n their
march to attack us here, or to cut off our provisions, I
determined to take possession of the pass at the Great
Bridge, which secures us the greatest part of two counties
to supply us with provisions. I accordingly ordered a
stockade fort to be erected there, which was done in a few
days; and I put an officer and twenty-five men to garrison
it, with some volunteers and negroes, who have defended it
against all the efforts of the rebels for these eight days.
We have killed several of their men; and I make no doubt we
shall now be able to maintain our ground there; but should
we be obliged to abandon it, we have thrown up an
intrenchment on the land side of Norfolk, which I hope they
will never be able to force. Here we are, with only the
small part of a regiment contending against the extensive
colony of Virginia."[214]

But who were these "thousand chosen men belonging to the rebels," who,
on their march to attack Lord Dunmore at Norfolk, had thus been held
in check by his little fort at the Great Bridge? We are told by
Dunmore himself that they were Virginia troops. But why was not
Patrick Henry in immediate command of them? Why was Patrick Henry held
back from this service,--the only active service then to be had in the
field? And why was the direction of this important enterprise given to
his subordinate, Colonel William Woodford, of the second regiment?
There is abundant evidence that Patrick Henry had eagerly desired to
conduct this expedition; that he had even solicited the Committee of
Safety to permit him to do so; but that they, distrusting his military
capacity, overruled his wishes, and gave this fine opportunity for
military distinction to the officer next below him in command.
Moreover, no sooner had Colonel Woodford departed upon the service,
than he began to ignore altogether the commander-in-chief, and to make
his communications directly to the Committee of Safety,--a course in
which he was virtually sustained by that body, on appeal being made to
them. Furthermore, on the 9th of December, Colonel Woodford won a
brilliant victory over the enemy at the Great Bridge,[215] thus
apparently justifying to the public the wisdom of the committee in
assigning the work to him, and also throwing still more into the
background the commander-in-chief, who was then chafing in camp over
his enforced retirement from this duty. But this