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Thomas Newton Jr. letter May 11, 1793.

Thos. Newton, Jr.. to the Governor.
May 11th
Norfolk
Sir:
Your Exc'y's favor of the 8th, with the Commissions for the militia officers, I received & return you my sincere thanks for your attention to this place. I now inclose a list of the cannon that I had the care of, and will proceed to drill those that are spiked, & put the whole in order for mounting. I have requested Mr. Rob't Andrews to furnish a chart of our river, as he drew an accurate one by order of the Governor & council during the last war. I think there is one in the Council office now. If two field pieces could be spared, they would be of great Service, as they could be carried from point to point where they might be wanting; two would be of great service in Princess Anne, also to be kept near the Cape. A sloop from Barbadoes was drove on shore a few days ago, & had three men drowned. She was bound to Alexandria. The most proper places in our river for defence, are Old Point Comfort & Point Nelson — the place where the old Point stood, nearly opposite to us, & half a mile out of Portsmouth. If the ten-pounders were mounted at the first place & the twelves at the last, I think they would answer every purpose. & I could wish to have the nine-pounders & the four sixs mounted & kept in the Town ready for any occasion, & they cou'd be removed, if necessary, to any point on the River. Such carriages as can be spared & as many as you may think proper to send, will be very acceptable, as we have none. As to the quantity of powder & shot your Ex'cy will please to Judge of; what is not used will be safely kept. I have given the caliber of the Guns for the size of the shot. I have purchased near ten thousand flints, in expectation that they might be wanting; should it be the case they shall be forwarded to your orders. I shall be glad of instructions from time to time, in what manner I am to conduct myself in case of fitting armed vessels and raising men here. I think a Brig or Schooner of Ten Guns would be of Great service, & keep small privatiers & pirates at their distance. As to the Frigates & ships of war, there is no danger of their infringing the laws of Nations & capturing Prizes in our Territories. A vessel of this kind with a few additional hands, exchanged for the present cutter, wou'd incur but a small expense, as the four-pounders wou'd be very suitable for the purpose. I shall be happy to render any service in my power, which may be thought proper to instrust me with.
& I am,
Y'r Ex'cy's Ob't Serv't.

List of cannon at Norfolk & on Nelson's Point:
These belong to Virginia: 15 four-pounders;
                                     4 six- Do., 4 - inch caliber;
                                     1 nine-Do., 4 3/4 do., do.
Some carronades of 12 or nine-pound shot on board the cutter.

U. S.— 13 Cannon of 18 Lb. shot, 5 3/4 caliber;
            4     do.    "  12- Do.,      5 1/2 do.
One Gun of the same kind as the above, lies in Mr. Scott's mill-dam in Nansemond. It could be got up easily.
The above belong the United States.

Fort Norfolk Documents

Before 1793, 1793, 1794, 1795, 1796, 1797, 1798, 1799, 1800, 1801, 1802, 1803, 1804, 1805, 1806, 1807, 1808, 1809, 1810, 1811, 1812, 1813, 1814, 1815, 1816, 1817, 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864, 1865

Source of Information

CALENDAR of VIRGINIA STATE PAPERS and OTHER MANUSCRIPTS, FROM AUGUST 11, 1792, TO DECEMBER 31, 1793, PRESERVED IN THE CAPITOL AT RICHMOND. ARRANGED AND EDITED BY SHERWIN McRAE. VOLUME VI. RICHMOND: A. R. MICOU, SUPERINTENDENT PUBLIC PRINTING. 1886