The Connecticut courant and Hartford weekly intelligencer — Hartford, Conn., 1775-10-23 00:00:00, page 1

'' The marine recruiting parties in this kingdom
meet with great success in their levies; but the
marching regiments ordered abroad, which arc to be
augmented to 700 rank and file, with diffi ulty lift
a man ; which is llrange, considering the profped: of
preferment that the American war presents them."
It is said that a pension of 2001. per annum is
fettled on the Widow of the late Major Pitcairn,
who has eleven children.
Aug. I, It is said that the petition, with a plan
for reconciling the differences subsisting between the
North-A merican Colonies and the Mother Country,
brought over by Governor Penn, will be presented
to his Majesty in council to morrow.
Every sloop of war and frigate in the royal navy is
now fitting out by order cf the Admiralty Board.
Aug. 12. The petition brought over from Penn
sylvania by Governor Penn's brother, was not pre
sented yesterday to his Majesty at St. James's as was
expeded, but a day will soon be fixed for ks being
received.•
Extract of a lerf^r from the Hague Aug. 11.
'' The day before yesterday his Excellency Sir
Joseph Yorke preferred a memorial to the States
General, entreating them to prolong the term of the
prohibition laid upon the Dutch against carrying
arms or ammunition to the Americans ; te which
their High Mightinesses consented, and issued orders
accordingly.
“ It is reported, that notwithstanding the bad
success the Spaniards have met with, they are deter
mined to bombard Algiers."
The Hanoverian troops which are to embark at
Stade for Gibraltar and Mahon on board our trans
ports, who are to bring home the troops garrisoned
there, are taken into the pay cf Great- Britain for
two years.
Late on Wednesday Evening an express arrived
at the Secretary of State's Office in Cleveland row,
from Paris, which, we are informed, brings an ac
count that the French are making all over the king
dom the greatest preparation tor a war, and that
couriers are daily passing from thence toMadrid, and
also to Lisbon, but that every thing is kept as secret
as possible.
On Wednesday Gen. Haldimand, just arrived
from America, (not. Gen. Pafton as mentioned in
our last by mistake) was introduced to his Majesty at
St. James's by Sir Jeffery Amherst, and most graci
ously received. The above gentleman has been in
America upwards of eighteen years, and was sent
for by order of government, in order to lay the pre
sent Bate of America before his Majesty.
Extradofa letter from Dublin, August 12.
At Algiers, to the fauthward, there is a declivity,
upon which, at several distances, hooks arc placed.
When a man is guilty of any atrocious crime, he is
thrown down this precipice, caught by the hooks,
and is left to perish, being scorched to death by the
fun. Among the prisoners taken by the Algerines,
upon the late Spanish defeent, were two of their
Generals, who were immediately thrown down the
above rock.
Tuesday iaft a draught of4oo men was taken from
the Royal Train of Artillery, at Woolwich, and
marched immediately to Portsmouth, in order to
embark on board a (hip declined for America.
ExtraA of a letter from Hanover, Avguft 8.
" In consequence of a gracious refcript, which the
regency of this Electorate has received from theKing
ofGreat Britain, our august Sovereign, orders have
been sent to his regiment cf Prince Ernest of Meck
lenburgh Strelitz, cifGYdackcr, of Hafdenberg, of
Rhoden, andef Mothe, to be ready to march toStade,
to embark the firft of September next, and proceed
with the firft favourable wind for their destination,
which is to re-piace theEngiifh regiments in garrison
at Gibraltar and Port Mahon. As no General is
appointed to accompany them, it is thought that Mr.
Goldacker, theoldeftColonel,will have the command
of these five regiments. It is not yet known whether
these troops will go immediately to their diftination,
In some of the French ports in the Channel, there
are at this time several ships laden with arms bound
to America.
^ Capt. Robinson, arrived at Philadelphia from London,
<we have the fallo icing Advices, vix.
LONDO N, August 15.
A LETTER fromNewcaftle,datedAuguft 12th,
fays, on Tuesday hand bills were put up in
this town for taking uptranfports for Ameri
ca, also for Stade, to cary Hanoverians to Gibraltar
and Mahon, and to bring Troops to England.
It is confidently averted that the court of Spain
has sent a memorial desiring the assistance of Great-
Britain in subduing the Moots and piratical States
in Africa.
