The Virginia Gazette from Williamsburg, Virginia • Page 1

THE NUMBER 79 VIRGINIA Always for LIBERTY, AUGUST 1776. the PUBLIC GOOD. High HEAVEN to gracious ends dircds the Mi ILLIAMSBURG, Jugujl 2. Lcift IVcdnefdciy an exprefs arrived with the following account of battle fought between the militia flFincaftle and fome of the Cherokee and Creek Indians, near the Big ijlatidy on the 20th of July, 1776 ON the 19 tli our fcouts returned, and informed us that they had difcovered where a great number of Indians were making into the fettlement; upon which alarm, the few men that were Rationed at Eaton's completed a breaftwork, fuffi ciently ftrong, with the aflillance of what 'men were there, to have repelled a con (iderable number, fent exprelles to the different ftations, and collected all the forces in one body, and the morning after about 170 turned out in fearch of the enemy. We marched in two diviiions with flankers on each lide, and fcouts before.

Cur fcouts difcovered upwards of 20 meeting us, and fired on them. They returned the fire, but our men rallied on them with fuch violence that they were obliged to a very precipitate retreat, ue iooK" ten bundles, and a good deal of plunder, and had great reafon to think fome of them wounded. This fmall fkirmifli happened on ground very difadvantageous for our men to purfue, though it was with the greatett aimcuity our omcers couia reftraih their men. A council was held, anditwas thought ad vifeable to return, as we imagintd there was a large party not fir olf. We accordingly returned, and hid not marched nure a mile when a number not inlVriour to ours at trLi1 nv'm tit" rfur.

Our men fiilfninrvl the attack with great bravery and intrepidity, and immediately formed a line. The Indians endeavoured to farround us, hut were prevented by the uncommon fortitude and vigilance 'leapt Junes Slulby who took poilHlion ipf an eminence that prevented their defin. Our line of battle ex teadedabout aiiu irtcrofa'iiile. We killed 1 3 on the (put, whom we found, and have the greattlt reafon to bciiive that we could have found many mor; had we had time to fearch for them. There were ftreauis of blood every way and it was generally thought there was ik vhTo much execution done To flnrt a time on the frontiers.

Never did troops fight with greater calm nefs than ours did The Indians attacked i it i 1 1 uswit htiie 0" reateiti urvmia manic, aim 1 i 1 made the molt vigorous efforts to furround its. Our fpies really deferved the greatcft der and many guns, and had only four men Hightlywoundfd. Thejreftjojhe troops are in high Ipints, and eager tor another engagement We have the great eft reafm believe they are pouring in great numbers 011 us, and beg the aflillance of our friends. JAMES THOMPSON. AMES SHELBY.

WILLIAM 1UJCHANAN. JOHN CAMPBELL." WILLIAM COCKE. THOMAS MADISON. To major AntuonyBledioe, from him to be immediately fait to coL Pjl est on. Fin castle, fc.

THE depofition of Jarrett Wii'iams, taktn before me, Anthony Bledfoe, a juftice of the peace. for the county afore faid, being firit fworn on the holy evan gelifts of Almighty God, depofeth and faith, that he left the Cherokee nation cn Monday niht the 8th inftant (July) that the part of the nation called the Overtoils w'ere then preparing to go to war againft the frontiers of Virginia, having purchafed to the amount of 1000 fkins, or thereabouts, for mockafons. They were alfo beating flour for a march, and making other warlike preparations. Their number, from a calculation made by the Raven warriours, amountsto about 600 warriours and, according to the deponent's ideas, he thinks we may expect a general attack every hour. They propofe to take away negroes, horfes, and to kill all kinds of cattle fheep, for which purpofe they are well flocked with bows and arrows, alfo to deftroy all corn, burn houfes Ac And he alfo heard that the Valley towns were, a part of them, let off; but that they had fent a runner, to flop them, till all were ready to flart.

