January 1-December 31, 1781 473

[Tho^s Nelson Jr, Richmond, to Governor Lee]

On the 31^st of August the French Fleet commanded by the
Count De Grasse consisting of 28 Ships of the Line & six Frigates
with three thousand Land Forces, arrived in Chesapeake Bay. They
have made such Dispositions as will prevent the British Army, now
at York, from crossing James River, should they attempt to escape
to the Southward; & I trust we shall, in Conjunction with the French
Troops, be able to oppose to them such a Force as will keep them from
penetrating westerly in order to cross the Country higher up. In all
human Probability Lord Cornwallis has nearly finished his Career,
& will shortly receive his Reward.
We are making the greatest Exertions to procure abundant & per-
manent Supplies of Provisions for the Fleet of our Allies & our com-
bined Forces; & although our Prospects are good, yet so anxious am
I that there shall be no Deficiency on this Score, I wish us to have
some other Dependence than the Supplies of this State, Flour is an
Article which we may probably most want, particularly for the pres-
ent; & it is one with which your State, I imagine, can easily & plenti-
fully furnish us. I would therefore take the Liberty of recommending
it to your Consideration whether it will not be advisable to have con-
siderable Quantities of it immediately sent down the Bay.

September 2

[J. Nicholson, Jr., Queen Anne County, to Gov. Lee.]

M^rs Gordon very lately received a Letter from M^r Gordon from
New York, in which he communicates to her his Intention to go this
Fall to Scotland, & take with him two of his Chillren, for which Pur-
pose and to settle his Business upon the Continent, he strongly urges
his wife to meet him at Elizabeth Town.
Permit me in Company with some others of M^rs Gordons Friends
to solicit the Favor of your Excell^oy and your Honorable Council, to
grant her this permission.
M^r Gordons Letter to his wife accompanies this, to Show to your
Excellency and your Honble Council that by making this request she
is only actuated by Motives of Interest for the welfare & Happiness
of a large & in a great measure helpless Family of Children.

September 2

[Thomas Sprigg, Washington County, to the Council.]

Yours of the 3^d August respect^g the recruits (in which their very
Erronius depositions were Inclosed) did not come to hand until Yes-
terday, I was by no means Ignorant of the Power given me by the
Law which your hon^rs were please to recite, and can assure you that
due Attention has always been paid to every Just comp^t made by any
recruit to me from this Co^ty and the Strictest Justice done them, as
far as came within my knowledge and Power nor had any of them
the smallest reason to complain of a deficientcy in their Bounty except

September 3
Red Book
No. 27
Letter 137