and there was a noble spirit amongst them, except amongst a few who were unarmed. I will give you further particulars in my next;-the enemy are now at Portsmouth..

I am yours sincerely,

COL. THEO. BLAND.

JOHN PAGE.

PHILIPS AND ARNOLD'S INCURSION, AND CAPTURE OF PETERSBURG, IN APRIL, 1781.

[We find the following letter from Colonel John Banister, to Colonel Theodoric Bland, containing a cotemporary account of Philips and Arnold's Incursion, and Capture of Petersburg, in April, 1781; in the Southern Literary Messenger, vol. 5th, p. 406: where it appears as copied by Charles Campbell, Esq., from the original; and whence we here transfer it to our work.]

RICHMOND, 16TH MAY, 1781.

My Dear Sir,-Notwithstanding I have written four letters to you, since I have had the pleasure of one from you, I cannot forbear to acquaint you of the late very distressing scenes that have taken place, at and near Petersburg. We were not, as I wrote you, visited by Arnold, in his first expedition into the country, but General Phillips, coming to Portsmouth with a reinforcement, enabled them to come up the river, with about 2,500, at a time when the militia were all discharged to about 1000. On Wednesday, the 24th, they approached Petersburg, by the way of my WhiteHall plantation, (a) where they halted in the heat of the day, and refreshed; then proceeded at about two o'clock, to advance in two columns-one by the old road, leading to

(a) In the county of Prince George, a few miles from Petersburg.

the church, (b) the other along the lane and across the ravine at Miller's old mill; here they received a fire from Captain House of Bsk. (c) county, at the head of forty militia, which was supposed to do execution, but only a Jauger (d) was known by us to have been killed. Capt. House continued to retreat and fire, until he came to Taylor's mill, where he joined Col. Dick, at the head of 300 picked militia, who kept up a constant fire, and prevented their taking the heights for upwards of half an hour, but attaining these, they, with cannon and three times the force, dislodged Dick from his ground, but, notwithstanding, he made a regular and steady retreat through Blandford, and formed behind a battalion posted at Bollingbrook warehouse, (e) their right extending to Mrs. Bolling's gate, (f) their left to the warehouse, their front the morass, opposite to the warehouse, terminating at Blandford bridge, (g) which Dick had taken up as his infantry crossed. This was our last resistance. The enemy advanced in front their infantry and German Riflemen; against these, our battalion kept up a steady and constant fire, until they were ordered to retreat, which was not until four pieces of cannon from the hill, between Dr. Black's and Mrs. Bolling's, flanked them effectually; they then retreated in order, along the causeway, by the river to Pocahontas bridge, which they took up; but ascending the hill (h) to gain the Heights, by T. Shore's house, (i) the enemy played their cannon with such skill, that they killed and wounded ten of our men.

(b) Blandford Church.

(c) Brunswick.

(d) German soldier.

(e) Where now stands the City Point Rail-Road depot. (f) At the foot of the hill in front of Bollingbrook house. (g) This bridge was at that time, a little nearer to the river than at present.

(h) Archer's Hill. (i) Violet Bank.

All of the wounded are since dead. Our cannon was served well from Baker's, (j) but the enemy's extreme caution, has prevented our getting an account of their killed and wounded; the former though, it is clear, was not less than fourteen. The latter were sent down the river in their gunboats. By the way, these gun-boats are of infinite use to the enemy; bringing them up in force to the shallowest landing. They carry from fifty to eighty men. After our militia had gained the hill, they retreated towards Chesterfield court house, where they halted the next day. This little affair shows plainly the militia will fight, and proves that if we had had force to have occupied the Heights, they would not with that force have entered the town. In consequence of this action, I was obliged to abandon my house, leaving all to the mercy of the enemy. The enemy, the next day, ordered the inhabitants to move out the tobacco, or the warehouses should be consumed with it. By the exertions of the people, the tobacco was removed, and by the soldiery burnt, and the house spared, except CedarPoint, (k) which was put in flames by a soldier without order. The day after this business, the whole army crossed the Appomattox, and then after burning the bridge, (1) proceeded to Osborne's, (m) and having there destroyed the shipping to a great amount in value and number, and shipped off the tobacco, they marched on to Manchester, where, on Richmond-hill, we remained with a superior force, (I mean to the detachment sent for this purpose,) quiet spectators of the destruction of all the warehouses and tobacco, with several dwelling-houses adjoining. They marched that evening to Osborne's, and on Tuesday, the 31st, they

(j) Jerman Baker's.

(k) On old Street.
(1) Pocahontas Bridge.

(m) In the county of Chesterfield, on the James river.

embarked at the Hundred, (n) and sailed down the river, as far as Burwell's, (o) where upon the arrival of an advice-boat, they all stood up the river, and arrived in the night of last Thursday, again in Petersburg, and I was again obliged to retreat, leaving them in possession of all my estate. They have not as yet burned my mills, but have taken all the bread and flour, to the amount of £800, or £1000— eleven of my best negroes the first time, and now I expect they will get the rest. Your man I sent to Amelia. I believe he is yet safe. Your father received the following protection from General Phillips:

"It is Major General Phillips's positive orders, that no part of the property of Col. Theodorick Bland, receive any injury from his Majesty's Troops.

April 25th, 1781.

J. W. NOBLE,

Aid de Camp, Major G. Phillips.

"Major General Phillips is very happy to show this favor, on account of Col. Bland Junior's many civilities to the troops of convention, (p) at Charlottville."

The troops still continue at Petersburg, and expect Lord Cornwallis from Halifax, where the van of his army, under Tarleton, is arrived.

It is very clear, without naval aid the enemy will be possessed of the lower country, as the people are tired of the war, and come to the field most reluctantly. This added to our exhausted finances, and bad councils, with a powerful enemy in the country, are prognostics of no favorable complexion. In my last, I touched largely upon the conduct of our Eastern friends, in this day of peril, compar

(n) Bermuda Hundred.

(o) Burwell's Ferry.

(P) Burgoyne's army captured at Saratoga.

ed with our conduct to them, in their day of trial. Greene is in South Carolina, but how employed we are not informed. Before you receive this, it is probable the enemy will have penetrated to Fredericksburg, and have destroyed all the tobacco in their route. I beg to hear if we are to expect any assistance from the eastern confederates, or our allies. If you write, Geo. Nicholson, who is in Philadelphia, will give a ready conveyance to the letter. Jack, who is the only one of my family with me, joins in affectionate regards to Mrs. Bland, and Bob, with your sincere friend, J. BANISTER. I begged you, in my last, to send the newspapers.

ORIGINAL LETTERS.

Letters from Baron Steuben, and others, to Colonel Josiah Parker, of Isle of Wight.

[We publish here, with great pleasure, the following Letters from Baron Steuben, and others, to Colonel Josiah Parker, of Isle of Wight-a gallant and patriotic officer in the revolutionary war, and subsequently a member of Congress, for some years, from the district in which he resided,-as we have taken them from the originals obligingly lent to us for the purpose by L. C. P. Cowper, Esq., of Norfolk county. (a grand-son of the Colonel's,) who has them in his keeping. We think they must be read with lively interest for the notices which they furnish of the revolutionary movements of the period to which they refer, and also for the honorable testimony which they bear to the character and conduct of the worthy and distinguished gentleman to whom they are addressed.]

FROM BARON STEUBEN TO COL. JOSIAH PARKER.

PETERSRURGH, JAN. 13TH, 1781.

Sir,-Your letter of the 12th I have this moment recei