The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1781-08-09 00:00:00, page 2

From Rivington's New-York Gazette, da
ted August 4, 1781.
NEW-Y 0 R K, August 4.
The printer has been obliged by a particular friend
with a genuine detail of the following splendid af
fair, as officially communicated to admiral fir George
Brydges Rodney, by the truly glorious commander
rear admiral fir Samuel Hood; his correspondent
was present in the adion, and the printer has indu
bitable proof of the genuineness of the relation.
Barfleur, at sea, 40 Leagues south
S I R, from St. Euftatius, May 4, 1781.
AT 7 A. M on Saturday the 28th of last month,
his Majesty's ship Amazon being to windward of
Point Salines discovered a very large fleet, and at 9
her signal of it was repeated to me by the Russel, which
ship I had just ordered to St. Lucia, having 130 sick
on board, and she came back again to me.
I immediately made the signal for a general chace
to the S. E. in order to bring all the ships, well up to
windward, and at 10 I formed the line a head at two
cables length asunder ; on op'ning Rock Diamond saw
.nothing f the fleet but from the mast head, which
were then upon a wind to the southward. Capr. Finch
properly, io soon as he saw his fignaj repeated, flood
back to reconnoitre the fleet, at twelve he returned near
enough to let me fee his signal was for an enemy of su
perior force, and upon my desiring to know how ma
ny ships of the line there were, he anfw<red nineteen;
a little before two captain Finch came on board and in
formed me, that he saw nineteen fail of the line very
diflindly, and two others of two decks, that he thought
were armed en flute, the number of frigates he could
not ascertain, as three were only drawn out from the
convoy ; that the convoy was very numerous, and the
whole Handing to the northward, which was the fitua
tico we -saw part of them in a.t sun-set from the maft
/head, most of them being so the northward of Point
Salines..
I sent caps. Finch immediately to tell rear admiral
Drake I desired to fee him ; upon his coming on board,
I told him I should continue the line a-head, and get
to windward as much as I could, by carrying all my
plain fail, and be close in with Fort Royal at day light,
as it was uncertain which way the enemy would come,
which he was pleased to fay was the bed I could do ;
reign that would raise the fame of Lewis the XVI. far
above that of the so much vaunted Henry the IV.
Lewis had firmuefs enough to protest Mr. Neckar, a
friendlefs stranger, without family connexions to sup
port him; who kept his place Hill (for he looked u>on
the reports of his dismissal to be groundless) merely
through bis own merit and the penetration of his mas
ter to difcoyer it, and his wisdom in rewarding it.
Here was a bright example for this country to pur
sue; and, if France was to be conquered at all, it mull
be by her,own weapons, of economy and frugality.
The virtue of the nation was then in parliament; tne
wifdbm of the nation was, by proxy, within those
walls: He trutied, therefore, that this wisdom would
fee the necessity of ceconomy; and that this virtue
would, in spite of the efforts of corruption, pace it at
the head of our treasury, to preside over our expendi
tures. Without ceconomy, he could fee no political
exigence for us ; prudence therefore ought to in luce
us to embrace it: Every man would part with his fi
nery sooner than with his coat; and give up his desert
to secure his dinner: We Should do the fame; and, if
we wiihed to preserve the dignity of our empire, we
should now part with fom-of the trappings of it; five.
Mr. Burke closed his fpcech, which had lasted one
hour and three quarters, with a motion, for leave to
bring in a bill to regulate the expences of his mijefly's
civil lift eftablilhment, &c. just in the fame form that
he moved it last year. Bis requeued that the noble
lord would meet his motion manfully ; and, if he in
tended to defeat the bill in the end, not to give hi u the
trouble to bring it in, but oppose its introduction:
He assured him he Would not complain if the noble lord
should do so: That he rejected his bill without know
ing its contents, could not be the case, as it wis ex
adly the fame with that which had been debated last
year: The noble lord was therefore well acquainted
with its objeXs, and therefore might now fay, if the
case was so, that, after mature deliberation, he found
it to be such as ought not to be offered to that house,
and therefore would oppose it in the very firfl stage.
Mr. Duncombe, in a few words, which were a high
panegyrick on Mr. Burke, and contained a strong re
commendation of economy, seconded the motion.
