The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1780-12-12 00:00:00, page 2

HAGU E, J^ ~
n^ E hear that there is no more talk of the holding of
Vv a Congress here ; her majesty the empress of Rufha
having fignitied h*r detire to have the conference held at
Peterfb irgh, the S^es General have in confequence* ap
pointed, on the propofol of the prince Sudrholuer,
M,ff. de Waffonaar de Surrenbugh, and de keeker n
de Brantzenbui gh, deputies to the affemhiy of th ir
High Mightiness, from the , o.m.es of Holl nd sol
Weft-Frifeland an- 1 of Utrecht, miners plenipotenti
aries to goto Pete? (burgh, in oder tYrflift at the c n
ferences to be held there for th# protest.<n of neutral
commerce.',
Parts Aug. a. A number of troops are daily match
ing towards Normandy nd Bretagne : and it is Ltd
that camps will be formed next month near the coaks
of those provinces. .
Ratifbon, Sept. 17. On Wednesday morning last a
fire broke out at Straubing in Lower Bavaria, which 111
less than 14 hours consumed 2 large churches, oi]econ
vent two or three public edifices, and upwards of 180
private^ making in all fry half the town.
The damage is estimated at upwards of 500,0001.
Madrid, Sept. >i. It is said here that the Emperor
of Morocco has permitted the Spaniards to attack En
glish vessels under the cannon of his forts, and to pur
sue them on his coasts. t
We have accounts from Cadiz, that the combined
fleet entered that port the 29th of last month; and
that the English troops, who were prisoners on board,
will be landed ar St. Maria, where al the other prison
ers and passengers are, and from whence they will be
sent to Cordona. .
Stockholm, Sept. x 9. The following is the Jubilance
of the report of captain Harald Chriftprin, of the
Black Eagle, a Swedilh frigate, which has appeared m
the public papers, dated Spithead July 2 9 , viz.
“ That having failed from Helfingor, as convoy to
the merchantmen confided to his care, he perceived on
the 16th of July, at noon, off the Start, in the Eng
lilh channel, two armed vessels bearing do^n on the
convoy . upon which he ordered all the vessels to keep
as near him as possible, and prepared for battle. A
bout two o'clock he saw one of the armed vessels,
which hoisted English colours, sent out her boat to a
vessel which did not belong to his convoy, but hoiked
Swedish colours: upon which captain Harald hoiked
his colours, and fired one gun, which the armed ves
sel did not mind, but boarded the above vessel, who
flruck her colours; that he then thought he ought to
repel force by force, and accordingly fired 22 times
with 12 pounders at the privateer, whom he obliged
to leave the vessel, anl upon returning to his convoy
he found the other armed vessel had dared to fend out
a boat towards two of his convoy, but after firing ma
ny shot at her, he obliged her to sheer off; that after
this he brought the vessels under his care fafe to their
donations, but that a long passage and contrary
winds obliged him to put into Spithead, to refrefh his
people, and take in necessaries, &c. and that he had
been treated in that port with every attention due to
a commander of a Swedish ship of war."
Paris, Sept. 29. M. de la Touche Treville, who has
been for some days here and at Versailles, is to be rea
dy to fail by the 10th of October with his squadron.
We have accounts from Brest, that 60 merchantmen
failed from that port, under convoy of one man of
war, and that the copper bottomed fllips are all in the
road o , , . . ,
As the war continues longer than was imagined it
would in 1777, the king has published an ordinance
with the regulations relative to all batteries, corps of
observation, and Signals established on the coasts, &c.
LONDO N, ORober 11.
Saturday private advices were brought to town from
France, and immediately sent to the king at Windsor.
We learn that they contain the particulars of the in.
tended military and naval r inforcement going to Ame
rica, and that instead of 8 fail of the line and 7000 men,
12 fail of the line and 10,000 choice troops are ordered
on that fervcie.
Government have received dispatches from general
Vaughan, dated at St. Leria, with accounts that the
army is in the mod lamentable situation from sickness,
nearly one half of the nominal troops being, at this
time, totally disabled. What is very singular, he
mentions that the 98th regiment in particular has fuf
fered so much from the prevailing contagion, that
there is not one man in it capable of bearing arms.
Extract of a letter from Amsterdam, Sept. 30.
