From Thomas Jefferson to Steuben, 19 April 1781
To Steuben
Richmond Apr. 19. 1781.
Sir
I send you herewith a state of the militia required to come into the feild in which is not comprehended any at present there, except those of Culpeper who having passed Hanover Court house about the 10th. are supposed to have joined Genl. Muhlenberg some time ago. We are endeavoring to get our militia to the fixed term of two months in the field with a right to retain them one week longer should reliefs be not come in. Whenever these militia arrive which are called for as by this list, so many of those now in service, who can be spared, may be dismissed, and first those of the counties which have not yet gone through their draught.
Applications to gentlemen to raise horse were made as was concluded in your presence in council. I have received an answer from one of them only, Capt. Mosby who had then raised 36, with whom he would be in Petersburg on Monday next. They will most of them, he says, want arms.
I have the honor to be with great respect Sir Your most obedt. humble servt.,
Th: Jefferson
P.S. Since writing this I have received the information which Colo. Innes probably gives you. We shall immediately call on the militia of Henrico, Hanover, Goochld. to rendezvous here, those of Cumberland and Powhatan at Manchester, those of Chesterfd. at Manchester or Petersburg, those of Amelia, Dinwiddie and Prince George at Petersburg. Should you chuse to change the rendezvous of any of them you will be pleased to do it. I do not know where the spare arms are.
| Culpeper | 351. | Supposed to have got to Genl. Muhlenburg about Apr. 14. To be discharged June 14. | |
| Frederic | 267. |  |
These were called by letter of Mar. 27. They would receive the letters before Apr. 3. and were required to march within a week after receiving them. They are to continue in the feild till June 30. |
| Hampshire | 249. | ||
| Berkeley | 258. | ||
| Shenando. | 217. | ||
| Orange | 140. | ||
| Louisa | 140. | ||
| Fauquier | 252. | |
These were called for by letter of Apr. 14. Required to be at Williamsburg May. 1. and to continue in the feild till June 30. They were ordered to come by Hanover Court house or Richmond where they should receive final orders whether to go to Williamsburg or where else. |
| Loudoun | 407. | ||
| Caroline | 245. | ||
| Albemarle | 204. | ||
| Fluvanna | 70. | ||
| Goochland | 80. | ||
| Henrico | 145. |
RC (NHi); endorsed; postscript is written in margin; tabular “state of the militia” is written on a separate page. FC (Vi); lacks both postscript and table of militia.
In his letter to the county lieutenants of 27 Mch. 1781, TJ called for 242 (not 249) men from Hampshire; in his letter of 14 April, he called for 129 (not 80) from Goochland. In the present letter TJ inadvertently referred to Littleberry Mosby as “Capt.”; Mosby was county lieutenant of Powhatan from 18 May 1780 to 20 June 1781 (Gwathmey, Hist. Reg. of Virginians in the Revolution). From the postscript it is clear that TJ wrote this letter to Steuben in the early morning of 19 Apr., for the information from Innes was received by him at 6:30 A.M.; see Innes to TJ, 18 Apr. 1781 (first letter) and note.