Thomas Jefferson Papers
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Thomas Jefferson to John H. Cocke, 23 October 1814

To John H. Cocke

Monticello Oct. 23. 14.

Dear Sir

I am thankful for the indulgence of your kind letter of Aug. 27. and happy in being now able to forward you an order on my correspondents in Richmond for the price of the horse you were so good as to let me have. I find him really valuable, and in the carriage particularly excellent, so as to be entirely contented with him.

Our intelligence from abroad gives us reason to expect a long state of warfare. regular forces being unobtainable in a country whose inhabitants are so happily situated as ours are at home our reliance must be on Militia: and if these be put into the effective form which has been so often pressed on Congress, we have nothing to fear but the creation of debt. this I hope, with economy, and a good system of finance, may be kept within moderate and safe bounds. when the issue of the present campaign shall be known in England, if ever it shall be truly known there, I think they will regret the exorbitance of pretensions to which their inflated arrogance has led them. it falls to our lot to convince them that there are limits to their power & successes, and I have no fear but that we shall do it. I am in hopes the active part you are taking in this great concern has been favorable to your health, and that the usual influence of the autumnal season in the country where you are has not reached yourself. Accept the assurance of my great esteem and respect.

Th: Jefferson

RC (ViU: TJP); addressed: “Genl John Hartwell Cocke”; franked; postmarked Milton, 26 Oct.; endorsed by Cocke. PoC (DLC); on verso of reused address cover of Patrick Gibson to TJ, 30 Sept. 1814; mutilated at seal, with lost text interlined by TJ; endorsed by TJ.

The enclosed order on Gibson & Jefferson, TJ’s correspondents in richmond, not found, was “for 167.D. in favr. John H. Cocke in payment for a horse” named Bremo (MB description begins James A. Bear Jr. and Lucia C. Stanton, eds., Jefferson’s Memorandum Books: Accounts, with Legal Records and Miscellany, 1767–1826, 1997, The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, Second Series description ends , 2:1299, 1304; see also TJ to Cocke, 19 Apr. 1814, and note). At this time Cocke and the Virginia militia units under his command were encamped at Camp Carter in the country a dozen miles below Richmond (Stuart L. Butler, “Gen. John Hartwell Cocke in the War of 1812,” MACH description begins Magazine of Albemarle County History, 1940–  (title varies: issued until 1951 as Papers of the Albemarle County Historical Society) description ends 65 [2007]: 29, 32).

Index Entries

  • Bremo (TJ’s horse); purchased from J. H. Cocke search
  • Cocke, John Hartwell; letters to search
  • Cocke, John Hartwell; militia service of search
  • Cocke, John Hartwell; TJ purchases horse from search
  • debt, public; TJ on search
  • Gibson & Jefferson (Richmond firm); and animals acquired by TJ search
  • Gibson & Jefferson (Richmond firm); payments made for TJ search
  • Great Britain; TJ on war with search
  • horses; TJ purchases search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Opinions on; government finance search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Opinions on; militia search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Opinions on; public debt search
  • Jefferson, Thomas; Opinions on; war with Great Britain search
  • militia; and War of1812 search
  • militia; TJ on search
  • political economy; and wartime finance search
  • War of1812; militia activity search
  • War of1812; TJ on search