The Pennsylvania ledger, or, The Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, & New-Jersey weekly advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-01-06 00:00:00, page 2

river, except at the two extremities of the bridge,
where are two pieces of firm land, which may not
improperly be called islands, being surrounded en
tirely by water and marffi, and joined to the main
land by causeways. On the little piece of firth
ground on the farther, or Norfolk fide, lord Dun
mere had ere&ed 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 011 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 arrival of our troops; in
the others, adjoining the causeway on each fide,
were Rationed a guard every night by col. Wood
lord, but withdrawn before day, that they might
not be exposed to the fire of the enemy's fort in re
crossing the causeway to our camp, this causeway
being also comnianded by their cannon. The
causeway on our fide was ; n length about one hun
dred and sixty yards, and on the hither extremity
our breast work was thrown up. From the bread
work ran a street, gradually afeending, about the
length of four hundred yards, to a church, where
our main body were encamped. The great trade
to Norfolk in shingles, tar, pitch, and turpentine,
from the country back ot 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 de
scribed to me, and such were our filiation and
that of the enemy. On Saturday the 9th instant,
after reveille beating, two or three great guns, and
some mufquetry were difeharged from the enemy’s
fort, which, as it was not an unusual thing, was
but little regarded by col. Woodford. However,
soon afterwards he heard a call to the soldiers to
Band to their arms; upon which, with all expedi
tion, he made the proper dispositions to receive the
enemy. In the mean time the enemy had eroded
the bridge, fired the remaining houses upon the
inland, and some large piles of shingles, and attack
ed our guard in the bread-work. Our men re
turned the fire, and threw them into some confufi
on, but they were inßantly rallied by captain For
dyce, and advanced along the causeway with great
resolution, keeping up f t constant and heavy fire
as they approached. Two field pieces, which had
been brought acrols the bridge; and planted on
the edge of the island, facing the left of our bread
work, played brifkiy at the fame time upon us.
Lieutenant Travis, who commanded in the breaft
work 6 ordered his men to reierve their fire till the
enemy came within the didance of fifty yards, and
then they gave it to them with terrible execution.
The brave Fordyce exerted himfelf 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 pressing for
ward, he fell within fifteen deps of the bread-work.
His wounds w re 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 their 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 14th regiment, in number one
hundred and twenty, had advanced upon the cause
way; and about two hundred and thirty tories and
negroes had, after eroding the bridge, continued
upon the island. The regulars, after retreating a
long 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 Rreet to the
bread-work with the main body, and against him
'was now directed the whole fire of the enemy. Ne
ver were cannon better served; but yet in the face
of them and the mufquetry, which kept up a con
tinud blaze, our men marched on with the utmost
intrepidity. Colonel Stevens, of the Culpeper bat
NEW-13 E R N, Bec. r.
We hcrirffrom Cape Fear, that Gov. Martin has
been reinforced with 300 men, that he has issued a
proclamation, offering to spare the towns-of Brunf
'wßand Wilftington from the flames, qn their lay
laydown their arms, and giving hostages for their
future behavior. But Col. Moore, at the head of
the principal forces, ftatiohed there. We hope,' will
Hop his Excellency's intentions of defraying his
fehow-fubjeCs.
WRL LI A M SBU RG, Dec. 23.
. . Mr,- Printer.
From officers, who have arrived in town from
colonel Woodford's camp since the battle of the
Great Bridge, 1 have, 1 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 publilhing it, and per
haps afford, at theName time, no disagreeable en
tertainment to dur "countrymen. As the feene of
aelion is bm/httle known to the generality of peo
ple, it may be necessary to give some defcriptron of
it, that the relation may be more clear and fatis
fadory. 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 marffiy to a considerable distance from the
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 to affected with the tenderness' of
our troops towards those who were yet capable of
adidance, that he gave signs from 'the fort of his
thankfulness for it. What is not to be parallelled
in hiftdry, and will scarcely appear credible, except
to Inch us acknowledge a providence over human
affairs, this victory was gained at the expence ol no
more than a flight wound in a soldier’s hand; and
one circumltmce which renders it Rill more amaz
ing is. that the field pieces raked the whole length
of the street, and absolutely threw double headed
shot as far as the church, and afterwards, as our
troops approached, connonaded them heavily with
grape-lhot.
