On Board the Ship Dunmore off
Norfolk Virginia 6th December 1775
(No 34)
My Lord Since my letter (No 33) in which I informed your Lordship that Mr Mitchel the Collector of the Lower district of James River had made his Escape to this place, Mr Bradley the Comptroller has done the same, but Mr [Archibald] Cary the Naval Officer has accepted of the Command of the Rebels at Hampton, and now Acts as such there. I have as I informed your Lordship I would, appointed one in his place, and Captain [Edward] Foy is the person I have pitched upon, but he being now in England I have procured a proper person to Act for him in his absence, I hope Captain Fay's former Services in Germany, as well as those he has rendered his Country here, will ensure him this Mark of His Majesty's favour, I think at the same time my own Services gives me Sufficient reason to expect that my recommendation should have some Weight.
On the 27th of October some of the King's Tenders went pretty Close into Hampton Road, so soon as the Rebels perseived them they marched out against them, and the moment they got within Shot of our People Mr George Nicholas, Lord North's late Comptroller of the upper district of James River, who commanded the party of Rebels at that time at Hampton, fired at one of the Tenders, whoes example was followed by his whole party, the Tenders returned the fire but without the least effect, but next day the Tenders returned again to the Creek, and ran up very near to the Town, the Rebels being reinforced, and taking possession of the Houses, made a very heavy fire upon them, but only killed one or two of the men, and wounded several others, took a Pilot Boat, that the Gentlemen of the Navy had made a Tender of, and made Seven Men prisoners, belonging to the Otter that were in her, the loss of the Rebels must have been very inconsiderable if they suffered at all, the Tenders were towed out of the Creek by the boats with some difficulty. These overt Acts of Rebellion determined me to Issue the inclosed Proclamation, (No 1) which however I postponed as long as possible, in hopes of having Instructions from your Lordship for my Conduct, in this as well as in many other matters I have so often prayed to be instructed in, for many Months past, but not one line have I had the Honor to receive from your Lordship since yours of the 30th of May. God only knows what I have suffered since my first embarking, from my anxiety of mind, not knowing how to act in innumerable instances that occur every day, being one moment deffident of my own judgement (and not having one liveing Soul to advise with) and then on the other hand fearing if I remained a Tame Spectator and permitted the Rebels to proceed without any interuption, that they would by persuasion, threats, and every other art in their power, delude many of His Majesty's well disposed Subjects to their party, then again it occurred to me that should I be able to prevail on only a few to espowse His Majesty's Cause (with the very small force I had to support them) I should only involve them in inevitable ruin, should the Rebels march a body against us that we were not able to withstand, in this Situation was my mind when I was informed that a hundred and twenty or thirty North Carolina Rebels had marched into this Colony, to a place Called the Great Bridge, about Ten Miles from hence, and a very Strong Post, in order to join some of ours assembled not far from thence, this I was determined not to Suffer, I accordingly embarked in the Night in boats, with all of the 14th Regiment that were able to do Duty, to the amount of 109 Rank and file, with 22 Volunteers from Norfolk, the Carolina People had fled the Evening before, but hearing at the Bridge that there were between three and four hundred of our Rebels Assembled at a place called Kemps landing, Nine or Ten Miles from the Bridge, I was then determined to disperse them if possible, we accordingly Marched thither immediately, and about a Mile from the place our advanced party were fired upon by the Rebels, from a thicket, before our People discovered them, I immediately ordered the main Body, who were within two or three hundred paces to advance, and then detached a party with the Volunteers to outflank them, at the same time the advanced Guard with the Grenadiers rushed into the Woods, the Rebels fled on all quarters, we pursued them above a Mile, four or five were killed, a good many wounded and Eighteen taken Prisoners on that and the following day, a more particular Account of this is in the inclosed Virginia Gazette, (No 2) which is the first of our publishing, the good effects of this most trifeling Success was manifested strongly by the Zeal which the People shewed on this occasion to His Majesty's Service when unawed by the opposite party, I was immediately determined to run all risques for their support, and on that very day ordered the inclosed Proclamation to be published, erected the Kings Standered (Alias a pair of Colours as I had no better) and the next day, I suppose not less than a hundred of those very Men who were forced into the field against me the day before, came and took the inclosed Oath (No 3) (which I drew up for the occasion:) Your Lordship may observe that about three thousand have taken that Oath, but of this Number not above three or four hundred at most are in any degree capable of bearing Arms, and the greatest part of these hardly ever made use of the Gun, but I hope a Short time (if they are willing) will make them as good if not better than those who are come down to oppose them; the Numbers of the Rebels now on their March, are uncertain; the Bridge abovementioned is by Nature a very Strong Pass, and the only one by which they can enter Princess Anne County by land, and a great part of Norfolk County, I immediately ordered a Fort to be erected there, and put an Officer with 25 of the 14th Regiment to Garrison it, with about as many Volunteers, and about Fifty Negroes, whom I now Arm and discipline as fast as they come in; the Fort has been beseiged by between Seven or eight hundred of the Rebels for these eight days past, without hitherto doing us the least damage, except wounding one or two Men very Slightly; by the best Ac.counts I have been able to procure, the Rebels must have lost from 15 to 20 killed; they have made many attempts to Cross the Branch on Rafts, but thank God we have hitherto always repulsed them.
I am now endeavouring to raise two Regiments, one of White People (Called the Queens own Loyal Virginia Regiment) the other of Negroes [(]Called Lord Dunmores Ethiopian Regiment.)
I wrote to your Lordship in one of my former Letters that I had taken Ships into His Majesty's Service, as also Sloops and Schooners as Tenders, all of which I am now Arming as well as I can; So your Lordship sees I am equiping a fleet, raising an Army and all this without any order from your Lordship, or any other person, but if I have done wrong the blame must not be laid at my door, I have prayed and intreated your Lordship over and over again for Instructions, but not one Syllable from your Lordship for these Six Months past.