full in the face, with all the composure I could command, without uttering a word. By this time several of the citizens were standing on the outside of the crowd that surrounded me. The volunteers, not knowing I was a stranger there, thought I had turned round in search of succor from the citizens, and with a view of making my escape-said to me, 'You need not look for a place of escape; if all the people of the county were your friends, they could not liberate you-nothing but an apology can save you.' The citi zens were silent witnesses of the dilemma in which the Yankee, as they called me, was involved. I replied, I am not looking for a place of escape-I am looking on men who say they have volunteered to fight their country's battles-who say they are gen

tlemen at home-who doubtless left Petersburg, resolved, if they ever returned, to do so with laurels of victory round their brows. And now, I suppose, their first great victory is to be achieved before they leave the shores of their native state, by sixty or seventy of them tearing one man to pieces. Think, gentlemen, if indeed you are gentlemen, how your fame will be blazoned in the public prints-think of the immortality of such a victory! You can tear me in pieces; and, like cannibals, eat me, when you have done. I am entirely in your power; but there is one thing I cannot do. You are soldiers, so am I a soldier; you ask terms of me no soldier can accept; you cannot, with a threat over my head, extort an apology from me; therefore, I have only to say, the greatest scoun. drel among you, strike the first blow! I make no concession.' The result was more favorable than I had anticipated. I had expected to have a contest with some one of them, for I believed the course I had taken would procure me friends enough from among themselves, to see me have, what is called fair play' in a fisticuff battle. But I had effected more. I had made an appeal to the pride, the bravery, and the noble generosity of Virginians--too brave to triumph over an enemy in their power-too generous to permit it to be done by any of their number. A simultaneous exclamation was heard all around me, He is a soldier; let him alone'-and in a moment they dispersed."

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Blandford is said to be older than Petersburg. It was formerly superior in architecture and fashion, and might properly have been called the court end" of the town; but her glory has departed, and her sister settlement, Petersburg, has absorbed her vitality. Its old church,

"Lone relic of the past! old mouldering pile,

Where twines the ivy round its ruins gray,"

is one of the most interesting and picturesque ruins in the country. Its form is similar to that of the letter T with a short column. Its

site is elevated, overlooking the adjacent town, the river, and a landscape of beauty.

Within the limits of Petersburg, "on the north bank of the Appomattox, within a few feet of the margin of the river, is a large, dark-gray stone, of a conical form, about five feet in height, and somewhat more in diameter. On the side which looks to the east, three feet above the ground, there is an oval excavation about twelve inches across, and half as many in depth. The stone is solitary, and lifts itself conspicuously above the level of the earth. It is called the BASIN OF POCAHONTAS, and except in very dry weather, is seldom without water."

JOHN BURK, a lawyer, was a native of Ireland, and settled in Petersburg, where he wrote and published, in 1804, three volumes on the history of Virginia, bringing it down to the commencement of the American revolution. While here, he wrote plays for an histrionic society in the town, and on the boards of its amateur theatre, acted parts in them. His work on the state he did not live to complete. At a public table Burk used some expressions derogatory to the French nation. A French gentleman accidentally present, named Coburg, a stranger in the country, offended by the remarks, challenged him. They fought at Fleet's Hill, on the opposite bank of the Appomattox, and Burk was killed. The 4th and remaining volume, published in 1816, was written by Skelton Jones and Louis Hue Girardin, the latter of whom was a Frenchman, and, it is stated, wrote under the supervision of Jefferson at Monticello, who, familiar with the era to which it related, imparted valuable information.

GEN. WINFIELD SCOTT, the present commander-in-chief of the U. S. Army, was born near Petersburg, June 13th, 1785. As an officer and a soldier his name stands conspicuous in the annals of our country.

ELIZABETH CITY.

ELIZABETH CITY was one of the eight original shires into which Virginia was divided in 1634. Its form is nearly a square of 18 miles on a side. The land is generally fertile; and that portion known as "the back river district," comprising about one-third of its area, is remarkably rich. There were in 1840, whites 1,954, slaves 1,708, free colored 44; total 3,706.