The South Carolina gazette of November 23d,
mentions, the arrival of his Majesty’s armed schoo
ner St. Lawrence at St. Augußine, from Boßon,
with recruits for the ifh reg.
To the OFFICER commanding at Norfolk,
'' Capt. Squire's compliments to the command
ing officer, informs him that several musket balls
were lad night fired at the King's ship from some
people at Norfolk. Capt. Squire did not return
the tire from a supposition it was done out of wan
tonneis Capt. Squire does not mean to fire on the
town of Norfolk unless fired at; mud beg to know
if any hostile intention was meant to his Majesty’s
ship and people under his command.
Otter Joop, off Norfolk, Dec. 15."
Answer to the above.
" Col. Howe's and Col. Woodford's compliments
to Capt. Squire, and assure him they gave no orders
to fire upon the Otter, and conceive the mufket
balls mentioned in Capt. Squire’s message to have
come t'rom our guard, who fired by millake on one
of our own parties."
Extracts of letters from Col Woodford, to the Hon.
Edmund Pendleton, Esq; PreJident of the Con
vention. Norfolk, Dec 17, 1775.
YOUR favour of the 14th came fafe to hand
last night, and I should esteem myfelf wanting
in duty and refped to your honourable body if. I
did not take the earliest opportunity to express the
high sense I have of the great honour done me by
your resolution of the 13th inßant, and to assure
the Convention that I confid r my country's appro
bation of my conduft a fufficient reward for any
services I may be thought to render at this alarming
crisis.
I had taken the liberty to afford that protection
and affißance to the diilreffed Highlanders which I
ifind is the wish of the Convention, and Col. Howe
and myfelf will pay due regard to your directions
refpeCing those that remain Rill in this town.
, Their vessel being detained and their dißreffed wives
and little ones left to Rarve in a strange country, is
a frelh inßance of the inhumanity of a certain lord.
Your orders refpeding the Tories, and negro pri
soners, shall be complied with. We have upwards
of ioc of them now in our guards. Capt. Squire
sent us yesterday the following ticket: “ Captain
Squire's compliments to Messrs. Howe and Wood
ford, and will be glad to know if they mean to pre
vent the navy and army from being supplied with
provisions and water." To which we returned this
answer: “ Col. Howe and Col. Woodford’s,com
pliments to Capt. Squire, and return him for answer
to his message, that as his Majesty’s troops and ships
of war have long since committed hostilities upon
the persons and property of the good people of this
colony, and have actually taken and imprisoned se
veral private gentlemen, and others, who did not
bear arms at the time, our express orders are, to
prevent, to the utmost of our power, any commu
nication whatever between the said troops and ships
of war and this town, or any part of this colony."
In the afternoon the two ships of war and tenders
got under fail and fell down towards the dißillery.
They gave a signal for a fuow, with 4000 buffiels
talion, was sent round to the left to flank the ene
my, which was done with such activity and spirit,
that a rout immediately ensued. The enemy fled
into their tort, leaving behind them the two field
pieces, which, however, they took care to spike up
with nails. Many were killed and wounded in the
flight, but colonel Woodford very prudently re
drained his troops from urging their pursuit too
far. From the beginning of the attack till the re
pulse from the bread-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 ihould they be taken alive.
Thirty one, killed and wounded, fell into our hands,
and the number borne off was much greater.
1 hrougli the whole of the engagement every officer
and soldier behaved with the grcateft courage and
calmness. The condu& of our centinels I cannot
pass over in silence. Before they quitted their Ra
tions they fired at leaß three rounds as the enemy
were crossing the bridge, and one of them, who
was polled behind some shingles, kept his ground
till he had fired eight times; and after receiving a*
whole platoon, made his elcape over the causeway
into our bread-work. The feene was cloled with
of salt, to follow; but ffie, not being so quick as
they expelled, our guard ordered her to continue.
The Kingfifher sent a boat, with about 15 hands to
bring her off; but our officer hailed her when with
in gunshot, and told her he would fire if she did not
return. She took his advice and put about to the
man of war. On board the snow was Mr. Cary
Mitchell, with all his official papers, which we have
in possession, likewise the vessel moored to the wharf,
and intend landing the salt so soon as a proper house
can be got within our guards. That gentleman has
made many profeflions of his innocence, and has
prevailed upon Col, Howe and myfelf to take his
parole of honour for his appearance before the
Convention, for which he sets off to-morrow.
