he collected hastily about two hundred half-armed militia, whom he placed under the command of Baron Steuben, for the purpose of protecting the removal of the records and military stores across James river; he superintended their movements in person, with the utmost zeal, courage, and prudence; and he was seen coolly issuing his orders until the enemy had actually entered the lower part of the town, and began to flank it with their light horse. "As the order for drawing militia here," writes the Governour to General Washington, "had been given but two days, no opposition was in readiness. Every effort was therefore necessary to withdraw the arms and other military stores, records, &c. from this place. Every effort was accordingly exerted to convey them to the foundry, five miles, and to a laboratory, six miles above this place, till about sunset of that day, when we learned that the enemy had come to an anchor at Westover that morning. We then knew that this, and not Petersburgh, was their object, and began to carry across the river every thing remaining here, and to remove what had been transported to the foundry and laboratory, to Westham, the nearest crossing, seven miles above this place, which operation was continued till they had approached very near. They marched from Westover at two o'clock in the afternoon of the 4th,. and entered Richmond at one o'clock in the afternoon of the 5th. A regiment of infantry and about thirty horse continued on, without halting, to the foundry. They burnt that, the boring mill, the magazine, and two other houses, and proceeded to Westham; but nothing being in their power there, they retired to Rich

mond. The next morning they burnt some buildings of publick and private property, with what stores remained in them, destroyed a great quantity of private stores, and about twelve o'clock retired towards Westover, where they encamped within the Neck the next day. The loss sustained is not yet accurately known. As far as I have been able to discover, it consisted, at this place, of about three hundred muskets, some soldiers' clothing to a small amount, some quarter-master's stores, of which one hundred and twenty sides of leather was the principal article, part of the artificers' tools, and three wagons. Besides which, five brass four-pounders, which we had sunk in the river, were discovered to them, raised and carried off. At the foundry, we lost the greater part of the papers belonging to the Auditor's office, and of the books and papers of the Council office. About five or six tons of powder, as we conjecture, was thrown into the canal, of which there will be a considerable saving by remanufacturing it. The roof of the foundry was burned, but the stacks of chimneys and furnaces not at all injured. The boring mill was consumed.Within less than forty-eight hours from the time of their landing, and nineteen from our knowing their destination, they had penetrated thirty-three miles, done the whole injury, and retired. Their numbers, from the best intelligence I have had, are about fifteen hundred infantry, and as to their cavalry, accounts vary from fifty to one hundred and twenty; and the whole commanded by the parricide Arnold. Should they loiter a little longer, I still flatter myself they will not escape with total impunity. To what place they will

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, how ever, 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 enter prise and firmness. I think it may still be done, though perhaps not quite so easily. Having peculiar confir dence in the men from the western side of the moun tains, 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

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. I 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.

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 thou sand 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