Jefferson's response to these questions describes the condition of Virginia's military force during the Revolutionary War.

Transcription

QUERY IX.

Handwritten manuscript of Query 9 in Jefferson's handwritingNotes on the State of Virginia, Query 9. Courtesy of the Coolidge Collection of Thomas Jefferson Manuscripts at the Massachusetts Historical Society.

        THE number and condition of the militia and regular troops, and their pay?

        The following is a state of the militia, taken from returns of 1780 and 1781, except in those counties marked with an asterisk, the returns from which are somewhat older.

 

        

Situation. Counties. Militia
Westward of the Alleghaney. 4458. Lincoln 600
Jefferson 300
Fayette 156
Ohio  
Monongalia *1000
Washington *829
Montgomery 1071
Greenbriar 502
Between the Alleghaney & Blue ridge. 7673. Hampshire 930
Berkeley *1100
Frederick 1143
Shenando *925
Rockingham 875
Augusta 1375
Rockbridge *625
Botetourt *700
Between the Blue ridge and Tide waters. 18,828. Loudoun 1746
Fauquier 1078
Culpeper 1513
Spotsylvania 480
Orange *600
Louisa 603
Goochland *550
Fluvanna *296
Albemarle 873
Amherst 896
Buckingham *625
Bedford 1300
Henry 1004
Pittsylvania *725
Halifax *1139
Charlotte 612
Prince Edward 589
Cumberland 408
Powhatan 330
Amelia *1125
Lunenburg 677
Mecklenburg 1100
Brunswic 559
Situation. Counties. Militia
ON THE TIDE WATERS AND IN THAT PARALLEL. 19,012. Between James river and Carolina. 6959. Greenesville 500
Dinwiddie *750
Chesterfield 655
Prince George 382
Surry 380
Sussex *700
Southampton 874
Isle of Wight *600
Nansemond *644
Norfolk *880
Princess Anne *594
Between James and York rivers. 3009. Henrico 619
Hanover 706
New Kent *418
Charles City 286
James City 235
Williamsburgh 129
York *244
Warwick *100
Elizabeth City 182
Between York and Rappahanoc. 3269. Caroline 805
King William 436
King & Queen 500
Essex 468
Middlesex *210
Gloucester 850
Between Rappahanoc & Patowmac. 4137. Fairfax 652
Prince William 614
Stafford *500
King George 483
Richmond 412
Westmoreland 544
Northumberla. 630
Lancaster 302
East. Shor 1638 Accomac *1208
Northampton *430
Whole Militia of the State. 49,971

 

 

Every able bodied freeman, between the ages of 16 and 50, is enrolled in the militia. Those of every county are formed into companies, and these again into one or more battalions, according to the numbers in the county. They are commanded by colonels, and other subordinate officers, as in the regular service. In every county is a county-lieutenant, who commands the whole militia of his county, but ranks only as a colonel in the field. We have no general officers always existing. These are appointed occasionally, when an invasion or insurrection happens, and their commission determines with the occasion. The governor is head of the military, as well as civil power. The law requires every militia-man to provide himself with the arms usual in the regular service. But this injunction was always indifferently complied with, and the arms they had have been so frequently called for to arm the regulars, that in the lower parts of the country they are entirely disarmed. In the middle country a fourth or fifth part of them may have such firelocks as they had provided to destroy the noxious animals which infest their farms; and on the western side of the Blue ridge they are generally armed with rifles. The pay of our militia, as well as of our regulars, is that of the continental regulars. The condition of our regulars, of whom we have none but continentals, and part of a battalion of state troops, is so constantly on the change, that a state of it at this day would not be its state a month hence. It is much the same with the condition of the other continental troops, which is well enough known.

 

QUERY X.

        THE marine?

        Before the present invasion of this state by the British under the command of General Phillips, we had three vessels of 16 guns, one of 14, five small gallies, and two or three armed boats. They were generally so badly manned as seldom to be in condition for service. Since the perfect possession of our rivers assumed by the enemy, I believe we are left with a single armed boat only.


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See Jefferson's original, hand-written manuscript, including edited draft content that reveals insights into Jefferson's writing process. Available courtesy of the Coolidge Collection of Thomas Jefferson Manuscripts at the Massachusetts Historical Society.