The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1781-06-05 00:00:00, page 2

BALTIMORE, May „.
A letter just received from the marquis de la Fayette^
^dvifes, that ea I Cornwallis, and his troops from Ha
lifax, on Roanoke, had joined the Britilh forces at, or
Rear, Petersburg.
It is r ported, that a fleet, with troops, arrived in
Hampton-Road, on Wednesday last, from New-York.
CHATHAM, May 30.
The refugees, after burning their Luts on Bergen
Point, as mentioned some time since, proceeded to Fort
Lee, with an intention to fortify and take post there;
but the militia in that quarter not liking such a band
of thieves for their neighbours, turned out with spirit,
and prevented them from erecting any works until a de
tachment fr@m the army arrived, when Mr. Ward, fol
lowing the example of fir Harry, made a moon (bine
retreat to the half way meadow, on the Bergen shore,
where it is supposed they will fortify.
As it is supposed that the enemy must soon leave New
York, and it being probable that previous to this event
they will attempt to distress the inhabitants by enter
ing the Rate and driving off all kinds of cattle, the mi
litia are particularly requested to have themselves in
readiness to make such powerful opposition to those
freebooters, upon their landing, as will oblige them to
repent their expedition, and purchase their plunder at
a dear price.
Philadelphia, June g.
Extract of a letter from Martinico, dated May 3.
" Our numerous and much desired convoy has at
length arrived under circumstances the most fortun
ate and flattering.
“ To have a passage from Bred but of 37 days,
without losing a single vessel of the convoy; to find
the enemy at the port ready to oppose the entrance of
it, to engage them, force them to fly, and then pursue
them, are events which cannot but he glorious to the
count de Graffe.
" The active spirit of out general impels him to
the field. Orders are given for the embarkation of 40
large cannon, 12 mortars, and all the apparatus for a
siege, with all kinds of ammunition. Nine hundred
of the regiment of Auxorois will embark to morrow,
and the rest of the troops immediately follows The
intended* expedition is against St. Lueia, where there
remains .but a garrison of 120& men ; the fleet having
taken on board 800 to compleat its compliment. The
English squadron was Rationed at that island, to co
ver and protest it, but our fleet, from a happy ma
noeuvre, has deprived them of this advantage. It was
expected they would have arrived by the Dominica
channel, where the English- waited to receive them,
but to their great disappointment they came the con
trary way, and drove the English from* their Ration
" Rodney is now at Statia, dividing the spoils of
the poor Dutch and Americans, and Hood,, who com
manded the English fleet, is gone down to inform him
of his mifearriage, and make him tremble for the fate
of his capture. This island is garrisoned by 1300 men,
under the command of general Vaughan,, who has
fortified the hill in such a manner that it is now deem
ed impregnable. It is expelled.the lower town will be
set on fire.
“ The division of monf. de Barras confining of five
ships of the line, with 14 battalions, left the fleet in
the latitude of the western islands, destined for Ame
rica, to reinforce the army on that Ration."
Extras of another letter from the fame place, dated
May 8.
" Count de Graffe has returned from his pursuit of
the enemy. It was not consistent with the intended
operations of the fleet, to continue the chace, from
the difficulty and delay that would attend the beating
up to windward.
“ The troops destined for the attack of St. Lucia are
all embarked, and got under way yesterday evening ;
they consist of 4000 men; the fleet take their departure
this morning. May heaven insure the success of this
expedition ! If abilities, as a general, and merit as a
man, can command it, we have nothing to fear ferour
brave commander.
" It is expected that Rodney will soon make his ap
pearance with his whole fleet, in order to attempt the
salvation of St. Lucia."
Extract of a letter from St. Pierre, Martinique,
May 1, 1781.
“ It is with the greatest pleasure I now acquaint you,,
that on the 26th ultimo, a cutter arrived here from the
French fleet. The general dispatched her back the
fame evening, with information of the enemy's force
and position, being 17 fail of the line, and 3 frigates,
then lying to leeward of f ort Royal. The timely ar
rival of this intelligence produced a most happy ma
noeuvre on the part of the 'tench.
