Dunlap's Pennsylvania packet , The general advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-08-05 00:00:00, page 2

rORTSMOUTH, (Nm-Hampfoire) July 2®.
^P HE day before yesterday (pursuant to an order
£ from the Great and General Court of this state)
the Independent Company under Col. Sherburne, and
the Light-Infantry Company under Cel. Langdon,
were drawn up on the parade, in their uniforms, when
the Declaration of Independence from the Grand Con
tinental Congress was read, in the hearing of a nume
rous and relp&ble audience; the pleating countenan
ces of the macy patriots present spoke a hearty con
currence in this interesting measure, which was confir
med by three huzzas, and all conducted in peace and
good order. A'
An express passed through this town last Thursday,
who brought an account that Capt. Mowat in the Can
ceaux, had taken all the fifliing-boats that lay within
his reach, to the number of 20 fail, at the eastward
of Cafco Bay, arid is supposed to have Carried them
into Halifax.
Last Wednesday set out on their march for our Nor
thern army, the firft company of the firft battalion of
New Hampshire forces, commanded By Capt. James
Arnold, late of Boston, consisting of above one hun
dred stout, adive, enterprizing Volunteers, who have
ail engaged in the service, and marched off with great
spirit and good order within the short space of ten days;
such is the ardor, such the resolution of Freemen
to support a cause in which their all is interested.
BOSTON,^ 25.
Thursday last, pursuant to an order of the Honor
able Council, was proclaimed from the Balcony of the
State-House in this town, the Declaration of the Ame
rican Congress, ablolving the United Colonies from
their allegiance to the British Crown, and declaring
them Free and Independent States. There were pre
sent ea the occasion, in the Council Chamber, the
Committee of Council, a number of the Honorable.
Henle of Representatives, the Magistrates, Ministers,
Seledmen, and other Gentlemen of Boston and the
neighbouring towns; also the commission officers of the
Continental Regiments Rationed here, and other offi
cers. Two of those regiments were under arms iq
King-street, formed into three lines en the north fide of
the street, and in thirteen divisions; and a detachment
from the Massachusetts Regiment of Artillery, with 2
pieces of cannon, was on their right wing. At one
o'clock the Declaration was proclaimed by Colonel
1 homas Crafts, which was received with great joy,
expressed by three huzzas from a great concourse of
people afiembled on the occasion. After which, on a
sig n al given, thirteen pieces of cannon were fired from
the fort on Fort-hill, the forts at Dot chefter-Neck, the
Cattle, Nantafket, and Point Alderton, likewise dis
charged their cannon: Then the detachment of Artil
lery fired their cannon thirteen times, which was fol
lowed by the two regiments giving their fire from the
thirteen divisions in fucceflion. These fires corresponded
to the number ®f the American States United. The
ceremony was closed with a proper collation to the
Gentlemen in the Council Chamber; during which the
following toast were given by the President of the
Council, and heartily pledged by the Company, viz.
Properity andperpetuity to the United States of America.
The American Congress.
The General Court of the State of Maffacbufetts-Bay.
General WASHINGTON, and success to the
Arms of the United States.
The downfall of tyrants and tyranny.
The univerjal prevalence of civil and religious liberty.
The friend's of the United States in all quarters of the
gl^e. . ~•
'I he bells in town were rung on the occasion, and
undiffembled feftivity cheered and brightened every face.
On the fame evening the King's arms, rind every
sign with any resemblance of it, whether lion and crown,
pestle and mortar and crown, heart and crown, &c.
together with every sign that belonged to a tory was
taken down, and the latter made a general conflagra
tion of in Kiag-ftreet.
Last Sunday arrived here, in a schooner in 26 days
from Maninico, Capt. Silviere, with wine, rum, su
gar, molasses, coffee, &c.
LaftSunday a ship 06200 tons burthen, commanded
by James Arnout, was sent into this harbour by Com
modore Hopkins in the George ship of war, taken in
Nantafket Road. She had on board 1600 barrels of
pork, 400 firkins of butter, some oatmeal, &c. &c.
Tuesday evening came to town from Halifax, Lieut.
Scott, who was unfortunately taken prisoner in the
battle of Bunker's Hill, the 17th of June, 1775. He
made his escape by breaking through the goal in which
he was confined, as did also about fourteen others;
among whom, are Captain Martindale and his two Lieu
tenants. Mr. James Carpenter, with five others who
had made their escape also, and got as far as Windsor,
45 miles from Halifax, were pursued by a large body
of men, overtaken, carried back and loaded with irons.
S ALE M, July 23.
Friday last arrived here Capt. Fisk in the privateer
Hoop called the Tirannicide, in the service of this
State, mounting fourteen carriage guns and two swi
vels, having been out about twelve days on a cruize.
