The New-England chronicle — Boston [Mass.], 1776-05-02 00:00:00, page 1

The troops are said to be the 40th regiment,
and a detachment of marines ; Majors Grant and
Maitland are among them, also Capt. Pitcairn,
Coty of a letter just received, by express, from Georgia.
In the Council of Safety, Savannah, March 4, 1776.
H E intimate connexion between this and
* your province, in a particular manner, ren
ders it necessary, to acquaint you with the occur
rences in the former, since the date of our last ;
to which, and the dispatches proceeding, we re
fer you. ,
" Our dispositions in the tveningof the 2d, were
such as appeared to our officers the most likely to
prevent the landing of our enemy ; and so as, if
they should make their landing good, either above
or below the town, to prevent their getting in ;
however, notwithstanding our vigilance, they, by
collusion with the masters and others on board the
merchant Whipping, which hawked near the shore
of Hutchinson's Island in the night time, got on
board these ffiips, about four o'clock yesterday
morning ; to the number, as far as we are com
petent to judge, from observations we made, and
the intelligence we received, of between two and
three hundred, where they affected to conceal
themselves.
February 21. The ffiip which arrived at Cock
pur, on Monday the 12th instant, proves to be a
;ranfport from Boston with more soldiers.
On the 12th instant, our Governor and his fa
mily took themselves on board the Scarborough,
Tom which hh has wrotea letter, to endeavour to
^erfuade us to let the officers, lately arrived in our
iver, land in' this town, and declaring the fleet
mly want water and frelh provisions, which they
will pay for, with a great deal of fluff, to lull the
people asleep.
February 28. The Cherokee, the two trans
ports from Boston, a sloop and three frrrall vessels,
are now laying at anchor within three miles of
this town.
Besides the militia of the town and diftri& of
Savannah, there are a number of companies from
the country now in this place.
CHARLESTOWN, (S. Carolina) Feb. 16.
We hear from Georgia, that the Scarborough
man of war, of 20 guns, lately arrived in Savan
nah river, with a prize schooner, having qooolb.
es gunpowder on board.
Diarch 8. On Sunday a detachment of 12a
men of the Charleftown volunteer companies, set
out for Savannah.
Wehear from Savannah, that two armed fchoo
jners and a sloop had got above the town, through
Back River, and had taken a brig and a schooner
lying there ; that the Syren was arrived in th^
river ; and that some more large vessels were in
the offing ; that the troops, said to be about 5 or
600, were in transports near the town ; That it
was expe&ed they would attempt to land, to pre
vent which, upwards of 1000 Georgia and Caro
lina militia-men were in Savannah ; and that
there is too great reason to fear there will be much
blood shed.
February 14. Last Friday arrived a large tranf
ort with soldiers from Boston.
SAV ANNA H, [Georgia,] February 7.
£H £ petition from the Congress of this
province to the King, was presented to his
sty by Governor Johnftone, on the 3d of
November last.
" We had our fears refpeaing these shipping,
and therefore kepta good watch upon them ; but
it was impossible for centintls, on this shore, to
descry them in boarding from the other, the ves
sels being betwixt.
" Captain Rice, who commanded a boat of
observation, was sent on board the shipping about
nine o'clock, to order the rigging on shore, and
was, without any hoist, tor the smallest know
ledge of us, kidnapped. This we did not know,
till about half an hour afterwards : Two sailors,
under pretence of coming on shore for cloaths,
gave information of the troops being on board the
Whipping, and of Rice's be ing taken : about three
hundred were then immeZ lately mached to Ya-
ft/ . rtol 1 /#/^
NEW-ENGLAND CHRONICLE.
OSI' ON : Printed by SAMUEL HA LL, at his Office next to the Oliver Cromwell Tavern, in School-Street.
(Vol. VIII.)
THURSDAY, May 2, 1776.
macraw, opposite the Dipping, with three four
pounders, and threw up a breast-work. The
armed schooner, Hinchinbrook, of — guns, with
a number of men on board, which with others,
went up the Back river in the afternoon of the
day preceding, about this time set fail down
the South River, with intent, no doubt, of cover
ing the landing of he troops, from on beard the
merchant shipping : But being continually fired
at, by two companies of rifle-men who were place
ed in ambufeade, she was obliged to come very
{lowly, and often came to, and returned a very
smart fire at every place where the rifle-men fired
from, until the tide was spent, and she could not
get down. During the course of their firing,
only one of our men got wounded, and that
slightly in the thigh ; but on beard, several were
seen to fall.