Twenty odd pieces of cannon were left by the
enemy, but spiked and dismantled.
Norfolk, Dec. 19, 1775.
Yesterday the two men of war, and a large sloop,
Rood up to their former Ration, and sent a flag of
truce with the following message: “ Capt. Squire's
compliments to Colonels Howe and Woodford, ac
quaint them that the brig laden with lalt, alongside
the wharf, is a prize belonging to the King, and
'^" n '' " e ° tter ° Capt, Squire requests she may
^lmmediately delivered up, and proposes fending
a boat to take her away. Should any shot be fired
on the people, he will most assuredly fire on the
town." To v^ich we returned this answer: “ Col.
Howe and Col, Woodford’s compliments to Capt.
Squire, and return him for answer. that the brig
in question fell into our hands the other night, and
we shall give orders to fire upon any boat that at
tempts to take her away." They have never yet
made the attempt, and our parties are ready to op
pole the taking the vessel.
Our out-scouts inform, that a 36 gun frigate,
witli a brig, are below this, at the Pleasure House.
She is fuppoied to be the Liverpoole frigate, with a
Rorefhip. We have parties watching her motions.
Extract of a letter from Col. Howe, to the Hon. the
" We have scouting parties down the bay, to
give intelligence of the arrival of any vessels, or any
other event, either to our advantage or otherwise.
From the officers commanding those parties, we
have received certain intelligence that a man of
war, either of 36 or 40 guns is within the bay, and
on her way to this place, witli a large brig, sup
posed to be a ftorefhip, both full of men. This
may probably give us something to do, and I hope
we may execute it properly.’-'
LaR night Col. Henry received an express from
Hampton, with the agreeable intelligence that Capt.
Barron, in a small pilot boat which he had fitted
out, has taken and brought in there two vessels
with Salt to the amount of 4600 bushels; that he
had likewise taken a vessel going to the Eastern
Shore for provisions for the minißerial gentry that
have lately been expelled from Norfolk, which had
on board 15 blacks commanded by Capt. Collett -
and, when the express left Hampton, was in pur
suit of another craft, supposed to be a tender. The
Liverpoole frigate, gone up to Norfolk, mounts 28
guns; and the brig with her is a Rorelhip, laden
with arms and ammunition, Between them, they
have 400 men on board, none of them soldiers ex
cept the usual complement of marines. This late
acquisition of Rrength has much elated Lord Dun
more and his party, we hear; and Norfolk, Hamp
ton, and all the river settlements, are threatened
with fire and sword.
Our most implacable enemy, Lord Dunmore, to
his great grief and disappointment, through the in
trepidity of our troops, has been obliged to retire to
the flipping, with many of the inhabitants of Nor
folk, and some Negroes. His diabolical schemes
(which will perpetually disgrace him) being fruf
trated, and finding all attempts in vain to accomp
lish his designs, our troops were fuffered to enter
the town without opposition from the men of war.
In a message to Col. Woodford, his Lordship as
sured him, that if his Majesty’s ship should not be
fired upon by those under his command, no injury
would be offered to the town ; and it seems, by this
appearance of a peaceable disposition on the part of
his Lordship, as if he thought the riflemen were
rather too near him.
Extract of a letter from Col. Howe, to the PreJident
of the Convention.
" SIR, Norfolk, December 15, 1775.
" The course of service neceflarily inducing an
inquiry between Col. Woodford and myfelf, ref
peeing our commissions, we found that mine, from
the nature of it, had the precedence of his.He con
duced himfelf upon this occasion in that manner
which his knowledge of discipline could not but dic
tate, and with that gentility which never forfakes
him. It is with diffidence, Sir, that I undertake
this charge, and I must add, however honourable
with reludance, as I supersede a gentleman I so
much esteem, whose abilities I know to be equal to
the duties of the Ration, and who hath so amply fill
ed the measure ofhis duty. If real attachments to
the noble cause in which I am engaged, and the
ftriCeß attention to my duty, can 'in any manner
compensate for my want of abilities, the colony of
Virginia may rely upon my utmoß exertion to serve
them, in which, I flatter myfelf, I shall not be
wholly unfucceisfull, as I am promised the ass&
PreJident of the Convention.