The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1781-04-03 00:00:00, page 2

BOSTO N, March r$. #
Since our last arrived at a fafe port a brigantine,
and a copper botomed ship, the latter 300 tons bur
then, mounting 18 carriage guns, bound from Charles-
Town, houth-Carolina, to Jamaica : Their cargo
confided of rice, naval flores, and lumber, captured
by the ship Rhodes. Also a Coop, prize to the bri
gantine Captain.
JExtraft of a letter from a gentleman at New-Port,
dated March 7, 1.781.
" His Excellency General Washington arrived
yeflerday in the forenoon, on board the Admiral,
when general Rochambtau met him: After spending
an hour or two on board, he landed about l one o'clock
at the Long Wharf. Prior to thjs, tie troops were
turned out : The General marched through them to
Count Rochambeau's quarters; when a dinner was
provided : It would have afforded you the highest
pleasure, to have een with what Satisfaction and joy
he was noticed, by every officer and private in the
French line as he walked : After he arrived at general
Rochambeau's quarters, and before dinner the officers
of the several corps came and paid himtheir reSpeCts:
The town ran together, to devise a mode, in which
they might evidence their jo, on the occasion : To il
lunfinate the town, was the result of their meeting:
At dirk the candles were lighted. Ringing the bells,
and every demonstration of joy, marked the evening.
About ten, the General, a large number of officers
and inhabitants of the town, sapped with baron Vio
niina, and about eleven he retired to his quarters."
CHAT H A M,. (New-Jersey,) March 28.
Last Wednefdaynight a party of refugees from Sta
ten Bland, was over at Rahway, plundering and kid
napping every one they catoe across. They carried
de, we hear, near a dozen of the inhabitants Frifon
ers.-
RICHMOND, (Virginia,) March 24.
By an officer from camp near Portfmduth, we are
informed that there has been a skirmish, in which we
killed 4 men and took 7 prisoners, with the loss of
about 4 or , wounded.
Last Wednesday evening arrived in York river, the
brig Thetis, captain Saunders, from Port au Prince ;
who affirms, that all Dutch property in Jamaica was
confifcatcd.,
[From “ The ROYAL GAZETTE Extraordinary.]
." NEW - YORK, Monday, March 26, 1781.
" Last Sunday night arrived here Mr. Galgey, mid
fhipmao of his majesty's ship Royal Oak, dispatched
express by Vice Admiral Arbuthnot. The follow
ing is an account of an action fought on the 16th,
between P e Eritifn and French squadrons off the
Chefap.ak.
“ Royal Oak, Lynhaven Bay, March 2r, 1781.
" f\N Friday the i6th inflant, at fix A'. M. the
1/ Iris made the signal for difeovering five Grange
fail to the N. N. E. and soon after hailed the admiral
that they were large ships landing for the capes of
Virginia, and supposed to be distant about three miles,
the admiral immediately concluded it must be the
enemy he was in search of, and accordingly prepared
the squadron for battle, by forming the line a-head to
the wind, which was then frefh, and proceeding on
with a press of fail in the chace ; at this time Cape
Henry bore S. W; by W. distant about fourteen lea
- gues, wind at weff, the French bearing from us N. N. E.
the weather so hazy as Scarcely to be able to discern
the length of the British line ; at a quarter after eight
the wind veered to N. W. by W. which gave the ene
•my the advantage of the weather gage. About this
time several of the ships were discovered to windward
endeavouring tb form a line ; twenty-five minutes
after eight the Guadeloupe ranged up under our lee,
bringing the fame intelligence with that already given
by the Iris ; thirty five minutes after eight, the admi
ral directed the Iris by signal to make fail a-head and
keep fight of the French fleet ; the British line was by
this time compleatly formed, fleering close hauled on
the larboard tack.
" At twenty rhinutes after nine, the headmo a of the
French ships tacked as did the rest in succession, and
formed the line on the Larboard tack ; at thirty five
minutes after nine t^e wind being very fquilly, the
admiral formed the line a-head two cables length
asunder.
At a quarter after ten, the admiral made the signal
for the squadron to tack, the headmoft and weather
moft firft, and gain the wind of the enemy ; ata
quarter after eleven the headmoft of the French line
tacked, but one of them having miffed flays, the rest
wore and formed the line on the larboard tack ; at for
ty minutes after e^ven the admiral again formed his
line at a cables length asunder.
