1From Thomas Jefferson to the County Lieutenants of Washington and Certain Other Counties, 28 May 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
Lord Cornwallis from Carolina and a Reinforcement of 2000 Men from New York having joined the hostile Army which was before here and crossed James River renders it necessary for us to bring a very great Force into the Field. As I have reason to believe you have not sent the whole Number ordered to the Southward by my Letter of You will now be pleased to send under proper Officers whatever...
2From Thomas Jefferson to the County Lieutenants, 19 January 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
THE invasion of our country by the enemy at the Close of the last Session of Assembly, their pushing immediately to this place, the dispersion of the publick papers, which for the purpose of saving them necessarily took place, and the injury done at the printing office, have been so many causes operating unfortunately to the delay of transmitting you those acts of Assembly which required...
3From Thomas Jefferson to the County Lieutenants, 30 March 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
THE act of October 1780, For recruiting this state’s quota of troops to serve in the continental army , allowed persons to exempt themselves from certain military duties, by enlisting a soldier after the first day of the ensuing month of April , to serve during the war, and delivering him to a person authorized by the Governour to receive him. Sensible that the burthens of your office are...
4From Thomas Jefferson to the County Lieutenants of Fauquier and Certain Other Counties, 14 April 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I am to desire you to send of your Militia under proper officers with such good Arms as they have, and especially Rifles, to rendezvous at Williamsburg on the 1st. Day of May and to continue in Service two Months from the time of their getting to the Rendezvous. As Circumstances may render it necessary to change the Rendezvous, you will be pleased to order them by the way of where they will...
5From Thomas Jefferson to the County Lieutenants of James City and Certain Other Counties, [24 February 1781] (Jefferson Papers)
Be pleased to order to on receipt of this of the militia of your County to remain on duty only till releifs ordered from Counties less exposed shall arrive. I hope this call will be thought less heavy on your County as we would avoid calling on it to perform a full tour of duty, and only wish them to serve during those short intervals between the necessary discharge of the militia and arrival...
6From Thomas Jefferson to the County Lieutenants of Hanover and Certain Other Counties, 12 March 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
You will be pleased to send effective men of your militia immediately to Williamsburg under proper officers. I would advise that they carry what good firelocks they have. Deficiencies I expect may be supplied. I must beseech you to lose no Time in executing this order as the aid of these men is immediately wanting. Should the Call of such a Proportion of your militia render the prosecution of...
7From Thomas Jefferson to the County Lieutenants of Chesterfield and Dinwiddie, 18 February 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
Not knowing where the very rapid march of Ld. Cornwallis may terminate, I think it necessary to desire that every man of your Militia who has a firelock or for whom one can be procured by impressing or otherwise be immediately embodied under proper Officers. I do not herein give orders for their march because you are so convenient that you can without it’s causing but little delay give me...
8From Thomas Jefferson to the County Lieutenants of Buckingham and Amherst, 22 March 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
The Board approve of your having complied with the Call for militia on the Invasion of our Country, tho’ that Call did not proceed immediately from the Executive. Necessity obliged us on the first of Arnold’s (&c. as in the Letter to the County Lieutenant of Culpeper). FC ( Vi ). The remainder of the letter to the two counties was the same as that indicated in the note to the letter to the...
9From Thomas Jefferson to the County Lieutenants of Frederick and Certain Other Counties, 4 September 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
The late misfortune to the southward renders it necessary that we send a reinforcement of militia from this State to assist in stopping the progress of the enemy should they be able to do no more. I have in the first place required the counties which lately sent militia to the southward, to furnish now so many as failed to march then of the quota called on, but to make up a substantial aid...
10From Thomas Jefferson to the County Lieutenants of Henrico and Certain Other Counties, 4 January 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
The Enemy having last Night past far up James River and seeming to point immediately to this Place or Petersburg, I must desire you without a moments Delay to send every man of your County able to bear Arms to rendezvous at Westham. Let them come in small Detachments as they can be collected and not wait to be formed into Companies. I am Sir your mo obt. hble. Servt., FC ( Vi ). At head of...
