Jan'r l3th

In reply to his of the 2nd by Post, just recd:‹He regrets he cannot get the remainder of the Cartridge boxes over from Anapolis, because the wagoners will do nothing without pay, and he has no moans. Has received no clothing from County Lieutenants. In regard to the com- plaints against Mr. Conn, temporarily employed by him to receive and issue forage at Dumfries to the American Troops on the way to the Seige of York, he says "the French Troops call'd on him for forage which he declin'd issuing to them, having no Orders from me for that purpose, but they being in much want, and Persevering in their Request, he was persuaded by those about him to let tbem have three Tons of Hay and about nineteen Bush'ls of corn, which I immediately had replaced again with the same money. he was more inclined to do this I presume in consequence of my Orders to him to render the French all the service in his power. I have been particular in my enquiry in this matter before I rec'd your letter, the more especially as I was informed ill nature had said much on this and similar cases: the Quarter Master General recommended every assistance given the French, and throughout their whole march from the nortb ward, where they had no Agents, tbe Continental Agents furnish'd them, and with their money replac'd the goods again‹I did so myself‹I gave their Agent a quantity of Corn, and with their money replac'd it and if any injury was committcd, it was giving them old, Fly-eaten corn and receiving merchantable in its stead. and at that time it was the duty of every person to facilitate their march. thc People being sore with their goods taken from them under the seizing Law, a law, my friend which I hope will never again be reviv'd, took umbrage at their goods being taken from them and sold to the French, not considering, and perhaps not knowing, that whenever it came to the continental agents' hands, it could not be restored to them again, and that he must account to his superior for the disposal of everything received from the State or Bought by him. This is a true state of every transaction in my district respecting buying and selling in the Continental line, and I can't see how envy, herself cou'd find fault with the measure."

Richard Graham to Col: Davies

Your favor of the 18th ult. covering an extract of a letter from Col: Hendricks, came to hand a few days ago-When the French troops came to the southward, I was in Philadelphia & before I got home, part of them had passed this place. I was informed that Mr. Conn was furnishing the whole of them with our specific tax corn, drawing from them cash at 10s per bbl. and that he was supplying them also with hay, that had been impressed from the gentlemen in the neighborhood for the use of the Continental army. I stept over to Mr. McDaniel's where Mr. Conn lodged to tell him that he ought in my opinion to return the money rec'd for the corn, into the Treasury & that the people who rec'd the hay from ought to have teh money arising from it, but he was gone to Alexandria, & tho' he was from time to time in town, for ab't two or three weeks after this, I did not see him. I did not know his person, but in the meantime Mr. McDaniel had told me he was taking up the cash he rec'd from time to time, to Col: Hendricks. I made no doubt that the Col: had particular directions regarding the disbursement of the money, and therefore gave myself no further trouble about the matter. Only when I made the return of our specific Tax, I thought it necessary to note that a quantity of the corn had been delivered to the French. Since the receit of your letter, I have made particular enquire into the matter, and not withstanding Mr. Conn's return of only three tons and nineteen bushells of corn, he has, from the best information I can obtain, furnished the French troops & rec'd the money for upwards of twenty tons of hay and eight hundred or a thousand bushells of corn, for which I cannot find that he ever replaced one pound of hay or a single bushell of corn at this post. Mr McDaniel tells me that Conn set out three different times from his house, with large sums of money, which he told him he was taking up to Col: Hendricks- and that he has seen him receive at one time upwards of one hundred guineas from the French, & he was receiving almost every day for three or four weeks. One gentlemen, Mr Gwadkins, had twelve tons of hay taken from him and sold to the French. Conn rec'd the money in the presence of Mr. Gwadkins, but would not pay him one shilling of it- every drove of French beeves were fed with corn and hay both. The American beeves were furnished with neither. A Court of Inquiry may bring all these matters to light. Conn has certainly imposed upon Col: Hendricks most grosly- but I think the Col: is mistaken in some of his observations. That if the grain was replaced, there could be no harm done & that if the people's goods were once taken from them & got intp the Agent's hands, as they could neevr go back to them, it could make no difference who consumed them.- in the first case as the corn was sold at 10s pr Bl. to the French & could be spared, the money ought to have been sent to the Treasury-because if more corn had been wanted at this post, it could be laid in again at a dollar pr: Bl. Mr Conn could have no right to make 60 pr ct: by trading with the Country's property.in the second, the people conceived, and indeed knew, that one third or one fourth of the hay impressed for this post would have served the Continental troops & that they could have sold the remaining two thirds and three-fourths to the French, themselves for cash, therefore the people have no doubt, just cause of complaint.

