The Pennsylvania evening post — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-01-06 00:00:00, page 1

From PINKNEY's VIRGINIA GAZETTE, of Dec. zo.
To the PRINTER.
%,ROM officers, who have arrived in town from Colo
nel Woodford's camp since the battle of the Great
& ' Bridge, I have, I think, collected a more particular
account of that action than any which has yet been
communicated to the public. You will therefore oblige me
by publishing it, and perhaps afford, at the fame time, no
disagreeable entertainment to our countrymen. As the scene
of action is but little known to the generality of people, it may
be necessary to give some defcripiion of it, that the relation
may be more clear and Satisfactory. The Great Bridge is
built over what is called the Southern Branch of Elizabeth
river, twelve miles above Norfolk. The land on each fide is
marshy to a considerable dikance from the river, except at the
two extremities of the bridge, where are two pieces of firm
land, which may not improperly be called islands, being sur
rounded entirely by water and marsh, and joined to the main
land by causeways. On the little piece of firm ground on the
farther or Norfolk fide, Lord Dunmore had created his fort
in such a manner that his cannon commanded the causeway
on his own fide, and the bridge between him and us, with
the marshes around him. The island on this fide of the river
contained fix or seven houses, some of which were burnt
down (the nearest to the bridge) by the enemy, after the ar
rival of our troops ; in the others, adjoining the causeway on
each fide, were . Rationed a guard every night by Colonel
Woodford, but withdrawn before day, that they might not
be exposed tp the fire of the enemy's fort in re-crossing the
causeway to our camp, this causeway being also commanded
by their cannon. The causeway on our fide was in length
about one hundred and sixty yards, and on the hither extre
mity our break-work was thrown up. From the bread-work
ran a street, gradually ascending, about the length of four
hundred,ards, to a church, where our main body was en
camped. The great trade to Norfolk in shingles, tar, pitch
and turpentine, from the country back of this, had occasioned
so many houses to be built here, whence these articles were
conveyed to Norfolk by water; but this by the bye. Such
is the nature of the place as described to me, and such were
our fituaticn, and that of the enemy. On Saturday the ninth
inkant, after reveille beating, two or three great guns, and
some musketry, were difeharged from the enemy's fort, which,
as it was not an unusual thing, was but little regarded by
Colonel Woodford. However, loon afterwards he heard a
call to the soldiers to Hand to their arms ; upon which, with
all expedition, he made the proper disposition to receive the
enemy. In the mean time the enemy had crossed the bridge,
fired the remaining houses on the island, and some large piles
of shingles, and attacked our guard in the bread-work. Our
men returned the fire, and threw them into some confufion,
but they were inkantly rallied by Captain Fordyce, and
advanced along the causeway with great resolution, keeping
up a constant and heavy fire as they approached. Two field
pieces, which had been brought across the bridge, and
planted on the edge of the island, facing the left of our
freak-work, played briskly at the fame time upon us,
The PENNSYLVANIA EVENING POST,
Vol. ll.]
Price only Two Coppers. Published every Puefday, Thursday, and Saturday Evenings.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 6, 1776.
9
Lieutenant Travis, who commanded in the break-work,
ordered his men to reserve their fire till the enemy came with
in the distance of fifty yards, and then they gave it to them
with terrible execution. The brave Fordyce exerted him felf
to keep up their spirits, reminded them of their ancient glory,
and waving his hat over his head, encouragingly told them
" the day was their own." Thus prefling forward, he fell
within fifteen keps of the break-work. His wounds were
many, and his death would have been that of a hero, had he
met it in a better cause. The progress of the enemy was now
at an end ; they retreated over the causeway with precipitation,
and were dreadfully galled in the rear. Hitherto, on our
fide only the guard, confiding of twenty-five, and some
others, upon the whole amounting to not more than ninety,
had been engaged. Only the regulars of the fourteenth
regiment, in number one hundred and twenty, had ad
vanced upon the causeway ; and about two hundred and
thirty Tories and Negroes had, after crossing the bridge,
continued upon the island. The Regulars, after retreat
ing along the causeway, were again rallied by Captain
Leslie, and the two field pieces continued to play upon
our men. It was at this time that Colonel Woodford
was advancing down the street to the break-work with the
main body, and against him was now directed the whole fire
of the enemy. Never were cannon better served ; but yet, in
the face of them and the mufquetry, which kept up a conti
nual blaze, our men marched on with the utmost intrepidity.
Col. Stevens, of the Culpeper battalion, was sent round to
the left to Hank the enemy, which was done with such acti
vity and spirit that a rout immediately ensued. The enemy
fled into their fort, leaving behind them the two field pieces,
avhich, however, they took care to spike up with nails. Many
were killed and wounded in the flight, but Col. Woodford very
prudently restrained his troops from urging their pursuit too far.
From the beginning of the attack till the repulse from the
break-work might be about fourteen or fifteen minutes, till
the total defeat upwards of half an hour. It is said that some
of the enemy preferred death to captivity, from a fear of
being scalped, which Lord Dunmore inhumanly told them
would be their fate should they be taken alive. Thirty one,
killed and wounded, fell into our hands, and the number
borne off was much greater. Through the whole cf the en
gagement every officer and soldier behaved with the greatest
courage and calmness. The conduct of our centinels I can
not pass over in silence. Before they quitted their stations,
they fired at leak three rounds as the enemy were crossing the
bridge, and one of them, who was poked behind some Sin
gles, kept his ground till he had fired eight times; and after
receiving a whole platoon, made his escape over the causeway
into our break-work. The scene was closed with as much
humanity as it had been conduced with bravery. The work
of death being over, every one's attention was directed to
the fuccour of the unhappy fufferers, and it is an undoubted
fad that Captain Leslie was so affected with the tenderness
of our troops towards those who were yet capable of assistance,
that he gave signs from the fort of his tna^kfulnefs for it.
What is not to be paralleled in hiftozy, and will scarcely ap-
[Num. 150.