31To Thomas Jefferson from William Tatham, 16 July 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
The moment I dispatched my Express with my letter to You of yesterday of 8. o Clock—I went to rest for an hour; on waking galloped down towards the Beach, near Lynhaven, where I found one of the Brittish Tenders, with her—of My Boat, had just been on Shore: Capt. Reid with two, Mr. Nimmo’s of Princess Anne, & a Mr. Bowman, went down & conversd with three officers who landed, & Capt. R. is said...
32To Thomas Jefferson from William Tatham, 15 July 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
After dispatching mine of yesterday, I forded (a bye way) to the Sea Banks, & approached the boats which had been described to me, circumspectly. I found them to be the Schooner & Yawl from the Navy Yard; & my own Whale boat, all belonging to my own party; & which my men, by creditable exertions, had got together & lodged safely in port, in Long Creek near Lynnhaven Inlet. I ordered them...
33To Thomas Jefferson from William Tatham, 14 July 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I have this moment examined the 4 British Ships—presumed to be the Triumph, Bellona, Leopard, & Melampus. They lay at Easy Anchor, forming a line of Blockade (for the Chesapeake) from towards Cape Henry, obliquely, towards the Middle Ground—somewhat farther out than in my former Sketch. They have been much on Cape Henry, (the Pleasure House crowd say) after provisions ( livestock ) & water:...
34To Thomas Jefferson from William Tatham, 13 July 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Mine by last post will account to you for my being this day in Town, without seeing the British Ships: this days Report ( I mean rumour ) states that they are gone; but neither Commodore De Catur nor myself mean to trust to mere appearances, or retrograde possibility. He has dispatched a tender, he writes me, to watch their motions; & he has added, to politeness, a disposition for mutual...
35To Thomas Jefferson from William Tatham, 12 July 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
The absolute want of Forage and provisions compelled me to return to Norfolk last night, from the mouth of Lynhaven River. I hope to remedy this evil tomorrow (and withall, to facilitate a nearer route to Cape Henry) by dispatching one of the small vessels at the Navy Yard to remain stationary as a store & forage vessel, with provisions &c. and for accommodating our own parties with the means...
36To Thomas Jefferson from William Tatham, 11 July 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
I have the honor to inform you that I am already at the Station assigned me, from whence you will be regularly advised of what passes.—A British Seventy Four & Frigate are just now reported to me to be at Anchor here; & we presume the other two remain quiet in Hampton Road; but they are out of sight.—A large Merchant ship is gone up the Bay unmolested. I have arranged matters to send an...
37To Thomas Jefferson from William Tatham, 10 July 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
This morning I recieved yours, inclosed to Mr. Bedinger—I obey your orders immediately, & am mounting for Lynhaven & Cape Henry. Last night, I rode to Lamberts Point: two of the British Ships lay in Hampton Road; &, today, I learn that two others are in Lynhaven Bay. Our Small Vessels seemed to pass among them unmolested; & a Square ryged Vessel was standing up James Rivar, apparently...
38To Thomas Jefferson from William Tatham, 7 July 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Your Proclamation reached this place last night, was printed this Morning, & is gone to London. I presume, by this time, His B. Ms. Ships in the road have it; & they must recieve it as they please! I regret that we cannot draw a line between the duty & inclination of some of their Officers, whose hearts (I really believe) would join us in bringing Admiral Berkley to justice, for an...
39To Thomas Jefferson from William Tatham, 4 July 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
The perpetual anxiety which subsists here, to hear speedily from the Federal City, has induced me to submit to Your consideration the adoption of a public, & commercial , Tellagraph, in some plan similar to the idea transmitted. I would recommend the adoption of the following method vizt. [GRAPHIC IN MANUSCRIPT] As these numerical Characters are competent to denote any extent in Numbers, some...
40To Thomas Jefferson from William Tatham, 3 July 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Just as I am closing this, Mr. Edward Roberts, a respectable person of this place, expeditiously from the Pleasure House, Lynnhaven Bay , reports the three British Ships to be under way—Wind at East— DLC : Papers of Thomas Jefferson.
41To Thomas Jefferson from William Tatham, 1 July 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Official communications will have been made to You, from this place, touching proceedings respecting a Flag of Truce which arrived here last Friday, & was immediately ordered off. As I had just carted my boat from the North Landing (of which I gave you a descrip in my last) & arrived here at the very Moment the Flag vessel was sent away, I determined on following her down, to observe her...
42To Thomas Jefferson from William Tatham, 12 April 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
Mr. Rodney will have advised You, officially, of all which concerns the law proceedings against Colol. Burr &c.—As to my own part (subsisting with difficulty as I am obliged to do) I wish to be as little conspicuous as possible in a matter which I have not time to analize, much less to follow it up with my usual zeal. Some suspicious circumstances induce me to conjecture that, whatever may be...
43To Thomas Jefferson from William Tatham, 27 March 1807 (Jefferson Papers)
The Atty. Genl. will have advised you that Mr. Burr left Fredricksburgh, in a Stage, for Richmond yesterday morning, & would be safe lodged there last Night. Mr. Rodney arrived at Fredricksburgh this morning, quite fatigued; & so soon as his dispatches were ready, I left Fredricksburgh about Nine, & my Servant is dispatched, fifteen Minutes ago on fresh Horses (per Post Masters) to deliver the...