I have the honor to be with the greatest regard, Dear sir, your most obedt Servnt."

COL: JAMES HENDRICKS TO COL: DAVIES.

Alexandria

Mr. Graham of Dumfries has informed him of the complaint against Mr. Conn, A Dept; Q master, in regard to the Sales made to the French Troops. He has examined Mr. Conn's Accounts, and finds he received from the Commioners &c., 690.5 bushels Corn, and 30, 430 pounds of Hay; half the Corn was returned to the Commissioner. The whole matter appears misterious" to him, and ho cannot undertako to vindicate Conn's Conduct: but his account appeared fair" and as such he passed them, after "swearing him to them" making his own returns up accordingly. He shall now require Mr. Conn to go to Mr. Graham, and clear up the matter. Requests to be supplied with the Acts of Assembly when printed, and adds "Subscribe to Dunlap & Hay's Paper for me, the expense of which I will cheerfully send you."

[30] I left the 30th, and arrived at noon in Fredericksburg, which is 50 miles distant, having changed horses only once at Red House, at the half way point. Until then I used some hussars' horses, which were excellent; but in Fredericksburg I had much difficulty in finding some horses, in spite of my search and warm entreaties. Finally, after 3 hours, I re-mounted, and after crossing on the ferry, which is quite near the city, I followed my guide, who, dead-drunk as a beggar, made me miss the direct road and ride at least 24 miles instead of only I4. I did not arrive at Garrot's Tavern until 8 o'clock. Luckily, I found a relay from the inn-keeper himself, a militia colonel, who guided me to Dumfries, a distance of I8 miles. I reached it at IO o'clock, and went to sleep very quickly, after having only a glass of dty Madeira and half a chicken.

CLJ MAY I782

[I] The next day, at daybreak, I left my lodgings without many regrets, and breakfasted at Colchester, where I crossed the Occoquan on the ferry, 40 miles from Dumfries. lmmediately,since my horses were refreshed, I pushed on as far as Alexandria, I9 miles from there.

[I6] On the I6th our Division arrived rather early at a place a half mile from Dumfries, where it camped on the bank of Quantico Creek, which Rows into thc Potomac two miles from there.'3 This march of only IO miles was through a less hilly country than that of the day before. Dumfries is a small town, not too well built, consisting of a single street, almost on the banks of the creek. There is a very fine Presbyterian church there.

[I7] On the I7th we arrived very early in Colchester; the artillery, 2 miles before entering the town, took the left road, which leads to the ford, which it crossed 6 miles above the town, and the troops, as well as the wagons, took the right road, in order to cross the Occoquan by the ferry. Fortunately, this river is so narrow there that all the wagons were over after dinner. Colchester is a small place containing nothing-, the few houses are built half way up the hill.

June 23d 1782 Dumfries

Accepting the Position of Commissioner for Collections of specific tax, for the district composed of Loudoun, Fairfax, P. William, and Stafford Cos.- from the great difficulties that had attended this business in the past, he anticipates much trouble, but should give his utmost exertions to carry out his instructions.

Col: Davis represents to the Executive the necessity of at once selling the "specifics" collected, lest they all spoil: the bacon he fears is already damaged and the flour in many parts of the Country is seriously injured. Suggests that no one is yet appointed to succeed Col: Lindsay or Mr. Whiting, and recommends Mr. John Scott of Albemarle, Mr. Graham of Dumfries or Col: Peyton of Loudoun as being proper successors, &c.

[I6] On the I6th our Division arrived rather early at a place a half mile from Dumfries, where it camped on the bank of Quantico Creek, which Rows into thc Potomac two miles from there.[13] This march of only IO miles was through a less hilly country than that of the day before. Dumfries is a small town, not too well built, consisting of a single street, almost on the banks of the creek. There is a very fine Presbyterian church there.

[I7] On the I7th we arrived very early in Colchester; the artillery, 2 miles before entering the town, took the left road, which leads to the ford, which it crossed 6 miles above the town, and the troops, as well as the wagons, took the right road, in order to cross the Occoquan by the ferry. Fortunately, this river is so narrow there that all the wagons were over after dinner. Colchester is a small place containing nothing-, the few houses are built half way up the hill.

