ergeant Adams, of Simcoe's Regiment, was mortally wounded,
and dying shortly afterwards, was buried at Westover, wrapped in some
American colors taken a few days before at Hoods. Nelson, re-enforced at
Holt's Forge by a party of Gloucester militia under Colonel John Page,
finding his force not exceeding four hundred men, retreated. On that
night[712:C] the British embarked at Westover, and dropped down the
James to Flower-de-Hundred. Here Simcoe was detached with a force to
dislodge some militia at Bland's Mills, and after advancing about two
miles, the advance guard, in a dense wood, were fired on by some
Americans posted at the forks of the road in front. The British lost
twenty men killed and wounded; but, charging, put the militia to flight.

Arnold sending a detachment ashore at Fort Hoods, a skirmish ensued with
two hundred and forty men in ambuscade, under Colonel George Rogers
Clarke. The enemy lost seventeen killed and thirteen wounded at the
first fire, when Clarke being charged, found it necessary to retreat.
John Marshall was present at this affair. The enemy dismantled the fort
and carried off the heavy artillery. Nelson, in the mean time, by a
forced march, reached Williamsburg just before the fleet came to off
Jamestown. Arnold, however, landed part of his forces at Cobham, on the
opposite side of the river, and marched down, his ships keeping pace
with and occasionally re-enforcing him. On the next day Nelson paraded
about four hundred militia at Burwell's Ferry to oppose the landing of
the enemy. Re-enforcements arriving, augmented his force to twelve
hundred; but the enemy was now beyond their reach. Colonel Griffin and
Colonel Temple, with a party of light horse, had hovered near the
enemy's lines at Westover, and followed the fleet as it went down the
river. In this party were Colonels William Nelson, Gregory Smith, Holt
Richardson, Major Buller Claiborne, General Lincoln's aid, and Majors
Burwell, Ragsdale, and others, together with a number of young
gentlemen. Arnold returned to Portsmouth on the twentieth of January
without having encountered any serious interruption.

Thus it happened that while the regular troops of Virginia were serving
at a distance in other States, the militia, after a five years' war, was
still so unarmed and undisciplined that no effective resistance was made
to this daring invasion.

About the time when Arnold reached Portsmouth, some of his
artillery-men, foraging on th