To James Madison from David Jameson, 2 March 1782
From David Jameson
RC (LC: Rives Collection of Madison Papers). Docketed by JM, “Jameson D.”
Richmond Mch 2. 1782
Dr Sir
It was very unfortunate that Count de Grasse did not succeed in his designs agt. Barbadoes and Hoods fleet.1 had they fallen I think it must have shortened the War. however we will be content if St Kitts is reduced, but by information we have had, the French failed in an attempt to Storm Brimstone Hill, and lost a considerable Number of Men.2 I mentioned to you in my last that the Executive intended to address the people in hope of an advance of part of the land tax to recruit our line. the letter &ca. is not yet come from the press.3 I am truly sorry it is not now in our power to send Gen. Greene a greater reinforcement. By his last letter4 the Enemy’s force is not so formidable as he had supposed it would be, when he sent off his former dispatches. Yet I wish we could give him aid, I wish indeed our whole line was compleat. would it not be proper to have all the troops of our line together? I fear those at Pittsburg we have no credit for. The Govr. has been advised to write to the General on that head.5 Gen. Greene has again mentd. the Beef Cattle. the Governor has written to the Delegates on the occasion.6 Mr Ross is expected here in a day or two and you may depend every thing that can be will be done to keep you supplied.7 I am told Dr. Lee was provided with Money. when Col Bland means to return I have not heard8
Mr Stark is out of Town and the other Auditors9 know nothing of your Accots. by next post you shall have a full answer on that head
We are told the Lottery is drawing, if so be so kind as send a list of the prizes as soon as published10
I have desired Mr Hayes to inclose a paper to you every week wch. he has promised to do. Messrs Nicholson & Prentis assure me they do so.11 I gave these directions, that you may meet with no disapointment in my absence12 with very great esteem I am
dr Sir Yr Obedt hb Servt
David Jameson
1. See JM to Pendleton, 25 February 1782, and nn. 4 and 6. Adverse weather in the West Indies, Hood’s skillful maneuvering of his fleet, and Kempenfelt’s capture of many French troops on their way to the Caribbean were among the reasons why Grasse and Bouillé failed to capture Barbados and other British islands (W. M. James, British Navy in Adversity, p. 321).
2. See Virginia Delegates to Harrison, 15 February, n. 5; and Harrison to Virginia Delegates, 1 March 1782, n. 11.
3. See Jameson to JM, 23 February 1782, n. 6. On what date the copies of Harrison’s circular letter of 1 March were sent out is indeterminable, except that one had been received at Norfolk before 27 March ( , III, 112). Jameson’s “&ca.” probably refers to printed “Certificates or Receipts” which were to accompany each letter. When “signed by certain persons authorized by the executive to give the same, for monies advanced on account of the Land tax,” each certificate would be accepted by the state treasurer as equivalent to the sum of money entered on the paper ( , III, 52).
4. See Harrison to Virginia Delegates, 1 March 1782, and n. 10.
5. In a letter of 8 February Governor Harrison proposed to Washington that he transfer the personnel of the 7th Virginia Regiment at Fort Pitt, numbering about 120, to Greene’s army ( , III, 146). Unknown to Jameson, Washington’s reply of 28 February, although assuring Harrison that those troops would not be merged with the Pennsylvanians in the garrison to form a single regiment, declined to adopt the governor’s suggestion. On the contrary, in a letter of 8 March to Brigadier General William Irvine directing him to assume command at Fort Pitt, and in a dispatch four days later to Brigadier General Peter Muhlenberg ordering him to supersede Febiger as chief continental recruiting officer in Virginia, Washington made clear that he expected to send to the fort an unspecified “proportion” of the continental recruits then being raised in his native state ( , XXIV, 28, 48, 61).
6. See Jameson to JM, 26 January, and n. 1; Virginia Delegates to Harrison, 15 February, and n. 4; and Harrison to Virginia Delegates, 1 March 1782.
7. David Ross. See Jameson to JM, ca. 12 January; and Harrison to Virginia Delegates, 9 February 1782.
8. See , III, 161, n. 2. Arthur Lee re-entered Congress on 19 February 1782. Theodorick Bland was not in Congress from about 9 October 1781 to 15 April 1782 ( , XXI, 1043; XXII, 77–78, 180).
9. Bolling Stark, Harrison Randolph, and John Boush (ca. 1752–1792).
10. The drawings of the winning tickets in the national lottery had begun on 2 April 1781 and were still continuing ( , II, 290, n. 9; III, 5, n. 8). On 26 March 1782 Congress was informed that the drawing of the remaining tickets, numbering about thirty thousand, would be completed in a month. Appearing intermittently in Philadelphia newspapers was an advertisement inviting “lottery adventurers” to learn the “fate of their tickets” by applying to a clerk in Robert Morris’ office (e.g., Pennsylvania Packet, 14 March 1782).
12. Jameson retired from the Council of State on 30 March 1782 ( , III, 68–69).