the moft portable and valuable of their effects. Thus his Lordship formed a confiderable fleet, with respect to the number of veffels and tonnage, and these were alfo crouded with people; but the hips were without force, and contained mouths without hands fit to navigate them. The rebels took poffeffion of Norfolk, and the fleet moved to a greater distance.

a

During thefe transactions fcheme had been in agitation, for raifing a confiderable force at the back of the colonies, particularly in Virginia and the Carolinas, where it was known there were many well affected to the King's government; it was hoped that fome of the Indian nations might be induced to become parties in this defign; and that thus united, they not only would make fuch a diverfion, as muft greatly alarm and diftrefs the rebels, but that they might penetrate fo far towards the coalts, as to form a junction with Lord Dunmore. One Connelly, a native of Penfylvania, an active enterprizing man, who feems to have been well calculated for fuch an undertaking, was the framer of this defign; and his project being approved by Lord Dunmore, he with great difficulty and danger carried on a negociation with the Ohio Indians, and his friends among the back fettlers, upon the fubject. This having fucceeded to his fatisfaction, he returned to Lord Dunmore, who fent him with the neceffary credentials to Boston, where he received a commiflion from General Gage, to act as colonel commandant, with affurances of fupport and affillance, at the time and in the manner appointed. It was in

tended, that the garrisons which we had at Detroit, and fome other of the remote back forts, with their artillery and ammunition, fhould be fubfervient to this defign, and the adventurer expected to draw fome affiftance, at least, of volunteers and officers, from the nearest parts of Canada. He was to grant all commiffions to the officers, and to have the fupreme direction in every thing of the new forces, and as foon as they were in fufficient condition, he was to penetrate through Virginia in fuch a manner, as to meet Lord Dunmore, at a given time in the month of April, in the vicinity of Alexandria, upon the river Potowmac, who was to bring fuch a naval force, and other affiftance, as was deemed neceffary for the purpose. It was also a part, and not the leaft comprchenfive of this plan, to cut off the communication between the northern and fouthern colonies.

Thus far, affairs feemed to look well with our adventurer; but on his road through Maryland to the scene of action, and when he was fo far advanced that the worft feemed nearly over, the vigilance, or fufpicious temper of one of the committees unfortunately frustrated all his hopes. Being taken up on fufpicion, with two of his affociates who travelled along with him, his papers betrayed every thing; among thefe was the general fcheme of the defign, a letter from Lord Dunmore to one of the Indian chiefs, with fuch other authentic vouchers, as left nothing to be doubted. The papers were publifhed by the Congress, and the undertakers fent to prison. As it does not appear that the

loyalists

loyalifts were very lenient to thofe who differed with them in politi'cal opinions, during the fhort time of their fuperiority in the country adjoining to Norfolk, fo now, upon the turn of affairs, the obtaining a plaufible fhew of juftice, under the colour of retaliation, afforded fuch a favourable opportunity for the practice of feverity, and the gratification of private pique, and natural malignity, on the other fide, as is never known to be neglected by any party in fimilar circumstances. For though many had taken shelter on board the fhips, a much greater number remained behind, fome being willing to hazard fome danger, rather than abandon their property; others hoping that their conduct, from its moderation, would bear enquiry; and the majority, from their having no profpect of fubfiftance if they quitted home, and an expectation that their obfcurity would fave them from notice. To conclude, fuch charges of oppreffion, injuftice, and cruelty, were made on both fides, as are ufually done in fuch cafes.

In the mean time, the people in the fleet were diftreffed for provifions and neceffaries of every fort, and were cut off from every kind of fuccour from the fhore. This occafioned conftant bickering between the armed ships and boats, and the forces that were ftationed on the coaft, particularly at Norfolk. At length, upon the arrival of the Liverpool man of war from England, a flag was fent on fhore, to put the queftion, whether they would fupply his Majefty's fhips with provifions, which being anfwered in the negative, and the fhips in the harbour being con

tinually annoyed by the fire of the rebels, from that part of the town which lay next the water, it was determined to dislodge them by defroying it. Previous notice being accordingly given to the inhabitants, that they might remove from the danger, the first day of the new year was fignalized by the attack, when a violent cannonade, from the Liverpool frigate, two floops of war, and the Governor's armed fhip the Dunmore, feconded by parties of the failors and marines, who landed and fet fire to the neareft houfes, foon produced the desired effect, and the whole town was reduced to ashes.

