The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1782-01-17 00:00:00, page 2

I became anxious to fee this extraordinary paper. I
met a French gentleman—" Boi jour monlieur/' said
he, " aves vous seen le papier of. monsieur Riffing
ton ofe desist ?" " Non monsieur," replied I; " je
fuis fort f rry," said he—he made three bows and an
half, and so we parted. At length I came across an
intimate acquaintance—“ For God's fake,'' cried he,
" have ysu read the paper ?" What paper?" " Riv
ington's of the sth" —"I have not seen it,have you ?" —
" No;I wish I could fee it; I have only heard of it; there
is but one in the city, and that is loft : I am told it is
more witty than Rabillais; more nafly than Swift, and
more vulgar than Tom Brown. Every body has heard
of it, few have seen it —there is but one copy, and
that is loft." I forgot the business I set out upon,
and went in quest of the New York paper of the sth.
I went amongst the whigs; I enquired amongst the
tories: all had heard of it ; no-body had got it. At
lafl, as T was going th ough a dirty alley, I saw a man
who had got Clo se-in-a corner. He held Riv
ington's pa per of t esth in his hand. " Friend," said
I, “ if you have done with that paper, you will ob
lige me much by lending it I also have occasion for
it." Yes fir," said he, " I have done with it ; but it
is all over filth and nafiinefs ; it is not fit to be touched ;
when I firft found it, it was well enough upon the
hole, but it will not bear a second infpe&ion."
“ Let me have it," said I, “ I will clean it with a
flick ; I will Scrap? it with an oyster (hell ; I will
wipe it with an handful of fhavings."—" I? will not
do," replied he, " it is a most filthy paper; no body
can look on it without disgust ; it is a beastly, it is a
black guard paper. There is no news in it. There
is nothing in it but nafiinefs and Rivington's portable
fouo.''
SINCE war is unavoidable, it is certainly a great
bluffing that cu ftom and civilization are permitted
to Soften its' rigor and abridge its Severities. The mo
derns have "this advantage over the ancients. In
former times the contending parties dealt only in hard
knocks and bloody noses ; all was Serious with them :
but we can fight with and laugh at each other, by
'turns, with all the Satisfaction in the word. Were it
not for the burning a few defencelefs towns, plunder
ing and deßroying the property of imoffenfive farm
ers; the prison (hips of New-York, and some other
unhappy ingredients, the war in America might be
field up to yiew as an example of the great improve
F ment of the moderns in the art of destroying God's
creatures. The people in Europe imagine that the
cities of New York and Philadelphia are at mortal
and never ceasing enmity with each other ; and that
the citizens of each never rife without apprehension,
or go to bed without fear; they little think what a
friendly intercourse subsists between us^that we spend
the winter in laughing and joking with each other ;
in bandying words, and throwing literary Squibs.
We captured lord Corhwal is and his army : this was
the occasion of merriment and laughter at Philadelphia :
we captured lord Cornwallis and his army • this was
the occasion of laughter at hew York—and at Charlef
town, they carried the joke farther—they illuminated
the city. War may deprive a man of his fortune, of his
relations, and of his friends; but cannot take from him
all occasion of laughter. The true definition of man is,
that he is a risible animal. No other creature hav
ing this faculty, unless the grinning of a monkey
may be deemed an exception; which, however, is no
more like laughter than his chattering is like logic.
To (hew how very merry we are, and how very polite
in the midfl of war, I shall exhibit a specimen of
New York wit, taken from a late paper of the faceti
ous Mr. Rivington ; but I must firft inform you how
I cyme by it.
