The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1783-01-21 00:00:00, page 3

an the 19th, with general Elliot's confidential senti
ments, could not be put on shore again, in consequence
of the return of toe enemy from the eastward that morn
ing, Ihave appointed him to command the Victory
for the time being, until their lordfhip'spleafure is
lignified for his future conduct,
Return of the killed and wounded, from the fire of
the combined fleets, the 20th of OHober, 1782.
Goliath. 4 seamen or marines killed 1 lieutenant,
i matter, 14 seamen or marines, wounded.
Ganges. 6 seamen or marines, killed. 1 captain, 22
seamen or marines, wounded.
Royal Wiliam, 2 seamen or marines, killed, zlieu
tenants, 11 seamen or marines, wounded.
Britannia (vice admiral Barrington). 8 seamen or
marines, killed. 1 boatswain, 12 seamen or marines,
wounded.
Atlas. 2 seamen or marines, killed. 3 ditto wound-
ed.
Ruby. 6 seamen or marines, wounded.
Panther 1 midshipman, 2 seamen, killed. 11 seamen,
3 marines, wounded.
Foudroyant. 2 seamen, 2 marines, killed. 1 midship
man, 7 seamen or marines, wounded.
Edgar (commodore Hotham). 6 seamen or marines,
wounded.
Polyphemus, rmafb r , 1 purser, 1 midihipman, 1 sea
man, wounded.
Suffolk. None killed or wounded.
Vigilant. 1 fearnan or marine, killed. 2 ditto,
wounded.
Courageux. 1 midihipmao, killed. 4 seamen, wound-
wounded.
Sarapfon. 2 marines, killed.
Princes Royal. 1 seaman or marine, killed.
Victory (commander in chief). None killed or wounded.
Blenheim. 2 seamen or marines, killed. 3 ditto
Frigates, &c. as before, except the Tifiphone, dif
armd, and laden with powder, left at Gibraltar the
19th instant. HOWE.
Extrad of a letter from captain Curtis, of his majef
ty's fliip Brilliant, to Mr. Stephens, secretary of
the admiralty, dated camp at Europa, Gibraltar,
September 15, 1782.
B E pleased to acquaint my lords commissioners,
that the combined fleet of France and Spain, consist
ing of 38 fail of the line, arrived in this bay on the
32th instant; fix fail of the line were here before.
ed.
Crown. I seaman or marine, wounded.
Alexander. 2 marines, killed. 4 seamen or marines,
Egmont. I seaman or marine, killed.
Queen (R. A. Hood). 1 seaman or marine, killed. 4
ditto, wounded.
Bellona. None killed or wounded.
Raifonable. 1 seaman or marine, killed.
marines, wounded.
Buffalo. 3 seamen, 3 marines, killed. 1 boatswain,
I midihipman, 13 seamen, 1 marine, wounded.
Vengeance. 2 seamen killed. 1 lieutenant, 2 mid
shipmen, 11 seamen, wounded:
Total. — 68 killed; 208 wounded.
At eight o'clock in the morning of the 13th, the
ten battering ships of the enemy, lying at the head of
the bay, under the command of admiral Moreno, be
gan to get under fail in order to come against the gar
rison; every thing was in readiness for their recepti
on. At ten the admiral's fhp was placed about one
thousand yards from the King's bastion, and com
menced his fire. The ethers were very shortly after
wards poked to the north and south of him, at small
difiances asunder, and began their cannonade. They
were all fixed to the flations allotted them in a mas
terly manner. Our batteries opened as the enemy
came before them; the fire was very heavy on both
sides ; the red hot shot were sent with such precision
from the garrison, that in the afternoon the smoke was
seen to issue from the upper part of the admiral's ship,
and one other, and men were perceived to be using fire
engines and pouring water into the holds, endeavour
ing to extinguish the fire. Their efforts proved inef
fectual, by one o'clock in the morning the two before
mentioned were in flames, and several others actually
on fire, though as yet not in so great a degree. Con
fufion was now plainly observed among them, and
the numerous rockets thrown up from each of the
Blips, was a clear demonflration of their great distress;
their signals were answered from the enemy's fleet,
and they immediately began to take away the men, it
being impossible to remove the ships. I thought this
a fit opportunity to employ my gun-boats, and I ad
vanced with the whole (twelve in number, each car
ryinga 24 or 18 pounder) and drew them up so as to
flank the line of the enemy's battering ships, whilst
they were annoyed extremely by an excessive heavy
and well directed fire from the garrison. The fire from
the gun-boats was kept up with great vigour and ef
fect. The boats of the enemy durst not approach ;
they abandoned their ships, and the men left in them
to our mercy, or to the flames. The day light ap
peared, and two feluccas, which had not yet escaped,
endeavoured to get away ; but a shot from a gun
boat, killing five men in one of them, they submit
ted. The scene at this time before me was dread
ful to a high degree, numbers of men crying from a
midst the flames, some upon pieces of wood in the wa
ter, others appearing in the ships where the fire had
as yet made but little progress, all expressing by speech
wounded.
