Martinsburgh Gazette

ENEMY IN VIRGINIA.
Destruction of the town of Tappahannock (Hob's Hole) Virginia. This town, situated on the west bank of Rappahannock river, is about 40 miles from its mouth, or half way up to Fredericksburgh, the extent of sloop navigation--which latter place is 35 miles southwest from Washington City.

ALEXANDRIA, Dec. 2.
Extract of a letter from Fredericksburgh, to a gentleman in this town, dated December 6th.

"The last accounts from the British, say they are at Leedstown with five sail, and in the seven mile reach with about twelve, besides barges--their object seems to be to steal stock, negroes, &c. and burn Tobacco Warehouses and other public buildings."

Extract of a letter from a gentleman in Richmond to his friend in this town, dated Monday morning, 5th Dec.

"No mail last night; another express came at ten o'clock last night brings the disagreeable news that the enemy were five miles above Tappahannock, supposed to be 2500 strong--six hundred men are detached, viz. 200 from this city and 400 from the camp below."

LATEST
Last night the governor received a dispatch by express, from which the following are extracts:

Extract of a letter from Colonel Archibald Ritchie, Lieut. Col. Commandant 6th Regt. Va. Militia, dated Essex County, Dec. 1st, 1814.

"About half past two o'clock yesterday, I received intelligence from Col. Banks of Tappahannock, that at ten o'clock, he left Colonel Muse's, in Middlesex, and that 12 barges and 1 large sloop of the enemy were passing his house and standing up the Rappahannock. Understanding from several officers, that they had proceeded much higher up than Bowler's before sunset, and finding the weather favoured much their mode of warfare, I set about removing the pieces of artillery, and the ammunition belonging thereto, stationed at that place, to some place out of town. The difficulty of procuring horses occupied half of the night. As soon as the dawn afforded sufficient light this morning, the barges and vessels, favored by the flood tide, were discovered in motion, and standing up. Upon the turn of the tide, the barges rejoined the vessels, and the whole came to anchor, then about four or five miles off; there they lay until a light wind springing up and the flood tide beginning to make, about half past ten o'clock they proceeded up, and the number and description of their vessels was then ascertained to be eight schooners, calculated to carry troops, one large sloop and about fifteen barges. Previous to this I had ordered one (for horses could not be got to bring another) of the field pieces, with a supply of ammunition, back to town. Upon manning the piece, eight only of the artillery company had arrived.

"Upon enrolling the infantry only 30 appeared, and of the cavalry about sixteen answered when called. With this force I deemed it too prodigal of the lives of my valuable officers and men, to contend with the enemy then advancing upon us. The troops remained in town until the enemy had fired many cannon; one of which struck the easternmost end of Dr. Brockenbrough's large house, some struck in the lots, and some passed over. We then retired, carrying with us the field piece to the range of hills.

The enemy took possession of the town soon after we evacuated it. There must have been 500 armed combatants. Since the first squadron approached, several schooners crowded with troops have come in.

"I am truly sorry to state, the inhabitants of the town have lost much owing to the weather favoring the enemy so much and operating so unfavorably on them, together with the short time given to remove--all have brought out some things, but col. Banks will suffer particularly, having removed but few."

Friday morning.

"The Vidette informs me he met capt. Jones early this morning, who told him that the enemy blew up his tannery within a quarter of a mile of town last night and that a part or the whole of the town was FIRED last night."