*

HISTORY OF

CHAP. time the sublime spectacle was exhibited to the world. of

a nation in the infancy of its population, crushing the serpent of tyranny, and declaring to mankind the grand truth, that liberty and equality, founded upon the basis of a federal democracy, know not the confinement of territorial limits. Such was the situation of Virginia when Dunmore conveyed the powder from the magazine in Wil liamsburg.

When this event reached the country it produced the utmost commotion among the people. They looked up to their committees, assembled on the occasion, for directions how to act, and by what means to obtain redress; for the question of redress seems generally to have been agitated among the people, and debated in the committees.-Spirited and patriotic resolutions were every where adop ted. It was resolved that theremoval of the powder was illegal; and in some cases a much harsher epithet was used; that it ought to be returned; that the governor by this act as well as other parts of his condu, had forfeited all title to the confidence of the people of Virginia

they offered premiums to such as produced the best gun powder, made of the materials of the colony; and also to such as produced the best wool; they resolved to abstain from the use of mutton or lamb as food, that the breed of sheep might increase the faster, and a greater por tion of wool be afforded; and in general passed wise and salutary regulations, for the safety of the colony, the segurity of their liberties, and the encouragement of dome tic manufactures.

The resolutions of the different committees throughou the colony, in which they were zealously supported by the people; the open manner in which the Governor was pronounced by the voice of that people to have lost their confidence; the bold spirit of opposition and determined resistance manifested in the resolve that the powder ought to be returned, which was plainly speaking the language of retaliation and redress-operating together upon the governor's mind, produced the address to the council and the proclamation before mentioned to the people,

The governor, as we have seen, had advis d'with his council on the propriety of issuing a proclamation recalling the people to a sense of their duty Ec; and the council, upon deliberation, advised him to issue one, (whose character we have seen.) and indeed presented him with the draught of that which he did issue. Instead of recalling the people to a sense of what Dunmore thought their duty, the proclamation had a very great efect in recalling the people to what they themselves considered as their duty. They felt themselves injured and

VIRGINIA.

insulted by the opprobrious language it contained. and they hastened to repel by public resolves, the indecent and indiscreet charge that they were in a state of insurrection and open defiance of all legal authority. By this impolitie address the Governor increased the enthusiasm of the Virginians. To a settled opinion of the justice of their cause, were now superadded the exasperation of wounded pride, and insulted feelings.

The proclamation had scarcely made its appearance, when some persons privately entered the magazine, in the night time, and conveyed away a great number of guns, cartouch boxes, swords, canteens, &c. I'wo days* afterwards the mayor, aldermen and common-council assembled and expressed their disapprobation of this transaction.` They required the inhabitants of the town to prevent such unlawful proceedings for the future, and exhorted those in possession of the arms to return them to the maga zine.

Scarce a week passed without the occurrence of some circumstance calculated to increase the mutual irritation of Dunmore and the people.

tague threatens to fire up

An event had now happened which carried the exacerba, Capt.Mon.. tion of his spirit to its highest pitch. A party of armed men whose movements it will presently be our business to relate, had arrived at no great distance from Williamsburg, on York with the avowed intention of making a reprisal for the Town. stolen gunpowder, and of securing the treasury. As soon as Dunmore heard this he despatched a messenger to the Fowey man of war, lying off York-Town, and a detachment of 40 sailors and marines, under the command of captain Stretch was sent to his aid. They were not marched through the streets, but by the way of the Governor's park. After the detachment was landed. Coldel Nelson received a letter from Montague, Captain of the ship Fowey threatening that if the detachment was tacked or molested on its march, he would fire upon ork-Town. This threat excited so much alarm among e inhabitants that many of them removed into the untry with their families. Captain Montague's letter as couched in the following terms.

S

"Fowey, May 4, 1775.

"Sir,
"I have this morning received certain in-
rmation, that his excellency the Lord Dunmore. Gov-
rnor of Virginia, is threatened with an attack at day

The next morning a warrant was issued to search certain suspected places, but the search was without success.

C

10

HISTORY OF

CHAP. break this morning, at his palace in Williamsburg, and have thought proper to send a detachment from his majesty's ship under my command, to support his excellency, therefore, strongly pray you to make use of every endeavour to prevent the party from being molested or attacked, as in that case I must be under the necessity to fire upon this town."

Williamsbung com

From

GEORGE MONTAGUE.

To The Hon. THOMAS NELSON.

When this letter reached Williamsburg it excited mittee rass the strongest emotions. The committee met and pasres lutions sed resolutions on the subject, highly expressive of their Ethereupon. indignation and sense of injury.

They stated that captain Montague evinced a spirit of cruelty, unexampled in the annals of civilized nations, in threatening to fire upon a town, which might not · be implicated if an attack had been made on the detachment; that in his late communication to the President, he had added insult to barbarity-because it was sent too late to afford any opportunity for the exertion of colonel Nelson's influence, had any disposition been manifested to molest or attack the detachment-because the person to whom it was sent, would have been the greatest sufferer, in case the town had been fired on, and was moreover, at that very momentexerting all his influence for the governor's personal safety that considering these circumstances, Montague had" discovered the most HELLISH principles that can actuate a human mind." They recommended it to the inhabitants of the town and county, not to shew any mark of civility to captain Montague further than common decency required.