It appears from a gazette publifhed in the Governor's fhip, (who had removed the printing prefs and materials thither from Norfolk) that it was only intended to deftroy that part of the town which was next the water; but that the rebels compleated the deftruction, by fetting fire to the back and remote ftreets, which, as the wind was in their favour, would have otherwife been fafe from the fury of the flames. It is not, however, eafy to prefcribe limits to the progrefs of a fire in fuch, or indeed in any circumftances. A few of thofe who landed, as well as of the rebels, were killed and wounded.

Such was the fate of the unfortunate town of Norfolk, the moft confiderable for commerce in the colony, and fo growing and flourifhing before thefe unhappy troubles, that in the two years from 1773 to 1775, the rents of the houfes increafed from 8000 to 10,000 pounds a year. The whole lofs is estimated at above 300,000!. However just the caufe, or urgent the neceflity, which induced this

meafure,

measure, it was undoubtedly a grievous and odious task to a governor, to be himself a principal actor, in burning and destroying the best town in his government. The rebels, after this tranfaction, to cut off every refource from the fhips, and partly perhaps to punish the well-affected, burnt and deftroyed the houfes and plantations within reach of the water, and obliged the people to remove, with their cattle, provifions, and portable effects, farther into the country.

Nor was the fituation of other governors in America, much more eligible than that of Lord Dunmore. In South Carolina, Lord William Campbell, having, as they faid, entered into a negociation with the Indians, for coming in to the fupport of government in that province, and having alfo fucceeded in exciting a number of those back fettlers, whom we have heretofore feen diftinguished in the Carolinas, under the title of Regulators, to espouse the fame caufe, the difcovery of these measures, before they were fufficiently ripe for execution, occafioned fuch a ferment among the people, that he thought it neceffary to retire from CharlesTown on board a fhip of war in the river, from whence he returned no more to the feat of his government. In the mean time a Mr. Drayton, who was judge of the fuperior court, and one of the most leading men in the colony, marched with a strong armed force to the back fettlements, where a treaty was concluded between him and the leaders of the Regulators, in which the differences between them were attributed to mifinformation, a mifunderstanding of each others

views and defigns, and a tendernefs of confcience on the fide of the latter, which prevented their figning the affociations, or purfu ing any measures against govern ment; but as they now engaged, neither by word nor act to impede or contravene fuch proceedings as fhould be adopted and purfued by the province in general, nor to give any information, aid, or affiftance, to fuch British troops as fhould at any time arrive in it, fo they were to be entirely free in their conduct otherwife, to enjoy a fafe neutrality, and to fuffer no moleftation, for their not taking an active part in the present troubles.

The government of the province was lodged in a council of fafety confifting of 13 perfons, with the occafional affiftance of a committee of ninety-nine. As they had intelligence that an armament was preparing in England, which was particularly intended againft it, not means were left untried for its defence, in difciplining the forces, procuring arms and gun-powder, and particularly in fortifying and fecuring Charles-Town.

Similar meafures were pursued in North Carolina, (with the difference that Governor Martin was more active and vigorous in his proceedings) but was attended with as little fuccefs. The Provincial Congrefs, Committees, and Governor were in a continued ftate of the most violent warfare. Upon a number of charges, particularly of fomenting a civil war, and exciting an infurrection among the negroes, he was declared an enemy to America in general, and to that. colony in particular, and all perfons forbidden from holding any

com

man.

As the Governor expected by means of the back fettlers, as well as of the Scotch inhabitants and Highland emigrants, who were numerous in the province, to be able to raife a confiderable force, he took pains to fortify and arm his palace at Newbern, that it might anfwer the double purpofe of a garrifon and magazine. Before this could be effected, the moving of fome cannon excited fuch a commotion among the people, that he found it neceffary to abandon the palace, and retire on board a floop of war in Cape Fear river. The people upon this occafion, difcovered powder, fhot, ball, and various military ftores and implements, which had been buried in the palace garden and yard; this ferved to inflame them exceedingly, every man confidering it as if it had been a plot against himfelf in particular.

