REYNOLDS HISTORICAC GENEALOGY COLLECTION ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 01763 2602 GENEALOGY 975.5 V8191B 1853 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center http://www.archive.org/details/virginiahistoric1853maxw THE VIRGIMIA HISTO RICAL REGISTER ] /fSS AND LITERARY COMPAJilON. EDITED BY WILLIAM MAXWELL, /. «^ VOL. VI. FOR THE YEAR 1853.^ RICHMOXD: • PRINTED FOR THE PROPRIETOR, BY jiACfAEiAyrVrEkiSbto', T ' 185cj CONTENTS OF VOLUME YI. NO. I. 1. Bridge, - - 1 The Battle of the Great j 2. Captain Cunningham, - - - 6 | 3' Smyth's Travels in Virginia, - - ^^1 4. The Virginia Gazette— Gazetteiana, No. 1, - 20 | 5. Tiiomas Randolph, - - - - 32 | C. Original Letter : from Gen'l Washington to Governor | Harrison, - - - - - ^"^ f 7. Architecture in - » - Virginia, 37 | 8. Stove - - - '42 The Old Again, . 9. The Late Miss Berry, - - - 45 I 10. INIenioirs of a Huguenot Family, - 45> 3 li. Various Intelligence: —The Sixth Annual INIeeting of | the Virginia Historical Late Daniel Society—The | Webster—A Curious Relic—The Air Ship— Gait's | - Pysche Again. - - - 49 I 12. Miscellany :—Lines on Gait's Psyche—The Study of | Nature—An Old Repartee Done into Rhyme. - 59 I NO. IL I 1. The Capture of Vincennes, - - 61 | 2. Smyth's Travels in Virginia, in 1773, &c. - 77 3. Gazetteiana, No. 2, - - - 91 I 4. Wither's Lines to Captaine Smith, - 101 I 5. Turkoy L-land, - - - 103 6. Old Trees, - - - 106 ? 7. Lossing's Pictorial Field Book of the Revolution, 108 I 8. Various Intelligence : — Mineral Wealth of Virginia— | The New Cabinet— the Medical College— RaifRoads in Virginia —The Caloric Inventior. —The Electric 1 Telegraph —The Potatoe— Steel Frni — Washington 1 Treasures at Arlington House—Accounts from Libe- j lia —The State of Europe—The Adjournment of the | Legislature, - - 109 | 9. Mi^celIany :—The Desire of Fame—A Ccmpliment to | a Statue —Poetry and Religici. —Anne and Jane—In j Vino Veritas, - - 118 j — — —— IV CONTENTS. NO. HI. Vircrinia, in 1781, 121 1. Lord Cornwallis's Campaign in Sec. 131 2. Smyth's Travels in Virginia, in 1773, - - " 148 3. Gazetteiana, No. 3, - - " 156 4. George Sandys, the Fleet, 162 5. The Good Ship Renown, and the Rest of 168 6. An Old Sword, 171 7. The Battle of Bunker's Hill, - Washington's 8. Various Intelligence :—The Cherry— Letters—Anecd^ote of Washington—Diplomatic Ap- pointments—Pilgrim's Progress—Sir Francis Drake, 173 Ridicule Time 9. Miscellany : —Trust in Providence — and Oblivion—The Oxford and Cambridge Epigrams Epigram from Martial—Epigram from Eoileau True Consolation, - 178 NO. IV. in Vir- 1. Lord Cornwallis's Movements and Operations ginia, in 17S1, 181 % The Marquis de LaFayette's Movements and Opera- tions in Virginia, in 1781, 197 War. 3': A Recollection of the American Revolutionary By a British OiTicer, 204 4. Gazetteiana, No. IV. 213 5. Edmund Burke and his Views of our Anglo-Ameri- can {_clo!iies, ^. Napier's Notices of Lord Bacon and Sir Walter Ra- leigli, 230 231 7, INIaury's Sailinir Directions, 232 3. Forrest's Norroll; and Vicinity, Sec. 9. Various Inlelli-e-ce : —First Steam Experiment Souihwesterii Virjinia—The Mineral "Wealth of Au- o-usta—Atniospheric Telegraph—The Crystal Palace Asparagus, 10. Miscellany:—The Grandeur of Death—Making Many I3ooks—Two Old English Compliments—Thoughts INIr. Caniiinii's Riddle—Lines Suggested by the phrase "The Dead Past," - 238 - 240 11. Conclusion, . if THE A^"I> LITERARY COMPANION. f I It' H <iqtT^, "sL--'- M wj.^^ -:^ ^^ L JANUARY, 1853. tf EICHMOND: PRINTEI) FOR THE PKOFEIETOR, i EY MACFaRLAN'E &. FERGUSSUN, minor's law building. ISo^. CO^sTEKTS. PaGI£. 1 :. 1. The Battle of the Great Bridge, - - 2. Captain Cunnini'Lam, - - - b L Smyth's Travels in Virginia, - ; - H -" 'iO ; 4. Tlie Virginia Gazette—Gazelteiana. i\o. 1, O. Tliiimas ilaiiiJoIph. - - - S'" 6. OrJi-iiuil Letter : irom Ge;rl Washington to Governor Harrison, - . 31 I I; 7. ArchiteciLire in Virginia, - - 37 - - - \ 8. The Old Stove Again, 42 9. The Late iNIiis Berry, - - 4-5 10. ?>Iemoirs of a Huguenot Family, - - 4S 11. Various LiteiHgence : —The Sixth Annual Meeting of the Virginia Historical Society—The Late Daniel Webster—A Curious Relic—The Air Ship—Gak's Psyche Again. - . 