Lord North confeffed, that he had Hrong objections
to the bill; and though there was part of it which he
was ready to adopt, yet it was so inconsiderable a part,
that, as far as his opinion went, he could have no dif
ficulty in putting his negative on the motion But he
was aware that it Would be highly indecent to oppose
the introduction of a bill that had so good a principle ;
and as there were many young members in the house,
who might not as yet have made themselves acquainted
.with the contents of the bill which had been presented
by the honourable gentleman last year, and of which
the present was a copy, he thought he ought not in
justice to the principle of the bill, and in decency to
its framer, to give it, at the very outlet, that opposi
tion, which, in his single opinion, as an individual, he
would do right in giving ; but he desired to be pro
€erly underftbod, that his present acquiescence should
yno means be considered as an assent to the bill: he
bound himfelf to nothing ; and he should be as free to
oppose the bid hereafter, as if he had not at all acqui
eferd at present in its introduction, After the bill
should have been once read, he would with to have it
printed, as it had been last year ; and when gentlemen
should have perused, and turned the matter in their
minds, then he and they could with more propriety,
and on more proper grounds, deliver their opinions
fapon it than at present.
This concluded the debate, and Mr. Burke then
bave notice, that he proposed to bring in the bill on
Monday next. After which the motion was then put,
and agreed to unanimously.
The house adjourned.
I ordered capt. Finch to windward ag:in, to endeavour
to get fight of the enemy, and upon difoftly feeing
them to make certain fignds I give him, thit 1 mignt
know w tether they were upon the Hirboird .or Dr
-board tack, or coming be ore the wind; just if er
sun-set I tacked the squadron all together, flood to
the northward, and kept close in with Fort Royal a 1
night.
Saw nothing of the enemy or Amazon it day light,
a little before nine the Amazon joined m 3 the enemy
then in fight coming down between Point Salines nil
the Diamond Rock, made the signal for a close line,
and to prepare for action ; at nine the enemy appear
ed forming the lineof battle, 20 minutes pill nine the
Prince William joined me from Gro(s filet Bay, and as I
Lot for her but the night before capt. Douglas's exer
tion must have been great, and does him m ich credit
to be with me so soon; having the greeted part of
his crew to collect in the night. Twenty seven mi
nutes past nine hoisted our colours as dil the French
ad niral and his fleet, at 15 minutes pad ten, m ide the
Shrewsbury's signal to alter' her coorfe to windward,
the being the leading ship, but soon perceive i the wind
had Shifted, and that file was as close to the wind as
the could lay ; at thirty-five minutes pift ten tacked
the squadron all together, the ' van of the enemy being
almoftabreaft of our centre, and at eleven bg in to fire,
which I took n> notice of; at tills time the ships in
Fort Royal Bay, flipped their cables anl got under
fail • at twenty minutes pal eleven, I tacked the fq.ua
dron all together, aud'repeited the signal for a close
order of battle; at twenty-five mim/es past eleven,
finding the enemy's shot to go over us, hoisted the sig
nal for engaging, and in pacing, our van and the ene
my's rear exchanged some broadsides; at forty minuses
past eleven, the enemy tacked; at forty-five minutes
past eleven, made the signal for the rear to close th*
centre; at fifty-five minutes past eleven, finding if im
possible to get up to the enemy's fleet, I invited it t
come to me, by bringing the squadron too under their
top-fails; at half past twelve, the French admiral in
the Ville de Paris, began to fire at the Barfleur, which
was immediately returned, and the action became ge
neral, but at too great a distance, and I believe never
was more powder and (hot thrown away in one day
before; but it was with monf. de Graff', tne opti 11 of
distance lay, and he preferred that of long (hot. It was
impoHible for to go nearer; at 1, I made signal for the
van to fill, the French admiral having filled and drawing
ahead ; at seventeen minutes past one, made the Shrewf
bury's signal (the leading ship) to make mere fail, and
set the top-gallant fails; at thirty-four minutes past
one, repeated the signal for a close line of battle, and
finding not one in ten of the enemy's shot reached us,
I ceased firing ; the enemy did the fame soon aft-r, but
their van & ours, being somewhat nearer, continued to
engage, and though the French admiral had ten fail a
stern of him, and three others to windward, he was
backward in making a nearer approach—The mer
chant ships at this time were hauling in close under
the land, at ended by two ships of two decks, suppos
ed to be armed en flute, and two frigates. At eighteen
minutes past three, the firing ceased between our van
and that of the enemy; made the Shrewsbury's signal
to make more fail, in order to get to windward of the
enemy; at forty five minutes past four sent captain
Finch jo the Shrewsbury, to order captain Robinson to
keep as near the wind, and carry all the fail he could,
so as to preserve the line of battle, and to return back.
