Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1814-08-03
Camp near Mattox, I
July 25sh, 1914. 5

July 18th, 1914.
yesterday had the honor of receiving
your letter Of July Esd and the General Or-
deis OF the same date --piacieg tn troops
IN service in the Northern Neck under nv
command. | cannot forbear to express the
pleasure l feel az this call into service, and
the cheerfulness with which / shall exert
myself to comply with the wishes of the go,
yerDncnt-
At the very moment that received your
communication Twas unofficiaiiy accompa.
iying detachment Of militia under the
command of Colonel Smith OF King George
1earthc mouth Of Mattox Greek, where 4
harges from the enesny's slip the l., ire
Were a.spros~'siag 5su. the lew Of ot.
forces tney retired s;tirout doing any inju.
ry. xcePt carrying of a negro who waded
10 them. The Loire t!icn asc nded the III
Yer as high as Rozser's Creek---bnt tod y
aboutteE o'clock she moved do sn to join the
squadron which lies off the mouth of Nomi.
~, consisting of Admiral Cochburn's ship
the Albion IA, the Regulus "a, Captain
Rarssy--and the Meipomene SO, Captain
Rowley. aud many tenders. i learn tina,
taey have on board at least 1860 choice
troops. eager for prey and active in desola,.
ton. You have heretofore presume been
informed Of their recent landing at Hominy,
x ,he track OF rum which they have left up
on its shores as they resired.'
Erraet Ola leffer ran Colonel Parker, to
fhe AdIntanf General.
4" SIR,
81 feel particular pleasure in being
assured that the Commander in Chief
IS satisfied with my Conduct and that of the
tr ops under my command, on the late oc-
casion. Those who retreat, seldom ever,
meet with justice except from liberal and
enlightened minds II trnst shall soon have.
AZ opportunity, to prove, that his undjmin-
lshed confidence is not misplaced, and tina
With lit e aiming we know how 20 a,tack
as aneli as to defend.
The base and unnanly conduct Of the
enemy. has united every one h,re, and Gals
led down upon them the curses of every
honest man. Best 'es burning the houses
mentioned to you in my letter Of the 22d,
they took from every other within their
reach every Article they could carry AVA.
destroyed what they copld not, and broke
the windows, doors, &c and cut up the
floors Of the houses. Add to this the wheat
stacks they burnt, The stock they Killed, the
tobacco and negroes they took away (of
whom there were not less than 1907 and you
nav well imagine the distress and ruin Of
the Inhabitants on tn Nomipy. Some yer-
soas. wefe left without one single dollar On
earth.
Soine horses were carried away, and
some war,only shot 1t is now very well
ascertaiped that they had some cavalry.
- 8if.S9ence a citizen OF this county,
vas taken prisoner from his house, and
Carried TO their camp. He was told their
force vas gfearter than made it, & that
they intebdedto lay the country waste -
that those who remained at home, would be
treatsd well aud their property respected,
but Al who fec, OF joined tie militia. should
become he peculiar objects of their veu-
Seanc To several old negroes too. thty
stated, that they soon expected a much lar.
ger force, and that they would not leave
one house standing in the Northern Neck,
or one hostile foot. They told them moreo-
over that they buint MRS. TholDpSon's
h s. because she leit them and because
she placed poisoned spirit in her porch.
The truth Is, IN ber hurry to get away. she
had left some spirit and water in her porch,
- which Cen. d1ngerford and myself, and
the troopers rho attended as, drank after
wards, and.neglected to hrow away The
savases seeing L, pretended to- imagine we
were as void Of honor as they are, and seized
IL as pre.eEeo 10 10 what they would have