Dunlap's Pennsylvania packet , The general advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1777-04-15 00:00:00, page 1

By His EXCELLENCY
G E 0 RGEWASHINGTO N, Esqjhre,
General, and Com,render in Chief of the forces of the
United States of America.
PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS, many soldiers, lately inlifted in
the Continental Army, not content with the
generous bounties and encouragements granted to them
by Cong, els, but influenced by a bale regard to their
interest, have reinlifted with, received bounties from
other officers, and then deferred. And whereas, it Is
presumed that mane, fully* feniib'e of the enormity of
their crimes, would return to their duty, were they
not deterred by an apprehension of {offering the Severe
punishment lately ir.f : i&ed on thole found guilty of de
sertion -I HAVE thought proper to issue this my
Proclamation, offering free pardon to all those above
described, as well ^ to those who have deferred from
other motives, who (ball voluntarily surrender them
(elves to any Officer in the Continental Army, or join
their ref,entire corps before the fifteenth dav of May
next. And I doftri&ly enjoin all Offices in the ar
my under my command, and entreat the good peop'e
pf these Slates, to use their utmost endeavours to ap
prehend and secure Coch deferrers as (ball rot avail
themselves of the indulgence ottered by this Proclama
tion.
Given under % band, at Head-Quarters, Morris-
Town, this sixth day of frit. One Tbcajand Seven
Hundred a ad Seventy-Seven'.
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
By bis Excellency's Command,
Robert H. Harrison, Sec.
GENERAL ORDERS.
Head Quarters, Morris-Tuivn, April 8, 1777.
HIS Excellency the Commander in Chief orders,
in the most pofrive terms, that all the Conti
nental Officers, who are absent without leave in writing
from himfelf, or Some Continental General Officer, or
are not upon any special command, or not on the re
cruiting service, (the two last by proper authority) do
immediately join their refpe&ive corps, without the
least hef^ation or delay. The time for which they
have written furloughs must not be exceeded a finite
hour. Such as have been sent upon particular com
mands, or ate engaged in the recruiting service, must
pay the utmost attention to their orders. No excu e
can be admitted for idleness or dissipation, at a time
when their own honour, and their country's interelt
call them to the field.
His Excellency does not wish to convey these orders
through the channel of a news-paper, but the difficul
ty, indeed impracticability, of transmitting them in
time, in any other way. render it indifpenlably neces
sary. By bis Excellence's Command,
G. JOHNSTON, A. D. C.
W^-^M^^M*^^-**^^
TO BE SO L D,
On reasonable terms,
FOUR hundred acres of vain,hie LAND, Situate
near thirty miles weft of Winchester, about four
miles from the Warm Springs, and three from the river
Polomack. For farther information inquire of
I S AAC GRAY, in Chefnut Street.
TO BE SO L D,
ft VALUABLE Pantation, containing 150 acres,
fl seventeen mbs from Philadelphia, Situate in Up
per Merrion Tovnfh p, Pniladel ^hia County. There are
about eight acres of meadow, and fifteen more inay be
made ; anoutfixty acres of woodland, and the rest clear
ed ; about twenty five acres of the above land has grain
in it. There are two young orchards on the premises.
For terms apply to WILLIAM BELL, in Eafton,
Chester County.X
TO BE S O L D,
ATENEMEN T in York-Town, now in the oc
cupation of the Widow Moore, tavern keeper,
containing 230 feet in depth, and 32 feet in front on
High street and 64. feet on the Court-house Square, with
a two-story house with five rooms on each £ >or, a cellar,
kitchen, Stable and garden. Any ,erfon inclining to be
come a purchaser may have also the adjoining tenement
and a lot of woodland therewith. For terms apply to
the fubferiber, in blik-Town.
1 JAMES SMITH.
ofww
Mh^flffiw
0 R
GENE R A L
VO L. VI.
D U NLA P's
TUESD AY, APR I L 15th, 1777.
P H IL A D ELPHI A.
Copy of a lever from L^dC ORN WALLIS to Gene-a?
WASHINGTO N, dated Brunfwjick, April 3, 1777-
SIR,
Tbdofc to you a paper which Lieutenant Colonel
VC-kott leaver ci yesterday to Lieutenant Colon-1
Hirrifon, and which Lieut. Col. H^rifor oil nt th^n
think pcp.-r to jecewe. 1 rm, tir, wish d: e refpeCt, your
mod obedient bumblr 1- rvaru, CORN W ALLI 6.
General W ASHiNGfON, &r.&c. &c. (Copy.)
Demand, &c. by Li^t. Col. Walcott, Abr't %, 1777, cf
RET U.R N of PRISON Ei< S.
