[Extract]

Dear Sir  The inclosed letter from Colo [Edmund] Pendleton came to hand two days ago, and as it will save a good deal of unneccessary writing, I send it to you. The proclamation there alluded to, we have seen. It proclaims martial law thro Virginia and offers freedom to all the Slaves, calling their Masters rebels &c ー It seems this unlucky triumph over [Joseph] Hutchings with his less than half armed Militia, so dispirited the miserable wretches in that neighborhood, that many have taken an oath of Ld Dunmores prescribing, reprobating Congress Committees &c ー Long before this, Colo Woodford with 800 good men, must be arrived in those parts, and I make no doubt has forced his Lordship on board his Ships again. All this would have been prevented, if our troops could have crossed James River in proper time, but they were obstructed & forced to march high up by the Men of War, and indeed, such is the nature of our water intersected Country, that a small number of men provided with Naval force, can harrass us extremely. I have good reason to hope, that in a few weeks, the state of things in Virginia will be greatly altered for the better. I thank you for your list of Armed Vessels, but at present no use can be made of them. I hope some of them will be fortunate enough to meet with prizes eastward.