jecture their force or destination, I am only able to dispatch Gen! Nelson into the lower Country, to take such measures as exigencies may require for the instant, until further information is received here. Then or in the mean time your aid and counsel will be deemed valuable. A. M. EXTRACTS FROM DIARY.1 J. MSS. Saturday, December the 31st, 1780, eight o'clock, Received first intelligence that twenty-seven sail were, on the morning of December the 29th, just below Willoughby's Point. with full powers. 1781. January the 1st. Sent off General Nelson, No intelligence. Information from January the 2d, ten o'clock, A. M. N. Burwell, that their advance was at Warrasqueak Bay. Gave orders for militia, a quarter from some, and half from other counties. Assembly rose. Wednesday, January the 3d, eight o'clock, P.M. Received a letter from E. Archer, Swan's Point, that at twelve o'clock that day they were at anchor a little below Jamestown. At five o'clock, P.M., of the same day, I had received a letter from R. Andrews for General Nelson, that they were at Jamestown the evening of the 2d. 'These extracts were made by Jefferson, with a view to vindicate himself from the charges of incompetence and cowardness made in connection with the invasion of Virginia in 1781. The copy from which this is printed, was written in 1800, and the original diary is no longer extant. Under the year 1800, in this collection, will be printed two more papers relating to this subject, one of which is also in diary form. Thursday, January the 4th, five o'clock, A.M. Mr. Eppes and family, &c., came and informed me from the Speaker, that they had passed Kennon's and Hood's the evening before; the tide having made for them at one o'clock, P.M., of the 3d, and the wind shifted to the east strong. They had not, however, passed Hood's, but anchored at Kennon's. Called whole militia from adjacent counties. I was then anxious to know whether they would pass Westover, or not, as that would show the side they would land. Five o'clock, P.M. Learned by Captain De Pon thiere, that at two o'clock, P.M., they were drawn up at Westover. Then ordered arms, and stores, &c., (which till then had been carrying to Westham,) to be thrown across the river at Richmond; and at half-past seven o'clock, P.M., set out to the foundry and Westham, and set Captain Brush, Captain Irish, and Mr. Hylton, to see everything wagoned from the magazine and laboratory to Westham, and there thrown over; to work all night. The enemy encamped at Four-Mile Creek. I went to Tuckahoe and lodged. January the 5th. Went early over the river with my family; sent them up to Fine Creek; went myself to Westham; gave orders for withdrawing ammunition and arms (which lay exposed on the bank to the effect of artillery from opposite shore), behind a point. Then went to Manchester; had a view of the enemy. My horse sunk under me with fatigue; borrowed one, went to Chetwood's, appointed by Baron Steuben as a rendezvous and head-quarters; but finding him not there, and understanding he would go to Colonel Henry's, I proceeded there for quarters. The enemy arrived in Richmond at one o'clock, P.M. One regiment of infantry and thirty horse proceeded, without stopping, to the foundry; burned that and the magazine and Ballendine's house, and went as far as Westham. They returned that evening to Richmond. Sent me a proposition to Refused. compound for property. January the 6th. In the morning they burned certain houses and stores, and at twelve o'clock of that day left Richmond, and encamped at Four-Mile Creek. I went to Westham, ordered books and papers particularly from magazine. In the evening I went up to Fine Creek. January the 7th. I returned to Westham, and then came down to Manchester, where I lodged. The enemy encamped at Westover and Berkley. It had rained excessively the preceding night, and continued to do so till about noon. Gibson has one thousand; Steuben, eight hundred; Davis, two hundred; Nelson, two hundred and fifty. January the 8th, at half-past seven o'clock, A. M. I returned to Richmond. The wind gets, about this time, to north-west; a good gale; in the afternoon becomes easterly. The enemy remain in their last encampment. General Nelson at Charles City C. H. Colonel Nicholas with three hundred men at the Forest. January the 9th, eleven o'clock. south-east, but almost nothing. The The wind is enemy remain in their last encampment, except embarking their horse. January the 10th, at one o'clock, P.M. They embark infantry, and fall down the river, the wind having shifted a little north of west, and pretty fresh. Baron Steuben gets to Bland's Mills to-night, nine miles short of Hood's. January the 11th, eight o'clock, A.M. The wind due west, and strong. TO THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES. (BENJAMIN HARRISON.) V. S. A. IN COUNCIL Jan. 1. 1781. SIR,-The inclosed letter conveying intelligence of a fleet appearing in our bay, came to hand yesterday. Its size has given suspicions that it may be hostile, more especially as we have been lately informed that an embarkation was taking place at New York. I have thought it my duty to communicate it to the General assembly before their rising, as they might perhaps wish to give some advice to the Executive on this subject. TO THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES. (BENJAMIN HARRISON.) V. S. A. January 1st, 1781. SIR, I have this moment received confirmation of the arrival of a hostile fleet consisting of 19 ships, and two brigs and two sloops and schooners, the advance of a fleet were yesterday morning in Warrasqueak and just getting into motion up the river with a favorable wind and tide. Their destination from intelligence of deserters and some captured mariners whom they put on shore is up James River. I beg the favor of you to communicate this intelligence to the General Assembly. V. S. A. TO BRIGADIER-GENERAL THOMAS NELSON. SIR, It happened unfortunately from the tenor of Mr. Wray's letter which gave us the first intelligence of the Appearance of an Enemy we had reason to expect more precise information within a few hours: none such having come within fifty hours, the first intelligence had become totally disbelieved. At 10 o'clock this morning I first received confirmation of it. Orders go out by the members of Assembly to call together half the Militia of the most convenient Counties for present Opposition and one fourth from more distant Counties. We mean to have four thousand six hundred Militia in the field. In this number is not included any below this County. Hanover, Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Sussex and Southampton, all below these Counties we have left uncalled on to be drawn by you (or such of them as you think proper) into such parts of the lower Country as you shall think best. Mr. Brown the Commissary has Orders to send a Deputy to furnish you with provisions. I do myself the pleasure of sending you a Commission. I pray you to send as frequent intelligence as possible. Expresses being in readiness for this purpose at Williamsburg and New Kent Court House. Be pleased to give the same notice to the militia as formerly that no man will be ever discharged till he shall have returned whatever Public Arms or Accoutrements he shall have received: be also particular in noting what is delivered to every man. We mean to appoint the |