ENERAL WASHINGTON.

Richmond, October 25,1780.

Sir,

I take the liberty of enclosing to you letters from Governor Hamilton,
for New York. On some representations received by Colonel Towles, that
an indulgence to Governor Hamilton and his companions to go to New York,
on parole, would produce the happiest,effect on the situation of our
officers in Long Island, we have given him, Major Hay, and some of the
same party at Winchester, leave to go there on parole. The two former go
by water, the latter by land.

By this express I hand on, from General Gates to Congress, intelligence
of the capture of Augusta, in Georgia, with considerable quantities of
goods; and information, which carries a fair appearance, of the taking
of Georgetown, in South Carolina, by a party of ours, and that an army
of six thousand French and Spaniards had landed at Sunbury. This is
the more credible, as Cornwallis retreated from Charlotte on the 12th
instant, with great marks of precipitation. Since my last to you,
informing you of an enemy's fleet, they have landed eight hundred men
in the neighborhood of Portsmouth, and some more on the bay side of
Princess Anne. One thousand infantry landed at New-ports-news, on the
morning of the 23rd, and immediately took possession of Hampton. The
horse were proceeding up the road. Such a corps as Major Lee's would be
of infinite service to us. Next to a naval force, horse seems to be the
most capable of protecting a country so intersected by waters.

I am, with the most sincere esteem,

your Excellency's most obedient

and most humble servant,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER XXX.--TO GENERAL WASHINGTON, October 26, 1780

TO HIS EXCELLENCY GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Richmond, October 26, 1780.

Sir,

The Executive of this State think it expedient, under our present
circumstances, that the prisoners of war under the Convention
of Saratoga, be removed from their present situation. It will be
impossible, as long as they remain with us, to prevent the hostile army
from being reinforced by numerous desertions from this corps; and this
expectation may be one among the probable causes of this movement of the
enemy. Should, moreover, a rescue of them be attempted, the extensive
disaffection which has of late been discovered, and the almost total
want of arms in the hands of our good people, render the success of such
an enterprise by no means desperate. The fear of this, and the dangerous
convulsions to w