Dunlap's Pennsylvania packet , The general advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-07-22 00:00:00, page 2

t the Printer of the Pennsylvania Packet.
By publishing the ,oilowing Tranjlaticn of a Letter written
bv a French Officer no w in the fernico of the States oj Ame
rica, to a French Nobleman in Paris, you mill oblige
Four's F. P.
My Lord, Philadelphia, Jul) gth, 1776.
\ r I'L R the permission you were pleased to grant
A me to come to this country, I am at iait arrived ;
not without many dangers and great expence. I found
here a happy people, averie to oppreflion, without any
spirit of Edition, active and laborious, with all the ne
cessary qualifications required to the foundation of a
powerful republic, able to support itfelf without the af
finance of Europe. This immense country policies
all advantages, and its true riches confitt in the pro
duce of its foil. It is as yet in its infancy; but itill
it is a vigorous child, that in reality has no more need of
its mother nor its neighbours, provided it never inter
meddle with the balance of Europe. Perhaps, my
Lord, you will not confiJer these things in the light I
00; biit this country might be the greatest market for
our manufactures, could we once give those people a
tarte for those which we have in great abundance, and
with which Great-Britain used to furnidi them, to the
amount of immense sums. I found the people general
ly inclined for absolute independency, and willing to
support it with their lives and fortunes.. I was furprized
to fee their troops exercise and mancevre as well as they
do ; and were they not animated by the love of liberty,
they would be an unparalleled prodigy; but when that
Stakes place, all wonder ceafe's. I visited many of theii
fortifications which have been raised with an amazing
celerity. I never knew so many and such good works
performed in so short a time. I was accompanied in this
tour by several General Officers, particularly by Ma;o s
General Putnam and Gates, and a member bl the C'on
grefs. I told them my opinion of those works, and I
have been d^fired to raise feme necessary ones here where
thev are required..
This Government, its form, its liberty, are so similar
to that of the ancient and once happy people of Bretagne,
(the cou try of my nativity) that I am delighted with it
And, if I can be ufeful to the United States, I intend to
end my days in th<m. I shall regard my original coun
try aid its fabjefts as my family, and if lean be ufeful
to them, and any thing advantageous to the American
States and equally agreeable to France could be proposed
here, I would undertake to offer it„with the greeted
pleafire, without requiring from the Kwg of France ei-•
ther honours, pecuniary rewards, or any other mark of
gratitude. All my foisfa&ion would conhft in the in
ward feelings of my foul, if I could once by my endea
vours set on foot a commercial correlpondence^qually
beneficial to my former country and that which 1 now
adopt. You will imagine, my Lord, that lam too hasty,
but permit me to assure you, that after mature del bera
tion, and positive information of the Urength of Ameri
ca, I am convinced they are able to refiftagainft all their
enemies. If the Americans have not the greatest kiiow
j.,d,e in the art of war, they have great advantages from
the situation of their country, undaunted courage, de
termined resolution, and the best and most glorious cause.
Nothing will be able to divide them. Every precaution
is taken against their interior enemies whose number is
infignificant. Such a folerpn and we ll supported resolu
tion gives me the highest opinion of these privileged louls,
who defend their rights without ottentation or faction,
and who desire only Liberty and Independency. They
already feel that such a state is not a chimera as is too
generally thought in Europe, Switzerland excepted.
I have the honor, my Lord, to enclose you the De
claration of Independency, published yesterday by the
Honorable the Congress of the United American States,
and, to prevent the danger of my letter miscarrying, (hall
fed it by duplicate. I have the honor to be,
, With iefya, my Lord, your most humble,
And molt obedient Servant.
, # A-1 ,—4 — ^4—•• —*—vNd,-4 —+ —,4-ot <^
IN 'PROVINCIAL CONGRESS of NEW-JERSEY,
Trenton, %fy 16, 1776.