The British, ignorant of their real force, and expect
ing they would come tbrc agh the channel of Domini
que, continually paraded between Fort Royal and St.
Pierre, with all the consequential insolence, with which
the success of their inglorious reprisals on the Dutch
fettlemehts, could possibly inspire them ; till, on Sun
day morning, the count De Graffe, having left the
flutes and frigates to guard the transports, intercepted
them in the channel of St. Lucie. At 8 o'clock A. M.
the headmoft division of the French, began to attack
the rear of the British, composed of nine of their
strongest ships, which went rather from the wind, with
a view of drawing the attention of the french from
their convoy, then just heaving in fight. By this
means they avoided coming to a close and general en
gagement.
At 3 P. M. the transports having all got fafe into
Fort Royal Bay, and four men of war coming out to
join the French fleer, which had formed the li eof bat
tle, at the dißance of about a league from the English,
the latter put before the wind, and the French aft r
them, with finding fails, and every thing they could
carry.l was in the channel during part of the action,but
clouds of smoke, which obscured the horizon, prevented
me from distinguishing the event more particularly.
Many of the more ear-y fpe&ators assured me that two
@f th# enemy's ships w<re very confiderabiy damag'd.
We have since the mod favourable reports, but as
they want confirmation, I shall beg Feaveto omit them,
assuring you that I shall take every opportunity of
communicating such circumflances as may be interfil
ing and well authenticated.
" Inclofed you will be pleased to find a correct lift of
the French fleet. They failed from Brest the sad of
March, with 153 transports, not one of Which is mif
fing. A most remarkable passage, and much to the
honour of the experienced officer, by whom it was
conducted.
" The troops are now embarking from hence', to
Fort Royal, to join those arrived in the fleet (corifft
ing of count Dillon's, and recruits to the number ' of
4000). Together about yooo. The defenceless situation
of St. Lurie (the soldiers of whose garrison are mostly
on board the fleet) leaves not the leaß reason to doubt
that an expedition is on foot against that island. We
expeft much from the enterprising and active disposition
of the general de Bouillie, especially as a good under
flanding happily subsists between him and the admiral,
count De Graffe."
LIST of the FRENCH FLEET, commanded
by Count de GRASSE.
SQUADRON of the W HITE.
Names. Guns. Commanders.
Le Zele, 74 De Preville.
Le Scipion, 74 De Clavilles.
Le Northumberland, 74 De Brigueville.
La Ville de Paris, 100 (Count deGraffe,
St. Cefaire.
Lp Sceptre, 74 De Vaudreuil.
Le^Heßor, 74 D'Alains.
L'Magnanime. 74 Le Begue.
S QU AD RON of the BLUE and W HfT E-.
Le Citoyen, 74 D'Ethy.
Le Glorieux, 74 D'Efcars.
Le Languedoc,, 80 Baron d'Aros.
Le Souverain, 74 De Glandevez.
Le Diadem?, 74 De Montecler.
L'Augufla, io De Bougainvilles
SQUADRON of the BLUE.
Le Marseilles, 74 De Caftillane.
Le Vaillant, 64 De Marigny.
Le Bourgogne; 74 De Charitte
Le Cesar, 74 D'Epinoufe.
L'Hcrcule, 74 De Turpin.
L'Pluton, 80 D'Albert.
Le St. Esprit, 80 De Chabert.
JOINED from FORTROYAL, by
La Vidoire, 74 D'Abert de St. Hippolite:
Le Solitaire, 64 De Cice Champion.
Le Reflechi, 64 D. Boades.
Le Caton, 64 De Trammond.
FRIGATE S.
La Mede, 36 twelves, De la Ville Bouquet.
La Diligent, 32 nines, De Mortineft.
L'Aigretta, 32 ditto, De Traveffe.
CUTTERS.
L'Alerte, De Chabonna.
Le Pandour, De Graffe.
