1From Thomas Jefferson to George Rogers Clark, 27 September 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Randolph having been prevented by sickness from setting out for the Westward, gives me an opportunity of sending you by him my last orders to Col. Crocket. I am with great respect Sir Your most obedt. Servt., RC ( WHi ); in a clerk’s hand, signed by TJ. See TJ to Crockett, following , which was perhaps enclosed in the present letter.
2From Thomas Jefferson to George Rogers Clark, enclosing Clark’s Commission, 22 January 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I do myself the pleasure of inclosing you a Brigadier General’s commission. The laws having given us power to appoint a General officer only for special purposes, and not a perpetual one, has obliged us to express the particular occasion of this appointment . Besides this I thought it necessary to give you an exemplification of your former commission which was perpetual. I wish you in every...
3From Thomas Jefferson to George Rogers Clark, 19 December 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
Having an opportunity by Colo. Boon I take the liberty of calling to your mind your kindness in undertaking to procure for me some teeth of the great animal whose remains are found on the Ohio. Were it possible to get a tooth of each kind, that is to say a foretooth, grinder &c. it would particularly oblige me. Perhaps you know some careful person at Fort Pitt with whom they might be safely...
4From Thomas Jefferson to George Rogers Clark, 12 October 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
We have this moment learnt that there is in possession of Colo. Gibson at Fort Pitt or his Pay-master a quantity of Clothing fit for Soldiers: As Majr. Slaughter’s Corps we know is in want, and yours may possibly be, I have given Majr. Moore an Order to receive it, and deliver it to your order. I am with great respect Sir Your most obedt. humble servt, RC ( WHi ); in a clerk’s hand, with...
5From Thomas Jefferson to George Rogers Clark, 13 January 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I received last night from General Washington a letter on your subject in which he has complied with my request. As every movement will depend so much on yourself in the Western quarter I leave to yourself to determine whether you should not as soon as possible repair hither and take the ultimate measures which are necessary. I am Sir your most obedt. servt., RC ( WHi ); addressed, in TJ’s...
6From Thomas Jefferson to George Rogers Clark, 3 January 1778 (Jefferson Papers)
As some Indian Tribes, to the westward of the Missisippi have lately, without any provocation, massacred many of the Inhabitants upon the Frontiers of this Commonwealth, in the most cruel and barbarous Manner, and it is intended to revenge the Injury and punish the Aggressors by carrying the War into their own Country. We congratulate You upon your Appointment to conduct so important an...
7From Thomas Jefferson to George Rogers Clark, 20 January 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
Having cause to entertain doubts from several Letters transmitted me, whether Mr. Jno. Dodge who was appointed to conduct a commerce with the Indians on behalf of this state has not been guilty of gross misapplication or mismanagement of what has been confided to him and the distance between him and us rendering it impracticable to call the examination before ourselves, you are hereby...
8From Thomas Jefferson to George Rogers Clark, 19 February 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I received your Letter on the subject of the backwardness of the militia of Berkeley and Frederic to proceed Westwardly and had before received representations from the Counties. This circumstance was the more mortifying as we were informed from various quarters that should we persist in the order it would produce an open disobedience. Many Circumstances concurred to render it prudent to avoid...
9From Thomas Jefferson to George Rogers Clark, 20 January 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I think every paper is now ready for you. They shall be delivered to you tomorrow morning if you will be so good as to call on me. I expect Colo. Gibson here tomorrow. Would you think it worth your while to stay a day to see him? I am with great esteem Sir your most obedt. servt., RC ( WHi ); addressed and endorsed. Among the papers ready for delivery to Clark was a duplicate, dated 19 Jan.,...
10From Thomas Jefferson to George Rogers Clark, [March or April 1779] (Jefferson Papers)
Your letter and verba[l message] by Mr. St. Vrain was received today; your m[essage will be?] attended to. Much solicitude will be felt for the result of your expedition to the Wabash; it will at least delay their expedition to our frontier Settlements; and if Successful, have an important bearing ultimately in Establishing our North Western boundary. I am Sir your Mo. obt. […] Tr ( WHi ). In...
11From Thomas Jefferson to George Rogers Clark, 20 April 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I am happy to find that you are persevering thro’ your difficulties and hope it will have a fortunate issue. I think not only our future quiet to the Westward but Eastern events also depend much on your success. The Enemy at Portsmouth have received since you were here a reinforcement of 1500 men under Major General Phillips. They are at this time under way up James river, but to what place...