44To Thomas Jefferson from William Tatham, 26 December 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
In consequence of your enquiry of me yesterday, touching the chase of the French Ship by Three Brittish Frigates, I have asked my servant (Joseph Harrison, a Black man of very exemplary truth integrity & confidence) what he reccolects of the circumstances involved in your question. We were four or five nights at Church’s Island, opposite the place where the Ship was burnt, and I flatter myself...
45To Thomas Jefferson from William Tatham, 7 April 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
When you did me the honour to mention, the other day, the doubts you entertained concerning the correctness of the ordinary recieved opinions touching the effect of the latteral pressure of fluids acting on the interior of a leading main-pipe, I hesitated to give an immediate answer as to what instances (if any) had occurred to me, in a practical case, where the operation had been risqued...
46To Thomas Jefferson from William Tatham, 4 April 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
The declaration you were pleased to make yesterday at my Office, that, so soon as The Topographical surveys were completed, you felt disposed to transmit them to Mr. Aaron Arrowsmith (a London Geographer) for his use, renders it my duty to request, in the most serious & respectful manner, that you will suspend any determination on that subject till a relaxation from a pressure of business...
47To Thomas Jefferson from William Tatham, 25 March 1806 (Jefferson Papers)
I do myself the honor of transmitting herewith a tolerable correct Fac-simile of the Tomb of Ferdinand Columbus; which, I presume, will be deemed worthy of a place in that valuable repository The Transactions of the Philosophical Society . On my landing in Spain, in January 1796, I was at considerable pains to procure information concerning the great discoverer of this Western Continent. At...
48To Thomas Jefferson from William Tatham, 24 November 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Recd. of the President of the United States (T. Jefferson) The Sum of Seventy Eight Dollars, Eighty four Cents; being the Sum calculated by Mr. Goldsburg on a reference to Colol. Stricker’s letter touching the amount without profit; & which will be at any time adjusted should any error have occurred. London Augt 16 1805 Invoice of Goods Shipped by Learmonths & Berry of London on account & risk...
49To Thomas Jefferson from William Tatham, 30 October 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Considering Capt. Hunter’s proposition, herewith inclosed an acquisition to the United States, I became the bearer with a desire to second the application in person, under favorable impressions; and ready to speak to such facts as might be enquired of me so far as I had knowledge. Procrastination by indisposition must appologize to the Government, & to Capt. Hunter, for the delay which has...
50To Thomas Jefferson from William Tatham, 29 October 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
You will have recieved Your Camera Obscura, which was sent from hence to Alexandria a few days ago, I understand, by Palmers Packet. It was opened at the Custom house, as was also the working drawings of a Seventy four of the latest improved British Construction, which I have found means to come at directly from the Navy office: had Mr. Smith treated me with that gentlemanly respect which I...
51To Thomas Jefferson from William Tatham, 6 August 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
I have the honor to inform You that I am thus far on my way to the Southward, having in vain spent the best part of the year, at great expence, without any thing conclusive with the Secretary of the Navy. I beg leave to state to you Sir, nevertheless, that, if that Naval department is designed to exist, there seems to be an Auxiliary one much needed: It should comprehend the economy of our...
52To Thomas Jefferson from William Tatham, 13 July 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
I lament your going away, at this time, exceedingly; as I am fearful the Secretary of the Navy has too many delicate Scruples to close with me on any ground. I am summoned, by a letter from my Counsel in Carolina, to attend to an important Case where I have the Dfdt. on Sp[ecia]l. B[ai]l. by origl. attachment: If no arrangement is now made, I cannot leave my cumbersome baggage behind me; & to...
53To Thomas Jefferson from William Tatham, 15 June 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
W. Tatham’s Compts. to the President—He has written to Messrs. Learmonth’s & Berry, (the House he is concerned for) Merchts. in London, for a Camera Obscura for the President’s use, to be made as elegantly Plain as possible, by the best Workmen, with spare Glasses of several focuses, Diagonal Head, &c, compleat.—It will be paid for out of W.Ts own private Monies in the Companies hands; but he...
54To Thomas Jefferson from William Tatham, 22 May 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
Trivial circumstances sometimes produce great ends:—You mentioned; yesterday after Dinner, your wish that some person would invent a means of facilitating the passage of your decanters round the table. I will engage to furnish you one, in a few days, which shall afford an useful lesson in the public economy of our Country; and it can no where else be so happily introduced. It shall be cheap,...
55To Thomas Jefferson from William Tatham, 17 May 1805 (Jefferson Papers)
During several Years absence, & a month since my arrival here, I have felt myself precluded from paying the respects of a sincere friend to you, in person, on account of information communicated to me by Genl. Henry Lee, (while Governor of Virginia) accompanied by the return of a letter of mine unanswered, that, “I had so intruded on you, the last time, we met at Richmond in Virginia, that you...
56To Thomas Jefferson from William Tatham, 1 July 1802 (Jefferson Papers)
By inclosing to you authentic documents concerning the late inestimable discovery of the Life-Boat , which has been introduced into full practice, in saving the crews of vessels wrecked amidst the most tremendous Breakers of this coast, I acquit myself of a duty to my fellow Citizens and to my country. I flatter myself this contrivance will be found of great use on the Jersey coast, such...