At FORT ROYAL.
Le Minotaur 74
L ' Union ' 64 Flutes
Le Fier,, 50 flutes.
Two Eaft-Indiamen, 64 each. J
Experiment, of 50 gons, commanded by Martelli.
L'lndifcret,
La Sensible, > Frigates.
La Dedaigneufe,}
Eagle, ts Sloop of war.
St. Pierre, Martinique, May 1, 1781..
Sunday last arrived in this port the privateer
HOLKER, captain Keane, from Martinico. This
vessel brings us the important intelligence contained
in this paper, of the arrival, &c. of the grand French
fleet at Martinico from France. Our readers will re
collect, that Mr. Rivington, some time since, announ
ced the capture of the Holker, by the Fox frigate ;
but we will simply relate, that the Holker, after a
fuccefsful cruise in the Weft-India seas (in which she
was a terror to the British commerce) has returned
home in good condition to her native port:
A vessel which arrived here on Sunday last from
St. Thomas's, after a passage of 16 days, brings us
the following account of the damage sustained by the
British. fleet in the late engagement off Martinico : —
The Russel arrived at St. Eußatia two days after the
a&ion, with five feet water in her hold, and landed
130 wounded officers and men. The Torbay and ano
ther fam arrived at St. Kitts, the firft having received
seven Riot between wind and water, and thirty odd
in other parts of her hull; An officer of this (hip
wrote to his friend, that the above fh?p had difeharged
forty broadsides, and leaves it to his friend to juege
the damage the fleet must have sustained, when only
that single ship had been so much hurt.
This vessel also brings us an account of the landing
8000 French troops at St. Lucia, and that the reduc
tion of that island was very generally believed to be
not far distant.
Extras of a letter from a gentleman at St. Kitts to
his friend at , dated May 14, 1,81.
" An express arrived here yesterday to admiral
Rodney., acquainting him of eight thousand French
troops being landed at St. Luria. Rodney is now to
windward, or any where, but where he should be.-
The Torbay is at Old Road, and four more of the
fleet at Montferat watering."
Extras of a letter from a gentleman in Chatham, to
his friend in Morris town, -dated the rit of June,
1781.
''l HAVE the pleasure to inform you that Mr.
Rodney has been flogged confoundedly by the Brest
fleet ; —this by a good hand from the city. Mr. Ri
vington's paper fays, that the Rutfel, and three other
of Rodney's ships fell in with 22 ships of the line, but
by their great galantry, great clevemefs, &c. they got
clear of tnem ; —the Russel much damaged, the captain
killed, and a number wounded; but are again ft to
join their stations ;— Pensacola is taken by the Spa
niards. Goods are felling: in New-York at half price,
and the British are throwing their faft o^t of t^e ftor&
houses into the river. They were building a large
number of whale boa s. An evacuation of the city is
expelled in a month's time. Arburthnot is cruising
with his fleet off Sandy Hook. The cannon are taken
from the grand battery, and it is conjeAured their def
tinatron is for the Southward.
Y, S J' J 0 H N ' s ' (Antigua) May 8, i 7 gy.
Yesterday arrived here his majefly's packet Ante
lope, captain Kempthorn, With the March mail. She
failed from Falmouth the 13th of March, and will
proceed to morrow evening for Moatferrat, St. Chrif
tophers, St. Euftatius and Jamaica; and thence te
England
Captain Kempthorn fell in with the English squadron
under the command of admiral fir Samuel Hood, off
Martinico, soon after they had got notice of the ap
proach of monfreur la Touche Treville, and saw the
whole engagement. We are sorry to underßand front
his account, that notwithstanding the English, and
more especially the two admirals, Hood and-Drake, ac
quitted themselves with the utmost gallantry and good
conduit, yet they were obliged at length to give way
to the superior force of the enemy. Captain Kemp
thorne fays, however, that the refreat was effected in
the bed possible order, and that so far from the enemy's
having any reasonable ground for triumph, nothing
could ,be more evident than, that if our brave admirals
had been nearly equal in force, the affair would have
terminated gloriouffy for them and fortunately for
their country.
