Eliza Jacquelin Ambler to Mildred Smith Dudley, Richmond(1781)
Transcript
Richmond 1781
Betsey Ambler to Mildred Smith
My Dear Md
Our removal from Y k to this place which I considered one of the calamaties of my life lost much of its bitterness when I found the succeeding fall that you and your much loved family, would also be obliged to follow,-No sooner had you from necessity been forced to join us and we were looking forward to days of happiness then we are compelled to separate again—even here we find no rest for the Sole of our foot another alarm this morning. should it be confirmed that the British are really coming up james River my poor Mother will not continue a moment poor dear soul what sufferings are hers.
Cottage [1] Friday evening
At the moment I was writing you, we had too certain confirmation of the British having landed and being actually on their way to Town not a moment was to be lost and we were off in a twinkling I would have almost risked a view of them to have peeked in on you in your snug little retreat, where I shoud hope however you are perfectly se[cu]re-but my Father seemed to think that we had not a moment to lose Such terror and confusion you have no idea of—Govenor, counsel every body scampering—here we shall remain with our friends but my Father will return to reconoitre—What an alarming crisis is this
War in itself, however distant, is indeed terrible, but when brought to our very doors—When those we most love are personally engaged in it When our friends and neighbors are exposed to its ravages when we know assuredly that without scarificing many dear to us our own lives, our country must remain subject to British tyrany the reflection is indeed overwhelming—
I have just received yours of last night how thankful am I that your residence was too remote to subject you to the outrages of these Barbarians— What a gloomy time do I look forward to, oh that you were with us to beguile the tediousness of these immeasurabl days, now at there longest. Continue to write I beseech you. Your account of your neighbor P—s escape, just as the enemy entered the Town made even my poor Mother smile. What a gallant fellow he was to look back and bid them come on when he was a full mile ahead with a swift horse that had borne him off many a day before, but this is not more laughable then the accounts we have of ____ our illustrious G—r who they say took neither rest or food for man or horse till he reached C—rs Mountain— it is well for us that we have such a charming retreat, amongst Friends who treat us with great tenderness. here we would contentedly stay—but already our Gentlemen begin to apprehend that the enemy will advance into the Country — if they do God knows what will become of us.
Not knowing exactly were to direct this, I shall wait till I hear from you till then farewell
Louisa teusday
Oh my dearest girl I tremble for your safety—where were you hid when the enemy passed your door—we only had time to learn that they were on the road from Richmond when we were again in the carriage and in a few hours reached this place where it would seem impossible for us to be in any danger—
My much loved Father is full of anxiety for us, much have we to apprehend for him—the public office that he holds makes it absolutely necessary for him to run no risques of falling into the hands of the enemy. we therefore see him safely lodged in the old coach every night with faithful old Sam as his guard while we endeavour to make ourselves as comfortable as we can in the Overseers tiny dwelling which will scarcely hold us all—
thursday morning
When or where shall we find rest, such a journey as we have again had—and now precisely in the same spot we set out from—no sooner had we committed our dear Father to his solitary confinement on the night I last wrote you and were endeavoring to console ourselves with the idea that the miserable little hovel we were in was in too solitary a situation for us to fear any danger then while we were enjoying our frugal supper—of Bonny Clauber [2] honey etc- a terrible clattering of horses at the door set us all scampering—the British, nothing but the word british did we hear; upon opening the door however we soon discovered that a parcel of Miserable Malitia belonging to the neighborhood had called to give notice that the enemy were actually proceeding on their way thro the country but not one of them could say which route they had taken—a consultation of our party was then held and if we had had one particle of our natural reason about us we would quietly have staid where we were, but flight had so long been the Word that it was determined unanimously that we should be off in a moment. the nearer the Mountains the greater the safety was the conclusion, so on we travelled thro by ways and brambles till we could get to the Main Road leading to Charlottesville—our design was first to reach a plantation in the neighborhood of the springs where we were at least sure of house room and a Bed (a friend of ours having removed his furniture to this place for security) and to this place we proceeded where we arrived just as the Sun appeared in all his glory—with difficulty we got admittance, no soul being in the house—at length we succeeded and were just spreading pallets to rest our weary heads when the Landlord out of breath reached the house saying that Tarlton [3] and all his men had just passed him and catch the Govenor before he could reach Charlottesville. what a panic seized us all, our best beloved Father had pursued the same route only a half hour before Charlottesville being the place appointed for public officers to repair to, fortunately however the enemy had got a head of him by another road which he by great good luck hearing he immediately joined us and hurried us back to the self same spot we had left the night before—thus were we one whole night and the greater part of the next day accomplishing a journey that placed us precisely in the same situation we were in before a spot that I defy the British or even the d[e]vel himself to find. great cause have we for thankfulness and however dreary it is I will endeavor to be content hoping and trusting for a speedy deliverance. but how dreadful the idea of an enemy passing thro’ such a country as ours committing enormities that fill the mind with horror and returning exultingly without meeting one impediment to discourage them. it seems that they might just as easily have crossed the blue ridge as they have the southwest Mountains—Oh my friend when will there be an end to our sorrows—if my cousins Waggon should pass by your retreat will you write if it is only one line just to say that you are safe and well.
God bless you prays you affe
EJA
Notes
- The Cottage in Hanover County was the home of Mary Cary Ambler (1734–1781), widow of Eliza’s uncle Edward (1733–1768). She left her home in Jamestown during the Revolutionary War years and died in Hanover County.
- Bonny Clauber is “Milk naturally clotted or coagulated on souring” (Oxford English Dictionary).
- In May 1781 Lieutenant Colonel Banastre Tarleton (1754–1833) and his “Green Dragoons” were sent by Lord Cornwallis to capture Governor Thomas Jefferson and other government officials who had fled the British troops at Richmond for Charlottesville. He was in the vicinity of Louisa Court House by the evening of June 3. See Jack Jouett’s Ride.