The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1778-01-28 00:00:00, page 1

To the Printer of the Pennsylvania Packet.
S I R,
In peruj^g a hfory the other day I came across the
friihuing leticr from an experienced officer, to a
frag gentleman who badju/l entered the army
as a Subaltern : As it may be of jervice to jome
efthe young and unexperienced officers in oar ar
my, 1 beg you will give it a place in your paper,
and oblige lour humble Jervant,
A MAJOR.
My ver, dear Friend,
T TAKE this opportunity of fulfilling my pro
mise, by laying before you, what my age and
experience judje neceflary for your well doing.
You arc a man of property, and now-inlifted
to fight the cause of Freedom, Fou are a soldier.
You are one of those on whom, under God,
the life and liberty of this nation depend.—
Confider the dignity of your Ration ---Confider
the mighty trust reposed in you. Confider your
fclf, and it is Scarcely podible you will err in
your conduit. 1 am positive as to your person
al courage, for your foul is humane and tender,
and your tongue is not a bragcart; but as your
behaviour in this new feene of life is what 1 am
not Io certain of, your good nature will excuse
a little advice, and attribute my trite maxims,
more to the warmth of my friendfhip, than to
any occation you may have for them.
io be 20 o«r'° r , there :s r.O neceffty of bc
inginfpired with supernatural talents. Common
sense and the deportment of a gentleman are
Efficient. The knowledge of your duty, and
the military art, will come with time and ex
perience; but a close application to the study is
nece Lar).
The love of the soldiers is the happiness of
an officer ; and to gain that love, the method
is snort and easy. Pay and punish where due,
but never Rrike. Be free with your men, but
fuller them not to be too free with you. An
haughty overbearing temper, may indeed inspire
them with fear, but never with affection. Treat
them as men and they will refpe£l you as their
officer; but, at the fame time, be careful that
the non-commissioned officers a& in the fame
manner, and support their proper authority, on
which all duty and submission depends.
Endeavour, as much as possible, to keep your
men clean and decent; it gives spirits, and pre
vents drunkenness and debauchery. Drop in
at their meals, taste their vi&uals, encourage
them to keep good messes, and reprove when
'you find them remiss.
Be assiduous to learn the exercise of a soldier,
and keep your men diligently at it, yet so as
not to fatigue them unneceffariiy. See that
they punctually obey your commands, but be
not too rigorous in trivial matters. Believe me,
the men soon find out thegenius of their officers,
and will never impose nor play tricks, when
they know they cannot with impunity.
Make it a constant rule, to obey with alacri
ty and chearfulncfs every order of your superi
ors : Such a condua will add to your reputa
tion, and confirm your character.
Slander and scandal sometimes insinuate them
selves into camps, and too frequently attack the
mod deserving. Let me beg of you to turn the
deaf car to evil report, and not be speedily pre
judiced against any man, much less your com
manders.
If an officer need not have all the wisdom of
a Privy Councillor, he ought at least to have
the part that enjoins secrecy. The Spanifti
proverb is good---'' In a close mouth, no flies
enter." Execute your orders in hlence, and
&^^fmi Mils drift ^t^
GENERA L
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 1778.
let not the most u'i.rant hint of the conduct of
tile army escape from your lips or your pen.—
should you knov nothing particular, y@ur
words must be mere conjecture, and, in all
probability, quite wrong. Should a material
circumstance come to your knowledge, what
infamy must follow your disclosing it!
Company and chearfulnefs are absolutely ne
ceffarv, but to drink to excels is inexcusable.
I he lives of thouinds depend on the sobriety
of officers. How can a drunkard guide men
trul,, when his ow 1 legs mutiny and refufe his
commands ?
Be charitable ; be generous according to your
power, but seldom give money to a soldier.---
When you think proper to reward and encou
rage, there are other ways infinitely more ufe
ful to them.
Rife early and examine your command ; keep
them reasonably employed, and under the ftri&-
est difeiphne ; but let your own example keep
pace with your precepts. Have all your affairs
in so nice and exact an order, as to be always
ready to march at a moment's warning. All
men ought to accustom themselves to regulari
ty, but none require it more than a soldier.
Your natural good temper will prevent your
giving offence to any one, and, perhaps, in
cline you to bear patiently those offered you ;
but have a care, anu, let what will be the con
sequences, perm t no man to taunt or insult.---
Should the lead particle of contempt fall on you,
quit a service, when you must do more harm
than good.
With regard to your present enemies, hold
them not too cheap. Speak of them as men—
as men of an unhappy education, led away by
falfe maxims, and prejudiced to erroneous prin
ciples : They ate, or ought to be, our breth
ren. Let your humanity extend to them as far
as fafety and prudence will permit. If absolute
and fatal necessity compels you to strike, let
the sword fall from no other motive but the ge
neral good. Let it be effectual but instant. Jn
that unhappy case, drive every womanish weak
ness from your heart, and confider that too
much lenity and tenderness may be cruelty to
your country. The action or necessary pursuit
over, let clemency and compassion fill your
breast.---Should you conquer, be all mildness,
and charity---Comfort the prisoner ; assist the
wretched wounded; speak peace to despairing
fouls, and, if possible, shew them the joys of
freedom and liberty.