13. Quantico was called Queen creek in the transcript.

Journal of Claud Blanchard 1780-1783," trans by William Duane, ed. by Thomas Balch (1876), in Eyewitness Accounts of the American Revolution (New York: New York Times and Arno Press, 1969, )p. 165 and more

Verger Journal

June-July 1782

13 July Via Fredericksburg to Falmouth‹l0 miles. Fredericksburg is quite a large town whose surrounding country is very well cultivated. A mile from town there is a superb estate whose proprietor owns 1,000 negroes.[l20] He trades extensively in tobacco. 120. Doubtless "Chatham," which is still standing and which in 1782 belonged to Colonel William Fitzhugh. See Vol. Il, Itinerary 6, n. 28.

We skirted the lower end of the town on our way to Falmouth. The artillery crossed the Rappahannock, which is not navigable beyond ths point, at a ford. We found the Lauzun Legion at Falmouth, where we camped on miserable ground. We stayed there two days and visited a rather fine Protestant Church and a ropewalk.

15 July To Peyton's Tavern 13 miles.

16 July To Dumfries, a small settlement with nothing notable about it except a very pretty view overlooking Quantico Creek. 8 miles.

17 July To Colchester, a small town on the Occoquan River inhabited before the Revolution chiefly by Scottish merchants and now almost deserted l0 miles. We went to see the forges on the Occoquan, 4 miles from town, whch are very fine, and a waterfall over the rocks that is a beautiful spectacle. There is also in the middle of the river a small island that is very fertile, and in general the banks of this river are lovely.

18 July To Alexandria 17 miles. This is a fairly large town on the Occoquan [Potomac] and is a very busy port. Ships of 300 tons can easily come up to it. There are several fine buildings to be seen here. We camped on an immense plain.[l21]

[121]. George Grieve, the English translator of Chastellux's Travels, who was himself in America at this time and who "attended the French army on their march, nearly the whole way from Alexandria to the North River," witnessed the following scene: "When they encamped at Alexandria, on the ground formerly occupied by Braddock [in 1755], the most elegant and handsome young ladies of the neighborhood danced with the officers on the turf, in the middle of the camp, to the sound of military music; and (a circumstance which will appear singular to European ideas) the circle was in a great measure composed of soldiers, who, from the heat of the weather, had disengaged themselves from their clothes, retaining not an article of dress except their shirts, which in general were neither extremely long, nor in the best condition; nor did this occasion .....the least embarrassment to the ladies; many of whom were of highly polished manners, and the most exquisite delicacy; or to their friends or parents; so whimsical and arbitrary are manners." Chastellux (4), II, 615.

Rich'd Graham to Col: Davies

Reporting the state of collections of "specifics" in his district. He is about to send off a cart with the clothing from Fairfax and Loudoun, and will send the money as soon as collected-

The Bacon has been ordered to Dumfries, Colchester and Alexandria in time for the French troops, hoping they would purchase the whole of it, but they took only enough for the waggoners. The wheat at Alexandria has the Ffly in it, and could not be ground, the mills being all dry. He has since sold it and a hundred bushels left at Gen'l Washington's & Mr. Gilpin's Mill. A few beeves may be had for the Factory at Fredericksburg, and some estray at Mr. Custis & Mr. Fitzhugh's Quarters shall be collected-

He has been to Alexandria to have a settlement with Mr. Hendricks the commissioner, but he refused to do anything in the matter, saying he had made a return of what he had recd. to the state. It is said most of the grain collected was sold to the French by Mr. Hendricks, which causes complaints in Fairfax- the matter should be looked into. He has rec'd seven good hhds: Tobacco from the Commissioners which have been delivered to Messers. Hunter and Allison, to account of Mr. Hay C.A. Every effort shall be made to bring to a settlement all the Commissioners in his district, but find it a "tedious troublesome business".- He has in vain tried to get a settlement with those of Stafford and Loudoun, for the years 1780 & 1781.

Rich'd Graham to Col: Davies

Making report ofSept 1782- government tobacco in Dumfries warehouse priced at 16/8 per hundred...by Nov. 1782 the price was 20 shillings for potomac tobacco.

Virginia State Auditor's Ledger #179. Account of Duty of Tobacco, Colchester Warehouse Accession #28..Virginia State Library. need Dumfries. 5 shillings per hhgs.

