The Connecticut courant and Hartford weekly intelligencer — Hartford, Conn., 1775-08-21 00:00:00, page 2

ons we have repeatedly made, not for pemfions, for
wealth, or for honours, but for the humble boon of
being permitted to possess the fruits of honeftinduf
try, and to enjoy that degree of liberty, to which God
and the constitution have given us an undoubted
right.
Blessed with an indissoluble union, with a variety
of internal resources, and with a firm reliance on the
justice of the supreme disposer of all human events,
we have no doubt of rising superior to all the machi
nations of evil and abandoned Ministers. We al
ready anticipate the golden period, when liberty,
with all the gentle arts of peace and humanity, shall
establish her mild dominion in this western world ;
and erect eternal monuments to the memory of those
virtuous patriots and martyrs,who shall have fought
and bled and fuffered in her cause.
Accept our most grateful acknowledgments for
the friendly disposition you have always fhe<n to
wards us ; we know that you are not without your
grievances ; we sympathize with youin yourdiltrefs,
and are pleased to find that the design of subjuga
ting us, has persuaded adminiflration to dispense to
Ireland some vagrant rays of minilierial funihine ;
even the tender mercies of government have long
been cruel towards,^. In the rich pastures of Le
land, many hungry paricidcs have fed, and grown
strong to labour in its dettrudion'; we hope the pa
tient abiding of the meek may not always be for
gotten ; and God grant that the iniquitous schemes
of extirpating liberty from the British empire may
be soon defeat'd ; but we should be wanting toour
felves ; we should be perfidious to poltertty ; we
should be unworthy that ancestry from which we de
rive defeent, ihould we submit with folded arms to
military butchery and depredation, to gratify the
lordly ambition, or fate the avarice of a Britilh Mi
nifiry ; in defence of our persons and properties,
under actual violation, we have taken up arms ;
when that violence shall be removed, and hostilities
cease on the part of the aggressors, they shall cease
on our part also. For the atchievement of this
happy event, we confide in the good offices of
our fellow fubjeds beyond the Atlantic. Of their
friendly difpofitien we do not yet despond ; aware
as they mull be, that they have nothing more to ex
ped from the.fame common enemy, than the hum
ble favor of being last devoured.
By order of the Congress.
JOHN HANCOCK, Prefdent.
Philadelphia, July 28, 1775.
By the Captains Callender and Miller, arrived at Phi
ladelphia from London, we have the following
Advices, viz.
L O N IJ O N, June 7.
Many p-T^ wonder what is become of Lord
North's Doxy, poor Sukey, from Boston ; but the
knowing ones scruple not to fay, that file brought
home inch a miserable American bantling, that his
Lordfeip, tho' by no means remarkable for bis modefl,
was alhamed of fathering it ; and therefore had se
cretly lent poor Sukey back again to America.
We are informed that fix mips of the line, three
frigates and two bomb vessels, are, for the future,
to be kept in coriftant readiness to fail at a moment's
warning to any part of the globe, as occasion may
require.
June 9. Several recruiting parties are now in dif
ferent parts of the kingdom, railing a number of
men to fill up the vacancies in the different divisi
ons of marines that have been drafted off and sent
to Boston.
Arrived a Spithead, the Ardent, Potts, from Lon
don, a transport for Boston.
Itis determined, we hear, that if the next ac
counts from America are not more favourable than
the last, press-warrants will be issued immediately.
By the last advices we learn the Virginian troops
are colle&ing, in order to form a refpedable army
ready to march as occasion may demand.
Lord Mansfield is most studiously employed every
hour which he can spare from the weightier business
of the law, in framing a projeft for putting an end
to the disputes between Great Britain and America
immediately ; but grant that his Lordlhip should
herein be fucccfsful, how will he be able to establish
that mutual confidence which formerly subsided
between them, and was the very foundation of our
trade and power ? The Americans mult of necessity
be suspicious and diltruftful of the- -faith, nor
will they ever, at lead for a long time, view us but
with a jealous eye.
General Gage viewing the American army with
his telescope, saw General Putnam in it, which sur
prised him ; and he contrived to get a message de
livered to him, that he wanted to speak to him.
Putnam without any hesitation, waited upon him.
General Gage shewed him his fortifications, arid
advised him to lay down his arms. General Putnam
replied, he could force his fortifications in half an
hour, and advised General Gage to go on board the
Blips with his troops.
%^io. Notwithflanding the secrecy with which
matters are cn^u&ed, it is said an express was sent
off on Wednesday last to Gen. Gage, containing
CASH given for WHEAT, by James Church, at his Store in Hartford,
some propcfhls which he is to offer immediately to
the delagates.
If the above propositions Ihould not be accepted,
(which the ministry are in great expectation will)
it is a determined point in the cabinet, to take an
army of 10,000 foreign troops into the pay of Great
Britain, which will be sent to Boston immediately.