49 12. Miscellany : — Lines on Gait's Psyche—The Study of Nature—An Old Repartee Done into Ehyme, 59 THE VIRGINIA HISTORICAL REGISTER, AND LITERARY COMPANION. Vol. YI. JAjNUARY, 1853. No. 1. I THE BATTLE OF THE GREAT BRIDGE. I . I [We find the follo^Ying cotemporary accoiiot of tbis memo- rable engagemeut in a rnanuscript collectlou of Historical Re- I niinisceuces which has been made by a Avorthy citizen of Ports- [ I mouth, aud ^vhich he has most obligingly put into our hands, for our use in this Kork. It is stated to have been published in the old Virginia Gazette of the time, shortly after the action ; and ^\•c have no doubt was so; but ive have not the particular paper to refer to, and of course cannot vouch for the fact.] From ofTicers who have arrived in town from Col. Wood- ford's camp since the battle of the Great Bridge, I Iiave I think collected a more particular account of tliat actioHj i tlian any which has yet been communicated to the public. I You will therefore oblige me by publishing it, and afford at the same time no disagreeable entertainment to our coun- trymen. As the scene of action is but little known to the generality of people, it may be necessary to give some de- scription of it, that the relation may be more clear and satisfactory. The Great Bridge is built over what is called the South- ern branch of Elizabeth River, 12 miles South from Nor- folk. The land on each side is marshy to a considerable 2 THE VIRGINIA HISTORICAL REGISTER. distance from the river, except at the two extremities of the Brido-e, where nre two pieces of firm land, which may not imj3ropcrIy be called islands, being entirely surrounded by water and marsh, and joined to the main land by cause- way. On the little piece of ground on the farther, or Nor- folk side, Lord Dunmore had erected his Fort in such a manner that his cannon commanded the cause\Yay on his own side, and the bridge between him and us, wiih the marshes around him. The island on this side of the river contained six or seven houses, some of which were burnt down, (being those nearest the bridge) by the enemy adjoining the after the arrival of our troops ; in the others causeway, on each side, "svere stationed a guard every night by Col. Woodford, but withdrawn before day, that they might not be exposed to the fire of the enemy's fort, in recrossing the causeway to our camp, this causeway being also commanded by their cannon. The causeway on our side {ihe south side) was in length about one hundred and siKty yards, and on tlie hither extremity our breast-w^ork "was thrown up. From the breast work ran a street grad- ually ascending about 400 yards to a church where our main body was encamped. The great trade to Norfolk in shingles, tar, pitch and turpentine, from the country back of this, had occasioned so many houses to be built here, whence these articles w-ere conveyed to Norfolk by wa- ter. Such is the nature of the place as described to me) and such was our situation, and that of the enemy. On Saturday the 9th inst.,* after reveille beating, two great guns and some muskets were discharged from the enemy's fort, which as it was not an unusual thing, was but little regarded by Col. Woodford. However, soon af- terwards he heard a call to the soldiers to stand to their arms; upon which with all expedition he made the * The 9lh of December, 1775. THE VIRGINIA HISTORICAL REGISTER. d proper dispositions to receive the enemy. In the mean time the enemy had crossed the Bridge, fired the remain- ing houses upon the island, and some large piles of shin- gles, and attacked our guard in the breastwork. Our men returned the fire, and threw them into some confusion, but tlioy were instantly rallied by Capt. Fordyce, and advan- ced along the causeway with great resolution, keeping up a constant and heavy fire as they approached- Two field pieces which had been brought across the bridge and plant-* cd on the edge of the island facing the left of our breastwork, played bri;rkly at the same time upon us. Lieut. Travis who commanded in the breast-work, ordered his men to reserve their fire 'till the enemy came Avithin the distance of 50 yards, and then they gave it to them with terrible execu- tion. The brave Fordyce exerted himself to keep up iheir spirits, reminding them of their ancient glory and, waving his hat over his head, encouragingly told them " the day was their own." Thus pressing forward he fell within fifteen steps of the breast-work : his wounds were many, and his death would have been that of a hero, had he met it in a better cause. The progress of the enemy was now at an end, and they retreated over the causeway with pre- cipitation, and were dreadfully galled in their rear. Hitherto, on our side, only the guard consisting of twen- ty-five, and some others upon the whole amounting to not more than ninety, had been engaged. Only the Regulars of the lith Regiment, in number about one hundred and twenty, upon the causeway, and about two hundred and thirty /orze^and negroes, had after crossing the bridge con- tinued upon the island.