He farther relates, that Alexander Cameron informed them, that he had conclad ed to fend capt Nathanir 1 Gueft, Vyilliam Faulin, Ifaac Williams, and the deponent, with the Indians, till they came near to Nanachukey; then the Indians were to Hop, and Gueft and the other whites above mentioned were to go to fee irv there were any king's men among tlis inhabitants; and if they found any, they were to take them off to the Indians, or have a white fignal in their hands, or her wife to diilinuiih them. When this was done, they were to fill on the inhabitants, and kill anil drive all they poflibly could. That on Saturday the 6th iullant, in the night, he heard twoprifoners were brought in about midnight, but the deponent faw only one. That the within Williams faw one fcalp brought by a party of the Indians, with a prifoner but, from accounts, they had five fcalps. He alfo lays, he heard the prifoner examined by Cameron, though he gave a very imperfect account, btiug very much ctit down.

He farther fays, that the Chtrckcts had received the war belt from the Shawanefe, Mingo, Taawali, and Delaware nations. to ftrike the white people. That 15 or the faid nations were lately in the Cherokee towns, and that few of the Cherokees went in company with faid iy Shawanefe, That they all 'intended tojirike the fettlers on Kentucky, and that the Chq rnkpes nve the faid Shawanefe. Sec, four Cherokees from the lower towns were gone to fall on the frontiers of South Carolina and Georgia; and farther faith not JARKETT WILLIAMS Signed before ANTHONY BLEDSOE To the gentlemen Jrceholdtrs of Charles City, James City, and New Kent counties. Gentlemen, I OBSERVE in the form of government laid down by the worthy thleg ites of this colony, in Convention, a SENATE is to be compofed of 24 niembers, to be chofen by the free voice of the people in confecpience of which, you, no doubt, will expect to have offers made you by gentlemen willing to ferve their country in the capacity of a fenator.

I Jiave not yet understood, in the cornpaf; of my acquaintance, that any gentleman is inclinecT to ftand as candidate rcr this dillrid, iiot withftanding fome time has elapfed fince this mcafure has been known to the pub lick. A young man, therefore, who ft) les himfelf a friend to liberty, begs leave to ctfl his ferv'xe to you on the occafion, fcalps of white men, which they carried have promotion, nor I ever fufier nwav with them. The faid Shawanefe the Tealt mortification but when the con and Mingoes informed the Cherokees, that they then were at peace with every other nation; that the French were to fupply them with ammunition, and that they wanted the. Cherokees to joinNthcm to ftrike trie. white 'people 'on the frontiers, which the Cherokees have agreed to.

And the deponent farther faith, that before he left the' nation a number of the .1 not douhiii but you will be governed by the moft liberal and candid principles in your choice of a reprefentative, and not by prepoffeflion in favour of friendfliip or connexion. Molt of gentlemen, I huve tiie honour to be well known to, particularly in James City, my native county, ana tms, in wnicn 1 nave uvea a few ye.irs nor can I be unknown to the greatest part of. New Kent, although I have not contracted fo large and lb intimate an acquaintance there. However, to gentlemen who always act upon fuch motives as do than lunour in the choice of a lcfillator, nothing can be more iciicu fry 1 tt iis than to Tuppole they have an idea that a ftranger ls.leG caj a'de, becjufe he is a llranger, to flrve ijis country in any JlUJl, LlJJll tVCII llU'll 11." 1 or relation. Sofnrl'roN) thatary of you will 'part with your freedom vi election, when liave ibnobly ftruggled for your liberty mid as it were reateu its once drooj.jng beau ab.ve the power of defpotick rule, that I am convinced, when the day comes in which )(u make known your fenator, it will, not be the pcrfuauon of the neareft friend that can iiuiucc you to part witrfoiTeT inglcr THTiiclru ri trupon diihonourable terms.

If, geiitleuun, any one fhould oiler his fervice.toji.it whom, you know to be fuperiour in abilities, if worthy in other re incite, fuch a I recommend to you in tne iirongeirtermfr, for merit, and, abilities ought always to trary is the cafe. The "talk is no doubt great, and ardu ous to undertake but however diflicult to difchargc to the general the world, the candidate mult not be intimidated fo much as to with liold nmlehVe from the publick, becaufc.the motif on which he is induced to a'd is the love of liberty, his country, and poiterity, Abi.