The^^ COURANT,and ^fo^WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER^
MONDAY, October 23, 1775.
or tuch at any port in England, which it is very bke
ly they may. This order at firii caused some furprilr,
but as it is for the service of our Monarch, both of
ficers and soldiers seem to furpais each other in
making the most speedy preparations to execute his
M ijefty's pleasure. "
Some capital impeachments are already fpeken of
as a certainty, presently after the meeting of a cer
tain august affcmbly.
Some persons who arc shortly expelled from Ame
rica, 'tis whispered, will never hold any post under
government again.
As every Rebel, who is taken prisoner, has incur
red the pain of death by the law martial, it is said
that governmentwill charter federal transports, after
their arrival atßofbsn,to carry the culprits to theEaft-
Indies fer the Company 's service, as it is the inten
tion of government only to puniih the ringleaders
capitally, and to fuller the inferior Rebels to redeem
their lives, by entering into the Eaft-IndiaCompany's
service. This tranflat on will only render tnem more
ufeful fubjefts than i\ their native country. [How
these traitors arrogantiv prefurae upon the execution
of their fehemes of villainy, as if they possessed a real
omnipotence, and could command future events !]
They write from the Hague, that his Preffian Ma
jefly has at this time an a ray confining of 50 000
infantry, and 7000 cavalry, £1 for immediate dion.
Clothing for 9000 Canadians is already flipped
for Quebec ; which wid be followed very soon by
clothing for 5000 more. Their uniform is buff
waiftcoat> and breeches,& green coats faced with red
Th?.Quakers at Philadelphia have excommunica
ted feveial of their people for not ftridly adhering
to the orders of the Congress.
" Sir,
'' I AM this minute returned from on board the
Yfrow Chrifiiana, Capt. Vander Spiegel, who has
put in at Portsmouth, in distress. Ihe Capt. in
forms me, that July 3d he fell in with a fenooner
from Salem, bound to the Southward, firm the
Maker of which he had the following particulars re
lative to the state of affairs upon the canner.dof A
merica. After theKing's arm; became mzftms ^ the
eminence below Banker's ",0 Gen. Gage marched
in the chief of his forces th %er,anu threw up ftreng
entrenchments. A fortnight passed without any
thing being done worth relating, except the holding
of frequent councils of war, in which they could
come to no resolution, the chief officers diLgreeing
among themfelvcs, and even defeending to invective
and perfcnal altercation.
" While things were going on thus on thii fide,
General Washington, with the Grand Provincial
army, was arrived within a cays ma:ch of the royal
camp. It confined of twenty two thousand foot,
five thousand Philadelphia light-horse commanded
bv Charles Lee ; a body ft enteen hundred, stiled
the American riflemen; and a ccnfiderable train
of artillery served by Germans.
" June 30, the two armies were in fight of each
other, and Washington sent Gen. Gage a particular
account cf his force, earneflly befecching him not
to bring deftruttion on himfeif, and the men under
his command, by an ill timed obllinacy,but to agree
to the following conditions, viz.
“ To deliver the town of Boston into his hands.
“ To fuffer such of his folclicrs as were willing
to enter into the American service.
" As soon as the purport of this message was
known in the royal army, five hundred private men
and twelve officers deferred to the enemy, and the
rest declared that nothing mould oblige'them to
fight but the mere preservation of their lives. A
man? the chiefs, feme were for capitulating, one
for fighting, bat most for an immediate retreat, ei
ther on board the ships or into the town. However,
nothing was concluded upon till July zd. About 6
Aug. 2. A gentleman who experts shoes, declar
ed the other day, tha~ he has loft the sale of 4.0,000
pair lately, by cur unnatural disputes with the A
mericans.
A correspondent fays, that one of the general offi
cers in Boston, in alerter to his brother in Lerdon,
remarks that " our men arc much better soldiers
than the Provincials, but that their commander in
chief is a much better fol ier than ours.
LON D O N, Auguftg.
The following account of a battle between the Re
gulars and Provincials on the zc of July, was last
night transmitted to us by a gentleman, whose
veracity we have no right te queihen.
" To the Printer of the Public Ledger.
“ To retire with the rest peaceably on board the
King's flips.
“ He allowed the King,General till the next day
at four o'clock to consider on them.