But I have done, and difeharged the office
annexed to love and friendship. If my hints
are ufelcfs to you, perhaps you may know those
to whom they may be of service.
You find I am an old fellow by my long
winded tale; but I shall appear more so, when
you confider 1 end (where I ought to have be
gun) by recommencing to you the service of
God, and obedience to his ordinances. A
righteous and a godly life is the belt preparative
for death. Though all ought, yet none should
be more ready to obey that call than a soldier.
His life is every instant in a peculiar manner
at flake. Think on this frequently, and your
duty to God and man wiil certainly follow;
and man and the Almighty will reward you with
peace, content and happiness. Into his hands
I resign you, and most fervently pray him to
crown your cause with victory, and continue
his mercy to this land to latelt poflerity,
I am your very affectionate
and faithful servant,
J. H.
TH E
farefe ^^^^£%
e^^ N^ costas
THE
ADVERTISER.
TO BE SO L D,
By the SUBSCRIBERS,
qpHEIR DISTILLERY, fituste in Chester
£ Town, Kent County, Maryland, confining of
the following conveniences, viz. Five stills, contain
ing nine hundred and forty-nine and a half pilons
mafhing tubs Efficient, with house room for them to
bnd in, and every necessary implement to make
whiskey in the best and molt advantageous manner •
with a lease of near four acres cf ground for nine years
to come, and hands ready hired for the present Gar :
The Situation tery good for whe.it, where any qual
ity may be had at about fix fhillin.-s per bufhe) .
Likewise a good ftor k of hops to be rolJ.
WORRELL AD LORAIN.
N. B. The stills have been but eight and a half
months in use. | |6
FORTY DOLLARS REWARDS
RAN AWAY and went on board the
English fleet when at Elk, a Negro fellow nvicd
DAVID, fix feet high, slender made, was burnt in
one of his hams when a child, the fear flit remains
very plain ; the property of William Wiliam, of Kent
County, Maryland. Also a Mulatto fellow, the pro
perty of John Bolton, or Chester Tcw», in said Coun
ty and State : He is about fix feet high, raw boned,
pitted with the small pox, is a good mower and reaper,
and very handy with carpenters tools in Awing; hew
ing, &c. can read and write, is very fenfi le, and calls
himb.lf Mich. High ; his hands are very little bigger
than his wrifc, therefore cannot be fecmed with hand
cuffs. Whoever will secure them in any State gaol,
so that their masters may get them apain, shall receive
the zoo. a Re^rd, CT TWEX TY DOLLAR3
for either of them. JOHN BOLTON.
14 WILLIAM WILSON.
IF Richard Cooke, the brother of Anna
Cocke, deceased in 1775, who was born in Rot
terdam, but has been married and fettled some vears
in America, and it is believed exercised the trade of
Surgeon or Apothecary in Maryland, cr any of his
lawful heirs, will apply to the Printer hereof, they
will be informed of something considerably to their
advantage.
Lancafler, January 20, 1778.
A LL persons who have accounts or demands
against the late Committee of Lancaster, are de
fied to bring them in to the fubferiber, before the firft
day of February next, that they may be fettled and
paid. § WILLIAM ATLEE.
Lancafler, January %, 1778.
NOTICE is hereby given, That all
those who have furnifhed the Barrack-Matters
at Lan.cafter and Reading, with Wood, Straw, &c.
are desired to render their accounts before the firft of
February next, that they may be adjusted.-—-And
also those that have (at my request) furnifned the
Honorable Council and Assembly with Wood, are
likewise to render their accounts.
X MICHEAL HUBLEY, Barrack-Master.
Commifary' $ Office, Valley Forge, January 8, 1778.
qpHE several Assistant Commissaries of Issues
£ for the Middle Department, as well those in
camp, as all others a* the different posts or magazines
in the States of New-Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware,
and Maryland, are most earnestly requested and en
joined to prepare and transmit to my office their re
fpe&ive monthly returns of provisions and other stores
received, issued, and on hand at the end of each month,
from the time of their appointments until the firft day
of February next, in order that I may make out my
general returns agreeable to a resolve of Congrels. A
neglc.B' of this eff/ntial duty will fuhje& the delinquents
( f any) to fnfpenfion, to prevent which this public
notice is given by
THOMAS JONES, D. C. G. of Issues,
Middle Department.
Kent County, January 8, 1778.
^7 OTICE is hereby given, That a pe
! *4 tiin will be preferred to the General Aff:m~
oly c^the State of D.daware, at their next firing, for
die building a Bridge ove iDock C^eek, in said State.
Any p rfons that have any objection thereto are de
filed to attend to ihew came.
§ CHARLES POPE.