The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1782-07-16 00:00:00, page 2

Intelligence. Admiral Arbuthnot left admiral Graves
ZW commid in July, but Graves, instead of fitting
his (hips and keeping them in readiness, either off the
Hook cr off the Chefapeak, thought proper to go a
mouth's cruize to the northward; to B Aon bay, just
the opposite point of the compaf 3 to where he ought to
have gon. He returned to the Hook the middle of
AvguA, and then began to refit h's ships, at the very
time they ought to have been ready. Admiral Hood
arrives off the Cbefap/ak, fends a frigate to him with
inti e that he is waiting for him there; waits for him
nine days; and no Graves appearing, comes to seek
him a' New-York on the 28th of Augufl. Graves
hrkej fluff to get ready wjtn five fail and a fifty, on
re gid ; two others not being ready are left behind,
a=d thy fail for the Chefapeak, where he finds de
Giraffe bes re him, who had arrived there the 28th.
We(hall at present fay nothing of the battle, that bu
fim.fs remains to be fert'ed between him and fir Samuel
Hood But if he had been where he ought to have
been, he would have joined fir Sa/ruel off the Chefa
peak, juf tnine days before de Graffe arrived there.
How he came to be a whole month in refitting after
his trifling skirmish with the French, it is likely will
'make a part of the exp' fled enquiry ; though the grand
point to be fettled is, what induced him to go to the
Northward to Lofton-bay; when he fbould have refit
ted h;s fleet, and been in readiness to have joined Hood
off the Chefapeak.
Sir H E NRY CLINTON.
His conduct has always been so indeofive and unsettled,
that it would have been the most wretched degree of
imbecility, to have expected any confident or vigo
rous operation from him. Therefore, we (hall only
remark, that he had 11 or 12,000 regular troops in
New-York ; upwardsof 6000 ab e militia, most of which
had been under arms near four years • ,and the crews
of some hundreds of vessels of various denominations,
transports, merchant (hips, and privateers; in all
from 20,000 to 25,000 men The utmost firength of
Washington and Rochambeau was never even said to
be more than 10,000 men at Kingfbridge. They
marched every man hey could spare to the southward,
and after ad the French were scarcely 4000, and the
rebels 2q,?0. When they approached New-Yorh, if
te had only marched out with his 7000 men, that he
embarked afterwards on board the fleet, he would have
flopped their journey to the southward, without a bat
tie. They would not have ventured to cross the Cro
ton and the North-river, and the rivers in the Jerseys,
with fochan army on their rear. But Washington and
Rochambeau knew the extent of his genius perfectly ;
and dil his business completely by only fhowfng them
selves one morning for a few hours near.Kingibridge,
and fending the French baker boys round to make a
rattling among the broken bricks and rubbish at the
mouth of the Rariton. This was enough for him. He
instantly sent off express upon express, demanding af
fiflance a cor et a cri) with might and main) from
lord Corwallis, who, at that very was inst. besieged, at
the diflance of nea ly 500 miles from New-York, by
that very army, which still kept him in such alarm.
To the unaccountable forgetfulnefs of Arbuthnot,
who, on the day of battle, did not recoiled that he
commanded the very fleet he was at the head of; to
the sinister arrangements of Rodney, who never was
Last Monday arrived in a fafe port, a prize schooner,
laden with fait, taken by captain Eenfon, in the pri
vateer (hip Hendrick, of this port.
The day following, the privateer brig Enterprise,
from Bermuda, mounting 12 twelve pounders, and 6
long fix pounders, arrived also in a fafe port. She
was likewise captured by captain Benson, in the Hend
rick, and had on board the crews of four vessels, which
foe had made prizes of. Her own crew, when taken,
confided of about fifty men. She is a new vessel, be
ing but four months off the ftoc'ks.
The Hendrick was left in chace of three vessels,
known to be a Bermudian privateer and her two
prizes.
Yefferday arrived in a fafe port, the prize brig
Olive Branch, of about 140 tons burthen, with a va
luable cargo on board, consisting of sugar, coffee, salt
and tobacco. She is a fine vessel, is pierced for fix
teen guns, but mounts only four ; and was captured
on her passage from New-York to Quebec, by the pri
vateer (hip general Greene, captain Crow, of this
port.
