GOVERNOUR TRUMBULL TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Lebanon, December 9, 1775.

SIR: Last evening I received your Excellency's favour of the 5th; in your hurry not signed; the number of men inlisted left blank.

While this express waits for a horse, I have only time to mention, that I shall (Deo volente) set out on my journey to meet the Assembly at New-Haven, on the 12th. Please to favour me with a list of the officers of our several regiments, and of the companies in each, as they now stand arranged, with the number inlisted into them for the service of the ensuing year. I trust nothing will be wanting in the most vigorous exertions to afford you every assistance on the present alarming occasion.

I am, most respectfully, sir, your most obedient humble servant,

JONATHAN TRUMBULL.

His Excellency General Washington.

COLONEL MOYLAN TO MASSACHUSETTS COUNCIL.

Cambridge, December 9, 1775.

SIR: Four prisoners are sent for examination, Jeremiah Dowry, William Hedon, George Price, and John Milton. They were taken by Captain Coit, on board vessels carrying supplies to the enemy in Boston, to whom they were pilots. Pownal Doming, a sergeant, who was on board the armed vessel when these prisoners were taken, can give the honourable Board every necessary information relative to them.

I have the honour to be, sir, your most humble servant,

STEPHEN MOYLAN, P. T. S.

The Hon. James Otis, Esq.

WILLIAM BARTLETT TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Beverly, December 9, 1775.

SIR: I have the pleasure to acquaint your Excellency, that Captain Manly has brought in here a ship from London, and a brig from St. Eustatia. I enclose your Excellency the papers which I forward by Mr. Cabot. Shall secure them until further orders from your Excellency. The brig is safe arrived from Cape-Ann.

I am, with respect, your Excellency's most obedient humble servant,

WILLIAM BARTLETT.

To General Washington.

N. B. The Captain of ship has hove overboard the chiefest part of his papers, and some arms, &c. I find by the steward, the ships cargo is chiefly coals, one hundred butts of porter, forty live hogs.

Watertown, December 11, 1775.

We have Just received certain intelligence, that on Saturday last, (December 9,) Captain Manly, of the Lee, privateer, took and carried into Beverly a large ship of three hundred tons burden, (mounted with two double-fortified six-pounders and six blunderbusses, with eighteen men before the mast,) bound from London for the Ministerial army at Boston, laden with coals and provisions, consisting chiefly of porter, cheese, and forty live hogs; thirty more had died on the passage. Although fuel and the above articles are no rarity to the army of the United Colonies, yet, so far as they are distressing to their enemies, so far, it must be acknowledged, they are an advantage to us. The above ship had seven weeks' passage, and brought papers to the 16th of October, which, together with the letters, we are informed, the Captain hove overboard after he was taken.

The same day Captain Manly also took and carried in there a brig of about one hundred and fifty tons burden, from Antigua, for Boston, (consigned to one Brimer, for the use of the Ministerial navy,) laden with about one hundred and thirty puncheons of rum, besides one hundred cases of gin, some cocoa, and a cask of oranges, to please the delicate appetite of my Lord Howe, which, however, may possibly be more acceptable to our army than any other provision, saving a further mess or two for the Congress, which has not a very craving appetite.

COLONEL WOODFORT) TO THE VIRGINIA CONVENTION.

Great-Bridge, December 10, 1775.

A servant belonging to Major Marshall, who deserted the other night from Colonel Scott's party, has completely taken his Lordship in. Lieutenant Batut, who is wounded, and at present my prisoner, informs me, that this fellow told them not more than three hundred shirt-men were here, and that imprudent man caught at the bait, despatching Captain Leslie with all the regulars, (about two hundred,) who arrived at the bridge about three o'clock in the morning, joined about three hundred black and white slaves, laid planks upon the bridge, and crossed just after our reveille had beat; and lucky time for us, and, you will say, rather an improper season for them to make their push, when, of course, all our men must be under arms. The above lieutenant commanded the advanced party, and Captain Fordyce, of the Grenadiers, led the van with his company, who, for coolness and bravery, deserved a better fate, as well as the brave fellows who fell with him, who behaved like heroes. They marched up to our breastwork with fixed bayonets, and, perhaps, a hotter fire never happened, or a greater carnage, for the number of troops. None of the blacks, &c., in the rear, with Captain Leslie, advanced further than the bridge.