Asia. None killed or wounded.
Fortitude. 1 seaman, 1 private of the 2d regiment,
killed. 4 teamen, 5 privates of the 2d regiment,
Cambridge. 1 midihipman, 3 seamen, killed. 2 mid
shipmen, 4 seamen, wounded.
Ocean (vice admiral Milbank). None killed or
wounded.,
Union. 4 seamen, 1 marine, killed, 15 seamen or
wounded.
Frincefs Amelia (rear admiral fir R. Hughes). 4 sea
men or marines, killed. 5 ditto, wounded.
Berwick. 1 lieutenant, killed. 5 seamen wounded.
Bienfaifant. 2 seamen or marines, killed. 4 ditto,
wounded.
Dublin. None killed or wounded.
and geflure the deepest diflrefs, and all imploring af
finance, formed a fpedacle of horror not easily to be
described. Every exertion was made to relieve them ;
and I have inexpressible happiness in informing my
lords, that the number saved amounts to 13 officers
and 344 men. One officer and 29 wounded (some of
them' dreadfully) taken from among the slain in the
holds, are in our hospital, and many nt them in a
fair way. The blowing up of the ships around us, as
the fire got to the magazines, and the firing of the
cannon of others, as the metal became heated by the
flames, rendered this a very perilous employment;
but we felt it as much a duty to make every effort
to relieve our enemies from so blocking a fiiuation, as
an hour before we did to assist in conquering them.
The loss of the enemy muflhave been very confidera
ble. Great numbers were killed on board, and in
boats. Several launches were funk. In one of them
were fourfcore men, who were all drownea, except an
officer and twelve of them, who were floated under our
walls upon the wreck. It was impossible that greater
exertions could have been made to prevent it, but
there is every reason to believe that a great many
wounded perished in the flames. All the battering
ships were set on fire by our hot shot, except one,
which we afterwards burnt. The admiral left his flag
flying, and it was consumed with the ship.
A large hole was beat in the bottom of my boat,
my cockfwain was killed, and two of the crew were
wounded by pieces of timber falling on her when one
of the battering ships blew up. The fame cause funk
one of my gun-boats, and damaged anot ier.
Two of the enemy's bomb ketches were brought for
ward, and continued to throw filels into the garrison
during the attack of tie battering ships.
A considerable detachment of seamen did duty as
artilleries upon the bat eries, and gave great iatif
faftion.
ON the evening of the Bth instant, it being deemed
proper to use all means to fend home an account of the
late events at this place, which had hitherto been im
possible, the governor purchased a small vefftl, and
file was sent off for Leghorn, or any other port in Ita
ly, with our dispatches.