He on the 12th inst. in lat. 40, 23, fell in with.the
armed schooner Dispatch, one Gutteridge, Command
er, mounting eight carriage guns and ten swivels, hav-
ing 32 men in the service of the King of England,
when a warm, obstinate, and well-disputed engagement
ensued, and which lasted upwards of an hour, when
the schooner struck to Capt. Fisk, which he fafely
brought in with him, having in the engagement loft
her Captain and one man killed, the matter and four
of her sailors wounded, and a midshipman who was
passenger on board, hound in the schooner to New-
York. Capt. Fisk had one man killed and three
wounded, one of which is since dead of his wounds,
the other; two likely to recover. The fix wounded
men belonging to the schooner are likely to recover.
The schooner has on board betides her guns and pro
visions, seventeen half barrels of powder.
Sunday last was sent in here by Capt. Lander in a
Letter of Marque schooner belonging to this place, a
Hoop from the Weft-Indies, bound to Halifax, laden
with fait; she has on board some brass blunderbusses,
and a quantity of English goods; was taken about a
fortnight ago.
About the fame time was taken by the above Letter
of Marque, a ship from Jamaica, bound to London,
laden with 393 hogsheads of sugar, 144 hogsheads of
rum, 24 pipes of wine, 26 pieces of cannon, from 9
to 4 pounders, and 15 tortoise : this ship is thought to
be worth between twenty and thirty thoufaad pounds
sterling. She is not yet arrived here.
Yesterday the officers and privates belonging to the
Alarm and Training band mustered on the Common in
this place, for the purpose of inlifting or draughting
every twenty-fifth man, agreeable to an order from the
General Assembly of this State, when a Committee
was chofea to cirry laid order iato execution.—A
number of commissions were read.
HARTFO R D, July 29..
The following is a true state of the situation of the
Northern Army, with refped to the small-pox, given
us by a gentleman sent by the Governor and Council
of this colony to make enquiry into the state of said
army, viz.
" All infested with said disorder are removed io
Fort George—the main body of the army are at Ti
conderoga, at which place a stand is to be made. The
greatest care is taken to prevent the farther spreading
of that fatal disorder, as the Generals have taken eve
ry precaution necefThry, and have left no infested per
son with the main body, which, together with the
Rations assigned for the two battalions now railed in
this colony for the northern army, viz at Skeenfbo
rough and the east fide of Ticonderoga, will effe&ual
'y render the campaign fafe as to the above disorder."
N. B. The health of the army is much recruiting.
Provisions are now plenty, both frefh and hilt.
N E W-YO R K, Augujh.
On Monday last five of the men of war's boats en
deavoured to land on Tappan meadows, where about
15 inhabitants of the neighbourhood concealed them
selves in a fifhing hut, on the edge of the meadows,
which they had barricaded up, and lay there until
three of the boats were within shot of them, when
they fired, loaded again, and fired eleven rounds, with
out the loss of a man on our fide. They killed seve
ral of the enemy, as they heard a great shrieking and
crying amongst them.
Extrafl of a letter from Fort Montgomery, dated
. ,^? 3 ' 177 ‘
" The ships of war in the North-River, are now
at Haverftraw. 'Tis evident their designs are fruftrated,
not expecting we were so well prepared to receive
them. They are well watched on both tides of the
river. Capt. Wallace, with 30 men landed and set fire
to Capt. Lilly's house: Tho the house was owned by
a great Tory, we find the British aft of Parliament
makes no provision to distinguish such from the Free
men of America. At this post we have 1000 men,
and 700 at Fort Constitution, well equipt; several
thousands are at Peek's Kill and the opposite fide of
the river. I came here yesterday at the request of
General Clinton. Should the ships fattempt to pass,
it muft.be through much fire and. fmoak. Last Thurs
day a man made his escape from on board the Rose.
by swimming. He is well known here by officers and
men from Boston, in the train. He was taken last
summer by the Rose, in going to the Weft Indies.
He fays, they expe&ed to be joined by several hun
dred Tories, who were to drive down to them flock
of all forts ; they had been informed that great quan
tities of goods were deposited in the stores at Peek's
Kill, that they were to destroy, after which they were
to proceed through the Highlands to Poughkeepsie,
and burn our ships of war there: That they were
much chagrined at the difappointment,—they had on
board 120 men and boys, and 20 marines: That the
most damage they received was in palling the batteries
at Powles Hook and the blue Bell—the cook of the
fliip had a leg (hot off, some others wounded, a twelve
pounder lodged in the head of their foremaft, one
came through her quarter gallery into .the cabbin,
and that her shrouds and rigging fuffered much.
