, encouraged by the news of the
victory at Lexington, excited some young Virginians to fly to arms, and
placing himself at the head of them, set out on his march to recover the
powder by force. He was prevented from making the attempt by some of the
delegates to the general congress, who advised him to be satisfied with
a sum of money offered in lieu of it by the king's receiver-general. A
few days after, however, Lord Dunmore was compelled to deliver up all
the arms and powder that had been left on shore, and to take refuge with
his family in the Fowey man-of-war then lying at York. At the same time,
government-house was fortified and surrounded with artillery. A series
of irritating messages and letters then passed between his lordship and
the burgesses; the former declaring that his life was not safe among
them, and the latter asserting that he had nothing to fear. Lord
Dunmore, however, felt that he had cause for fear, and he resolved
to defy the provincials. Having divested himself of all authority,
he collected a small naval force, and carried on a sort of predatory
warfare against the province. Previous to his taking refuge in the Fowey
man-of-war he had stung the Virginians to the quick, by declaring that
since they were so eager to abolish a fancied slavery, in a dependence
on Great Britain, he would one day try how they liked an abolition of
real slavery, by giving freedom to all their negroes and indentured
servants, who were little better than white slaves. This plan he
endeavoured also to put into operation. Having established his
head-quarters at Norfolk, he proclaimed freedom to all slaves who would
repair to his standard, and fight for the king. Most of the negroes
who had the opportunity of escaping from their masters repaired to
his standard; and if he could have opened a road to the slaves in the
interior of the province, his measures would doubtless have been fatal
to the planters. The Virginians, however, were on the alert, and they
sent a force against him which compelled him to retire on-board again for
safety. The Virginians then took possession of the town of Norfolk, but
Lord Dunmore, incensed at their conduct, set fire to the wharfs, and the
flames spreading, the whole town was soon reduced to ashes, and
property was consumed to the value of L300,000. This was an unfortunate
occurrence, for it totally alienated the Virginians from the British
government. Lord Dunmore lingered in the river, or on