The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1781-06-21 00:00:00, page 2

No particular Account of the Attempt on the island
of St. Vincent, by Sir George Rodney, in December
last, having yet been published in this city, we give
the following, in a letter from the Commandant of
that Island to the Marquis de Bouille. It is taken
from the St. Chriflopher's Journal, of the gift of
January last; haying been translated from the French
into that Paper.
From the MARTINICO GAZETTE, of December
28, 1780.
SIR George Bridges Rodney does not choose to
remain inaaive: Scarce had he returned to St. Lucia
but he wan ed to make up by taking St. Vincent, for
his fruitlefs voyageto America. The conquest of this
little island, of which he would, no doubt, have highly
boasted, had he been lucky enough to succeed, would
have at lead quieted the impatience of his countrymen,
who are always afkiog where is this great blow? We
have happily parried the one he aimed at us, and M.
de Blanchelande, who was arrived at St. Vincent some
days before the appearance of the English. received
them so well, that they cannot certainly refufe him the
title of a Gallant Man. This new governor describes
the entertainment he gave them in the following man
ner. 1
Letter from M. de Blanchelande, to the Marquis de
Bouille, dated St. Vincent, December 18, 1780.
Monsieur le Marquis,
How very pleasing it is to me to inform you, that
the English who arrived here in the morning of the 16th,
with vast schemes of conquest, returned to their ships
yesterday, after a fruitlefs endeavour to take from rre
the command you were so good as to entrust me with,
and which I assure you I am very jealous of preserving.
Upon my arrival I found the camp defiitute of pro
visions; I loft no time in conveying some thither, as
well as the powder and other things received by the
Galatea.
TO Tag PRINTER.
SIR,
PERUSING the observations made by a writer, in
your paper No. 743, refpeaing the preference
intended to landlords in the law, published fcr
consideration, to rake off thetender of paper money &c.
it induced me to beg le;ve through the channel of your
paper, to convey to the pu' lie and the legislature now
fitting, a few observations that occurr'd to me, which
may serve to shew the impropriety of leaving tenants
too much at the mercy of mercenary or oppreflive land
ords, who, in many infiances, are wallowing in wealth,
as that writer jufijy observes, and living in ease and
fafety at home ; whilfl the tenants are defending their
perlons and property in the field ; as a proof of what
I have avert'd I will mention a few matters that came
to my knowledge. When it was thought that the ene
my were likely to succeed in making a conquest of the
city, the whigs, who were a&ive against them, found
it was necessary to remove with their families to places
of fafety, beng aware of the treatment they were to ex
peel if they fell into their hands; some were ailing in
the field, and others remained in the city, so long as
to make a precipitate retreat absolutely necessary,
which obliged them, in many infiances, to leave most
of their furniture Handing in their houses, at the mer
cy of their landlords, who no sooner than they found
proteaion from our enemies and many of their friends,
and taking it for granted that they were to' continue
among them, and that all was over with us, than they,
under pretence of arrearages for rent, seized the poor
tenants goods, and in some inftance® set them up to
public sale, fold them at one sixth the value among
their associates, and such as suited they converted to
their own use ; and the tenant at his return, found
himfelf, as he was during his baniihment, destitute of
the conveniencies of life, and in some infiances deflitute
of money to replace them, not being able to find em
ployment when out of the city. If those persons, who
are to have laws passed so much in their favour, can
reconcile such proceedings to their feelings, what have
the tenants to expert, who are not, nor may not be in
a way to procure bard cash to fatisfy them, if left too
much at their mercy, before they can possibly recover
themselves, by the loss of depreciation, and the money
that was funk in their hands, which the landlords on
most occasions guarded againfl, as will appear from the
following account of fads? Some time after the enemy
evacuated the city, and landlordsdifcovered that there
was a demand for houses, owing to the great number
of Grangers that came among us, they insisted 011 ha
ving a quarter, some half a year, and some a year's
rent, advanced in hard cash, before the tenant entered
the house, which took the poor man's flock out of his
hand, that he raised to carry on his business, and to en
able him to pey his rent and support his family : when
it became necessary to lay taxes and militia fines on
their eflates, which should bear the burden, they in
fifttd on the tenants difeharging them, or they muR
turn out of their houses, so that in fad every tax that
is laid on those of overgrown eftates,and more particu
lar those who have d.(countenanced all the proceedings
of the whigs and who have been always averse and
backward in taking paper money or paying any taxes
till it was of little use, unless guarded against by the
laws now forming, will be thrown on- the persevering
whig. Formerly we had laws to secure the tenants for
a limited time from the then growing evil of oppression
of landlords, when the tenants, by tendering the quar
ter or year's rent, as it became due, could not be turn
ed out till he had it in his power to get a fuit&ble house
to carry on his business, and paper money in those
days was deemed a lawful tender for rent. What then
can entitle those people to such previleges ? many of
whom have been instrumental in ruining the credit of
our paper money, at that time so necessary for the car
rying on thewar, when at the fame time it's well known
that they promoted and supported the credit of the pa
per money made on purpose to enable Britain to car
ry on the last war. The incorreftnefs of thishafly per
formance I hope will be excused, as coming from the
pen of A MECHANICK.-
Philadelphia, June 18, 1781.
