History of Norfolk County, Virginia : and representative citizens, 1637-1900, Part 6

Author: Stewart, William H. (William Henry), 1838-1912
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1054

USA > Virginia > City of Norfolk > City of Norfolk > History of Norfolk County, Virginia : and representative citizens, 1637-1900 > Part 6

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Your most, ob'dt humble serv't.

DUNMORE.

TO ROBERT HOWE, ESQUIRE.

The reply to Lord Dunmore by Colonel Howe:

NORFOLK, DEC. 25th, 1775.

My Lord :-

Desirous as we are to regain our friends in your custody. and to return to the army the officers and men of their corps who have fallen into our hands, we can by no means, submit to place the officers and soldiers of the army, who have been taken in the battle upon a foot- ing with those officers of Militia and the peasants, that you have thought proper to deprive of their liberty. We have since our march from the Great Bridge, taken a number of those who were in action at that place ; among them, some who acted under your commissions as field-officers; those I conceive, may be equitably ex- changed for those of the same rank in your hands; and reluctant as I am to continue in confinement either your prisoners or ours, I shall consent to no exchange but such as equity shall warrant.

I beg leave to refer you to Mr. Lawrie for particu- lars. I should be glad to be favored with a list of the prisoners you have in your hands, the rank they bear and the manner in which they were taken.

I am, My Lord, your Lordship's most Ob'dt., humble Serv't,

ROBERT HOWE.

To HIS EXCELLENCY LORD DUNMORE.

Lord Dunmore's reply :

SHIP "DUN MORE," DEC. 26th, 1775.

Sir :-

Yours of last night I received and really am at a loss to know what your meaning is; you certainly, when you proposed an exchange of prisoners, could never have meant to pay your own people so poor a compli- ment, as not to look upon those whom the Convention thought proper to appoint to hold military commis- sions in any other light than officers; those you talk of as officers of Militia and Peasants, whom you say I have thought proper to deprive of their liberty, come under that predicament, and were taken armed against their liege Sovereign.

If the rank of officers in each army is not to be our guide, I own I am at a loss to know what rule we are to be governed in exchange of prisoners.

I am Sir, Your humble servant,

DUNMORE.

To ROBERT HOWE ESQUIRE IN. NORFOLK.

Colonel Howe's answer :

NORFOLK, DEC. 27TH, 1775.

My Lord :-

I was not understood by Your Lordship last night and it gives me concern. You do me justice, however, when you suppose I could not mean, even by implica- tion, to degrade any commissions issued by Conven- tion, whose authority I acknowledge, whose appoint- ment I honor and to whose service I have devoted myself.

I am, I find, to inform your Lordship of what I really thought you before acquainted: that Conven- tions, from the fatal necessities of the times, have been compelled to establish three different military bodies : Militia, Minute Battalions, and Regular Regiments ; and that they have made a distinction in the rank of each. What I said, therefore, in respect to militia officers, was not without its propriety, had my meaning extended no further than as to their rank. You, My Lord, sometimes effect so much to despise any rank derived from Conventions, that courtesy itself cannot induce you, even in the common forms of ad- dress, to admit those appellations which they have fixed to particular characters. Circumstances, however. at other times have so far an influence upon Your Lordship as to prevail upon you not only to admit that rank, but to endeavor to carry it higher than even the Conventions intended.

A Colonel in the Minute Service ranks only with a Lieutenant Colonel of the Regulars; a Colonel of Mili- tia, only with a Lieutenant Colonel of Minute-Men. This must make it plain, that a Militia Lieutenant, though your Lordship had taken him in battle, cannot be deemed an equitable exchange for a Lieutenant of Regulars, much less, My Lord, if a man should have been torn from his farm and arbitrarily deprived of his liberty, hecause a Convention had nominated him an officer, without his having done any one act that could warrant his seizure, and continue his confinement longer than despotism prevails over rights and privi- leges. In this case, I might indeed compassionate his fate, but should betray the confidence reposed in me hy my country, should I attempt to release him by a prisoner of equal rank taken in battle, who it would be my duty to consider as a pledge in my hands, for the redemption of some brave man, that by the chance of war may happen to he captured.

