Page:American Historical Review, Volume 12.djvu/353

Intercepted Letters of ]^irguiian Tories, 7775 343 were not in Arms, it will signify perhaps little that their conduct was different from that of our Countrymen, and that they openly busied themselves in exciting others to an opposition to Government, while we have avoided such measures in favour of it, Such Circumstances will I am afraid be overlook't. I heartily wish my apprehensions may be ill grounded. The Governor and the Troops are not yet return'd from Princess Anne, the weak resistance he met there will probably give him a mean opinion of the Forces from the upper parts of the Country who are certainly very different men. many of them possessed of considerable property, who serve to promote the cause, and not merely to earn a subsistence. Should he resolve to meet them, I among others shall be call'd to the Field. I am so circumstanced that all my private Debts are in reality Debts of honour, if I should fall God knows how they will be adjusted! to Your management I must commit this Task, I do not think it worth while to make a Will or would appoint you Executor. I unluckily left behind me at Page's some Papers without which I cannot settle my private affairs. I intended before this time [^/c], but of late People have been obliged to apply to the Committees for permis- sion to pass,' and here we have no Committee to whom to make applica- tion. Yet I cannot say this alone has prevented me from going up, tho' join'd to other disagreeable Circumstances it has had Weight. Some time ago Anthony Warwick, ^lich. Wallace and I went down to Hamp- ton and were detained by the Committee from Monday Evening till Friday morning when we made our escape while some of the Tenders were firing on the Town, cross"d Hampton Creek, and Mill Creek, walk'd round by the old Fort, and were taken on board the Tenders and brought tc Portsmouth. 'e could not obtain a hearing from the Committee, nor was any Parole required of us, the last night of our stay we were confined to a room, and three Sentinels placed over us. We were taken into Custody in consequence of pn Advertisement publish'd by the Com- mittee of Safety requiring them to examine all suspected Persons, they rank'd us in that number, and suspected us of coming as Spies. I men- tion this aft'air to show you the Spirit of the times. During our con- finement at Hampton a Number of men were station'd there for the defence of the place, on the day we came oft', the Tenders were repuls'd owing chiefly to their want of amunition; and a Pilot Boat was taken, occasioned by the rashness of a Lieutenant who ran her close into John Jones's [illegiblcl. from whence a constant fire was kept up [rest of line torn off] posted themselves in it. One man was kill'd another mortally wounded and seven taken Prisoners, who are all since released, except- ing one detained for some misbehaviour. Many Falsities have been circulated concerning this ill judged attack." By a Vessel which arrived from New York about a fortnight ago the Governor and several of the Officers had intelligence of Montgomery, 'Orders of the Committee of Safety in Force. .-Jri:/iifi'.f, fourth series. III. 1 190. 2 See the account of it in Henry's Patrick Henry. I. 323, 324.