Page:Sketches of the life and character of Patrick Henry.djvu/242

Rh is impossible to render any service to country or county. A few days since, hearing of the ravages committed by Philips and his notorious gang, I ordered fifty men to be raised out of four companies, consisting of upwards of two hundred: of those only ten appeared, and it being at a private muster, I compelled twenty others into duty, putting them under the command of capt. Josiah Wilson, who immediately marched after the insurgents; and that very night one fourth of his men deserted. Capt. Wilson still pursued, but to no purpose: they were either taken to their secret places in the swamp, or concealed by their friends, that no intelligence could be obtained. He then returned, his men declaring they could stay no longer, on account of their crops. I considered, therefore, that rather than that they should wholly desert, it might be better to discharge them, and wait the coming of the Nansemond militia, when I trusted something might be done: but of those men I can hear no tidings; and unless they or some other better men do come, it will be out of my power to effect any thing with the militia of this county; for such is their cowardly disposition, joined to their disaffection, that scarce a man without being forced, can be raised to go after the outlyers. We have lost capt. Wilson, since his return: having some private business at a neighbour's within a mile of his own house, he was fired on by four men concealed in the house, and wounded in such a manner, that he died in a few hours; and this will surely be the fate of a few others, if their request of the removal of the relations and friends of those villains be not granted, which I am again pressed to solicit for, and in which case neither assistance, pay, or plunder, is expected; conceiving that to distress their supporters, is the only means by which we can root