“ At twelve o'clock there being a profpe& of the
Van of the British line reaching the enemy, ,the whole
of the Br tifh line tacked by signal; at one P M. the
French squadron being also ina line a-head of eight
two deckers, bore E. by s. the British line <lofe haul
ed fieering E. S. E. Mind at N. E. At thirty minutes
' after one, the enemy being apprehenfiv^ of the danger
and inconvenience of engaging to windward from the
very high sea that was running, wore and formed their
line to leeward of the British line, at two o'clock the
British squadron wore in the line, and in a few minutes
the Robuft,which led the fleet in the mofl gallant and
officer like manner, was warmly engaged w^n the Van
of the enemy, the ships i n t e Van and Center of the
line were all engaged by half past tw>, and, by. three
the French line was brok% part of their ships began
soon alter to wear, and to form the!r line again, with
their heads to the S, E.
'At twenty minutes after three we wore, and flood
after them, but the Robust, Prudent and Europe which
from the manner of the enemy's engag ng, had bore
the brunt of the action, were so entirely d,fabled as to
be incapable of pursuit, and of Securing the trophies of
the victory they had already gened.
“ At ha f after 4, a thick so; which arofc, intercept
ed the tight of the enemy from our view, the Medea
©med us, soon after which we were directed to pro
ceed and observe the rout of the enemy, while the
British squadron proceeded to the Chefa peak, in t e
hope of intercepting them, Ihouldthey attempt to get
in there.
“ At seven o'clock we brought to, to put the difa
'bled ships in a situation to execute these intentions.
" Next morniilg we made fail, arid the fame even
ing the whole squadron anchored in Lynhaven Bay.
''The objects of the enemy were directed against
brigadier general Arnold in Virginia; they had 2000
troops on board for the purpose. They were then to
march in a body, to aft in co-operation with the re
bels against lord Cornwallis in North Carolina. La
Fayette bassoon continentals to cross from Annapo
lis, which are blocked up there by his majedy's ffiips
Hope and general Monk. The rebel general Nelson
is at Williamiburgh with 2000 of the militia ; their
whole plan is now totally difconcerted'• we have ever
since the aßion worked day and night in repairingour
damaged fllips, which will be finifhed this evening,
and we fail in the morning in pursuit of the French
fleet; all our frigates are out reconnoitering
" General Arnold and colonel Simcoe came down by
land, and have been on board to fee the admiral, they
are in great spirits, and confider themselves in perfect
security againfl all the rebel force that can be brought
against them.
" Return of the killed and wounded. 1 lieutenant
2 midshipmen, and 40 seamen, killed, and about 80
wounded in all."
“ NEW - YOR K, March ro.
" On Wednesday last arrived in our offing, a fleet
of about 16 fail from South Carolina, under convoy
of one of his majesty's ships of war; only one of
this fleet, viz. the Profperity^ captain Cafle, is ar
rived in town. Three days previous to their failing,
a fleet Did to consist of 33 fail of vessels, with a fine
body of troops, a large train of the royal artillery,
florefhips, victuallers and merchant vessels arrived at
that port from Corke.. They failed under convoy of
his majefly's ship Assurance, captain Cumming, and
the Ranger frigate, but the latter was difmafled, and
returned to refit at Corke..
“ March 21. The last accounts from Canada in
form us, thata body of rebels, from 450 to 500, ha
ving marched from the Illinois with a cefign of attack
ing the British pofTat le Detroit, (in.which they were
favoured by a number of the difaffe<'led in that settle
ment, who had concealed 500 Rand of arms to affifl
them in the defeent) were intercepted by a body of
troops militia and Indians,, and every man of them
put to death, Their detected confederates at Detroit
were lent down under guard to Montreal."'
“ CHARLES TOWN,.(South-Carolina,) March 6.
' On Toefday and Wednesday lafl, the following
German troops landed here, viz. captains Ruff and
Weiss, with recruits from the duke of Brunswick;
captain Thoma, with recruits from Hesse Hanau; firft
lieutenant Yariz, with recruits from Anhalt Zerbft ;
all which recruits, together with three Hessian regi
ments, De Eofe, De Huyn, and Ditfurth, under the
command of the general of his serene highriefs De
Bose, are to do duty in this place till further orders."
