reat
Bridge, near the Dismal Swamp, and not far from Norfolk. Against them
Dunmore sent a body of his troops. These reached Great Bridge to find it
a small wooden bridge over a stream, and to see the Americans awaiting
them behind a breastwork which they had thrown up across the road at the
opposite end of the bridge. Among them were the Culpeper "minute men,"
of whom we have spoken, with their rattlesnake standard, and one of the
lieutenants in their company was a man who was to become famous in after
years,--John Marshall, the celebrated Chief Justice of the United
States.

The British posted their cannon and opened fire on the Virginians; then,
when they fancied they had taken the spirit out of the backwoods
militia, a force of grenadiers charged across the bridge, led by Captain
Fordyce. He proved himself a good soldier, but he found the colonials
good soldiers too. They held back their fire till the grenadiers were
across the bridge and less than fifty yards away. Then the crack of
rifles was heard and a line of fire flashed out all along the low
breastwork. And it came from huntsmen who knew how to bring down their
game.

Many of the grenadiers fell before this scorching fire. Their line was
broken and thrown into confusion. Captain Fordyce at their head waved
his hat, shouting, "The day is ours!" The words were barely spoken when
he fell. In an instant he was on his feet again, brushing his knee as if
he had only stumbled. Yet the brave fellow was mortally wounded, no less
than fourteen bullets having passed through his body, and after a
staggering step or two he fell dead.

This took the courage out of the grenadiers. They fell back in disorder
upon the bridge, hastened by the bullets of the patriots. At every step
some of them fell. The Virginians, their standard-bearer at their head,
leaped with cheers of triumph over the breastwork and pursued them,
driving them back in panic flight, and keeping up the pursuit till the
fugitives were safe in Norfolk. Thus ended in victory the first battle
for American liberty on the soil of the South.

Lord Dunmore had confidently expected his bold grenadiers to return with
trophies of their victory over the untrained colonials. The news of
their complete defeat filled him with fear and fury. At first he
refused to believe it, and threatened to hang the boy who brought him
the news. But the sight of the blood-stained fugitives soon convinced
him, and in a sudden panic he