To George Washington from Thomas Jefferson, 2 July 1780
From Thomas Jefferson
Richmond July 2. 1780.
Sir
I have received from the Committee of Congress at Headquarters three letters calling for aids of men & provisions.1 I beg leave to refer you to my letter to them of this date on those subjects.2 I thought it necessary however to suggest to you the preparing an arrangement of officers for the men: for tho’ they are to supply our battalions, yet as our whole line of officers almost are in captivity, I suppose some temporary provision must be made. we chearfully transfer to you every power which the executive might exercise on this occasion. as it is possible you may cast your eye on the unemployed officers now within the state, I write to Genl Muhlenburg to send you a return of them.3 I think the men will be rendezvoused within the present month. The bill indeed for raising them is not actually passed but it is in it’s last stage, and no opposition to any essential parts of it. I will take care to notify you of it’s passage.4
I have with great pain perceived your situation: and the more so as, being situated between two fires, a division of sentiment has arisen both in Congress & here, to which the resources of this country should be sent. the removal of Genl Clinton to the Northward must of course have great influence on the determination of this question; and I have no doubt but considerable aids may be drawn hence for your army, unless a larger one should be embodied in the South than the force of the enemy there seems to call for. I have the honor to be with every sentiment of esteem & respect Your Excellency’s most obedient & most humble servt
Th: Jefferson
ALS, PHi: Gratz Collection; copy, DLC: Jefferson Papers.
1. Jefferson probably is alluding to circulars to the states sent from the Committee at Headquarters on 25 May (two letters [letter 1; letter 2]) and 2 June, although Jefferson already had transmitted to the Virginia legislature additional letters from the committee (see Jefferson to Benjamin Harrison, 16, 19, and 22 June, in , 3:450–51, 456, 458; see also GW to the Committee at Headquarters, 25 May, notes 1 and 5, and 31 May, n.4).
2. See , 3:476–77.
3. Jefferson’s letter to Brig. Gen. Peter Muhlenberg has not been identified, but GW received the returns and arranged officers for new Virginia battalions (see Muhlenberg to GW, 4 July; see also GW to Jefferson and to Muhlenberg, both 18 July, DLC:GW).
4. “An act for speedily recruiting the quota of this state for the continental army,” passed on 12 July, directed “That three thousand men shall be forthwith raised for the purpose of completing this state’s quota of continental forces to serve until the last day of December, one thousand seven hundred and eighty one, and to be arranged in such corps or battalions belonging to this commonwealth as his excellency the commander in chief shall direct” ( [Hening], 10:257–62; see also , 84). Muhlenberg, rather than Jefferson, apparently notified GW of the legislature’s action (see Muhlenberg to GW, 1 and 8 Aug., both DLC:GW).