1763.] VIRGINIA. 97 



but the colony of Virginia, I hope, will have the 

 honor of not only driving the enemy from its own 

 settlements, but that of protecting those of its 

 neighbors who have not spirit to defend them- 

 selves." 



Virginia did, in truth, exhibit a vigor and activity 

 not unworthy of praise. Unlike Pennsylvania, she 

 had the advantage of an existing militia law ; and 

 the House of Burgesses was neither embarrassed 

 by scruples against the shedding of blood, nor by 

 any peculiar tenderness towards the Indian race. 

 The House, however, was not immediately sum- 

 moned together ; and the governor and council, 

 without waiting to consult the Burgesses, called 

 out a thousand of the militia, five hundred of 

 whom were assigned to the command of Colonel 

 Stephen, and an equal number to that of Major 

 Lewis. ^ The presence of these men, most of whom 

 were woodsmen and hunters, restored order and 

 confidence to the distracted borders ; and the inhabi- 

 tants, before pent up in their forts, or flying before 

 the enemy, now took the field, in conjunction with 

 the militia. Many severe actions were fought, but 

 it seldom happened that the Indians could stand 

 their ground against the border riflemen. The 

 latter were uniformly victorious until the end of 

 the summer ; when Captains Mofl'at and Phillips, 

 with sixty men, were lured into an ambuscade, and 

 routed, with the loss of half their number. A few 

 weeks after, they took an ample revenge. Learn- 

 ing by their scouts that more than a hundred 



1 Sparks, Writings of Washington, II. 340* 

 VOL. II. 7 



