From Thomas Jefferson to George Muter, 7 January 1781 [document added in digital edition]
To George Muter
Manchester Jan. 7. 1780 i.e., 1781.
Sir
I am this moment arrived here very wet & fatigued. pray take some effectual measures to collect mr Brown, mr Granville Smith & mr Armistead & let them come to me. I am utterly disabled from doing any thing for want of instruments. Capt Spiller also should be on duty where his arms are, seeing to the selection of such as are fit for service1 & taking care of the whole. it is necessary immediately to collect hands & tools to repair arms. I have employed an occasional hand or two to go out to collect waggons. pray have all collected possible on the Richmond side & keep them ready for orders.
I am Sir Your very humble sert.
Th: Jefferson
RC (TxU). Addressed: “Colo Muter.” Endorsed by Muter as a letter of 7 Jan. 1781.
to collect mr Brown: here TJ referred to John Browne, Virginia’s commissary general, Granville Smith, the assistant quartermaster general, and William Armistead, the commissary of stores (Vol. 3:381; Vol. 4:284, 537; Washington, Papers, Rev. War Ser., 9:87n).
Captain William Spiller served as Virginia’s commissary of military stores (Vol. 4:408-10, 417).
1. Interlined in place of “starting.”