nd prepared to send
to Charleston, and which wanted nothing but the passport to enable her
to depart.

I would further observe to you, that this gentleman's letters to the
Baron Steuben first, and afterwards to the Marquis Fayette, have been in
a style so intolerably insolent and haughty, that both these gentlemen
have, been obliged to inform him, that if he thinks proper to address
them again in the same spirit, all intercourse shall be discontinued.

I am, with great respect and esteem,

Gentlemen, your most obedient servant,

Th: Jefferson.

LETTER LVII.--TO GENERAL WASHINGTON, May 28,1781

TO HIS EXCELLENCY GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Charlottesville, May 28,1781.

Sir,

I make no doubt you will have heard, before this shall have the honor of
being presented to your Excellency, of the junction of Lord Cornwallis
with the force at Petersburg under Arnold, who had succeeded to the
command on the death of Major General Phillips. I am now advised that
they have evacuated Petersburg, joined at Westover a reinforcement of
two thousand men just arrived from New York, crossed James river, and
on the 26th instant were three miles advanced on their way towards
Richmond; at which place Major General the Marquis Fayette lay with
three thousand men, regulars and militia: these being the whole number
we could arm, until the arrival of the eleven hundred arms from Rhode
Island, which are, about this time, at the place where our public stores
are deposited, The whole force of the enemy within this State, from
the best intelligence I have been able to get, is, I think, about seven
thousand men, infantry and cavalry, including also the small garrison
left at Portsmouth. A number of privateers, which are constantly
ravaging the shores of our rivers, prevent us from receiving any aid
from the counties lying on navigable waters: and powerful operations
meditated against our western frontier, by a joint force of British
and Indian savages, have, as your Excellency before knew, obliged us
to embody between two and three thousand men in that quarter. Your
Excellency will judge from this state of things, and from what you know
of our country, what it may probably suffer during the present campaign.
Should the enemy be able to produce no opportunity of annihilating the
Marquis's army, a small proportion of their force may yet restrain
his movements effectually, while the greater part are employed, in
detachment, to waste an unar