DUNMORE, ,ions Mutut.tv. Earl of (1732 1S09). An English Governor of Virginia. lie sat in the House of Lords in 1761-69 as a repre sentative peer of Scotland; in 1770 was appointed Governor of the Colony of Ne 'X York. and in 1771 of that of Virginia. ile dissolved the Douse of Assembly in 1772, 1773, and 1774—on the last occasion because of the resolution of that body to observe June 1st, the day for the closing of the port of Boston, as a time of public fast. He com manded a division of Virginia troops in Dimmore's War (q.v.), upon the conclusion of which he made an important treaty kith the Indians. In April, 1775, he removed a part of the powder stores from Williamsburg to the war-ship .11(19 (1(lb-if. Thereupon the colonists in largo numbers volunteered for Mil it a ry service under the direc tion of Patrick Ilenry. He temporarily restored quiet by payment for the powder so taken. Dur
ing a session of the ]louse. in June. a riot oc curred, and Dunmore transferred the seat of gov ernment to the man-of-war Fotecy, twelve miles off Vorkt4 MIL The Burgesses finally declared that the Governor had abdicated, and vested a committee of safety with executive !timers. Dun mo•e retaliated by the equipment of a flotilla, with which he unsuccessfully attacked Hampton on October •5. Ile burned Norfolk on January 1.1776. On .luly 3 he was forced by Andrew Lewis (q.v.) from the station which lie had taken on (1%vynn's Islam], in the Chesapeake, and shortly a fterwards, having burned the smaller ves sels and sent the remainder to the West Indies, returned to England, where he sat in the House of Lords until 1737. From 17S7 to 1796 he was Governor the Bahamas. Consult Campbell, History of Virginia (1360).