On the 25th a Congress brig, mounting 18 guns,
arrived from America in the Texel, and immediately
landed two gentlemen, who, it appears, are going to
Copenhagen, as resident and secretary from the Con
gress ; their names were Brown and Williams, and
they were to set off from this city, on their journey
to Denmark, to-morrow.
p Dispatches of great consequence are said to have ar
rived yesterday from the continent, supposed to be an
official confirmation of the Queen of Portugal's acced
ing not only to the armed neutra'ity, but to an alli
ance with the house of Bourbon; in coßeguence of
which, a meeting of all the great officers of state was
held last night at lord Hillfborough's office, the parti
culars of which have not yet transpired.
The commitment of Mr. Laurens to the Tower of
London, by the three secretaries of state, 011 Friday
last, runs thus:
These are in his majesty's name to authorife you to
receive into your custody the person of Henry Laurens,
efq ; sent herewith on suspicion of high treason, whom
you are to keep fafe until he shall be delivered by due
course of law: for so doing this is your warrant.
Dated at Whitehall, the 6th day of OHober, 1780.
STORMONT,
HILLSBOROUGH,
G. GERMAIN.
To Charles Earl Cornwallis,
Constable of the Tower of
London, or his deputy.
A great fire broke out on the 16th of Auguf llaft,
at Salonica, in the Levant, which burnt down above
fix hundred houses, the greatest part of which belong
ed to Jews, who have thereby loft all they possessed in
hat city.
The grind fleet are not to fail From Torbay, JHitil
the fleet tor America^re ready to fail, which are ex
peded the firft fair wind.„
Tre outward-bound ships, which escaped being ta
ken on the 9th of August, were underwrote last night
at forty guineas per cent.„
Extract of a letter from Paris, September 26.
“ The prince de Montabarmy, mini fter and frere
tary of date for the war department, has sent circu
lar letters to the commanders of all the French and fo
reign regiments of infantry, acquainting them, that it
is the King's intention that the different Corps which
the war has required to be sent to America, fhdl be
compleated : and that to this effed, each regiment
shall furnifh a detachment, confining of twoferjeants,
three corporals, and feventy-five soldiers, excepting
only such regiments as have already furnished detach
ments for the service of his majesty's navy, and which
are now only to furnith a proportionate number of men.
Te minister recommends to prefer such men as fhail
offer voluntarily, declaring unto them, that they are
to be incorporated into the regiments of land troops
actually serving in America: and he furt^ er observes,
that these detachments should only consist of men from
the age of ißto 30, or such as have been at sea, though
they should happen to be older ; but that if a (effici
ent number should not offer voluntarily his majefly's
will and pleasure was notwithfthnding to be execute!.
“ Our 'letters from Brest mention, that the work
men in that port are busily employed in (h^athing with
copper all the fllips that are defined for North Ame
rici, under the command of mo fieur de la Touche
Treville. The second division of the army, under the
command of count de Rochambeau, which is to em
bark on board the said squadron, consists of the regi
ments of Auvergne, Meuftri, Rouergne, and Anhalt,
commanded by their colon: Is the vifeount de Laval,
count de Guibert, vifeount de Guftine, aud the count
de Wirgenftein."
Dublin, Odo. 17. It is feared the severities exer
cised by lord Cornwallis on the tela,fed Americans,
will be attended with very ill conferences by expo
sing any of the Ameri< an refugees who may be so un
happy as to fall into the panels of ther countrymen to
alike fate, and thus open a feene of blood, too horrid
to refle& on.
St. JOHN'S in ANTIGUA, Nov. 8, 178?
His Majesty's ships Andromeda and Laurel, of 28
guns each, the Beaver's priz of 16, and the En ymion
are loft, the two former under T inity rocks Martini
que. The Egmont of 74 guns, Blanch of 36, Deal
Castle of 24, and Camelion of 16, miffing.
P R-O V IDEN C E, November 15.
Friday last the duke de Laufun's legion arrived here
from Newport, and on Sunday proceeded for Lebanon,
in Connecticut. They are an excellent body of troops,
and make a very martial appearance.
NORWIC H, November 14.
Extract of a letter from a gentleman at Cape Francois,
to his friend in this town, dated October 9, 1780.