The Convention in order to establish a Militia. have appointed Captains in particular districts to train and exercise, in arms, all persons from 16 to 60 years of age. without instructing or directing them to aet against Government ; these may meet and go through the manual exercise, and then return home without the Jeast guilt. Six months after, should some or all of these people be taken from their ploughs, made prison- ers and offered in exchange for those that are prison- ers of war, could an officer be justified, who admitted of such an exchange? or would you, My Lord, should we seize upon the person of the peasants, who come into this town every day and who attend to your Proc- lamation and subscribed your Test, admit of them in

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exchange for our officers and men, who you assert were taken in arms?

Information had given me to think, and till your last letter. I had no reason to doubt, that some of these officer- and men you offered us, were such as I have described: and it was to that I alluded when I said that I could not put those prisoners taken in battle, upon a footing with the Militia officers and peasants, whom you, My Lord, had thought proper to deprive of their liberty. I was explicit. I thought, when I told Your Lordship, that I looked upon those officers, who under your appointment, fought at the Great Bridge, though taken since the action, as prisoners who would be equitably offered in exchange for those of ours of the same rank taken by you: and when I desired an exact list of the men in your custody, the rank they bore and the manner in which they were taken, I imagined it would be granted me: I wish now to obtain such a list. My Lord; and if I do, you will find that I shall not degrade those commissions issued by Convention, the rank of which you seem so desirous I should main- tain: but join you heartily, if you choose it, in one measure at least, that of returning to their friends such prisoners we have of yours, and restoring to the bosom of their country those that you have torn from it.

1 have not had in my power, till within the last hour, to answer your favor of last night; the delay you will please excuse.

I am, My Lord, Your Lordship's. Most ob'd't humble serv't. ROBERT HOWE. To IHIS EXCELLENCY LORD DUNMORE.

It appears that the pickets of the Colonial army at Norfolk were offensive to the eyes of the British naval officers on the ships in the harbor, and the commander of the "Liver- pool" wrote to Colonel Howe to have them withdrawn from their sight.

SIMP "LIVERPOOL." OFF NORFOLK. DECEMBER 30THI, 1775.

As I hold it incompatible with the honor of my commission to suffer men in arms against their Sover- eign and the Laws, to appear before His Majesty's ships, I desire you will cause your sentinels in the town of Norfolk to avoid being seen, that women and chil- dren may not feel the effects of their audacity, and it would not be imprudent if both were to leave the town. I am. Sir, your most humble servant,

IIENRY BELLEW. TO ROBERT HOWE, EsQ.

This letter had Colonel Howe's prompt re- ply :

NORFOLK, DECEMBER 30TH, 1775.

I am too much of an officer to wish you to do any- thing incompatible with the honor of your commission or to recede myself from any point which I conceive

to be my duty. Under the influence of reciprocal feel- ings consequences may ensue which either. perhaps. would choose to avoid. Our sentinels have received orders not to fire at your boats, or any other, unless approaching the shore in a hostile manner. li they exceed this order, we woukl punish them oursches; or if you do it, we shall thank you for it. If, however, your resentment extends farther than merely to them, 1 should wish the inhabitants of the town, who have nothing to do in this matter, may have time to remove with their effects, And, as to the rest, I should be un- worthy of the respect of a man of your character, if [ consulted anything but my duty.

I am, Sir. your most ob'dt humble servant, ROBERT HOW E.

To HENRY BELLEW, EsQ.

The proceedings of the Virginia Conven- tion (American Archives, Vol. 4. Page 103) on Tuesday, January 2, 1776, show that "The president laid before the convention a letter from Colonel Howe and also a letter from Colonel Woodford informing the convention they had received petitions from several of the persons who had joined Lord Dunmore and were on board the vessels in the harbour at Norfolk, desiring that they might have leave to return, as their wives and children were greatly distressed. That they had given for answer, the women and children were at lib- erty to come on shore, and should receive as- sistance and protection, but not to be at liberty to return or give intelligence to our enemies : that the men should have no other violence offered them than to remain prisoners till they could be fairly and impartially tried by their Country for taking up arms against it. Which being read,

"Resolved, that this Convention will immediately resolve itself into a Committee on the said letters.