“ The public would do well to take notice, that the
rods with points erected at houfas, to attract light
ning, are dangerous, except they are a considerable
depth in the ground, and kept wet, which is not al
ways the case. To prevent danger, one or two hori
zontal points, or points bent downward, screwed into
the rods any where near the ground, will carry off the
fire fileatly and fafely from the house."
where he ought to have been; who always divided his
fleet when he should have kept it flrong and com
pany and who never seemed to be easy but when the
guttings of Statia were in the belly of the Sandwich ;
to the contrariety of Graves, who would go a cruising
to the northward when it was his duty to go to the
fouthward —there seemed to be nothing wanting to
complete the ruin of lord Cornwallis and the national
humiliation and disgrace, but the intervention of fir
Henry; and that we had most effectually. The great
fir Henry seated at New-York, between four and five
hundred miles from York-Town and Gloucester, and
without ever having seen them himfelf, orders lord
Cornwallis to fix himfelf there. His lord (hip is oblig
ed to obey his commanding officer; and is overpower
ed in an untenable post by the enemy, and forced to
surrender. After which comes the great fir Henry and
his reinforcements ; as if his only bdfinefs had been to
hear the news of the disaster.
General Arnold, in beseeching Clinton to march out
and attack Washington and Rochambeau, and on his
refufal, offering to do it himfelf with 6000, or even
5000 men, must have ruined himfelf completely with
fir Henry. It would be much better now for general
Arnold to be in London than at New York.
SALE M, June 27 g
SPRINGE IE L D, (Massachusetts) July 2.
We hear from Sheffield, that on Saturday the 2zd
ult. they had a severe storm of hail and rain, attended
with thunder and lightning, which did considerable da
mage to the grain, broke a great number of windows,
&c. The hail-flones were, many of them, as large as
a musket ball ; the lightning struck a barn and tore it
almost to pi-ces. The next day they had another se
vere thunder storm, when the lightning flruck the house
of Mr. Fairchild, in such a manner as to defeend
in four directions. No person was hurt though a num
ber of people were in the house.
We hear from Alhewalet-Equivalent, in Berkshire
county, that on Sunday the 23d ult. about 12 o'clock,
a violent hurricane pervaded that place, tearing up ma
ny trees by the roots, twilling off others, which were
three feet over, fix or seven feet from the ground. It
took a large new two story house, 47 feet in length and
18 in breadth, the out-fide nearly finished, and a tan
houfe 42 feet by 22, both belonging to major Jeremiah
Cady, moved the house from the foundation, carried
the tan-house about.2o feet, and dashed them both to
pieces.
Extract of a letter from Claremont, in the Bate of New-
Hampshire, dated June 24
" The amazing horrors of yesterday afternoon, al
most surpass belief, and bafflle all my powers of defcrip
tion- About three o'clock ia the afternoon, the wind
about N. W. blew a most terrible hurricane; many
trees were torn up by the roots, others twilled offand
carried by the violence of the gale to an incredible dis
tance, and whole fields of grain were swept entirely
away.
" It ran in a vein of about half a mile in width, and
produced as great a feene of devastation and horror, in
its course, as perhaps was ever exhibited in this part of
the world. Every house, barn, or building of any
kind, which flood in its range, was rated to the foun
dation, or racked and torn in a terrible manner. Mr.
c Spencer's house was blown d wn ; the very fells
were t®rn up and twisted like a withe :' Mr. Spencer
caught his little daughter, a child of ten years of age,
in his arms, and attempted to make his escape with her,
when he was buried in the ruins of his house, together
with his wife, and the child killed in his arms; Mr.
Spencer and his wife were dug out of the ruins soon af
ter the storm abated; he escaped himfelf with very lit
tle hurt; his wife was terribly wounded, but it is hoped
(he will recover.
BOSTO N, July 1.
Yesterday arrived the brig Union, captain Gardner,
in 55 days from Cadiz.