“ The English frigate Unicorn, that has harraffed
the American coast so much, was some time since ta
ken and brought in here by the French frigate Landre
marque ; and a privateer brig from Jamaica, mounting
12 guns.
“ A few days after the capture of these vessels, the
French King's sloop called the Cutter, mounting 18
fix pounders, sent in two brigs from Jamaica, one
mounting 14, th^other 16 guns."
TRENTO N,, December 6.
Extract of a letter from a gentleman in St. Croix, da
ted Oft. 12, 1780, to his friend in this town.
" A Liverpool man last week was obliged to pay two
thousand one hundred and eighty-nine peices of eight
for firing at two Americans under the guns of the fort,
where he chafed them—a good round sum! He really
caught a Scotch prize—A very good refrefhment for
Captain Levenberg. Unfortunately for the British ves
sel, it was calm, so that flie could not get away from
the fort."
Philadelphia, Dec. 12.
Last Saturday captain Durham, in a schooner, arri
ved here in 18 days from Cape Francois. Letters recei
ved by her contain the following accounts, concerning
the hurricane which has been so severely felt in the
islands, viz. “ Cape Francois, October 29, 1780.
“ We learn that, besides the hurricane, they have had
at Jamaica an earthquake and an irruption of a vol
cano. The town of Savannah la Marr is totally de
stroyed, excepting only one house: Many other towns
and villages have met a fimiliar fate The town of
Kingston only has escaped with little damage. Several
vessels were loft in Port Royal, one of which was a
privateer of 22 guns, which was ready to have pro
ceeded on her cruize. The English have also fuffered
other losses, no less considerable. Two of their ships,
one of 74 and the other of 64 guns, were wrecked upon
the Golden Keys, and the whole crews perifh^d, ex
cepting five men, who were saved by a Spanish goelet
te: one of their frigates and a privateer run ashore on
the Ifie of Cuba ; some of their crews were saved by the
Spaniards.
“ There has been also an infurreftion of the negroes
at Jamaica: The governor was obliged to marcit a re
giment to reduce them to order; such is the unhappy
situation of that iffand. Our islands and those of the
Spaniards fuffered equally by the hurricane. Thelof
fes cannot be made up for a long time, and efpeciaily
as the diffractions of war will not admit of such reci
procal relief as would tend considerably to foften the
calamities.
" The squadron commanded by M. de Monteuil;
which had been driven by the hurricane into Porto-
Rico, is now on a cruize, in search of unfortunate ves
sels as may need assistance: He has already preserved
the crews of 5 vessels from Martinique, which were loft
on the coast of Porto-Rico, and were part of a convoy
of 54 fail from Europe. 7 others of this convoy are
arrived at the Cape, ip the most difireffed situation ; the
>ate of the others is not yet known."
In CONGRE S S, December 6th, r7Bo b
.WHILE Congress are sensible of the patriotism, cou
rage and perseverance of the officers and privates of
their regular forces, as well as of the militia through
out these United States, and of the military conduct
of the principal commanders in both ; it gives them
pleasure to be so frequently called upon to confer mark*
of diftiniion and applause for enterprizes which do
honour to the profeffion of arms, and claim a high rank
amone military atchievements: in this light they view
the enterprise againd fort St. George on Long-Bland,
planned, and conducted with wifdem and great gallan
try, by major Tallmadge, of the light dragoons, and
executed with intrepidity and comp eat success by the
officers and foldi rs ot his detachment :
Ordered, therefore, That major Tallmadge's report
to the commander in chief be published, with the pre
ceeding minute, as a tribute to distinguished merit, and
in testimony of the sense Congress entertain of this
brilliant service. Extras from the mmutes,
CHARLES THOMSON, secretary.
SIR, Fairfield, November 25, 1780.
Thad the honour to receive your excellency's orders
, of the nth instant. On the 16th following, in obedi
ence to which, a detachment of colonel Sheldon's dis
mounted dragoons under the command of captain Ed
gar, were ordered to march the next day to Fairfield,
to which place I directed a number of boats to repair.