ORDERED, That the several Townfliip Commit
tees throughout this Colony do immediately exert
themselves in procuring L E A D for the use of the army
now engaged in our defence, as the demand for that arti
cle is very great and piaffing ; that, to this end, they do
forthwith c°he& all the leaden weights from windows
and rioks, arid all the leaden reigts of ihops, stores,
and mill, of one pound weight and upwards; allo all
ot^enead in and about houfes'and other places; and that
they forward all the lead which /hull by them be so col
]e&ed, to the hands of Alexander Chambers, Abraham
Hunt, David Pinkerton, and William Tucker, of Tren
ton ; ' Hendrick Fimer of Somerset County; Azariah
Dunham of New-B unfwick ; John Ross of Woodbridge ;
Ifadc Woodruff of Elizabeth-Tdwn; and Dr. William
Burnet of Newark ; or any of them, Commissioners ap
pointed for purchasing arms, &c. And the laid Com
missioners are directed to pay for all such lead at the rate
of fix-pence Proclamation money the pound weight, to
gether with the reasonable expences in forwarding the
fame. ,
W HE REAS the Hon. the Continental Congress
have declared the United Colonies Free and Independent
States :WE the Deputies of New-Jersey, in Provincial
Congress assembled, Do Resolve and Declare, That we
will support the Freedom and Independence cf the said
States with our lives and fortunes, and with the whole
.orce of New-Jersey. 'JULYi%.
Refolded, That this House from henceforth, instead of
the ityle and title of Provincial Congress of New-Jersey,
do adopt and assume the file and title of The Conven
tion of the State of New-Jersey.
Extra&s from the Minutes,
Wm. PATERSO N, Sec'rv.
In the Convention of the State of NEW-JERSEY,
Trenton, 'July 1% 177 6 -
WH E REAS it is necessary in these times of dan
ger, that crimes should receive their due punish
ment, and the fafety of th: people more especially re
quires, that all persons who Shall be found so wicked as
to devise the ddtru&io^ of good government, or to aid
or nffi t the avowed enemies o' the date, be punished with
death : Therefore be it resolved and ordained by this
Convention, and it is resolved and ordained by the au
thority of the fame, that aljerfons abiding within this
Suae ^ Ne^J:rle„ nd dermag protean from the
laws thereof, do owe allegiance to the government es
this State, as of bte established on the authority of the
people, and are to be deemed as members of this state;
and that all persons puffing through, visiting, or making
a temporary stay in this State being entitled to the pro
teaion of the law during such passage; visitation, or tem
porary flay, during the fame time owe allegiance to this
Government.
And be it further revived and ordained, That all and
every person or perfonc/fcemhets of, or owing allegiance
to, this Government, as before described, who, front
and after the date hereof, shall levy war against this state
within the fame, or be adherent to the K.i^g otGroat-
Britain, or others, the enemies of this state, vuliiin the
fame, or to the enemies of the United States cf Norih-
America, giving to him or tnem aid or comfort, hull be
adjudged guilty of High Treason, and buffer the pains
and penalties thereof, in like manlier as by the ancient
laws of this state he or they should have fuffered in cases
of high treason, N
And be it further resolved and ordained, That all and
every peaibn or persons, who, from and after the date
hereof, shall be found guilty of reviling the Government
of this state, as by this Convention eltabliflied, or of
other seditious foeeches or practices, shall be punished
in like manner as by the former laws of this state such
person or perlons might cr ought to have been punished
tor such seditious speeches and practices agairiit the Go
vernment then in being.
And be it further resolved and ordained, That all and
every person or persons, who, from and after the date
hereof, ffiall be found guilty of counterfeiting or altering
the Continental Bills of Credit, the Bills of Credit issued
by the late Provincial Congress of this state, or the As
semblies, Conventions, or Congresses of any of the Uni
ted States of North-America, or altering the fame, know
ing them to be counterfeit or altered, shall be adjudged
felons, and be punished with death, in like manner as
persons found guilty of counterfeiting or knowingly ut
tering the former Bills of Credit of this date, might or
should have been.
Provided always, That no person or persons shall fuff
fer death, or other pain or penalty for any of the offen
ces aforesaid, until he or they shall have been firft found
guilty of the fame efface or offences whereof he or they
shall te charged, and accused in a due course oflaw, and
by the verdict or a jury.
Provided also, Th@t nothing in this Ordinance con
tained (hall be construed to divest any Committee of the
power they now poll fa of examining and committing any
offenders ; so that they do not proceed to the infliction
of punishments for any of the offences in this Ordinance
contained, but leave the fame to be determined in due
course of law in muer aforefud.
By order of Concorn+bn,
SAMUEL TUCKER, Pufident.
A true copy. Att^fted, Wai. PATERSON; Sec.
P HI L A DEL P II I A.
Extract of a letter from WiViarnfourg, Virginia, 'July 13.