11From Thomas Jefferson to the County Lieutenants of King William and Certain Other Counties, 12 April 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
As your Militia is now returned or on their return home we have thought it necessary to take off the Suspension of the Act of October 1781 for recruiting this States Quota of Troops to serve in the Continental Army and to desire you to proceed to the raising the New Levies required from your County by that Law, and sending them to the Rendezvous as directed in my Letter of January 19th. 1781....
12From Thomas Jefferson to the County Lieutenants of Hampshire and Berkeley, 24 December 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
A powerful army forming by our enemies in the south and an extensive combination of savages in the west will probably render the ensuing campaign exceedingly active, and particularly call forth the exertions of this state. It is our duty to look forward in time and to make a proper division of our force between these two objects. There seems but one method of preventing the savages from...
13From Thomas Jefferson to the County Lieutenants of Monongalia and Ohio, 24 December 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
A powerful army &c. [as in letter to county lieutenants Hampshire and Berkeley to ‘proper officers’ and leave out from thence and insert] to be rendezvouzed at Pittsburg precisely by the first of march to proceed by the way of the falls of Ohio for an expedition under Colo. Clarke into the country beyond that river and to continue in service during the expedition; as to which Colo. Clarke is...
14From Thomas Jefferson to the County Lieutenants of Berkeley and Frederick, 16 February 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I have with exceeding distress of mind received information that the service to which the Militia of the Counties of Frederick and Berkely have been called Westwardly is so disagreeable as to render it probable that that call will be very imperfectly obeyed. A knowledge that an extensive combination of Indians had been formed to come on our frontier early in the spring induced us to prevent...
15From Thomas Jefferson to the County Lieutenants of Goochland and Henrico, 21 May 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
Should the Marquis Fayette give you Notice at any Time that there is Reason to apprehend the Enemy will cross James River, you will be pleased to order all Cattle and Horses which may be within twenty Miles wherever they shall at any Time be to be removed [&c. as in the Letter to Powhatan.] I am &c., FC ( Vi ). Brackets supplied; for remainder of text see preceding letter.
16From Thomas Jefferson to Certain County Lieutenants, 6 November 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
I am to ask the favor of you to give notice to the Officers recommended by you for the Western Battalions that as soon as one half the quota of one of them is raised and delivered by you he shall be entitled to the Commission for which he was recommended. As soon as that quota is complete and half the next raised another shall be entitled to his commission: and so on where there are more. You...
17From Thomas Jefferson to the County Lieutenants of Chesterfield and Dinwiddie, 9 March 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
It being absolutely necessary to send an immediate Reinforcement of Militia to General Muhlenburg’s Camp, I am to desire you without Delay to send effective men from your County to him. I will assure you that they shall be detained but a few Days, which considering the Shortness of Time they were out on the last Call will not more than make their Times of Service equal to those of the other...
18From Thomas Jefferson to the County Lieutenants of Powhatan and Certain Other Counties, 31 May 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
It having become essentially necessary to raise immediately a large body of Cavalry and having no means of providing Accoutrements we are obliged to attempt the recovery of All the public Arms and Accoutrements for Cavalry dispersed in private hands through the state, which if they can be secured will arm and equip a very respectable force. I am therefore to press you instantly and diligently...
19From Thomas Jefferson to the County Lieutenants, 26 March 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I INCLOSE you by express, three acts of the last session of Assembly for ascertaining the number of militia in the state; exempting artificers employed at iron works from militia duty, and remedying the inconveniencies arising from the interruption of the draught and the procuring clothes, provisions, and waggons for the army. WE expect to send a vessel shortly with a flag, from this place to...
20From Thomas Jefferson to the County Lieutenants of Accomac and Northampton Counties, 13 March 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
On further Consideration of the paragraph in my Letter of January 19th requiring the public Arms in the Hands of the People to be sought for and collected together we are of Opinion it will be better to dispense with it in the two Counties on the Eastern Shore. You will therefore be pleased to consider it as dispensed with. I am, &c., FC ( Vi ). This suspension of part of the orders of 19 Jan....
