The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1779-03-16 00:00:00, page 2

To be Printer of the P £ NNsYLVANIA PACKETS
SIR
As I flatter myfelf an account of Gen. Arnold's march
from Cambridge to Quebec will be acceptable to the pub
lic I have endeavoured to collect the particulars from my
journal, and can only regret that myabilities and want
of leisure will barely do it justice. The fads are indis
putable, and I beg you will give it a place in your paper.
ON the commencement of hostilities between the pa
rent Rate and her colonies in the year 1775, every
m.ll deemed it a duty incumbent on him to quit the Meets
of domeflic life, and turn out to refill, as far as 111 mm
lay, the Irides of cruel, lawless oppression.
In the course of a few weeks a large army was collect
ed at Cambridge, which was hourly increasing by the
g'reat number of volunteers from the remotest provinces.
A force being thus at once established fufficiently power
ful to check the King's forces and blockade them in Bof
-IQU, a fee,ond was immediately assembled under the com
iiand of Gen. Schuyler, who was ordered to proceed in
to Canada by the way of Ticonderoga, and to act orfen
fively by reducing St. John's, and other British garrisons,
thereby endeavouring to bring to a conftitutioii.il accom
modation those who had been the aggressors As it was
more taan probable that the appearance of these forces
would draw the troops from the garri on at Quebec, to
the relief of the posts in the upper part of the province,
an expedition was proposed against the capital of Cana
da by the way of Kennebunk river, and the command
given to Col. B. Arnold, a gentleman who had remark
ably, diftinguiihed himfelf in the reduction of Ticondero
ga, and whose prudence, courage, and other military abi
lities in fever d important tranfaftions, judly entitled him
to the command of this arduous undertaking. Prepare
tioas for this enterprize were conducted witn the greatest
secrecy, as the success of the expedition depended much
upon a furprize.
In the month of September 1775, a detachment, con
lifting entirely of volunteers from the New-England
troops, with one company of riflemen from Virginia, and
two from Pennsylvania, toe whole consisting of about one
thousand and fifty, were ordered to hold themfclves in rea
diness to march at the Ihorteft notice. To these may be
added fevers young gent emen, who were anxious to di
ftinguiih themselves as volunteers in a cause, where th ey
deemed it meritorious to facrifice ease, affluence, health,
nay life itfelf.
On Monday September the eleventh, the firft division,
confiding of toe riflemen, filed off towards Newbury
port, wi^ich was appointed the place of general rendez
vous, where we arrived the thirteenth, the diftonee be
ing about forty miles. Here we were entertained with the
greatest politeness and hospitality, and spent our time
very agreeably ; different companies of the detachments
continued to come in till the fifteenth, when we were
complete. We were now busy in preparing for our voy
a~e to Kennebunk for which purpose eleven schooners
and flaops were provided. The eighteenth we [were or
dered to embark, which took up our time vhief part of
the day ; and at nine o'clock, A. M. of the nineteenth,
the wind being fair, we weighed anchor, and flood cut
to sea: During th^ course of the day, we hailed and
spoke with fevera vessels, without meeting any that were
armed to oppose us. Towards evening the weather be
came very foggy; we continued our course till ten at
ni^ht, when me signal was given to lay too. The twen
ty Second at day-break we set fail, none of the fleet being
in view. A high gale rendered the sea very rough, which
produced a droll Lene among the foldie r s, few of whom
had ever been at sea before. After some time fix fail join
ed us, and at nine A. M. we made the mouth of Kenne
bunk and entered it: Here we dropped anchor; and at
three P. M. one of our schooners joined as, at which
time we proceeded up the river.
(fro be continued.)
The following Gentlemen were nominated to represent
this Rate as Delegates in the General Congress, viz. Ho
nourable Henry Laurens, Edward Rutledge, Arthur
Middleton, John M ithewes, and Thomas Ber, Esquires.
Yesterday morning • Groundwater, William
Tweed, David Remington, and Robert Dewar (carpen
ter) arrived in town, escorted by a detachment of the
country militia. It seems that by the vigilance of Capt.
