iron, swivel balls, a large quantity of small shot, lead, iron, worms for the cannon, and the whole apparatus for his park of artillery. The Virginia convention continued to establish rules for the defence and regulation of the colony; and passed an ordinance for imbodying a sufficient force for its protection. It appearing to them, that only 1.5 half barrels of powder had been taken out of the magazine by lord Dunmore's order, they valued it fairly, and then directed the surplus money received by Patrick Henry, esq. to be returned to the receiver general. [August 22.] Upon a petition of sundry merchants and others, natives of Great-Britain, mostly from Scotland, praying to be exempted from hearing arms against the people among whom they were born, and promising to observe a strict neutrality in case the colony was attacked by the British troops, the convention unanimously recommended to the committees,/[Aug. 25.] and others the good people of the colony, to treat all such resident natives as did not show themselves enemies to the common cause of America, with lenity and friendship; to protect all persons what in the just enjoyment of their civil rights and liberty; to discountenance all national reflections; and to promote union, harmony, and mutual good will, among all ranks of people. Before the session ended, the delegates in a declaration set forth the cause of their meeting, and the necessity of immediately putting the country into a posture of defence, for the better protection of their lives, liberties and properties. In it they solemnly declare," before God and the world, we do bear faith and true allegiance to his majesty; and will, so long as it may be in our power, defend him and his government, as founded on the laws and well-known principles of the constitution: we will, to the utmost of our power, endeavor by every honorable mean, to promote a restoration of that friendship and amity, which so long and happily subsisted between our fellow subjects in GreatBritain, and the inhabitants of America and as, on the one hand, we are determined to defend our lives and properties, and maintain our just rights and privileges, at even the extremest hazard, so, on the other hand, it is our fixed and unalterable resolution to disband such forces as may be raised in this colony,. whenever our dangers are reinoved, and America is restored to its former state of tranquility and happiness." Lord Dunmore, however, being joined by a number who had rendered themselves obnoxious to the country, as well as by a parcel of run-away negroes, and supported by the naval force upon the station, endeavored to establish such a marine, as might enable him, by means of the noble rivers with which the colony colony abounds, to be always at hand, and ready to profit by every favorable occasion which should offer. He by degrees fitted and armed several vessels, in one of which he constantly resided, never setting his foot on shore, but in an hostile manner. The force was calculated only for depredations; and while these were confined to the procuring of provisions or other necessa ries, respect was shown to the rank and office of the governor :but being at length changed into open and avowed hostility, his lordship met with resistance. The Virginians could not brook his seizing persons, and conveying them on board the ships; destroying plantations, and carrying off the negrees, and burning houses. They therefore sent detachments of the new-raised forces to protect the coasts; and from thence ensued a smallmischievous war, incapable of affording honor er benefit. During this state of hostility, his lordship procured a few soldiers, with whose assistance an attempt was made to burn the port-town of Hampton. The inhabitants having a previous suspicion of the design, sunk a number of boats across the channel to prevent a landing. The ships, having surmounted all obstaeles in the night, drew up close to the town, [October 27.] and began a furious cannonade in the morning. At this critical period, a detachment of riflemen from Williamsburgh, that had marched all night, arrived, and being joined by the minute-men and others, who had assembled the day before, took such a po-sition as enabled them, with their small arms, to compel the en-emy precipitately to quit their station, with the loss of some men and of a tender. [Nov. 7.] In consequence of this repulse, the governor issued a proclamation, declaring that martial law should take place, and be executed through the colony; requiring all persons capable of bearing arms, to resort to his majesty's standard, or to be looked upon as traitors; and further declaring all indentedservants, negroes or others (appertaining to rebels) free, who were able and willing to bear arms, upon joining his majesty's troops. The Virginians highly resented his lordship's declaring martial law; and by his single fiat attempting to strip them of their property, and to arm their negroes and servants against1 them to effect their destruction. This measure occasioned to government the loss of many friends. The proclamation, with his lordship's presence and his marine, produced some effect in the town of Norfolk and the adjoining country, where many were well effected to the old government.He was accordingly joined by some hundreds of blacks and whites; but the pleasure it afforded, was soon interrupted by in telligence that a party of Virginians were marching toward them with great expedition. To obstruct their designs, and protect the well effected, he took possesion of the Great Bridge, near Norfolk, a pass of much consequence, being the only way by which the town could be approached. He constructed a fort on the Norfolk side, and rendered it as defencible as time would admit. His force consisted of about 200 regulars, including the grenadiers of the 14th regiment, and a body of Norfolk volunteers; the rest was a motley mixture of blacks and whites. The Virginians, under colonel Woodford, fortified themselves within less than cannon shot of the royalists, having a narrow causeway in front, which was to be passed to come at their works. In this state they continued quiet on both sides for some days. At length a servant belonging to major Marshall, being properly tutored, deserted to the royalists, and told them that colonel Woodford had not more than 300 shirtmen (as they called the riflemen, on account of their being dressed in their hunting shirts) badly provided with ammunition. The bait took, and a design was formed for surprising the Virginians in their entrenchments. Captain Leslie, with the regulars, arrived at the bridge about three in the morning; and being joined by about 300 white and black slaves, laid planks upon the bridge, and crossed just after the Virginians had beaten the reveille, a