Dear Sir,—I shall to-morrow set out for Monticello. Considering the critical state of things, it has been thought better, during my stay there, to establish a daily conveyance of a mail from Fredericksburg to Monticello. This enables me to hear both from the north and south every day. Should you have occasion then to communicate with me, your letters can come to me daily by being put into the Fredericksburg mail, every day except that on which the mail stage leaves Richmond for Milton, by which letters of that day will come to me directly.
The course which things are likely to hold for some time has induced me to discontinue the establishment at Lynhaven for obtaining daily information of the movements of the squadron in that neighborhood. But still as it is expected that a troop of cavalry will patrole that coast constantly, I think it would be advisable if your Excellency would be so good as to instruct the commanding officer of the troop to inform you daily of the occurrences of the day, sending off his letter in time to get to Norfolk before the post hour. This letter, after perusal for your own information, I would ask the favor of you to forward by the post of the day, under cover to me. I think a post comes one day from Norfolk by the way of Petersburg, and the next by the way of Hampton. If so, the letters may come every day. I salute you with great and sincere esteem and respect.
TO COLONEL JOHN TAYLOR.
Washington, August 1, 1807.
Dear Sir,—I received two days ago your letter recommendatory of Mr. Woodford. I knew his father well, and can readily believe that his merits are descended on the son, and especially after what you say of him. If we could always have as good grounds to go upon, it would greatly relieve the terrible business of nominations. But lest you should not have attended to it, I have taken up my pen in the moment of setting out for Monticello, to remind you that whether we receive the militia or volunteers from the States, the appointment of officers will be with them. There therefore should be Mr. Woodford's application. Should we have war with England, regular troops will be necessary; and though in the first moments of the outrage on the Chesapeake I did not suppose it was by authority from their government, I now more and more suspect it, and of course, that they will not give the reparation for the past and security for the future, which alone may prevent war. The new depredations committing on us, with this attack on the Chesapeake, and their calling on Portugal to declare on the one side or the other, if true, prove they have coolly calculated it will be to their benefit to have everything on the ocean fair prize, and to support their navy by plundering all mankind. This is the doctrine of "war in disguise," and I expect they are going to adopt it. It is really mortifying that we should be forced to wish success to Bonaparte, and to look to his victories as our salvation. We expect the return of the Revenge the second week in November, with their answer, or no answer, which will enable Congress to take their course. In the meantime, we will have everything as ready as possible for any course they may prefer. I salute you with friendship and respect.
TO GENERAL DEARBORNE.
Monticello, August 7, 1807.
I dare say that Purcell's map must be of value, and it would be well if his representatives would publish it, but whether worth your purchase, and at what price, General Wilkinson might perhaps satisfy you. I shall write to Marentille that if you think it worth while to give him fifty thousand dollars for his project, you will inform him. In the contrary case, it may be put away in your pigeon hole of projects. Governor Cabell, after informing me of the orders for the discharge of the militia, except a company of artillery, and one of cavalry, as we directed, adds: "I have, however, in pursuance of the advice of council, done what your letter did not expressly authorize. But when I state to you the reasons which influenced the measure, I hope you will approve it. You relied entirely on the troop of horse for cutting off the supplies. But we have received the most satisfactory information of the insufficiency of cavalry to perform that service, in consequence of the particular nature of the country in which they have to act. It is covered with sandbanks and hills, which, in many places (where supplies are most easily procured), render cavalry incapable of action. So severe has this service been, that it has already almost knocked up as fine a battalion of cavalry as any in the United States, perhaps as any in the world. Influenced by these considerations, which we believe had not presented themselves to your mind, because you had not received the necessary information as to facts, the executive have called into service a company of infantry from the county of Princess Anne, to co-operate with the cavalry in cutting off the supplies. Since giving these orders, I understand that General Mathews has anticipated us by calling into actual service the very force we contemplated." Our object was certainly to prevent supplies, and if the means we thought of are not adequate, we should, had we known all circumstances, have provided what would have been effectual; for I think the point of honor requires we should enforce the proclamation in those points in which we have force sufficient. I shall await your opinion, however, before I answer the Governor's letter. Information as late as August 3d, shows that the squadron was quiet in and near the Bay, and General Thomas Hardy, to whom Tazewell delivered the five men, declared to him that his objection to intercourse by flag, was that the two nations were not in a state of war, which alone required it. He said he expected Barclay, or General Robert Lowrie, in a week to take the command. I salute you with sincere affection and respect.
TO HIS EXCELLENCY GOVERNOR CABELL.
Monticello, August 7, 1807.