The Pheenix's damage he could not tell,, only that file
had received a shot in her bowsprit. What he saw he
declared. As he was a prisoner, 'tis not likely they
would let him know their disasters."
We have now, in nnd near this city, a body of fifty
thousand effective men.
STATE of Rhode-Island and Providence
Plantations.
In GENERAL ASSEMBLY, >/, Seffon, 1776.
WHERE AS the General Congress of the Uni
ted States of America, by their Resolution of
the 4th instant, after enumerating many of the vari
ous Ads by which George the Third, King ofGreat-
Britain, hath demonstrated his intention to eftabriia
awabfolute Tyranny over the said States, have decla
red that 66 A Prince, whole Charter is thus marked
« by every ad which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to
%bethe Ruler of a free People ;" and have further
declared that the said States “ are, and of right ought
" to be, Free and Independent States ; that they are
“ absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown;
" and that all political connexion between them and
" the State of Great Britain is, and ought te be tot&l
---“ ly dissolved :" Which said Resolution hath been ap
proved and solemnly published by Order, and in pre
sence of this General Assembly: It is therefore feted
aud Refolded, That, if any person within this State
shall, under pretence of preaching or praying, or ia
any other way and manner whatever, acknowledge or
declare the said King to be our rightful Lord and So
vereign, or shall pray for the Success of his Arms, or
that hh may vanquish and overcome all his enemies,
shall be deemed guilty cf a high Misdemeanor, and
shall therefore be presented, by the Grand Jury of lire
County where the Offence shall be committed, to the
Superior Court of the fame County; and upon Con
vi&icn thereof shall forfeit and pay, as a Fine, to and
for the use of this State, the sum of ONE HUN
DRED POUNDS lawful money, and pay all Cells
of Prosecution ; and shall stand committed to Gaol
until the fame be fatisfied: And that a copy of this
Aft be inferred in the Newport and Providence News-
Papers. A true Copy.
Witness. HENRY WARD, Secretary.
B ALTI MVR^,; %/, 30.
Yesterday, by order of the Committee of this town,
the declaration of Independency of the United Spates
of America was read at the Court House to a nume
rous and referable body of Militia and the company,
of Artillery, and other principal inhabitants of this
tewn and county, which was received with general
applause and heart felt fatisfa&ion: And at night the
town was illuminated, and, at the fame time, the Ef
figy ofptir late King was carted through the town and.
committed to the flames amidd the acclamations of
many hundreds.—The just reward of a Tyrant.
PHILADELPHIA, ^J?S.
It is reported that Captain Weeks, of the Reprifd
man of war, in the Continental service, has taken two
vessels; one a ship bound from Grenada to London,
with between four and five hundred hogsheads of su
gar on board ; the other a fl >op, said to be fafe ar
rived at Abfecom, with upwards of one hundred hogs
heads of rum.
An ORDINANCE of the Convention of th
State of Pennsylvania.
WHEREA S the non-affbciatois in this State
have either refused or neglected to deliver up
their arms according to the Refolds cf the Honora
ble Continental Congress and thh Affembiy of Penc
lylvania, a^d efledive measures have not been yet
taken to carry the said Resolves into execution:
Be it therefore ordained, by the authority of this
Convention, That the Colonel or next Officer in
command of every Battalion cf Militia in this State :$
hereby authorized, impowered and required to cel
led, receive and take all the arms in his diftria or
towrihip nearest to such Officer which are in the
hands cf non-associators, in the most expeditious and
effedual manner in his power, and fliall give to the
owners receipts for such arms and the amturt of ths
appraifement, and such as cam be repaired (hail with
all possible dispatch be rendeied fit for service, and
the valise according to appraifement of all such arms
together with the repairs and tranfportatinn shall be
paid to the Officer by the Treasurer on the order of
the Council of Safety for the use of the owners.
And be it further ordained, That the fame arms
shall be appraised by any three reputable freeholders
appointed by the Commanding Officer: But if the
owner of any arms shall negle^l cr rtfafe to apply for
such money within fix ^months,, the fame fltall be ap
plied towards the repairs of the arms: And the Co
lonels are hereby authorized to draw for the neces
sary sums of money, for the purposes afotefaid, 0^
the Council of Safety.
And it is farther ordained, That the Colonels aforr
faid shall arm the associators with the said arms and
keep an account to whom they are delivered and re
turn the fame to the Council of Safety: And every
associator shall be answerable for such arms cr the va
lue, unlef% loft or deftreyed by some unavoidable ac
cident or in adual feivice.
And be it Jurther ordained, 1 hat in case no,
arms so collected shall not be worth repairing, the
lame shall be laid by until such time as may be :bon,°t
proper by the Committee of the County to return
them to the owner.
A true Entraf? from the minutes,
JOHN MORR IS, jua. Sec^fy