of the
assembly, and of the convention that met at Richmond. He was also one of
the committee of safety. In December he was elected a delegate to
congress in the place of Peyton Randolph, and he was a signer of the
Declaration of Independence. The convention having, in June, 1776,
reduced the number of delegates in congress from seven to five, Mr.
Harrison and Mr. Braxton were not re-elected. According to
Girardin,[663:A] Mr. Braxton's "Address on Government" was not
universally relished, (it was indeed severely denounced, as has been
seen,) and his popularity had been in some degree impaired by persons
whose political indiscretions, though beyond his control, fatally
reacted against him. He was, nevertheless, returned by the County of
King William a member of the convention, and if he had fallen under a
cloud of suspicion, it appears to have been soon dispersed, for, in
October, 1776, the thanks of the convention were unanimously returned to
Thomas Jefferson and Carter Braxton, for their ability, diligence, and
integrity, as delegates in congress.

FOOTNOTES:

[660:A] Life of Richard Henry Lee, i. 17.

[660:B] _S. Lit. Messenger_, August, 1858.

[661:A] To be found in Life of Richard Henry Lee, i. 119.

[661:B] See Randall's Jefferson, i., and a review of his opinions on
this subject, by Mr. Grigsby, in _Richmond Enquirer_ of January 15th,
1858.

[662:A] The motto of his arms was: "Haud incautus futuri."

[663:A] Burk's Hist. of Va., iv.

CHAPTER XC.

1776.

Dunmore on Gwynn's Island--Driven thence by General Lewis--
Dunmore retires from Virginia--Affairs at Boston--Canada
invaded--Howe evacuates Boston--Battles of Long Island and
White Plains--Fort Washington captured--Washington retreats--
Enemy defeated at Trenton and Princeton--Death of Mercer.

DUNMORE, pressed for provisions, burnt his entrenchments, near the
smouldering ruins of Norfolk, and sought refuge on board of his fleet.
General Charles Lee devised energetic means for curbing the disaffected
in the lower country; and his orders were carried into effect by Colonel
Woodford, whose vigor was tempered with humanity. Dunmore with his fleet
left Hampton Roads about the first of June, and entrenched himself with
five hundred men, including many runaway negroes, on Gwynn's Island, in
the Chesapeake, to the east of Matthews County, and separated from it by
a strait.[664:A]

In the evening of July the eighth, Gen