icers and soldiers, and every person whatsoever, in
any way concerned, to be obedient" to him, "in all things touching the
due execution of this commission," it also required him to be obedient
to "all orders and instructions which, from time to time," he might
"receive from the convention or Committee of Safety."[210]
Accordingly, Patrick Henry's control of military proceedings in
Virginia was, as it proved, nothing more than nominal: it was a
supreme command on paper, tempered in actual experience by the
incessant and distrustful interference of an ever-present body of
civilians, who had all power over him.

A newspaper of Williamsburg for the 23d of September announces the
arrival there, two days before, of "Patrick Henry, Esquire,
commander-in-chief of the Virginia forces. He was met and escorted to
town by the whole body of volunteers, who paid him every mark of
respect and distinction in their power."[211] Thereupon he inspected
the grounds about the city; and as a place suitable for the
encampment, he fixed upon a site in the rear of the College of William
and Mary. Soon troops began to arrive in considerable numbers, and to
prepare themselves for whatever service might be required of
them.[212] There was, however, a sad lack of arms and ammunition. On
the 15th of October, Pendleton, who was at the head of the Committee
of Safety, gave this account of the situation in a letter to Richard
Henry Lee, then in Congress at Philadelphia:--

"Had we arms and ammunition, it would give vigor to our
measures.... Nine companies of regulars are here, and seem
very clever men; others, we hear, are ready, and only wait
to collect arms. Lord Dunmore's forces are only one hundred
and sixty as yet, intrenched at Gosport, and supported by
the ships drawn up before that and Norfolk."[213]

On the 30th of November, Lord Dunmore, who had been compelled by the
smallness of his land force to take refuge upon his armed vessels off
the coast, thus described the situation, in a letter to General Sir
William Howe, then in command at Boston:--

"I must inform you that with our little corps, I think we
have done wonders. We have taken and destroyed above four
score pieces of ordnance, and, by landing in different parts
of the country, we keep them in continual hot water....
Having heard that a thousand chosen men belonging to the
rebels, great part of whom were riflemen, were o