CHAPTER III.

IN WASHINGTON'S FAMILY.

ALTHOUGH when John Randolph parted from his son he sailed for London, he may have been popularly associated with Dunmore's raids along the coast. It was a generation unversed in the ethics of revolution and of loyal oaths. Edmund found himself under a shadow, as his father's only bequest, and though his tastes inclined little to a military career, he resolved to join the army. His hero was Washington, and the only office he ever sought in his life was a post at the commander's side. Early in August 1775, he presented himself at Washington's Headquarters, Cambridge, bearing letters of introduction from the leading Virginians in Congress. One is from Benjamin Harrison, dated Philadelphia, 21 July 1775:

"Edmund Randolph is here, and has the greatest desire to be with you; he has beg'd of me to say something in his favour, and that if you can you will keep one of the places now in your gift for him. He is not able to support himself or he would not ask this of you; you know him as well as I do; he is one of the cleverest young men in America, and if Mr. Reed should leave you, his place of Secretary cannot be better supplied. He will set off for New York in a few days, and I beg it as a favour of you to write a line to be left at the Post Office till called for. This deserving young man was in high repute in Virginia, and fears his father's conduct may lessen him in the opinion of his countrymen. He has taken this method, without the advice of his friends, to raise him into favor, as he is determined on the thing. I am sure our good old Speaker will be much obliged by any favour you show him. Applications of this sort, I fear, will be too

frequent I shall avoid them as much as possible, but I could not refuse it on this occasion, well knowing that a most valuable young man, and one that I love, without some step of this sort may, from the misconduct of his parent, be lost to his country, which now stands much in need of men of his abilities."

Another letter is as follows:

PHILADELPHIA, 26 July 1775.

DEAR SIR-With the most cordial warmth we recommend our countryman, Mr. Edmund Randolph, to your patronage and favor. This young gentleman's abilities, natural and acquired, his extensive connections, and, above all, his desire to serve his country in this arduous struggle, are circumstances that cannot fail to gain him your countenance and protection. You will readily discern, Sir, how important a consideration it is that our country should be furnished with the security and strength derived from our young gentry being possessed of military knowledge, so necessary in these times of turbulence and danger. Encouraged by your friendship and instructed by your example, we hope Mr. Randolph will become useful to his country and profitable to himself.

We most heartily wish you health and success, with a happy return to your family and country, being with great sincerity, dear Sir, your affectionate friends and obedient servants,

RICHARD HENRY LEE.
P. HENRY, JR.
TH. JEFFERSON.

Randolph also handed to Washington at Cambridge a letter from Richard Henry Lee. In answering this (29 August 1775) the General says: "The merits of this young gentleman, added to your recommendation, and my own knowledge of his character, induced me to take him into my family as Aide-de-Camp in the room of Mr. Mifflin, whom I have appointed Quartermaster General."

Randolph was appointed on the fifteenth of August. He wrote few letters at this time. The following is dated 31 August 1775:

"Through a channel not worthy of much confidence we have received an account of the imprisonment of several Canadians for being

restless under their present exceptionable constitution. They are said in general terms to have wished a return of their former government; but no movement towards a reform is specified as having been made. Added to the vagueness of this information, very late opportunities have offered directly to this place, by which this auspicious news, if true, could doubtless have been transmitted to us [torn.] . . . after the earnest endeavors of the Volunteers to replace him in Williamsburg, why is he so far neglected as to plunder Custom Houses with impunity and review his myrmidons on terra firma without danger of an arrest? Indebted as I am, and shall ever acknowledge myself to be, to his lordship, I should offend against a higher obligation were I to wish his ravages uninterrupted or his hostilities unanswered. Not one advice have I heard or read from thence but what chance and a single newspaper have afforded me. Let me therefore entreat you to acquaint me with the circumstances of Virginia whenever your leisure can not be better employed than in writing to yours sincerely."'

