labouring part acting in New York this week, in Portsmouth the next, in Charlestown the third, the Continental war would be totally Changed, and a single Campaign would strip them of the labours and laurels of half a dozen. Could the Enemies for instance at Portsmouth be excluded from the water, they might be blockaded by Land and must fall in a due course of Time without the Loss of a man on our part. CIRCULAR LETTER TO THE COUNTY LIEUTENANTS. V. S. A. IN COUNCIL. April 12th, 1781. SIR,-Having received an application from the Commanding Officer to strengthen our Army below, and being unwilling to harass the Militia more than shall be absolutely unavoidable, we are in hopes an immediate and sufficient Accession of force may be obtained by an Application to the several Counties for their delinquents in Militia Duty whom the Law sentences to six months service. Every County, we are Confident, must have a number of these, and the laying them under a Penalty is a Justice due to the better part of the County, on whom, without a strict Execution of the Law the whole Militia duties will fall. These are now become too weighty not to be exacted equally and rigidly from all You will consider it as a standing part of the Duty of an Officer whom in my letter of the 30th of March 1781, you were desired to appoint for receiving recruits for the war to receive from time to time all persons of whatever Denomination sentenced to serve in the Army and instruct him to march them to this place whenever he shall have such a number as the distance and public necessity may render it expedient to march. The delinquents now particularly called for he must march immediately on their Receipts to Williamsburg. By executing this Requisition, justice will be done to the past services of the worthier part of the County, the tardy will be punished, due obedience to the Laws ensured in future, the military duties justly and equally divided, & the necessity of an immediate call on you for more Militia prevented. TO COLONEL OLIVER TOWLES. V. S. A. RICHMOND April 14th, 1781. SIR,-The same very disagreeable intelligence which you have been pleased to communicate to me of the Operations of our savage Enemy on the Potowmac has come to hand from several Parts of that River. Colo Skinner particularly has written on the subject of Arms. The Order I inclosed him tardy as the supply may be is the utmost it is in our power to do. From his letter we are to judge about a third of his Militia have Guns. These I suppose not to be very good, but they are unfortunately what we are obliged to have recourse to: the 200 stand from Annapolis for which I gave him an order are said to be very fine. The defence at Hunter's and the public Work at Fredericksburg are very important indeed and I hope will be very particularly attended to by the adjacent Counties. No Intelligence from Portsmouth gives us reason to believe that any regular forces have been sent on this expedition; so that we trust that it is less formidable than some representations make it. The worst is that a Country vulnerable in every Point is open to insult and depredation to even the smallest force, yet important points may we trust be guarded. In effecting this we rely on your Exertions being added, as we are assured they will be. TO COLONELS SKINNER AND GARRARD. V. S. A. RICHMOND. April 14th, 1781. SIR, I am exceedingly sorry to learn that the Enemy are committing such cruel depredations in your part of the Country; however it may tend to produce immoveable hatred against so detestable a nation and thereby strengthen our Union. Yet in the mean time it brings afflicting distress on Individuals and by diverting so great a Proportion of our force from their principal object leaves Atchievements in their power which otherwise could not be. We had thrown the whole Burthen of Militia duty on the Southern Counties leaving those to the North quiet till they should get through the raising of their new levies. That being done we have set the Southern Counties on the same business and relied on our Northern Citizens to constitute the Opposition to the hostile army below. Thus deprived for two months of the Aid of the Southern Counties and so many of the Northern like to be diverted, our Army is reduced to less than a third of the number of our Enemy who of course may march wherever they please. Situated as you are we cannot say that the Men before called for must march at all events. We wish you to consider the above circumstances and viewing at the same time your own situation, to determine yourself whether the force called for can be spared without endangering your part of the Country. Every part being equally within our care we wish not to expose one for the defence of another. The very important Works at and near Fredericksburg we must recommend to your particular protection, as also the saving all public Tobacco within your County. Sir John Peyton for us purchased lately at Baltimore about 200 Stand of Arms from Isaac and Adam Van Bibber and Co. They were brought to Annapolis in the vessels which brought on the Marquis Fayette's Detachment. Sir John Peyton has written to have them brought on by land, but he does not inform me to whom he has written. It is not in our Power to offer you any other supply of Arms but this. Were you to send some person in quest of these he would probably be able to meet with, or find them out and have them forwarded to you. His reasonable Expenses and those of Transportation shall be paid by the Public and the Arms when you get them may be applied under your care for the Defence of that part of the Country instead of the 150 formerly ordered which you have not received. I inclose you an order for these Arms. N B in the letter to Colo. Garrard omit last paragraph. TO DAVID JAMIESON.1 REESE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SIR,-The day is so very bad that I hardly expect a Council and there being nothing that I know of pressing, and Mrs. Jefferson in a situation in which I would not wish to leave her, I shall not attend today. Should there be a board this case requires immedi From a copy courteously furnished by Mr. D. McN. Stauffer. ate attention. The Court of Albemarle on the resignation of John Coles, County Lieutenant & Nicholas Lewis Cole have passed by Reuben Lindsay who was Lt. Col. and a man of as much worth as any in the County, & of a temper fit for conciliating the minds of the people to the many harsh calls now made upon them, and have recommended (as report sais) John Marks to be County Lieut. who was formerly a junior captain & retired, not possessing an inch of property in the County or other means of obtaining influence over the people, and of a temper so ungovernable that instead of reconciling he will by his manner of executing revolt the minds of the people against the calls of government, and produce mutinies & difficulties when others would go through smoothly. As our power of redressing depends on our taking the Start, I would recommend if there be a board, the enclosed resolution. I do not know who are the two eldest captains. Reuben Lindsay I know is the Lt. Colo. and Chas Selburne Lewis the Major. N. B. The board, should there be one, can form their resolution without my being present. If the Commissions can be sent to me I can forward them to-day. John Coles, County Lieutenant & Nicholas Lewis Cole, of Albemarle having resigned their commissions, the board advise that Reuben Lindsay the present Lt. Colo. be appointed County Lieutenant and Charles Selburne Lewis the present Major be appointed Colo. of the Militia of said County. |