Duharty's company, Rationed near Skuil Creek, t efe
people were apprehended in a boat making for Savannah,
charged with dispatches to the British officer there, con
taining a full and eircumftantial (if not a true and exa&)
account of our ports, stores, forces, &c. &c. together
with a very honourable tender, it L said, of reducing to
ashes th it part of Charleftown which the humanity of the
former incendiaries fuffered to be preferred; kindly of
fering some plan to relieve the different garrisons of the
trouble of guarding their refpe^ive forts, &c. On their
being hailed and brought to by the sentry, they fixed a
weight to the packet and threw it overboard, but thetide
leaving the creek dry, it was very luckily observed the
next morning, and by proper care became plain and legi
ble. The writer appears to be a Captain Constable, a
Highland officer now here, who was lately taken on his
passage to Georgia from New York, and was in this town
admitted to his parole, the terms of which however in this
instance have been grofly violated. Some interesting dis
coveries may now perhaps be expeded of our most secret
enemies.
Last Wednesday Peter Bocquet, Esq; Captain of the
grenadier company belonging to this town, arrived here
from Borton, last from New-Providence : By him we
learn, that 500 Highlanders, commanded by Col. Grant,
are in garrison there; that a number of privateers are
fitting out at that place, to cruize on this bar, and that
several vessels have been already taken by them.
BOSTO N, February 25.
A prize laden with wines and dry goods, which was
taken oy the Marlborough privateer, and afterwards re
taken by the continental (loop Providence, and mention
ed to have been carried into Plymouth, arrived fafe in
port on Friday last.
Since our last arrived at an Eaflern port, a prize
schooner, laden with wine, fruit, &e. taken by the Ha
zard. She was bound to New-York.
A prize to the privateer Pilgrim arrived in a fafe port
since our last. She is loaded with wine, oyl, fruit, &c.
CHARLESTOWN, (South-Carelina) February 9.
A schooner, prize to the privateer General Gates,
Capt. Waters, from Malaga, arrived in a fafe port yes
terday. She is loaded with raisins, wines, and lemons,
and was ®wned by Commodore Gambier, at New York.
The Minerva (a frigate lately captured by the French)
has taken two privateers of ten or twelve guns, from Ja
maica; the fame frigate has had an engagement with a
transport ship of twenty-two guns; the engagement was
bloody, lading nearly a whole night—the transport struck,
but before the was taken possession of Rie blew up, and on
ly thirty of her people out of about three hundred were
saved. The Minerva had twenty-five killed and wounded.
We hear that William Tudor, Esq; is appointed to de
liver the annual ORATION, the sth of March next, in
commemoration of the horrid MASSACRE perpetrated
in King-street, on the evening of that day 1770, by a
band of Britifo military butchers of the 29th regiment, un
der the command of Capt. Thomas Preston.
March 4. Capt. Billings, in the ship Governor Trum
bull, lately landed a party of men or the island of Toba
go, and unfortunately loft two men killed and twenty fix
made prisoners.
Extrafl of a letter from New London, February 27.
" Captain Pinkham left Martinico the 27th ult. fays,
that Count d'Eßaing whsat Port Royal, Martinico, and
no reinforcements from France at the time he came away ;
he further fays, that Capt. Manly, in the Cumberland,
is taken by an English frigate, which he fell in with in
the night, and engaged her before he found his mirtake;
that tne brig Fair Play was funk from the fort at Guada
loup, for not Shewing proper signals, and some of the men
loft, but the Governor had made restitution."
Deserters from Rhode Island inform, that frefh provi
sions are very scarce there, and that the enemy are con
templating some miLhief, probably a defeent on the main,
in search of plunder.
In GENERAL ASSEMBLY of Pennsylvania,
Monday, March Bth, 1779.
The bill intitled, ' A supplement to an aft, intitled,
" An aft to continue part of an ad made in the eleventh
" year of the reign of his present Majesty King George
" the Third, intitled, An aft for regulating and conti
“ nuing the nightly watch, enlightening the Greets, lanes
" and alleys of the city of Philadelphia, and for other
“ purposes therein mentioned, and for making further
" provision for the better executing the said aft , being
read a fecend time, and debated by paragraphs, was
ordered to be transcribed for a third reading, and print
ed in the mean time for public confederation.
Extract from the minutes,
JOII N MORRI S, Junior,
Clerk of the General Assembly.
A SUPPLEMENT to an afl, intitled, " An aft to
" continue part of an aft made in the eleventh year of
" the reign of bis present Majtfly King George the Third,
" iniitled, An aft for regulating and continuing the night
" ly watch, enlightening the greets, lanes aud alleys of
“ the city of Philadelphia, and for other purposes therein
" mentioned, and Jor making further propfan for the
" better executing the said aft."
