The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1781-02-03 00:00:00, page 1

HE bad weather which my fleet has endured from
A the time of its entering the ocean on the second of
this month, the thick fogs which prevented me from
taking the latitude, and the violent south weft winds,
not permitting me to reconnoitre the land, I was o
bliged to dired my course according to the best cal
culation I could form, which placed me in the latitude
of Cadiz, and cape St. Marie on the N. N. E. quar
ter, till the 16th between one and two in the afternoon,
when I gave a signal to tack, and run to the S. E.
During this manoeuvre the weather having cleared
up a little, they perceived, from the top-masts of my
ship, which formed the van guard, 20 fails, N. N. W.
I did not alter my flation, but gave the signal for
forming the line, and preparing for aftion. The line
was formed by my nine vessels, le Phoenix, le St. Au
gufiin, le St. Eugene, le Sr. Dominique, le St. Lau
rent, la Princefia, le Diligent, le Monarque, and le
St. Julien. I placed to the leeward of us our frigates
la Sante Rosalie, and la Sante Ceci e, together with
the four prizes we had made. We remained on the
main top masts to make observations on the Strength
of the fllips, which went upon the fame tack with us,
and to take such measures as prudence Should direct.
At two o'clock we began to difiinguifh from below 20
large vessels, and 60 small ditto. We judged them
from their Signals to be enemies, but were not able to
difeovar their force. While they remained at the dis
tance of three)eagues from us, we counted 22 ships of
the line, of two and three decks, and Several frigates,
which were divided in two columns, the one running
northward, and the other seeming to intend doubling
upon our line, and thereby cutting off our r treat.
The superiority of the enemy determined me to take
advantage of the weather, to enquire of the comman
ders by signal, if they did not think it advifeable to
gain the firft port, and their opinions being unani
mods for it, I gave orders for making the firft port in
the order of retreat, by a forced fail.
At three o'clock I bore eastward to engage the ene
my to run into the bay of Cadiz, if they persisted to
chace us ; but they always came up with us by a
forced fail, and the Edgar, the best sailer of them, ap
proached le St. Dominique, which having loft her main
yard in a hard gale of wind, on the 13th, could not
follow us ; the Edgar secured her flag, je St. Domini
que did the fame, with an intention of defending it,
and at half after four, the English gave a broadside,
which our vessel returned from the larboard fide : the
fire of the latter was so well directed that the Edgar'
was obliged to retire, and le St. Dominique made up to
xis, when she was enclosed by two of the enemy's fhips,-
and put between two fires, but mwerthefefs she continu
ed firing, both on the larboard and larboard, with the
utmof tfpirit, particularly with her guns of retreat. We
were in admiration of the gallant defence she made, and
the bravery of the captain, the officers, and the crew,,
when after a thick smoke, this unfortunate vessel dis
appeared. 1 presume she must have blown up, by fir
ing of her proper guns of retreat. Such was the tra
gic end of ^e valiant Spaniards who were on board,
whose noble defence merited a better fate.
At the fame time three other ships of the line engag
ed la Princeffa, who defended her'felf alone by a forced
fail, and an exceeding brisk fire, till la Diligent came
to her assistance.
At sunset the English ship the Defence of 74 guns,
32 on, her firft deck, and 18 on her second, began to
attack the Phcenix, which I commanded, mounting 80
guns, 24 and 18 pounders. [ got within pistol shot of
the Defence, which appeared to have fuffered much,
my intention being to rid myfelf of one of my enemies ;
aR d I was equally determined to flop the best failers
The following particular account of the very Severe
engagement which happened off Gibraltar, last year,
between nine ships of the line of the Spanish mfivy, com
manded by Don Juan De Langara, and twenty-two
English ships of the line, commanded by admiral Rod
ney, in which (notwith flanding the very superior force
of the enemy) the greatest bravery and good condud
was displayed by the gallant Spaniards—we doubt not
will be acceptable to the public.—lt is one of the nu
merous instances which daily offer themfeivrs to our
view, to prove that courage and conduct are not
confined to the British nation alone; an opinion which
the people of this country were formerly taught to
look upon as infallible, but which faffs now (hew to be
totally erroneous.
From Don Juan de Langara, to his excellency
Don Andre Regio, lieutenant general of the na
vy, and commander of the Cadiz department.