I had occasion to attend a gentleman, on business, at
the lower ynd of the town I had not proceeded an
hundred yard from my lodgings when I met a friend,
who, taking rm by the hind, very fi^nificantly asked
if I had seen the New-York Gazette of the sth of Ja
nuary ? I told him I .ad not " that is a great pity,"
fid he. Spon after I heard a person walking very
quick, as if desirous to overtake me: I turned about
and law another friend. “ Pray fir," said he, " have
you seen Rivington's paper of the sth ? “ No fir, I
have not; have you ?" " No; I wish I had." A
square further I saw a third f-iend on the opposite fide
of the Breet: he no Sooner discovered me, but in
spite of mud and dirt came tripping over; and with
out any consideration of the injury bis own cloaths had
received, or any apology forbfpattering mine, ac
coß-d me with, " Lord fir, have you seen the Royal
Gazette of the sth ?" I assured him I had net: " It is
a thousand pities," said hi. I proceeded on my way—
I met a Quaker: " friend," f ys he, " haft thou per
used Rviogton's Gazette of the sth of the firfl
month?" I told him I had not seen it. I was amazed ;
After much persuasion, however, he consented to
let me have the paper. I took hold of it with the
thumb and fore finger of my right hand, my other
fingers Wretched out in Straight lines. I held it by
an eighth part of an inch of one of its corners, where
no printing, no nafiinefs had touched. I carried it
along at arm's length ; and soon had a mob of boys,
black guards' and chimney Sweeps to attend me. This
croud drew others—" What is it? What's the mat
ter ?—Can you tell ?" Does any body know ?''—
" Yes, Rivington's paper of the sth is found." —
" Where is it ? Who has got it ?—Pray let me fee it."
There it is, in that gentleman's hand. Don't you fee
it ? Don't you smell it ?—lt is the Royal Gazette.
" It is Rivington's Royal Gazette." " The Royal
Gazette of the sth," " of the sth of the firft month,''
=' cf the sth of January."
Thus attended, I reached my lodgings. The boys
crouded round my windows, the men fill'd the door.
" Mr. Such-a One ; Mrs. Such-a One, fend their com
pliments, and request the use ofthe Royal Gazette of
the sth." Tell Mr. Such-a-One, tell Mrs Such a-One,
that the Royal Gazette hath bee used already: It
hath been abused. It is not fit for gentlemen to read ;
it is not fit for ladies to fee." And then I bolted my
door.
For the PENNS Y-L ^NIA PACKET.
I had a Servant, a British Terjes., ^^...^-
miffary of prisoners lent me, on parole. I ordered him
to take the Royal Gazette into the cellar, and care
fully copy al the wit upon a clean sheet of paper.
He did so, and here it is.
[*** The Printer hopes the Author will excuse him
for not inserting the Extract from the New-York pa
per alluded to. L is a parody on a late entertain
ment, called The Temple of Minerva ; but the ex
trerhe Scurrility and indecency of the performance,
renders the publication improper any where, except
in the Royal Gazette of New York.]
You wish to know what became of the Royal Ga
zette —The sergeant threw it into the river; it drifted
up to Burlington : it was picked up by a deserter go
ing t New York : the deserter could not read, and so
he took it to Mr Rivington for a Philadelphia paper ;
Rivington threw it on the floor in a per, and went out.
In haif an hour after the witty author of this filthy
parody sent for a hottie of Hannay's Wash, and a cake
of Portable Soup; Mr. Rivington's boy wrapped up
the bottle and cake in the aforefaid Gazette, which he
took from under the counter where his maßer had
thrown it. And so, by a flrange arrangement of cir
cumflances, this admirable performance returned to
the place from whence it came. A. B.
The original letter from major genera) Campbell, com
minder of his majeßy'sforces in Weft-Florida, to lord
George ermam, dated at Pensacola the 12th of May
lafl, not having come to hand, the following is an ex
tract of duplicate of the said letter which has lately
been received.
