Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

For preservation purposes, please use microfilm (Misc. Reels 2959-2964) or online at: About the Governors' Letters Received .

Use Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Preferred Citation

Virginia. Governor's Office. Executive Papers of Governor Patrick Henry, 1776-1779. Accession 44385. State Records Collection, The Library of Virginia.

Acquisition Information

Acquired prior to 1905

Alternative Form Available

Also available on microfilm - Miscellaneous Reel 2959.

Also available online About the Governors' Letters Received .

Biographical Information

Patrick Henry was born on 29 May 1736 in Studley, Hanover County, Virginia, the second son of John Henry and Sarah Winston Syme. Henry married twice; first to Sarah Shelton in 1754, and later to Dorothea Spotswood Dandridge in 1776. He was admitted to the bar on 15 April 1760 and was elected to his first public office as a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses on 29 May 1765. As a member of this body, Henry fought against the Stamp Act and helped defend the rights of the colonies against British tyranny. He assisted in the establishment of committees of correspondence among the colonies and was a delegate to the first Continental Congress in 1774-1775. Henry was a staunch supporter for the independence of the colonies from Great Britain. Well-known for his extraordinary oratory abilities, Henry's famous "Give me liberty or give me death" speech on 23 March 1775 helped galvanize Virginian's resolve for independence. In May 1776, he was elected to the Fifth Revolutionary Convention where he advocated a bill of rights and constitution for Virginia. The Convention named Henry the first governor of the newly independent commonwealth and he served the maximum three consecutive one-year terms until 1779. Following these terms as governor, Henry returned the legislature, but was again elected governor for two additional terms from 17 November 1784 to November 1786. Retiring from political office in 1791, Henry declined appointments to be a United States Senator in 1794, Secretary of State in 1795, Chief Justice, Minister of France & Spain, and a sixth term as Governor. Patrick Henry died on 6 June 1799 in Red Hill, Virginia.

Scope and Content

Governor Henry's Executive papers are organized chronologically with undated items arranged at the rear of the collection. These papers primarily consist of incoming correspondence during Henry's three one-year terms as the first governor of Virginia between 6 July 1776 and 1 June 1779. The correspondence primarily relates to the Revolutionary War, Indian affairs, boundary disputes between Virginia & Pennsylvania in West Augusta, and the militia. In addition to correspondence, there are accounts, receipts, appointments, resolutions, acts, orders, depositions, petitions, recommendations, commissions, certificates, returns, instructions, and other sundry items. Resolutions by the presidents   and secretaries of Congress are particularly common.

Noteworthy correspondence originates from the United States government and miscellaneous sources. Prominent correspondents from the United States government include John Hancock, Henry Laurens & John Jay, Presidents   of Congress; Charles Thomson, Secretary of Congress; and Richard Henry Lee, Francis Lightfoot Lee, John Banister, & Thomas Adams, representatives to the Continental Congress.

John Hancock, Henry Laurens, & John Jay, Presidents   of Congress, and Charles Thomson, Secretary of Congress transmit numerous resolutions to Governor Patrick Henry. Significant legislation includes a resolution regarding the enlistment of eighty-eight battalions, the quota for each state, & the bounty for enlisted officers & soldiers (1776 Sept. 16-19); a resolution that General George Washington be empowered to keep the troops whose time of enlistment shall expire to stay with the army (1776 Dec. 27); resolutions to consider all masters, officers, & mariners from British ships as prisoners of war (1777 Oct. 6); resolutions suspending ratification of the convention entered into at Saratoga between Major General Horatio Gates & Lt. General John Burgoyne (1778 Jan. 8); a resolution that General George Washington be directed to remove the prisoners of the Convention of Saratoga to Charlottesville and the appointment of a proper person to superintend the prisoners (1778 Oct. 15); resolutions for the establishment of the American Army (1778 Nov. 28); and an act of Congress to export Indian corn to Bermuda for the relief of the distressed inhabitants of those islands (1779 May 19).

Correspondence from Virginia's delegates in the Continental Congress represents a significant portion of Patrick Henry's Executive Papers. Richard Henry Lee writes on 9 January 1777 regarding General Washington's success at the Battle of Trenton and the counterattack by the British at Princeton (includes rough map of the New Jersey campaign). Lee also writes regarding problems raising recruits, enemy movements, and bankruptcies in England (1777 Apr. 15). Francis Lightfoot Lee, John Banister, & Thomas Adams write regarding the bill to declare the intentions of Parliament concerning the exercise of the right of imposing taxes within the colonies (1778 Apr. 21). Lastly, Richard Henry Lee, Francis Light Lee, John Banister, & Thomas Adams write regarding treaties concluded with France and stores to be sent from France under convoy (1778 May 3).

Miscellaneous correspondents include George Washington, Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army; William Christian, Colonel of the Virginia Militia; and George Rogers Clark, Lieutenant Colonel of the Illinois Campaign. General George Washington writes regarding Colonel Thomas Marshall's desire to transfer to a newly formed regiment of artillery and enclosing recommendation for Capt. Charles Porterfield. In addition, Charles Thomson submits an extract of a letter from Washington regarding recruiting quotas among the states (1777 Oct. 2). Colonel William Christian corresponds with Governor Henry several times in October 1776 regarding the war in the western part of the state and enclosing a letter of Brigadier General Griffith Rutherford regarding plans for him to command the forces to march against the Cherokees (Oct. 6); peace with the Cherokees, his movements, and the freedom of Cherokee prison named Capt. James McCall of South Carolina (Oct. 14); his meeting with Captain Christopher Gist on behalf of Raven Warrior to intercede for Chote or Chota, a Cherokee Indian town (Oct. 15); and his movements and the fleeing of the Indians (Oct. 23). Finally, there is a copy of a letter of instructions to Col. George Rogers Clark to raise seven companies of fifty men each to attack the British post at Kaskaskia and a copy of a letter to Clark to retain the command of the troops at the several posts in the Illinois country (1778 Dec. 12). Clark writes on 3 February 1777 regarding the capture of St. Vincent by Henry Hamilton, Lt. Governor of Detroit, with six hundred men composed of regulars, French volunteers, & Indians, as well as his intention to attack Hamilton.

Other noteworthy items include the following: a letter of Commissioners for Indian Affairs, Pittsburgh to Colonel Dorsey Pentecost, West Augusta, requesting three hundred militia to march to Pittsburgh (1776 Sept. 1); Dorsey Pentecost, West Augusta, regarding the defense of the frontier (1776 Nov. 5); a petition of natives of Great Britain asking for permission to embark on board the Ship Albion to Great Britain (1777 May 26); resolutions of the General Assembly of Pennsylvania regarding a proposal for settling the boundary line between Virginia & Pennsylvania (1777 June 17); a letter of George Mason, Gunston Hall, regarding tobacco purchased by the Commonwealth (1777 Aug. 22); a letter of Horatio Gates, Saratoga, to John Hancock enclosing the articles of convention between himself & Lt. Gen. John Burgoyne (1777 Oct. 18); an account of the killed, wounded, & missing among the Virginia Continental Troops in the action at Germantown (1777 Nov. 8); a copy of resolutions of the General Assembly regarding ratification of the Articles of Confederation, the purchase of lands from Indian nations, bounty lands, & unappropriated back lands between the Ohio & Mississippi rivers (1778 Dec. 19); and a letter of Joseph Reed, President of Pennsylvania, requesting assistance in placing an embargo on outward bound vessels (1779 Feb. 21).

Arrangement

This collection is arranged into the following series:

Adjunct Descriptive Data

Bibliography