21From Thomas Jefferson to the County Lieutenants and Others, [8 May 1781] (Jefferson Papers)
The bearer hereof Colo. Senf being sent by Majr. Genl. Marquis Fayette to have the bridges and boats and other vessels destroyed which might otherwise facilitate the passage of the enemy across the rivers Blackwater, Nottoway, Meherrin and Roanoke and to collect vessels for transportation of our own troops, all County Lieutenants and other militia officers and their militia are hereby required...
22From Thomas Jefferson to the County Lieutenants of King William and Hanover, 8 May 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
The British [&c. to the words ‘with these Arms in their hands’]1 to Richmond where they will receive orders to join Major General Marquis Fayette. When you shall be possessed [&c.] Whenever it is over they shall be discharged except the number called for by my Letter of yesterday who will be retained to perform a full tour. It is probable [&c. to the end.] I am &c., FC ( Vi ); at head of text:...
23From Thomas Jefferson to the County Lieutenants of Washington and Certain Other Counties, 15 February 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I have just received intelligence from Genl. Greene that Lord Cornwallis, maddened by his losses at the Cowpens and George town, has burnt his own Waggons to enable himself to move with facility, and is pressing forward towards the Virginia line, Genl. Green being obliged to retire before him with an inferior force. The necessity of saving Genl. Green’s Army and in doing that the probability...
24From Thomas Jefferson to the County Lieutenants of Shenandoah and Certain Other Counties, 2 January 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
The Enemy having again thought proper to invade our Country and being now on their Way up James River I have thought proper with Advice of the Council of State to require of your Militia under proper Officers to repair immediately to Richmond armed with good Rifles and Accoutrements suitable as far they have them; such of them as have not Rifles will be armed here with Musquets and joined to...
25From Thomas Jefferson to the County Lieutenants of Elizabeth City and Certain Other Counties, 2 May 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
You are desired immediately to embody so many of your Militia as you can arm from your County and have them marched under proper officers to join Colo. Innes at such place as he shall direct. I am &c., FC ( Vi ); at head of text: “County Lieutenants of Elizabeth City, Warwick, York, James City, King & Queen and of Williamsburg.”
26From Thomas Jefferson to the County Lieutenants of Loudoun, Fairfax, Prince William, and Fauquier, 17 February 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
You will be pleased immediately on receipt of this, to order one fourth of your Militia to be assembled and marched without delay to Wmsburg under proper field officers, Captains, and subalterns. Send as many riflemen among them with their rifles as can be had, and of the rest let every man bring a good musket and accoutrements who has one. Let them proceed first to Fredericksburg where we...
27From Thomas Jefferson to the County Lieutenants of Berkeley, Frederick, and Hampshire Counties, 27 March 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
It being our Duty to see that such Proportion of Militia be called from your County either to the Westward or Eastward as is called from the other Counties, and being uninformed how many of them marched to the Westward, I am now to desire you will send men (deducting therefrom the number actually marched to the Westward) together with proper officers to perform a Tour of Duty in relief of...
28From Thomas Jefferson to the County Lieutenants of Berkeley and Certain Other Counties, 19 April 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
I have heard with much concern of the many Murders committed by the Indians in the Counties of Washington Montgomery, Green Briar and Kentucky, and in the neighborhood of Pittsburg. Hostilities so extensive prove a formidable Combination of that kind of enemy. Propositions have been made for Particular Stations of men as a present Safe guard to the Frontiers, but I own that they do not appear...
29From Thomas Jefferson to the County Lieutenants of Prince George and Other Counties, 1 March 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
It being necessary that a reinforcement be sent immediately to General Muhlenburg you will be pleased to order of your Militia to be at his head quarters on the 5th or at furthest the 6th. instant. They will there receive arms. This number must be sent fully. I am Sir, &c., &c., FC ( Vi ); at head of text: “Letter to the County Lieutenants of Prince George, Sussex, Southampton, Isle of Wight,...
30From Thomas Jefferson to the County Lieutenants, 12 April 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
HAVING received an application from the Commanding Officer to strengthen our army below, and being very unwilling to harrass the Militia more than shall be absolutely unavoidable, we are in hopes an immediate and sufficient accession of force may be obtained by application to the several Counties for their delinquents in Militia duty whom the Law sentences to six months service. Every County,...