January 1-December 31, 1781 125

[Col. Wm. Hemsley, Queen Anns County, to Gov. Lee.]

About 2 oClock to day I rec^d a Letter from Col^o P. Tilghman in-
forming that the Enemy landed at Col^o Lloyds this morning at
1 oClock and plundered him of all his plate money Cloaths &c &
then went to Beal Bordleys who shared the same fate, they were 12
in Number; in two Barges. They used no violence to either of the
Families, but kept the Col^o safe until they had done their Business
least he shou'd alarm the neighbourhood. I have just rec^d a letter
from M^r Edw^d Tilghman, to whom M^r Paca writes from the spe-
cial Council that Col^o Lloyd informed them, that ab^t 1 oClock he
was attacked by ab^t 20 or 30 refugees who came in a Barge & plun-
dered him to the am^t £5000 hard money and M^r Paca's Overseer
says M^r Bordley had scarce anything left. Col^o Lloyd lost 7 negroes
and M^r Bordley 3. I have not been able to collect any Intelligence
where the vessell lay, that the men landed from, therefore concludes
they must have rowed up from Poplar Island. M^r Matt. Tilghman
went from the special Council, with 50 men well armed & one feild
peice down to the Bay side. I shall get out the Classes for this
County tomorrow & hope you'll have some person ready to receive
the recruits should any be obtained.
P. S. Charles Blake has upwards of 100 bb^s of flour at Emersons
Warehouse & a Vessell came up to take it away last Night, I think
it would be risking too much to send it by water, & if the Enemy
send up an Armed Vessell they can get it all.

March 14

[R't. F. Hooe, Alex^a, to Gov. Lee.]

I do myself the Honor to enclose your Excellency M^l Mercers
last letter.
M^r Custis writes me from Richmond on the 11^th Curr^t as follows.
The accounts from the Southward are very pleasing, a Letter from
Gen^l Greene informs that he was only 6 Miles from Cornwallis with
a superior force, and respectable reinforcements within a small dis-
tance Greens Cavalry not equal to CornwalliS^ts in number but su-
perior in goodness. Nothing of moment had happen'd between the
main Armies frequent Skirmishes which have generally terminated
in our favor — the Enemy are much harrassed particularly their
Cavalry which are almost broke down. We are hourly expecting
to hear something Capital from the two Armies. Greenes Letter
was dated on the Haw River ab^t 30 Miles south of Hillsborough
Arnold is closely blocked up in Portsmouth — his stay there must be
short, every preparation is making to dislodge him — he sent a party
of 300 Men the other night over to Hampton under a Col^o Dundas,
who pushed as far as the half way House between York & Hampton
and collected about 90 head of cattle, on his return he was attacked
by a Col^o Mallery with 40 Militia who recovered most of the Cattle

March 14
Red Book
No. 28
Letter 46