Gentlemen,

A small affair has taken place between the British commanding officer
in this state, General Phillips, and the Executive, of which, as he may
endeavor to get rid of it through the medium of Congress, I think it
necessary previously to apprise you.

General Scott obtained permission from the Commandant at Charleston, for
vessels with necessary supplies to go from hence to them, but instead
of sending the original, sent only a copy of the permission taken by his
brigade-major. I applied to General Phillips to supply this omission
by furnishing a passport for the vessel. Having just before taken great
offence at a threat of retaliation 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 condition 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., commanding the British forces
in the Commonwealth of Virginia.' Personally knowing Phillips to be the
proudest man of the proudest 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
rudeness. 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, because
his letter, instead of enclosing a passport to expedite ours, contained
only an evasion of the application, by saying he had referred 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 a