It is said that on Friday a person in high office
attempted to put an end to his life, but was happily
prevented by a relation.
Several of the great officers of state attended his
Majesty at Kew yesterday.
June 12. Ministry have at lengtli received advices
from America, and in theGaze tte of Saturday even
ing, the fubflance of those advices was related in
the following manner.
LONDON GAZETTE. Whitehall, June 10, 1775.
Lieut. Dunn, of the navy arrived this morning at
Lord Dartmouth's, and has brought letters from
Gen. Gage, Lord Percy, and Lieut. Col. Smith,
containing the following particulars of what passed
on the 19th of April last, between a detachment of
the King's troops in the province of Massachusetts-
Bay, and fcveral parties of rebel provincials, viz.
Gen. Gage having received intelligence of a large
quantity of military stores being collected at Concord
for the avowed purpose of supplying a body of troops
to ad in opposition to his majesty's government, de
tached on the 18th &f April at night, the grenadiers
of his army and the light infantry, under the com
mand of Lieut. Col. Smith, of thh loth regiment,
and Maj. Pitcairn, of the marines, with orders to
destroy the said stores ; and the next morning eight
companies of the fourth, the fame number of the
twenty-third and forty-ninth, and some marines,
marched under the command of Lord Percy, to
fupporc the other detachment. Lieut. Col. Smith
finding after he had advanced some miles on his
march, that the country had been alarmed by the
firing of guns, and ringing of bells, dispatched fix
companies of light infantry in order to fecute two
bridges on different roads beyond Concord, who,
upon their arrival at Lexington, found a body of the
country people diawn up under arms on a green
close to the road, and upon the king's troops march
ing up to them, in order to enquire the reason of
their being thus assembled, they went off in great
confufion, and several guns were fired at the king's
troops from behind a Itone wall, and also from the
meeting-house and other hoafes, by which one man
waswounded, and Maj. Pitcairne's horse shot in
two places. In consequence es this attack by the
rebels, the troops returned the fire, and killed seve
ral of them ; after which the detachment marched
on to Concord, without any thing further happening
where they effected the purpose for which they were
sent, having knocked off the trunnions of three pie
ces of iron ordnance, burnt some new gun carri
ages, and a great number of carriage wheels, and
thrown into the river a considerable quantity of
flour, gun powder, musket balls, and other articles.
Whilst this service was performing, great numbers
of rebels assembled in many parts, and a considera
ble body of them attacked the light infantry polled
at one of the bridges, on which an a&ion ensued,
and some few were killed and wounded.
On the return of the troops from Concord they
were very much annoyed, and had several men kil
led and wounded, by the rebels firing from behind
walls, ditches, trees, and other ambushes ; but the
brigade under the command of Lord Percy, having
joined them at Lexington, with two pieces of cannon
the rebels were for a while dispersed ; but, as soon
as the troops resumed their march, they began to
fire upon them from behind stone walls and houses,
and kept up in that manner a scattering fire dur
ing the whole of their march of 15 miles, by which
means several were killed and wounded; and such
was the cruelty and barbarity of the rebels, that
they scalped and cut off the ears of some of the
wounded men who fell into their hands. It is rot
known what numbers of the rebels were killed and
wounded, but it is supposed that their loss was con
siderable.
Gen. Gage fays that too much praise cannot be
given to Lord Piercy, for his remarkable activity
during the whole day ; and that Lieut. Col. Smith
and Mg. Pitcairne did every thing that then coull
do, as did all the officers in general; and that the
men behaved with their usual intrepidity.
TOTAL of the commission, non-commillion offi
cers, rank and file, killed, wounded and taken pri
soners, on the 19th of April, 1775, in the CIVIL
WAR, COMMENCED IN SUPPORT OF THE
USURPATION OF PARLIAMENT.
One Lieut. Col. killed. Two Lieut. Colonels
wounded.---Two Captains wounded.---Nine Lieu
tenants wounded.-- -One Lieut, miffing.---Two En
signs wounded.---OneSerjeant killed,four wounded,
two miffing.---One Drummer killed, one wounded.
— Sixty-twe rank and file killed, one hundred and
fifty-feven wounded, twenty- four raiffing.
N. B. Lieut. Isaac Potter reported to be wounded
and taken prisoner.
(Signed) THOMAS GAGE.
The following remarks were printed in the Fnbh^
Ledger, of June 12, immediately after the fore
going account of the battle of Lexington.
To the PUBLIC.
IX7 HEN the news of a magacre frfl arrival
the penfoned writer of the Gazette intreated
the public "to Jufpend their judgment, asgoverx
went bad received no tidings of the matter." It was ad
ded '' that there was every rcafon to expect dispatchesf^
General Gage by a vtfel called the Sukey."