Hampton, the county-seat, is 96 miles SE. of Richmond. It is on Hampton Roads, 18 miles from Norfolk, 24 from Yorktown, 36 from Williamsburg. Hampton is the residence of many of the pilots of James River. It contains 2 Methodist, 1 Baptist church, and one Episcopalian church. The Methodist society was established in 1789, and the Baptist in 1791. It has 18 stores and shops, and a population of about 1200.

Hampton is an old town, and one of historic interest. Its site was visited by Capt. John Smith in 1607, on his first exploratory voyage up the Potomac, previous to the settlement of Jamestown. Burk says, "While engaged in seeking a fit place for the first settlement, they met five of the natives, who invited them to their town, Kecoughtan or Kichotan, where Hampton now stands. Here they were feasted with cakes made of Indian corn, and 'regaled with tobacco and a dance.' In return, they presented the natives beads and other trinkets.” Hampton was established a town by law in 1705, the same year with Norfolk. The locality was settled in 1610, from Jamestown.* The Episcopal church is the old

* Jones' "Present State of Virginia."

est public building in the town, and is said to be the third oldest church in the state. The oldest inscription in the grave-yard attached to this venerable edifice, is that of Capt. Willis Wilson, who died Nov. 19th, 1701. Among the public men who lie buried there is Dr. George Balfour, who died at Norfolk, in 1830. He was a member of the medical staff in the U. S. Army; and "braved the perils of the west under the gallant Wayne, who, at a subsequent period, on Presque Isle, breathed his last in his arms. In 1798, on the organization of the Navy, he was appointed its senior surgeon, and performed the responsible duties of that office until 1804, when he retired to private practice in Norfolk." Major James M. Glassell, who died Nov. 3, 1838, and Lieut. James D. Burnham, who died March 6, 1828, both of whom were of the U. S. Army, are interred there. Tradition says, that anciently, the king's coat-of-arms was placed upon the steeple; but that in 1776, shortly after the Declaration of Independence, the steeple was rent lengthwise by lightning, and the insignia of royalty hurled to the earth.

On the Pembroke farm, near Hampton, are four ancient monuments of black marble. Each is 6 feet long and 3 wide, and surmounted with a coat-of-arms. Annexed are the inscriptions:

Here lies ye body of John Nevill, Esq., Vice Admiral of His Majesty's fleet and commander-in-chiefe of ye squadron cruising in ye West Indies, who dyed on board ye Cambridge, ye 17 day of August, 1697, in the ninth yeare of the reign of King William ye third, aged 57 years.

In hopes of a blessed resurrection, here lies ye body of Thomas Curle, gent., who was born Nov. 24, 1641, in ye parish of Saint Michael, in Lewis, in ye county of Surry, in England, and dyed May 30, 1700.

When a few years are come then shall I go ye way whence I shall not return.-Job, 16 ch. 22 v.

Here lyeth ye body of ye Reverend Mr. Andrew Thompson, who was born at Stonehive in Scotland, and was minister of this parish 7 yeares, and departed this life ye 11 Sep. 1719, in ye 46 yeare of his age, leaving ye character of a sober and religious man.

This stone was given by His Excellency Francis Nicholson, Esq, Lieutenant and Governor-General of Virginia, in memory of Peter Heyman, Esq., grandson to Sir Peter Heyman of Summerfield in ye county of Kent-he was collector of ye customs in ye lower district of James River, and went voluntarily on board ye king's ship Shoreham, in pursuit of a pyrate who greatly infested this coast-after he had behaved himself 7 hours with undaunted courage, was killed with a small shot, ye 23 day of April, 1700. In the engagement he stood next the governor upon the quarter deck, and was here honorably interred by his order.

Hampton was attacked by the British in the war of the revolution, and also invaded by them in the late war.

