Fluvanna County militia The Fluvanna County militia was a component of the Virginia militia during the American Revolutionary War . It was based in Fluvanna County , Virginia for the majority of the war and only saw action near the end of the conflict , in 1781 . Size . The exact size of the Fluvanna militia at different times during the war is unknown . Local writings list the station of Revolutionary War units at six companies . As of January 13 , 1781 Thomas Jefferson knew there to be 260 men enlisted in the militia . It is known that Thomas Jefferson asked for one quarter of the county ' s militia , 65 men , to fight at Green Spring , West Virginia in 1781 , near the end of the war . What is known is that Fluvanna was the site of Point of Fork Arsenal , a major center of arms manufacturing for the Virginia government during the Revolution . Origins . Like other county militias , the Fluvanna militia was formed as a local branch of the Virginia militia . It was led by Captain Richard Napier . In order to join the militia , men were required to take a " Test Oath " renouncing King George III and pledging themselves to defend the Commonwealth . Known members . This is a list of known members of the militia and their rank , if appropriate . Point of Fork . In May 1781 Baron von Steuben held the arsenal at Point of Fork , where the James River and Fluvanna River meet . Stationed at Point of Fork were elements of the 5th Virginia ( Gaskins ' Battalion ) as well as elements of the local militia . Von Steuben complained of the status of the militia found at Point of Fork , stating that there were few men and fewer provisions . Immediately , von Steuben set about refitting the 5th Virginia for deployment south with General Greene in South Carolina , this despite some controversy with the Virginia General Assembly after von Steuben ' s plan to reinforce the American armies in South Carolina was rejected for fear of leaving Virginia ' s rivers undefended . By May 1781 , Cornwallis was determined to break the back of the Virginians and sent Lt . Col . Simcoe and a detachment of rangers to capture Point of Fork . Alongside this effort was a force under Col . Tarleton ' s cavalry , seeking to sack the Virginia General Assembly , capture then - Governor Thomas Jefferson , and burn out any warehouses or potential stores for the Marquis de Lafayette and his army to use in pursuit of Cornwallis . When Simcoe reached the arsenal , he expected to surprise the American forces and seize the stores . Von Steuben , believing that Simcoe ' s detachment was a sign that the entire British army under Cornwallis was nearby abandoned Point of Fork Arsenal , leaving it to the British detachment as they made their way towards Charlottesville and Governor Jefferson . Tarleton , after failing in his mission of capturing Jefferson and the Virginia General Assembly , " destroying one thousand new muskets , four hundred barrels of powder , several hogsheads of tobacco , and a quantity of soldier ' s clothing " returned to Point of Fork to Elk ' s Hill , a plantation owned by Jefferson , thoroughly destroying the stores and wares , even to the point of slitting the throats of the horses on the plantation . Von Steuben carried the large part of the blame for the abandonment of Point of Fork arsenal , to the point Virginia ' s General Assembly ordered an investigation into von Steuben ' s conduct . Von Steuben was adamant that the provisions and men were not as stated by the legislature , and given both the condition of his hurried preparations , the sudden arrival of Cornwallis , and his belief that the entire British army was nearby , von Steuben exasperation was summarized ; " Every farmer is a general … but nobody wishes to be a soldier . " Further rising to the defense of von Steuben is the notable action of the 5th Virginia Regiment during the 1781 Virginia Campaign , despite the notable lack of clothing , muskets , bayonets , and other equipment . Despite this , the 5th Virginia pushed to within 350 yards of the British lines at Yorktown before Cornwallis surrendered on October 19 , 1781 .