The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1781-11-01 00:00:00, page 2

^ullingafe volunteers, colonel Judge; Cafliepollard
wolunte rs, captain Nugent; captain Leving's, and
captain Reynell's corps of infantry, together with de
tachments from the Fartullagh rangers, and M yafhel
foorfe to keep the lines. After hearing an excellent
sermon at 1 ougman church preached by the rev. Mr.
Forde, they marched to the review field, a level piece
of ground opposite Knock Eme, in the'rear of which
was the Crooked Wood, and to the left a fine view of
the lake, as far as the ye could stretch : from the|beau
tiful romantic situation of the place, and the masterly
plan drawn up by capt. Smyth, a plan which express
ed in every line the language of a Wolfe or Rawdon,
and displayed that accurate knowledge of ground,
which forms so great a part of military (kill, it mult
have afforded a very pleating and auguß fpedacle;
but incessant rain prevented the execution of it.
Extract of a letter from lord Rawdon to lord Corn
wallis, dated camp at Monk's Corner, May 24,
1781.
THE situation of affairs in this province has
made me judge it necessary for a time to withdraw
my force from the back country, and to assemble what
troops I can colled at this point. I hope a recital of
the circumflances which have led to this determination
will fatify your lordship as to the expediency of the
measure.
After the adion of the 25th of April (an account of
which I had the honour of transmitting to your lord
ship) major general Greene remained for some days
behind the fartheft branch of Granny's Quarter creek.
A second attempt upon his army could not in that si
tuation be undertaken upon the principles which ad
vised the former. In the firft instance I made so short
an excursion from my works, that I could venture,
Without hazard, to leave them very slightly guarded,
and I had the confidence, that had fortune proved un
favourable, we should easily have made good our re
treat, and our loss, in all probability, would not have
disabled us from the further defence of the place. To
get at general Greene, in his retired situation, I must
have made a very extensive circuit in order to head the
creek, which would have presented to him the faireft
opportunity of flipping by me to Camden ; andfe was
fill so superior to me in numbers, that had I left such
a garrison at my post as might enable it to stand an
assault, my force in the field would have been totally
unequal to cope with the enemy's army. Thad much to
hope from the arrival of a reinforcement to me, and
little to fear from any probable addition to my anta
goniß's force.
Whilst upon that principle I waitedfor my expe&d
fuccours, general Greene retired ,from our front, and
crofting the Wateree, took a portion behind Twenty
five Mile creek. On the 7th of May, lieutenant colonel
Watson joined me with his detachment, much reduced
in number, through casualties, sickness, and a rein
forcement which,he hadlbQrto Rrengthen the garrison
at George-town- 'He had'eroied the Santee near its
mouth, and had re- crossed it a little below the enter
ance of the Congaree.
On the night of the 7th I crossed the Wateree at
Camden ferry, prop ding to turn the flank and attack
the rear of Greene's army, where the ground was not
firong, though it was very much so in front.
The troops had scarcely crossed the river when I re
ceived notice that Greene had moved early in the eve
ning, upon getting intimation ' of my being reinforced.
1 followed him by the dired road, and found him poll
ed behind Sawney's creek.
Having driven in his piquets, I examined every
point of his situation. I found it every where so firong
that I couldnot hope to forceit, without fuffering such
loss as must have crippled my force for any future en
terprize, and the retreat lay so open for him that I
could not hope that victory would give us any ad
vantage fufficiently decilive to counterbalance the loss.
The creek (though slightly marked in the maps)
runs very high.into the co ntry. Had I attempted to
get round him, he would have evaded me witn ease ;
for, as his numbers Itill exceeded mine, I could not se
parate my force to fix him in any point, and time (at
this juncture most important to me) would have been
thus unprofitably watted. I therefore returned to
Camden the fame afreepon, after having in vain at-
From the L 0 N D 0 N GAZETT E.
Extras of a letter from Sir Henry Clinton, knight of
the Bath, to lord George Germain, one of his ma
jelly's principal secretaries of Rate, dated New York,
the 3d of July, 1781; received by his majefly's ship
Roebuck.
