bayonets, and a coolnefs and intrepidity which excited 775 aftonishment. They were not only expofed naked to the fire in front, but enfiladed by another part of the provincial lines. The captain fell with feveral of his men, within a few yards of the breast work. The lieutenant with others were taken, and all the furvivors of the grenadier company, whether prifoners or not, were wounded. The royalifts were foon obliged to found a retreat, having fixty-two men killed and wounded. The provincials, during the whole action, did not lofe a fingle man, and had only one flightly wounded. The fire of the artillery from the fort covered the retreat of the royalifts. None of the blacks, &c. in the rear, with capt. Leslie, advanced further than the bridge. Capt. Fordyce was buried with every military honor by the victors, who showed a due refpect to his former merit, as well as to the gallantry which fignalized his last moments. The British prisoners were treated with great. kindness: the American royalifts, who joined the king's ftandard, with rigor. The king's forces retired theenfuing night, without other lofs than a few pieces of cannon. Capt. Leflie, it is faid, has abfolutely refufed to act any more on fhore, till he can be better fupported; on the other hand, the Norfolk volunteers, and the black battalions, have declined acting without the regulars; this has induced his lordship to abandon the intrenchments at Norfolk, and to go on board the ships. Moft of the wretched negroes, who had joined him, were now left to fhift for themselves. Colonel Woodford with the provincials, entered Nor- Dec. folk; but almost all the inhabitants had fled on board 14the fhips. At night he refigned the command to colonel 1775. Howe, defigning to return to his family, and attend on his private affairs. Many of the Scotch petitioners having, contrary to their faith, folemnly plighted, become strict adherents to Lord Dunmore, and active promoters of his measures; and having excited their flaves to act against the colony; the convention has totally refcinded the former recommendation in their favor. But persons of ability, declining to act with the Virginians, and who have not taken up arms nor fhowed themselves against them, may be permitted to leave the country. A scheme for raising a confiderable force, for the fervice of Lord Dunmore, has been lately discovered in Maryland. One John Connelly, a native of Pennsylvania, waited. on his lordship with certain propofals, toward the latter end of July, which being approved of, he dispatched intelligence to the officers of the militia on the frontiers. of Augusta county, with affurances from his lordship, that fuch of them as would hereafter evince their loyalty to his majefty, by putting themselves under his command, should be amply rewarded. He had before, by direction, prepared the Indians on the Ohio, to act in concert with him against his majefty's enemies in that quarter. His lordfhip fent him to general Gage at Boston about the fifteenth of September; and about the middle of October he returned with inftructions from the general to his lordfhip. A commiffion of lieutenant colonel commandant, of a regiment to be raised in the back parts and in Canada, was to be granted to this adventurer; who was to be affifted by the garrisons at Detroit, and Fort Gage at the Illinois, with artillery and ammunition. He was to use means to urge the In- 1775 dian chiefs to act with vigor in the execution of his orders; and to have the fupreme direction of the new forces. When they were in fufficient condition, he was to penetrate through Virginia, so as to meet Lord Dunmore at a set time in next April at Alexandria on the Patomak; his lordship was to bring fuch a naval ftrength and other affiftance, as might be deemed neceffary for the purpose. He had fo far fucceeded, that he was on his way, with two affociates, to Detroit; where he was to meet his commission and instructions: but when they had reached about five miles beyond Hagar's-town, they were taken into cuftody and brought before the county committee at Frederick-town in Maryland, for exami- Nov. nation, about ten days after parting with Lord Dun- 23, more. Their papers have betrayed every thing, Among them were the general plan of the whole bufinefs, and a letter from Lord Dunmore to one of the Indian chiefs, and other authentic vouchers, which leave nothing to be doubted. His lordship's letter was accommodated, as is ufual in all fuch cafes, to the Indian tafte, and addreffed to Brother Captain White Eyes, who was to acquaint the Corn-Stalk, as well as the chiefs of the Mingoes, and the other fix nations, with the fentiments contained in it. The capture of Connelly and his affociates, is afcribed to the feizure of an exprefs paffing between an Indian commiffary and the governor; from whofe papers fuch intelligence was gained, as to put the provincial committee upon keeping a good look out for the parties. The Indian commiffary was known to be difaffected to -1775 Nov. 16. the American cause by a gentleman, whofe fufpicions made him a principal in effecting the discovery. The Pennsylvania general affembly, in their November feffion, instructed their delegates to exert their endeavours at the continental congrefs, for the adoption of fuch measures as might afford the best profpect of obtaining a redress of American grievances, and of reftoring the union and harmony between Great Britain and the colonies. They faid, "Though the oppreffive measures of the British parliament and administration have compelled us to refift their violence by force of arms, yet we strictly enjoin you, that you, in behalf of this colony, diffent from, and utterly reject, any propofitions, fhould fuch be made, that may caufe or lead to a feparation from the mother country, or a change in the form of this government." The reafon for mentioning a change in the form of this government, was congrefs's recommendation of a measure of that kind to the provincial convention of New Hampshire, which will be properly noticed in its place. Governor Franklin met the general affembly of New ferfey. In his fpeech he acquainted them, "That the commanders of his majesty's squadrons in America, have orders to proceed as in the cafe of a town in actual rebellion, against fuch of the fea-port towns and places, being acceffible to the king's fhips, as fhall offer any violence to the king's officers, or in which any troops fhall be raised, or military works erected, or other than by his majesty's authority, or any attempts made to feize or plunder any public magazine of arms or ammunition." He faid, "Sentiments of independency, are by fome men of prefent confequence, openly avow ed, and effays are already appearing in the public pa- 1775. pers, to ridicule the people's fears of that horrid meafure." The house of affembly, in their anfwer declared, "There is nothing we defire with greater anxiety than a 29. reconciliation with our parent ftate, on conftitutional principles. We know of no fentiments of independency that are by men of any confequence openly avowed; nor do we approve of any effays tending to encourage fuch a measure. We have already expreffed our deteftation of fuch opinions, and we have fo frequently and fully declared our fentiments on this fubject, that we should have thought ourselves, as at prefent we really deferve to be, exempt from all fufpicion of this nature." The governor in his reply mentioned, that he had not the most distant thought, while fpeaking of the fentiments of independency openly avowed by fome, that they would confider the remark as at all meant for, or applicable to their house. He concluded with pointedly saying, "I fincerely wish that both you and I may ere long have the happiness to fee thofe, who either openly or privately avow fentiments of independency, men of no confequence." The New York convention having refolved upon the removal of the cannon from the battery in the city, captain Sears was appointed to the bufinefs. Captain Vandeput, of the Afia man of war, was privately informed of the defign, and prepared to oppofe its execution. Learning when it was to be attempted, he appointed a boat to watch the motions of the people aflembled for that purpose about the dead of night. The failors in the boat giving the fignal, with a flash of powder, of what was going forward, the perfons on fhore miftook |