" In town we had exhibited a still more inte
resting scene ; we found the officers and men
clamorous, about the capture and detention of
Rice ; and two gentlemen, Lieut. Daniel Roberts,
of the St. John's rangers, and Mr. Raymond De
mere, of St. Andrew's parish, solicited and were
permitted to go on board, to demand a surrender
of Rice and his people. They accordingly di
yefted themselves of arms, and were rowed by a
negro on board a vessel, in which were Captain
Barclay, the Commodore, and Major Grant ; and
these officers, contrary to all the principles which
cement society, and govern mankind, immediate
ly arrested our deputies, and yet detain them as
prisoners. We waited with anxious expectati
on for near half an hour, when we demanded our
deputies, by the help of a trumpet, without get
ting any other but insulting answers ; whereupon
we fired two fourpounders directly into them;
and then they informed us, that they would fend
an answer in writing ; which they presently after
did, signed by Lieutenant Roberts and Mr. De
mere, purporting, that if we would fend two of
the persons in whom the people most confided,
they would treat with them.
“ Capt. Screven, of the St. John's rangers,
and Capt. Baker, of the St. John's rifle-men,
chagrined, no doubt (the former particularly, on
account of his Lieutenant) by the detention of Cur
deputies, took about a dozen of rifle men in a boat,
and rowed dire&ly under the stern of Capt. Inglis,
in whose vessel were a great part of the soldiery,
and, in peremptory terms, demanded the deputies,
and were anfweredj after one {hot from, Capt. Ba
ker, by a difeharge down directly upon them of
near two hundred {hot, both from swivels and
small arms ; which was kept up while they were
in reach ; the Captains and men in the boat, not
in the smallest degree confufed, or even, perhaps,
disappointed by the attack, fired their rifles, most
of them three several times, and as they fay, not
without execution : And, wonderful to tell ! hot
a man of them killed ; one man only received a
slug in the flefhy part of his Ihoulder, which was
immediately cut out, without the smallest incon
venience or danger. The fpe&ators all declare,
as we now do, that such a providential deliverance
has not yet been known. This unmanly attack,
upon a tew men in an open boat, produced a ge
neral fire from our field pieces and intrench
ments ; and a smart return from two four poun
ders and several swivels from the shipping; which
lasted from about twelve o'clock to four ; and, al
though they often fired langridge, which continu
ally whistled about our men, not a single man Was
even touched ; but we have no doubt a number
of the enemy met with a worse fate, as they were
seen frequently to fall.
“ About four o'clock, we called a Council, and
determined to have the vessels immediately burnt ;
and iflued orders to Col. M'lntofh accordingly,
whereupon the Inverness, late Capt. M'Gil
livray, loaded with rice and deer-skins, was set on
fire, and cut loose, to the amount of 15,0001 flerl.
Upon thisthe soldiers, in the most laughable confu
fion, got ashore in the marsh ; whileour rifle-men,
and field pieces, with grape {hot, were incessant
ly galling them. The shipping were now also in
confufiofy some got up the river, under cover if
the armed schooner, while others caught the flame,
and as night approached exhibited a scene, as they
passed and recalled With the tide, which in ^ny
other but the present times would be truly horri
ble, but is now a fubjed only of gratulation and
applause.
" Ihe ffiips es Captains Inglis and Wardell
neither got up the river, or on fire, they were or
dered on shore, and are now prisoners of Captain
Screven in the country, and their vefiels brought
down close into a wharff. They were permitted
to Write to Capt. Barclay in the evening, to in
form of their situation, and to request an exchange
ofprifoners, which the latter peremptorily refuf%
" We have thus given you a particular detail
of things, as they, really happened, to prevent the
belief of any erroneous , intelligence ; and, from
which, you will be competent to judge of our
situation.
WANTL D immediately for the use of this colony,
2% barrels of beef. 200 barrels of pork.
300 quintals cf cod 6fh, sco 5 co bufberi of beans or pets.
49 barrels of vinegar. 3000 weight soap. 360 barrels of cyder.
A qaan.it, of butter and rice. A quantity of fpruce.'
Any p&fons difpefed to f„, ply any of the above articles, are
dtfi-red to call at the Commifrary Ge, eral's office, at Watmown.