WHEREAS in and by an aft of General Assembly
passed the sixth day of April, in the year of our
Lord One thousand seven hundred and seventy-six, under
the authority of the Crown of Great-Britain, intitled, " An
" all to continue part of an aft made in the eleventh year
" of the reign of his present Majesty King George the
" Third, intitled, An act for regulating and continuing the
" nightly watch, enlightening the streets, lanes and alleys
“ of the city of Philadelphia, and for other purposes there
" in mentioned, and for making further provision for the
'' better executing the said aft ;" among other things it was
therein enabled, that the Wardens and Assessors of the city
of Philadelphia, for the better support of the nightly watch,
and keeping the public pumps in repair, might assess and
levy a tax rate of Sixpence in the Pound on all estates rea
and personal and taxables within the said city ; which rate,
by experience, is found inefficient, by reason of the en
creafe of watchmen aed workmen's wages, excessive higli
price of oil and materials, renders it expedient and neoef
fary that furt; er provision be made to enable the Wardens
and Assessors to raise and levy an additional tax of Six
pence in the Pound on all estates real and personal, and
to authorize their Treasurer to receive the rents and in
come of the market houses, ferries, wharfs, and public
landing places within the bounds and limits of the said
city, to the end the difficulties under which the Wardens
at present labour may be in some measure removed, and
the nightly watch, so necessary, at this time may be kept
up and continued; Be it enacted, and it is hereby enacted
by the Representatives f the Freemen of the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania, in General Assembly met, and by the au
thority of the fame, That from and after the passing of this
act, it fliall and may be lawful for the Wardens and As
sessors of the said city to raise and levy an additional rate
of Sixpence in the Pound on the inhabitants, and on all
the estates real and personal and taxables within the city
of Philadelphia, and to be levied and collected in the fame
manner by the fame persons, and for the fame uses, as di
reded in and by the said recited aft, and the aft of Ge
neral Assembly passed the ninth day of March in the
year One thousand seven hundred and seventy-one, inti
tled, “ An aft for regulating and continuing the nightly
“ watch, enlightening the streets, lanes and alleys of the
" city of Philadelphia, and for other purposes therein
•' mentioned," over and above the rates and sums of mo
ney thereby authorized to be raised, levied and colle&ed.
And be it enabled by the authority aforefaid, That
the Secretary of the Executive Council, and the Clerk of
the market, who have had tee derailing and letting of the
market houses, stalls and stands in the market places, and
of the ferries, wharfs and public landing places within
the bounds and limits of the city of Philadelphia, shall,
and they are hereby refpe&ively required, within the (pace
of days after the passing of this a&, to render and
deliver a rent-roll or lift of all the rents agreed upon or
payable by, and the names of the several tenants, occu
piers and possessors of the stalls and stands in the market
houses and market places, and of the ferries, wharfs and
public landing places, and the sums or annual rents they
refpe&ively pay or are chargeable with, and the times
agreed on for payment, to the Wardens of the said city.
And the Clerk of the market, for the time being, shall
collect the rents of the market houses, stalls and stands
PHILADELPHI A.
in the market places, as they become due quarterly and
in arrear; and after deducing the costs and charges of
repairs, and his accuftomary fees for collecting, shall
forthwith pay the overplus, together with the monies al
ready collected for rents and in his hands, to the Treasu
rer of the Wardens and Assessors for the time being,
whole receipt (which he is hereby required to give) shall
be a fufficient difeharge td him tor any sum of money so
paid, under toe penalty of pounds for every ne
glect or refufal.
And be it enabled by the authority aforefaid, That
the owners and occupiers of the several terries, wharrs
and public landing places within the said city, shall, from
time to time, pay tneir refpeftive rents, as they become
In GENERAL ASSEMBLY es Pennsylvania,
Saturday, March , 3th, 1779.
TH E following resolutions, reported by the Commit
tee appointed to devise feme plan for fuppiying
the troops ot this Rate with necessaries, &c. were read a
second time, and being debated and considered were
agreed to, viz.
