A Guide to the General George Weedon Letter, 1781 April 9 Weedon, George, General, Letter 8107-a

A Guide to the General George Weedon Letter, 1781 April 9

A Collection in
The Special Collections Department
Accession Number 8107-a

Special Collections Department, University of Virginia Library

Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia 22904-4110
USA
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Funding: Web version of the finding aid funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Processed by: Special Collections Department

Repository

Special Collections, University of Virginia Library

Accession number

8107-a

Title

General George Weedon Letter, 1781 April 9

Physical Characteristics

This collection consists of 1 item.

Language

English

Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

There are no restrictions.

Use Restrictions

See the University of Virginia Library’s use policy.

Preferred Citation

General George Weedon Letter, Accession #8107-a, Special Collections Dept., University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.

Acquisition Information

This letter was purchased by the Library from Sotheby's, New York City, New York, on July 26, 1993.

Scope and Content Information

This collection consists of a single autograph letter, one page, from Brigadier General George Weedon ([1730-1793 ?]), Virginia militia, Williamsburg, Virginia, April 9, 1781, to Governor Thomas Jefferson, Richmond, Virginia, describing the recent capture of the Virginia State schooner Patriot . Weedon refers to a letter he received from Captain William Davenport, present in the lower counties of Virginia with a small force of cavalry, on April 8, 1781, furnishing the particulars of the loss of the Patriot through the disobedience of direct orders given by Weedon to Captain Chandler, commander of the vessel. For a copy of the letter from Davenport to Weedon see Calendar of State Papers , Volume II, page 19.

According to Weedon, Chandler was supposed to patrol the James River from [Warrasqueoc Bay] to Newport News, shifting his station every night, and avoiding any engagement of the enemy. If Chandler sighted an enemy vessel on the James River, he was to fire three signal guns and wait for them to be answered by the [galley ?] stationed near Mulberry Island, after which both were to move up the James River, sending out the alarm to other vessels and crafts along the way. Instead of following these orders, Chandler "has impudently brought on an action and lost his boat and crew." Weedon then asks Thomas Jefferson if he will send down Captain [Harris ?] in the Jefferson or some other vessel for the protection of Chandler Station.