Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1814-06-15
WAR IN VIRGINIA.

gentleman who passed through town on the
81 instant, (says the Easton Eastern Shore Re-
publican Starr politely furnished the Editor oil
the Star with the following particulars Of the
recontre between the British and their new al
''es ana the militia OF Accomac, drawn up by
a gen,leman the first responsibility.
The following statement OF a recent skirmish
between the British and Accomac MALTA, NAV
be relied on as substantially correct:
On Sunday the 18th of May, about sunrise,
the enemy were observed to be in motion off D.
cracock creek. From their movements an at
tack was calculated upon the guard stationed
there. Alarm guns were frequently fred but
short lapse Of time disclosed their real OBJ
jcct. About six or seven o'clock, suddenly
leaving Ocracock creek, they made their ap.
pcarance Off the mouth of Pong teagne creek.
and entered it with force consisting of ninr
bsrges and two large launches, carrying about
600 men. On the south side of the creek was
fixed guard of about so men. with no other
means OF detcnce than musquetry-on the north
side there was no guard. The roar of the enc
my csnnou, and one or two fires from a piece of
our artillery, communicated the approach OF
the enemy.-rhey were frst most CALAMITY met
by I'd Lieut. Underhiil, of tine artillery, ard or
z men. who stood the FIRE OF theie Is pounders
grape, masquetry and congreve rockets. until
within sixty yards; when i.ieut. Underhili find
i'iR all further resistance utterly useless, and
not having sufficient force to remove the ar
tillery, he caused it to be spiked, and retreated
The piece fell into the hands OF the enemy, w-o
also destroyed some trifing buildings that had
been occup ed as barracks. F,ndi1g no res,s--
lance fromthe p9int .whicn Lieut.. Underhiilhad
occupied, they soon commenced their landing
and IN n few minutes had from / 50 to sou me
goo OF whom were Negroes, all we'll arnei,
formed and advancing from the shore-the ne
groes in front From the place of their landing
they marched about three quarters of a mnc
INTO the country. where they were met by "a
party OF militia, not more than Is in number
This little baRd stood for two hours the whole
force OF the enemy. 10 the prudence aud cool
ntrepid'ty OF Major Finney, it is supposed our
success WAS ascribsble. He would not permit
man to hre-but cautiously retreating, drew
on the enemy nearly to the point where he con-
tempiated that his little band should give them
general hire. The zeal and ardor of William
Martin, "a priyate) however prevented the CON
pletion OF the scheme, wis .ly projected by Mai
Finney-Sseing negro advancing with mu en-
spirit to the attack, he calmly requested of the
Major to permit him to take une shot at him -
The request Was granted, and Martins aim was
fatai-the negro fell From this time the firing.
from the militia became more general and AMI
mated than before, and the execution must have
been great, as the ensmy soon commenced 4
precipitate retreat.
During the fire thus sustained by the IS men.
the militia OF thes2d regt.were- collecting with
incredible CELEBRITY; and bad the enemy remain
ed one hour longer, they would inevitably
have been all killed or taken PRISONERS. Dur
ing their stay upon, land they robbed oae man
OF all his bacon, nearly all III, poultry killed
pig, took Oft all the clothes of the negroes, com
mitted some other exoesses, and orders were
gwen to burn the house-This order. isowever,
Was afterwards countermanded by the com
| mandng officer, who remarked at the tin.e,
that nothing but the grey hairs Of the propr.e
tor saved II. The old man upwards o. 7C
| and it is said observed to them wien they
| talked of burning his house, that they could
| get no honor by that. In auo her instance they
| piilaged the house ola poor man not able 10
pay S TO- took from him the only bed he
had. al his ola rags, and broke to pieces luis
wife's spinning wheel. These yet are the sub
jects OF that nation called the. 90 bulwark OF
our religion"
the loss sustained by The enemy cannot be
ascer,ained, but must have been considerable.
or scabbards. 2 or 3 swords, boarding
pixies, some cartridge boxes, several pair of
shoes, and several hundred ball cartridge s
were found on the field after the retreat of the
enemy. t. 81
The surest proof, however, of the injury sus.
tanned by them, was found in the vast quantity
of blood lstt on the field, which, to use the ex-
preston OF one ofthe men, was manured by Bril-
tish blood. a peticoat which they had stolen
from one of the negroes of Mr. Smith, was found
on the fed, bloody as though it had been
immersed IN sea OF blood. They left other
traces OF the injury they sustained. The negro
who Was killed was dressed in uniform, and -four.
dollars were found in his pocket
On Tuesday evening our informant saw at
New-Town a certain Mr. Crockett, who alleds-
ell th.t he had been on board the feet since the
skirmish, and that the British acknowledge
the loss on their part of 8 killed and I6 wound