United States' regiment was stationed. The marines, under major Lewis, were landed, whilst the boats pulled up in front of the town; but, on discovering the marines, the enemy's armed force quitted the place, and suffered the British to take quiet possession. A quantity of stores, belonging to the 36th regiment, and a number of arms of different descriptions, were found there, and destroyed; a quantity of tobacco, flour, provisions, and other articles, were brought away in the boats, and in a schooner, which was lying off the town. Not a musket being fired, / nor an armed enemy seen, the town was spared.

The Americans having collected some Virginia militia, at a place called Nominy-ferry, in Virginia, a considerable way up Nominy-river, rear-admiral Cockburn, on the 21st, proceeded thither, with the boats and marines; the latter commanded by captain Robyns, during the illness of major Lewis. The enemy's position was on a very commanding eminence, projecting into the water; but some marines having been landed on its flank, and they being seen getting up the craggy side of the mountain, while the main body landed at the ferry, the enemy fell back, and, though pursued several miles, till the approach of night, escaped with the loss of a few prisoners. They had withdrawn their field-artillery, and hid it in the woods; fearing that, if they kept it to use against the British,

they would not be able to retreat with it quick enough to save it from capture. After taking on board all the tobacco, and other stores found in the place, with a quantity of cattle, and destroying all the storehouses and buildings, the rear-admiral re-embarked; and, dropping down to another point of the Nominy river, observed some movements on shore, upon which he again landed with the marines. The Americans fired a volley, but, on the advance of the marines, fled into the woods, Every thing in the neighbourhood was therefore destroyed or brought off; and, after visiting the country in several other directions, covering the escape of the negroes who were anxious to join him, the rear-admiral quitted the river, and returned to the ships with 135 refugee negroes, two cap. tured schooners, a large quantity of tobacco, dry goods, and cattle, and a few prisoners. Far from considering tobacco, packed up in hogsheads, ready for shipping, as "good prize, by the maritime law of nations," as he did the north-west company's goods, Mr. O'Conner calls it " plundered property," and the seizure or destruction of it the " petty and wanton act of an unprincipled and mean enemy."+

On the 24th of July, the rear-admiral went up St. Clement's creek, in St. Mary's county, with the boats and marines, to examine the

* See 193.

p.

+ Hist. of the War, p. 227,

country. The militia shewed themselves occasionally, but always retreated when pursued; and the boats returned to the ships without any casualty, having captured four schooners, and destroyed one. The inhabitants remaining peaceably in their houses, the rear-admiral did not suffer any injury to be done to them, excepting at one farm, from which two musketshots had been fired at the admiral's gig, and where the property was, therefore, destroyed.

On the 26th of July, the rear-admiral proceeded to the head of the Machodic river, in Virginia, where he burnt six schooners, whilst the marines marched, without opposition, over the country on the banks of that river; and, there not remaining any other place on the Virginia or St. Mary's side of his last anchorage, that the rear-admiral had not visited, he, on the 28th, caused the ships to move above Blackstone's Island; and, on the 29th, proceeded, with the boats and marines, up the Wicomoco river. He landed at Hamburgh and Chaptico; from which latter place he shipped a considerable quantity of tobacco, and visited several houses in different parts of the country; the owners of which living quietly with their families, and seeming to consider themselves and the neighbourhood to be at his disposal, he caused no farther inconvenience to them, than obliging them to furnish

supplies of cattle and stock for the use of his forces; for which they were liberally paid.

On the 2d of August, the squadron dropped down the Potomac, near to the entrance of the Yocomoco river, which the rear-admiral entered on the following day, with the boats and marines, and landed with the latter. The enemy had here collected in great force, and made more resistance than usual, but the ardor and determination of the rear-admiral's gallant little band, carried all before it; and, after forcing the enemy to give way, the marines followed him 10 miles up the country, captured a field-piece, and burnt several houses, which had been converted into depôts for militia-arms, &c. Learning, afterwards, that general Hungerford had rallied his men at Kinsale, the rearadmiral proceeded thither; and, though the enemy's position was extremely strong, he had only time to give the British an ineffectual volley before the latter gained the height, when he again retired with precipitation; and did not re-appear. The stores found at Kinsale were then shipped without molestation; and, having burnt the store-houses and other places, with two old schooners, and destroyed two batteries, the rear-admiral re-embarked, bringing away five prize-schooners, a large quantity of tobacco, flour, &c. a field-piece, and a few pri

soners. The American general Taylor was

wounded and unhorsed, and escaped only

through the thickness of the wood and bushes, into which he ran. The British had three men killed, and as many wounded. Thus 500 Bri tish marines penetrated 10 miles into the enemy's country, and skirmished, on their way back, surrounded by woods, in the face of the whole collected militia of Virginia, under generals Hungerford and Taylor; and yet, after this long march, carried the heights of Kinsale in the most gallant manner.

Coan river, a few miles below Yocomoco, being the only inlet on the Virginia side of the Potomac, that the rear-admiral had not visited, he proceeded on the 7th to attack it, with the boats and marines. After a tolerably quick fire on the boats, the enemy went off precipitately, with the guns the battery was destroyed, and the river ascended, in which three schooners were captured, and some tobacco brought off. ›

On the 12th, the rear-admiral proceeded up St. Mary's creek, and landed in various parts of the country about that extensive inlet; but without seeing a single armed person, though militia had formerly been stationed at St. Mary's factory for its defence; the inhabitants of the state appearing to consider it wiser to submit, than to attempt opposition. On the 15th of August, the rear-admiral again landed within