Although the impression made by the removal of the gunpowder from the magazine at Williamsburg, on board a British ship. was simultaneous, in every section of the colony. yet the enthusiasm which it inspired, and the resistance immediately to be made. necessarily varied widely, in different parts of the colony according to local circumstances, and the phlegm or ardor of men's temSix hun- peraments.

dred men

assemble

More than six hundred men, well armed and disciplined, at Freder- as they state themselves to have been, assembled at Fre. icksburg. dericksburg & despatched some gentlemen * from Spotsylvania and Hanover, to Williamsburg, to ascertain the

Purdie's paper mentions but one-Mann Page, Jr. Esq. one of the delegates from the county of Spotsylvania. This must have been the late Mann Page of Mansfield, near Fredericksburg, not less distinguished for his talents than his patriotism. In every thing that constitutes the gentleman, he had no superior. It was

VIRGINIA.

situation of the metropolis, with an offer, if assistance was necessary, to march down, at a moments warning, with two thousand men. These gentlemen returned with an answer that the town was quiet, and that for the present, it was best policy to abstain from open violence.

The conduct of the troops assembled at Frederksburg cannot be too highly applauded. Intrepid without temerity, ardent in their love of liberty without any exhibition of licentiousness, they retired at the voice of discre tion and prudence, (as it was then thought,) with a tranquility and attention to order,not inferior to the enthu siastic spirit with which they had assembled.

11

CHAP.

ments

1.

for

Before they retired a council was held, in the commit- Deliver tee chamber, at Fredericksburg, at which were present their senti one hundred and two members, consisting of Delegates publication of the provincial congress, officers, and special deputies and then from fourteen companies of Light Horse, composing a body retire. of upwards of six hundred men.-Here a production which had been prepared, in the form of advice, was presented, agreed to, and published. It was of a bolder character than any composition which had yet appeared. It was almost tantamount to a declaration of independence. It spoke of the ruling powers without the humility and courtly ceremony usually preserved upon such occasions. It contained no evasive language, but with a firm and even forward spirit avows the intention of the troops to preserve their liberty at the hazard of their lives and fortunes.

They stated the facts already mentioned, the cause of their aların, and the manner in which it had been removed. They condemned the conduct of the governor, as illtimed, impolitic, unnecessary and unjust. They declared, that the private virtues of a governor, (for which, however, Dunmore seems not to have been distinguished,) were no security against oppressive systems of government. They deprecated the evils of a civil war, and, prefering peace, as long as the least hope of an honorable adjustment should remain, advised the return of the troops to their several homes.

They considered, however, the liberties of America to be in danger, from the hostility manifested by the British mi

impossib e to mention his name, without speaking in his praise, and his venerated memory amply merits this passing tribute of respect. He conveyed a letter from Peyton Randolph, Speaker of the late House of Delegates, which influenced the gentlemen assembled at Fredericksburg to retire,

12

I.

HISTORY OF

CHAP. nistry, and being firmly resolved to resist all attempts against their rights and privileges, from whatever quarter they might be assailed, they pledged themselves to each other, to be in readiness, at a moment's warning, to re-ussemble, and BY FORCE OF ARMs, to defend the laws, the liberties, and the rights of this, OR ANY SISTER COLONY, from unjust and wicked invasion.

They then directed despatches to be sent to the troops assembled at the Bowling-green; to those from the coùnties of Berkely, Frederick, Dunmore, and from such other counties as were then on their marel, to return them thanks for their cheerful off rs of service, and to acquaint them with the determination which they had taken. This address was read at the head of each company, and warmly and unanimously approved. It concluded with these impressive words

"GOD SAVE THE LIBERTIES OF AMERICA."*

I shall now relate the event before alluded to, which occasioned Dunmore to send to a British man of war for a detachment to his assistance, and the threat from Captain Montague, that he would fire, upoa York Town, if that detachment was attacked or molested.

The design with which the troops had been assembled at Fredericksburg and elsewhere, was accomplished principally by the volunteers of one county, and in a great measure through the instrumentality of one man.*

May 2, The committee of safety for the county of Hanover The Hano- met at New-Castle, and recommended that reprisals should ver volun be made upon the king's property, sufficient to indemnify

teers under

* Fredericksburg, Committee chamber, Saturday the 29th of Apri, 1775.

Patrick Henry.

In a conversation which I had with then, Ensign, now Col. Good-› all, he differs from the account of this transaction which I have given in the text; but I have chosen rather to follow the account's printed at the time, which in three different newspapers are word for word the same, than trust to the uncertainty of human recollection. Col. Goodall's account is this. The volunteers of Hanover were accustomed to meet at South Anna Bridge where they were trained. P. Henry on his way to Congress, was met at Col. W. O. Winston's by a committee from the volunteers, who proposed to Henry to make reprisals upon the King's property, as the county committee of safety, declined to take any step in the business. Henry not only advised them to carry their proposition into effect, but declared that he would turn back and march to Williamsburg with them. In the remainder of the narrative all are agreed. In the origin of the expedition there is an important difference; according to one, it originated with the county committee of safety; according to the other the County committee of safety would have nothing to say to it. And it emanated entirely from the volunteers. The authority of Goodall is followed, as it respects the appointment of officers.

L