1

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.