I would
beg leave to intimate to you, that if it should appear to them eligible
that it should winter in the Chesapeake, they can be well supplied with
provisions, taking their necessary measures in due time. The waters
communicating with that bay furnish easy, and (in that case) safe
transportation, and their money will call forth what is denied to ours.

I am, with all possible esteem and respect, your Excellency's

most obedient and humble servant,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER XXV.--TO HIS EXCELLENCY GENERAL WASHINGTON, September 26,1780

TO HIS EXCELLENCY GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Richmond, September 26,1780.

Sir,

The enclosed copy of a letter from Lord Cornwallis [See Appendix, note
E.] to Colonel Balfour, was sent me by Governor Rutledge: lest you
should not have seen it, I do myself the pleasure of transmitting
it, with a letter from General Harrington to General Gates giving
information of some late movements of the enemy.

I was honored yesterday with your favor of the 5th instant, on the
subject of prisoners, and particularly Lieutenant Governor Hamilton. You
are not unapprized of the influence of this officer with the Indians,
his activity and embittered zeal against us. You also, perhaps, know how
precarious is our tenure of the Illinois country, and how critical
is the situation of the new counties on the Ohio. These circumstances
determined us to detain Governor Hamilton and Major Hay within
our power, when we delivered up the other prisoners. On a late
representation from the people of Kentucky, by a person sent here from
that country, and expressions of what they had reason to apprehend from
these two prisoners, in the event of their liberation, we assured
them they would not be parted with, though we were giving up our other
prisoners. Lieutenant Colonel Dabusson, aid to Baron de Kalb, lately
came here on his parole, with an offer from Lord Rawdon, to exchange
him for Hamilton. Colonel Towles is now here with a like proposition
for himself, from General Phillips, very strongly urged by the General.
These, and other overtures, do not lessen our opinion of the importance
of retaining him; and they have been, and will be, uniformly rejected.
Should the settlement, indeed, of a cartel become impracticable, without
the consent of the States to submit their separate prisoners to its
obligation, we will give up these two prisoners, as we would any thing,
rather than be an obstacle to a general good. But no other circumstance
would, I believe, extract them from us. These two gentlemen, with a
Lieutenant Colonel Elligood, are the only separate prisoners we have
retained, and the last, only on his own request, and not because we set
any store by him. There is, indeed, a Lieutenant Governor Rocheblawe of
Kaskaskia, who has broken his parole and gone to New York, whom we must
shortly trouble your Excellency to demand for us, as soon as we can
forward to you the proper documents. Since the forty prisoners sent
to Winchester, as mentioned in my letter of the 9th ultimo, about one
hundred and fifty more have been sent thither, some of them taken by us
at sea, others sent on by General Gates.