The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1813-12-14
REPORT
.3eeomp.inyirg GovKaNoR BARpouR's Message
TO the VII gins Legislature
On the 6f6 tsS:.
ADIUTAN,r GENERALS OFFICE,
Iliehaond, 9Th Of Dec. 1918.


the detail of The Militia for actual service, has the
honor submit the following statement OF The for
Cas- directed 10 take The deid, With tae attendant
circumstances, since his report OF the goth OF isy
last, which was laid before Tn. General Assembly
then in session.
The enemy's squadron continuing to Increase in
numbers, With large accession OF land troops,
deemed by the commanding General 1T Norfolk.
twho was fully authorised by the President to call
for such rcntoreements OF Militia, he might
think proper) highly ineNped,eut TO diminish
forces, rSiiha,anoEg the ss.arge OF those who hal
been called Got, on tie emergency, over and above
the requ'suon, had been strongly pressed BY the
Governor. III answer to the .ariou, letters, writ
ten by the GoverHor himself, ard the communica-
ton from the Adiutsnt Generate department, on
this subject, General Tayicr in his letter of the
10Th June isst, thus empbaicay expresses him
self. In the actual state Of things here, il would
be totally incompatible With the safety OF ih, post,
tn withdraw any part Of the troops. especially
since the withdrawal OF all the regular force, and
the occupancy OF Crsney Island by work
which last measure wRs not contemplated in my
QUESTION on the executive, for the last detachment
OF state troops. could not, therefore, sstenty
with my duty or sense OF psoprie;y, consent al
present to any d;ninu;on of the force here
Scarcely had the general uttered these words
when the position taken by the enemy, clearly evn
ced \ determination to make Immediate NJ
tack the unh nished works az Crsney leland as a
prelude TO one on Norfolk x Hampton.
Or reinforcement snd force OF the enemy, the e.
ecutive were early advised, by commun cation
from Maj Crutohheld, Commanding at II Ynvton,
dated the 2lst OF June (see document Al A letter
also from Littlston Waller farewell. Esq. of the
e2d June, written at the request of General Tsy or,
who Was 800 much occspietl in the important
then passing to write himself fur nsel persricuous
view O the operations o. the enemy and presses Gp-
on the Governor most earnestly, the necessity OF
calling forth the whole powers of the state (asa DO
eument By
In consequence of the information impaired by
these letters together with that disclosed by one
from General Taylor himself, announcing the abor-
tive EFFORT Of the neny upon Craney Island their
probable force, authority given him by the or.
ders Of the Gath OF June, to csii upon the comm,n-
dants Of the several regiments in Princess Anne,
Norfolk, Nsasemond, Isle OF Wight Southampton,
and Sussex, for such assistance ~ the exgencv of
the moment might require The whole OF the mi
h,is OF New hent, Charles City, Chesterfield, Hen
rico, and the city OF Richmond, were ai,o put in re-
guisition, (s-e documents c ID f And by an or.
der q the Goth of June, the entire regiments, in
those Counties we're called into scual service with
She addition OF Captain Boiings troop OF Cavalry of
Goochland. and Captain Ancierson's of f'owhatsn -
Colonel John HartwelI Cooke va9 on the same dsv
appointed to the command Of the detachment, AT
Malvern Hills and to, General Charnbersyne
coDhded the direction of the forces emboiied
between thai point and Hampton.
Fooled In his attempt upon Cram Island, the en-.
en- crossed over to Rampten snd on the roorniu,
of the 18th, commenced an attack upon that pos, -
So great the superiority of the enemy in pon,
OF nnmhers and 40 IN: dequate our means OF resis
tsnce, that Major Crutehheld was compelled 10 n
handon the place, after most gallant defence
The result %. tis unequal contest is vel! known 4
the iarticAlsrs well the estimated force Of the
enemy sre detailed in the documents marked, T. G.
HI j. rStC.1
All accounts from Hampton having representsd
the enemy rs belwe-H four s. fge thousand strong,
it bee me an object OF the first impor ance with the
ExeeHtve, TO eau IN SUCH AID, S. hyits celebrity of
movement, might not only arrest the progress
enemy. but drive him from our territory. With
this view, the troops OF Csyslry Of Cata Miller Of
Cumberland Captain Allen Of Prince Edward. and
Unfair Cuu,t Ford 81 F,t,F
ders OF eth June, to repair 10 this place without
moments delay. Major Robinson oS the Cavalry
was also called into service see document K I On
TOE 18th jun general orders we're issued, ior a
:oroe TO rendezvous st MOI folk and Richmsnd to
rsp.l th5 SEXUAL invasion o! the state whish w.s de-
IN nded by the exigency, and cons dered adeouate
to the object. See document l.. Ito each eem.
Inandsnt oil q regiment, from which mouated rife.
men were drawn. special orders we're sent. oil which
copy marked NJ IS enclosed
10 have concentrated, a competent force 6yoee-.
" armed, by the slow process of calling into ser.
vice those held ia previous reuusition only wb;nb
must necessarily have embraced a widely extended
territory, was absolutely Impossibie Hence the Ms
cessity of requiring from those regiments con,p ous
TO the scene OF danger certain proportion oser s.
d6ope bF Ts9Zisis5or, ard OF appealing TO the MOI
riotsrn of the people for supply of riff s NOT to he
found in the public arssnals as well as for the means
OF transporting the troops with the greaiest expedi
ion.
Thase orders of the Executive were in narcec, or.
incidence with the views Of General TAYLOR for ia
his letter Of the 7th June, after informing the CIV
ernor that be had made drafts on the neigh borins
counties Tor 30 many men was consistent win
their fety from the internal foe end nofieiny the
increased force of the enemy, he says, &" I deem il
highly important that all the force above tbis snd IN
your neishOorhoOd, that can be marched at once
shoud be put in motion towards this place, without
delsy.--We ought to be prepared by p decisive
stroke, TO cheek the b. efor,s of the enemy.Jf
may save Virginia for the residue Of the wsr (see
document N.
Toe measures Tins adopted by the Executive md
Gen. Taylor having been communicated IN the
President, received bis entire appreciation. as will
appear by reference ~ letter from the Seoretsr7
Of War, among the documents marked \ A.
Various communications, received on the so.h NJ
June sed the ascent of considerable pgrt ef
the enemJs Yes5eis o. WST, Up Jsrr-s BE-. - ~
ON that day, " large force was Represented 70 he
sa high up Sandy Point. See documents o. p. o
(Q2.) ". r. Y % NO aid hsvisg been re.
reived from distsHt ccuntits excert the troona a
cavalry Of Captains Boiling ami Anderson such dls
Positions we're made for watching the movements of
the emmy and rtpeiIng any attack, IA could he ef.
fceteh blythe detachment a.-Malvern Hills and the
local nitis. The while oF the Sotb Regiment. in.
cuding the town Of Petersburg, we're also put in re
QUESTION.
I, being sscertained that The enofey had evseua4.d
H9mpton, the Executive determined to SUSPEND the
march OF al the troops ca led out By the General
Orttrs OF the 2Stb June, except the infantry from
t,e counties Cf Amelia, Nottovay, I,ui,s nburz.
Meckenburg, the goth regiment, Bruuswick Char.
lotte hud halifax, aud the mounted rTnemeu FINN
ihe western counties the former being permitted
10 proceed "a NorfOik reinforce rnrnt 10 the ar
my gisoned there and the latter dea,ined 10 &C, ON