SATURDAY,
TRANSLATION of a LETTER
VOL. X. 1
'—^C^' @N 9 X^^O/^ O_>Gx^ O&^-O
O R, THE
GENERAL ADVERTISER.
Gibraltar, Jan. 21, 1780.
Published every TUESDAY and SATURDAY.
arnongß the English ships, to give our vessels time to
escape; but I found myfelf immediately attacked by
a third vessel of 90 guns, commanded, as they said,
by admiral Ross ; and who in one of her broadsides,
cut off our mizen-maft, the fall of which for a few
minutes, interrupted the fire of some of our larboard
guns; but we, however, soon disengaged ourselves.
At fix o'clock in the morning, I received a mufquet
ball near my left ear: I continued on the forecaftle
giving the necessary orders, and the a&ion continued
without interruption, notwithstanding the enemy's su
perior force.
Owing to the high sea, and few batteries we had,
we were so overflowed with water between decks, that
we were eblidged to order several new feupper holes
to be made to carry it off. At seven o'clock, a fourth
Vessel came upon our poop, and soon after I received
a wound in the right thigh, and immediately after
another in my head, which made me faint away, and
they carryed me into the surgeon's room. A fifth ship
now came up and fired a broadside into us, which broke
off our large scuttle mast, which fell on the deck, to
gether with the yard and the top gallant mast.
The continual fire of the five English vessels, which
^attacked us now in all quarters at once, along fide, a
head, and a-flern, deprived us entirely of all power
of management, and prevented all our manoeuvres.
Without rigging, our main fail shot through and
through like a sieve, our scuttle and topgallant-mall
fallen, our mizen-maft quite gone, our main-mast in
jured in a variety of places, and pierced with grape
and other shot, and our hold full of water; having
nothing but our forefail, the mast of which had given
way, and the scuttle and top-gallant-mafls, neither of
which could carry fail ; without hope of mending our
situation, or of receiving any relies—such was our
condition, when at the very last extremity, about ten
in the evening, we struck the flag, which we had de
fended for the glory of our king and country, against
such a superiority of force, as made defence ail that
could possibly be expected, and left no doubt as to the
issue of our fate. The enemies themselves will bear
witness to the truth of this relation.
The English fleet not having yet arrived in this port,
I cannot give your excellency an exact or minute ac
count of the condue of the other vessels in my squa
dron, but the general voice of the enemy pronounce,
their defence to have been in the greatest degree glo
rious.
For the protection of my honour, and for the fatis
fa&ion of my conscience, I have thought it neceffar,'
to give your excellency an account of the courage,,
of the intrepidity, of the coolness, and of the perse
verance which all the officers discovered during the
whole of the action ; our two marine guards, alto the
three contre enfeigne of his Sicilian majesty, and the
whole crew of thg^fenix, gave the strongest testi
monies of the most undoubted bravery and zeal;
their wounds could not detain them in the hold ;
they would not flay to have them drefled, but ruflied
again to their posts upon deck, eager to acquire and
participate in new glories. I represent all this to your
excellency, that you may explain to his majesty how
much his fubjeHs on board the Phcenix were disposed
for his Service, and how ardently they wished to facri
fice their lives, and every thing, for the glory and
honour of his arms.-
In the morning, as soon as their little boat could
cary, Mr. Macbride, captain of the Bienfaifant, came
to fee me, and complimented me much. He said, (if
I may use his expression) that a defence so glorious un
der such an inequality of Strength was more to be en
vied than their victory, and informed me, that when
we were in harbour, he would communicate some cir
cumstances to me, which he himfelf had observed, that
reflected the bigheft honour upon our conduct and
which had escaped my observation and recollection.
He did me the honour, contrary to the general prac
tice, to fuffer our national flag, and that of my com
mand, to renfain in the Phoenix, and fuffered the
whole crew to continue on board, because the small
pox was in the Bienfaifant. The fame day being the'
18th, the English Squadron and its convoy passed the
Straits; but as a dead calm was set in to the lee
ward of Gibraltar, they anchored to the eastward of
that place. The Phcenix entered the bay on the 19th,
with the two vessels in her company, the Bienfaifant,
and the Defence, and I received in (Gibraltar all the
politeness possible, from admiral Duff, who commands
there, from the governor of the place, and from ad
miral Digby, the second in the marine command in
the squadron of admiral Rodney, who himfelf paid
me the fame honour.
