Williamsburg, April 13, 1776.
Two of the Negroes who mistook one of our armed vessels at Jamestown for a tender, and expressed their inclination to serve Lord Dunmore, are under sentence of death, and will be executed in a few days, as an example to others.
Virginia Gazette (Dixon & Hunter) April 13, 1776
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After Lord Dunmore's Proclamation freeing the slaves of Virginia rebels if they joined the British, the Virginia Convention declared that these runaways would "be liable to such punishment as shall be directed by the Convention." In some cases runaways were sold to the West Indies, in others they were sent to the interior of Virginia far away from the tidewater where Dunmore lurked. However, these unfortunate runaways were executed.
Sources: Quarles, p24-27