"The Convention accordingly resolved itself into the said Committee, and after some time spent therein Mr. President restuned the chair and Mr. Mercer reported that the Com- mittee had, according to order, had under their consideration the letter from Colonel Howe and Colonel Woodford and had come to the following resolution thereupon, which he read in his place and afterward delivered it at the Clerk's table, where the same was again twice read and agreed to by the Convention.

----

HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY

"Resolved, that the Convention do highly approve of the offer made by Col. Howe and his officers to the distressed women and children now on board the ves- sels in the harbour at Norfolk, and the terms offered to those who have taken up arms against this Coun- try: and that Col. Howe be requested to repeat the same in the name of the Delegates and Representatives of this Colony."

On the 30th day of December. 1775. the British force in Hampton Roads and the har- ber of Norfolk and Portsmouth was com- posed of the following vessels :

Ship "Liverpool," 28 gun -. Henry Bellew, Com- man:ler. Sloop "Otter," 16 guns, Mathew Squire. Com- mander. Sloop "Kingfisher." 18 guns. James Montague. Commander. Sloop --. 8 guns, Robert Stewart, Commander. Ship "Eilbeck." , Lord Dunmore, Com- mander.

And six or seven small tenders.

Royalist families took refuge on the ships. where, from the scarcity of provisions, great distress prevailed. Marketing in the town and vicinity was by no means pleasant, and the Christmas holidays of 1775 were passed in in- voluntary fasting, especially by the lately too impudent loyalists.

Colonel Woodford had issued a peaceful proclamation to the inhabitants of Princess Anne and Norfolk counties, and consequently many resorted to his camp; but the Tories taken in arms were each coupled with hand- cuffs to one of his negro fellow-soldiers as a stigma for traitorous conduct.

The vigilance of the colonial troops kept the enemy confined to their ships, preventing foraging in the country, and consequently Brit- ish commissary supplies were naturally cut off. Lord Dunmore sent a flag of truce to ask for a supply of food, but being answered in the negative, he resolved to bombard, and, if need be, to destroy the town. Accordingly, notice was given on the 3ist of December, of the intended attack in order that the women and children might be removed to places of safety, and on Monday, January 1. 1776, the bom- bardment began.

At this time Norfolk was "the most flour- ishing and richest town in the Colony." The natural advantages which invite and promote navigation and commerce had been actively sec- unded by the industry and enterprise of its citi- zens. Its population had reached 6,000, and "many of the inhabitants were in affluent cir- cumstances."

The "Liverpool" opened fire, and soon not less than 60 guns were hurling their iron hail into the devoted town. The ball now seen in the wall of St. Paul's Church is said to have been thrown by the "Liverpool" lying off the foot of Church street.

Parties of marines and sailors were sent from the ships to fire the warehouses on the wharves, and as the wind was from the south the greater part of the town was soon in flames, which rapidly spread among the wood-built houses. The conflagration lasted 50 hours, destroying property valued at $1.500,000. Notwithstanding the incessant cannonade, not a single patrict soldier was killed, though three or four women and children were slain in the streets.

Still the Virginia forces held the town, or the site of the late town, for several weeks, when the remaining buildings were appraised by Colonel Stevens, and. after the removal of their occupants, were destroyed, lest they af- ford shelter for the enemy. It is said that St. Paul's church was the only edifice left stand- ing in the town, but a few days before the most flourishing in Virginia, but which was for a season abandoned to utter desolation. Even the communion plate of St. Paul's was carried off to the old cemetery. The question is often asked: Who burned Norfolk, Lord Dunmore or Colonel Howe or an irrespon- sible mob? It seems that after Dunmore had destroyed part, if not four-fifths of the town. the destruction was completed by order of the Virginia Convention, of which Edmund Pen- dleton was president, and according to "Camp- bell's History of Virginia" it was opposed among the civil and military authority by only one man, Gen. Andrew Lewis. Thus the

OLD MARINE HOSPITAL BUILDING, (now Ryland Institute, Berkley, Va.)

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Virginians completed what their enemies be- Convention, dated at Norfolk, January 2. 1776 ( .American Archives, Vol. 4, Page 538 ), reports that :

gan.