THE
I have the honour to be, &c.
DON JUAN DE LANGARA.
The nature of the contest was also changed: The
war was no longer a CIVIL one. This appellation
left its propriety, and it became from henceforth, as
between two nations, that had never been united.
TH AT philosophy which fees every thing, ver,
early predi&ed, a population so rapid as the co
lonial, combined with an extent of country, pe ffe ffing
so many advantages for trade, manufa&urei, and agri
culture, could not long remain under any foreign ju
rifdiaion. This spirit of divination proceeded so far
as to advise the king of Gieat-Biitain, to gird hi#
sword upon his loins, and with such of his nobles, a#
were willing to share his fortune, to transfer his court
to these foores. The minds of men of judgment and
forethought, on both tides the Atlantic, were filled with
so great an event. The colonies received visitors from
different parts of Europe, who feduloufty essayed the
nature of their foil, and the genius of their inhabi
tant But, notwithstanding every obje& seemed charg
ed with the feeds of a revolution, still, it was confi
dtd as the work of force succeeding generation.
The mannets of a country, like that of an indivi
dual, aie under the controul of circumstances. Our#
has changed, and must yet undergo further changes.
But, before the habits relulting from a more enlarged
interccurfe with the genius,—the fafhions,—the vices,
the luxury, and the pride of other nations become
fixed, and constituting a part of our character, let ug
review the days that are puffing, and have past. It is
she sweet and infantile aera of our history, over which
the heart broods with encreafing delight. It is the sea
son that puts forth the virtues most amiable in human
nature. It is the age of patriotism, and every where
exhibits the tendered intercourse of fenfiment, passi
on, and mutual Support. I regret only, that it must
in time give place to one more brilliant, though, per
haps, less beautiful. Be it our part, however, to che
rish what remains, and to study to deserve its continu
ance. To proceed.
We shall mot attempt to display the fyflem of the
court of London, alarmed at our growing importance,
nor the several ffeps taken by the people of America,
to procure a permanent Security against its encroach
ments. It is not, however, unworthy of remark, that
the propefirions cl the second Cengreff, were altoge
ther incompatible with this feftern, and, that it re
quired no great ffretoh of penetration, to forefee in
what manner th^y would be treated, or the conse
quences in which obey would terminate.
The seeming Sacrifices of CongrefS, in their several
concessions to the power of Great-Britain, involved
only fugitive evils. They contained no material check:
to population ; oh^y did not difeourage industry ; they
only procrastinated the revolution. This conduft wore
a good exterior, Served to conciliate our interest abroad,
and to make profetyres at home, for at this period all
were not Sufficiently enlightened. But, England, sen
sible to their tendency, and knowing, that every day
added to our strength, signed a refufal to our terms,
by a contemptuous silence, and in the augmentation of
her armies.
The admiration of Europe flood divided, between
tha wisdom and boldness of this measure. They had
not comprehended our capacity for war, nor did we
know its extent ourselves. They saw with aftoriifh
merit, a new empire, ere&ing, in a corner of the world,
Scarcely an age recovered from barbarism. A new flag
hoiffed on the ocean.—A young people, adyenfurou/ly
rising up against a nation growri old in the habits of
war, and that had long intuited more than half the
globe. Another Hercules in its cradle, contending;
with another serpent. In a word, no phenomenon
ever excited more univerfa! attention, or unfolded *
larger field to Speculation arid curiosity. It was now
the political and commercial system of the old tyorld,
felt themselves receding front their center, and on the
eve of a new revolution.
From this moment, an affumptiori ' of all the prero
gatives of fbvefeignly, became just and necessary. The
independence of the colonies was accordingly declared
by Congress, on the fourth of July, 1'776, and fur
ther ianaified by the refpeaive assemblies, under thd
stile and title given them, of FREE and INDEPEND
ENT STATES.
It is rather a qutftion of fobtilty than profit, to en
quire how far we were capable, or had the capacity of
prosecuting the war to a fuccefstul issue, without the
assistance of allies. It will be more: for our inftruaiore
to invifage the several causes whose operation railed
JAN U S. N°- 11.
“ Our governors, ever since I can remember, have
•' been jealous that the colonies, sometime or
" other, would throw off their dependence."
Dr. Price.
FEBRUARY 3, 1781.
[ NUMB: 704.