It was hinted to me in the evening of the 14th that I
might expert an attack. J did not give much credit to
this intelligence ; however some kind of commotion I
observed among the English inhabitants, induced me
to be upon my guard, and as it has turned out I was
perfectly right.
The 15th I ordered 600 negroes, with every necessary
material up to the camp, which is about half an hour's
walk from the town, and near one third higher than
Fort Bourbon.
I reconnoitred my filtration in the belt manner I
was able, with M. de Rotalier, who was of the moll
signal service to me, front his perfect knowledge of th*
different ports, and his truly military talents.
The 16th, about 9 o'clock in the morning, the signal
was given for the appearance of above 10 ships to win 1-
ward; it came from the camp, there being the only flag
ftaff, remaining, the other having been destroyed by the
hurricane. Eleven ships anchored about half an hour
after fotrr in Warrawarou bay, under Young's island.
Admiral Rodney immediately hoisted out his boats,
and the landing of the troops was effected without my
being able or willing to oppose it: 3000 men, of which
1000 were grenadiers or chaffeurs, were landed by
two of the clock; there were Hill rooo marines remain
ing on board, ready to be put on shore.
The alarm was not fired till the firft fllip had an
chored. I did not wish it to begin sooner, to avoid the
desolation of the Caraibs upon the plantations, in case
the fleet had not been bound here.
The orders I had given, the 16th, and- the previous
difpofiiions I had made, were, upon firing the alarm,
punctually executed by my troops, of whose behaviour
I have an excellent account to give you.
In lets than an hour every thing was disposed agree
. able to my intentions; and the following, my dear ge
neral, was my arrangement, of which you will have
a better idea by a draught made by M. de Rotalier,
who is really deserving of your praise and proteaion.
Seventy men, of which 25 were grenadiers, and 45
chaffeurs de Foix, were placed in the post called Cinq
Chemins ; 20 grenadiers of the Martinique regiment
were posted in the afeent to the camp, overlooking
Warrawarou bay, to cover the retreat of the firfl post.
Still nearer the camp, upon the heights of Crooks
plantation, I posted 50 volunteers of the marine, under
the command of M. de Beauffancourt, an officer of
great zeal and abilities. I had a small party some
what above that, of a corporal and four grenadiers,
upon the heights of the valley of the Caraib Lamothe,
before Sunlay's plantation, where was also an officer
and 10 soldiers of Viennois regiment. This post was
within musket shot of the camp.
The post of Cinq Chemins had sent two small advance
parties in the narrow passage of Warrawarou, and one
upon the height that commands the plain and river of
Warrawarou.
I had placed posts upon the heights round the camp.
The rest of the troops were well disposed of in the
trenches, all determined' to receive the enemy agreeable
to my wishes.