IX'"'" I wrote your lordship on the 7th instant,
although I then forefaw the probable fate of
Pensacola, yet I did not apprehend that the decision
of the centeft was quite so near at hand as it has lince
proved to have been: an unfortunate fh.il from the
enemy on the morning of the Bth precipitated its defti
ny, and occasioned its falling under the dominion of
Spain at lea f? some days Sooner than it otherwise would
have happened. On the morning of the Bth a Shell that
accidently burst by the door of the magazine of the ad
vanced redoubt, set fire to the powder within, and in
an instant the body of t ; e redoubt was a heap of rub
bish, depriving no less than 48 military, 27 seamen, and
one Negro of life by the explosion, besides 24 men
wounded, most of them dangerously. Two flank works,
that had been added to the redoubt since the commence
ment of the siege, Bill remained entire, the fire from
which (owing to the intrepid coolness of the artillery,
particularly of captain Johnfione, who commanded
them) repulfel the enemy in their firfl Attempt to ad
vance to the Borm, and gave time to carry off the
wounded, two five and half inch howitzers, and three
field pieces ; but the enemy having by this time brought
up their whole army, there was a necessity of abandon
ing these works, after firft spiking up the pieces of artil
lery in the flank works, viz. 2 ten and 2 eight inch
mortars, 3 eight and 1 five and half inch howitzers,
and i field piece, a three pounder, and 1 twenty-four
pounder; 6 twelve pounders, and one nine pounder,
were I ft in the redoubt The enemy at this time affurn
ed a countenance as if they would Form our remaining
works; however, on finding us prepared for their at
tack and ready to receive them, they dr&pt their design,
but kept up so heavy and incessant a fire from their fraall
arms,under cover of the remaining works of the advacn
ed redoubt, that the seamen could not stand to the
guns of the middle redoubt, ^nd several (both Soldiers
and seamen) were wounded in that redoubt. In this
situation, not having the fmdleß hope of relief, hav
ing little or no (hot left, (except what the enemy had
furnifhed us with for our 4 twenty four pounders) sen
sible that I could only hold out a few days onger, and
that many lives, that may hereafter be more ufefully
employed in the Service of their king and country,
would be loft in prolonging the defence, without any
visible advantage in return. I judged this the time io
endeavour procuring an honourable and advantage
ous capitulation ; I accordingly, a little before three
o'clock in the afternoon of the Bth displayed a flag of
truce on fort George and proposed, by letter, a fuf
pension of hostilities, in order that I might propose
articles of capitulation, which being verbally granted,
articles were accordingly prepared between his excel
lency governor Chefler and me, and sent out by seven
o'clock that evening; but, before we could lend them
out, general Galves sent in a lift of terms and conditions
that he could not dispense within the proposed capitu
lation ; however, they were not at this time taken no
tice of. In about 2 hours after, answers to our origi
nal proposals were returned, which among other things
plainly indicated that we must become prisoners of war,
otherwise there could be no capitulation; I therefore
immediately drew up theist and 17th articles of the
present capitulation in the words in which they now
stand, which I sent out to general Galvez, with a mes
sage, that, unless these were assented to as principal
and preliminary articles, the cessation was at an end,
and hostilities might begin as soon as he thought pro
per; but in ease these were agreed to, it appeared to me
probable that there would be no difficulty in adjuring
the other articles the ensuing day; w^reupon they
were returned conditionally ratified, but which condi
tions have since been withdrawn. The cessation being
thereby continued, I early next mornipg prepared a
new draft of articles of capitulation, in which the stipu
lations of the preceding day were attended to, and some
new clauses, that occurred to be necessary, in addition
to those of the preceding day, inserted ; to which go
vernor Chefler consenting, they were, on the morning
of the 9th of May, sent out to general Galvez by bri
gade-major Campbell who being fully informed of
my sentiments upon them collectively and separately,
was impowered to clear up and discuss them with his
excellency. Accordingly general Galvez, upon inves
tigation, and difeu ffion of them, article by article,
agreed to them verbally, with some infignificant refer
vations; whereupon he was permitted to take possessi
on of the garrison of Pensacola that evening, with a
guard for his person, (he being indisposed) and major
Campbell left his camp, with general Efpeleta and gen e
WHITEHALL, October 9, 1781.
ral Galvez's secretary, to put down the atfwers in
writing; but they, (notwithstanding general Galvez's
verbal ratification) Bated objections to the 14th, 17th,
and 24th articles, which however were next day remov
ed by general Galvez himlelf ; and two additional ar
ticles, the 27th and 28th, being likewise agreed upon
and inserted, the whole as it now hands, was ratified,
and exchanged, and possession given that fame evening
to the arms of Spain, of fort George and its adjoining
works, and of the royal navy redoubt the ensuing
day.