" Extract of a letter from Basseterre, St. Chriftophers,
dated the ,30th! of January, 1781.
“ Our fleet arrived from Lindon on the 27th ipflant.
The convoy was 8 fail of the line and two frigates,
which have joined admiral Rodney, whefe fleet now
consists of 22 fail of the line, 48 of them coppered, and
10 frigates. The following is their difpolition ; 7 fail
of the line under fir Samuel Hood, block up Port Roy
al, in Martinique, where the French have 4 line of
battle ships, 2 fifty gun ships and one of 46; the other
15 fail are with fir George Rodney, having on board
3000 troops,the object of whose deftenation i< perfect
ly secret. The frigates are < ifperfed amongst the
island."
BASSETERRE (St. Chriflo,ers) Jan 4.
On Tuesday last Arrived here the following privateer
ships, Stag, captain John Cary ; Regulator, captain
Jales/Walcotj and Mercury, captain Crai.. The,
fell in with ten fail of vessels from Gaudaloupe for St.
Thomas's, convoyed by a Danish frigate, Bornholm,
0f.36 guns and 200 men.; the flruck to the privateers
after firing four guns; th^y permitted the frigate to
depart, but conveyed the ten yeffefs which were under
her convoy fafe to an anchor in this road.
The following are names of the vessels brought in by
the above privateers; brig Thomas, captain Wenny
man ; brig Christiana, Henßon ; br,ig Eagle, Dowdall;
sloop Nancy, Watlington ; (loop Marville, Weftcott ;
sloop , Johnson ; schooner Jenny, Elwood ; fchoo--
ner Ranger, Pennell; fehooner La Christiana, Andrea
Arara ; schooner Amelia Christiana, captain .
All the above vessels are loaded wi<h French sugar,
coffee add cotton; they will, it is said, fe condemned.
Philadelphia, April 3.
By a letter received from the marquis de la Fayette,
dated Williamsburg the 25th ult. we earn thatadmi
ral Arbuthnot with the British fleet, which had re
paired their damage, landed their wounded, and being
joined by the Charon and two frigates from Chefa
peak, put to sea early on the morning of the 24th ; and
at eleven o'clock the fame day, a very severe cannon
ade, whioh lasted three hours, was heard very diHinß
ly on fhore.'
Captain M'Lane, in coming up Chefa peak - b^y, fell
in with the noted refugee plunderers, Cavin, (hom
fon and Downe, on boarda prize schooner. He 'imme
diately boarded them, when the word bayonet so terri
fied those daring pirates, that they furreudered with
out refinance. Captain M'Lame carried them into
Rappahannock, and delivered them to the perlons
whom tl>ey have for some time been plundering. The
vessel and cargo of tobacco was returned 10 toe origi
nal owners.
Agreeable to a resolution c< Congress, the drawing
of the Fourth Class of the United States Lottery com
menced yeßtrday at the Office in Front fireet.
Intelligence from the Southward.
Head Quarters, Iron-Works, North-
Carolina, March' 10., 1781.
SI R,
SINCE I had the honour of addressing your excel
lency last, there have been some changes in our
circumflances. On the second, Li6ut. Col. Lee, with
a detachment of riflemen, attacked, the advanced of the
British army, under col. Tarleton, near Allamance,
and killed and wounded, by report, about thirty of
them. On the 6th the British moved down towards
High Rock, either with a view to intercept our stores,
or<ut off the light infantry from the main body of the
army, then advanced near seven miles; but they were
handfom^ly opposed, and.fuffered considerably without
effeßing any thing.
Tois manoeuvre occasioned me to retire over the Haw
river, and move down the north fide of it, with a view
to secure our stores coming to the army, and to form
a junaion with feveral' confiderab'e reinforcements of
Carolina and Virginia militia, and one regiment of
Virginia - eighteen months me% on the march from
Hillfborough to High rock. I effe^ed this business,
and retired towards Guilford courthouse-
Our militia had been upon such a loose and uncer
tain footing ever since we crossed the Dan, that I could
attempt nothing with confidence, though we kept
with n ten or twelve mile^ of the enemy for several
days. The enemy kept close, feemiugly determined
that we should gain no advantage of them without
rifquing something of consequence.