*, Those persons who are poffi fr of frne,Arirs belonging
to fad^ffice^re ccfim to re urn them immediately,
AT a Committee of Infpedi'n'held afßotton
Ge 9th D.y of A V, 1776, Voted unammoufy, That Nathaniel
Barbe, E% be appointed to sign Certify-( t , of Goode heder ia
thia Town, and to grant Permiffiont to & k< on board Mere hard
&c. to be exceed, he taking proper A fluences of their not being
carried to the Eoemier of America r And if at any Time, be ffirnld
fafpea any of inimical Intentions, to inform said Committee.
(A true Cvpy.)
The foregoing Vote is published, that all concerned may con
form themselves thereto.
. Boston, April 19 1776. , NAT. BARBFR.
WHEREAS the members of ST
ANDREW'S LODGE, have not had an opporurit,
of meeting since the fecnad Thurfdar^f April, 1775, by region
of public affairs : The Master and Warners of said Lodge pro
pose to meet the second Thursday in May next, 6 o'clock, F. M.
at Free Masons 'Hall, for the choice cf cfficers. All members
concerned, are desired to take notice, and give their attendance.
Byorder ofthe M.fter, WM. HOSKINS, Secr'y.
Baffin April 12, 1776. ..-
NATHANIEL PEIRCE,
Her to fell at hi# store opposite the south fide of F#n'uil-Hall,
Weft India and New-England RUM, b±
wholefalc,,loaf and brown sugar, ceffee, chocolate by the bex oi
doz'n, raifina by the cilk, pepper, ginger, copperas, lemmona by
the box, candle# by the bex, mustard by the degen or bottle, men,
and boy# hate, a genteel OTortment of crockery ware, a quantity
of German steel, to,&c. cheap for cifc
J'J^__B^_C.h<>i c e French Co d'al to be had at said ftrre.
GERMAN steel, Philadelphia steel,
nail rod# flour and mustard, to be fold by JONA. GOODHUE.
Salem, 22 April, 1776.
To be SOLD on reasonable terms, at Mr. Obadiah Curtis's
store near the old south meetir g-h^ufe, Boston,
A few cases of best Holland G J N.—
Jrhofe^vhowjnt to purch fe^afe difired to apply to f.id Mr Curtir.
Colon, of the Massachusetts- BTTSuff^kT^
A libel is filed before me, against the fnoW
named the INDUSTRY, burthen about iso ton#, com
manded by James Furse, and said to be improved in canyinf
supplies to the fleet and army employed agairft the United Colo
nies, and brought into the said county of Suffolk. And the
Curt ert&ed to try and condemn all v'tffih that flail be four!
infeftitg the fea-coaA of America, and brought irito either of the
counties of Suffolk, Middlefix or Eff°x, wilibe held at the C< urt-
House in Boston, in said county cf Suffolk, on the twenty fi;ft
dayofM.y, 1*776, at the hour of ter,in the forenoon, to try that
juffice of the said capture Of which thia notice lagiven, put.
for nt to the laws of the colon, aforefaid, that the owners of said
vessel, or any person concerned therein, may , appear ant drew cause,
if any they have, why the said vessel, with her cargo and appoc
penances, mould not be condemned.
TIMOTHY PICKERIN G, jua,
; ^(Judge of Aid Court.
LOST, two letts of Dutch bills of exchange,
supposed to be dropped out of, Pocket ^ock ; one is drawn for
650 guilder, thirteen week) right : The other, as ney as can be
recoffeaed, is for 153 guilders and 14 ftivm, drawn at femefe
fight.-.-Whoever find# said Bills, and gives, notice to the Printer
hereof, pr to Benjamin Willes, of Haverhill, so that rhe right
owner may have the Bills, ih^i have SIX DOtLA RS reteard'
Haverhill, Feb, 26^. 1776. Binjam/n Wltiys,
'' Col. M'lntofh laid before the board a reso
lution of your Congress to aid us; accompanied
by a letter from Mr. Lowndes ; and We are ver,
glad that you have determined to afford us farthe'i
affiftarice. We wi{h it may arrive in time.
By order of the Council of Safety,
WILLIAM EWEN, President.?'
To the Hon. the Congress, or C^mcil \
of Safety, for South-Carolina.
(Numb. 402.)