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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 5 and this expectation may be one among the probable causes of this movement of the enemy. Should, moreover, a res cue 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 con vulsions to which such an attempt would expose us, divert the at tention of a very considerable part of our militia, from an opposi tion to an invading enemy. An order has been, therefore, this day issued to Colonel Wood, to take immediate measures for their removal ; and every aid has been, and will be given him, for transporting, guarding and subsisting them on the road, which our powers can accomplish. Notice hereof is sent to his Excellency Governor Lee, on whose part, I doubt not, necessary preparations will be made.
I have the honor to be, with the greatest esteem and respect, your Excellency s
most obedient, and
most humble servant,
TH: JEFFERSON.
LETTER XXXI. TO GENERAL GATES.
Richmond, October 28, 1780. SIR,
Your letters of the 14th, 20th and 21st have come to hand, and your despatches to Congress have been regularly forwarded. I shall attend to the caveat against Mr. Ochiltree s bill. Your let ter to Colonel Senf remains still in my hands, as it did not come till the enemy had taken possession of the ground, on which I knew him to have been, and I have since no certain information where a letter might surely find him. My proposition as to your bills in favor of the quarter master, referred to yours of Sep tember 27th. I have notified to the Continental quarter master, your advance of nine hundred dollars to Cooper. As yet, we have received no wagons. I wish Mr. Lambe may have supplied you. Should those from the western quarter not come in, we VOL. i. 25