On the afternoon of the loth, it blew very frefh from
the south-west. T.e enemy made many signals along
shore, and two frigates and a cutter arrived from the
westward. Towards the following morning the gale
increased, the guns of distress were heard from the
combined fleets in the Bay. lust at the bregk of day,
the Saint Michael, a Spanish ship mounting 72 guns,
was discovered very near the garrifon tn a crippled date
and after having two men killed and two wounded
from the fire of our batteries, he fell on shore near to
the south baflion. As the day advance- 1 , the fleet of
the enemy appeared to have fuffered conGderably by
the gale. A ship of the line and a frigate were on
shore near the Orange Grove; a French ship of the line
had loft her sore-mast and bowfprir. A ship of three
decks and another of the line were forced from tutir
anchors and ran to the eastward; several others were
driven far over towards the garrison, bur withal to the
northward. I took possession of the Saint Michael as
soon as possible, landed the prisoners, and carried out
anchors to prevent her going further on shore. I have
no doubt of saving her. She is a very fine fhip,and was
commanded by don Juan Moreno, a chef D'Efcarde,
and had on board about 650 men.
At three in the afternoon of the nth, the signals
made by the enemy indicated the approach of the Bri
tish fleet. The Latona anchored in the bay soon after
fun set. Only four of the convoy fetched into an bor
age, the remainder were driven to the back of the
rock, to which place the fleet also repaired.
'Extract ofa letter from ca ptain Curtis to Mr. # Stephens,
secretary of the admiralty, dated on boird the Vie
tory at sea, October 22, 1782.
The officers and men of the brigade o's seamen un
der my command, in whatever situations they were
placed, behaved in a manner highly becoming them.
I have the honour to enclose herewith a lift of the
battering ships. They were of different fixes, from
1400 to 600 tons burthen. Their guns, in all 212
were brass 26 pounders, and entirely new.
The enemy had collected, from different ports, be
tween two and three hundred large boats, besides a
vast number belonging to this vicinity, to be employ
ed in carrying the troops, or any other services con
nected with their operations against this fortrefs.
The loss in the brigade of seamen on the 13th and
14th, considering the nature of the attack, has been
very trifling, having had only one killed and five
wounded.
State of the combined force of the enemy in the bay
of Gibraltar, at the time of the attack of the ten
battering (hips, on the 13th of September, 1782.
Spanish ships of three decks 2
Of the line - - 28
French ships of three decks 5
Of the line - - 9
Besides frigates, xebecks. many smaller cruizers, a
great number of gun and mortar oats, and a mul
titude of other boats. ROGER "CURTIS.
THE admiral, lord Howe, having conducted the
remaining ships of bis convoy into the bay of Gibral
tar on the evening of the 18th, and landed the troops
at the fame time, general Elliot charged me with the
final communications, his excellency had to make to
his lordship, and 1 embarked on board the Letona fri
gate, for the purpofc of repairing to tle Vidory, and
left the bay about midnight. The situation of the e
nemy's fleet the next morning, cut off my return to
Gibraltar, and I was put on board this ship in the e
Extrafl of a letter from captain Curtis, of his majef.
ty's ship Brilliant, to Mr. Stephens, secretary of the
admiralty, dated camp at Europa, Oflober r 6, 1782.
Spanish ships from 50 to 60 guns
Battering ships
Floating battery
Bomb ketches
The enemy threw a prodigious number of shells at
the Saint Michael, while she was on shore, with the in
tent to destroy her: and they annoyed us exceffivel,
in the getting her off; but without any obflrudion to
our work, or doing us any material damage.
I have great pleasure in acquainting my lords, that
th? Saint Michael, a Spanish man of war of 72 guns,
which being driven from her anchors in a gale of wind
very early on the morning of the 11th, and captured
under the walls of Gibraltar as mentioned in my letter
of the 16th, was got off on the 17th, and has not re
ceived the leaf! damage. She is a very fine ship, of
large demenfions ; and 1 am sorry that having loft her
mizen-mafl, and the most of her stores being taken out
to lighten her, it is impossible to fend her home with,
the fleet.
verging, when the fleet brought to, after it had gained
the Atlantic.
From rhe Royal Gazette, dated ,
N E W-Y 0 R K, Jan. 15.
Yesterday arrived his majesty's ship Atalanta, in
t' r e weeks from Halifax. We are informed, that on
the passage she fell in with Ie Pluton, a 74. belong
ing to the comte de Vaudreuille's squadron from BoN
ton; the gentleman who commands this cruizer, it is
said, spoke woh the enemy, and by excellent con
dua fortunately escaped from capture.
