pleasure which the youth evinced at the idea of serving his country, convinced Mr. Lee, that he had met with one in every respect suited to the occasion. Having instructed him to proceed with all possible despatch and secrecy to Philadelphia, and deliver the papers to the president of Congress alone, and having planned with him the route and manner of his journey, he sewed the papers in different parts of his dress, so as to render it imperceptible, that he had any thing about him.

The young man having always lived on the watercourses, was very skilful in the management of small vessels. He accordingly provided himself with a small boat, and in the dimness of twilight, without returning to his home, proceeded to the river, accompanied by Mr. Lee; and after receiving much encouragement and many warm commendations from him, he pushed off, alone. In this boat he passed a schooner and two tenders of the enemy, during the night, and as soon as the day dawned, he came ashore, and travelled on foot, avoiding as much as possible the public roads. He frequently lay in the woods, during the day, suffering severely from hunger and thirst, and travelled during the night. Having been a long time without any thing to eat, and finding himself near a small town at the head of the Chesapeake Bay, he determined about sunset to go into it and procure refreshment, at some obscure inn. Having found one in which he thought he might safely stop for a short time, he went in. While he was sitting in a room, adjoining a garden, four or five British seamen and marines came into the porch of the tavern, and putting down their guns, called for rum. After drinking some of it, two of them came into the room in which he was sitting, and began to question him, "whether he belonged to king George, or to the rebels?" He answered them in a collected and careless manner, and they, at length, returned to their comrades. As soon as they had left the room, he leaped from the window, and crossing the garden, without being observed, regained the road leading into the country, and travelled, as fast as

he could, during the night. He, at last, arrived safely in Philadelphia, just after Congress had assembled. Having been directed to the house in which it met, he found it sitting with closed doors. He assured the doorkeeper, with much earnestness, that he had some business of great importance with the president, to whom alone he was instructed to communicate what it was. The door-keeper being struck with his manner, went in, and after some minutes, the president came out. The young man informed him of the circumstances under which he had been sent by Colonel Lee, and of his instruction to deliver the papers to the president of Congress. The president, after reading Mr. Lee's letter, and receiving all the papers mentioned in it, had him provided with comfortable lodgings. After the house adjourned, the president waited on him, and presented to him the thanks of Congress, and expressed a desire that he would accept a reward. He, however, declined all offers of the kind, requesting only money enough to enable him to return to Virginia. The following letter from Mr. Lovell, a member of Congress, to Mr. Lee, which is copied from the manuscript of Mr. Lovell, will confirm the above related anecdote. The author has more than once heard it from the person himself, whose veracity no one ever doubted.

"31st August, 1779.

DEAR SIR-Your favour of the twenty-second came yesterday to hand. Mr. Bennet parted from me on Saturday, and will probably get home in less time than he

came.

I will attend, all in my power, to the subjects you have written about; but I am verily exceeding sick, confined to my chamber and my bed alternately. I have, in vain, dabbled with rhubarb; I go upon tartar-emetic to day. I was in bed yesterday, when I prepared a scrap for Dunlap's paper. I was unwilling to let a part of a day go over, without some continuance of the vouchers of Deane's infamy. Mr. John Adams on hearing of De

Vergennes and Mr. Arthur Lee, has sent me copies of his own correspondence with that minister, on the subject of Deane's publication; in the course of which he gives such testimony from personal knowledge, in regard to Arthur Lee, and his brothers, Richard and Francis, as cannot fail to destroy any evil impression made by Deane's publication; and which must do honour to the manly, ingenuous spirit of the writer. Whenever I dare, I will copy them. I must first translate the French, which is the full my present state of health will permit. This morning brings what I now send. I have not ex amined them. At the same time the Parliamentary Registers were sent. I thought it transgression enough to frank the present. I will send the others by the first opportunity.

Your's affectionately,

JAMES LOVELL."

CHAPTER X.

MR. LEE was re-elected, in the Spring of the year 1780, a delegate from the county of Westmoreland, to the General Assembly of Virginia. He did not resume his seat in Congress, during this year, or during the two following years. The affairs of his native state required his services.

The enemy now turned his operations against the southern states, more particularly than he had yet done. The war upon the coasts of Virginia, was of a predatory kind, rather than a general and regular attack. The inhabitants living on the large rivers, were kept in a state of continual alarm and danger, by small fleets, from which the enemy landed troops, and pillaged the country. The county of Westmoreland was much exposed to these distressing incursions. Mr. Lee was, therefore, called upon by the state government, to take upon himself the discharge of the duties of his office of lieutenant of the county, in which character he had the command of all the militia of it. He accordingly, as promptly took upon him actual military duty, as he had undertaken the duties of a Senator. In his military capacity, he evinced his characteristic intelligence, judgment, and activity. He immediately called out the militia, and put it into a state of order and preparation. He had been, when a young man, fond of military life, and had made himself scientifically, and practically, acquainted with its duties. He had studied military science with great care and labour, with a view to render himself serviceable in the field, if the exigencies and wish of this country required him to act there. He now found it of great utility to him, in arranging and disciplining the militia. He appointed VOL. I.-G g

stated days, on which, at different places in the county, the several divisions should be exercised. He was always present, at these times and places, and personally attended to the exercising of the men. He very soon established such discipline amongst the militia of his county, and inspired them with such spirit, that they were ready, at a moment's warning, to meet any danger, or to undergo any hardship. He selected places of defence, and situations for his camps, with so much judgment, that the county of Westmoreland was seldom visited by the enemy. Captain Graves, who commanded one or two schooners, and a number of tenders, had the entire possession of the river Potomac, and ravaged the counties upon its shores. He once observed, to a person whom he had taken prisoner from one of the lower counties of Virginia, "I never put my foot upon Westmoreland, that the militia are not upon me directly."

On one occasion, information was given to Mr. Lee, that one of the enemy's tenders had been driven in, and stranded, by a violent storm. He had reason to expect, that there would be, on board of it, arms and ammunition, of which he was in much want. He determined upon making an effort to take possession of it. He received intelligence that Graves' fleet had appeared in sight, and was making towards the point where the tender was lying. He immediately ordered out two small companies of militia, one of which, was armed with rifles. At the head of these, he marched to the river. On his arrival, he perceived that the enemy were preparing to regain their vessel, for two or three tenders (or barges) well manned, soon stood in for the shore. Mr. Lee placed his riflemen on the bank, directing them to conceal themselves behind the bushes and fences, and to reserve their fire until he should give them further orders. He then placed the other company on the beach, and took his station at their head. As the tenders approached, the enemy fired their long guns, the balls of which, generally struck in the bank, over the heads of the men. When they were near enough to be reached by small