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think to deliver these to Colonel Harrison : they are to serve eighteen months from the time of rendezvous. The numbers of regulars and militia ordered from this State into the southern ser vice, are about seven thousand. I trust we may count that fifty- five hundred will actually proceed : but we have arms for three thousand only. If, therefore, we do not speedily receive a supply from Congress, we must countermand a proper number of these troops. Besides this supply, there should certainly be a magazine laid in here, to provide against a general loss as well as daily waste. When we deliver out those now in our magazine, we shall have sent seven thousand stand of our own into the southern service, in the course of this summer. We are still more destitute of cloth ing, tents and w r agons for our troops. The southern army suffers for provisions, which we could plentifully supply, were it possible to find mea"ns of transportation. Despairing of this, we directed very considerable quantities, collected on the navigable waters, to be sent northwardly by the quarter master. This he is now do ing ; slowly, however. Unapprised what may be proposed by our allies, to be done with their fleet in the course of the ensuing win ter, I would beg leave to intimate to you, that if it should appear to them eligible that it should winter in the Chesapeake, they can be well supplied with provisions, taking their necessary measures in due time. The waters communicating with that bay furnish easy, and (in that case) safe transportation, and their money will call forth what is denied to ours.
I am, with all possible esteem and respect, your Excellency s
most obedient and humble servant,
TH: JEFFERSON.
LETTER XXV. TO HIS EXCELLENCY GENERAL WASHINGTON.
Richmond, September 2G ? 1780.
SIR,
The enclosed copy of a letter from Lord Cornwallis* to Co lonel Balfour, was sent me by Governor Rutledge : lest you should not have seen it, I do myself the pleasure of transmitting it, with a letter from General Harrington to General Gates giving information of some late movements of the enemy.
[* See Appendix, note E.J