The first was in Oct. 1775, and was, says Burk, dictated by revenge on the part of Lord Dunmore, for two schooners which had been burnt by two enterprising young men of the name of Barron. These men, afterwards distinguished for their courage and success in maritime adventure against the British, commanded, at this time, two pilot boats-a species of vessel constructed chiefly with an attention to sailing-and kept the fleet of Dunmore constantly on the alert by the rapidity of their movements. If pursued, by keeping close in with the shore, they took refuge in Hampton. The people of the town, fearing an attack, had applied to the committee of safety for assistance, who sent down "Col. Woodford, with 100 mounted riflemen of the Culpeper battalion, without any other incumbrance than their provisions and blankets. But before the arriva!

of Woodford, captain Squires, with six tenders full of men, appeared in Hampton creek, and commenced an attack on the town. He imagined that the mere display of his squadron would have paralyzed the courage of the new-raised troops, and that no resistance would have been attempted. Under this impression, the boats, under cover of a fierce cannonade, rowed towards the shore for the purpose of setting fire to the houses, and carrying off whatever property should be spared from the conflagration. A few moments disclosed the vanity of these expectations. A shower of bullets soon compelled the boats to return to the ships, while the riflemen, disposed in the houses and the bushes along the beach, proved that even the tenders were not secure against their fatal precision. Checked by a resistance so fierce and unexpected, the tenders hauled further into the stream, and further operations were suspended until a reinforcement, which was hourly expected, would render an assault more certain and decisive.

"Meanwhile Woodford, who had used the most extraordinary expedition, arrived at daybreak with his riflemen, and as it was certainly known that the enemy would renew the attack, a new disposition was made of the American troops. The enemy's fleet had spread themselves with the view of dividing the force of the Americans; and though it was intended perhaps only as a diversion, it was not improbable that an attempt would be made to land troops at a considerable distance in the rear of the Americans. To guard against this, Woodford disposed the minute-men, with a part of the militia, in his rear; the remainder of the militia was distributed at different points on the creek, to act as parties of observation, according to circumstances, while he himself took post with the riflemen in the houses, and every other low and covered position that presented itself on the beach.

"At sunrise the enemy's fleet was seen standing in for the shore, and having at length reached a convenient position, they lay with springs on their cables, and commenced a furious cannonade. Double-headed and chain shot, and grape, flew in showers through all parts of the towr; and as the position of the ships enabled them to enfilade, it was thought imposible to defend it, even for a few minutes. Nothing could exceed the cool and steady valor of the Virginians; and although, with very few exceptions, wholly unacquainted with military service, they displayed the countenance and collection of veterans. Woodford's commands to his riflemen, previous to the cannonade, were simply to fire with coolness and decision, and observe the profoundest silence. The effects of this advice were soon visible; the riflemen answered the cannonade by a well-directed fire against every part of the line, and it soon appeared that no part of the ship was secure against their astonishing precision. In a short time the enemy appeared to be in some confusion; their cannonade gradually slackened, and a signal was given by the commander to slip their cables and retire. But even this was attended with the most imminent danger. No man could stand at the helm in safety; if the men went aloft to hand the sails, they were immediately singled out. In this condition two of the schooners drifted to the shore. The commander of one of these in vain called on his men to assist in keeping her off; they had all retired to the hold, and declared their utter refusal to expose themselves to inevitable destruction. In this exigency, deserted by his men, he jumped into the water and escaped to the opposite shore. The rest of the fleet had been fortunate enough to escape, although with some difficulty, and returned to Norfolk."*

After the British fleet were defeated in their attempt upon Norfolk, in June, 1813, by the gallant defence of Craney Island, they proceeded to attack Hampton, which was defended by a garrison of 450 militia, protected by some slight fortifications. The annexed account of this event is from Perkins' History of the Late War: Admiral Cockburn, on the 25th of June, with his forces, advanced towards the town in barges and small vessels, throwing shells and rockets, while Sir Sidney Beckwith effected a landing below with two thousand men. Cockburn's party were repulsed by the garrison, and driven back behind a point, until General Beckwith's troops advanced and compelled the garrison to retire. The town being now completely in the possession of the British, was given up to pillage. Many of the inhabitants had fled with their valuable effects; those who remained suffered the most shameful barbarities. That renegado corps, composed of French prisoners accustomed to plunder and murder in Spain, and who had been induced to enter the British service by promises of similar indulgence in America, were now to be gratified, and were let loose upon the wretched inhabitants of Hampton without restraint. For two days the town was given up to

