point their next exertions we cannot even conjecture. The whole country on the tide waters and some distance from them, is equally open to similar insults."

Major General Steuben, assisted by General Nelson, having by this time collected a considerable force, marched in pursuit of Arnold. But the movements of the latter were too rapid to be interrupted by the tardy advances of undisciplined militia. They were, however, able to prevent similar incursions, and by re maining in the vicinity of Portsmouth, they confined the enemy to their intrenchments.

Although Arnold had thus succeeded in plundering and ravaging the country, the Governour determined that, if possible, the traitor should not eventually es cape. He had no doubt of his capture, if a plan were prudently formed, and boldly carried into execution. The scheme which suggested itself for this purpose is best explained by a letter from him to General Muhlenburg, and dated on the 31st of January:

"Sir-Acquainted as you are with the treasons of Arnold, I need say nothing for your information, or to give you a proper sentiment of them. You will readily suppose that it is above all things desirable to drag him from those under whose wing he is now sheltered. On his march to and from this place, I am certain it might have been done with facility, by men of enterprise and firmness. I think it may still be done, thougħ perhaps not quite so easily. Having peculiar confidence in the men from the western side of the mountains, I meant, as soon as they should come down, to get the enterprise proposed to a chosen number of them, such whose courage and whose fidelity would be

I

above all doubt. Your perfect knowledge of those men personally, and my confidence in your discretion, induce me to ask you to pick from among them proper characters, in such numbers as you think best, to reveal to them our desire, and engage them to undertake to seize and bring off this greatest of all traitors. Whether this may be best effected by their going in as friends, and awaiting their opportunity, or otherwise, is left to themselves. The smaller the number the better, so that they may be sufficient to manage him. Every necessary caution must be used on their part, to prevent a discovery of their design by the enemy. will undertake, if they are successful in bringing him off alive, that they shall receive five thousand guineas reward among them; and to men formed for such an enterprise, it must be a great incitement to know that their names will be recorded with glory in history, with those of Van Wart, Paulding, and Williams. The enclosed order from Baron Steuben will authorize you to call for and to dispose of any force you may think necessary to place in readiness for covering the enterprise, and securing the retreat of the party. Mr. Newton, the bearer of this, and to whom its contents are communicated in confidence, will provide.men of trust to go as guides. These may be associated in the enterprise or not, as you please; but let the point be previously settled, that no difficulty may arise as to the parties entitled to participate in the reward. You know how necessary profound secrecy is in this business, even if it be not undertaken."

There was no difficulty in finding men bold enough and ready enough to undertake this, or any other

hazard; but the attempt was rendered unavailing by the timely prudence of Arnold, who avoided every exposure to such a danger.

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Frustrated in this plan, the Governour turned his attention to another and bolder scale, in which he was to be aided by General Washington, and the French fleet. The latter, then at Rhode Island, were to sail immediately for James river, to prevent the escape of the enemy by sea, while a large body of troops should be collected on shore, for the purpose of blockading them, and ultimately compelling a surrender. On the eighth of March, Mr. Jefferson thus writes to the commander in chief. "We have made on our part, every preparation which we were able to make. The militia proposed to operate will be upwards of four thousand from this state, and one thousand or twelve hundred from Carolina, said to be under General Gregory. The enemy are at this time, in a great measure, blockaded by land, there being a force on the east side of Elizabeth river. They suffer for provisions, as they are afraid to venture far, lest the French squadron should be in the neighbourhood, and come upon them. Were it possible to block up the river, a little time would suffice to reduce them by want and desertions; and would be more sure in its event than any attempt by storm." The French fleet, however, encountered, on their arrival at the Chesapeake, a British squadron of equal, if not superiour force, by which they were driven back; by these means the plan was defeated, and Arnold again escaped.

But Virginia was not yet redeemed from disasters, and new difficulties were to be encountered by the tal

ents and activity of her Governour. Arnold had

Cornwallis entered the "I make no doubt you

scarcely left the coast, when state on the southern frontier. will have heard," writes Mr. Jefferson in a communication of May 28, shortly after the invasion, to General Washington, "before this shall have the honour of being presented to your Excellency, of the junction of Lord Cornwallis with the force at Petersburgh under Arnold, who had succeeded to the command on the death of Major General Phillips. I am now advised that they have evacuated Petersburgh, joined at Westover a reinforcement of two thousand men just arrived from New York, crossed James river, and on the 26th instant, were three miles advanced on their way towards Richmond; at which place Major General the Marquis Lafayette lay with three thousand men, regulars and militia; these being the whole number we could arm until the arrival of the eleven hundred arms from Rhode Island, which are, about this time, at the place where our publick stores are deposited.-The whole force of the enemy within this state, from the best intelligence I have been able to get, is, I think, about seven thousand men, infantry and cavalry, including, also, the small garrison left at Portsmouth. A. number of privateers, which are constantly ravaging the shores of our rivers, prevent us from receiving any aid from the counties lying on navigable waters; and powerful operations meditated against our western frontier, by a joint force of British and Indian sava. ges, have, as your Excellency before knew, obliged us to imbody between two and three thousand men in that quarter. Your Excellency will judge from this state

of things and from what you know of our country, what it may probably suffer during the present campaign. Should the enemy be able to produce no opportunity of annihilating the Marquis' army, a small proportion of their force may yet restrain his movements effectually, while the greater part are employed, in detachment, to waste an unarmed country, and lead the minds of the people to acquiesce under those events, which they see no human power prepared to ward off. We are too far removed from the other scenes of war, to say whether the main force of the enemy be within this state. But I suppose they cannot any where spare so great an army for the operations of the field. Were it possible for this circumstance to justify in your Excellency a determination to lend us your personal aid, it is evident from the universal voice, that the presence of their beloved countryman, whose talents have so long been successfully employed in establishing the freedom of kindred states, to whose person they have still flattered themselves they retain some right, and have ever looked up, as their dernier resort in distress, would restore full confidence of salvation to our citizens, and would render them equal to whatever is not impossible. I cannot undertake to foresee and obviate the difficulties which lie in the way of such a resolution. The whole subject is before you, of which I see only detached parts; and your judgement will be formed on a view of the whole. Should the danger of this state, and its consequence to the Union, be such as to render it best for the whole that you should repair to its assistance, the difficulty would then be, how to keep men out of the