1From Thomas Jefferson to Richard Claiborne, 23 May 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letters of the 18th and 19th inst. came to hand yesterday. Experience has for some time past convinced the Council that as the mode of acquiring waggons, horses &c. by Impress is the most irritating, so it is the most expensive which can be adopted. They therefore have generally meant to discontinue Impresses and to have purchases made wherever a delay can be admitted. And indeed it is...
2From Thomas Jefferson to Richard Claiborne, 4 May 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
You shall receive the money necessary for the purchase of the horses as fast as it can be prepared and as shall be practicable in concurrence with other pressing claimants. You know how difficult it is to fix on precise days for the treasury. Therefore all I can say with precision is that it shall be paid out of the present emission. Dft ( Vi ); written by TJ on address leaf of Claiborne’s...
3From Thomas Jefferson to Richard Claiborne, 9 April 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
In Council, 9 Apr. 1781 . This communication consists of an extract from Lafayette’s letter Annapolis, 4 Apr., notifying TJ that field pieces and ammunition were being sent from Lafayette’s army to Gen. Greene. To this TJ added the following note: “Majr. Claiborne will be pleased to take measures for the transportation of the above.” Tr ( Vi ); 1 p.; at foot of text: “A Copy.”
4From Thomas Jefferson to Richard Claiborne, 30 March 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
The operations against Portsmouth being now discontinued, œconomy and respect to the rights of our Citizens require that the Horses impressed for that Purpose be returned to their owners. This I know will be a troublesome and expensive undertaking, but it may be effectually done I hope if every Person who impressed is instructed to look out and return all the Horses impressed by himself....
5From Thomas Jefferson to Richard Claiborne and Granville Smith, 24 March 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
In Compliance with a resolution of the General Assembly of March 16th, I must beg the favor of you as soon as the Impress warrants to which the resolution refers shall have been fully executed to procure from the several persons who have been employed in the Execution of them a report of their Proceedings therein which may be done by way of Calendar under these Heads, to wit: 1st. The Species...
6From Thomas Jefferson to Richard Claiborne, [before 5 March 1781] (Jefferson Papers)
[William] Boswell one of the Southern riders stationed at Abram Mitchell’s within 15 Miles of Taylors ferry. He had letters for Genl. Greene which had gone from hence to his station in 48 Hours. He had then had them 6 hours when Mr. [John] Jones saw him, and ensisted on Mr. Jones’s taking the letters (tho’ an utter stranger to him) and tho’ he was not going to Taylor’s ferry. Mr. Jones took...
7From Thomas Jefferson to Richard Claiborne, [26? February 1781] (Jefferson Papers)
The matter referred to us in your letter of the 25th. Inst. we conceive to be improper for us to meddle in, I mean as to the necessity, and duties of a Field Quarter Master. The expences of defence in cases of actual invasion being altogether Continental, I mentioned early in the present invasion to Baron Steuben the propriety of directing every expenditure to be through the hands of...
8From Thomas Jefferson to Richard Claiborne, 17 February [1781] (Jefferson Papers)
I have submitted your Letter of yesterday to the consideration of the Gentlemen of the Council, who are present. It is thought that as the Letter of the Draft Law has left it to the Militia Officers to determine who are the proper Subjects of the Law, so the exemptions specifyed by the Law itself imply that no others shall be allowed. Whether the Staff Officers of the Continent or State are...
9From Thomas Jefferson to Richard Claiborne, 16 February 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
Baron Steuben being very desirous to have as large [a] collection of Boats made as possible and joined to those he now has at Sandy Point, You are hereby authorized to impress all boats proper for the transportation of troops in James or Appamattox rivers (excepting only one horse Boat at every ferry, and such cases of extreme hardship as in your discretion you shall think should exempt the...
10From Thomas Jefferson to Richard Claiborne, 7 February 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
We were not able to proceed to the consideration of the prices proposed to be given in your department till we could get a late arrangement of our own which interfered with some articles of you[rs]. This we got to day, and have come to the determination inclosed. Your first article we omitted because we give but two thirds of the allowance there proposed; the 2d because we have no such...