The country being extremely mountainous, I could
not perceive the motions of the enemy, who occupied
the plantations about Calliagua Town, the residence
of M- de Pertin, whom I had ordered to assemble the
southern militia, and jorn the Caraibs, in order to dis
tress the enemy in the rear, which he did much to m,
fatisfadion. It was impoflible for him to prevent the
Caraibs from laying wafie the English eflates ; they
burnt three, and killed an overseer of Mr. Campbell,
who some time before had' whipped one of their people.-
I viffted all my posts that evening, and great part of
the night passed without feeing or hearing any thing of
the enemy, who had sent a column of 1000 men upon
the heights of Dubois's plantation, which had been
harraffed by M. de Percin's savage troops the whole
night, who was continually fending me intelligence by
means of our faithful bu[cruel allies the Caraibs, to
whom I neither refufed ammunition or provisions,
having great abundance in my camp. The firing on
their fide, though it lasted all night, gave me very
little uneasiness. About half an hour after eleven, a
little before the riling of the moon, the head of a co
lumn * of light infantry was perceived by the post at
the Cinq Chemins^ M. de Germiny, lieutenant of Vi
ennois grenadiers, who commanded there, and M. Ar
naddel lieutenant of the Chaffeurs de Foix, waited till
they came within pistol shot. M. de Germiny himfelf
(all his pickets being drove in) cried twice Qui vive.
The answer was hurra. The post in ftantly fired ac
cording to my orders, with their muzzles close to the
enemy, and immediately fell back upon the party com
manded by M. de Lys, who on his fide fired downwards
upon the left flank of the column. At the discha r ge
made by M. de Germiny's post, the cries of the wound
ed were heard at the tamp. The enemy kept up a
pretty warm fire, which wounded a grenadier of the
Martinique regiment in the thigh. M. de Germiny
feeing the enemy did not advance, posted himfelf upon
the road to. the. camp, where, feeing the direction of
the fire, I discharged some pieces upon the post of
Cinq Chemins, and we past the remainder of the night
in a Actuation to receive them.
At day break the English, who had lined the valley
below Crook's plantation, appeared upon the height,
and fired upon Messrs. Germiny and Beauffancourt,
who retired below the camp where I left a guard, and
fired some cannon upon the enemy, still hid in the val
ley. I took a turn along the heights, and perceived
the red column out of the reach of the cannon, and se
veral people with spy glasses, which occasioned some
excellent remarks among our people. I returned to
the batteries, and, to amuse ourselves, I tried three
18 pounders, pointed against Rodney's squadron, M.
de Rotalier assuring me that at random shot they would
reach. I accordingly ordered them to fire, promising
the canoniers half a joe for every shot that struck.
It cost me three joes and a half in eighty shots they
fired. The admiral, who did not relish this pleasant
ry, immediately got under way with three of the
ships and a frigate, and the currents carried them
away to leeward. The rest bravely flood their ground.
In the mean while, the red column left the heights and
* Tete de colonne en bonnets.
proceeded g the sea fde. I at firftimagined 'the
thips were going to anchor a little farther from Kallia
gua—not at all ! —the boats took in the troops—shall [
fay, my dear general, to my great grief? Yes indeed,
inhumanly upon my oral account, and for your glo
ry, I ffiould have wished them to have attacked our
intrenchments—but no, all was under way by 4o'
clock. Seing they had left behind them three sloops,
a l dispatched M. de Beauffancourt with 60 men, who
took a corporal, a private of the 46th, and a marine,
by whom I learnt their numbers, general Vaughan
commanded the troops; the fquadrfl) cenfifled of ten
ships of the line, 7 frigates,' and foumoops.
Two < of the floors that remained were Dutch ; they
had taken them under the lee of the island, on their
way hither; one was from Grenada, with letters from
M. Durat, which they took out ; the other left this 1
with the Galatea, who perhaps has given you some
little uneasiness about us.
I did not fail desiring M. de Percin to rfifpatch 3 or
4 periaguas, to give you advice of my situation, who
in foite of his endeavours could fend but one.
The commissary general of this colony exerted him-
Clf to the utmost. It is to his care that I owe the
abundance and order that reigned in every part of my
government.
I am with refpef?,
Signed DE BLANCHELANDE.
From the PARIS GAZETTE, Aug ri;
Extract of a letter from Mons. de la Motte Tabou
rel, auxiliar lieutenant of his majesty's frigates, and
serving as firft lieutenant of his majesty's frigate la
Belle Pou'e, commanded by the chevalier de Kerga
riou Coatles, lieutenant of his majesty's ships of the
line, dated Falmouth, August 1, 1780, and directed
to Mons. de Sartine, minifttr and Secretary of state,
for the marine department.
