The Connecticut courant and Hartford weekly intelligencer — Hartford, Conn., 1777-04-14 00:00:00, page 2

id grenadiers, od „d regiment, under the com
mind ofLord Corewrilis. The 3d attack intended as
efeint by th* 421 regiment, to be unbaked in bat
teaus i^acreek oppofit# £3 Col. Mouris'# house, and
upon the left of theenemy'# lices towards N«w-Yc:k.
The 4th by L"rd Percy, with 'he corps under his
c nnmafyi, on York island, to affuult the righ: flunk
of the enemy's entrenchments on that fide.
The firid artillery and batteries bring properly dis
posed for th- Area attacks on the fide of King's-bride
and Harlem hek, Lieut. Gen. Knyphaufon moved
forward about noon ; but having a very thick wood
to p^fs, in which the enemy was very advantageonfly
polled, it was fime time before he could penetrate ;
from which difficulties his corp: was for a considerable
time exposed to the h-e of throe pieces of cannon. As
soon as this attack begun, the light infantry moved,
land landed under a brift fire,before and as er they had
quitted th^ boats, from a party of the rebels polled
behind rocks and trees ; however by getting up a very
Reep uneven mountain with their usual a&ivity, they
fion dispersed the enemy. The guards followed by
the grenadiers and 354, landed without any loft.
Intelligence in the mean time being received that
Lnr i Percy had carried am advanced work, orders were
sent to Lieut. Col. Sterling, commanding the 43d re
gi^ent, to endesvourto land, and for two battelionsof
the facond brigade to fu, port him. Upon which he
immediately advanced in his beats through 2 heavy fire
with gr?at perfeveraac* ; and forcing his way up a
heap height, which was well defended by a body of
the ribsls, he gained the fimmit, tock 170 prisoners,
and penetrating across the island, facilitated Lord
Percy's success against the enemy's lines opposed to
him which his Lurdffiip puffed.
Col. Ra'lie, who led ths right column of Lieut.
Gen. Kiyhaufen's attack, having, after configurable
oppofirion, forced the enemy from their strong holds,
pushed forward to their advanced w^rks, and lodged
his column within 100 yards cf the fort, from whence
he f^mmoned them to surrender, upon which they
readily desired tn treat.
Lieut. Gan. Kayphnufen's column having more
impediments to encountsrin puffing through the weed,
Could not j in the right column until they got up go
the fort. The enemy, upon his appearance, ftirrsn
dered prifoaers of war, to the number of 2700, includ
ing officers, besides the prisoners made by frhe 42d
regiment.
The enemy had three officers and 50 men killed,
6 officers and 90 mm wound#d,in the ©afferent attacks.
FareLo being ihe next obj a for the entire ccra
m^d of the North-River, and 2 ready read to pene
trate into Jsrfty ; an addition of bests under'the
co^ma^d of Cape Phipps, was feat by the Admiral
to King's bridge, in the night of the 17th without be
ing ditovared b theorem,. The firft divifian for
embark man, landed next day at 8 o'clock in the
m arcing, about ieven miles above the fort, while the
second division marched up the cast end of the river,
by which movement the whole corps as per margin,*
were landed with their cannon by ten o'clock, under
the c^mernd of L : eUi. Gen. Cornwallis. The fea
ra^ diftingaifhed ihemfelves remarkably open this
scesfios, by their revdi&efa 10 drag the cannon up a
tacky narrow road, for ne^r half a mile, to the up of
a praci,ice, whic^ bounds the Ihore for tome miles on
the weft fide.
Lord Corn-vaHL immediately began his march,and
had not the enemy, at Fort L^*, been apprized of his
moving towards thw, by a countrymen, after he had
proceeded fame ciftauce, he would have Surrounded
twothnufind men at the forr, whoefcaped in the ut
most coaf^ffion, leaving al! their artillery, and a large
quantity of do es and previsions ; their tents Handing,
and fr#uUs upon the fire.
HuLordfhip encamped that night near the fert,
ranking use of the enemy's tertr.
