?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 12,000 - $ 18,000
"THE FLEET ARRIVED IS BRITISH" JEFFERSON, THOMAS. Letter Signed, "Th:Jefferson," as Governor of Virginia, to Brigadier General George Weedon, informing him that the British fleet has arrived, and requesting that lookouts keep Lafayette informed of current developments. 1 page, 4to, with integral blank; short closed separation at horizontal fold, seal hole to terminal blank with minor loss. Richmond [VA], 21 March 1781
Large British and French fleets were racing to Virginia to send reinforcements for the coming conflict between Lafayette's troops and Benedict Arnold's raiders. Jefferson, writing from inland Richmond toward the end of his term as governor of Virginia, apparently did not know that the French had already arrived shortly after the British on 16 March and faced off in the Battle of Cape Henry. Writing five days after this battle, he hopes to warn the French of the British arrival: 'As I am certainly informed by Commodore Barron that the fleet arrived is British, I become anxious lest the expected French fleet not knowing of this incident may come into the bay. Should the Marquis Fayette be returned to the north side of the river, I make no doubt but he will have taken what cautionary measures are in his power and necessary. Should he not be returned I must beg the favour of you immediately to send off a vessel from York to the eastern shore (which is supposed to be practicable) with the enclosed letter to Col. Avery, the purport of which is to send out two good lookout boats from the seaside of that shore to apprize the French commander, should he be approaching, of the situation of things here. You will, of course, caution the master of the vessel to destroy the letters confided to him in case of inevitable capture.' Published in Papers of Thomas Jefferson, 5:203.
