Gentlemen

As the Committee of Safety had adjourned before your Letter arrived here & of Consequence no Answer could be had from them, I have taken the Liberty of writing what I conceive to be at least the Substance of what they would have written.

There was as far as I can discover no Foundation for the Report you mention; but unhappily, last Night an Express arrived in Town bringing an Account, that on Monday last [November 13] Lord Dunmore having heard that a large Body of our Forces were marching to Norfolk under Col. Woodford, marched at the Head of 350 Men consisting of Soldiers Sailors Negroes & Scotchmen, to the great Bridge to destroy it & prevent the Passage of our Men ー that he effected this, & then went in prosuit of 150 Militia of Princess Ann who had imprudently marched induced by a false Report to join Col. Woodford, who was at that Time with a Part of his Regiment in Wmsburg  That this Party came up with our Militia, who defended themselves with Bravery, but being overpower'd by Numbers were totally defeated several killed & others taken Prisoners, amongst whom was Col. Joseph Hutchings ー

This Affair I hope will serve to rouse up our Country Men, & will serve to lead our Enemies into such another Scrape as they ran into at Hampton ー The Committee had resolved a Month ago to send dowp. the 2d Regimt & the Culpeper Batalion of Minute Men to Norfolk ー but for want of Arms Tents &c &c they were unable to march, the whole of them til the Day before Yesterday ー A Detachment passed Jas River about 10 days since under Major Spotswood ー & were ordered to halt at Cobham til joined by the Col. & Remainder of the Forces This Junction was delayed several Days for want of Necessaries, & several more by high Winds & the Interposition of the King Fisher & several Tenders ー which obliged our Men to cross the River higher up than was at first intended ー This Delay for Want of proper Arms &c has been very mortifying to us, & has proved fatal to our Friends in the Neighbourhood of Norfolk ー Purdie's Paper contains a particular & true Account of what has been attempted by the Man of War & Tenders & what has passed between them & our Men here ー The naval & Land Forces of Ld D---- are as described in Letter from the Committee by the last Post The Committee of Safety would gladly have written you an Account of the State of Affairs here by every Post ー had they not been hindered by a Multiplicity of Business ー

As I intend to reside here with my Family I will transmit you any Intelligence worth your Notice & shall be proud to receive your Commands with Respect to procuring such as you may desire to receive ー My Health will not permit me to write but a few Lines ー I have therefore scribbled to you in Haste what I am unable to transcribe ー you will excuse my Scrawl & Blunders ー & believe me to be [&c.]