James McHenry to George Washington, 14 April 1781
From James McHenry
Baltimore 14th April 1781.
Sir
As the within to Col. Tilghman is on business of a public nature, I have taken the liberty to inclose it under cover to your Excellency.1
I had a letter yesterday from Governor Lee containing the substance of an official dispatch from Governor Jefferson (the date not mentioned) by which it appears that Phillips was still on board his vessels at Portsmouth, but making a large collection of boats. It was added that no leading circumstances had turned up to decide their destination.2 With the greatest respect, I have the honor to be, your Excellency’s most obt ser.
James McHenry
Reports since say that one Regt (76) had landed at Portsmouth, that another was to land next day, and that 17 sail of Phillips fleet had sailed.3
ALS, DLC:GW. GW’s aide-de-camp David Humphreys wrote “Ansd 2nd May” on the docket, but no reply from GW to McHenry has been found.
1. The enclosure has not been identified.
2. The letter from Maryland governor Thomas Sim Lee has not been identified, but it likely included a portion of one Virginia governor Thomas Jefferson wrote Samuel Huntington, president of Congress, from Richmond on 7 April: “Our accounts from Portsmouth vary the reinforcement which came under Genl. Phillips from 2500, to 3000. Arnold’s strength before was I think reduced to 1100. They have made no movement as yet. Their preparation of boats is considerable. Whether they mean to go Southwardly or up the river, no leading circumstance has yet decided” (, 5:370). For the British expedition under Maj. Gen. William Phillips, see Elias Dayton to GW, 9 and 15 March.
3. For this British raid up the James River, see Steuben to GW, 25 April, and the source note to that document; see also James Innes to Jefferson, 18 April (both letters), in , 5:489–90.