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Great Bridge 5th Dec. 1775.
Sir.
After my Letter of yesterday, I rec'd. an Acct. from Capt. Taliaferro, that the Boat intended for him to cross in could not be got off till day light, & desired my further Instructions. I had sent Capt. Nicholas with 42 men to reinforce Taliaferro & on Rect. of his letter, order'd Colo. Stevens to take the command of the whole, they crossed about midd night, & got to the Enemys centinals without being discover'd, one of them challenged & not being answer'd, Fired at our party, the fire was returnd by our men, & an over Eagerness at first, & rather a backwardness afterwards, occation'd some confusion, & prevented the Colos. plan from being so well executed as he intended, however, he Fired their Fortification & House, in which one negro perished, killed one dead upon the spott, & took two others prisoners (who's Examination I now enclose you, this party (consisting of 26 Blacks & 9 Whites) escaped under cover of the night, he allso took four new Muskets. my Instructions mention proceding against Slaves taken in arms, according to the rules of War, I believe the Unanimous opinion of the Officers would have been to make an Immediate Example of them, but considering you inform me in yours of the 1st Inst. that a counter proclamation to that of Ld Dunmore would be out in a few Days, & wishing to have the express commands of your Honble. Boddy, now sitting, in a matter of so much importance as Life & Death, I thought proper to postpone any step of the sort, 'till I am further Instructed.
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These instructions, I would likewise wish, might point out my conduct in many other things, that could be fix'd by the wisdom of your councills, much better then left wholly to my discretion- we have likewise confined here Negro Tom belonging to a man in Carolina, has been Run away two years. I have inform'd his master, that upon proving his property, & paying all charges his slave shall be deliver'd- Charles, belonging to [blank] Montgomery of Portsmouth, taken by our scouts, a very suspicious Fellow, & from what appear'd upon his examination, upon no good in this neighbourhood, he continues under Gaurd in Irons .Will who says he belongs to George Corby of black Water (Norfolk County) remains confined till further orders. Capt. Wm. Hodges (who's instructions from Ld Dunmore I enclosed to the Honble Mr. Page), his charactor as to political princables, is very bad, & if I am rightly inform'd, deserves to be punished, except his insignificancy should excuse him, he is confined till further orders . John Ryal, a Baker taken in a Boat with 400 # Flour & 12 1/2 Bushs. Salt coming up this River, is said to be an Enemy to our cause, & has Baked & assisted the Ministerial Troops since they took part here, these articles being much wanted by us, & supposing they were intended for the Enemy, are made use of & the person confined 'till further orders.
Colo Wells is this moment return'd from Carolina & brings a Letter from Colo Vail (a coppy inclosed) likewise informs that the cannon are not mounted, no powder with the party but 300ls. on this side, in possession of a Mr. Lamb, who will deliver it to Vail upon his march, the mens arms but Indifferent
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no kind of Furniture to the Cannon, he says they have Accts from Gent'n, from Philada. that our Troops are in possession of Bunker Hill, but with a considerable loss, that a Vessell informs, 50 or 60 sail was seen within these few Days off Newbern, supposed to be Transports with Troops. Colo. Jarvis with 12 men arrived here last night from the above party
I am just inform'd that Batchellers Mill Dam upon Deep Creek is gone, so that our Waggons cannot pass without a Bridge, this is 10 miles from here on the Road to Suffolk, & wheather it was destroy'd by the Tories, or went by accident is uncertain, the people inform my messenger that Ld Dunmore has promised to send a party there in a few Days to take post. I have dispatch'd two Horse men to inquire into the Truth of this matter, & reconnoiter the Water Courses &c & an officer & 25 men March Immediately to repair the Damages, & take post there, this Country between this & Suffolk is so exposed to several Water courses, that there will be an absolute necessity to Establish two or three posts upon the Road, as the Inhabitants are all Tories. & when the Fort over the Bridge is reduced, a strong party must gaurd this Important pass. all these reasons induce me to advise what I recommended yesterday. some 4 lb. shott with 3 or 4 the best Mounted cannon of that size (with swabbers, Ram Rods &c) I would likewise advise to follow with the Greatest Expedition. The want of that necessary article for the Soldiery, Shoes, begins to be sevearly felt by some, & will shortly be so by the Whole, unless a speedy supply arrives.
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I mention'd this to Mr Page upon my first crossing James River, The bearer brings you one of the Balls taken out of the Cartirages found upon the negro Prisoners, as they were extremely well made, & no doubt by some of the non com'd oOfficers of the Regulars, will submitt it to the Convention, by who's orders this Horrid preparation was made for the Flesh of our Country men, the others is prepared in the same manner, likewise all that have been found in the Houses &c I have never suffer'd a soldier of mine to do a thing of this kind- nor will I allow it to be done for the future, notwithstanding this provocation, we are much as a loss for a good Glass. I'm told there is very fine ones at the College, which would be of great service. This part of the country affording no such thing. I am with much Respect
Sir Your obedt humble servt Wm Woodford
Dec'r 5.
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Pasquotank River Bridge 5th December 1775
Sir
We have with us about 190 effective men well prepared small arms & Cartrides. We have likewise three double fortified four pounders & four Cannon of a smaller size, and about twenty five or thirty Balls for the fours, there is a hundred or two more at Benton which I have sent for to Colo. How, who I expect will join us the latter end of this week with near five hundred more men. I dont know whether I shall be able to carry with me more than two of the four pounders & one of the smaller ones. Carts are difficult to be got, but if possible you may depend upon the whole. We shall join you with what force we have as soon as we can possibly get along.
I am Sir Your most ob't Ser't Edw Vail
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