Last Saturday was brought into our harbour, the
ship Plus Ultra, captain Herman Kniebel, prize 10 the
Charming Polly, captain Milbey, consigned from
messieurs Van Eupen, of Antwerp, and others, to Mr.
Wynkoop, merchant at Philadelphia; among other
articles, the has on board a large quantity of dry
goods.
Saturday last, in the afternoon, was sent in here by
his majesty's Ihip the Renown, John Henry, esquire,
commander, the brig Grace, captain Oswald, from.
Philadelphia for Europe, loaded with tobacco. And,
The schooner Polly and Elsey, captain Connel, from
Philadelphia also, for the Weft-Indies, loaded with
flour.
The above vessels left Philadelphia on Chrifima^
day, in company with three others.
The brig mentioned in our last to have been taken
by his majesty's ship Lion, and not arrived, came up
011 Sunday ; she is the Elizabeth, captain Cornelius,
from Amsterdam for Philadelphia.
We are told, that the French fleet under the com
mand of the marquis de Vaudreuille, confining of 13
fail of the line and some frigates, failed from Buffon the
24th ultimo.
If, after a peace, this man should be permitted to
reside in England, I know of no one except G. A. fit
to keep company with him ; but we have rogues enough
of our own already. An ENGLISHMAN.
* Silas Deane.
It is true he is a man of political abilities and world
ly knowledge I am sure—but that he is a friend to
Great- Britain I deny. Can a man who betrays his
trust be a friend to any one? This gentleman* was
confided in by the Americans, and, as their agent,
purchased for them in France 30,000 mufquets, &c.
He gave three livres each for them, about 2s. 6d.
sterling, being old condemned arms, these he had
cleaned and vamped up, which cost him near three
livres more ; for each of these he charged and receiv
ed a guinea, or louis d'or.
He proceeded in the like honorable commerce in other
articles to a great, though perhaps not equal, advan
tage. Thus has his political and comm rcial know
ledge procured him in two or three years a fortune of
between 30 and 40,0001. sterling which he never will
be permitted to spend either in America, France, or
Holland; therefore, my dear Wanderer, take care of
your new acquaintance, and be not imposed on by one
of the most artful of men.
The dispatches brought by lieutenant-colonel Bal
four, late commander of Charleftown, (who came
home in the Southampton frigate, and arrived in town
on Saturday) contain the following particulars from
the commander in chief, as to the effect which the late
orders for evacuating our different pods and garrisons
remaining in South Carolina has had upon the
minds of the loyalists in that province. Among other
information the colonel flatus, that a f ter the orders
were received by general Ldlie from fir Guy Carleton,
for evacuating Charleftown, a deputation from the
whole body of the associated loyalists waited upon ge
neral Leslie, to implore his affiftmce in the forbear
ance of his orders, which if put into immediate exe
cution, would not only occasion the certain loss of their
property, but also endanger the lives of themfelves'
and families
The humanity of general Leslie caused these represen
tations to be laid before fir Guy Carleton ; in conse
quence of this application, which was backed by a me
m rial from the board of loyalists in New-York, gene
ral Carleton fufp< tided his orders, and sent home for
further inftruHions : this caused a cabinet council to
be held, and their determination was, that their ormer
orders should be put into # xecution. Colonel Balfour
mentions, that when he left Charleftown, general Les
lie had begun defiroying the fortifications, in order
to leave the place in as defencelefs a Fate as possible,
and that transports were on their passage to convey
the troops to New-York.
*f* Advert dements, articles of intelligence, &c.
omitted in this day's pap-r. tor want of rupGi, will be
carefully attended to in our next.
Dear Sir, London, OBober 16, 1782.
AS I have a great opinion of your integrity, I think
it my duty to acquaint you, that you ought to
be upon your guard with your new acquaintance at
Ghent.
77 chests, weighing 29,0001 b. of tea, and
142 lasts of fait.
Philadelphia, Jan. 21.
Frorrithe St. James's Chronicle.
To the WANDERER.
LONDO N, October 24.