List of tobacco warehouses in Virginia [Potomac and Wicomico rivers (15) 9500 hhgs= 16.667% ] Sept 1780. Public Record Office MMS 30/11/3-4. Microfilm reel #510, p. 24, 24 "...rather a short than middling yearly crop....."

Collections in his district- the clothing should have been down sooner, but for the heavy rains- Mr. Jno. Robertson had come up for all the money in hand and he has paid him two hundred pounds- the Fairfax commissioner have just paid in £80. .: they can do no more at present: not a shilling from Prince William, and nothing from Stafford Commissioners, they say the people have never given in a list of their tithables and few of them have paid anything. Steps must be taken to bring the deliquents to a settlement-

Virginia State Auditor's Ledger #179. Account of Duty of Tobacco, Colchester Warehouse Accession #28..Virginia State Library. need Dumfries. 5 shillings per hhgs.

List of tobacco warehouses in Virginia [Potomac and Wicomico rivers (15) 9500 hhgs= 16.667% ] Sept 1780. Public Record Office MMS 30/11/3-4. Microfilm reel #510, p. 24, 24 "...rather a short than middling yearly crop....."

Jan'y l6th 1783

Enclosed recommendations of gentlemen fit to serve as Justices of Prince William County and for Coroners, in as much as there were none in the county, and a Court could not be organized for the punishment of felons.

69 Degrees on the 9th of December, traveling south, staying overnight at a private residence of Capt. B.H. (Burr Harrison?), crossing Aquia Creek and proceeding to Fredericksburg.

May 8th 1783

Dumfries

May it please your Excellency

Having been for some months past much distressed by Law suits for monies due to individuals in this State for provisions & Liquor I furnished the troops by Contract, and also anxious to have my accounts adjusted & settled both with the State & Continent makes me bold to entreat your Excellcncy would grant me.

Rich'd Graham to the Governor

Sending by Col: Lee the amount of collections made in his district, Col: Lee had with great difficulty obtained Judgements against all deliquents, &c.

THE RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY

110 BenevolentStreet Providence, Rhode Island O2906 Tel.(401)331-8578

Unfortunately, we do not have any information concerning General Greene's carriage spill, except for an entry in his journal, which was reproduced in part in George Washington Greene's biography Life of Nathanael Greene (Vol 3: 507-08) which you probably know about. If not it reads:

We set out for Mount Vernon, General Washington's seat. Within a few miles of Dumfries I overset my carriage, broke the top and harness and bruised myself not a little, and if I had not lifted up the carriage and let it pass over me, it is probable I might have got killed or badly wounded, for the horse started upon a run and drawed the carriage after him until the harness gave way. I felt the hurt at first, but more afterwards. At Dumfries we got a little repaired, but was obliged to stay a night there, contrary to my intention. Colonel Grayson lives at this place, which stands upon a creek that empties into the Potomac. We spent an agreeable evening. He was formerly of General Washington's family and then in the Board of War, and is possessed of a pretty good history of the war.

September 13th, 1783 was spent at Mount Vernon.LGM II, p.63.

[The date was September 12th, 1783.]

On the way to Washington's home, Greene upset his carriage, broke the top and bruised himself considerably. "If I had not lifted up the carriage and let it pass over me," wrote Greene, "it is probable I might have got killed or badly wounded, for the horse started upon a run and drawed the carriage after him until the harness gave way." At a nearby hamlet [Dumfries] the carriage was repaired and on September 13th the party reached Mount Vernon. George and Martha Washington were at Princeton but Lund Washington and his wife were there to receive and entertain them.

After dining at Mount Vernon, Greene and his aides bid goodby to their hosts and started for Alexandria. When they arrived that night, Greene was sick with a fever. He was taken to the home of Colonel Fitzgerald where he lay for eight days desperately ill. Dr. Brown, a graduate of Edinburgh, attended him during his sickness during which he did not eat a thing for six days. Many prominent men, among them Richard Henry Lee, visited him but he was too weak to enjoy their company. While he lay sick, Alexandria held a public dinner in his honor. "You Sir," said the chief speaker, "have had the honor of proving to the World that circumstances of the greatest distress and a Situation surrounded with danger and with difficulty can be nobly surmounted by brave Men, animated with the spirit of liberty and under the command of wise, virtuous, and persevering Leaders."

Taxes= 22 Jan 1785- L692. due for taxes 1783

Letter of Weedon to John F. Mercer 9 September, 1783