. along the line to acquaint every captain of the
fame, at fifty-feven minutes pad five, the pack t go
ing to Antigua, which had kept company with the
squadron, came With hail, to acquaint me by order of
re r admiral Drake, that the Russel was in great dis
tress, having received Several fliot between wind and
Water, that the water was over the platform of the ma
gazine, and gaining upon the pumps, and three of their
guns were dismounted; at eighteen minutes past fix
made the Russel's signal to come within hail, which was
answered : the enemy's fleet consisting of twenty four
fail of the line, at this time about four miles to wind
ward ; at half past seven captain Sutherland of the
Russel came on board, whom I ordered if he could
possibly by exertion keep the ship above water, to pro
ceed to St. Euftatius or any other port he co Id make,
and acquaint fir Geoi ge Rodney of all that had puffed ;
at forty-five minutes past nine, the Lizard cime within
hail, to inform me by the detire of captain Sutherland
that he had bore away.
On Monday April 30th, at day-light, found the van
and center of the squadron separated at feme th'Hante
from the Barfleur and rear, owing to flattering winds
and calms in the night, which would not allow us to
keep the Barfeur's head the right way, and file went
round and round two or three times, while the other
fllips had light airs • and finding the enemy's advanced
ships fleering for our van, made all the fail towards
them, and threw out the signal for a close line of battle,
the enemy's line a good deal extended and scattered.—
At seven, the squadron under my command being pret
ty well formed, the enemy's advanced ships hauled
off; at 56 minutes past seven, made the signal for the
rear to close the center, as the enemy seemed to shew a
disposition to attack it : at 35 minutes past eight hav
ing very light airs of wind, the squadron was thrown'
nearly into a line abred, made the signal for continuing
in that form, left by endeavouring to regain the line
a head it might become extended ; at eleven made a fig.
nal for a linea-head, at two cables length asunder, the
wind backing to the eastward favoured my forming in
that order, the better to receive the enemy, then about
three miles to windward: at 14 minutes past eleven
made the signal for the rear to close tne center ; at
twelve falling, little wind again all the ships being thrown
into a fine a^breft, made the signal for a line a breft, to
keepthe squadron as close together as possible- ;t 25
minutes past twelve, the wind blowing heady at S. E.
made the signal for a general chafe to windward, with 1
a design of .weathering the enemy, which I should cer
tainly have succeeded in had the breeze continued, but
the wind dying away at four, I found it impracticable 1
to weather the enemy, and therefore made the signal
for a line a-head, and having been informed that the
Intrepid made so much water they could scarce keep
I am very much concerned to acquaint you that
captain Nott of his majeHy's flip Centaur, and her
firfl lieutenant were killed in the action: I put capt#
Smith of the Paccahunta to command the Centaur,
lieut John Duval Burr to commind the Paccahunta,
and Mr. George Bowen to be lieutenant of the Centaur.
My present intentions are to f nd the disabled ships
to St. Euftatius, an 1 to proceed with those in good
condition to St. Lucia, if the French should not have
made an attack qpon it and succeeded; if they have
I sh II then go to Carlifle Bay, Barbadoes.
I fend the honourable captain Finch with this letter,
with orders if he should not find you at St. Euftatius,
to proceed windward of the islands to Barbadoes, and
to put the captains of his majefly's frigates as are
cruising, which may fall in his way, upon their guard.
And if you should fee fit to Hop me trom proceeding
to windward, captain Finch will be able to form a pret
ty clear judgment where I may be met with, from the
winds he may have.
