In consequence of these summonses, a Council of the following officers was formed:

General Lee proposes the following questions:

What Posts not occupied should be occupied? What Posts now occupied may be abandoned?

1st. Does not the Great Bridge seem to be a post of importance?

The Council unanimously agree that it is a post of the greatest importance, and that it should be maintained by at least four hundred men.

It being agreed that the Great Bridge should be garrisoned, the Council are consequently of opinion that Suffolk must likewise be maintained, and that the different defiles between Suffolk and the Great Bridge (which will hereafter be pointed out to the Engineers) be fortified.

The Council consider Suffolk to be of such importance they unanimously agree that a battalion at least should be kept to defend that post and its dependencies.

2dly. Does it appear that Kemp’s Landing, without great risk to the body there stationed, can be supported? Is the importance of this post so great as to counterbalance the risk? But if it is thought necessary to abandon Kemp’s Landing, should not the Convention be petitioned to put in execution the former resolve of the Committee of Safety, (now rescinded,) of obliging all the slaves of a military age, as well as all the white inhabitants who are not manifest active partisans of liberty, to evacuate the Counties of Norfolk and Princess Anne, lying between the Great Bridge, ocean, and Currituck Sound; as likewise those residing in that tract between the Eastern and Southern branches, and those of the lower parts of Nansemond and the Western branch, who have taken the oaths to Lord Dunmore?

The Court are of opinion (with only one dissentient) that Kemp’s Landing cannot be supported without the greatest risk; that when it is evacuated the whole stock would consequently fall into the hands of the enemy; that therefore the male slaves, and all the inhabitants of a military age, who are not manifestly active partisans of the publick liberty, will be actively employed for her destruction; that both inclination and necessity will oblige them. In consequence of this opinion, they beg leave humbly to petition the Convention to put in execution the resolve of the Committee of Safety (now rescinded) on this subject.

As the getting possession of the Capital would give an air of dignity and decided superiority to the enemy, which, in a country abounding with slaves, is a point of the highest importance, ought not a considerable force be stationed at Williamsburgh and its dependencies, in which are included York, Jamestown, Burrel’s Ferry, and Hampton?

It is unanimously agreed as strong a force as possible ought to be stationed in the Capital and its dependencies.

As, from a consideration of the present weakness of the Army in this Province, it is impossible to station a force adequate to this purpose, and at the same time to aim at defending the vast extent of country open to the insults of the enemy, can a battalion be spared for the Northern Neck?

The Council are of opinion that only two companies can be spared to be stationed on the Northern Neck; but that they should be reinforced by some companies of Minute-men.

CHARLES LEE, President.

GENERAL LEE TO RICHARD HENRY LEE.

Williamsburgh, May 10, 1776.

MY DEAR FRIEND: Your brother and I think, from the language of your letters, that the pulse of the Congress is low, and that you yourself, with all your vigour, are by collision, somewhat more contracted in your hopes than we wished to have found. If you do not declare immediately for positive independence, we are all ruined. There is a poorness of spirit and languor in the late proceedings of Congress, that I confess frightens me so much that at times I regret having embarked my all, my fortune, life, and reputation, in their bottom. I sometimes wish I had settled in some country of slaves, where the most lenient master governs. However, let the fate of my property be whatit will, I hope I shall preserve my reputation, and resign my breath with a tolerable degree of grace. God bless you. I cannot write more at present. “Ah, Cassius, I am sick of many griefs.”

Yours, most entirely,

CHARLES LEE.

Honourable Richard Henry Lee.

MARYLAND COUNCIL OF SAFETY TO VIRGINIA COMMITTEE OF SAFETY.

GENTLEMEN: We have just now received a resolution of Congress, and an advertisement, copies of which we send you enclosed. We also transmit copy of a letter sent us by the Committee appointed to devise ways and means for retaking Moses Kirkland; and are, gentlemen, yours, &c.

To the Committee of Safety of Virginia.

PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS TO GENERAL WASHINGTON.

Philadelphia, May 10, 1776.

SIR: I am to acknowledge the receipt of your several favours of the 5th and 7th instant, which I had the honour of laying before Congress.

By the enclosed resolves you will perceive the sense of Congress upon some parts of your letters. The others are under the consideration of different Committees. As soon as I am authorized, I will do myself the pleasure of immediately transmitting the result.

Congress has been pleased to appoint Colonel Tuthill Major of the First New-York Battalion, in the room of Major Benedict, who has resigned. I have sent him his commission. The account of the powder sent to the Eastward shall be forwarded agreeably to Mr. Palfrey’s application, as soon as the Secret Committee can furnish me with it.

I have thought proper to detain the express, that I may be able to inform you whether any arms can be procured from the Committee of Safety in this place. The Committee to whom that business was referred I expect will make their report this morning.

The particulars of the engagement in the river below this city, though at present it is over, are so variously reported that it is impossible to give any consistent representation of it. It is certain, however, that the King’s ships have quitted their stations, and have fallen down the river as low as Reedy-Island. When the gondolas began the attack they were almost as high up as Chester.*

*PHILADELPHIA, May 15, 1776.—In our last we mentioned the arrival of the men-of-war off the mouth of Christiana-Creek, about ten leagues from this city, which proved to be the Roebuck, Captain Hammond, of forty-four guns, and the Liverpool, Captain Bellew, of twenty-eight guns. On the receipt of the news of their being so far up the river, the thirteen Provincial armed boats were ordered from their station at Fort-Island, to attack them. On Wednesday, about two o’clock in the afternoon, the galleys hove in sight of the men-of-war, and about three began the attack, which brought on a very heavy cannonading on both sides, that lasted three or four hours, when the Roebuck ran aground, and the Liverpool came to anchor to cover her. It being then dark, the firing ceased on both sides, and in the course of the night the Roebuck got off. During the engagement, the Wasp schooner, of six guns, commanded by Charles Alexander, came out of Christiana-Creek, into which she had been chased the day before, and took a brig in the employ of the pirates, having on board a great number of water-casks belonging to the Kingfisher, to fill. On Thursday afternoon, at five o’clock, the armed boats renewed the attack on them, with so much spirit and skill that they obliged the ships to make the best of their way down the river, when the boats pursued them, keeping up a constant fire till they got below Newcastle, six miles from the place of action, where the boats moored for that night. The ships have since gone further down the river. We are well assured, by a gentleman who has since been alongside of the ships, that our cannon did great execution to their hulls, and that they were obliged to keep their carpenters patching and mending for two days after. Several of our armed boats were slightly damaged. One man was killed in the first, and two wounded in the second engagement. The greatest praises were given to the courage and spirit of our officers and men, by the many thousand spectators, who lined the shore on both sides of the river.

The ships-of-war had chased a small schooner, bound to the West-Indies, which ran ashore near Christiana, and plundered her of some goods; but left her behind, and a tow line they had carried on board to heave her off. They took and burned a shallop, or small sloop, near Cohansy, which the crew had abandoned.

We are told that the Roebuck is one of the handsomest ships-of-war belonging to the King of Britain, and was built last summer under the particular patronage of Lord Sandwich, whose favourite she is. The Captain is also of his particular appointment. Quere, What must his Lordship say of his ship, when he hears that she was beat by the “cowardly Americans,” who have nothing but “rusty guns, broomsticks, &c.”