In the closing months of the American Revolution, Lord Cornwallis moved the fighting to the largest and wealthiest supplier of the rebellious army, Virginia. He was determined to wreak complete destruction thus forcing an end to the war. He was almost successful. One of his final acts was to send feared "Bloody" Banastre Tarleton to capture Thomas Jefferson and the entire Virginia General Assembly. Tarleton was forty miles from Jefferson's home and could probably taste sweet success. However, one man and his horse stepped in his way. That man was Jack Jouett. The British had a huge lead on Jouett when he began his midnight mission to save Jefferson and all of the gentlemen of the General Assembly.