Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Alexander Spotswood letter to Edmund Pendleton, 1775 November 16

Item

Dublin Core

Title

Alexander Spotswood letter to Edmund Pendleton, 1775 November 16

Date

Description

Alexander Spotswood writes from Surry County to Edmund Pendleton concerning the dispatch of William Woodford's troops to the defense of Southside Virginia. Spotswood also discusses John Murray, Earl of Dunmore, and loyalist sentiment in Norfolk and Portsmouth, Va. Spotswood expresses his belief that more is to be feared from the loyalists of those places than from Lord Dunmore writing "... I woud Rather burn the Towns of Norfolk, Gosport,& portsmouth, than hurt a hair of his Lordsh-ip's head ..."

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Text

Mt. Pleasant Camp near Cobham Novr. 16 1775

Gentlemen)

Inclosed is a Copy of a Letter I Received last 2 oclock
night this morning by express - the Original I sent Forwarded
to Colo. Woodford in order to hasten his March;
that we may as soon as possible, get down to
the Releif of Our poor distrest Countrimen
in the Lower parts - this small success of his
Lordships may probably tempt him to attack
us - I wish to god it may - tho for my own
part, I can assure you gentlemen - I woud
Rather burn the Towns of Norfolk, Gosport,
& portsmouth, than hurt a hair of his Lordsh-
ip's head - as I am satisfied it woud be of
more real advantage to the Country - the Towns
being a nest for Tories, who may in some mea-
sure injure us) and his Lordship - a Foll
that never can


The great bridge Sergt
Davenport informs me is
certainly Farther up -


I am gentlemen with greatest Respect
yr obt servt
Alexr Spotswood

Address leaf

Major Spotswood

Edmund Pendleton Esqr
President of the committe
of
Safety


Major Spotswood
16th. Nov.

Original Format

Ink on paper

Citation

Spotswood, Alexander, approximately 1746-1818, “Alexander Spotswood letter to Edmund Pendleton, 1775 November 16,” Special Collections, John D. Rockefeller Jr. Library, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, accessed March 29, 2024, https://cwfjdrlsc.omeka.net/items/show/436.
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