WHE REAS G^WaShm/ton did, in his Ictkf
to Gen. Howe, bearing date the thirtieth day 0:
July 1776, declare that he WAS authorised to propose, and
he did in the faidletter accordingly pu>,o.e, a central
exchange of all prifonera of w/f. in the ma- ner and up
on the terms following, viz. " officers tor officers of equal
rank, Soldier for lohhe;, and citizen for cit Zen," To
whih propofol his ExcJlercy Gen. Sir Witham Howe
did, in Lis aniver of the fiU of Aoguit following, accede
and agree. And whefefty in pursuance or this agree
moi, Ge,n. Sir William if ve, reiving upon the honour
and good faith of G n. ..Washington, for the due and
punctual pe Romance hereof on his put, hath, at feve
tal lines, lent and delive rd over to Gen. Washington,
as will fully A^near fiom the lifts with therm transmitted,
a number of ti ers on their parole, and upwards of two
thousand two Dialled private:, of the enemy, his pri
fontrs; and who, as web chi'ers as privates, aeStill to
be conlider + as Rich until ,hey (ball be regularly ex
changee, officers tor cfilers of 4tyd rank, and the pri
vires nv a l.k<, number or ,hose pow inthe B&T.fßdh of
Gen. Wafh-Dgton; tome o' wliom,'having been taken
before, or ah.ut the rime of concludirig-the agreement,
have, in trr.et violation the ms, been detained as prison
ers for 04; eight months, and others taken in the lat^r
end of December arid in the beginning of January Hit;
h?v^ h?en in the like condition of priGnos for three
montus ; non", or very few or whim, hrvehitherto been
sent :n, in return or exchange of the number of prisoners
sent by Gm. How* to G.n Washington. I Lieutenant
Colonel Wiliam Walcott, v red with full powers for
this am >ng other purposes, do therefore, in the most po
five and peremptory manner, require and demand of
Gen. Wafa ngton the lull a d'due performance of the a
gr^m^nt above rec red; and consequently, the Speedy and
immediate ebafe of all p itoners of war, whether British,
II dims, WHdeckers, Province's or Canadians, as well
cin e r s as soldiers, now in bis possession, or 'o far as they
th di or may go to vards the exchinge of those lent and de
livered over to Gen. W; -flrngtpn. And whereas there are
did in the possession c* Gen. Sir William Rowe a very con
fiderahle number of offi ;ers, aad a number of privates of
the tmmy, prifoneis, unexchanged; 1 do hither require
ruid demand of Gen. Washington, that to soon as he (ball
have compSeafed the exchange of tbofe already delivered
over to him, agreeable to my rtquifrtion and demand for
that purpose, he fliail proceed to the exchange of these
last mentioned offi ;rrs and privates, in conformity to the
agreement of the 30 h of July and rd of Auyuft, 1776 ; to
the execution of which the grounds f$ and unprecedented
objections offered on the part of Grp. Washington by
Lieut. C>l. Harrison, cannot with any degree of reason,
or confitten ly^ith common sense, be allowed or admitted
as o dlacies. The one, that " the whole of the prisoners
contained in the Commissary's lifts, -and dehv-red over to
Gen. Washington, Should not be accounted for, because
many of them died on their return to the place of their
destination, and many immediately after their arrival."
Posterior therefore confessedly, from the objection itfelf
as dated, to their be ng delivered over to Gen. Washing
ton. All of whom therefore muff be, and all of whom,
this objection notwithstanding, 1 do again inquire and
demand to be exchanged, according to the express te:ms
of the agreement, “ fildier for Soldier," for every man
delivered over ro the p^ton who received them for and
on the behalf of Gen. Washington : The other, “ The
case of Lieut. Col. Lee," whole release Gen. Washington
might with greater propriety demand whenever, within
the terms of the said agreement, " officers for officers of
equal rank," he Shall have in his possession an officer of
rank equd to tie reputed rank of the genleman in
question; but until that happens, the demand and ob
jeaion upon thix subj ft are at least premature. I do more
over expeQand demand that an immediate and categorical
answer Shall be given to these just and reasonable requisiti
ons and demands. Given at the house of the Rev. Mr.
Beech, in the township of ILllfborough, the Second day of
April, one thousand Seven hundred and fev-nty and Seven.
W. WALCOTT, Lieut. Col.
To General Washington, &c. &c. (Copy.)
S I R, Morriflown, 9th April, 1777.
I Take the liberty of transmitting you a copy of a pa
per addrerfed to me by Lieut. Col. Walcott of vour
army, which came inclo(ed in a letter fron Lieut. Gen.
Lord Cornwallis. It is with peculiar regret, lam con
strained to obferre, th t this illiberal performance of
Col. Walcott is obvious', calculated to answer a let's ge
nerdua purpose than that of merely effecting an exchange
f# !CT#33r 33@tt&„© ramateffm^
THE
-ADVERTISER.
—contains a gro's misrepresentation of faffs, ami is 4
palpable deviation from itiat osmate bne, which I ex -
petted would mat K his conduct as a man or candor and
ingenuity.
