George Washington to Thomas Jefferson, 4 April 1781
To Thomas Jefferson
Head Quarters New Windsor 4th April 1781.
Sir
I am to acknowledge the honor of your Excellency’s favors of the 19th and 21st ulto and again to thank you, for your uniform and speedy communication of every southern event which comes to your knowledge.1
I have the pleasure to find, from General Greenes official letter, that Lord Cornwallis is not likely to reap any great benefits from his late Victory2—indeed—were we certain that he would not soon receive fresh succours, we might hope that he would ultimately be obliged to quit his present ground in consequence of the incumbrance which his wounded must be to him: But I very much fear, we shall soon hear that General Phillips, who sailed from New York about a fortnight ago with a detachment said to be 1500 Men, is bending his course towards his Lordship.3
You have been, by this time, made acquainted with the unfortunate event which prevented the execution of the plan against Arnold. Had the French Fleet luckily gained the Chesapeak before they were overtaken by the British, I think we could not have failed of Success.4
The pennsylvania Line will be pushed forward, by detachment, as fast as they can be reassembled or recruited.5 I hope the 1st division will consist of five or six hundred, and that they will be soon upon their march. Having heard nothing from them very lately, I cannot ascertain the time, but I am certain that General Wayne, who will go forward with the first, will be active on the occasion.6 I have the honor to be with very great Respect and Esteem Yr Excellency’s Most obt and humble Servt
Go: Washington
LS, in Tench Tilghman’s writing, CSmH; Df, DLC:GW; Varick transcript, DLC:GW.
1. See Jefferson to GW, 19 and 21 March.
2. GW refers to the Battle of Guilford Courthouse (see Nathanael Greene to Samuel Huntington, 16 March, printed as an enclosure with Greene to GW, 17 March; see also GW to Rochambeau, 3 April, and to John Sullivan, 4 April).
3. For the departure of this expedition, see Elias Dayton to GW, 5 March, n.1; see also Dayton to GW, 9 March, n.5.
4. For the plan, see GW to Rochambeau, 15 Feb., and Rochambeau to GW, 25 February. An indecisive engagement off Cape Henry, Va., on 16 March kept the French fleet from entering the Chesapeake Bay (see Destouches to GW, 19 March, and the source note to that document).
5. Congress had assigned the Pennsylvania line to the southern department (see Huntington’s first letter to GW, 20 Feb.; see also GW to Anthony Wayne and to Arthur St. Clair, both 26 Feb.).
6. For reports on the first division, see St. Clair to GW, 6 and 15 April; see also GW to St. Clair, 8 April.