MyLORD,
BY his majesty's ship Warwick, which arrived here
the 26th ult. with the victuallers and recruits des
tined for this place, I had the honour to receive the
originals of your lordthip's dispatches, dated the gitt
of January and 12th of February ; and the day follow
ing the Carteret and Duke of Cumberland packet
boats came together into this port, with the English
mails for April and May.
As the sudden departure of vice-admiral Arbuthnot
for Europe, in his majesty's ship Roebuck, does not
afford me time to write so fully to your lordfllip as I
wish to do upon the feverai matters contained in your
dispatches, I must therefore defer answering them till
the departure of the next packet, which I propose to
expedite soon: It gives me much pleasure, however,
in the mean time, to acquaint your lordship of the fafe
arrival of the three regiments from Ireland at Charlef
town, together with the recruits for this army, all in
great health, on the 3d ult. 1
The enclosed copies of letters from lord Rawdon to
lord Cornwallis, and one to me, which I received by
the Warwick, will inform your lordship as to the fitu
aticn of affairs in the province of South-Carolina, at
the time those letters were written, since which period
I have not heard from thence.
I have also the honour to enclose to your lordship an
extract of a letter lately received from major general
Leslie.
Extract of a letter from lord Rawdon to lieutenant
general earl Cornwallis, dated Charleftown, June 5,
1781.
GENERAL Greene inverted Ninety fix on the 2%d
of May. To my great fatisfadion, however, I learn
(by messages which I have found means to interchange
with lieutenant colonel Cruger) that the' new works
were compleated before the enemy's approach ; th<+gar
rifon is ample for the extent; and the fire of the ene
my had no efted: lieutenant-colonel Cruger therefore,
only apprehends that relief may not arrive before his
provisions are expended.
Fortunately we are now in a condition to undertake
fuccouring him, without exposing a more valuable
stake ; and, from a report of his^provifion which he
sent to me, I trust we (hall be fully in time.
Augusta is likewise besieged; but, I hope in little
danger. Sir James Wright represented so Rrongly the
f want of troops at Savannah, that I thought it necessa
ry to fend the King's American reg.meat thither with
all dispatch.
On the 3d current the Beet from Ireland arrived, ha
ving on board t^e 3d, 19th and 30th regiments, a de
tachment from the guards, and a considerable body of
recruits ; the whole under the command of colonel
Gould of the 30th. Lieutenant colonel Balfour and I
immediately made known to colonel Gould the power
which your lordship had given to us, for detaining
such part of the expeded reinforcements as we might
conceive the service required ; and it has been fettled,
th..t the three regiments (half remain here, until your
lordship fignifies your pleasure refpeding them. I
(hall march on the 7th towards Ninety fix, having
been reinforced by the flank companies of the three
new regiments.
I am happy in mentioning to you'r lordship a happy
testimony of zeal to his majesty's intlefts, which has
occurred here : considerable difficulty having arisen in
the formation of cavalry, some of the principal inha
bitants of this town made a fubferjption, amounting to
near 3000 guineas ? which sum they requeued I would
apply to the purpose of equipping a corps of dragoons
in the manner I flioold judge most expedient. As I
had no means of forming such a corps but by draughts
from the infantry, I thought your lordship would ne
ple rfed that ^compliment should be paid to the luyl
ty of the gentlemen above-mentioned, by fixing upon
men couneded with the province ; I have theretore or
dered the South-Carolina regiment to be converted in
to cavalry ; and I have the profpe€ tof their being
mounted and completely appointed in a very few day^
June 6. I have just had the fatisfadio.ito learn,
that the King's American regiment arrived fafe at Sa
vannah. 1
Extract of a letter from colonel lord Rawdon to fir
Henry Clinton, dated Charleftown, June 6, 1781.
I CANNOT in any manner give yous excellency
a more explicit account of what has parted in to is pro
vince, and of the present Rate of our affairs, than by
enclosing to your excellency, copies of the letters
which 1 have, at different periods, written to lord
Cornwallis The situation of the province has been
tempted to decoy the enemy into action, by affecting
to conceal our retreat.