Th* next day M,u Gm. Vaughan, with the light
infantry and Britiffi gre^diers, was detached to the
Naw-orid^e upon Hackinfac river, and a detachment
th; i6:h dragoons, under the command of Col. Har
court, was fest to fort Lee. This detachment with
firns companies of light infantry, scoured the country
on the 22'1, as far as Pifaick river, and found the e
mem, h^d abandoned all the intermediate country,
their advanced guard being at Aquskiaunc.
0.1 the 24 h, the 2laud 4 h brigades cf Britiffi, and
one banalknof the 71st regiment, joined his Lord-
Ihip, who, leaving the 2d brigade at fort Lee, ad fenc
ed with the main body on the 25th, to the new bridge.
On the enemy's retiring from Newark, as his Lrd-
Ihip approached, he took possession of that place on
the 24th. and is now following them, retreating to
wards Brnnfwick.
Icannot toe highly acknowledge the adive services
of Liv^t. Gen. Clinton on every occasion ; the fap
port I have at mil times received from rhe other Gene
ral officers, and the zealous ardour cf all ranks what
soever, during the course of this campaign.
The Heffron troops under the command of Lieut.
General: Heister and Knyphaufen, have also exhibit
ed every good disposition to promote his Mfyfty's in
terests, and juftG merit my acknowledgment of their
Cervices. I have the honor to be, &c. &c.
W. HOWE.
LONDON, Nov.
H OUSE of LORD S.
WHEN Ms M<j:£, had retired after delivering
his f„ech to both Houses of Parliament, the
Earl ofCarlifls moved that an Addrefi be preferred to
* ift & 2d battalions ofiigh, infantry; 2 companies
ofCnaffeurs ; 2 battalions of Brhih & 2 ditto of Hessian
grtnadiertj 2 battalions of guards; 33d & qzi regt's.
ku Majeft,, thanking him for h'u paternal regard for
his people; congratulating h'ni ca his success ia A
raerica, and affnihg trim of future fapport, &c. In
this he wasfeconded by Lord Falkland. On which
the Marquis of Rockingham proposed the following
amendment to the Address, viz. He prepefid leaving
out the whole Address from th&werd ''That" in the
beginning, and in the place of the Address now offer
ed to fabftitate. “ To affurs his M^jefty that, ani
mated with the most earned and sincere zeal for the
true interest and real glory of his reign, we behold
with ix+xfereffible concern the minds of a very large and
ted, loyal and affsaionace part of his people, entirely
alienated fromhis govern mint ; nor can we conceive,
that fetch an evtatas the difalhaion and revolt of a
q^bele „^h could have taken place without feme con
siderable ,rrsp in the cohdua observed towards them.
The errtoniout raeafures, we conceive, are to be im
puted to a iv4%f of fufficieat information bring laid
before Parliament, and to tto large a degree of confi
dence being reposed in thof# Miaifters, who from their
duty were ob'iged, and from their official filiations
were best enabled, co know the temper and dispositi
on cf his Majefly's American fubjeas, and were there^
fare presumed mod capable of pointingctit such mea
furcs ai m ; ght produce the most friutary effs&s#
Hanes the schemes which were formed for the red^c^
tioa ant ?chaftifement es *fa,ofed inconsiderable party
of factious men, have driven thirteen large „roi«n to
dafpiir. Ever, aa which has been proposed as a
mea*s of procuring peace and fabmiffiju, has become
a atw cause of war and revolt ; and we now find our
selves almost inextricably involved in a bloody and
expensive civil war, which, btfides exhausting at pre
sent the ftrenth of all his Mrj fty\ dominions, expos
ing oar allies to the delings of their and ear enemies,
ana leaving this kingdom in a most perilous situation,
/breaths in its issue the m.ft deplorable calamities to
tan <wboh Britt/h race.
