of safety and of the convention, held it in vain for
Virginia then to attempt any thing by water.[634:A]

Dunmore had erected a small fort on an oasis surrounded by a morass, not
far from the Dismal Swamp, accessible on either side only by a long
causeway. Woodford encamped within cannon-shot of this post, in mud and
mire, in a village at the southern end of the causeway, across which he
threw up a breast-work, but being destitute of artillery he did not
attack the fort. After a few days Dunmore, hearing by a servant lad, who
had deserted from Woodford's camp, that his force did not exceed three
hundred men, mustered his whole strength and despatched them in the
night to the fort, with orders to force the breast-works early next
morning, or die in the attempt. On the 9th of December, 1775, a little
before sunrise, Captain Fordyce, at the head of sixty grenadiers, who
six abreast led the column, advanced along the causeway. Colonel Bullet
first discovered the enemy, and the alarm being given in Woodford's
camp, a small guard at the breast-works began the fire, others hastened
from their tents, and regardless of order, kept up a fire on the head of
the column. Fordyce, though received so warmly in front, and flanked by
a party posted on a rising ground to his right, rallied his men, and
marched up within twenty yards of the breast-work, when he fell pierced
with bullets. His followers now retreated, and at this juncture Colonel
Woodford arrived, and directed a pursuit of the enemy, who were galled
by a handful of riflemen under Colonel Stephen, but found protection
under cover of the guns of the fort. Woodford declined attempting to
storm the works, although strongly urged to it by the bold and ardent
Bullet and the enthusiastic wishes of the troops.

In the battle of the Great Bridge every grenadier was killed, and the
enemy's killed and wounded amounted to about one hundred. Four officers
were killed, one wounded and made prisoner. The affair has been styled
"a Bunker Hill in miniature:" but there the loss was very heavy on both
sides; whereas here Woodford's troops suffered no loss.

John Marshall, afterwards chief justice, was in this expedition.[635:A]
Richard Kidder Meade, father of Bishop Meade, was also present at the
affair of the Great Bridge. This was the first scene of revolutionary
bloodshed in Virginia. On the night following this action the royalists
evacuated the fort, and Dunmore took refuge on board of