The Virginia Gazette Domestic News December 15, 1775

Extracts of letters from Col. William Woodford, to the Hon. Edmund Pendleton, esq; president of the General Convention.

"A servant belonging to Major Marshall, who deserted the other night from Col. Scott's party, has completely taken his lordship in. Lieutenant Batut, who is wounded, and at present my prisoner, informs, that this fellow told them not more than 200 shirtmen were here; and that imprudent man catched at the bait, dispatching Capt. Leslie with all the regulars (about 200) who arrived at the bridge about 3 o'clock in the morning, joined about 300 black and white slaves, and planks upon the bridge, and cried out after our reveille had beat, a lucky one for us, and you'll say rather an improper season for them to make their push, when, of course, all our men must be under arms. The above lieutenant commanded the advanced party, and Capt. Fordyce of the grenadiers led the van with his company, who, for his coolness and bravery, deserved a better fate, as well as the brave fellows who fell with him, who behaved like heroes. They marched up to our breastwork with fixed bayonets, and perhaps a hotter fire never happened, or a greater carnage, for the number of troops. None of the blacks, &c. in the rear with Capt. Leslie, advanced farther than the bridge. I have the pleasure to inform you, that the victory was complete; and that most of their dead and wounded, with two pieces of cannon, were carried off under cover of their guns from the fort. We buried 12, besides the captain (him with all the military honours due to his rank) and have prisoners Lieutenant Batut, and 16 privates, all wounded; 35 stands of arms and accoutrements, 3 officers' fusils, powder, ball, and cartridges, with sundry other things, have likewise fallen into our hands. This was a second Bunker's Hill affair, in miniature; with this difference, that we kept our post, and had only one man wounded, in the hand."

GREAT BRIDGE, December 11.

"Since I wrote yesterday, nothing of moment has happened, but the enemy's abandoning their fort. We took possession of it in the morning, and found therein 6 pieces of cannon, which they had spiked up, 7 guns and a bayonet, a few shot, a quantity of spades and shovels, some bedding, 2 barrels of bread, 20 quarters of beef, a box and a half of candles, 4 or 5 iron pots, a few dozen of bottles, some axes, and old lumber. From the great effusion of blood on the bridge and in the fort, from the accounts of the sentries, who saw many bodies carried out of the fort to be interred, and other circumstances, I conceive their loss to be much greater than I thought it yesterday, and the victory to be complete--Lieut. Batut, having an inclination to inform the king's troops of the humane treatment he has met with here, I dispatched Ensign Higgins with a flag of truce and the lieutenant's letter, who returned with the following answer from the commander of the fort: "Capt. Leslie presents his compliments to Mr. Batut, and returns Col. Woodford his sincere thanks for his kind treatment of the prisoners. He is happy Mr. Batut's wound is so slight, but is extremely sorry for the loss of poor Fordyce." The unfortunate Capt. Fordyce was a captain of grenadiers in the 14th regiment, and most of the soldiers were grenadiers of that regiment. As the captain was a gallant and brave officer, I promised to inter him with all the military honours due to his great merit, which I hope will meet with the approbation of the Hon. the Convention.---About 250 Carolina men are arrived, under the command of Col. Vail, with 6 pieces of cannon, and a quantity of powder."

GREAT BRIDGE, December 12.

"Lt. Col. Stephen arrived at Kemp's landing last night, and agreeable to my orders, sent a party to secure every person in that neighbourhood that had left Norfolk since the battle of the Great Bridge. He informs he has Mr. Max. Calvert, Doctor Campbell, Mr. Matthew Phripp and others, now with him, whose examination I now enclose. I have had a number of people from thence to-day, whose stories disagree. They bring two petitions, one from the poor inhabitants of Norfolk, the other from the distressed Highlanders, which I likewise send enclosed."