I have the pleasure to inform you that the victory was complete, and that most of their dead and wounded, with two pieces of cannon, were carried off under cover of their guns from the fort. We buried twelve besides the Captain, (him with all the military honours due to his rank,) and have prisoners Lieutenant Batut and sixteen privates, all wounded; thirty-five stands of arms and accoutrements, three officers' fusils, powder, ball, and cartridges, with sundry other things, have likewise fallen into our hands. This was a second Bunker's Hill affair, in miniature, with this difference, that we kept our post and had only one man wounded in the hand.*

SAMUEL TUCKER TO LORD STIRLING.

Trenton, December 10, 1775.

MY LORD: I have endeavoured to do every thing you have mentioned in your several letters, and now must refer

* From officers who have arrived in town from Colonel Woodford's camp since the battle of the Great-Bridge, I have, I think, collected a more particular account of that action than any which has yet beenn communicated to the publick. You will therefore oblige me by publishing it, and perhaps afford, at the same time, no disagreeable entertainment to our countrymen. As the scene of action is but little known to the generality of people, it maybe necessary to give some description of it, that the relation may be more clear and satisfactory. The great bridge is built over what is called the Southern Branch of Elizabeth river, twelve miles above Norfolk. The land on each side is marshy to a considerable distance from the river, except at the two extremities of the bridge, where are two pieces of firm land, which may not improperly be called islands, being surrounded entirely by water and marsh, and joined to the main land by causeways. On the little piece of firm ground on the farther, or Norfolk side, Lord Dunmore had erected his fort, in such a manner that his cannon commanded the causeway on his own side and the bridge between him and us, with the marshes around him. The island on this side of the river contained six or seven houses, some of which were burnt down (the nearest to the bridge) by the enemy, after the arrival of our troops; in the others, adjoining the causeway on each side, wore stationed a guard every night by Colonel Woodford, but withdrawn before day, that they might not be exposed to the fire of the enemy's fort in re-crossing the causeway to our camp, this causeway being also commanded by their cannon. The causeway on our side was in length about one hundred and sixty yards, and on the hither extremity our breastwork was thrown up. From the breastwork ran a street, gradually ascending, about the length of four hundred yards, to a church, where our main body were encamped. The great trade to Norfolk in shingles, tar, pitch, and turpentine, from the country back of this, had occasioned so many houses to be built here, whence these articles were conveyed to Norfolk by water. But this by the by. Such is the nature of the place as described to me, and such were our situation and that of the enemy. On Saturday, the 9th inst., after reveille boating, two or three great guns and some musketry were discharged from the enemy's fort, which, as it was not an unusual thing, was but little regarded by Colonel Woodford. However, soon afterwards he heard a call to the soldiers to stand to their arms; upon which, with all expedition, he made the proper dispositions to receive the enemy. In the mean time, the enemy had crossed the bridge, fired the remaining houses upon the island, and some large piles of shingles, and attacked our guard in the breastwork. Our men returned the fire, and threw them into some confusion, but they were instantly rallied by a Captain Fordyce, and advanced along the causeway with great resolution, keeping up a constant and heavy fire as they approached. Two field-pieces, which had been brought across the bridge and planted on the edge of the island, facing the left of our breastwork, played briskly at the same time upon us. Lieutenant Travis, who commanded in the breastwork, ordered his men to reserve their fire till the enemy came within the distance of fifty yards, and then they gave it to them with terrible execution. The brave Fordyce exerted himself to keep up their