I think it very much my duty to fay, that the zeal
and exertion of rear admiral Dr-ke, and the captains,
officers and men I had the honour to command, were
such, that if monsieur de Graffe had thought fit to have
brought his majefly's squadron to close action, and it
should have pleased God to have given him the victo
ry, I trullhe would not have found it an easy one,
sickly and short of complement by death as the ships in
general are, and great as the superiority of the enemy
was against us.
Herewith 1 transmit an account of the Hate and con
dition of the squadron under my command, a lift of
the killed and wounded, and the defers of the ships
materially damaged.
Bougainville and Chaber served under De Graffe, all
with their Hags at tne main-topmast-head, and by fee
ing 24 fail of.the line on the evening of the^th, and
only 23 at noon, the ships supposed to be armed ea
flute, are probably of the line.
I have the honour to be, &c.
(Copy.) SAMUEL HOOD.
To fir George Brydges Rodney.
LIST of men killed and wounded in Admiral Hood's
fleet, the 29th of April, 1781. off Martinique.
Killed. Wounded#
Shrewfbury 6 14
Intrepid 1 24
Torbay 3 29
Prince William 0 6
Russel 5 16
Centaur 3 30
Gibraltar, rear admiral Drake, 6 IT
Montague 0 4
Resolution i ig
A i a * 3 5
Princefla 0 r
Terrible ' 0 0
Barfleur; rear admiral Hood, 0 5
Monarch 0 „
Invincible 2 4
Alcide 1 14
Belliqueux 0 9
Alfred 0 0
Total 31 181
A gentleman of St. Lucia, writing to his friend up
on the spirited behaviour and well conduced manoeu
vres of the British fleet under rear-admiral fir Samuel
Hood, on the 29th of April, fays, that the firft lieu
tenant of one of his m jelly's ih ps who was juftre
turned on his parole from -St. Vincents, relates, that
monsieur. Du Plaflis, now governor of that island, and
who came out with the comte De Graffe, expressed him*
Elf in the higher and mod pointed terms on the well
dire&d manoeuvring of the British fret on that day,
and, to repeat his own words: ?' That Admiral Hood
led his fleet like an Angel.
Vellerday arrived the ship Alexander, of 20 guns
and 51 mui, commanded ny captain M'Lean, who
left P rt Glafpowon the 12th of June. On the passage,
off the Banks of Newfoundland, they fell-in with, and
closely engaged a rebel privateer of 24 guns and full of
men ; their quarter gallery was shot away and rigging,
so much damaged as to prevent a pursuit of the ene
my, who went off suddenly, and had the advantage in
failing ; when they bore away, it is supposed to be iu
her free, and that the Centaur was in the fame fiate,
owing to the great number of shot between wind and
water, and that her lower mails were badly wounded ;
which added to the loss of the Russel from the line, and
from the knowledge I had, of the state of the ships
in general, having upwards of 1500 men sick and short
of complement, I judged it improper to dare the ene
my to- battle any longer, not having the lead profpe£l
of beating a fleet of 24 fail of the line of capital ships,
and knowing the consequence of my being beaten,
would probably be the loss of all his Majesty's poffef
lions in this country, I thought it my indilpenfable du
ty to bear up, and mide the signal for it at eight
o'clock; at ten brought too for the squadron to close ;
at forty minutes past ten made fail ; at five A. M. the
firfl instant, saw the enemy's fleet a-stern, about eight
or nine miles diflant ; at 26 minutes past five brought
too for the Torbay and Paccahunta to come up, who
were within reach of the enemy's guns, and the former
received a good deal of damage jn her masts and rigging:
At forty -five m antes past seven the enemy ceased fir
ing upon the Torbay, sent the Amazon to tow the
Paccahunta up; at eight made the signal for a
close line bearing north and south of each other; at
twenty nine minutes past twelve made the signal and
brought too upon the larboard tack, and made the
signal for the ft he and condition of the squadron ; the
enemy bearing east, fian ling to the northward ; thirty^
three minutes past three made the signal for a close line
north and south; at four the enemy tacked to the
southward, and were Handing that way at sun-set. In
the evening, although it was almost calm, the main
top-mast of the Intrepid fell to pieces over the fide ; at
seven made fail to the northward, it being the opiniou
of the officers of the squadron acquainted with this
country, that it was the only way of getting to wind
ward, as the currents run very strong to leeward, to
southward of St. Vincents.