were offered him, he would "proclaim freedom to the slaves and lay Williamsburg in ashes," a curious commentary on his alleged reason for carrying off the ammunition. At the intelligence of the seizure of the powder, Virginia was in commotion. The minute-men hastened to arm, and more than six hundred men of the Rappahannock country assembled at Fredericksburg. They resolved to march on Williamsburg and force the restoration of the powder, and sent messengers to offer their services to the authorities. They were only dissuaded from their purpose by Washington and Pendleton, who urged them to await the action of Congress; and disbanded after signing a paper pledging themselves to defend "Virginia or any sister colony," and ending with the words, "God save the liberties of America." These scenes took place in the last days of April. Lord Dunmore, shut up in his palace with the Countess and his daughters, awaited the development of events. Times had changed since the Virginians had greeted them with shouts, illuminations, and grand assemblies. The acclamations had been followed by hoarse murmurs, the smiles and bows by sullen indignation. But Dunmore was unmoved; he was confident of the power of his government, and wrote Lord Dartmouth that if a few troops were sent him he could "raise such a body of Indians, negroes, and others as would reduce the refractory people of this colony to obedience." Thus after all, he meant to arouse the Indians and even the negroes to attack the Virginians; suddenly information came that he was going to be attacked himself. The cloud in the direction of the Rappahannock had dispersed, but a blacker one rose. Patrick Henry called a meeting of the Committee of Safety of Hanover, at New Castle (May 2, 1775), made a passionate address, and at the head of a company of minute-men marched on Williamsburg to recover the powder. The whole surrounding country rose in arms to join him, but without waiting he continued his march; and at the head of one hundred and fifty men reached Doncastle's Ordinary, a tavern about sixteen miles from Williamsburg. At the Capital all was now in confusion. Lady Dunmore and her daughters were hurried off to Yorktown, where they took refuge on the Fowey man-of-war. Dunmore planted cannon in front of his Palace, and ordered up a detachment of marines from the Fowey; and the captain of the vessel wrote to President Nelson at Yorktown, that if the Governor were attacked he would open fire on the place. An armed collision was warded off for the moment by a compromise: Lord Dunmore agreed to pay the value of the powder, and sent a bill for the amount, £330, to Henry. For this Henry gave a receipt binding himself to pay the amount to the Virginia delegates to Congress. He then offered to continue his march to Williamsburg and remove the deposit in the treasury to a safer place; but this offer was declined, and he returned to Hanover; whereupon Lord Dunmore denounced him and his followers in a public proclamation for “unlawfully taking up arms," as Berkeley had denounced Bacon a century before. In the midst of this turmoil came a sudden lull. News arrived that the English ministry were going to abandon the attempt to coerce America. In February, Lord North brought in his "conciliatory plan," known as the "Olive Branch." If the Colonies would themselves make due appropriations for their part of the expenses of the kingdom, then it would be expedient that Great Britain should cease to tax them. Dunmore at once issued writs for an Assembly on the first of June, the last House of Burgesses that was to meet by royal authority on the soil of Virginia. The House assembled (June 1, 1775), and presented a curious spectacle. Many of the members wore huntingshirts and brought their rifles. It was no longer a body of civilians in ruffles and powder, but a meeting of men in military accoutrements ready to fight. Lord Dunmore made a courteous address, presented the "conciliatory plan," and a committee was appointed to report upon it. The report was written by Jefferson, and declared that the plan ought to be rejected. The colonies had the right to give their money as they pleased; other wrongs were unredressed; their country was invaded; Virginia would not treat without the concurrence of the other colonies; nothing was to be hoped for from England, and the justice of heaven must decide the event of things. All at once an unexpected incident put an end to all further discussion. Lord Dunmore had delivered up the keys of the Old Magazine, and on the night of the fifth of June some young men entered the place to procure arms. As they opened the door a cord discharged a spring-gun and three of the party were wounded. At this intelligence the Assembly took fire and appointed a committee to examine the Magazine, when several barrels of powder were discovered buried under the floor. The discovery excited the rage of the people. Again Gloucester Street filled with a great crowd uttering threats and curses; and before daylight (June 8, 1775), Lord Dunmore and his family, who had returned to the Palace, fled from the Capital and took refuge on board the Fowey, lying at Yorktown. Lord Dunmore never returned to Williamsburg. Messages continued to pass to and fro between him and the Assembly; but he refused to trust his person in the dangerous Capital, and the Burgesses declined to wait on him on board the Fowey. All was now seen to be at an end; and the Assembly, after calling a meeting of the Convention in July, adjourned. The die was cast, and it was felt that armed resistance was the only resource. Richard Henry Lee, standing on the porch of the Old Capitol with two or three friends, wrote on one of the pillars "When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, and in rain? When the battle 's lost and won." North and south it was seen that this "battle" was now unavoidable. The affair at Concord and the events in Virginia had shown that military force was to decide the question; and the Americans, brought face to face with the fact, acquiesced. On the fifteenth of June (1775), George Washington was elected Commander-inchief of the American forces; and on his way to Boston was met by the intelligence of the battle of Bunker's Hill. He reached Boston on the second of July, and was received with shouts and the thunder of cannon, and on the next day (July 3, 1775), assumed command of the American army. If England had doubted the nerve of the Colonies the doubt was now dispelled. They were going to fight. XIII. THE LAST OF DUNMORE IN VIRGINIA. LORD DUNMORE's subsequent career in Virginia may be dismissed in a brief space. It was short and full of trouble. His proceedings indicated that he was profoundly incensed at the opposition to his authority, and that thenceforth he meant to keep no terms with rebels. He summoned the friends of the royal cause to join his standard; his armed vessels ravaged the banks of the rivers, and committed every outrage; and it was obvious that if he ever returned to Williamsburg it would be to do justice upon the traitors who had resisted the King. Thus the Colony was without an executive, and the Convention which met in July proceeded to appoint one. The result was the famous "Committee of Safety," consisting of Edmund Pendleton, George Mason, John Page, Richard Bland, Thomas Ludwell Lee, Paul Carrington, Dudley Digges, William Cabell, Carter Braxton, James Mercer, and John Tabb. The powers confered on this Directory, of which Edmund Pendleton was President, were very great. It was to commission officers, direct military movements, issue warrants on the Treasury, and all commanding officers of the forces were required to pay "strict obedience" to its orders. The sword and purse were thus both placed in the hands of the Committee, but it was to be accountable to the Convention. The Convention appointed Patrick Henry Commander-in-chief of the Virginia forces, and, after choosing delegates to Congress, adjourned. The military organization directed by the Convention |