as they expected. They have been for some days within about ten miles of us, but their farther progress has been hitherto stopped by a fort constructed by Batut, at a bridge where they must pass. Their riflemen keep up an almost constant fire, but hitherto without much success, having only wounded Gardner, of the General's company. Wallace commands the fort; he has twenty-five of our regiment, a few militia, and some negroes. The negroes who had deserted from the Rebels to the fort, say that many of them have been killed and wounded by our people. Would to God we bad a few more men, and I think we should give a very good account of these rascals; but we are at present a very handful. The place is entirely deserted by the natives; only a few Scotch remain, who to a man are well-affected to Government, and are now all embodied, as the town of Norfolk militia, and do their duty with great spirit; one of them you may recollect at Boston some years ago, his name John Hunter, an active man, and aid-de-camp to Lord Dunmore.

I have forgot all this time to condole with you on the death of your good friend, and quondam Captain, Blackett, who drank his last dram, and resigned his breath on the 12th of October. They say he was a most miserable object before he died. I think you have been in tolerable good fortune this year to get quit of him, and Patoon so soon. I have wrote to Stanton to apply for our bat and forage money. We are most certainly entitled to it, as well as the other troops. Lend a helping hand in this business; a few joes would by no means be inconvenient for some of your friends. I have likewise desired from him particular in formation concerning the provisions for men, women, and children.

I see by the Williamsburgh papers that the Thirty-Second and some other regiments have been drafted, and the officers sent home. It must really be a most distressing matter to be robbed of all the men that one knows, and has been at so much pains with. I am very thankful that we have been so fortunate as to avoid that dreadful fate. I hope my very worthy friend Symes was well when he left you. Did Brown go home with the regiment, or remain with General Grant? If he is with you, remember me to him.

We have a report that General Gage is gone home, and that General Howe succeeds him. If that is true, it will make a terrible change in your staff; though I hope it may not by any means affect you. I have enclosed in a packet to you a great many letters which I brought from St. Augustine, which I will be obliged to you if you will take the trouble of sending. All your friends in East-Florida desired to be remembered to you. The parson had some thoughts of coming with me in his way to Boston, but Governour Tonyn would not give him leave. My best wishes attend Mrs. Urquhart. By what I have heard, you have, I presume, by this time, a pledge of your mutual love. I beg my compliments to Colonel Leslie, Major Musgrave, and my other friends of the Sixty-Fourth. All here join in compliments and best wishes to you. And I remain with great truth, dear Urquhart, your sincere friend, &c.,

C. FORDICE.

Captain Urquhart.

CAPTAIN SQUIRE TO ADMIRAL GRAVES.

Otter sloop, off Norfolk, December 2, 1775.

SIR: My Lord Dunmore having a quantity of corn, which he understands would be of great service to, and was much wanted for, the cavalry to the northward, and begged I would send some men in a sloop to carry it to Boston, I have, therefore, for the good of the service, sent a petty officer and six of my people in the Betsey sloop for that purpose. In my last to you of the 13th September, by the Mercury, I informed you that the people of this part of Virginia seemed to be peaceably inclined, but am sorry to say, that for these two months past, they have taken every method to annoy the King's ships, boats, and troops, wherever they see them, firing on them on all occasions. I some time since went in a tender, with three other tenders in company, in order to prevent their sinking vessels in the mouth of Hampton harbour, when they fired on me, and killed two of my people, and wounded two more; and from the imprudence of the officer on board, a small tender running too near the town, their musketry was so great, that several of my people swam from her to me, and the Rebels took the vessel with four men, which men they have since returned. On the 14th of last month, His Excellency Lord Dunmore, and the detachment of the Fourteenth Regiment, embarked in boats from Portsmouth, and went up a river near a place called the Great-Bridge, in tending to dislodge some men that he heard were there, whose intention was to stop provisions coming to Norfolk. His Lordship from thence, in his march to Norfolk, was attacked and fired on by some Rebels, whom he soon drove off, after killing one, and taking seven or eight prisoners, with a Colonel Lawson and Colonel Hutchins, men who have been very busy in corrupting the minds of the poor deluded people of this Colony. His Lordship then issued his proclamation, (a copy of which I send you.) As Mr. John Atkinson, the petty officer that brings you this, was a volunteer with Lord Dunmore, on the expedition, I refer you to him for more particulars. We have now a small fort at the Great-Bridge, which the Rebels must pass to come to Norfolk. We have destroyed the bridge, and for these ten days past, have kept a body of near nine hundred Rebels from passing. We have like wise intrenched the town of Norfolk, and I have great reason to suppose, and hope from their being such cowards, and cold weather coming on, that they will return to their respective homes, and we shall be quiet the remainder of the winter. I am securing all the provisions I can for the King's ships, and I hope to get a sufficient quantity until we can have a supply from the northward. I must hope, sir, when in your power to spare a victualler, you will send one.

I, by desire, have sent two prisoners taken by his Lordship; no doubt but his Lordship has sent their accusations. Two other prisoners taken by Captain Montagu, the one Captain Dean, whose accusation I here enclose, the other a Captain Porter, for bringing powder and shot for the Rebels, and in sight of the King's tenders throwing it over board. Enclosed I send you the state and condition of His Majesty's sloops Otter and Kingfisher, with the demands for stores from the officers of the said sloops.

I am well convinced that had we a few more troops, and one or two more ships, that the Rebels in these parts would be very soon quieted.

Am also to acquaint you, that from the boatswain of the Otter's frequently behaving in a tyrannical manner to the ship's company, often insolent to the officers, as well as neglecting his duty, I have thought proper to suspend him, and have given an acting order to one of my seamen. Enclosed I send you three letters, which I received from St. Augustine, to be forwarded to you; and am, sir, with assurances that all that can be done for the good of the King's service shall be done by, sir, your most obedient, humble servant,

W.C. SQUIRE.

DOCTOR FRANKLIN TO M. DUMAS.

Philadelphia, December 19, 1775.

DEAR SIR: I received your several favours of May 18th, June 30th, and July 8th, by Messrs. Vaillant and Pochard, whom if I could serve upon your recommendation, it would give me great pleasure. Their total want of English is at present an obstruction to their getting any employment among us, but I hope they will soon obtain some know ledge of it. This is a good country for artificers or farmers, but gentlemen of mere science in les belles lettres, can not so easily subsist here, there being little demand for their assistance among an industrious people, who, as yet, have not much leisure for studies of that kind.

I am much obliged by the kind present you have made us of your edition of Vattel, It came to us in good sea son, when the circumstances of a rising State make it necessary frequently to consult the law of nations. Accordingly, that copy which I kept (after depositing one in our own publick library here, and sending the other to the College of Massachusetts-Bay, as you directed) has been continually in the hands of the members of our Congress now sitting, who are much pleased with your notes and preface, and have entertained a high and just esteem for their author. Your manuscript "Idée sur le Gouvernement et la Royauté," is also well relished, and may, in time, have its effect. I thank you, likewise, for the other smaller