Ibe public have fupended their judgment ; they bav±
waited the arrival oj the Sukey, and the humane 'part f
mankind have wifeed that the fatal tale related by Gaft-
Darby might/rove altog etherfdliticus. To the grent grief
of every thinking man, this is not the case ; we are now
in fe°f'S° n °f both the accounts ; the Americans have given
their narrative of the mafacre ; the favourites officialJer
vants have given a Scotch account of the Jkirmife. 1^
what one material fat? doth the two relations, when c<.n
trafted with each other, disagree r Ihe Americans Jaid
" that a aetacbment of the King's troofts advanced to
wards Concord ; that they attempted to f cure two bridges
on different roads beyond Concord; that when they reacted
Lexington, they found a beefy of Provincials exerctfug &n a
green, that on dijeovering the Provincial militia thus cm
plytd,tbeKing's troops called out to them to dfperfe,dummd
them for aparcel cj rebels, and killed one or two, as ths
m°f effectual method of intimidating the rest." This tie
writer of the Scotch account in the Gazette files " march
% "P to the rebels, to require the reason of being jo aj-
Jembled.'' Both relations, however, agree in this, that d
question was asked, the perfoxed varnifeer only fairy
that it cyras afkea in a civil, the Americans in an w.c-iA
way, attended with the loss of blood.
Thus far then the facts, in every material circumfance,
precijeiy agree ; arid, as yet, we have every reajon to be
lieve that the Salem Gazette is to the full as authentic as
cur government paper, which, as a literary cempfftion, is
a disgrace to the kingdom.
j be Salem Gazette afared us that the King's tree,?
were compelled to return from Concord ; that a randfid of
the militia put them to rout, killing and woundingfever al
as shy fed, ft this contradicted in the Englfo Gazette ?
Quite the contrary; it is conformed. The Scotch account
of the firmf acknowledges, that "on the hasty rettum
of tbe troops from Concord, they were very much annoyed,
and jeveral of the m.n killed and wounded." The Scotch
accoi nt also adds, that " the Provincials kept up a fcatler
i"gfae during the whole oj the march of the King's troops,
of fifteen miles, by which means several of them were kil
led and wounded." If the American militia " kept up a
jeatteringfre on the King's troops for fifteen miles," the
Provincials mus have pursued, and the Regulars mufbave
fed, which confirms the account in the Salem Gazette,
wherein it is affirtcd that the Regulars '' vere forced to
retreat." Whether they marci ed like mutes at a funeral,
or whether they fed like the relations and friends of she
present minifry, who were amongf the rebel army at the
battle of Culloden, is left entirely to the conyefture of the
readers, though it should Jeera that a scattering fee, poured
in upon a retreating enemyjer fifteen miles together, would
naturally, like goads applied to thefdes of oxen, intake thedl
march off as faf as they could.
The Scotch account in our English Gazette relates dread
ful things reflecting "the ci uetty and barbarity of the re
bels, who Jcalped and cut of the ears of jome of the wound
ed men." If the public have an aversion to being impoftd
on, they need only refer to the affidavits of the Lieutenant
and the ref of the King's forces, who here wounded and
taken prifners. In those affidavits, the parties freely,
and of their own accord, make oath, that " adhaugb tie
King's troops began the bloody bufaefs, and thus provoked
the Provincials to a rage that might bavejufifedmercilf
revenge, yet the Provincials behaved with unparallebd
moderation, ana bad excreijed every virtuous office humani
ty couldfuggefi t o such of the King's troops as hadfalln
into their hands." Whether therefore is the greater credit
to tee paid, to the oaths f the parties who experienced this
tenderness, or to the naked efertion of a peufoned vareifarj
vno tramps up a Scotch account of the matter, mamfyily 6
five the pvypes of merdfry, by §tying over mwdtrs,for
the perpetration of which th. ir heads feuld itfanth ft
The jcald mif.rable Gazette writer concludes bis nar
rative by informing 'he public, that General Gage f,j
" that too much praiJe cannot be given to Lord Percy jor
bis remarkable activity during ts whic day."
The public walthink this a very J:ng ular kind rfcom,lD
merit ! The proceeding part of the narrative had told a
for, about the treops marching, or in plainer Enfjh ie
treating from Lexington Th, did no! halt, but continue
their retreat forfifteen miles. Whet than are we to un
derfand by the " remarkable activity of Lord Percy P"
His prfonal bravery is too well knewn to have roomfir
suspicion that be ever wouldfew " remarkable activity"
in retreating, yet the Scotch account in the Gazette leaves
the complement so ambiguous, that an inviduous reader
might Juppofe Lord Percy made it, like the fwift footed
Achilles, with---a light pair of heels. It is net furprifar
that Gen. Gagefould wife to pay bs court at Northumber
land house ; but when be pays another compliment, as be
cannot write himfelf,fa feould entruf a better band than
thepenfioned compiler of the Gazette.
Toreafon on thefuels, which are now indiftu+aW, is
a taf. which will better fait fomefuture opportunity, ft.