That gentleman has censured two anfeles infilled on
by me through Lieut. Col. Hairifon, at their meeting cn
the to h ult. as groundless, unprecedented, and ir. cor. Sil
ent with any degree of reason, or common fente, therrn
'ounded, as I conceive, in the cleared principles of equi
ty and juHi^e.—Nor contenting himfelr with this, which
would have given me no concern, he has rffumed the pri
vilege ol mutilating and miftaing thole articles, in such
a manner as to change their meaning, and to adopt them
to 'h unfair con^yfiprs ^ wished to eftabbsh.
Having premised these things, and being charred in di
rect and positive terms by Col. Walcott, who acted under
your auto?rit<, with a violation of the agreement mtde
between us for the exchange of prisoners, and calld ir
on for A performance of the fame ; I think it i>fr<flhrv:>
explain the motives of mv conduct, and the grounds on
which thole articles or obj &ions Stand.
In relp^a to the firft, I freely repeat, that I do not
hold mvfeJf bound either bv the Spirit of the agrt- men',
or by the principles of justice, to account for thoG pri
-1 >ners, who, fiom the rigor andfe verity of their treat
ment, were in So emaciated and languishing a hate at the
time they came out, as to render their death almost cer
tain and inevitable; and which, in many inttincet, hap
pened while they were returning to their homes, and in
many others after their arrival. You mutt be ferfide,
that our engagement, as well as all others of the kind,
though in tester it expitffts only an equality of rack an d
number, as the rule of exchange, ve. it reciffAly im
plies a regard to the general principles of mutual com
pensation and advantage. This is inherent in its nature
—is the voice cf reason, and no ftipuhfion, as to the
cowrition in which prif nets Should h- returned, was r*-
qu fire. Humanity dictated, that ^ir {KUmeirt Should
be Inch as their health end contort de mauled, and where
her laws have been c'uy receded, their condition has
been generally good.—Nor is this the language of huma
nity atone—justice declares the fame. Th* obj.& of ev*-
ry cartel, or Similar agreement, is the benefit of the p i
fonerß themselves, and that of the contending powers—
on this footing it equally exacts, that they vUYd be wed
treated, as that they Should be exchanged : ,T 1 e lever e
is therefore an evident infraAion, and 01gat to iuhj<<ft
the p^rty, on whom it is chargeable, to all the damage
and ill consequences resulting from it. Nor can it be
expected, that thole unfitted for future service, by a&s of
Severity in dire& violation of a c@mpa&, are proper i'ub
j &s for an exchange. In such case, to return others not
in the fame predicament, would be to give without re
ceiving an equivalent, and would afford t e greatest en
couragement to cruelty and inhumanity. The argumtu t
drawn from the mere circumstance of the prifoneis hav
ing been received, is of no validity. Though from their
wretched situation, they could not at that time be deem
ed proper for an exchange, our humanity required that
they Should be permitted to return amongst us. It may
perhaps be fairly doubted, whether an apprehension cf
their death, or that of a great part of them, did not
contribute somewhat to their being Sent out when they
were. Such an event, whilst they remained with you,
would have been truly inters sting, because it would have
destroyed every Shadow of claim for the return of the pri
soners in our hands, and therefore policy, concurring
with humanity,, dictated that the measure Should be
adopted. Happy had it been, if the expedient had
been thought of before these ill-fated men were reduced
to such extremity. It is confeffed however on all Sides,
that after their delivery they still continued yeur prifen
ers, and would be so till regularly exchanged.' I ac
knowledge that I Should be, and I have been, always
willing, notwithstanding this concession, to account f<r
every man who was in a proper condition, and fit to le
exchanged at the time they came out, so far as the pro
portion of prisoners with us would extend.—With what
propriety, or upon what foundation of justice, can more
be demanded ? 1 his has been proposed, or what is the
fame, was most clearly implied in the firft article, pr ob
jection, made by Lieut. Col. Harrison, and illiberally re
jected since, as incontinent with any degree of reason or
common sense. Painful as it is, lam compelled to ccn
sider it, as a fact not tp be questioned, that the'uf ge of
our prisoners whilst in your possession, the privates at
least, was Such as could not be justified. This was pro
claimed by the concurrent testimony of all who came out
—rheir appearance fanChfied the assertion—and melan
choly experience, in the speedy death of a large part of
them, Stamped it with infallible certainty.
In refy+a to the second article insisted on.—Your dis
criminating Major General Lee from other captive offi
cers belonging to the American army, demanded my
particular attention. I was authorized to conclude from
your laying him under particular restraints, and from
your letter of the 23d of January last, that you consider
ed him in a Singular point of view, and meant to exclude
him from the common right of exchange, Stipulated for
all officers in general terms. This distinction, the more
injurious and unwarrantable as you never executed him.
NU MB. 2.8 v