" On the 15th of July, at two o'clock in the after
noon, we difeovered four ships. At five o'clock in
the afternoon, being then S. S. W. four leagues dis
tant from Croifie, the Hoop le Roffignol made the sig
nal of difeovery of superior forces to the frigate 13
Belle Poule ; and soon after the chevalier d'Orleans,
who commanded the said sloop, acquainted the che
valier de Kergariou, that the ship which had been dis
covered, proved to be a ship of the line ' of 70 or 74 guns,
which a few days before had taken two coasters, that
had afterwards been re-taken by some of our frigates.
The chevalier de Kergariou sent orders to the com
mander of the sloop to bear away, and to save himfelf
into the firft port he could make.
At fix o'clock, the ship, which we then fully per
ceived to be a ship of the line, was no more than three
leagues distant from the Belle Poule. We found that:
the approached us very sass, and that she had a decid
ed superiority in failing over us. We threw our net
ting, fails, and all other heavy effeds, over board ; we
worked our pumps ; in short, we employed all possible
means that experience could suggest, to lighten our
weight, and to fail fafler; but all attemps proved in
effeaual.
At half an hour after eleven o'clock, the ship in
pursuit of us came within reach of cannon, and fired
a shot at us. Every body was already at his post, and
the battery was likewise prepared for adion. At thir
ty-five minutes after eleven o'clock, she fired a feconcL
shot at us ; and at forty minutes after eleven, our cap-,
tain gave orders to fire our guns of retreat both high
and low, which was immediately executed in hoisting
our colours, it being ®ur intention to damage, if pos
sible, her masts and rigging, to prevent her fwift fail
ing. During this running fight, which lasted until half
past twelve, the enemy returned only a few shot ; but
at that time she had arrived within reach of mufque
try. Our captain then gave orders to keep in readi
ness, and to fire our whole broadside as soon as she
should fall on our larboard, which was also executed
with great success ; for three vollies which we fired at
the enemy, with the greatest speed, so damaged her
yards and rigging, that she was oblig'd to bear off
for some time ; but having repaired her damages, and
come within the fame difiance, file then played her
mufquetry at us, which was far superior to ours, and
well supported ; and as we had no fort of shelter upon
deck, our netting, fails, and batteries being thrown
overboard, we soon had a number of people put out of
adion. As soon as she came along fide of us, she fired
several broadfid'es at us, which cur advantageous fituat
tion had prevented her from doing sooner; and tho'
our battery was well served% and without intermission,
and our gunners being animated by the most arduous
zeal and courage, which they often expressed by re
peated exclamations of Vive le Roi (long live the king,
she disabled us to that degree, that we could no longer
work the frigate, having all our fails and rigging shot
away, as well as the enemy, who at that time laid for
above a quarter of an hour on our forecaflle on the
larboard, and Crushed us by the fire from his small
arms. In this situation the captain resolved to fend all
hands which remained upon deck, to the ^battery, in
hopes that good fortune would soon procure us a more
advantageous situation ; and all cur people wiffied for
nothing more arduously, than to fee the enemy again
a-breast of us, in order to renew the engagement.
At a quarter after two o'clock our captain was mor
tally wounded, and fell rn pronouncing the word^
which he had so often repeated drring the a&ion ;
Courage, brave boys, courage ! He was immediately,
tho' against his will, carried in the surgeon's room,
for he desired to die open deck ; and he had scarcely
arrived there when heexpired.
As soon as I was acquainted with the captain's
death, I immediately went upon the quarter deck, and
took the command of the frigate. I encouraged the
whole ship's company to continue the engagement
with the fame course and ardour as it had begun. I
attempted different manoeuvres, ordering the fleerage
both larboard and larboard, and did all in my power
to make the frigate at last drop on the enemy's Ear
board, in order to bring our batteries to bear. In
this situation we fought during tl ret quarters of aa
hour, with the greatest bravery and valour, all our
people being determined to revenge the death of out