party who fired on us at fifty or sixty yards
distant, had all only fallen back to meet others with amunition. As I
saw them re-loading their guns, and more coming up than I saw at first,
and several of my bravest men being wounded, the others became panick
struck and squandered over the field; the white men pursued and fired
on us several times. Hark had his horse shot under him, and I caught
another for him as it was running by me; five or six of my men were
wounded, but none left on the field; finding myself defeated here I
instantly determined to go through a private way, and cross the Nottoway
river at the Cypress Bridge, three miles below Jerusalem, and attack
that place in the rear, as I expected they would look for me on the
other road, and I had a great desire to get there to procure arms and
amunition. After going a short distance in this private way, accompanied
by about twenty men, I overtook two or three who told me the others were
dispersed in every direction. After trying in vain to collect a
sufficient force to proceed to Jerusalem, I determined to return, as I
was sure they would make back to their old neighborhood, where they
would rejoin me, make new recruits, and come down again. On my way back,
I called at Mrs. Thomas's, Mrs. Spencer's, and several other places, the
white families having fled, we found no more victims to gratify our
thirst for blood, we stopped at Majr. Ridley's quarter for the night,
and being joined by four of his men, with the recruits made since my
defeat, we mustered now about forty strong. After placing out sentinels,
I laid down to sleep, but was quickly roused by a great racket; starting
up, I found some mounted, and others in great confusion; one of the
sentinels having given the alarm that we were about to be attacked, I
ordered some to ride round and reconnoitre, and on their return the
others being more alarmed, not knowing who they were, fled in different
ways, so that I was reduced to about twenty again; with this I
determined to attempt to recruit, and proceed on to rally in the
neighborhood, I had left. Dr. Blunt's was the nearest house, which we
reached just before day; on riding up the yard, Hark fired a gun. We
expected Dr. Blunt and his family were at Maj. Ridley's, as I knew there
was a company of men there; the gun was fired to ascertain if any of the
family were at home; we were immediately fired upon and retreated,
leaving several of my men. I do not know what