lucky time for the last, as their men were of course all under arms. Captain Fordyce, at the head of his grenadiers, amounting to about sixty, led the van, while lientenant Batut commanded the advanced party. They passed the causeway, which admitted only of a few men's marching abreast, and approached the intrenchments with fixed bayonets, and a coolness and intrepidity which excited astonishment. They were not only exposed naked to the fire in front, but infiladed by another part of the provincial lines. The captain fell with several of his men, within a few yards of the breast work. The lieutenant with others were taken, and all the survivors of the grenadier company, whether prisoners or not, were wounded. The royalists were soon obliged to sound a retreat, having sixty-two men killed and wounded. The provincials, during the whole action, did not lose a single man, and had only one slightly wounded. The fire of the artillery from the fort covered the retreat of the royalists. None of the blacks, &c. in the rear, with captain Leslie, advanced further than the bridge. Captain Fordyce was buried with every military honor by the victors, who showed a due respect to his former merit, as well as to the gallantry which signalized his last moments. The British prisoners were treated with great kindness: the American royalists, who joined the king's standard, with rigor. The king's forces forces retired the ensuing night, without other loss than a few pieces of cannon. Captain Leslie, it is said, has absolutely refused to act any more on shore, till he can be better supported; on the other hand, the Norfolk volunteers, and the black battalions, have declined acting without the regulars; this has induced his lordship to abandon the entrenchments at Norfolk, and to go on board the ships. Most of the wretched negroes who had joined him, were now left to shift for themselves. [Dec. 14.] Colonel Woodford, with the provincials, entered Norfolk; but almost all the inhabitants had fled on board the ships. At night he resigned the command to colonel Howe, designing to return to his family, and attend on his private affairs. Many of the Scotch petitioners having, contrary to their faith, solemnly plighted, become strict adherents to lord Dunmore, and active promoters of his measures; and having excited their slaves to act against the colony, the convention has totally rescinded the former recommendation in their favor. But persons of ability, declining to act with the Virginians, and who have not taken up arms nor showed themselves against them, may be permitted to leave the country. A scheme for raising a considerable force for the service of lord Dunmore, has been lately discovered in Maryland. One John Connelly, a native of Pennsylvania, waited on his lordship with certain proposals, toward the latter end of July, which being approved of, he dispatched intelligence to the officers of the militia on the frontiers of Augusta county, with assurances from his lordship, that such of them as would hereafter evince their loyalty to his majesty, by putting themselves under his command, should be amply rewarded. He had before, by direction, prepared the Indians on the Ohio, to act in concert with him against his majesty's enemies in that quarter. His lordship sent him to general Gage, at Boston, about the 15th of September; and about the middle of October he returned with instructions from the general to his lordship. A commission of lieutenant-colonel commandant of a regiment, to be raised in the back parts and in Canada, was to be granted to this adventurer; who was to be assisted by the garrisons at Detroit and Fort Gage, at the Illinois, with artillery and ammunition. He was to use means to urge the Indian chiefs to act with vigor in the execution of his orders; and to have the supreme direction of the new forces. When they were in sufficient condition, he was to penetrate through Virginia, so as to meet lord Dunmore at a set time in next April, at Alexandria, on the Potomak; his lordship was to bring such a naval strength and other assistance, as might be deemed necessary for the purpose. He had so far succeeded, that he was on his way, with two associates, to Detroit, where he was to meet his commission and instructions; but when they had reached about five miles beyond Hager's-town, they were taken into custody and brought before the county committee, at Frederick-town, in Maryland [Nov. 23.] for examina tion, about ten days after parting with lord Dunmore. Their papers have betrayed every thing. Among them were the geneneral plan of the whole business, and a letter from lord Dun more to one of the Indian chiefs, and other authentic vouchers,which leave nothing to be doubted. His lordship's letter was accommodated, as is usual in all such cases, to the Indian taste, and addressed to Brother Captain White Eyes, who was to acquaint the Corn-Stalk, as well as the chiefs of the Mingoes, and the other six nations, with the sentiments contained in it. The capture of Connelly and his associates, is ascribed to the seizure of an express passing between an Indian commissary and the governor; from whose papers such intelligence was gained as to put the provincial committee upon keeping a good look-out for the parties. The Indian commissary was known to be disaffected to the American cause, by a gentleman whose sus-picions made him a principal in effecting the discovery. The Pennsylvania general assembly, in their November session, instructed their delegates to exert their endeavors at the continental congress, for the adoption of such measures as might afford the best prospect of obtaining a redress of American grievances, and of restoring the union and harmony between Great-Britain and the colonies. They said, "Though the oppressive measures of the British parliament and administration have compelled us to resist their violence by force of arms, yet we strictly enjoin you, that you, in behalf of this colony, dissent from, and utterly reject any propositions, should such bet made, that may cause or lead to a separation from the mother country, or a change in the form of this government." The reason for mentioning a change in the form of this government, was, congress's recommendation of a measure of that kind to the provincial convention of New-Hampshire, which will be properly noticed in its place. [Nov. 16.] Governor Franklin met the general assembly of New-Jersey. In his speech he acquainted them, "That the commanders of his majesty's squadrons in America, have orders to proceed as in the case of a town in actual rebellion, against such of the sea-port towns and places, being accessible to the king's ships, as shall offer any violence to the king's officers, or in which any troops shall be raised, or military works erected, の |