immediate delivery of the powder, (if not to be obtained otherwise) or die in the attempt. With respect, we remain ready to obey your commands.

P. S. The Company will stand under arms all day on Tuesday waiting your answer.

FREDERICKSBURGH (VIRGINIA ) COMMITTEE.

Saturday, April 29, 1775.

At a Council of one hundred and two Members, Delegates of the Provincial Convention, Officers, and special Deputies of fourteen Companies of Light-Horse, consisting of upwards of six hundred well-armed and disciplined men, friends of Constitutional Liberty and America, now rendezvoused here in consequence of an alarm occasioned by the Powder being removed from the County Magazine, in the City of Williamsburgh, in the night of Thursday the 21st instant, and deposited on board an armed Schooner, by order of his Excellency the Governour:

The Council having before them the several matters of intelligence respecting this transaction, and particularly a Letter from the Honourable Peyton Randolph, Esquire, Speaker of the late House of Burgesses of Virginia, received here last night by an express despatched to Williamsburgh for the purpose of gaining intelligence, informing that the gentlemen of the City of Williamsburgh and neighbourhood have had full assurance from his Excellency that this affair will be accommodated, and advising that the gentlemen assembled here should proceed no further at this time. This Council came to the following determination, and offer the same as their advice to those publick spirited gentlemen, friends to British Liberty and America, who have honoured them by this appointment: Highly condemning the conduct of the Governour on this occasion, as impolitick, and justly alarming to the good people of this Colony, tending to destroy all confidence in Government, and to widen the unhappy breach between Great Britain and her Colonies, ill-timed and totally unnecessary, consider this instance as a full proof, that no opinion which may be formed of the good intentions of a Governour in private life, can afford security to our injured and oppressed Country; but that obedience to arbitrary and ministerial mandates, and the most tyrannical and oppressive system of Government, must be the fatal line of conduct of all His Majesty’s present servants in America. At the same time justly dreading the horrours of a civil war, influenced by motives of the strongest affection to our fellow-subjects of Great Britain, most ardently wishing to heal our mutual wounds, and therefore preferring peaceable measures, whilst the least hope of reconciliation remains, do advise that the several companies now rendezvoused here do return to their respective homes; but considering the just rights and liberty of America to be greatly endangered by the violent and hostile proceedings of an arbitrary Ministry, and being firmly resolved to resist such attempts at the utmost hazard of our lives and fortunes, we do now pledge ourselves to each other to be in readiness, at a moment’s warning, to reassemble, and by force of arms, to defend the Law, the Liberty, and Rights of this or any sister Colony, from unjust and wicked invasion.

Ordered, That expresses be despatched to the Troops assembled at the Bowling Green, and also to the Companies from Frederick, Berkley, Dunmore, and such other Counties as are now on their march, to return them thanks for their cheerful offer of service, and to acquaint them with the determination now taken.

GOD SAVE THE LIBERTIES OF AMERICA.

The foregoing Determination of Council having been read at the head of each Company, was cordially and unanimously approved.

JOHN DICKINSON TO ARTHUR LEE.

Fairhill, April 29, 1775.

DEAR SIR: The “immodicabile vulnus” is at length struck. The rescript to our Petition is written in blood. The impious war of tyranny against innocence has commenced in the neighbourhood of Boston.

We have not yet received any authentick accounts, but I will briefly mention the most material parts of the relations that have reached us.

General Gage having lately received dispatches from England, gave orders on Saturday, the 15th of this month, that the Grenadiers and Light-Infantry should be excused from duty until further orders. Some of the inhabitants of the Town being alarmed by this circumstance, observed between ten and eleven o’clock on Tuesday night following, those bodies to be moving with great silence towards that water which is usually crossed in going to Cambridge. Notice of this movement was immediately conveyed into the country. The Troops mentioned embarked in boats, and landed at Cambridge, about four or five miles from Boston. From thence they marched, on Wednesday the 19th, in the morning, to Lexington, about twelve miles from Boston. At this place they found some Provincials exercising. The commander of the party ordered them to disperse. They did not. One of them said he was on his own ground; that they injured no person, and could not hurt any one, for they had no ammunition with them. The word was given, and the brave Britons, emulating no doubt the glorious achievements of their ancestors, gallantly gave fire upon those who were exercising, killed some, and put the rest to flight. This victory was gained by the Grenadiers and Light-Infantry, without the assistance of any other corps, though their numbers, it is said, did not exceed a thousand, and the Provincials amounted to at least, as it is reported, twenty-five or thirty men!

From Lexington the victors pursued their march to Concord, about twenty miles from Boston, where they destroyed a small Magazine, and set fire to the Court-House. By this time two or three hundred of the inhabitants were collected, and an engagement began. The Troops soon retreated, and lost two pieces of cannon, which they had seized.

General Gage receiving intelligence of this engagement, or of the murder at Lexington, between eight and nine o’clock on Wednesday morning, sent out a Brigade under Lord Percy, consisting of the Marines, the Welsh Fusileers, the fourth, thirty-eighth, and forty-seventh Regiments, with two field-pieces. The Grenadiers and Light-Infantry, still retreating, met his Lordship advancing to their relief; but the place of meeting is uncertain, supposed to be about five or six miles from Boston. The numbers of the country people being also now increased, a very warm contest ensued. The Provincials fought as desperate men. The Regulars bore the attack awhile, still retreating, but at length broke, and retired in the utmost confusion to a hill called Bunker’s Hill, not far from Charlestown, which place is situated opposite to Boston, on the other side of Charles River. About a mile from the hill, one vessel-of-war, if not more, was stationed to cover the retreat into Charles-town down to the water-side, in order to pass over to Boston. In the retreat of this one mile, it is said the Regulars lost twelve officers and two hundred privates. The Provincials, afraid of the shipping’s firing on Charlestown, and of hurting the Town’s people, stopped the pursuit.

On the whole, the accounts say the Regulars had about five hundred men killed, and many are wounded and prisoners. The advices by several expresses are positive, that Lord Percy is killed, which gives great and general grief here, and also General Haldimand, the two first in command; that a wagon loaded with powder and ball, another with provisions, and the field-pieces attending the reinforcement, are taken. It is added that a party of three hundred sent out to Marshfield, are cut off and taken to a man. Several letters from Boston mention that the officers returned there, several of whom are wounded, declare they never were in hotter service. The whole of the fight lasted about seven hours. Part of it was seen from the hill in Boston.

I cannot say I am convinced of the truth of all the particulars above-mentioned, though some of them are supported by many probabilities. But these facts I believe you may depend on: that this most unnatural and inexpressibly cruel war began with the butchery of the unarmed Americans at Lexington; that the Provincials, incredible as it may be at St. James or St. Stephen’s, fought bravely; that the Regulars have been defeated with considerable slaughter, though they behaved resolutely; that a Tory