v We cannot avoid lamenting, that in cons quence
of the credit given to the representations of Ministers,
ns hearing h^s been given to the reiterated cemphiets
arid petitions of the Colonies; neither h?.s any grounds
bsen bid for removing the original esufe of those un
happy differences, which took their rife from quellions
relative to parliamentary proceedings, and which enl,
can befatled by parliamentary authority. By that
fatal reiffiew, the Cemmifficners nominated for the
apparent purpofc of making peace, weiefurnilhed with
as legal powers, hut that of giving or withholding
pardons at their pleafare ; and for relaxing the severi
ties of a single aft of Parliament, leaving the whole
foundation of this unhappy controverfy, juft at it food
in th# beginning,
" To represent to his M jeftv, that in addition to
this negle& in the beginning of the last session, his
M^jefty in his gracious fy^r^ to both Houfe# of Par
liam rat declared nin refolwirc of f ndingout Commis
sioners for the purpose tbiron expreffad, as speedily as
puffibly," Ao such co^miffianers were font till near
fevcw months afterwards, and until rhe nation war a
larraed bv the evacuation cf the only town then held
for his Mijefty in the Thirteen United Colonies. By
this dela,, aRs of the most critical nature, the +ffia> of
which as much depend on the power cf immediately
relaxing them on fu ^miffion, as is enforcring them on
difobedieace, had only an operation to infante and ex
afterate. But if any colony, town or pl&ce, had been
induced to fubroit by the operation of the terrors cf
these a&s, there were none on the place cf power to r<-
fore the people/& fubffltting, to hs common rights of
fubjeaion. Theiniabiianu of hi Colonies, apprized
that they wire put out of he proteflion of government,
and faring neataus provid d for their entering into
it, were fur Th id with reasons but too cokurable, for
breaking n ff heir depency on the Crown of this king
dom. Toaffure his Mfyfty, that removing cur con
fidence from hefe who. in so msny inflanecs, have
grofsl, abufid it, we Ihall endeavour to reflore to par
iiament tne cr^fi+nce r all his reopL.
" To this end it may be mevif xble to makea more
minute enquiry ieo the grievances of the Colonies,
as well as into the cesdud of Minifcre Wrh regard
to tbem, we may think it proper particularly to en
quire how it hzs happened that the commerce of this
kingdom has been left exposed to the reprisals cf the
Colonies, at the very time when the fe?men and fifh
ermu being in< iferia inatriy prohibited from the
peace able axercife of their occupations, and declared
open enemies, must be fx/s^n^with & certain assurance,
to betake themfeMes to plunder, and to wreak their re
v/nge on the cemmerceuf Gr?at-Britain.
“ That we underpaid, that amidh the many diff
ers and difgracet which have attended his Majefly's
arms in many parts f America, an advantage has
been gained by his M jefly's Britiffi and foreign mer
cenar, forces in the provinceof New York ; that if a
wife, moderate and provident use be made of this advan
tage, it is not improbable, that happy effaas may rc
fult from that use ; and we assure his Majesty that
nothing fliall be wanting on our part, to enable
his Majetly to take full advantage of any disposition
to reconciliation, which may be the cenfequence of th©
miseries, of war, by laying down en our part real per
manent grounds of connexion between Great-Britain
and the Colonics, on principle: es liberty, and terras
of mutual advantage.
“ That whilftwe lament the eff^fion of Englijb
bleed (which we hope has not been greater or other than
neceffit, required or foonr juftified) we ffiould humbly
congratulate his Majesty on any event leading to the
great dafirable end of fettling a peace which might
promise to l&f, by the reflitutien of the ancient affe&i
qr which has happily fubfifcd in former times, be
tween this kingdom acd its Colonies. Any %%,
wcu'd hecelTurily require, even in case of a total com.
qasft, an army to mriatain, ruinous to th* haa%c%,
and incompatible with the freedom of hi, BQdft
people. We ihould look wita uimoftfam/ ^berrer
011 an, event of what nature soever, that Ihould tend to
break th# spirit of an, part of the Britiffi nation, to Jew
them to an abjed unconditional fub&ffion to az, pow
er whatsoever ; to annihilate their liberties, and tb
subdue them to fertile principles and ,tf %v habits, by
the mere force of foreign mercenary aims; because
amids the excesses and abuses which have happened;
^ mus rested the fpi i; and principles of operating
in those commotions. Our wish is to regulate not to
defro, them, lor the differing in feme circumstances ;
chef# very principles evidea Jy bear so exaft an analog)
with those which support the mos y&'^bh part of our
confutation, that it is imptfible, with any appearance
ofjuflice, to think of wholly extirpating them by the
sword in an, part of his Majesty's dominions, without
admitting confluences and eftablilhing precedents, the
shaft dangerous to the liberties of this kingdom."
