Lecture on Thomas Jefferson at Virginia Historical Society

Author Michael Kranish will talk about his new book Flight from Monticello: Thomas Jefferson at War.

Kranish:  During some of his darkest hours, particularly here in Richmond, the capitol.

The time period is five years after the writing of the Declaration of Independence.

Kranish:  He was the governor of Virginia and did not know that in fact the traitor, Benedict Arnold whom Jefferson had once admired, was leading a fleet of 27 ships with 1600 men towards Virginia, and in fact they would come right toward Richmond and he would have to flee.

Jefferson narrowly missed being captured twice.

Kranish:  The reason I decided to write the book is that I learned this nugget that Arnold invaded Virginia, Jefferson had to flee Richmond, other British came towards Charlottesville and Jefferson had to flee Monticello, and I didn’t feel either of them were fully explored.  So I wanted to basically understand how he reached that terrible moment in his life which he called “such a dark time that the wounds suffered during this time would only be cured by the all-healing grave.

Jefferson served two one year terms as Governor and was criticized for turning down a third one, but he believed himself unqualified to conduct a war.

John Ogle, WCVE News