" A battery of tvo iS peundeis was opened on the
enemy's iieeten Tuesday morning, whilst another cf tour
, pounders plac'd en their winks,ad camp an Gwyn's
Inland. In a fho)st tiilie the whole fleet was forced to tow
out of reach of the battery ; their fire ceased after a few
rounds. Their campus thrown into confuiion, and in
the night, Before we ;tuld procure boats to carry over our
men, 'they removed all their tents except one, their can
non except oe, land all their stores. &:. There were
three tenders in the haven, which attempted to prevent
our passage.—Their works were still manned as if they
meant to difpu-e their ground, but as loon as our soldiers
put off in a few canoes they retreated precipitately to
their fllips. The tenders fell into our hands, one they
set on fi,e, but our people boarded it and e^inguifhed
the flames. Theenemy burnt two small veffds, and the
night following a very large ship, supposed to be the
Dunmore, for file was very much damaged, having re
ceived four >£ pound so t through her sides and a dou
ble headed one through her stern which raked her.—Her
mate was killed, a sailor had his arm taken off, and
Lord Dunmore had his leg. wounded by this foot. The
fleet has failed from the the Wind, which we are in qui
et poss ffion of. From their works and preparation for
others, and docks of cattle left on the Island, it is evi
dent they left it much against their inclination and long
before they expected it. We found 150 graves and tx
dead negroes lying in the open air. They have had a
dreadful fever amongst them, and the Imall-pox, I wish
our army may not catch the infefhon. The Rcebuck
was at the mouth of R°ppahanock. The Fowey am.
Otter did pot choose to come to the assistance of the
Dunmore, which, unfortunately for her, had changed
Rations with the Otter, and b) this means came into the
jaws of our battery which was concealed. We did not
lose a man."
Extract of a to^erjm, the Honorable Major-General Lee,
" dated Char@^ty,uly x, 1776. tie the Prefdent of
tie Gongref. \ s
“ Y SH,Q UI D have done myfelf the honour sooner
I of WWW ming the Congress of the attack inaoe by
the en ray's squadron on Sullivan's iflind, and fhu'rrc
pulfe, but conjt&ured, that by waiting a day or two, I
might probably be furtiifhed with the means of fencing
a more minute, full, and faxisfaSory account. ,
“ My conjecture w-s right ; for yefttrday five seamen
made their escape, one of whom is a mate intelligent
fellow than is commonly found amongfc men of his le
vel. Enclosed is a copy of their narrative. I may ven
ture to congratulate Congress on the event. Net only
the advantages mutt be considerable; but the affair it
fleets no small credit to the American arms.
“ On Friday about 11 o'clock, the Commodore, (Sir
Peter Parker) with his whole squadron, confining of two
line of battle ships and fix frigates, the rates of which
are marked in the enclosed narrative, anchored at left
than half musket (hot from the fort, and commenced
one of the molt furious and incessant fires I ever few or
heard. It was manifeftly their plan to land, at the fame
time, their whole regulars, at the east end of the island,
and of course invest the fort by lard and sea. As t^e
garrison was composed entirely of raw troops,.both offi
cers and men, I thought it my duty to crols over to the
island to encourage the garrison by my presence. But I
might have hived myfelf that trouble, for I found or.
mr arrival they h<d mo eccafion tier any fort of encou
ragement. I found them determined and cool to the last
degree,; theii behaviour would, in fact, rave cone honor
to the oldcit troops.
“ I therefore beg leave to recommend in the strongest
terms to the Congress, the commanding officer, Colonel
Moutrie, and his whole ganifon, as brave foldieis and
excellent citizens. Nor mint I emit, at the fame time,
mentioning Col. Tbompfon, who with the Sumfh-C. -
rolma rangers, and a detachment of the North-Carolin
na regulars repulsed the enemy in two fevc.al attempts
to mike a lodgment at the extremity of the ill nd.
" Our lefe, considering the heat and duration of the
fir,; w?£ inconfiderabE. We had only ten men killed
on the ipor, and twenty-two wounded, seven of whom
loft their limbs. But with their limbs, they dd not lose
their Spirits; for they enthuliaftically encouraged their
comrades never to abandon the ftanoard 01 liberty and
their country. This Ido affiire you, is not in the (tile
of g^fconading romance usual after every luccefsiul ac
tion, but literally a sass. I with gieat plea sure, men
tion the circuniftance, as it augurs well to the chu'e-of
freedom. At eleven the fire ceased, having continued
just twelve hours without the lead intermission."
The narrative of the five failor3 referred to in the foregoing
letter, who were on board at the time oj the a&:on.
