1Thomas Jefferson in Council to Samuel Huntington, 16 December 1779 (Madison Papers)
We have information from our Delegates in congress that the detention of some continental arms by the executive of this State during the course of the last summer has given considerable umbrage to congress. I beg leave therefore, thro’ you Sir, to lay before that honorable body facts, simply as they occurred, hoping that these will satisfy them that, the arms being justly due to this State,...
2From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 16 October 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
I take the liberty of troubling your Excellency for some blank letters of marque for use in this state, those we have on hand (forty seven in number) bearing the signature of Mr. Jay your predecessor. I am in hopes a safe opportunity of conveying them may not be long wanting. I have the honour to be with great respect Your Excellency’s Most Obedient & most humble servt., RC ( DLC : PCC , No....
3From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 24 October 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Some time in June I received from Mr. Jay a letter desiring I would have evidence collected on the subject of some Frenchmen who were said to have been murdered in cold blood by the English during their invasion of this commonwealth in the Spring. Several disappointments have retarded this matter much more than I could have wished, tho’ we have paid repeated attention to it. I now do myself...
4From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 16 November 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Colo. Bland being about to retire from his Command at the Barracks in Albemarle, and desirous to withdraw at the same time the party of his horse which has hitherto been Stationed there, wished that we should supply their place by sending thither about twenty or five and twenty of the horse of this State. Our horse being as yet not very well trained, the Officers represented that it woud much...
5From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 16 December 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
We have information from our Delegates in congress that the detention of some continental arms by the executive of this State during the course of the last summer has given considerable umbrage to congress. I beg leave therefore, thro’ you Sir, to lay before that honorable body facts, simply as they occurred hoping that these will satisfy them that, the arms being justly due to this State,...
6From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 30 December 1779 (Jefferson Papers)
Your Letter inclosing the resolutions of congress relating to the capture of the Portuguese Snow by Captain Cunningham has remained hitherto unanswered because I hoped Daily to be enabled to write more fully on that subject. The resolutions, and documents accompanying them, as soon as received, were put into the hands of our Attorney General, for his opinion, with intention to have such...
7From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 3 January 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
A large packet directed to the President of Congress with other dispatches for the Chevalier de la Luzerne and others, coming to my hands two days ago, I thought it proper to forward them to you by express. He should have set out yesterday but it was too tempestuous. I have the honor to be with all possible respect Your Excellency’s most obedient & most humble servt., RC ( DLC : PCC , No. 71,...
8From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 9 February 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
Your Excellencys letter inclosing that of Mr. Scott to President Reed, and the President’s to the Delegates of Pennsylvania in Congress, together with the resolutions of your honorable body recommending to both States to forbear granting lands within their disputed territory came safely to hand. I immediately availed myself of an opportunity, which occurred at that time, to Pittsburg, of...
9From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 9 June 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
I had the honor of receiving your requisition for 1,900,000 Dollars and of laying the same before the General Assembly then sitting. They immediately took measures for complying therewith. As we had not the money in our treasury it became necessary to raise it partly and principally by a sale of property, and partly by borrowing. These operations requiring some time it is absolutely...
10From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 15 June 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
I received your Excellency’s letter inclosing a resolution of Congress of the 5th. inst. for the establishment of a line of expresses from Cape Henry to Philadelphia. I had before on the request of General Washington formed such a line from Cape Henry to this place. I therefore thought it better to execute your desire by continuing the line from this place Northwardly, as it would save expence...
11From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 28 June 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
The want of intelligence of the Southern movements of the enemy, and the anxieties we have felt on that account, cannot have been less experienced by Congress. Having just now received a state of things as they are at present in that quarter, from Governor Nash, and from Colo. Monroe (the gentleman whom in a former letter I had informed Congress I had sent to hang as near as he could about the...
12From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 30 June 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
By Mr. Foster Webb you will receive in part of the requisition of Congress of 1,953,200 Dollars, the following sums, to wit 650,000 Dollars in money, and bills for 780,239 8/9 Dollars, making in the whole 1,430,239 8/9 Dollars. There remains a deficiency of 522,960 1/9 dollars which I hope to be able to send on within four weeks from this time. I should have been very happy to have been...
13From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 2 July 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
I have received and shall duly comply with the recommendations of Congress for corresponding with their committee at Headquarters. It having been necessary to lay their and your requisitions before the General assembly, it has not been within my power to give any effectual answer till within these few days; and now only on the article of provisions. I beg leave to refer you to my letter to...
14From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 27 July 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
According to the desire of Congress expressed in their resolutions of the 17th Ult. I shall endeavor to inform them what has been done by this state in consequence of the several resolutions there referred to. 1779. Mar. 9. Recommendation to the states to compleat their respective quotas of 80 battalions. 1780. Feb. 9. United states to furnish their respective deficiencies of 35,211 men on or...
15From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 3 September 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
It is not in my power to add any circumstance of consequence to those communicated to you by Genl. Gates, and as I suppose to the delegates of N. Carolina by Gover. Nash a letter from whom accompanies this, and I take for granted communicates the later intelligence which he was so kind as to transmit me at the same time. A force is again collected of between four and five thousand men...
16From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 6 September 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
Since the dispatches forwarded three days ago I have received others from Genl. Gates which he was pleased to leave open for my perusal and desired they might then be sent on by the line of expresses. He has therein informed you of the articles he has called on us for, and it may be important that you should know as well what we cannot as what we can do. Of the tents desired we cannot procure...
