Thomas Jefferson Autograph Letter Signed...

Description

Thomas Jefferson Writes from Richmond as Benedict Arnold Burns the Capital: "In truth we have escaped to a miracle."

Thomas Jefferson Autograph Letter Signed ("Th: Jefferson") to General George Weedon. Two pages of a bifolium with integral address leaf, 7 3/4 x 13 inches; Richmond; January 10, 1781. Docketed on the verso with red sealing wax intact.

In this dramatic wartime letter, Jefferson writes urgently to General Weedon in the immediate aftermath of Benedict Arnold's raid on Richmond, recounting the destruction of Virginia's capital city and requesting reinforcements as the British remained encamped nearby. He writes, in full:

"Sir

I inclose you a copy of a letter I have received from Baron Steuben and must rest on you the taking such measures as you may think most likely to effect his recommendation, for which purpose you will be pleased to call on any militia you think proper and for any public arms or other stores which may be at hand. I have heard you have embodied a number of men to join Genl. Nelson. Under this situation I am really at a loss what to direct, and must leave you to act according to your discretion. You know the situation of Hunter's works, and the militia and arms which may be collected for their defence. If you think them adequate to the purpose after those embodied by you shall have come away, I would wish you to come by all means as Genl. Nelson's force neither is, nor is like to be sufficient to cover Wmsburg and the lower country. If you think those works cannot be protected without your force, it seems to be the Baron's opinion that the works should be saved. I have written him that I should recommend to you to govern yourself by this circumstance and desired him to communicate any better plan he can suggest and promised to forward it to you.

The enemy consisting of 1500 infantry and from 50. to 100 horse commanded by Arnold landed at Westover on the 4th. marched from there at 2. o'clock in the afternoon and arrived here at one in the afternoon of the 5th. A regiment of infantry and thirty cavalry immediately proceeded to the foundery. They burnt the roof of that but did not injure the works, burnt the magazine and boring mill. We had withdrawn every arm from there and almost the whole powder. What powder remained they threw into the canal but there will be a considerable saving by remanufacturing it. At this place we lost 5. brass feild peices 4. pounders which had been sunk in the river, about 300 muskets, some goods of the public store, some Quartermaster's stores, of which 120 sides of leather was the principal article, some of the artificers tools and three waggons. The books and papers of the Council for the years 1779. 1780, and most of the Auditors papers, but not their books are lost. This is the sum total. In truth we have escaped to a miracle. The militia come in very slowly.

I am with great respect Sir your most obedt. servt.,
Th: Jefferson

P.S. I omitted to mention that 23. hours after they entered this town, they left it and got to their former encampment at Westover and Barclay the next day, where they still were yesterday afternoon. The people who remained here say they were most visibly disappointed in finding we had removed almost every thing out of their reach, which had been effected in 19. hours the whole space of time between their destination being certainly known and their arrival in this town. They have done very great injury to some individuals. They only burnt the artificers shops, here of public property and 3 or 4. houses of private property."

The letter was written just days after Arnold's sudden incursion into Virginia. As Jefferson describes here, on January 4, Arnold arrived with his troops at Westover Plantation, approximately twenty-five miles from Richmond. Jefferson had only recently relocated the capital from Williamsburg, believing Richmond to be more defensible; however, the move proved ill-timed. With little preparation and minimal resistance, Arnold's troops entered the city on January 5 and quickly established control. Arnold offered Jefferson terms, proposing to spare Richmond in exchange for its tobacco stores. When Jefferson refused, the British proceeded to light the city ablaze, before continuing their destructive march toward Warwick.

Jefferson quickly ordered Virgina's militia commander, Sampson Mathews, to pursue Arnold's men, while he waited for reinforcements to arrive in the south. His surprise-and despair-at the sudden assault of one of Virginia's largest cities resonates through his words here; one can only imagine that it was exceptionally rare for Jefferson, who ranked among the most scholarly of the nation's founders, to state: "I am really at a loss what to direct."

Arnold's actions enraged the American populace. Washington, in an extraordinary measure, placed a 5,000 guinea bounty on Arnold's head, ordering that he be hanged if captured. Jefferson, meanwhile, focused his efforts on regrouping and fortifying his state's defenses. Although a major loss for Americans, the desire for vengeance against Arnold, coupled with the flood of Continental troops to the southern theater, ultimately contributed to the chain of events that would culminate in the British defeat at Yorktown later that year.

Condition: In overall fine condition, the paper warmly toned with flattened folds. Integral fold just holding at the top edge; several small separations at fold lines, not affecting legibility of text; some roughness at the edges. Short closed tear at the right edge of page one and loss to verso where letter was opened.

References: The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, vol. 4, 1 October 1780 - 24 February 1781, ed. Julian P. Boyd. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1951, pp. 335-336.

More Information: "Richmond Jan. 10. 1781.

Sir

I inclose you a copy of a letter I have received from Baron Steuben and must rest on you the taking such measures as you may think most likely to effect his recommendation, for which purpose you will be pleased to call on any militia you think proper and for any public arms or other stores which may be at hand. I have heard you have embodied a number of men to join Genl. Nelson. Under this situation I am really at a loss what to direct, and must leave you to act according to your discretion. You know the situation of Hunter's works, and the militia and arms which may be collected for their defence. If you think them adequate to the purpose after those embodied by you shall have come away, I would wish you to come by all means as Genl. Nelson's force neither is, nor is like to be sufficient to cover Wmsburg and the lower country. If you think those works cannot be protected without your force, it seems to be the Baron's opinion that the works should be saved. I have written him that I should recommend to you to govern yourself by this circumstance and desired him to communicate any better plan he can suggest and promised to forward it to you.
The enemy consisting of 1500 infantry and from 50. to 100 horse commanded by Arnold landed at Westover on the 4th. marched from there at 2. o'clock in the afternoon and arrived here at one in the afternoon of the 5th. A regiment of infantry and thirty cavalry immediately proceeded to the foundery. They burnt the roof of that but did not injure the works, burnt the magazine and boring mill. We had withdrawn every arm from there and almost the whole powder. What powder remained they threw into the canal but there will be a considerable saving by remanufacturing it. At this place we lost 5. brass feild peices 4. pounders which had been sunk in the river, about 300 muskets, some goods of the public store, some Quartermaster's stores, of which 120 sides of leather was the principal article, some of the artificers tools and three waggons. The books and papers of the Council for the years 1779. 1780, and most of the Auditors papers, but not their books are lost. This is the sum total. In truth we have escaped to a miracle. The militia come in very slowly.

I am with great respect Sir your most obedt. servt.,
Th: Jefferson

P.S. I omitted to mention that 23. hours after they entered this town, they left it and got to their former encampment at Westover and Barclay the next day, where they still were yesterday afternoon. The people who remained here say they were most visibly disappointed in finding we had removed almost every thing out of their reach, which had been effected in 19. hours the whole space of time between their destination being certainly known and their arrival in this town. They have done very great injury to some individuals. They only burnt the artificers shops, here of public property and 3 or 4. houses of private property."