Letter from Colonel Scott to Captain Southall

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Great-Bridge, December 12, 1775.

We are now about to finish the work that we came down about. We sent a detachment of four hundred men to Kemp' s Landing last night to take possession of that place, which they did without interruption. The inhabitants of Norfolk are daily sending petitions to us for protection. We have not yet answered them. We have taken up some of the worst of the tories, and coupled them to a negro with handcuffs. The most stupid kind we discharge. I expect a flag of truce here every moment.

We have just received a letter from Lord Dunmore, desiring to exchange the prisoners. I do not expect we shall agree to do it without consulting the Convention. Four of the prisoners are dead since taken. We are well informed that the Governour has disarmed the negroes, and taken all the troops, together with a number of Scotchmen, on board.

I am your most obedient, C˙ SCOTT.

P˙ S˙ The flag I mentioned above has since come to our camp, in order to exchange prisoners. They behaved exceeding well, and were discharged about eleven o' clock at night, but it is expected we shall hear again from them so soon as our express returns from Williamsburgh.