Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-31
THE RAID OF ARNOLD.
PAGE FROM VlRGlNlgS HISTORY.
An Interesting Review of the Condi-
lions That Existed i'm the Cam
pnicn of Is.i-Mr Jefferson Had
Too Many Details TO Look After.

Hon. Francis X. Lasster, OF Peters
burg. delivered in the han Of The House
os Delegates last night the first of this
winters series OF lectures under the
auspices Of the Association for the Pre-
scrvation OF Virginia Antiquities.
The lecture reviewed an interesting
period In Virginla's history, and was
both entertaining and instructive. Mr..
Lassiter was introduced by Mr.. John
p. Mcguire in a short, graceful address
Mr.. Lassiter's lecture was carefully pre-
pared and we'll delivered.
The audience was large and represen-
tatve. Among those present were Mr..
w. l. Sheppard. Mr.. and Mrs. Howard
Hoge. Mr. and Mrs. w. c. Bentley, Miss
Bentley. Mrs. Alexander Cameron, Mr..
K. L. Traylor, Miss Kate Mason Row
land, Mr.. John II. Powell. Mrs. and Miss
Townes. Mr.. Edward Winfree, Miss VI.
NJ. Il. Newton, Mrs. ]. Il. Lightfoot, Mr..
John Chamblin, Miss Houston, Mr.. w.
G.. Staaard, Hon. j. r. Ellyson and Mis-.
Ellyson, Mr.. and Mrs. Caskie Cabell,
Rev. DIR. j. William Jones, DIR. C. w. +.
Brock, Mr.. and Mrs. +. II. Wise, Judge
JEFFERSON WAS KEPT BUSY.
Mr.. Lassiter's subject was, Military
Notes on That Period of the Campaign
OF 1881 in Virginia Comprising the Raid
of Benedict Arnold He treated II with
astonishing impartiality, giving TO Arnold
credit for having Issued, PRIOR to en-
barking from Sandy Hook with mis- army
destined Tor Virginia, the most stringent
orders against pillaging, and indulging
in at least hints as TO the inefiiciency OF
Thomas jefferson as war governor MI
Jefferson can never be charged with lack
of industry" said the speaker. Perhaps
the multitude of his respOr sbilities in
Jurc the quality OF the performance or
his higher functions; certainly in no we'll
ordered government would such details
be expected from the chief magistrate
Mr.. Lassiter sketched in detail condi-
tons as they existed in the latter part Of
lfSD in Virginia. On November 18th. Gen
eral L0sie had terminated his forty days
occupation Of the Chesapeake. and sailed
TO reinforce CORVALLIS in South Carolina.
The 400 Virginia militia assembled at
Portsmouth had been marched back TO
Petersburg and disbanded. OF the 1000
so-called regulars collected by General
Muhenburg. succeeded in command in
Virginia by General Steuben in December,
400 had been sent to join General Green
in South Carolina, leaving only about 6yO
men on Virginia soil, naked and unarmed.
These were stationed at Chesterfield
saw the necessity of straining every point
to aid General Green in South carolina
in order TO prevent the victory or Corn
wallis there and the transfer or the
seat of war TO Virginia soil. The British
saw the importance OF keeping the VIZ
ginians fully engaged, so that they could
not have time to send any help 10 Green
or anybody else. Hence, General Arnolds
raid.
VIRGINIA'S MILITIA.
The number of enrolled militia In Vir-
ginia in 1881, according TO Nh Jefferson,
was 1871 unorganized. undisciplined,
poorly armed, wasteful, and IN the mill
tary sense unreliable. The long-contlnued
struggle had dampened military ardor,
and bounties In money land, ana negroes
seem to have been Intellectual as a means |
Of raising the States quota or troops. |
In 1880 the Cherokees of the Southwest !
had given much trouble to the people OF !
Virginia and North Carolina. and later |
Governor jefferson was busted in ais |
patching the George Rogers Clark eXpe- !
iition into the Northwest, which eventu- |
lted in adding such an immense domain /
10 the territory of Virginia and of the /
United States
So preoccupied were jefferson and Steu- /
ben with other matters that they PAD /
no attention TO the message sent by |
from New York 70 the effect .
hat Arnold planned raid into virginia. |
BY the Goth of December Arnolds COM |
uanQ. ABOUT ~ SlIOISs was III hampton ]
Roads. and by the afternoon OF the so
# January was opposite Hood s, now ola
COrt POWhatan, above Williamsburg. A
andng party caused this {oTt TO De
promptly evacuated. and Arnold pushed
IN up the river, disembarking al West
ver AT noon the next day. With 800 men
Arnold set out at o'clock on the AFTER
loon Of January attn Tor richmond, ana
hat night encamped at Four-Mlle creek,
WelVe miles from Richmond. At l
no I
throughout the advance of thrty-three
niles from WestoVer not a gun had been
red. The foundry the boring-mill, and
he magazine containing five or six tons
{ powder. at Westham. were destroyed.
fr Lassiter says he thinks the damage
one in Richmond. which was mere vii
age at that time, was inconsiderabie,
kept that the government was so poor.
number of buildings were burned and
n inconsiderable quantity Of public and
rivate property. including rum, salt and
father. was destroyed. When Arnold
egan to reure abou. noon in driving
ain many of his soldiers were drunk,
nd Mr.. Lasster regretted that there was
o hand to administer a retaliatory
troke. Arnold arrived at Westover on
he 18th. having with him as trophies
70 muskets and five brass Founders
A SLOW EXPRESS.
Meanwhile, on the morning of Sunday,
he last day of 1850, MIR. Jefferson re-
eiVcd a letter from Mr.. Jacob Wray, OF
hampton, warning him of the presence of
fleet in Chesapeake bay. General Mel
on was sent into the lower country with
an powers; Captain Maxwell, of the Vir-
mia navy, was written TO and ordered
, station expresses at Hampton, but as
lr. Wray had not stated whether the
eet was hostile or not, no other steps
-ere taken. At 10 o'clock on the morning
{ the I'd. a letter from Nathaniel Bur-
ell county Lieutenant of James City, !
oniirmed the hostile character of the
eet.
Circular letters were sent out 10 the
)unty lieutenants. asking for one-half
heir militia. and the counties of Shenan-
bah, Rockingham, Augusta, and Rock
ridge were asked 10 furnish 1000 rifle
zen. On the morning Of the 4th General
teuben learned that the enemy were at
Jestover, and sent 100 men under Major
lex to prevent their advance. After