Major General Steuben to George Washington, 21 April 1781
From Major General Steuben
Chesterfield Co. Ho. Virga 21st April 1781
Sir
The preparations of the Enemy at Portsmouth indicating an intention of operating offensively and the number of Militia in the Field being too small to afford the least prospect of resistance, I thought it prudent to remove every species of public Stores to some distance in the Country and on the 16th Instant gave orders for that purpose.1
The 18th Fourteen Sail of Vessells came up the River as high as Newports News, the next day they advanced as far up as Burwells ferry and yesterday they lay oposite James Town—I have no account of the number of Troops on board nor can I with any degree of certainty judge their intentions2—Government is preparing to remove from Richmond3—from whence as well as from Petersburg many of the Inhabitants have already removed.
The Militia come in very4 Slow—Arms will be wanting for them and Swords for the Horse which might be assembled—The Battery at Hoods is not half finished and every thing is now in the same confusion as when Arnold came up the River5—there is not a single Company of Regular troops in the State & the Militia are too unexperienced to hope any great resistance from them.
I have not heard a word from General Greene since the 6th—he marched that morning towards So. Carolina.6 I have the honor to be with great respect Your Excellencys most Obedt Servt
steuben Maj: Gen.
LS, DLC:GW; Df, NHi: Steuben Papers. The draft is docketed: “Copy to Genl Washington Board of War and Marquis De La fayette” (see , 4:51). Steuben’s letter to the Board of War has not been identified. GW replied to Steuben on 16 May (DLC:GW).
1. Steuben wrote Richard Claiborne, deputy quartermaster for Virginia, on 16 April to procure wagons to transport the public stores from Richmond to Goochland Court House and from Chesterfield Court House and Petersburg to Powhatan Court House (see ).
2. For this British raid up the James River, see Thomas Jefferson to GW, 23 April, and Steuben to GW, 25 April, and the source note to that document.
Burwell’s Landing in Virginia was situated on the north bank of the James River about half way between Hampton and Jamestown.
3. See Jefferson to the County Lieutenant of Henrico, 19 April, in , 5:497.
4. The Virginia executive council had called out militia from nine counties in southeastern Virginia to increase those already in service (see Jefferson to the County Lieutenants of Henrico and Certain Other Counties, and to Steuben, both 19 April, in , 5:496–97, 500–501).
5. For British brigadier general Benedict Arnold’s earlier raid, see Steuben’s letters to GW of 8, 11, and 29 January.
6. See Nathanael Greene to Steuben, 6 April, in , 8:60–61.