Letter from Colonel Scott to a friend in Williamsburgh

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Since I wrote you, which was about two days ago, we have have been well informed that we killed sixteen negroes and five white men the first day we got to this place. The next day, Lieutenant Tibbs, who had the command of the boat guard, about five miles from this place, was attacked by a party of the King' s troops and several negroes, upon which some of our people gave ground; but Mr˙ Tibbs, with four of his people, maintained his post until I reinforced him with fifty men under Captain Nicholas, who were obliged to pass through a very heavy fire from the enemy. Before they got to the place, Mr˙ Tibbs had beat off the enemy and killed seven of their men, amongst whom was the commander of the party.

We still keep up a pretty heavy fire between us, from light to light. We have only lost two men; and about half an hour ago one of our people was shot through the arm, which broke the bone near his hand.

Last night was the first of my pulling off my clothes for twelve nights successively. Believe me, my good friend, I never was so fatigued with duty in my whole life; but I set little value upon my health when put in competition with my duty to my country and the glorious cause we are engaged in.

The Carolina forces are joining us. One company came in yesterday, and we expect eight or nine hundred of them to-morrow, or next day at farthest, with several pieces of artillery, and plenty of ammunition and other warlike stores. A gun fired — I must stop.

P˙ S˙ Since I finished my letter, we saw a large pile of buildings at the far end of this town all in flames, between which and the fort we had four sentinels, who can give no account how it happened. As I mentioned above, the fire was discovered when the gun fired; and, by the time the men got paraded, a volley of small arms was fired from the fort, mixed with, now and then, a cannon shot. About eleven at night it ceased for about half an hour, when, to our great surprise, we saw several other houses

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