Accounts of the extent of the destruction of Norfolk by the attack of Dunmore on Jan- uary 1, 1776, vary very much. One historian says :

"Though it does not seem to be generally known, the whole question of the destruction of Norfolk was investigated in the year 1777 by commissioners appointed by the General Assembly. Their report was made October 10. 1777, and I suppose is still on file in the Auditor's department. At any rate, it was a matter of discussion in the House of Delegates in 1835-36, and was published with the pro- ceedings of that year. This report is accom- panied by a schedule of all the property de- stroyed-time when, by whom, and value-and also by the depositions establishing the facts. It establishes that, out of 1.333 houses burned. only 54 were destroyed by Lord Dunmore, and that on January 1, when the historians state that he burned the whole town, he burned only 19 houses-32 having been burned by him November 30, 1775, and three January 21, 1776. It establishes that 863 houses were burned by the troops of the State before Jan- uary 15. 1776. and that 416 houses were de- stroyed by order of the Convention in Feb- ruary. It goes on to say :

" .Upon an inspection of the schedule and the depositions which have been taken, it will appear that very few of the houses were de- stroyed by the enemy, either from their can- nonade or by the parties they landed on the wharves; indeed, the efforts of these latter were so feeble that we are induced to believe that most of the houses which they did set fire to might have been saved had a disposition of that kind prevailed among the soldiery, but they appear to have had no such intention; on the contrary, they wantonly set fire to the greater part of the houses within the town. where the enemy never attempted to approach. and where it would have been impossible for them to have penetrated.' "

Colonel Ilowe, in a letter to the Virginia

"The cannonade of the town began about a quarter after three yesterday, from upwards of 100 pieces of cannon, and continued till nearly ten at night without intermission: it abated a little and continued until two this morning. Under cover of their guns they landed and set fire to the town in several places near the water, though our men strove to pre- vent them all in their power; but the houses near the water being chiefly of wood, they took fre immediately and the fire spread with amazing rapidity. It has now become general and the whole town will. I doubt not. be con- suined in a day or two. Expecting that the fire would throw us into confusion, they fre- quently landed and were every time repulsed, I imagine with loss, but with what loss I can- not tell: the burning of the town has made several avenues which yesterday they had not. so that they may now fire with greater effect ; the tide is now rising and we expect at high water another cannonade. I have only to wish it may be ineffectual as the last, for we have not one man killed and but few wounded. I cannot enter into the melancholy consideration of the women and children running through a crowd of shot to get out of the town, some of them with children at their breasts : a few have. J hear, been killed: does it not call for ven- geance both from God and man?

"It is but justice to inform you that I had the pleasure to find every officer ready to exe- cute orders at a moment's warning and that the men behaved with steadiness and spirit. Colonel Stevens went down, at my command. and headed some men near the water, where he engaged a party who had landed, with a spirit and conduct of a good officer.

"Of my friend Colonel Woodford it is almost needless to speak, but I cannot avoid expressing that I received from him every it- sistance which conduct and spirit could give me."

And on January 4. 1776, at three o'clock

HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY

P. M. he further reported to the Conven- tion :

"About a quarter past three on Monday afternoon the whole fleet began a heavy can- nonade, which lasted some hours, without in- termission, and, indeed, continued off and on till last night, since which time 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 have been killed. Providence certainly interfered in our favor or more lives must have been lost. They once landed and got into the streets with field-pieces, but were beaten back with loss and no execution done by their fire. Nine-tenths of the town is destroyed, but the fire is now out."

The midshipman on the "Otter," in the letter heretofore mentioned, wrote 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 dread- ful cannonading began from the three ships. which lasted until 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 vet extinguished ; but no more of Norfolk remains than about twelve houses which have escaped the flames."

After the destruction of Norfolk there was some skirmishing, in which the British suf- fered most severely. On the 6th day of Feb- ruary. 1776, Col. Robert Howe retired from Norfolk with his command and stationed his forces at Kempsville, Great Bridge and Suf- folk. The residents of Norfolk were under these most distressing circumstances forced to leave the site of their homes to seek shelter from the rigors of winter. The good people of Suffolk received these distressed refugees

with open doors and unbounded hospitality un- til every building in the town was crowded.