On the 9th I published to the troops and to the mili
tia my design of evacuating Camden, offering to such
of the latter as chose to accompany me, every aflift
auce that we could afford them. During the ensuing
night I sent off all our baggage, &c. under a firong
escort, and destroyed the works remaining at Camden,
with the rest of the troops, till ten o'clock the next
day, io order to cover the marth.
On the night of the 13th I began to pass the river at
Nelson's ferry, and by the evening of the i,h every
thing was fafely across Some mounted militia had at
tempted to harrafs our rearguard on the march, but a
party of them having fallen into an ambafcade, the rest
of them gave us no further trouble. We brought off
all the tick and wounded excepting about 30, who
were too ill to be moved; and for them I left an equal
number .of continental prisoners in exchange. We
brought off all the Rores of any kind of value, dertroy
ing the rest ; and we brought &„ not only the militia
who had ben with us in Camden, but also all the well
affe&ed neighbours on our route, together with the
wives, children, negroes, and baggage of almost all of
them.
My firft news, upon landing at Neilfon's, was, that
the port at Motte's noufe had fallen It was a Ample
redoubt and nad been attacked formally by sap. Lieu
tenant M'Pherfon had maintained it gallantly till the
house in the centre of it was set in flames by fire.arrows,
which obliged his men to throw themselves into the
ditch, and surrender at diferetion.
But as major M'Arthur had joined me with near
300 foot and 80 dragoons, I conceived 1 might, with
out hazarding too far, endeavour to check tie enemy's
operations on the Congeree. On the 14th at night I
marched from Neilfon's, and on the evening of the
15th I reached the point where the roads from Congaree
and M'Coard's ferry unite. Various information was
brought to me thither that Greene had puffed the Con
garee at M'Coard's ferry, and had pushed down the
Orangeburgh road. The accounts, though none of
them positive or fiagly fatisfadory, corresponded so
much that I was led to believe them, and the matter
was of such moment, tnat it would not admit of my
pausing for more certain information; therefore, after
giving the troops a little rest, I moved back to
Eutaws the fame night, but hearing nothing there, 1
pursued my march nither.
By my present position I cover those dißrifls from
which Charleftown draws its principal fapflies; I am
in readiness to improve any favourable occurrence, and
guard against any untoward event.
It is a secondary but not a trifling advantage, that I
have been able to supply the troops with necessaries,
for the want of which (occasioned by the long interrup
tion of our communications) they futfered serious dis
tress.
I am using every effort to augment our cavalry, in
hopes that the arrival of some force will speedily ena
ble us to adopt a more active conduct.
Extract of a letter from lieutenant colonel Balfour to
lord George Germain, dated Charles Town, July 2,
1781.
SINCE the date es my dispatch of the 27th ulf. I have
been honoured with two letters from lord Rawdon,
who pursued general Greene to the fords of the Ennoree;
but, thougn near, was unable to come up with him,
from the uncommon precipitancy with which the ene
my retre ted, and their having so much the advance
onthe march. This circumßance, and the great fa
tigue of the troops in attempting to countegad it, ren
dering improbable all hopes of overtaking general
Greene's army, so as to effect any thing decisive, lord
Rawdon is returned to Ninety-fix; and general Greene
having passed the Jyger and Broad rivers, it would
from thence fem that the object of his march pointed
towards Virginia, which I an? the rather inclined to be*
lieve from the intelligence, to which, however, Ido
not give the fulled credit, which has reached me, of
his being ordered there to join the force now under,
generals la Fayette and Wayne.
Extract of a letter from lieutenant colonel Balfour,
commandant of Charles Town, in South Carolina,
to lord George Germain, dated Charles Town, June
27, 1781.
AFTER the advantage gained by lord Rawdon, ora
the 25th of April, over general Greene's army, of
which your lordship was informed by my dispatch of
theist ultimo, the general Rate of this province ren
dering it expedient to reiinquifh the post at Camden,
lord Rawdon therefore quitted that place, after having
again offered battle to general Greene, who, secured io
a Rrong position behind Sawney-creek, could by no
efforts be induced from it.
