January 1-December 31, 1781 293

[Rt. F. Hooe, Alex^a, to Gov. Lee.]

I had the Honor of receiving Your Excellency's Letter of the
13^th last night. The report of the Arrival of a french fleet, and Your
hopes of confirming it soon, gives us high spirits here — and I beg
that you will be pleased to be assured that, I hold myself under the
greatest obligation for the interesting news you have been so kind
as to Communicate from time to time. I shall continue as I ever have
done, to take a Pleasure in giving you every information in my
power of the movements, and Transactions, of the Southern Armies,
There being various reports about the Vessells in our River, & hav-
ing had certain intelligence Yesterday that a ship was standing up
the River, & would be up as high as this Town, this Morn^s if she
was bound here, & being by some called a flag Ship, & by others said
to be a fore runner from the Enemy's fleet. I thought it prudent to
detain Your Excellency's express rider 'till I could give you a certain
Account of that Vessell. She is most certainly a Flagg Ship & by
information from our County Lieut, may be expected here in a few
hours. The other Vessells below are nothing more than some Craft
getting off & bringing up a new Brig. Col^o. Tupper from the Mar-
quiS^ts Camp on Sunday last tells us that, the Enemy was by their
latest intelligence, at the Point of Forks on James River — supposed
to be ab^t 5000 Strong, including horsemen — they have now ab^t 1000
horse — at Present it is supposed their first object is our stores, some
of w^ch they destroyed at Charlotte-Ville, that their next view was to
intercept the Prisoners under Washington, March^g from South Caro-
lina. That 96 and another small Part was still in Possession of the
Enemy, but invested by our Army. That the Marquis had began
his March towards the Enemy that his front was within 25 Miles of
the Enemy's rear that he had sent off his Baggage, that he had a
respectable body of Militia, that every movement indicated an attack
on the part of the Marquis the moment he gets up with Cornwallis.
Baron Stueben with the stores was going up James River in Boats —
the light horse had given him some fires, but all was safe in that
quarter when they heard last. Gen^l Green, Col^o Tupper seems to think
is Strong. Morgan has unlimitted Powers to raise a Thousand Vol-
unteer horse & foot. Blank Commissions has been sent him by the
Assembly to fill up at discretion — he succeeds very well it is said. He
has killed some of the Tories in Hampshire disarmed others & quieted
the late insurrection. Our Militia turn out cheerfully but we want
Musquets & horse accoutrements. I cannot hear of a Man that has
Joined the Enemy from this State — they have made Prisoners of
several — the negros do not run to them in such numbers as was fear'd
but they take many that are valuable against their inclination

June 14
Red Book
No. 28
Letter 52

[Sam. Huntington, President, Philadelphia, to Gov. Lee.]
Your Excellency will receive enclosed a Resolve of Congress of
the 12^th Instant, among other Matters, earnestly recommending to

June 14
Red Book
No. 8
Letter 13