In other refpects, the province had followed the example of their neighbours in South-Carolina, by eftablishing a council and committees of fafety, with other fubfitutes for a regular and permanent government. They alfo purfued the fame methods of providing for defence, of raifing, arming and fupporting forces, and of training the militia, and fhewed equal vigour and eagerness in all their proceedings. The Provincial Congrefs published an addrefs to VOL. XIX, 1776..

1

General Gage having returned in the beginning of October to England, the command in chief of the army at Boston, devolved upon General Howe, who foon af'ter iffued a proclamation, by which, fuch of the inhabitants as attempted to quit the town without licence, were condemned to military execution, if detected and taken, and if they escaped, to be proceeded against as traitors, by the forfeiture of their effects. By another, fuch as obtained permiffion to quit the town, were retrained by fevere penalties, from carrying more than a fmall fpecified fum of money with them. He alfo enjoined the figning and entering into an affociation, by which the remaining inhabitants offered their perfons for the defence of the town, and fuch of them as he approved of, were to be armed, formed into companies, and inftructed in military exercifes and difcipline, the remainder being obliged to pay their quotas in money towards the common defence.

As the limited term, for which the foldiers in the army before Boston had enlifted, was nearly expired, a committee from the General Congrefs, confifting of fea veral of its moft refpectable members, were fent thither, to take the neceffary measures, in conjunction with Gen. Washington, for keeping it from difbanding. This, however, does not feem to have [C]

been

been a work of any great difficulty, the whole army having re-enlifted -for a year certain to come. Of all the difficulties which the Americans met, in their attempts towards the establishment of a military force, nothing affected them fo grievoufly, or was found fo hard to be remedied, as the want of gun. powder. For though they ufed the utmost diligence in the collecting and preparing of nitre, and in all the other parts of the manufacture, the refource from their industry in that refpect, must neceffarily be flow, and with regard to any confiderable effect, diftant. Nor had they yet opened that commerce, nor entered into thofe meafures with foreign ftates, which have fince procured them a fupply of military articles. Indeed the fcarcity of powder was fo great, that it is faid the troops at Bunker'sHill, had not a fingle charge left at the end of that fhort engagement and it is also faid, that the weakness of the army before Bofton in that refpect, was at one time fo great, that nothing but our ignorance of the circumftance, could have faved them from being difperfed and ruined. They, however, left nothing undone to fupply this defect, and among other temporary expedients, had contrived to purchase, without notice or fufpicion, all the powder upon the coaft of Africa, and plundered the magazine in the island of Bermuda, of above 100 barrels, which was carried off (as it was pretended) without the knowledge of the inhabitants.

In the courfe of the depredation, threat, and hoftility, which continually occurred on the fea-coafts, the town of Falmouth, in the

northern part of the province of Maffachufett's-Bay, was Oct. 18th. doomed to experience

a fhare of those calamities, which were afterwards difpenfed in a greater degree to Norfolk in Virginia. Some particular violence or mifbehaviour, relative to the loading of a maft fhip, drew the indignation of the Admiral upon this place, and occafioned an order for its deftruction. The officer who commanded the fhips upon this occafion, gave two hours previous notice to the inhabitants to provide for their fafety, and this time was further enlarged till the next morning, under the cover of a negociation for delivering up their artillery and fmall arms, at the price of faving the town. This, however, they at length refufed to comply with; but had made use of the intermediate time in removing fo many of their effects as they could procure carriages for, or as the darkness and confusion of the night would admit of.

About 9 o'clock in the morning, a canonade was begun, and continued with little intermiffion through the day. Above 3000 fhot, befides bombs and carcafes, were thrown into the town, and the failors landed to compleat the destruction, but were repulfed with | the lofs of a few men.. The principal part of the town, (which lay next the water) confifting of about 130 dwelling houses, 278 ftores and warehouses, with a large new church, a new handsome courthoufe, the old town-house, with the public library, were reduced to afhes ; about 100 of the worst houfes, being favoured by the fituation and diftance, efcaped deftruction, though not without damage.

Though