Wm'sburg Decr the 9th 1775
Dear Sir
It was so late when I receivd your Letter, & I have been so engaged in Business & surrounded by Company that I am scarcely able to tell you that I received it, & by no Means have Time to say how much I am obliged to you for writing it But however much I am pressed for Time I can not conclude without lamenting the unhappy Situation of our Country ー So defenceless is it that I am persuaded that a couple of Frigates with a few Tenders & only one Regiment might at this Time make as compleat a Conquest of all the lower Counties of Virginia as Ld D. [Dunmore] has made of Princess Ann & Norfolk. Col. Woodford with 600 Men has been hitherto prevented from passing the Great Bridge on his Way to Norfolk by a Body of Negroes headed by Scotch Men & a few Regulars ー & I make no Doubt that before he can pass, Norfolk will be made impregnable by Land ー it is capable of being strongly fortified on a small Neck of Land near the Church where it is said Ld D has for some Time past employd several hundred Negros ー The only Way I conceive that Town can be taken without Cannon, must be, by taking Advantage of the Night & throwing into it by Water 3 or 400 resolute Fellows ー & make a bold push at the Sloops of War at the same Time. I have mentioned this to several, but unhappily they call it a rash attempt & seem to be contented with the Expedition now carrying on under Col. Woodford which if it should succeed can only force our Enemies on Board their Ships & oblige them to change the Scene of the War & spread their Depredations further. ー I wish to God we had a few armed Vessels ー to take the Tenders we might very much distress their Ships by it. I approve much of your Hint of procuring them from Bermuda or the Northern Colonies. But most of the Committee & Convention seem to think it in vain to attempt any Thing by Water ー I think this may be attended with fatal Consequences ー for if no Attempt of this Kind is made before Reinforcements of Ships & Tenders arrive, the People will be most wretchedly dispirited, & easily crushed ー For my Part I think we should make a Point of keeping Possession of our Rivers, those excellent Chanels of Comerce, & should strain every Nerve in Struggles for the Dominion ohhe upper Part of the Rivers at least ー It is certain that 5000 Men can not defend our Coast against the Depredations of the Men of War & Tenders already here ー but it is certain 500 Men in some Vessels could easily take the whole Fleet ー
I have scribbled on beyond what I expected & have encroached on your Time ー I will therefore instantly conclude ー but must first beg that when you write to General [Charles] Lee you will present to him my Thanks for his Services, my Compts & best Wishes ー I am dear Sir [&c.]