Persons who jud'ge only from even's, may confider
this as the mere fhnfaronnade of a news-writer; but
we have every imaginable reason to believe, that 'when
'.he parti ufars of the action come to be minutely in
vestigated, it will appear that the honor of the Brit
ish flig has fuffered no disgrace upon this occasion,
but that every thing which could be done by a fleet so
much inferior in real effi lent force as was that of ad
miral, Hood to monsieur la Louche Trevill/s, was
,done in the late engagement.
From ca ?tain Kempthorn's description, we have rea-'
son to suppose that the lift which appeared in our pa-,
per or the 24th ult. was a pretty accurate account of
monsieur Treville's squadron, and that the ship which
admiral Hood, in the Barffeur, was so anxious to en
gage, but which indußrioudy avoided the conffift, was
the Ville de Paris, of 104 guns.
It does not yet appear that any ships were taken or
defireyed on either fide ; nor do we hear that any of
our fleet have fuffered fverely, except the Ruffell^
which, was obliged to bear away for St. Euftatius;
and even her damages, great as they were at the tim%
must have been of such a nature as to admit of a very
speedy repair, if it be true, as we hear, that she is one
of the reinforcement which admiral Rodney has failed
with from St. Eußatius, to theaffiftance of fir Samuel.
We sincerely with that 'the gallant Veteran may hap
pily eif^a tin's junAion, and that he may take ample
fatisfadion for the late unavoidable failure on the part
of his brave colleagues. [The name of Monsieur Tre^'
ville is here inserted inflead of thatof the count de
Graffe.].,
SI R, Philadelphia, May 23, i,B.r.
T HAVE the honour to inform your excellency, thaS
1 on the 7th ultimo I marched about three hundred!
men (nearly half the number volunteers from the coun
try) and furprized the towns of Coofhocking and In
daechaic on the river Mufkingum, killed 15 warriors
and took upwards of 20 old men, women and child en.#
About 4 miles above the towns I detached^ a party to
cross the river & defiroy a party of about 40 warriors
who had just before (as I learnt by an Indian whom;
the advance guard took prif ner) crossed over wit 1.
some prisoners and scalps, and were drunk but there?
being a very high frefh in the river the attempt wan
found impracticable. After destroying the towns, wit. 3
great quantities of peltry and other Rores, and a hi^
about 40 head of cattle, I marched up the river about:
7 miles, with a view to cross the river to pursue the In
dians ; but when Fpropofed my plan to the volunteers,
I found they conceived they had done enough, and
were determined to return; wherefore I marched to
Newcomer's- tbw», where a few Indians who remained
in our interest (not exceeding 30 men) had withdrawn
themselves.
Captains Kilbuck and Luz^rna, upon hearing of our
troops being on the Mufkingum immediately pursued
the warriors, killed one of their grea est villains and
brought his scalp to me.
The plunder brought in by the troops fold at fort
Henry for about 80000 pounds. I had upon this ex
pedition captains Montour and W iffon and three ether
faithful Indians, who contributed greatly to the fuc.
©cfs#
The troops behaved with great spirit ; and although
there was considerable firing Detween them and the In
dians I had not a man killed or wounded, and only one
horse shot.
I have the honor to be, with the utmost refpelt
and attachment,
Your Excellency's most obedient;
and most humble Servant,
DANIEL BRODHEAD.
His. Excellency'
3. Huntington, Esquire.
Published by order of Congress.
' CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary.
The old men, wom-n and children, taken at the la o
dian towns on Mufkingum, were set at liberty, with,
an injunction to tell their warriors, that it was them
we came to right, and if they were men they would
alt as we had done, fhoald any of our old men, wo
men and children fall into their hands.
*^* Thq MEMBERS of the American Philosophi
cal Society are desired to meet this evening, precrKy
at fix o'clock,.on Ipecial bufuie.fr