But the general repaired this mistake the following month.  Lord Dunmore had issued a proclamation declaring “all indented servants, negroes, or others (appertaining to rebels) free.”  Fearing lest many Negroes should join the ministerial army, in General Orders, 30th December, Washington wrote:—­

“As the General is informed that numbers of free negroes are desirous of enlisting he gives leave to the recruiting officers to entertain them, and promises to lay the matter before the Congress, who, he doubts not, will approve of it.”

Lord Dunmore’s proclamation is here given:—­

“By his Excellency the Right Honorable JOHN, Earl of DUNMORE, his Majesty’s Lieutenant and Governor-General of the Colony and Dominion of Virginia, and Vice-Admiral of the same,—­

     “A PROCLAMATION.

“As I have ever entertained hopes that an accommodation might have taken place between Great Britain and this Colony, without being compelled by my duty to this most disagreeable but now absolutely necessary step, rendered so by a body of armed men, unlawfully assembled, firing on his Majesty’s tenders; and the formation of an army, and that army now on their march to attack his Majesty’s troops, and destroy the well-disposed subject of this Colony:  To defeat such treasonable purposes, and that all such traitors and their abettors may be brought to justice, and that the peace and good order of this Colony may be again restored, which the ordinary course of the civil law is unable to effect, I have thought fit to issue this my Proclamation; hereby declaring, that until the aforesaid good purposes can be obtained, I do, in virtue of the power and authority to me given by his Majesty, determine to execute martial law, and cause the same to be executed, throughout this Colony.  And, to the end that peace and good order may the sooner be restored, I do require every person capable of bearing arms to resort to his Majesty’s standard, or be looked upon as traitors to his Majesty’s Crown and Government, and thereby become liable to the penalty the law inflicts upon such offences,—­such as forfeiture of life, confiscation of lands, &c., &c.  And I do hereby further declare all indented servants, negroes, or others (appertaining to Rebels,) free, that are able and willing to bear arms, they joining his Majesty’s troops, as soon as may be, for the more speedily reducing this Colony to a proper sense of their duty to his Majesty’s crown and dignity.  I do further order and require all his Majesty’s liege subjects to retain their quit-rents, or any other taxes due, or that may become due, in their own custody, till such time as peace may be again restored to this at present most unhappy country, or demanded of them, for their former salutary purposes, by officers properly authorized to receive the same.

“Given under my hand, on board the Ship William, off
Norfolk, the seventh day of November, in the sixteenth
year of his Majesty’s reign.