*The inhabitants had sunk five sloops before the town.

unrestrained pillage; private property was plundered and wantonly destroyed; unarmed and unoffending individuals grossly abused; females violated; and, in one instance, an aged sick man murdered in the arms of his wife, who, at the same time, was dangerously wounded. A collection of well-attested facts, made by a committee of Congress respecting the outrages at Hampton, stand on their journals as lasting monuments of disgrace to the British nation.

Hampton has been the birth-place of several distinguished naval officers. Among them were the two Barrons,* of the Virginia navy, who performed several gallant exploits in the revolution. The grandfather of Com. Lewis Warrington, who, in 1814, while in command of the Peacock, captured the Epervier, was pastor of the old Episcopal church in this town. Major Finn, of the army, was from this place. Capt. Meredith and Capt. William Cunningham, of the Virginia navy in the revolution, were also born at Hampton. The first was a remarkably bold and enterprising officer, and on one moonlight night ventured to sail out to sea in a small vessel, passing through a British fleet anchored in Hampton Roads. The following notice of the latter is abridged from the U. S. Military and Naval Magazine :

At the beginning of the war of the revolution, Capt. Cunningham enlisted in one of the minute companies, and continued in that service until Virginia armed a few fastsailing pilot-boat schooners. Thus was the navy of that state commenced. It, however, varied materially; sometimes amounting to as many as 50 vessels, and occasionally to only one. Among them was the schooner Liberty, which was never captured, although several times sunk in the rivers to conceal her from the enemy. Capt. Cunningham embarked and remained in the Liberty, as her first lieutenant, until the war assumed a more regular form. Capt. Cunningham purchased a small schooner, and engaged in traffic to the West Indies. Sea-officers were encouraged to engage in commerce as the only means of procuring the munitions of war.

On these occasions, he encountered great risk from the enemy's fleets. Once, in the month of June, he suddenly came upon an English frigate, off Cape Henry, in a dense fog. The English commander ordered him to strike his colors, and haul down his light sails, or he would sink him. By a judicious and skilful stratagem, he made the enemy believe that he intended to surrender. He, therefore, suspended his threatened firing. At the moment they discovered that Cunningham intended to escape, the jib-boom of the frigate caught in the topping-lift of the schooner's main-boom. Capt. C. sprang up to the stern, with a knife, to free his vessel. While in the act of cutting the rope, a British marine shot him through the arm. Nothing daunted, he deliberately effected his object, and amid a shower of grape, his vessel shot away from the frigate, and was in a few moments out of sight.

Some time after, Capt. Cunningham joined the army on the south side of James River, and had the misfortune, while on a foraging expedition, to be taken by the enemy and carried into, Portsmouth. He had then been recently married.

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One day he said to an uncle of his, (also a prisoner,) that he would see his wife the next evening, or perish in the attempt. My dear Will, are you mad?" was the reply. The prison in which he was confined was a large sugar-house, at the extreme south end of the town, enclosed by a strong stockade fence. At sunset every evening, the guard, composed of 40 or 50 men, were relieved by fresh troops, and on their arrival, the two guards, with their officers, were paraded in front of the prison, on each side of the pathway to the gate. At this hour, the ceremony observed on the occasion was in progress; the relieved guard had stacked their arms, and were looking up their baggage; the fresh guard were relieving sentinels, and, in a degree, at their ease. This was the time selected by Capt. C. The sentinel had just begun to pace his sacred ground, and awful, indeed, was the moment. Capt. C. was justly a great favorite with the prisoners, who all, in silent terror, expected to see their beloved companion pinned to the earth by many bayonets, for expostulation had been exhausted. My wife, or death!" was his watchword The sentinel's motions had been sagaciously calculated upon, and as he turned from

*One of these was the father of the present Com. James Barron, of the U. S. Navy.