menced on the nights of the 2d, 3d, and 4th of March, successively, which alarmed the enemy with the apprehension of a general attack; and on the night of the 4th, General Thomas marched on to the heigths; and such was the activity and zeal of the troops, that they had penetrated through the deep frost, and thrown up a breast-work sufficient to cover them from the fire of the enemy in the morning. This movement gave a general alarm in Boston, and General Howe saw at once, that he must either dislodge the Americans, or evacuate Boston; for Dorches ter heights commanded the harbour, and endangered the fleet. The first was resolved upon, and Lord Piercy was ordered to the service, and actually embarked with about three thousand men, upon the expedition; but the weather was so tempestuous for several days, that it defeated the enterprise.

General Washington had made his arrangements to commence an attack upon Boston, as soon as this detachment should become engaged at Dorchester; but the storm which defeated the expedition of Lord Piercy, most prob. aby, saved the British army in Boston.

Thus pressed upon all sides, General Howe soon made known his intentions to leave Boston, which were communicated to General Washington by the select-men of the town, through a special flag. General Washington now turned his attention to New-York, and sent on several detachments to strengthen that post, before the enemy had embarked his troops at Boston, that he might support General Lee. On the 17th of march General Howe embarked his troops; evacuated Boston; and fell down to Nantasket roads, and from thence in a few days he sailed for Halifax. The joy excited upon the recovery of Boston became universal throughout the united colonies; and called forth the following resolution of Congress" That the thanks of Congress, in their own name, and in the name VOL. III.

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of the thirteen United Colonies, whom they represent, be presented to his Excellency General Washington, and the officers and soldiers under his command, for their wise and spirited conduct, in the siege, and acquisition of Boston, and that a medal of gold be struck in commemoration of this great event, and presented to his excellency, and that a committee of three be appointed to prepare a letter of thanks, and a proper device for the medal."

The enemy removed all his valuable effects from Boston, and carried off all the tories to Halifax, and the town was left without much damage.

Pending these operations in the north, the patriots of Virginia proceeded to organise their militia, to raise minute men, and thus strengthen the cause of liberty in that colony. But Lord Dunmore, the governor, made as great preparation to collect a military force to support the royal cause, which was covered by several ships of war, then stationed upon that coast. To overawe the patriots, the fleet attempted to burn the town of Hampton; but the commanding officer at Williamsburg, sent a detachment in the night, who reached Hampton in the morning, at the time the enemy commenced his cannonade, and repelled the attack by their small arms, and he withdrew with precipitation, leaving one tender, which was captured by the patriots. This brave defence highly incensed the governor, and he proclaimed martial law in the colony, and at the same time called on all persons capable of bearing arms, to rally around the standard of the king, on penalty of being considered, and treated as rebels, and traitors: he also offered freedom to all indented servants, (such as apprentices and others,) and to all negroes, or slaves that would join him.

Under the impression of this proclamation, his lordship collected a very considerable force, who were assembled about Norfolk, and threatened the subjugation of that part

of the colony. The patriots at Williamsburg detached a regiment of regulars, with a party of minute men, who marched down to Norfolk, and besieged his lordship in his fort, by throwing up a breast-work, and watching his movements ; but they had no cannon to carry forward their siege.

His lordship resented this indignity, and detached Capt. Fordyce at the head of about 60 grenadiers, of the 14th regiment to storm the breast-work of the patriots. "This officer obeyed his order with great bravery, and on the morning of the 14th of December, advanced to the attack with fixed bayonets; but the patriots opened upon the column. such a well directed fire, both in front, and on the flanks, that the detachment was broken and dispersed, and Capt. Fordyce left dead on the field, within a few paces of the breastwork, with the whole column of grenadiers. The patriots did not loose one man.

The next night his lordship abandoned his fort, and took refuge with his principal followers, or adherents, on board the fleet, and the patriots entered Norfolk in triumph, where they amused themselves by firing into the vessels that lay within musket shot, from the buildings near the harbour.

To revenge this indignity, his lordship ordered the ships to destroy the town, which order was obeyed on the night of the 1st of January, 1776, by a heavy cannonade ; and a party were landed who set fire to the town. By some strange fatality, the patriots rejoiced at this event, and cheerfully saw the flames rage in Norfolk for more than a week, and then coolly and deliberately set fire to, and destroyed the remainder; thus wantonly reducing the handsomest town in Virginia, to a heap of ruins.

His lordship continued his depredations upon the coast, burning, plundering and destroying, like a common marauder, until his own party were disgusted with his savage depredations, and then he withdrew with his min

ions, and negro booty, (say 1000,) with a fleet of about 50 vessels, to Florida, Bermuda, &c. where the negroes were sold for the benefit of the concern.

Virginia saw the necessity of augmenting her military establishment, from two, to nine regiments, for the protection of her own coast, and interior quiet, and these regiments were afterwards taken into the continental establishment.

The same troubles awaited North-Carolina that we have witnessed in Virginia: Governor Martin retired on board a ship of war in Cape Fear River, and attempted to rally his party around the royal standard, by calling in the Scotch emigrants, who had settled in the back coun try, and other royalists, to support his cause, until Sir Henry Clinton could give him support, and Sir Peter Parker and Lord Cornwallis could arrive from Ireland, with a squadron and 7 regiments, early in the spring.

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A banditti, who stiled themselves regulators, had for some time set at defiance all law, but their own, and this depended upon their own wills; these now joined the standard of the governor, and when assembled at Cross-Creek, on the 19th of February, amounted to about 1600. The Scotish Chief, General M.Donald, who had been commissioned by the governor, commanded this force.

General Moore, assembled a party, which together with his own regiment, amounted to about 1100 men, marched in quest of the enemy, and halted and intrenched themselves near to Cross-Creek, to reconnoiter their position.

On the 12th, the enemy advanced to meet him, and sent to his camp the governor's proclamation, with a manifesto, and a letter to the general; and on the two following nights General M Donald drew off his army towards Negro-head-point. General Moore ordered Colo

nels Caswell and Lillington to unite their forces with him, and pursue the enemy.

Colonels Lillington and Caswell formed a junction at Moore's Creck bridge; proceeded to destroy part of the bridge, and throw up a small breast-work, and awaited the movements of the enemy. On the morning of the 27th, the enemy advanced in force at day break, and commenced a furious attack upon the breast-work, under the command of Captains M'Cleod and Campbell, (General M.Donald being detained by sickness.) When they had approached within about 30 paces of the intrenchment, the patriots opened a severe fire upon them; their captains fell, and the remainder soon fled, the patriots pursued, and their General M'Donald became their prisoner the next day, together with all the waggons, baggage, and military supplies of the army, amounting in the whole to 13 waggons, 350 guns, &c. 150 swords and dirks, and about 1500 rifles. General Clinton and Lord William Campbell were at this time in Cape Fear River, waiting the issue of events, and ready to join the royalists in support of the governor; but this defeat suppressed the insurrection in North-Carolina, and established the patriots.

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Congress had reccommended to South-Carolina to estab lish a new form of government, which was strongly opposed in their provincial congress; but at this critical moment, the act of Parliament bearing date December 21st, 1775, confiscating all American property found afloat on the high seas, and compelling the crews of all vessels, so taken, to serve as common sailors in the British ships of war, arrived by express from Savannah, which turned the scale so far as to obtain a vote for an independent constitution, with this saving clause" till a reconciliation with Great Britain shall take place."