This proposed amendment was entered on the
books by way of a Protest, and figged by the follow,
lag Lords $
ROCKINGHAM, De FERRERS,
RICHMOND, ABBINGDON.
EFFINGHAM, KING,
PORTLAND, CRAVEN,
MANCHESTER, FITZWILLIAM.
SCARBOROUGH, PONSONBY.
lathe above Protest the Lords have only ventured
to fay that th? Americans 66 were furrfced with rea
fas but too colourable for breaking off their riepne, on th*
Crown" of that kingdom ; but in the ccurie es their
debates they entered fully into the justification cf the
Americans on their declaration of Independence.
Both the Dake of Richmond and Maiqais of Reck
iagham proposed, as the only means of faring the na
tion, that America Ihould be immediately declared in.
epodcat, ±nd that a treaty of peace and commerce be
concluded with her.--This information, with the above
Protest, we have received £om a gentleman who at
tended during most o f the debates.
PHILADELPHI A, March 27.
We learn by letters from Marfeiiles es the 24 Dec.
that th# arsenal at Portsmouth ha# bxen intirely con
futed by fire. Other letters of the z&th confirm that
melancholy news, and sßimate the loss at cue million
flerling. Among the valuable #&&> which have
bee. burnt, the rigging of at least twenty ffiips of the
line is rekoirad. Letters from London of the 18th
aid 21st December, fay that they bad not been able
to stop the fire on the third day after it began. (From
the Martinique Gazette of the i 3 :h February.)
Extras of a letter from France Dre. 14.
England is fitting emit a formidable squadron that
will consist of near forty fail of the line. France and
Spain are likewise equipping, and a general war is
expaded in the spring. The King of Portugal is
certainly dead." °
On the iff ult. Capt. Shaler, in a private, Ileop
belonging to Nsw London, fell in with and took
brig Elizabeth, Wm. Grant, from Liverpool far An
tigua, one hundred and fifty tons burthen, laden with
dry goods, oats and potatoes, valued at ten thousand
pounds fterlug.
Munday left J,mas MoJefworih, a Traitor and a
Spy, was executed on the commons near ibis city. It
appears by fuadry evidence and his cw A confeffien,
that he had been fentf<m N^Ycrk to procure pi
lots for conducing the Britiffi fl^ up the river Dela
ware to this city.
^lt is said that the ones celebrated Paschal Paoli,the
Corsican Chief, is now employed among the Britiffi
and foreign Mercenaries in Canada (where he has
a command) at an isfhumsnt to destroy that Li
berty, which he pretended to love, and openly de
fended. For the honour of humanity we wiffi that
this may net prove true. It must give real pain,
afier all his juggles in his own country, thus
to “ damped to tverlafting flumes."
By his Exc ll~kTcy
GEORGE WASHINGTON, Esq ;
General and Commander in Chief of th c Forces of
the United Sbetss of America.
PROCLAMATION.
tyFIBREAS many soldiers lately inliftsd in the
Continental Army, not contented with the ge
nerous bounties and encouragements granted to thra
by Conyrefa, but, too much influenced by u bale re
gard to their interoft, have rrinlifted wih, received
bounties from, other officers, atd dcfertel AND
WHEREAS it is presumed that m, My fully ft^fible
of the enormity cf their crimes, would return to their
du p y, were they not detered b.y an anprobofioß o f
fufiring the severe puniffiment, lately i^ flia^d on
those found guilty of desertion. Ihave th u^ht pre
per to issue this my proclamation, offsriyg f, ee
d °" I""]' ' b °" '''"b" l9 * 3 we]l ^ to those
who have deferred from other motives, w ho fl^ll vo
Untarily surrender then-Drives to any office, so, th ;
Continental army, or jrin their refpedive corps, before
the fifteenth dsy of May next. Ard Ido ftriai,
join all efficers in the army under ray command
entreat the good people o f rhe fe States, to fo}.;,
utmost endeavours to apprehend and fecyre s uc h de
',"?: ffi ^ T "'"i l th ^ f c^of the
offered by this Proclamation. 6
G ™ "* d r , h^d at Head Q,ct% Koni
. own, this sixth day ty April, 1777.
GEO. WASHINGTON
B, bit Excellencys Command,
Rob. H Harrison See},.