Although Lord Dunmore was left free to occupy Norfolk in ashes, the vigilance and en- ergy of the American troops prevented him from obtaining supplies from the country at large, and at last, forced by hunger and dis- ease, he ordered the quarters of his soldiers on shore to be burned, re-embarked his troops, and on June I sailed from Hampton Roads for Guynn's Island in Mathews county. The aid of the North Carolina troops, under Col. Rob- ert Ilowe, was highly appreciated by the pa- triots of Virginia, and the self-sacrificing de- votion of these soldiers elicited unstinted praise (American Archives, Vol. 4. Page 116) :

"Wednesday, January 10, 1776. The President laid before the Convention a letter from the Council of Safety for the Province of North Carolina informing the Convention that they had sent orders to Colonel Howe. Com- mander of the troops at Norfolk, to remain in the Colony with the North Carolina troops as long as the public service might require, or until it should be absolutely necessary to recall him for the defense of their Province, and had directed him to receive all of his orders re- specting his operations whilst in the Colony from the Convention or Committee of Safety.

"Ordered, that the President be desired to write to the Council of Safety of North Caro- lina, acknowledging receipt of their very polite letter and thanking them for the assistance offered this Colony against the enemies of America."

So not only the troops themselves were ardent in their help to our colony, but the con- stituted government of the province evinced the highest friendship toward us and most faith- ful patriotism to the cause of liberty. The Duke of Richmond, speaking in the House of Lords on March 5. 1776, "Observed that the war, if carried on, would not only be a war of heavy expense and long continuance, but would be attended with circumstances of cruelty, civil rage and devastation hitherto un-

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precedented in the annals of mankind. We were not only to rob the Americans of their property, and make them slaves to fight our battles, but we made war on them in a manner which would shock the most barbarous nations by firing their towns and turning out the wretched inhabitants to perish in the cold. of want and nakedness. Even still more, this barbaric rage was not only directed against our enemies but our warmest and most zeal- ous friends. This we instanced at Norfolk. Virginia, as Administration had so frequently called it, which was reduced to ashes by the wanton act of one of our naval commanders. Such an act was no less inconsistent with every sentiment of humanity than contrary to every rule of good policy. It would turn the whole continent. as well friends as foes, into the most implacable and inveterate enemies. It would incense our friends and render our enemies at once fierce. desperate and unrelenting. It dis- graced our arms: it would render us despised and abhorred and remain an indelible blet on the dignity and honor of the English nation."

Drake's Biography says "Rob" Howe. Major-General Revolutionary Army, who was bern in England and died in 1787 at the resi- dence of General Clark near Wilmington. North Carolina, was an early patriot in our cause. He, with Cornelius Harnett, of North Carolina, were specially, and the only ones, ex- cepted from pardon by General Clinton. Cor- nelius Harnett was grand master of No. 1 Lodge of Masons in Norfolk. 1773. General William Woodford, born in Caroline county. Virginia, in 1735. and died in New York City in 1780; upon the assembling of the Virginia troops in Williamsburg. Virginia, in 1775. he was made colonel of the Second Regiment. and was made prisoner at the siege of Charles- ton. South Carolina.

After the departure of Lord Dunmore's fleet in May, 1776, there was no ether invasion of Norfolk county until three years afterward. The State Government of Virginia had erected a fortification on the point now occupied by the United States Naval Hospital to defend

Portsmouth, Gosport Navy Yard and the bor- ough of Norfolk. It was named for one of the most popular and patriotic Virginians of that day-Thomas Nelson-a statesman who signed the Declaration of Independence, a soldier who trained his own artillery upon his own house at glorious Yorktown, which sealed that declaration an everlasting reality. The fortification was garrisoned by 150 soldiers under command of Maj. Thomas Mathews.

On the 9th of May, 1779, the British fleet from New York, commanded by Sir George Collier. anchored in Hampton Roads. On the rith of May a large force was landed about three miles from here at the Glebe farm, now Port Norfolk, and proceeded to march to Portsmouth. By a singular coincidence this force was commanded by General Mathews, of the British army. Major Mathews, the com- mandant of Fort Nelson, finding himself out- flanked by a superior force, wisely abandoned the fort and retreated to the Dismal Swamp.

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History of Norfolk County, Virginia : and representative citizens, 1637-1900, Part 6

Author: Stewart, William H. (William Henry), 1838-1912 Publication date: 1902 Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 1054

Author: Stewart, William H. (William Henry), 1838-1912
Publication date: 1902
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 1054