Page:Sketches of the life and character of Patrick Henry.djvu/194

 170 SKETCHES OF THE

other day by Mr. Page. If these necessaries and better arms had been furnished in time for this detachment, they might have prevented much trouble and great expense to this colony. Most of those arms I received the other day from Williamsburg, are rather to be con- sidered as lumber, than fit to be put in men's hands, in the face of an enemy: with much repair, some of them will do; with those, and what I have taken from the enemy, hope to be better armed in a few days. I have written the convention, that it was my opinion, the greatest part of the 1st regiment ought immediately to march to the scene of action with some cannon, and a supply of ammunition, and every other necessary for war that the colony can muster, that a stop may be put to the enemy's progress. As to the Carolina troops and cannon, they are by no means what I was made to expect: 60 of them are here, and 100 will be here to- morrow; more, it is said, will follow in a few days, under col. Howe; badly armed, cannon not mounted, no furniture to them. How long these people will of these lower people, rank tories. From all these informations, if you can make a diversion in my favour, it will be of service to the colony, and very acceptable to myself and soldiers; whom if possible, I will endea- vour to keep easy under their hard duty, but begin to doubt whether it will be the case long."

In two days after the receipt of this letter, came the news of the victory of the Great Bridge, by which col. Woodford at once threw into the shade the military pretensions of all the other state officers; a circum- stance not very well calculated to gild the pill of con- tumacy, which he had just presented to the commander in chief. The committee of safety had now a delicate

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