Major Fenizell, of the 3d regiment of Waldeck, in
this command of the royal navy redoubt, did every
thing that an experienced officer could perform in his
circumflances and situation; and in general, my lord,
notwithstanding the mixture of corps, and the Conse
quent incohefion and disunity cf ?Bion that might
have hence been apprehen ed, yet I have the pleasure
to fay, that the handful of troops, both officers and
soldiers under m, command, seemed animated with
vigour and spirit to the last, and eager to distinguish.
themselves ; even the dispiriting circomflance of fre
quent desertions appeared not to affeft or discourage
those who remained, but to excite to vengeance and
resentment. Captain lieutenant Heldring, of the third
regiment of Waldeck, a&ing and foie engineer, did all
that a vigorous young man, and ambitious of honour,
could perform during the siege, in attending to his
line of duty, and acquitted himfelf with honour and
applause.
Captain Addenbrooke, of the 54th regiment, my
aid-de camp, and lieutenant Hugh Mackey Gordon,
of the 16th reg meut, extra aid de-camp, discharged
their duty much to my ease and fatisfaftion, with
clearness, judgment and precision. Bo the infinite
obligations I am under to brigade major Campbell,
for his good condud, indefatigable zeal, and firift
attention, to his duty, on this last as well as on every
other occasion, under my command, I cannot fuffici
ently express; I therefore most earnestly recommend
him through your lordship, to his majesty's notice,
as an officer, whose merit, faithful Services, and abili
ties, jufily claim any mark of royal favour that can
be conferred upon him.
Returns of the garrison of fort George and its ad
joining works, and of the royal navy redoubt, at
their surrender to Spain ; as also of the kilted, wound
ed, and deserted, during the siege; together with a
copy of the capitulation, (the answers being a transla
tion from the Spanish) are herewith ioclofed.
It has been my misfortune, my lord, to be em
ployed in an ill fated corner of his majefly's domini
ons ; but I trust that the calamities that have befal
len Weft-Florida will not be imputed to me: my en
deavours have unremittingly been exerted for its pre
servation to the British empire, since I took upon me
military command; and f my labours and exertions
to that end (hall but find favour with my sovereign,
I shall forget the frown of fortune, and be happy in
the royal approbation.
Since the capitulation we have leernt, from the best
authority, that the combined regular land troops of
the enemy on shore did not consist of fewer than
78000 meu, besides seamen and mariners ; to which
being added the consideration of 15 Blips of the line
and 6 frigates, king's snows, (loops, &c. &c. being so
long employed on this service, and the confeffion of
many of their officers, of their having artillery fuf
ficient to have carried before Gibraltar (their own
expression.)
Permit me now, my lord, to remark the obligati
ons I am under to the officers and seamen of the royal
navy, who, after they were landed, chearfully and
readily co operated in the defence on shore, and per
formed every thing that could be expected from the
well known character of British seamen for undaunted
zeal and intrepidity in their country's service. Cap
tains Deans and Kelly did every thing I could expert
from their rank and flation. But I take the liberty
more especially of recommending lieutenants Miller,
of the Mentor, and Hargood, of the Port Royal, to
your lordship's patronage and protection, for their
brave and Spirited conduct and unremitting at ention
to the good of the king's service, the former as com
manding officer of the seamen in the advanced re
doubt, and the latter in the royal navy redoubt at
the Rod Cliff's, that were considered the posts of dan
ger and honour.
T e royal artillery, both officers and men, (to
whom were joined twelve artillery men of the regi
ment of Waldeck) were indefatigable in their exertions,
and, from the time the enemies batteries were opened,
were incessantly on duty, notwithstanding which, they
only appeared the more animated by danger, and the
more zealous to acquire honour and merit applause.
I assure your lordship. that I was perfectly well Sup
ported by the field officers and commanding officers
of corps under my command, in their maintainance of
order, discipline, and alertness on duty among the
troops. Lieutenant colonel de Horn, of the Waldeck
regiment, and major M'Donald, of tie Maryland
provincial corps, the only field officers in the garrison
of fort George, went through a great deal of fatigue
in the execution of their duty with zeal, promptness
and alacrity ; and in justice to them I must observe,
that the (ally of the 4th infiant. was led on by them,
when upwards of 400 men, actually on duty in the
part of the trenches attacked, were routed by only a
handful of men, their cannon (piked, works deflroy
ed, &c. Major Macdonald headed the provincials,
who attacked and flormed the trenches, and lieute
nant colonel de Horn was at the head of the reserve.
WANTED
Immediately a WET NURSE,
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