ich made the attack on the next morning;
and the belief was general on the day of battle, that they had
communicated to the Indians, the present strength and expected
reinforcement of the southern division. It has also been said that
on the evening of the 10th of October, while [134] Dunmore,
Connoly and one or two others were walking together, his Lordship
remarked "by this time General Lewis has warm work."[26]

The acquaintance formed by the Governor with Connoly, in the ensuing
summer was further continued, and at length ripened into one of the
most iniquitous conspiracies, that ever disgraced civilized man.

In July, 1775, Connoly presented himself to Lord Dunmore with
proposals, well calculated to gain the favor of the exasperated
Governor, and between them a plan was soon formed, which seemed to
promise the most certain success. Assurances of ample rewards from
Lord Dunmore, were transmitted to such officers of the militia on the
frontiers of Virginia, as were believed to be friendly to the royal
cause, on putting themselves under the command of Connoly; whose
influence with the Indians, was to ensure their co-operation against
the friends of America. To perfect this scheme, it was necessary to
communicate with General Gage; and about the middle of September,
Connoly, with despatches from Dunmore, set off for Boston, and in the
course of a few weeks returned, with instructions from the Governor of
Massachusetts, which developed their whole plan. Connoly was invested
with the rank of Colonel of a regiment, (to be raised among those on
the frontiers, who favored the cause of Great Britain,) with which he
was to proceed forthwith to Detroit, where he was to receive a
considerable reinforcement, and be supplied with cannon, muskets and
ammunition. He was then to visit the different Indian nations, enlist
them in the projected enterprise, and rendezvous his whole force at
Fort Pitt. From thence he was to cross the Alleghany mountain, and
marching through Virginia join Lord Dunmore, on the 20th of the
ensuing April, at Alexandria.

This scheme, (the execution of which, would at once, have laid waste a
considerable portion of Virginia, and ultimately perhaps, nearly the
whole state,) was frustrated by the taking of Connoly, and all the
particulars of it, made known. This development, served to shew the
villainous connexion existing between Dunmore and Connoly, and to
corroborate the suspicion of General Lewis and man