" The Eriftol of 50 guns, commanded by Sir Peter
Parker, greatly damaged in her hull, large knees arid
timbers shot through and fma&'d ; if the water had not
been very fmoctb, it would have been impossible to have
kept her from finking, all the carpenters in the fleet
had been called to her assistance; mizen-mait shot
thro', main-mast badly wounded by three several shot,
sore-mast by two, rigging, fails and yards much da
maged. The Captain of the Commedore loft his left
arm above the elbow ; he was sent yesterday (June 30th)
to England in a brigantine; the Commodore s breeches
torn off, his thigh and knee Wounded, he walks only
when supported by two men ; foity four men k lied and
thirty wounded, among whom were many midshipmen
and petty officers ; twenty of the wounded dead tine# the
action; talk in the fleet, that the two large ships would
go over the bar again, and proceed to Erglifh harbour
in Antigua, to be repaired. The Bristol, when light
ned as much as poffihle, draws eighteen feet water.
Experiment of 50 guns, on two decks, al 12 pound
ers, a tighter built vessel than the Brirtol, exceedingly
damaged in her hull ; Teverel ports beat in one, he mi
zen-maft hurt, but uncertain of particulars, killed fiky
feven, of whom the Captain was one, woun< ed thirty,
several since dead ; draws when lighted seventeen feet
water; the general opinion that neither if these large
Blips will go fafely over the bar again : Solehay 2Sgm%
two men killed, ar.d four wounded : A&i\e *:, Lieute
nant killed, 4 wounded, Alteon 2s; Sphynx to; S>ren
z£; all got aground, the fuftin coming up, the two lat
ter in running away ; the Sphynx cut away her bowfprrf ;
the Syren got off; A&on remained fart, burnt, and
blown up by her own people. While the w^s on fire, Mr.
Milltgan, one of the Carolina ma:ine t fficers, and a par
ty of men boarded her, brought off her colours, the flip's
bell, and as many fails as three boats could contain.
The Thunder bomb lay at a eonfiderable diftarce,
throwing flicks at the fort, and by overcharging had
mattered the beds, and damaged the ship so much, as to
render it necessary for her to go into dock before flie
can a& again.
The Friendflrip, an hired armed vessel of 26 guns of
various sizes, covered the bomb, as did the Siren, who
also fired verv briskly at the fert. The whole fleet badly
mann'd and sickly, particularly the Syren's crew, at two
thirds short allowance if provisions and wafer ; they have
had rio frefh meat since their arrival (fid of June.)
Lord William Campbell had ben very anxious for
the attack, and proposed to take all the fotts with only
the Syren and Solebay,
Lord Cornwallis and Gen. Clinton are both on flhore
with the troops at Long-lflind ; his Lordship had, some
time ago, urged Sir Peter Parker to attack on the sea
side, uth^rwife be would m^rch np, atta k and take the
fort, and complain of Sr Pete's tardiners. The Com
modore replied, Lord Cornwallis might march his troops
when he pteafed, but the fleet required a fair wind, the
firft that happened he would proceed against the foit.
The General a t that time believed we had no troops out
of garrison, but he was soon better informed, being
since rebuffed, and drove back with loss; he remained
quiet, and left the Commodore to enjoy the glory of
being defeated alone.
.The negrs pilot, who is exceedingly caressed, was on
Hoard the Commodore, and put down with the dc&or
out of harm's way.
- Between nine andfren o'clock, the night of the a&ion,
the Commodore and oilier ships began to steal away, they
made no piping; nor waited to he%ve no their anchors,
but flipped th,it cables; the Commodore has only one
anchor and cable left.
About two o'clock on Friday, some of the men cried
but the Yankees had dtfne fijning, others replied they
weieflad of it, forthey never hrd such a drubbing in their
fives, they had been tdd the Yankees would not stand
two fires, but tli^v never f.iw better fallows ; all the com
mon men in the fleet fp ke loudly in praise of the gar
rison. There was a report in the fleet that no quartets
would he g : ven to the Americans, and that 50001. had
been offered for General Lee.
Th; foregoing Extract of a Letter from General I ee,
as also the N rrative of the defenders, is published by Or
der of the Con, refs,
JOON H AN COCK, President.
In CONG RNI S S, r k?h 17, 1776. +
Resolved, That General WASHINGTON, in refit
fing to receive a letter said to be sent from Lord Howe,
addressed to G EORGEWASHINGTON, Esquire,
a&ed with a dignity becoming his Nation; and therefore
this Congress do highly app ore the fame, and do
dire,?, that no letter or message, be received, on apy
vocation whatever, from theenemyHby the Comman
der in Chief, or other the Commanders of the Ame
rican army, but such as shall be dire&ed to them in the
characters they reflective) Britain.
By order of the Congress
JOHN HANCOCK, Prefifo.