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quarters. I think he will be able to set into motion, within a very few days, five hundred regulars, who are now equipped for their march, except some blankets still wanting, but I hope nearly pro cured and ready to be delivered.
I sincerely congratulate you on your successful advances on the enemy, and wish to do every thing to second your enterprises, which the situation of this country, and the means and powers put into my hands, enable me to do.
I am, Sir, with sincere respect and esteem, your most obedient, and
most humble servant,
TH: JEFFERSON.
LETTER XX. TO HIS EXCELLENCY GENERAL WASHINGTON.
Richmond, September 3, 1780. SIR,
As I know the anxieties you must have felt, since the late mis fortune to the South, and our latter accounts have not been quite so unfavorable as the first, I take the liberty of enclosing you a statement of this unlucky affair, taken from letters from General Gates, General Stevens, and Governor Nash, and, as to some cir cumstances, from an officer who was in the action.* Another army is collecting ; this amounted, on the 23rd ultimo, to between four and five thousand men, consisting of about five hundred Maryland regulars, a few of Hamilton s artillery, and Porterfield s corps, Armand s legion, such of the Virginia militia as had been reclaim ed, and about three thousand North Carolina .militia, newly em bodied. We are told they will increase these to eight thousand. Our new recruits will rendezvous in this State between the 10th and 25th instant. We are calling out two thousand militia, who, I think, however, will not be got to Hillsborough till the 25th of October. About three hundred and fifty regulars marched from Chesterfield a week ago. Fifty march to-morrow, and there will be one hundred or one hundred and fifty more from that post, when they can be cleared of the hospital. This is as good a view as I can give you of the force we are endeavoring to collect ; but they are unarmed. Almost the whole small arms seem to have
[* The circumstances of the defeat of General Gates s army, near Camden, in August, 17^0, being of historical notoriety, this statement is omitted.]