The troops arrived in the vicinity of Fairfield on the
evening of the 18th, at which place, by reason of a ve
ry severe storm, we were detained till the 21st inflant;
on the evening of which, at four o'clock, I embarked
the troops in eight boats : the whole, in number, inclu
ding the crews, amounted to about eighty men. With
a favourable wind we lanled fafely on Long-Bland,
at a place called the Old Man's about eight o'clock the
fame evening. After leaving about twenty men with
the boats in charge of captain Sutton, we began our
march to put your excellency's orders in execution:
but a very severe storm Coming on, however it might
have favoured an attack on the Fort, obliged me to
postpone it, as I was well aware that attention muff be
paid as well to a favourable time for re-crossing the
found (w ich is at this place more than 20 miles wide)
as to attacking the Fort. I accordingly concealed the
troops till the evening of the 22d, when, at seven o'clock,
we began our march across Long-Bland, and, at three
o'clock the next morning, were within two miles of
Fort St. George at South-Haven. By the most ac
curate information I found that the Fort and other
works had been intirely com pleated but a few days
before, and that the ,arrifon consisted of about fifty
men. It may be neo ffary here to observe, that the
works of Fort" St. George confined of two large strong
houses, and a Fort about 00 feet square, connected to
gether by a very strong stockade or line of sharpened
pickets 12 feet long: trie whole forming a triangle,
the Fort and houses standing in the angles. The Fort
confided of a high wall and deep ditch, incircled with
a strong abattis, having but one gate a sally-port,
which led directly into the grand parade within th^
pickets. This Fort had embrasures for fix guns, tho'
but two were mounted: the houses were strongly bar
ricaded. From this description I found it necessary,
final! as my detachment was, to make tiree different
attacks at the fame time. I accordingly detached lieu
tenant Jackson with 16 men, with orders to advance
as nigh the Fort as he could, undiscovered, and there
to halt till the alarm was given by the advance of the
detachment under my immediate command. The van
of this detachment, who carried axes to beat down
obffruftions, was led by lieutenant Brewfler, dire&ly
against the new house, while the remainder, with cap
tain Edgar and myfelf at their head, followed close af
ter. Another final! division was directed to file off and
surround the other house; Mr. Simmons bringing up
the rear, with directions to halt where the breach might
be made, to prevent the garrison from escaping. Thus
prepared, the troops were put in motion precisely at
four o'clock, and, contrary to my expectations, the
pioneers advanced within twenty yards of the works
b< fore they were difeovered. The centinel firing, the
different detachments immediately rushed on, and pas
sing all obftruCtions met at the fame infant in the cen
tre of the Fort, where the watch word was given from
all quarters at the fame tirx The guard in the Fort
was secured but the two houses contained the main
Ijody of the garrison, who began to fire from the win
dows. I immediately ordered the troops to enter the
houses, the doors of which, tho' strongly bolted and
barred, were soon burst open, and in less than ten mi
nutes the whole garrison were our prisoners.
Being informed that a vessel lay within view of the
Fort, loaded with fiores, rum, wine, sugar, glass,
&c. I detached a party who boarded and took her.
Thus matters of the whole, my firft object was to de
mclifh, as much as possible, their works, ^c. We ac
cordingly set fire to the final! garrison, buildings, stoc
kade and abattis, confumingat the fame time the pub-,
lie flores that could be collefted, including a conside
rable quantity of ammunition and arms, which the
troops so much fatigued, and having to long a march
to make back, ecu!' not carry. We remained at the
Fort from four to eight o'c'o'k in the morning, when
having destroyed as much of it as possible, we began
our march b:ck. The vessel being aground was
burnt.
I have dishonour to incTofe your excellency a return
of the prisoners• .the arms and other public fiores to
a considerable amount were, as I before mentioned,
chiefly destroyed. The Soldiers brought off a few arti
cles of eloathing and other things, winch tho' fmad,
(as we endeavoured to keep them as light as possible
tnat they might not fail on their march) I truftyour
excellency will permit to be distributed among them-
I feel peculiarly happy that I can inform your ex
cellency, that we had not a man killed in this enter
prize, and but one wounded: him we brought off.
The enemy's loss was seven killed and wounded, most
of the latter, mortally. The furprize was so com
plect, that before they could rally they were all priso
ners.
On our return, I mounted ten men on the horses ta
ken at the Fort, and, while captain Edgar marched
the detachment and prisoners across the inland, I filed
off, with lieutenant Brewfler, to Coram, and set fire
to the whole magazine of the king's forage at that