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Statement of Arms and Men in Service, [29 January 1781]

Statement of Arms and Men in Service

[29 January 1781]

1. How many arms have we in the state fit for service, bayonets &c.

	Muskets in good repair	Muskets out of repair	Beyonets fitted	Cartouch boxes
In the magazines	68.	2273	159.	161.
In the hands of the troops embodd. (to be retd to magazine)
Dispersed in counties much exposed	3315.

2. How many have we lent N. Carolina since the war. How many since the invasion of S. Carolina

This shall be answered under Qu. 4. because we consider What have been sent Southwardly as sent into Continental service.

3. What stock ammunition & military stores of all kinds have we in hand?.
With what has N. Carolina been furnished?

Return of powder in the States magazines Nov. 20. 1780.

Musket

Canon

Incertain which

Total

Fit for use

17,900℔.

16,200℔.

6,419℔.

40,519℔.

Wanted
remanufacturing

3,980

3,000

5,780

12,760

Total

21,880

19,200

12,199

53,279

Destroyed by the enemy, as nearly as we
can find & to be deducted 1779, Sept. 25. lent
to Congress 22,960℔. powder of which
perhaps 10,000℔. was their own	12,960
1780. June. 30. delivered to Colo.
Finnie for the Southern service	10,000
	22,960

10,000

43,279

The accounts of other ammunition sent to N. Carolina from the state magazines are among the papers lost. The Fixed ammunition is remembered to have been somewhat Short of 100,000 cartridges. How much more loose ammunition is not remembered.

4. How many arms had we from Congress? Were they complete stands? How many have been furnished Congress since the war?

Arms (most of them complete stands) carried into Continental service by
The	3d Virginia regiment	627
	4th	515
	5th	270.
	6th	673.
	2d. state regiment	416	2501.
	Colo. Porterfeild’s detamt. sent to S.C. 1780	200
	Harrison’s artillery	25	225
	2d. 10th. & 12th. none.
	2d. 10th. & 12th. none. The 1st. 7th. 8th. 9th. 11th. 13th. 14th. 15th. & 1st. State from which I have no returns (forming an average from the 3d. 4th. 5th. 6th. 2d. State, & the 2d. 10th. & 12th. from which I have returns) may be supposed	2812.	2812
Sent to S. Carola with Colo. David Mason in 1779		1000	1000
Sent to S. Carola with Genl. Scott’s new levies in 1779.
Sent to N. Carolina in 1780. 2200 rampart arms & 1775 muskets & bayonets		3975	3975
We received of Continental arms in 1779, one half of which were rampart arms		5000

5. How many tents, or tent-cloth & other camp necessaries have we?

We had 230 tents in November last. They were delivered for the use of the militia & state troops during that invasion. After the invasion 75 were sent on with Cob. Green’s corps; some were reserved for the troops at Chesterfd. C. H. and the rest are in use with the state troops & militia now in the feud in this state. We have not at present a sufficient number of camp-kettles, but very shortly shall have. We were disfurnished of our canteens by the militia which went to the Southward, and now have very few.

6. What prospect have we of supplies of the above? Also blankets & cloth for Souldier’s clothes?

We have no prospect of any supply of tent cloth. Campkettles we have it in our power to procure from Hunter’s works. There are provided for the men at Chesterfeild C. house 400 suits of clothes, 400 pr. stockings, 200 pr. shoes, 800 shirts, & 200 blankets. The deficiency we have no means of providing, nor yet a single article for Colo. Buford’s corps. Colo. Taylor’s regiment is unclothed and no prospect of our cloathing them. Our Captives in Charlestown are in extreme distress, which nothing will enable us to relieve unless we could get permission to send tobacco to them.

7. How many men have we in the feud? and how many that cannot act for want of necessaries? & what are their principal wants?

	for the war	for less terms, or terms not specified	Total
Gibson’s regiment at Fort Pitt Sep. 22. 1780	61	117.	178
Capt. Heath’s company at F. Pitt, No return beleivd about		30.	30
Taylor’s regiment of guards. Dec. 1. 1780		260	260
Taylor’s regiment of guards. Dec. 1. 1780	60		60
Colo. Buford’s command (cannot act for want of clothing)	500	500	500
Colo. Green’s command	400	400	400
At Chesterfd. C. house	500	500	500
Gibson’s State regiment (including Brent’s 30. men) Jan. 22. 1781	182	40	222.
White’s & Washington’s horse. no return, but said to be about		300.	300
Majr. Nelson’s horse		94.	94.
In captivity at Charlestown. May. 12. 1780		1392.	1392.
Militia in service in Carolina. Jan. 13. 1781		991.
Militia in service in Virginia, to be reduced to		2700
Summary view of this.

	In the Feild.	In Captivity	Total
Regulars	2544	1392	3936
Militia	3691		3691
Total	6235	1392	7627

8. What stock of provision. What are our resources, & expectations as to them.

I hope we shall be able to purchase about 3000 hogs. The act of assembly will furnish 3000 beeves. We have engaged 10,000 barrels of flour &can engage more if necessary. The returns of short forage under the specific tax the last year amounted to about 100,000 bushels, and I suppose may be reckoned the same this year. Whatever more may be wanting, can be procured under the provision law. We shall be very far short of the Continental demand in spirits & salt. The pork, beef, & flour abovementioned excludes what we are now consuming.

How far are you advised as to the wants of N. Carolina?

I have not the least information.

MS (Vi); entirely in TJ’s hand. Endorsed: “Lre Speaker Harrison Jan. 29. 1781.” Another MS (DLC: Washington Papers); in a clerk’s hand, signed and dated by TJ: “Jan. 30. 1780.”

Neither of the MSS has a caption, but the endorsement on MS (Vi) indicates that it was among the papers enclosed in TJ to Harrison, this date; and the presence of another copy, dated 30 Jan., in the Washington Papers, indicates that these data were also sent to Washington. The following minute appears in the War Office Journal (Vi) under 29 Jan. 1781: “Gave in to the Governor, a return of the State Garrison regiments and a list of the Officers; a return of Arms issued for Continental use and to the Militia &c., a return of the made up ammunition and lead on hand the 29th. inst. of November, and a return from Capt. Irish with remarks on some of them where it was necessary.” The returns submitted by Muter, which have not been identified, were evidently requested by TJ in order to prepare the present document.

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Source Project: Jefferson Papers
Title: Statement of Arms and Men in Service, [29 January 1781]
Author: Jefferson, Thomas
Recipient: Harrison, Benjamin
Date: 29 January 1781

Reference

Cite as: “Statement of Arms and Men in Service, [29 January 1781],” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-04-02-0573. [Original source: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 4, 1 October 1780 – 24 February 1781, ed. Julian P. Boyd. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1951, pp. 470–473.]

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