Ift, Resolved, That in consideration of the services ren
dered by the said troops, and to relieve as much as possi
ble the inconveniencies to which they are at present fub
je&ed, to every officer of the Pennsylvania line, who, by
a resolution of Congress of shall be intitled
to receive half pay during seven years after the terminati
on of the prelent war, the half pay be continued by this
Rate from the end of said seven years for and during the
life of every such officer.
And be it further enabled by the authority aftefaid, That
the fees of the several officers who are or fhail be employ
ed in the execution of this aft, and the aft to which this
aft is a supplement, and the aft therein referred to, shall
have and receive, over and above the fees therein fixed
an addition of as much more.
years from the puffing hereof, and from thence to the end
of the next fitting or Assembly, and no longer.
idly, Resolved, That the present mode of distributing
to the officers and soldiers of the Pennsylvania line the
several articles voted by this House at their last sessions at
prices in a certain ratio or proportion to the original cost,
be difeontinued, and instead thereof they be delivered to
them at the following determinate rates, viz.
Weft-India rum at 5/ per gallon.
Mufeovado sugar at 3/9 per pound.
Coffee at - - ^fy ditto.
Tea at - - izf ditto.
Chocolate at - ^ ditto.
Hard soap at - ditto.
Tobacco at - 0/9 ditto.
3dly, Resolved, That to every officer of said troops a
compleat suit of regimental uniform be furniffied every
year by this hate, to be charged to the officer at the price
for which the said uniform might have been purchased at
the commencement of the war.
4thly, Resolved, That the lands which may be granted
within this Rate to officers and soldiers serving in the troops
of the Rate in con sequence of a resolution ot Congress of
September the 16th, 1776, shall be exempted from taxation
whilst they continue in the possession of such officers or
soldiers, and before any alienation thereof made, and not
after.
the time being, whole receipt (which he is hereby re
quired to give) shall be a fufficient difeharge to him or
them for the sum of money so paid, under t^e penalty of
pounds for every negled or relufal.
And be it enabled by the authority ajorefaid, That the
monies which shall be received by the Treasurer of the
Wardens and Assessors aforefaid, of the Clerk of the Mar
ket, and the owners and occupiers of the ferries, wharfs
and public landing places, shall be disposed of by the
Wardens, or a majority of them, and applied to the fame
uses and purposes as mentioned and fpeciried in an aft of
General Assembly, passed the ninth uay of March, in the
year One thousand seven hundred and seventy-one, in
titled, “ An a& for regulating and continuing me nightly
watch, enlightening the streets, lanesand alleys of tee ci
ty of Philaaciphia, and for other purposes therein menti
oned."
And be it enabled by the authority aforefaid) That if the
persons appointed Collectors of the Taxes, and the Free
holders hereafter to be chosen or appointed to make re
turns of the taxables within their rtipedive wards, shall
refufe to take upon them the offices enjoined and required
in and by the laid recited act, every luck perlon so refuf
ing, shall forieit and pay an additional fine of
pounds, over and above the fines heretofore fixed by law
to be recovered in the fame manner and at the fame time
and applied to the fame uses, as fines and forfeitures were
directed to be recovered in t.e said recited act, to which
this a& is a supplement.
And be it Jurtber enabled by the authority aforefaid, That
this aft Ihall continue in full force for the term of
s thly, Resolved, That from and after the parting this
resolve, the widows of the officers of this Rate in the con
tinental service, who have died in the service since the
commencement of the present war, or who may die during
the continuance thereof, flMl be intitled to the halfof the
pay which their husbands were refpedively intitled to
while in the service, during her widowhood.
Extras from the Minutes,
JOHN MORRIS, Junior,
Clerk of the General Assembly.
'H E Members of Lodge No. 3, are re-
I quested to meet the Brethren at their Lodge-
Room in Videll'sAlley, at Six o'clock this evening.
By order of the Master,
March 16, 1779. HENRY VALENTINE, Sec.
BY virtue of an order of Orphan's Court will be ex
posed to sale by Public Vendue, on the premises,
on Wednesday the thirty firft day of March instant, a
certain tra& or piece of land, situate in Gwinedd town
ship, Philadelphia county, containing about fifty-two
acres, be the fame more or less, with a Imall tenement
or dwelling house thereon : Late the estate of Christopher
Jacoby, deceased, and to be fold by
EVE MARIA JACOBY, Adminiftratiix,
ADAM SNEIDER, Adminiftiator.
due, to the Treasurer of the Wardens and Assessors for