On the corps under lord Rawdon falling back to
wards this town, the enemy, by detachments, invert
ed the polls ar Mott's house, C ngarees and Augusta,
having previously taken that at Whright's Bluff: These
posts, my lord, had been eftabliflied for controuling
the country, and preferring its communications. Un
fortunately from tne superiority of tneenmy, and the
impossibility of immediate relief, as affairs were then
circumfhnced, these garrisons were obliged to surren
der, though gallantly ifend-d: However, I have the
fatisfaaion to inform your lordship, that the Rores in
them were but inconfider ble, and the troops have since
been exchanged, under a cartel which has lately taken
place between my lord Cornwallis and major general
Greene, for the release of all prisoners of war in the
foothern diftrift.
Having accomplished these smaller purposes, gene
ral Greene combined his force, and laid ciofe siege 0
Nine y Six, the most commanding and important of
all the polls in the back country, and which was there
fore maintained by about 350 men, exclusive of mili
tia, and put under the charge of lieutenant colonel
Cruger, an able and zealous officer.
Thus circumstanced was this province, when a re
inforcement of three regiments from Ireland arrived;
and, as soon as the necessary arrangments could be
made, lord Rawdon, having under him a corps of
near 2000 men, proceeded to the relief of Ninety Six,
an undertaking, from the unfavourablenefs of thecli
mate at this season, which your lordship knows must
have been attended with many difficulties and much
fatigue; but which the zeal and exertion of the troops
enabled them to surmount.
Gener I Greene on finding this corps approaching
him, took tne refplution of attempting to Horm the
garrison, as an expedient less dangerous and decisive
than coming to action with lord Rawdon. On the mor
ning of the 19th instant, he therefore made the expe
riment ; but by the gallantry of the troops was repul
sed, having, as acknowledged by rhe enemy, at least
75 killed, and 150 wounded. On this occasion, and
during the siege, our loss was truly iaconfiderable, the*
at present I am unable to fpecify to you. lordship the
particulars of it.
Thus disappointed in his views, general Greene the
ensuing day raised the fieg< and retired with his army
behind the Saluda, to a firong situation, within 16
miles of Ninety fix, at which post lord Rawdon arrir
ved on the 21st.
Tne essential service dope by the troops underccolo
nel Cruger, in his gallant defence of the port, which
was elofely pressed by the enemy, and the noble spirit
with which they repelled the assault of all Greene's ar
my is much tooobvious to require any tribute I could,
pay to such dhtioguilbed merit.
e4^.^^^^^^W^ ^>^w
Wants a place, a young Man,
who write! a goon ready hand, is well acquainted with
both public and private oufincE, and can be well re
commended. Any gentleman inclining to employ such,
will pleae to leave their n.une, at Mr. JAMES GA
LAGERr'sm Second-street, opposite tie Frin& Mret
ing-houic, or at M. WILLIAM '1 HOMAS ^, at
the of S cond and M^rKet-lirms,
Critical ; yet, I am well convinced, that numbers have
joined the enemy merely to Ihield themselves from the
attrocious barbarity of the rebel militia, which has been
beyond wnat I ever heirci among the most savage na
tions. Should we be fuccefsful in our present enter
prize, it will probably be found necessary to make
the Santee and Congaree the boundaries of our ports,
and to invite the friends of government to fettle upon
the estates of revo ters within tne chain of our Rations.
The back parts of the province must neceffari'y de
pend upon the country enclosed by those rivers, as
long as 'we keep pjffe&on of the Chefapeak.
Extract of a tetter from major general Leslie to fir Hen
ry Clinton, Portsmouth, June 17, 1781.
I HAVE no accounts from lord Cornwallis since he
marched from Weftover the 16th ult. When I hear
from his lordship I shall forward the contents to New-
York by an advice vessel. All is quiet here, the whole
country taking paroles.