July 4. On the evening of the 15th June, a party
of tories from Canada, entered Newbury (Cohofs)
with a design to captivate general Baily. They fired
upon and wounded a sentinel at the general's door, then
rushed into the house, but the people were escaped.
Not finding the general, and perceiving the inhabitants
muttering to arms, they fled with precipitation, and
in their retreat they found a son of the general's, whom
they carried with them. Early next morning, passing
through Corinth, they dragged several people out of
their bed-, vhom they obliged to take an oath of neu
trality till exchanged
By a gentleman who left New-York very lately, we
are informed, that the enemy are elated to the highest
pitch, at the favourable appearance of affairs, as they
term it, in the county of Hampshire, fiate of Maffa
chuf tts. They have had great rejoicings among them,
occasioned by a report, which prevails and is eagerly
embrace d by them, that u pwards of 2000 men had tak
en arms in said county, in support of British govern
ment, that great numbers were daily flocking to join
them, and that the dedruaion of our present confuta
tion was inevitable.
This day being the seventh year of the anniversary
ofthe glorious independency of America, the day will
be noticed as usual.
The letter of marque (hip called the Alexander, on
her outward bound passage, has taken a letter of
marque brig of 14 guns and about 200 tons burthen,
from Liverpool, England, bound to Newfoundland,
and laden with salt and dry goods. Site is arrived in
a fafe port. Nothing new by her.
A small (having mill, (privateer) of one or. two guns,
belonging to Salem, has taken two armed fch^oners :
one laden with rum, sugar, &:c. the other has lumber
on board and was lately captured by the enemy. They
were both conducted into port by their conqueror.
By a person from the Bate of Vermont we are inform
ed, that on Sunday the 23d inflant, a terrible hurri
cane began in a place called Pawlet, in which place
and Manchester it did great damage to the .rain, build
ings, &c. To the eadward of Manchefler it seemed to
divide into two veins ; the one taking a south east the
other a north-eaftwardly direction. The south-east
vein passed through Weatherfield to Claremont, and
continued its course to Croydon (which was the fartheft
place in its course from which our informant had heard)
with such violence as to destroy the fruits of the earth,
tear up and twill off trees, and destroy buildings of
every kind that flood within its verge.
The north-ea ft vein was a most terrible florm of hail
and rain, attended with an almost incessant peal of
thunder, and slashes of lightning in such quick succes
sion, that the whole hemisphere appeared a tremendous
glare of fire. The grain in its course was almost en
tirely destroyed ; at Royalftown the rain and hail fell
in such amazing quantities, that the water was knee
deep in the houses, many buildings were undermined
and ruined ; one house was thrown down and carried a
considerable diflance by the flood. Our informant fays
very credible people assured him, that some of the hail
stones measured fix inches in length, and were supposed
to weigh near a pound. The storm passed to the east
ward of Royalftown, across Connecticut river, but we
have received no account from those parts.
NEWPOR T, June 29.
We hear the ship marquis de la Fayette, captain Ol
ney, belonging to Providence, was lately drove ashore
at the southward and burnt, by the ship Virginia, cap
tain Hazard.
PROVIDENCE, June 29.
Tuesday last a flag of truce arrived in the river from
New-York, and brought 24 Americans, late prisoners
there.
On Thursday captain Mowry Potter, in a sloop, ar
rived here from Guadeloupe, after a passage of 2-
days.'
The feftival of St. John the baptist, was celebrated
on Thursday last, at North-Providence, by the anti
ent and honourable society of free and accepted mafons'
The right worlhipful master, and about goof the breth
ren from this, town and its vicinity, attended the cele^
bration. The whole was conduced with that propri
ety and decency which have ever distinguished the fra
ternity.
We learn, that a privateer schooner, belonging to
New-York, which accompanied the enemy's fleet in
to the ea fiern found, is taken by the brave major D^
meck, of Falmouth. The schooner had quitted the
fleet to cruize in BoAqu bay, where (he captured two
vessels from the Weft-Indies, which were retaken by a
letter of marque. The privateer afterwards cruized off
Nantucket, of which major Dimeck being apprized'
he embarked at Falmouth in a whaleboat, with 14 men'
and landed at Nantucket, where quitting the whale
boat, he re embarked with his crew in a small wood
veffel, boarded the schooner as (he lay at ancher off
Nantucket-bar, and carried her in a few minutes with
out loss, although her crew confided of 29 men. The
captain of the privateer we hear is badly wounded.
