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Phillips to supply this omission by furnishing a passport for the vessel. Having just before taken great offence at a threat of re taliation in the treatment of prisoners, he enclosed his answer to my letter under this address, To Thomas Jefferson, Esq. American Governor of Virginia. I paused on receiving the letter, and for some time would not open it; however, when the miserable con dition of our brethren in Charleston occurred to me, I could not determine that they should be left without the necessaries of life, while a punctilio should be discussing between the British General and myself; and knowing that I had an opportunity of returning the compliment to Mr. Phillips in a case perfectly corresponding, I opened the letter.
Very shortly after, I received, as I expected, the permission of the board of war, for the British flag vessel then in Hampton Roads with clothing and refreshments, to proceed to Alexandria. I enclosed and addressed it, To William Phillips, Esq. com manding the British forces in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Personally knowing Phillips to be the proudest man of the proud est nation on earth, I well know he will not open this letter; but having occasion, at the same time, to write to Captain Gerlach, the flag master, I informed him that the Convention troops in this state should perish for want of necessaries, before any should be carried to them through this state, till General Phillips either swallowed this pill of retaliation, or made an apology for his rude ness. And in this, should the matter come ultimately to Congress, we hope for their support.
He has the less right to insist on the expedition of his flag, be cause his letter, instead of enclosing a passport to expedite ours, contained only an evasion of the application, by saying he had re ferred it to Sir Henry Clinton, and in the mean time, he has come up the river, and taken the vessel with her loading, which we had chartered and prepared to send to Charleston, and which wanted nothing but the passport to enable her to depart.
I would further observe to you, that this gentleman s letters to the Baron Steuben first, and afterwards to the Marquis Fayette, have been in a style so intolerably insolent and haughty, that both these gentlemen have been obliged to inform him, that if he thinks proper to address them again in the same spirit, all intercourse shall be discontinued.
I am, with great respect and esteem,
Gentlemen, your most obedient servant,
TH: JEFFERSON.
