Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-10-27

us from time TO time TO notify ,b.r rr,a,.ss Ar
l. M on lhursday, we learnt that they had then
been three hours landed at Westover The whole
M"i'ia Oh Inc adjacent counties were now called
"nu ~ come on INDIVIDUALLY, without waiting
any regular array. AT p. Nj. the next day.
(Frlday,) they entered Richmond and on SATURDAY..
AFTER "a hours possession, burning .on,e houses
destroying property, &c. they re,reated ercamped
'hat evening lO miles below, and reached their
shipping, at Wes,over, the next day, (Sunday.)
by inns time had assembled three hundred Mi
litia under Col. Nicholas, mile, above Westovey
and two hundred under General Nelson ~ Cb,,Ias
city Courthouse, miles below: two or tire. hun.
dred at petersburg, had put themselves under Gen
Smallwood, of Maryland, accidentally there n,
his passage through the State; and Baron Steuben
with eight hundred, and Col. Gibson with one
thousand were also on the South side of James
river' aiming 10 reach Hoods before the enemy
should have passed it; where they hoped thew
could arrest them. But the wind hayin,
shifted, carried them down as prosperously as
II had brought them up the river. Within the
hrsl hve days, therefore, about $500 men had
collected at three four different points ready for
junction.
was alb ent myself from Richmond. but ALWAYS
"nhih OBSERVING distance of the enemy, three DAYS
only; during which was never off INV horse bu,
10 take food or rest; and was every where where
my presence could be OF any service; and NAV
Win confidence challenge any one to put bis finger
on the point OF time when l was in a state of re-
missness from any duty of my station.-But,
was not with the my!-True, for LIST where was
IL! "a. was engaged in the more important
functions OF taking measures to collect an and
without military education myself, instead of leo
pafuisihg the public safety by pretending TO take
us command, OF which knew nothing had con-
nii''eu 'ha' TO persons OF the art, who knew
now TO make The best use of it; 10 Steuben. for
instance, to Nelson and Others possessing TIA,
znHe of,
Let our condition too, at that time be duly con-
suefed; without arms, without money of effect
wllhout regular soldier in the state or regular
ohi'er except Steuben, militia scattered over the
country and called at moments warning to leave
'her families and friends in the dead of winter to
meet an enemy ready marshalled and prepared at
all points 10 receive them! Yet had time been given
them by the tardy retreat of that enemy 7 he
no doubt but the rush TO arms, and 10 the protec
ton OF their country, would have been az rapid
ana universal az In their invasion during our late
war; when at the first moment of notice our c,;
zens rose In mass from every part of the State and
without waiting to be marshalled by their officers
and themselves, and marched off, by ones and bv
twos' as quickly as they could equip themselves,
III the individuals of the same house, one womb
start In the morning, second at noon, a third in
'he evening; no one waiting hour for the COM
pany OF another This l saw myself on the late
occasion, aud should have seen on the former
''1 W'nu ana tide, ana Howe, instead Of an
Arnold, slackened their pace ever so little
| And Is the surprise Of an open s. unarmed place
although called City and even a Capital. so nm
precedented as to be matter of ndelibe Ieproach9
winch OF our Capitals during the same war, was
not IN possession OF the same enemy, not merely
by surprise and for day only, but permanently3
That OF Georgia? of South Carolina? North
carolina! Pennsylvania? New York. Connec-
ticut: Rhode Island? Massachusetts And.
III ,ba
my saw no object in taking possession of them
add 10 the list IN the late war, Washington also
'he ME ropolis OF the Union, covered by fort.
WIN troops and dense populations; and, what
eapitai on the continent of Europe [St. Peters
Dursh and It's regions of ice excepted did not Be-
naPate take and hold at his pleasure? Isit then
just mat Richmond and its authorities alone should
be placed under the reproach of history. because
IN moment OF peculiar denudation of resources
oy 'he coup de main OF enemy led on bv the
hand OF fortune, directing the winds and weather
10 their wishes, 1t surprised and held for o.
hours Or' strange that that enemy, with such
advantages, should be enabled then TO get off viii
out rsking The bonors he had atcheved nv hnrn-
inSs and distractions of property, peculiar to this
principle OF warfare We at least NAV tsara
these glories to their own trumpet.
During this crisis OF trial was left alone. un-
assisted by the cooperation of single pubc
iunctlonary for, with the legislature, every men,
' VIC 'ou"CH Hsu departed, to take care of
MS own family, unaided even in my bodily jabop,s
but by my horse, and he exhausted At Length nv
ia'sue, sunk under me In the public road, where
had to leave him, and with my saddle and bride o,,
my shoulders, TO walk foot TO the nearest farm
where borrowed an unbroken colt and proceed-
eu 10 Manchester, opposite Richmond which the
enemy had evacuated few hours before
without pursuing these minute details viii
mere ask me favour OF you TO turn TO Girardio,,
history OF Virginia, where such Of them az ara,
worthy the notice OF history are related in ,hs+
scale OF extension, which its objects admit. Thar
work was written at Milton, within or 2 miles of
Mohcello and al the request of the ,n,bor T
communicated TO him every paper / possessed on
Inc SUBJECT, OF which he made the use he tbousbt
proper Tor his work, (see his pages 453, $50. and
the Appendix XI-XV.) can assure Won of the
ruin oil every fact he has drawn from these nsne,
ana OF The genuineness Of such as he has taken the
trouble OF copying 1t happened that during these
DAYS oil Incessant labour, for the benefit Of INV
own memory, l carefully noted every circumstances
"ofthi IT, These memorandum were often writ
'e" On horseback and on scraps Of paper taken out
" my pocket at the moment, fortunately pre-
served 10 this day, and now lying before me :
wish you could see them But NV Names of,b,t
period are stitched together in large masses and so
tatered and tender, not 10 admit tenovaI fu,
aner man from their shelves 10 a reading tabIe
ihey pear an internal evidence of 6delitv which
must carry conviction to every one who sees them
-" c nave nothing IN our neighborhood which corld
compensate Inc trouble OF a visit to IT, nless ~
maps our University, which believe vou h..
not seen, and can assure you is worth seeing
should you think so, would ask as nncb ~ -.
tme at Monticello, as would enable Won IN sTs,n.
me .nese papers at your ease. MANY others too