I have the honor to be, with great refpe&
and esteem, your mod obedient humble
servant, NATHANIEL GREENE.
His Excellency General Wethington..
Camp, at the Iron-Works, ten miles from
Guilford Court-House, March 16, 1781.
sr R,
ON the tenth, T wrote to his excellency general
Washington, from the High-Rock ford on the
Haw river, a copy of which I enclosed your excel
lency, that I hao effeHed a junction with a continental
regiment of eighteen months men, and two considera
ble b d es of militia, belonging to Virginia and North-
Carolina. After this junction, I took the resolution
of attacking the emmy, without loss of time, and
made the necefftry disposition accordingly ; being per
suaded that if we were fucceffful, it would prove ruin
ous to the enemy, and if otherwise, it would only
prove a partial evil to us.
The Army marched from the High-Rock ford on
the 72th, and on the 14th arrived at Guilford. The
I enemy lay at the Quaker netting house on Deep river,
eight miles from our camp. On the morning of the
15th, our reconnoitering parties reported the enemy
advancing bn the great Salisbury road. The army
was drawn up in three, lines; the front line was com
posed of the North-Carolina nNitia, under the com
mand of generals Butler arad Baton; the second fine of
Virginia militia, commanded by generals Stevens and
. Lawson, forming two brigades ; the third line, con
fiding of two brigades, one of Virginia, and one of
I Maryland continental troops, commanded by general
I Huger and colonel Willi^mL L : eut nant colonel
Washington, with the Dragoons of the firft add third
regiments, a detachment of light infantry, composed
of continental troops, and a regiment of rifle men un
der colonel Lynch, formed a corps of observation for
rhe security of our r ght flank. Lieutenant colonel
Lee, with his legion, a detachment of light inf ntry,
and a corps of riflemen under colonel Campbell, form
ed a coms of observation for die security of our left
flank.
The greater part of this country is a wild'ernefs, with
a few cleared fields interspersed here and there. The.
army was drawn up upon a large hi 1 of ground, sur
rounded by other hills, the greater part of which was
covered with timb+rand thick underbrush. The front
line was posted with two field pieces just on the edgeof
the woods, and the back of a fence which ran parallel
with the line, with an open field dire&ly in their front.
The second line was in the woods, about three hun
dred yards in rhe rear of the fird, and the Continental
troops about three hundred yards in the rear of the
second with a double front, as the hill drew to a point
where they were polled; and on the right and left were
two old fields. In this position we waited the approach
of the enemy, having previously sent off the baggage
to this place appointed to rendezvous at, in case of a
defat. Lieutenant colonel Lee with his legion, his in
fantry, @nd part of his riflemen, met the enemy on their
advance, and had a very severe skirmish with lieuten
ant colonel Tarleton, in which the enemy fuffered great
ly. Captain Armfirong charged the British legion, and
cut down near thirty of their dragoons ; but, as the ene
my reinforced their advanced party, lieut. col. Lee was
obliged to retire, and take his position in the line-
The a€tion commenced by a cannonade which failed
about twenty minutes, when the enemy advanced in
three columns ; the Hessians on the right, the guards ia
in th=centre, and lieutenant colonel Webfiei's brigade
on the left. The whole moved through the old fields to
attack the North Carolina brigades, who waited the at
tack until theenemy got within about one hundred and
forty yards, when p rt of them began to fire, but a con
siderable part left the ground without firing at all. Tie
Renerals and field officers did all they could to indue
the men to hand their ground; but neither the advan
tages of the position por any other confederation could
induce them to flay. General Stevens and general
Lawson, and the field officers of those brigades, were
more fuccefsful in their exert ons - The Virginia mi
litia gave the enemy a warm reception, and kept up a
heavy fire for a long time but bFing beat back, re
a&ion became general almost every where. The Corps
of observation under Washington and Lee were warmly
engaged, and did great exec tion. In a word, the con
flift was long and severe, and the enemy only gained
their point by fnperior discipline
They having broken the second Maryland regiment,
and turned our left flank, got in 0 the rear of the Vir
ginia brigade, and appearing to be gaining our right.