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Subject Area: Political Theory
Topic: The American Revolution and Constitution

TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS 1 (SAMUEL HUNTINGTON) - Thomas Jefferson, The Works, vol. 3 (Notes on Virginia I, Correspondence 1780-1782) [1905]

Edition used:

The Works of Thomas Jefferson, Federal Edition (New York and London, G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1904-5). Vol. 3.

Part of: The Works of Thomas Jefferson, 12 vols.

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TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS1 (SAMUEL HUNTINGTON)

c. c.

Richmond November 3rd. 1780.

Sir,

—Since I had the honour of writing to your Excellency on the 25th ult. the enemy have withdrawn their force from the north side of James river, and have taken post at Portsmouth; which we learn they are fortifying; their highest post is Suffolk, where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 & 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 2500 to 3000 of which between 60 and 70 are cavalry. They are commanded by General Leslie and were convoyed by the Romulus of 40 guns, the Blonde of 32, the Delight sloop of 16, a 20 gun ship of Inc. Goodrichs and two row gallies: commanded by Commodore Gayton. We are not yet as assured 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 here had induced me to think they came in expectation of meeting with Lord Cornwallis in this country, that his pricipitate retreat has left them without a concerted object, and that they were waiting further orders. Information of this morning says that on being informed of Lord Cornwallis’s retreat, and a public paper produced to them wherein were printed the several dispatches which brought this intelligence from General Gates, they unladed a vessel and sent her off to Charles Town immediately. The fate of this army of theirs hangs on a very slender naval force indeed.

The want of Barracks at Fort Frederic, as represented by Colo. Wood, the difficulty of getting waggons sufficient to move the whole convention troops at once, and the state of unreadiness in which the regiment of guards is have induced us to think that it will be better to remove those troops in two divisions: and as the whole danger of desertion to the enemy and of 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 Colo Wood to move on the British in the first division and to leave the Germans in their present situation to form a second division, and to be moved so soon as barracks may be erected at Fort Frederic. By these means the British may march immediately under the guard of Colo Crockets battalion, while Colo Taylor’s regiment of guards remain with the Germans. I cannot suppose that 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 together into barracks, which probably are 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 closely as possible, and their being exposed to a want of convering would in that case 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 have got into a regular train.

P. S. By a letter from Colo. Wood received since writing the above, I am informed the British Conventioners are 804 rank & file. He does not mention the present number of the Germans. In May last they were 1503 including officers.

[1 ]A letter to Washington, of the same date and tenor, is printed in Washington’s edition, i., 270; and the first paragraph, with slight changes, forms a letter to Gates, dated Nov. 4th.