Jack Jouett's Ride, 1781

During the American Revolution, many ordinary people took extraordinary actions in defiance of the British government. From Paul Revere’s ride to warn Massachusetts residents about British troops on the move to Kate Barry’s trek through the South Carolina backcountry to raise more troops against British General Cornwallis at Cowpens, average people made choices that helped determine important military outcomes. Some of them became local legends and heroes, and often their stories took on near-mythic status. One such revolutionary was Jack Jouett, whose ride from Louisa to Charlottesville became an oft-repeated tale that became more colorful as it was retold through the twentieth century.

John Jouett (nicknamed Jack) reportedly served in the Virginia militia, although records supporting this claim have not survived. In 1781, the twenty-six-year-old was near Cuckoo tavern in Louisa County when he learned that Banastre Tarleton’s British troops were moving towards Charlottesville, where the legislature had decamped after fleeing Richmond. Jouett decided to warn both Thomas Jefferson, the outgoing governor, and members of the General Assembly. He undertook a forty-mile ride in the middle of the night over lightly-traveled roads to avoid the British military. The arduous ride was successful. Jouett informed Jefferson and the legislators, most of whom safely escaped. When the General Assembly reconvened in Staunton, the House of Delegates passed a resolution in June to present Jouett with a set of pistols and a sword in appreciation for his quick thinking and timely arrival.

What we know about this ride comes from two sources; Thomas Jefferson’s recollections and the mention in the House of Delegates record, which you can read here. Government documents note that it took multiple attempts into the early 1800s to secure the commemorative gifts for Jouett, and there is no record of him ever receiving the gifts. Jouett later moved to Kentucky, where he had a large family and served in the new Kentucky legislature. But his ride to warn Virginia's government officials became the stuff of local folklore, thanks to embellished tales that were later cited as fact by other writers.

One of the early recountings of Jouett’s ride was Virginius Dabney’s story in a 1928 issue of Scribner’s Magazine. This account includes many dramatic details to the story without attribution. His article was cited in subsequent articles about Jouett until the enhanced details became accepted as factual. Several authors penned poems about Jouett, clearly drawing on Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's famous 1861 poem, “The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere.” Ultimately, many Virginians credited Jouett with “saving the revolution.” However, as a later historian pointed out in 2006, the capture of the former governor Thomas Jefferson (who was not widely known as the author of the Declaration of Independence at that time) or even the capture of the Virginia legislators, would not have been likely to lead to the defeat of the patriots or affected the military outcome of the war. Still, Jack Jouett’s ride illustrates the lengths to which individuals could—and did—go, even in the face of grave danger, to fight for a cause in which they believed.

Citations: Excerpt from Virginius Dabney, “Jouett Outrides Tarleton and Saves Jefferson From Capture,” Scribner’s Magazine 83 (June 1928): 690–692 and Jouett resolution in Journal of the House of Delegates of the Commonwealth of Virginia . . . in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Eighty-One (1828), 15.

Social Studies: K.5, K.7, 1.4, 1.6, 2.7, VS.4, USI.6, VUS.5

Science: 6.8

Pre-Activity

Scan It: Read the excerpt from Virginius Dabney's article about Jack Jouett's. What words stand out to you, and why?

Post-Activities

Map It: Look at John Henry's New and Accurate Map of Virginia (1770) in the Library of Virginia's online catalog. Locate the Louisa County courthouse (the Cuckoo tavern was located nearby to the southeast) and the town of Charlottesville. Using the map's scale, approximate the distance between the two locations. Trace a possible route that Jack Jouett followed. What physical features might he have crossed? What features might he have followed? What features might he have gone around? How could Jack Jouett have stayed hidden from the British Army? Could he use the topography of the region to his benefit? If so, how?

Compare/Contrast: Compare the primary source document from the General Assembly with the passage written by Virginius Dabney. What are the facts presented by each document? What do you think about the later recounting of Jack Jouett’s story? In what ways did the narrative evolve, and why do you think that happened?

Be the Journalist: Imagine you were interviewing Jack Jouett. What questions would you ask? How do you think he would answer? What “angle” (aspect) of the story do you find most interesting?