1

In the same way he writes, on the same day, to Jefferson:

"No new occurrence at Cambridge can justify an Intrusion on the well-employ'd moments of a Delegate. I must, however, urge you, to assign a Reason for the Supineness of Virginia, amidst the Robberies, and other Violations of private Property, said to have been committed by Lord Dunmore. He plunders Custom-Houses, and reviews his Body-Guard at Gosport, unarrested. What is the conclusion from hence? That Virginia has become eminent in her Forgiveness of former Injuries, and fearful of revenging new? But such an Inference is surely uncharitable, unless, what I cannot believe, she has ceased to be virtuous. His Lordship's demands upon me on the score of Gratitude I can never satisfy, but by acknowledging the Justness of them : yet a Demand from a higher Feeling must be first answered. Therefore I impeach him.

mile from

"Since our Possession of plowed Hill, distant about the Enemy, Balls and Shells are no varieties. It is an approach towards them certainly; but, as I am not oracular in military matters, my conjectures that it is not tenable in our present craving Circumstances, will not dishearten you. For your own Sakes, be expeditious in enabling us to burn the Traitors out of their Hole.

"Desertions have been lately undertaken with the utmost Audacity. An enterprising Genius, who was one of 30 Regulars on Board a float

Lee Papers, Univ. of Va. (unaddressed).

ing Battery, in the absence of the Commanding Officer, opened his Intentions of quitting them to the whole Crew, without Reserve or sounding them individually. The Rhetoric which an appetite for fresh Meat ever suggests, prevailed with three others to join him in his Escapewith the remaining 26 to connive at it.

"My Brother Aide de Camp [Baylor] has just now set off for Providence to purchase 8 Tons of powder lately arrived."

Col. John Trumbull-who says inaccurately that Randolph succeeded him as Aide-de-Camp-mentions in his "Autobiography," among the requirements of that position to which he did not feel equal: "It was further my duty to receive company and do the honors of the house to many of the first people of the country of both sexes." None could be more suited for this elegance than the handsome Virginian. Here he entertained Benjamin Franklin. No doubt, however, amid the siege he dreamed of such songs as those which, from the great heart of Longfellow, went forth from that same mansion to exalt the nobler virtues of peace. Randolph's hereditary loyalty turned with enthusiasm to George Washington, and he became devotedly attached to the great man. It could not fail to be a consolation to the commander to have near him this brilliant youth, friend of his friends, nephew of one of the few who enjoyed his intimacy-Peyton Randolph.

But Randolph soon received tidings of the death of his uncle Peyton. This occurred 22 October, 1775. Peyton Randolph was laid in a vault in Philadelphia, with congressional honors. His death threw the Virginia Congressmen and Williamsburg into dismay. Representations were made to Washington that Randolph should be at the Virginia capital to attend to the many affairs, public and private, which had fallen from his uncle's hands. Military and political affairs were in a critical condition in that region. Washington gave Randolph a furlough, and he bore dispatches to Congress, on his way to Virginia. His connection with Washington's military family was nominally retained. From Cambridge

Washington wrote, 2 November 1775, to the President of Congress: "I could not suffer Mr. Randolph to quit this camp without bearing some testimony of my duty to Congress; although his sudden departure (occasioned by the death of his worthy relative, whose loss, as a good citizen and worthy member of society, is much to be regretted) does not allow me to be particular."

Early in the following year Congress appointed Randolph "Mustermaster" for Williamsburg District. Williamsburg appointed him (January, 1776) one of three judges to determine questions relating to the property of "Tories," and other questions growing out of the Revolution. The appointment as "Mustermaster" reached him in April; but, meanwhile, the Virginia Convention had been summoned, and Randolph had been elected to it by the old capital, which already saw the mantle of Peyton Randolph on the shoulders of his nephew. Randolph declined the lucrative military appointment for unpaid duties for which he felt more competent. Under date of 13 April 1776, he writes. to the Committee of Safety:

"It distresses me much that I should be obliged to refuse the distinction intended for me by the Congress, in their appointment of me to the office of Mustermaster for this District. The citizens of Williamsburg having elected me to represent them in convention-and an ordinance excludes all persons holding any military post of profit from a seat therein,—I cannot desert them without the highest violation of gratitude. I must, therefore, entreat you, sir, to transmit these my reasons for not entering upon the duties of the above office, and my sincere acknowledgments for the favor."