17From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 8 September 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
On receipt of the resolutions of Congress of June 19, for procuring Horses to remount Whites and Washingtons cavalry we laid the same before the assembly and were authorized by them to engage the state for payment. We thereon sent out powers to the different counties to purchase 160 Horses which were properly described in addition to 83, the purchase of which we had before authorized. That...
18From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 14 September 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
According to Genl. Gates’s request I transmit to your Excellency the inclosed copy of a letter I received from him this morning. That the enemy should meditate taking possession of Portsmouth in the manner they give out does not seem probable, as Sr. Henry Clinton under the present appearances would scarcely consent to spare men from New York; and that they should think of taking possession of...
19From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 26 September 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
At the desire of Genl. Gates I transmit you the inclosed letters from Genl. Harrington and Colo. Marian and the deposition of a prisoner escaped from the enemy. A Gentleman will set out from this place within two days for Philadelphia to receive and bring our quota of the new money, which we hope will be in readiness for him. I have the honor to be with the greatest respect Your Excellency’s...
20[From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 27 September 1780] (Jefferson Papers)
[Richmond, 27 Sep. 1780. JCC Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 , ed. W. C. Ford and others, Washington, 1904–1937 , xviii , 912 (9 Oct. 1780): “A letter, of 27 September, from Governor Jefferson was read, accompanied with copies of the acts of the Virginia assembly, from the beginning of the year, 1779.” Letter not located, but the Journals record two days later that, on a motion...
21From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 3 October 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
I inclose you the within copies of letters transmitted me by Genl. Gates, according to his desire expressed in the one addressed to me. I shall endeavor as far as shall be in my power to have his several desires complied with. I have the honor to be very respectfully Your Excellency’s Most obedient & most humble servt., RC ( DLC : PCC , No. 71, i ); endorsed by Charles Thomson: “Letter from...
22From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 8 October 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
At the desire of Majr. Genl. Gates I do myself the honour of transmitting you the inclosed papers sent by him to me, and copies also of his letters to me. I have the honor to be with the most profound respect Your Excellency’s Most obedt. & most humble servt., RC ( DLC : PCC , No. 71, i ); endorsed by Thomson: “Letter from Gov Jefferson Oct 8. 1780 Read 13.” Enclosures: Gates to Huntington, 5...
23[From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 10 October 1780] (Jefferson Papers)
[ Richmond, 10 Oct. 1780. JCC Journals of the Continental Congress, 1774–1789 , ed. W. C. Ford and others, Washington, 1904–1937 , xviii , 957–8 (21 Oct.): “A letter, of 10, from Governor Jefferson was read; Whereupon, Resolved , That the reasons assigned by his excellency Governor Jefferson for inviting Oconostota and a few other principal warriors of the Cherokee nation to visit Congress and...
24From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 14 October 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
At the desire of Majr. General Gates I transmit you the inclosed papers which he put under cover to me. He complains of the arrival of our troops without clothes, tents, or arms at Hilsborough: and desires they may not be sent on at all unless completely equipped with every necessary. This would indeed put an end to the marching a single man there. They go clothed as militia. Few of them carry...
25From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 15 October 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
I do myself the pleasure of congratulating your Excellency on the small dawn of good fortune which at length appears in the South, as you will find by the dispatches I have the honor of inclosing to you, and which I this moment receive from Genl. Gates. There seems to be a confusion between the numbers 810. and 1400. However the smaller one is not to be despised. The line of expresses having...
26From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 22 October 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
The inclosed Letters which came to hand this morning will inform your Excellency that a Fleet of the Enemy has arrived in our Bay; and that a Debarkation of some light Horse in the Neighbourhood of Portsmouth seems to indicate that as their first Scene of Action. We are endeavouring to collect a Body to oppose them as numerous as the Arms we have will admit. We are obliged of Consequence to...
27From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 25 October 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
I do myself the pleasure of handing on the dispatches from General Gates accompanying this. Since my last informing you of the appearance of an enemy’s fleet they have landed 800 men in the neighbourhood of Portsmouth and some more on the bay side of Princess Anne County. On the 23d. in the morning they landed 1000 infantry and 100 cavalry at New Port’s news who immediately took possession of...
28From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 26 October 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
Richmond, 26 Oct. 1780. This letter is almost identical with TJ’s letter to Thomas Sim Lee of this date, q.v. RC ( DLC : PCC , No. 71, i ); in a clerk’s hand, signed and addressed by TJ; endorsed: “Letter from Govr Jefferson Octr 26. 1780 Read Novr 2 Referred to the board of War to take order.” For variations from the text of the letter to Lee, see note there.
29From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 3 November 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
Since I had the honour of writing to your Excellency on the 25th ult, the enemy have withdrawn their force from the north side of James river, and have taken post at Portsmouth, which we learn they are fortifying; their highest post is Suffolk, where there is a very narrow and defensible pass between Nansemond river and the dismal swamp, which covers the country below from being entered by us....
30From Thomas Jefferson to Samuel Huntington, 7 November 1780 (Jefferson Papers)
I have the honor of forwarding to your Excellency sundry dispatches received from Majr. General Gates. You will observe in these what the General had at first proposed to do with the prisoners taken at Kings Mountain, and that difficulties suggested afterwards had produced subsequent doubts. As to the regulars among those Captives I should think them properly disposed of if joined to the...