for their friendly paragraph, in which you say, you may assure yourself, that so far as the publick service will allow, you shall take pleasure in gratifying me or the Regiment, or any individual. This is the sole reason why Mr. Peabody is continued as Adjutant; and I presume the voice of the Regiment will make this manifest, which is the best information the nature of the thing will admit of.

Permit me, gentlemen, to remind you of your promise that I should have a Chaplain, for the want of which the service greatly suffers, as we have to borrow from other regiments, which is a thing I cannot repay.

Beg leave, at the same time, to subscribe, gentlemen, myself your obliged and ever humble servant at command,

JAMES REID.

WILMINGTON (NORTH-CAROLINA) COMMITTEE.

On the 20th July, at a monthly meeting of the Committee for the Town of Wilmington, and the County of New-Hanover, at which were occasionally present a number of gentlemen, members of the different Committees in Wilmington District, the Committee, upon taking the Restraining Act into consideration,

“Resolved unanimously, That the exception of that Colony, and some others, out of the said act, is a base and mean artifice, to seduce them into a desertion of the common cause of America;” and that “they will not accept of the advantages insidiously thrown out by the said act; but will adhere strictly to such plans as have been, and shall be, entered into by the honourable Continental Congress, so as to keep up a perfect unanimity with their sister Colonies.”

They also “unanimously Resolved, not to freight, or in any manner employ, any shipping belonging to Poole, and that they will not carry on any commercial intercourse or communication with the selfish people of that Town.”

The Committee, likewise, after premising that it appeared upon incontestible evidence that John Collett, Commander of Fort Johnston, was preparing the said Fort for the reception of a promised re-enforcement, and had been also guilty of various malepractices, inform the publick, that they, “having taken these things into their consideration, judged it might be of the most pernicious consequences to the people at large, if the said John Collett should be suffered to remain in the Fort, as he might thereby have opportunities of carrying his iniquitous schemes into execution.”

This opinion having been communicated to the officers, and the Committees of some neighbouring Counties, a great many volunteers were immediately collected, a party of whom reached Brunswick, when accounts were received that the said Commander had carried off all the small arms, ammunition, and part of the artillery, (the property of that Province,) together with his furniture, on board a transport hired for that purpose, there to remain until the re-enforcement should arrive, and then again to take possession of the Fort. The original design being thus frustrated, but the different detachments having met at Brunswick, about five hundred men marched to the Fort, and burnt and destroyed all the houses, &c., in and about the same; demolished as far as they then could the back parts of the fortification, and effectually dislodged that atrocious freebooter.

VIRGINIA VOLUNTEERS TO NORFOLK COMMITTEE.

On Thursday, July 20th, 1775, one of the Dinwiddie volunteers was despatched to Norfolk with the following Letter, from the officers of the several Volunteer Companies in Williamsburgh, to the Committee of that Borough:

GENTLEMEN: We judge you are sensible it requires no extraordinary genius to divide, and true wisdom despises the infamous task. You have, hitherto, shown the diffusive spirit of benevolence to our cause, in your strictures on Lord Dunmore’s letters. We are, therefore, the more truly alarmed at a report, which gives us too much grounds to fear you are, some of you, deserting the glorious cause; being informed that there are volunteers recruiting in opposition to the Continental plan. Our desire is, that you inform us of the verity of this report, that we may assist the proper side with all our force, as soon as we obtain authority from the Convention, which is at present sitting, before whom we shall not fail to lay the whole state of the case.

We are, &c.

On Saturday he returned with the following Answer from the Committee:

To the Officers of the Volunteer Companies in WILLIAMSBURGH.

GENTLEMEN: We are happy in every expression of your attachment to the common interest of your Country, and are glad we can inform you there is not the least foundation for the fears you have declared for our safety, upon an illgrounded report, that any among us are deserting the cause of their Country, and enlisting against it. It is a report, we can assure you, that is totally devoid of truth. You may depend, we would not sit still as indifferent spectators of such hostile measures. The time may come, when we may stand in need of your assistance, surrounded as we are by armed vessels and some suspected inhabitants; we trust we shall then receive it; and should the Convention, hereafter, think it necessary to quarter any of you among us, you may rest assured we shall welcome you with willing hearts and open arms.

We are, Gentlemen, your humble servants. By order of the Committee:

WILLIAM DAVIES, Secretary.

CAPTAIN MONTAGUE TO CAPTAIN SQUIRE, OF HIS MAJESTY’S SHIP OTTER.

Fowey, Hampton Roads, July 20, 1775.

SIR: Joseph Harris,* the bearer of this letter, has applied to me for protection, as the people of Hampton and some other places have threatened his destruction, as they have found him to have given intelligence concerning a smuggling schooner, which was seized in Cherry-Stone Creek. As the Fowey will soon leave the Province, I think him too useful to His Majesty’s service to take away, he being well acquainted with many creeks on the Eastern Shore, at York, James River, and Nansemond, and many others, and of course a very useful person, especially in tenders, as he is not acquainted with the duties of a seaman, but accustomed to pilot, as he had a boat for that use, which is now detained by violence in Hampton harbour. He has always appeared very sober and prudent, is a freeman, and I could wish strongly to recommend him to such indulgence as his endeavours may merit. Agreeable to my Lord Dunmore’s application, I have sent up the Arundel, and Mr. Atkinson her officer, and will send Mr. Ruth in the Liberty. I have taken such stores and hawser out of the Arundel as belonged to the Crown when with me employed on His Majesty’s service, and have fitted her with her real private property.

I am, dear Sir, your very humble servant,

GEORGE MONTAGUE.

Pastoral Letter from the Synod of NEW-YORK and PHILADELPHIA, to the Congregations under their care; delivered from the Pulpit on the 20th of JULY, 1775, being the day appointed by the Honourable Congress for a General Fast.

VERY DEAR BRETHREN: The Synod of New-York and Philadelphia being met, at a time when publick affairs wear so threatening an aspect, and when (unless God in his sovereign providence speedily prevent it) all the horrours of a civil war throughout this great Continent are to be apprehended, were of opinion, that they could not discharge their duty to the numerous Congregations under their care, without addressing them at this important crisis. As the firm belief, and habitual recollection of the power and presence of the living God ought at all times to possess the minds of real Christians; so in seasons of publick calamity, when the Lord is known by the Judgments which he executeth, it would be an ignorance or indifference highly criminal, not to look up to him with reverence, to implore his mercy by humble and fervent prayer, and, if possible, to prevent his vengeance by unfeigned repentance.

We do, therefore, brethren, beseech you, in the most earnest manner, to look beyond the immediate authors

* A Runaway mulatto slave, belonging to Mr. Henry King, of Hampton.