The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1813-12-09
GOVERNORS MESSAGE
10 me Virginia Lesisature.
COUNCIL CLIMBER, ,
December or, 1878.
TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF
DELEG ACES.

L ~ NE SCNA u AND HOUSE OE
DELEGA TES.
FELLOW CrrIzHNs,
HAD the honor to communicate
to you at ycur extra session the most i'm.
portant events of the war in relation to thus
commonwealth which had occurred previ-
Gus to thar period. Among which the &C
cupatioD OF our waters nv the enemy, was
the most prominent. His squadron. after
your adjournment, Continue to receive large
accessions on board If which it was as
certained there were considerable land for
Cos Lie conclusion seemed to be inevi-
table that he meditated serious designs A.
gainst our safety. and had determined to
make Ms, bear the brunt Of the war. Viryi
MIA did not regret that she had been thus
hon rabiy distinguished. Although sacri6-
Cos both private and public might be the
Consequence. they were no, equal to the dust
| ot the balance I'm the estimate of a brave z,
generous people, waging a war in defence
Of the unalicn be rights of freemen. Not
withs' anding the eneu.y's force was an impo-
sing enc, particularly in reference to the
peculiar nature OF our eastern frontier, ard
therefore Called for our upwearied atten
ton yet no apprehension was INDUCED as
to the final result, if even a small portion
ut our ample resources should be judicious
| ly applied. The Executive adarted ms
course to the occasion. and in addition to
the precautionary measures which had
been ad pied in anticipation of this state o
things, called out considerable rejsforce
nents OF mi'iti'--a few days elapsed, after
| these steps had been taken Def re the enc
ny commenced his o eratiors b. an attack
IN great force by land and water, on Crane,
Island. The result Of This attempt. So hu.
initiating tn him and so honorable IN cur
brave countrymep horsp PEELED il, il known
to you. 1t would have been scarcely cred,
lb'e, but ter he fnct n v'rg really occurred
that three thousand disciplined troops could
nave been repuls' Il. with slaughter by six
! hundred militia recently callec into service
with no Other aid than a haif-hnished re.
oono', ann ne SenernrS co-opernti n of a
'"w brave volunteers from h NAVY. AT
| Ter undergoing his disastrous Catastrophe.
tine enemy recsded, and bent his course to
| Hermit n ~ result 70 his arms scarcejy
eSs d'shoaorab tI,7r =, Crney Tsla, Il a
waited him there. Here too his attack was
maze Y land AMI water With 4 force y,ri-
nsly r~preSent' Il bat without doubt in q
alto compared With ours Of five 20 one. Al
Though OF li't'e b-nd was ccn.trained m
yieid TO tore so over" heiring vet they c e.
Iqrtte' tn .mSelves as became Virp;nians
ano. b. TIE impress. i'm they made. uDcp RE
enen Y, gave him pie cue If regret fer
ms attfrpt. fiaving ohtaired Possession of
|
ience and 10 rapine. and to lust Which
leaves an indelibie stain IN he R-it;sc cha.
racter. Private houses were plund, red
| grey hairs exposed to wanton cutrage a
SICK man IN his bed WAS murdered, under
! CIT umst7nces ct peculiar aggravation our
| respectable females We're publicly borne fl.
| to suffer the asst degree of unutterable Vic.
ience from rufhans who turned deaf ear
20 ,heir SPECIFICATIONS and frantic screams :;
ana hiling up The measure # their crimes.
they sacrilegi"usly p'unt.ered the House of
zoo, II e melancholy tidings Ct the fate
n Hampton were heard with horror; and
at their recital, a hlaze of indignation burst
| forth throughout America. Ontrages like
| .hese called for severe animadyersion They
N &c have been atoned for by the condipn
punishment of the offenders, or BY sor0r
terrible m asure of r.tributive Justice. The
subject, however, belonged to the General
Government, to which il was referred.
The correspondence relative thereto will
be und in packot A.
The enemy having given this character
u me war having occupied part of our
TERRITORY. his force Represented as very com
siderable; and it being difficult to coniec
ture what would be his next object the
Executive adopted such defensive measures.
AS. M their opini"n, the eXigency called for.
transmitted to the President of the United
States tull information of our situation. and
advr ed him OF their having called out con
siderable detachments of militia: a measure
which received the sanction of hi, apnro-
baton. j have caused the Adintant Gene
raj to prcpare. for the inforna ion Of the
General Assembly, a detailed report (which
is among the documents marked b Of these
measures, as wei as of every other adopt
ed by us, Tor the defence of the state. and
also of the operations of the enemy, which
have been limited tn predatory incursions
along the banks of cur navigab!e BAYS and
Rivers. C every where marked with a cha
racter stteriy unworthy of a civilized ma
ton. b reference to which report. will he
seen the various calls which have been
made up the militia at different periods
with the causes leading tberqto.-the num-
Der now in the service of the United S. ates,
and tn ,ir respective positions. This report
IS in ended for the legislature only, unless
indeed IN their estimation. its publication or
particular parts thereof he deemed expeai-
ent. In that document will also he seen the
incongruity with our state system of the re
gulatirns of the War Department. relative
TO the apportionment uf officers in detach-
ments of militia called for by the General
Government my unavailing endeavOTs TO
obviate heir effects OH our rcquisition, and
the consequent exclusion from service Of
some of the officers detached by my Gene
.ra Orders Of tie 10 Ii April, 1918. H. con-
formity with the request OF the Secretary Of
War, / beg leave to present the subject TO