12From Thomas Jefferson to George Rogers Clark, 19 March 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
Since my last to you by Capt. Shannon informing you that draughts from yourself and Colo. Todd to the amount therein mentioned had been presented by Colo. Legras and Capt. Lintot, a Mr. Nathan merchant from the Havanna has presented us with others which he had taken up in New-Orleans to the amount of near 50,000 dollars. These two parcels added to those before presented from Mr. Pollock and...
13From Thomas Jefferson to George Rogers Clark, 13 February 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
Still having at heart the success of the expedition at the head of which you are placed, we have obtained leave from Baron Steuben for Colo. J. Gibson to attend you as next in command, and of course to succeed to your offices in the events of your death or captivity which however disagreeable in contemplation yet as being possible it is our duty to provide against. I have further added my most...
14From Thomas Jefferson to George Rogers Clark, 29 September 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
I sincerely congratulate you on your late Victory over the Shawanese and am sorry a want of Provisions prevented its being improved as far as it was capable of improvement. I hope those Savages will be taught to fear, since they cannot be taught to keep faith. Crocketts reinforcement will perhaps enable you with the occasional aids of Volunteers to give them so little rest as to induce them to...
15From Thomas Jefferson to George Rogers Clark, 6 January 1783 (Jefferson Papers)
I wrote you a letter from the neighborhood of Richmond during the course of the last month , but as there were no delegates at the assembly from the counties on the Ohio, and the conveiance of that letter may therefore be incertain, I will mention again a part of the subject of it. You were so kind in a former letter as to inform me you had procured for me some teeth and bones of the big...
16From Thomas Jefferson to George Rogers Clark, 26 November 1782 (Jefferson Papers)
I received in August your favour wherein you give me hopes of your being able to procure for me some of the big bones. I should be unfaithful to my own feelings were I not to express to you how much I am obliged by your attention to the request I made you on that subject. A specimen of each of the several species of bones now to be found is to me the most desireable object in Natural history,...
17From Thomas Jefferson to George Rogers Clark, 19 April 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
Your Letter from Louisville of February 22’d —80 came safely to Hand. In Answer to your Observations on the Spot proper to take Post on at the Mouth of Ohio we can only give our general Sentiments leaving the Ultimate Determination to your Prudence on view of the Ground, as we can neither make the particular spot we would elect to be what we should wish nor recommend to you to take Post on it...
18From Thomas Jefferson to George Rogers Clark, 29 January 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
Your letters of October 26 and 28 and Novr. 6 came safely to hand and lastly that of August 24. I am glad the proposition of establishing a post at or near the mouth of Ohio is likely to answer as well in practice as to us, who judged on theory only, it seemed likely to do. I have therefore written to Messrs. Walker and Smith , as you will see by the enclosed copy of my letter to them, to take...
19From Thomas Jefferson to George Rogers Clark, 25 December 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
A powerful army forming by our enemies in the south renders it necessary for us to reserve as much of our militia as possible free to act in that quarter. At the same time we have reason to believe that a very extensive combination of British and Indian savages is preparing to invest our western frontier. To prevent the cruel murders and devastations which attend the latter species of war and...
20From Thomas Jefferson to George Rogers Clark, 8 September 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
Your Letters of July by Mr. Randolph came safe to hand. In a former letter to you on the Subject of this summer’s operations (which I hear you never received) I informed you that the County Lieutenants to whom I had referred to determine on a plan of co-operating with their militia had estimated the expence at 1,995,000 pounds, a greater sum than we had in our treasury, could every other...
21From Thomas Jefferson to George Rogers Clark, [19 April] 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
I have received information of many Murders recently committed by the Indians in Washington, Montgomery, Green-Briar, Kentucky and the neighborhood of Fort Pitt. Tho the Nations by whom co[mmit]ted are not specified in the Information, the extent of the Mischief [indicates an?] extensive combination. Incertain whether you were near enough at Hand to afford relief, and indeed rather expecting...
22From Thomas Jefferson to George Rogers Clark, 1 January 17[80] (Jefferson Papers)
The late assembly having made some alteration in the Western force as stated to you in my former letter , I think it necessary to apprize you of it. They have directed your battalion to be completed, 100 men to be stationed at the falls of the Ohio under Majr. Slaughter, and one only of the additional battalions to be completed. Major Slaughter’s men are raised, and will march in a few days,...