A fluop from New York, bound to the Weft-Indie,
istaken by the Randolph privateer, and carried into
New-London.
Whereupon His Excellency was pleased to return the
0 following Answer.
To the worshipful Mayor, Aldermen and Commonalty
of the City ®f Albany.
Gentlemen,
YOUR congratulations on my arrival in this city I
I receive with pleasure and gratitude.
If, in attempting to discharge those duties which eve
ry good citizen owes to his country, I have been so
°,°" e as to mer it your approbation, and the good
wilhes and benedictions of the ancient and refpefeable
city of Albany, it will contribute not a little to mv
happiness. -
I accept the freedom of the city with thankfulnefs.
and Iliall retain a just sense of the honour done me by
G-WASHINGTON.
Albany, 27th June, 1782.
F I.S H- KI LL, July it.
"' eel ' ° n Tuesda y bis excellency general
Washington, returned to his head-quarters, atNew
°u£fh' from a visit to the frontier polls of (his slate.
The anniversary of the declaration of the indepen
dence of t^e United States of America, was celebrated
on 'hurfday tie fourth of July, by a general feu de
joye of the army Rationed on the Hudson.
By authentic accounts the enemy a^colleaing and
fortifying at Ofwego, from which place they will un
doubtedly fend pa rties to harrafs our frontiers. Their
small parties hav e done considerable damage already
WE, the mayor, Aldermen and commonalty, of the
city of Albany, beg leave to congratulate your excel
lency on your arrival in this city.
Languge is infufficient to convey our ideas of the high
fettle we entertain of your abilities and virtues. Your
great and distinguished services, have justly entitled
you to the praise, the love and the thanks of your
c °^' ry ;a ^ P oster ity w il! have reason to bless you.'
c a ° d ^ lory alwa y s attend you in the
held. May Heaven prolong your days, and bestow on
you the choicest bleffngs in this life, and a crown of
glory in the world to come.
in tefiimony of the grateful sense this board entertain
of your exalted merits, permit us to present your ex
cellency with the freedom of this cityj
Albany, 27th June, 1782.
N EW.LONDON, July 5.
Yesterday being the glorious anniversary of the birth
day of our nation, the fame was celebrated here. At
12 o'clock a salute was fired ftom fort Trumbull, fort
Griswold, from the continental frigate Alliance', and
other (hipping in the harbour ; the Alliance being beau
tifully decorated with a great variety of colours. A
numb r of officers and other gentlemen dined at fort
Griswold, where a variety of patriotic toasts were drank
on the occasion.
ALBANY, July 1.
Last Wednesday evening his excellency the illustri
ous general Washington, and his excellency the
governor of this date, with their suites, arrived in this
city ; the day following, the worfhipful mayor, aider
men and commonalty, waited on his excellency the ge
neral, and presented him the following address, together
with the freedom of the city in a gold box. °
To His Excellency George Washington, Esquire
General and Commander in Chief of the American
Army, &c,
8 I R,
NEW HAVE N, June 27.
Monday o,ght last the fort at Milford, (whose garri
son was.then but small) was robbed of a small quanti
ty of provisions, and military stores by some persons
from this fide, who went off with the booty in a boat
We hear that a few days since, four whale-boats unl
der the direction of captain Jones, having taken pof
rfeffion of two veff Is, in a harbour of Long-Island, and
were bringing off their prizes, when two of th e enemy's
armed vessels Chut them in, drove the boats on shore
and retook the vessels; it is not known bow man;
were taken prisoners ; the boats crews consisted of about
30, but five only have returned,
Monday morning last, the wife of the r ev'd. Mr. Ed
wares of this town, being riding alone in a carriage
was unfortunately drowned in a mill-pond, where it is
supposed the horse flopt to drink.
A small schooner from New. York, laden with flour
is also arrived at New London, prize to the Hancock'