" People here are very anxious to hear the re
solves of theCongref;&thofe who a week ago tho'^
General Gage had troops enough to march through
America, now alter their tone, on finding the dis
pute for a mile of ground cost him 1054 men wound
ed and (lain ; they begin to think Gage mull be
contentto keep possession of Boston, and that the
New - Englanders are men of mere courage than
they dreamed of.- --We have received accounts from
Georgia, that the people of that province have ac
ceded to the resolves of the Continental Congress ;
Iwifh it may be true, as the terries here promised
tbeir cause great support from thatprovir.ee keeping
their ports open. It is said a regiment of High
landers is to be sent cut, and 10,coo Hanoverians.
I don't know how true ; but this you may depend
on, that several more ships are put into commission,
and are intended for America ; also I know it as 2
fad, that a great deal of ammunition and warlike
stores were lately sent to Boston, from which you.
may judge of the disposition of our rulers.
P. S. I was this day in company with a boat
builder, who informed me that government has con
traded for a considerable number of flat-bottomed
boats, to be finifhed in 3 weeks, and that he has en
gaged to build 12 by that time."
in the morning the rebel army was in motion, and
began a fcve:e cannonading at three quarters of a
mile distance ; this was aafwered by the Royalrfts,
who seemed to have the advantage,and made a great
daughter aniong the Philadepbiaa horse.
'' The Americans were put into some confufion,.
but they soon recovered and advanced close up to
the entrenchments, with main body of this arm,
they forced them with the loss of two hundred men,)
and cut to pieces above three thousand five hundred^
of the king's troops. General Gage's array now"
gave way or? all sides, and himfelf, with about five
hundred men, had the luck to get into Boston ; of
the remainder, great numbers were killed in the
purfujt, some got on board the ships, and others laid,
down their arms.r
" Asfoon a# the a&ion was over, Gen. Gag%,
sent to the conquerors, to make the best terms hey
could for hiinfe f, and the few that were with him.
I fend you these particulars in great haste, but to-'
morrow yew will have a fuller account.
I am, Sir, your most humble servant, S
ROBERT MERROP."
Grave/imd, Tuesday, 2 o'Clock.
PHIL ADELPHI A, Odober ir. .*
On Friday last a difeovery was made cf some let -^
ters fending by Chridepher Carter, who had taken
his passage on board the inow Fatty for London, the
vessel was pursued to Chester, where the letters were
found on Carter, by which it appeared that Dr.
Kearfley, Leonard Snowden, James Brooks, and the
above named Carter, were concerned in writing the
most infamous lies their malice could invent, to
spirit up the ministry against this city and province,
to incite them to fend treo s here, and that Carter
was the carrier, and was intruded to tell a great
deal which they were afraid to trust to paper. In
con sequence of the above difeovery Kearfley,Brooks,
and Snowden, were taken up on Friday night and
put under a flrong guard, and Carter who had been
fuffered to go from Chester, after the delivery cf the
firft letters, was pursued by order of the committee,
taken from on board the snow at Reedy Island, and
brought back. They have all been since examined
by the committee of fafety, in which examination
such a fceneof riliainy was opened,thatitwas thought
proper to keep them confined from the fury of the
populace, till they shall think cf a proper punishment
for such enemies to this country.
Extract of a Letter from London, dated fuly 28.
" I am grieved to the foul, at feeing cur political
dilutes arrive to so terrible a crisis. The zgthinft.
we received the account of the battle of Charlefiown,
near Boston ; we have only the government ac
count, none from the provincials; however General
G& e makes out 226 killed, and 828 wounded, of
the regulars. It is Shocking to humanity to think,
that so much blood Ihuuld be fpilt through the ob
ilinacy of % few mep, who new plainly fee they arc
exhausting the bb od and treafuie of this kingdom
to no purpeie. We are anxious here to have some
certain accounts fiom the provincials of thar battled
The miniihy now do not scruple to fay,thefe bloody
mcafures originate from the .K--- limfelf, who ab~
folutcly perhfts in the plan of reducing the Ameri
cans, at all events.---It is geneially thought that
Lord North was against fending out troops, but a$
to the others, I fancy they fee the improbability of
executing their plan, and therefore prudently (but
basely) endeavour to threw the whole odium ori
their R--- Master's head.
[Number 565.]