John Parke Custis to George Washington, 29 March 1781
From John Parke Custis
Abingdon [Fairfax County, Va.] March 29th 1781
Hond & Dr Sir
On my return to this place, on Sunday last,1 I had the pleasure of receiving your Favour of the 28th ulto, Your reasoning is so cogent, that no one can pretend to cavil or dispute the Position;2 I must acknowledge that I wish to quit the public Business, and attend for some time to my domestic affairs, which call very pressingly for my attention; but it has never been my Intention to leave the Service of the County, as long as it is the general wish of the Inhabitants that I should serve them, I have indeed been often much mortified, and very sensibly hurt at the Determinations of the Assembly, and particularly, as I am subject to the reprobation of Measures that in my Heart I detest, from the Arbitrary Decrees of a Majority of the House, that the Ayes & Noes shall not be taken;3 this has determined Me several times no longer to subject Myself to censure without deserving it, but being fully convinced that it is the Duty of every good Citizen to counteract as much as in his Power, Measures that He sincerely thinks destructive of the public weal, I am perswaded to continue my feeble opposition, without the Idea of Success, I have so often expressed my Opinion of the Futility of temporary Expedients that You must be convinced, that I think as you do on that Head, and very feelingly lament that the Majority of the Legislature of our Country do not join Us in Opinion. When I did Myself the pleasure of writing You from Richmond, I mentioned that a good Militia Law would pass, but such was the Versitility of the House, that it was rejected on the last reading very contrary to Expectation,4 the Assembly broke up last thursday, they passed an Act for the Emission of Ten Millions of pounds immediately, and five more if the Governor & Council shall think it necessary. this as well as all Emissions heretofore, they have made a legal Tender in discharge of all Debts whatsoever, except Specific Contracts expressing the Contrary.5 Nothing, in my Opinion can be more repugnant to justice than this Act, and Nothing can tend more to deprave the Morals of the people; this Act was carried by a Majority of two to one in the Legislature, and the Dissentients were not permitted to enter their Dissents.
I presume ere this reaches You, You must have heard of the Action between Lord Cornwallis and Genl Greene, and the particulars must be better known to You than Me, from what I have heard, I think Genl Greene has in fact much the Advantage, and do with pleasure congratulate You on the Behaviour of the Virginia Militia, every Officer that I have seen speaks in raptures of their Conduct.6 Genl Greene has by his Conduct gaind universal Esteem, and possesses in the fullest Degree, the Confidence of all ranks of People. I hope shortly to hear that He has given his Lordship a total Overthrow. When I left Richmond it was believed that a Fleet of twelve Sail of British Ships of the Line were in the Bay, if so? the Traitor will escape.7
As Nelly writes to my Mother She will inform Her of all domestic Matters.8 I have the Pleasure to inform You that I left all Friends well. I beg You will present my sincere Love to her, and believe Me to be with unfeigned regard Yr most Affecte
J. P. Custis
ALS, ViMtvL. For the arrival of this letter, see GW to Nathanael Greene, 18 April, n.10.
1. The previous Sunday was 25 March. Custis returned to Abingdon, his plantation on the Potomac River not far from Mount Vernon, after the adjournment of the Virginia legislature on 22 March (see Custis to GW, 16 March, n.1).
2. In his letter to Custis of 28 Feb., GW gave advice on appropriate conduct for a legislator and advocated increased powers for Congress.
3. The Virginia House of Delegates voted down a proposal on 16 March “that hence forward it be a standing Order of the House that the yea’s and nay’s and the name of every person as he answers either in the negative or the affirmative, shall be called and entered upon the Journal whenever a motion for that purpose shall be made and seconded.” A desire to allow “the people” to obtain “the most authentic information” on how “their Delegates vote upon important questions” prompted the motion, which would give them knowledge “for supporting a virtuous conduct by their countenance or for removing from high trust” those who exhibit “a vicious, weak, or wicked conduct” (, 33–34).
4. On 17 March, the Virginia House rejected, on its third reading, a “Bill to amend the Acts for regulating and disciplining the Militia and for providing against Invasions and Insurrections” (, 35). The legislature did pass an act to raise two legions, a measure Custis advocated (see his letter to GW, 16 March, and n.8 to that document).
5. For these Virginia acts on monetary policy, see Custis to GW, 16 March, and n.7 to that document. The previous Thursday was 22 March.
6. By late March, Virginia officials had learned about the British victory at the Battle of Guilford Courthouse on 15 March. Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene lauded the conduct of the Virginia militia in that action. After the battle, the army under British lieutenant general Charles Cornwallis quickly retreated across the Haw River and toward Wilmington, N.C., which led to favorable assessments about Greene’s position (see Greene to Samuel Huntington, 16 March, printed as an enclosure with Greene to GW, 17 March; see also Thomas Jefferson to GW, 21 March, and Greene to GW, 18 and 29 March).
Edmund Pendleton, president of the Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, wrote Virginia delegate James Madison on 26 March: “I can almost venture to congratulate you upon the event of Genl. Green’s Battle, which tho’ he first quitted the field, may be considered in its effects as a Victory; since he retreated in good order, unpursued, & offer’d battle again the same day, which was declined on the part of Ld Cornwallis—since their loss at least doubled ours, and our General & men remain’d in high Spirits, eager for another Action, when the Account came away.” Pendleton was “happy in being told that our Militia at this time stood as firm as a Rock” (, 3:33–37, quotes on 34).
7. Custis feared Brig. Gen. Benedict Arnold’s escape. A British fleet entered the Chesapeake Bay following its victory over a French squadron at the Battle of Cape Henry on 16 March (see Destouches to GW, 19 March, source note).
8. The letter from Eleanor “Nelly” Calvert Custis to Martha Washington has not been identified.