EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM COLONEL. ELLIOT TO COLONEL PATRICK HENRY, DATED HAMPTON, JANUARY 5, 1776.

Enclosed you have the copy of a letter from Colonel Woodford to me, dated three o'clock yesterday, since which a snow and two small vessels have gone up to Norfolk. She appeared to have a great many men on board, but was not a vessel of war. There are three others (one a brig) in the bay this morning coming up, which Captain Barron has just gone to look after. Some little time after my express left Norfolk with the enclosed, a very heavy firing began, and continued chief part of the night; and a Considerable fire was discovered there about dark, which Continued burning many hours.

Norfolk, January 4, 1776, three o'clock, P. M.

About quarter past three, on Monday afternoon, the whole fleet began a heavy cannonade, which lasted seven hours, without any intermission, and, indeed, continued, off and on, till last night, since which we have been tolerably quiet. Under the fire of their ships, they landed in many places, and set fire to the houses on the wharves. In these Attempts, many of them, we are certain, were killed, and never failed being repulsed by our people. We had not a man killed, and only five or six wounded, one supposed mortally; and two or three women and children are said to be killed. Providence certainly interfered in our favour, or more lives must have been lost. They once landed and got into the streets with field-pieces, but were beat back with loss, and no execution done by their fire. Nine-tenths of the town are destroyed, but the fire is now out.

Williamsburgh, January 5, 1776.

I hope our countrymen will not be at all dispirited at the destruction of Norfolk, but rather rejoice that half the mischief our enemies can do us, is clone already. They have destroyed one of the first towns in America; land the only one, except two or three, in Virginia, which carried on any thing like a trade. We are only sharing part of the sufferings of our American brethren, and can now glory in having received one of the keenest strokes of the enemy, without flinching. They have done their worst, and to no other purpose than to harden our soldiers, and learn them to bear, without dismay, all the most formidable operations of a war, carried on by a powerful and cruel enemy, to no other purpose than to give the world specimens of British cruelty and American fortitude, unless it be to force us to lay aside that childish fondness for Britain, and that foolish, tame dependance on her. We had borne so long with the oppression of an ungenerous restriction of our trade, of a restriction, in some instances, which seemed calculated merely as badges of our subjection, and had been contented so long with barely refusing to purchase commodities, which they had taxed for the purpose of raising a revenue in America, that our patience and moderation served but to encourage them to proceed to greater lengths. To greater lengths they have proceeded, as far as the proudest tyrant's lust of despotism, stimulated by cruelty, a rancorous malice, and an infernal spirit of revenge, could hurry them. How sunk is Britain! Could not Britons venture to wage war with Americans, till they were told that Americans were cowards—till they had disarmed them, or had, as they thought, put it out of their power to procure arms; nor even then, without the assistance of Roman Catholicks and Indians, and endeavouring to raise amongst us a domestick enemy? Was this like a brave and generous nation? If they were lost to all the feelings of Britons, for men confending for the support of the British Constitution—if they were determined to conquer America, why did they not attempt it like Britons? Why meanly run about to the different Powers of Europe, entreating them not to assist us? Why make use of every base and inhuman stratagem, and wage a savage war, unknown amongst civilized nations? Surely, whoever has heard of Carleton's, Connolly's and Dumnore's plots against us, cannot but allow that they must have been authorized by a higher power; and whoever believes this, cannot but wish to be, instantly and forever, removed from under such a power, and to be guarded most effectually against it. Most freely would I cut the Gordian knot which has hitherto so firmly bound us to Britain, and call on France and Spain for assistance against an enemy who seem bent on our destruction, but who, blessed be the God of Hosts, have been baffled in most of their attempts against us, been chastised in all, and have made many attacks upon us, without being able to kill a single man.

AN AMERICAN.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM A MIDSHIPMAN ON BOARD HIS MAJESTY'S SHIP OTTER, COMMANDED BY CAPTAIN SQUIRE, DATED JANUARY 9, 1776.

December 9.—Our troops, with about sixty townsmen from Norfolk, and a detachment of sailors from the ships, among whom I had the honour to march, set out from Norfolk to attack, once more, the Rebels at the Great-Bridge, who had been lodged there some time, and had erected a breastwork opposite to our fort on their side of the river. We arrived at the fort half an hour after three, in the morning, and after refreshing ourselves, prepared to attack the Rebels in their intrenchments.

Captain Squire, ever ready to assist my Lord in the publick cause, had sent his gunners and men to manage two pieces of cannon who were in the front, and ordered to begin the attack. But how can it be supposed, that with two hundred men we could force a strong in-trenchment, defended by at least two thousand? Yet this was attempted, and we marched up to their works with the intrepidity of lions. But alas! we retreated with much fewer brave fellows than we took out. Their fire was so heavy, that, had we not retreated as we did, we should every one have been cut off. Figure to yourself a strong breastwork built across a causeway, on which six men only could advance abreast; a large swamp almost surrounded them; at the back of which were two small breastworks to flank us in our attack on their intrenchments. Under these disadvantages, it was impossible to succeed; yet our men were so enraged, that all the entreaties, and scarcely the threats of their officers, could prevail on them to retreat, which at last they did. The cannon were secured within the fort. We had sixty killed, wounded, and taken prisoners; among whom were the gallant Captain Fordice of the Grenadiers of the Fourteenth Brigade, Lieutenants Napier and Leslie, and Lieutenant Batut wounded and taken prisoner; men all universally esteemed, and for whom all shed tears. We set out on our return to Norfolk about seven o'clock in the evening, at which place we arrived at twelve, and the soldiers were embarked on board vessels prepared for that purpose.

December 14.—The Rebels having now nothing to obstruct their passage, arrived and took possession of Norfolk, and in the evening saluted us with a volley of small-arms: which, the next morning, I was sent on shore to their commander to inform him, that, if another shot was fired at the Otter, they must expect the town to be knocked about their ears.

January 9.—The detested town of Norfolk is no more! Its destruction happened on New-Year's day! About four o'clock in the afternoon the signal was given from the Liverpool, when a dreadful cannonading began from the three ships, which lasted till it was too hot for the Rebels to stand on their wharves. Our boats now landed and set fire to the town in several places. It burnt fiercely all night, and the next day; nor are the flames yet extinguished; but no more of Norfolk remains than about twelve houses, which have escaped the flames.*

FROM THE VIRGINIA GAZETTE, PRINTED ON BOARD THE SHIP DUNMORE, LYING OFF NORFOLK.

Norfolk, Ship Dunmore, January 15, 1776.

Soon after the arrival of the Liverpool frigate from England, Captain Bellew sent a flag of truce, and demanded to be informed, whether His Majesty's ships-of-war would be supplied from the shore with provisions. The reply being in the negative, and the ships in the har-

* The town of Norfolk, in Virginia, which was lately burnt by the Liverpool, man-of-war, and her attendants, was the largest town in the whole Province. It contained near four limes the number of houses in Williamsburgh, the capital, and might be compared to Reading, in Berkshire, with regard to the extent of its site, and the scale of its population. The Rebels, therefore, have sustained a very severe loss in its destruction; and we are very well assured, that this loss has already not a little cooled the fever of Virginian patriotism.