The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1781-06-14 00:00:00, page 3

, Christ Church Paiifh, April 3, 1781.
IHerewith1 Herewith inclofe you two letters, which I have re-I
ceived from lieutenant colonel Balfour, command- |
ant in Charles-Town, wijh my answers, which I !
beg the favour you will do me the honor of laying be- 1
fore Cong,refs for their information.
I have the honor to be,
Your most obedient, humble servant,!
WILLIAM MOULTRIE, B. G.
Honorable Samuel Huntington, Esq.
President of Congress.
(Copy.) Charles Town, March 1781.
SI R,
I TAKE this opportunity to transmit for your in
formation, the proceeding of a court of inquiry, held
here, in confluence of which lieutenant colonel Grim
kie and major Haberfham gre committed close prison
ers, until lord Cornwallis's pleasure shall be known ;
on perusing these proceedings, the lenity of British
officers, must forcibly strike you, as it mudcome with
in your own knowledge and feeling, that breaches of
parole have heretofore been overlooked, and their jus
tice, .if it were no* neceffiry, will be fully evinced,
in Mr. Place being difiniffed from his office. You
will be so good as to return he original letters, which
accompany these proceedings.
I am now to address you on a fubjeß, with which
1 am charged by lord Cornwallis, who, having in vain
applied to general Greene for unequitable and general
exchange of prisoners, finds it necessary, in justice to
the king's service, and those of his army, who are in
this disagreeable predicament, to pursue such measures
as may eventually coerce it, and his lordship has con
sequently ordered me to fend all the prisoners of war
here, forthwith to some one of the Weft-India islands,
which I am particularly directed to inform you) can-
Dot'be delayed beyond the middle of next month, and
for this purpose, the transports are now allotted, of
which an account will soon be transmitted 'o you.
I am forty to add, that the treatment our militia re
ceived, when made prisoners by brigadier general Ma
rion, is such, as unitfs speedily redressed, will com
pel me, in justice to those unhappy persons, to a severe
retaliation ; and in that case, I fliall be obliged to Se
parate the mil tia from the continental prisoners of war.'
I am, Sir, Your most obedient, humble servant,
(Signed) W. BALFOUR.
Brig. gen. Moultrie.
(Copv.) CHrift-Church P'arilh, March 31, 1781.
SIR,
I RECEIVED yur's yesterday evening, dated
March, fine die, 1781, with the proceedings of a Co..rt
of enquiry, ordered on lieutenant colonel Grimkie and
major Hab^rfham, and federal letters relating thereto;
and find every clause of so much consequence, that I
could expat ; ate very largely on each, but my being a
prisoner prohibits me ; Ifhall thuch lightly upon them,
and leave the red to those who are more at liberty.
You inform me lieutenant colonel Grimkie and major
Habeffham are close prisoners until lord Cornwallis's
pleafare shall be known; I observe " the court is of
opinion they are guilty of breach of their paroles, in
correfpondirg, by letters, with a man not in the king's
peace, and who is at Beaufort." I. am informed the
court were of opinion, that the letters contained no
thing criminal or of bad tendency : if merely the Writ
ing a letter is to be confirud as a breach of parole, I
believe there is scarce an officer in the British or Ame
rican service, who have been prisoners any consider
able time, but what has violated his parole lam
much at a loss to recoiled any breaches of parole that
have been overlooked; my feelings cannot point them
out to me. I herewith return the original letters which
you rtquire.
The fubjed of your next clause is of a very serious
nature, and weighty consequence indeed : before Ten
ter particularly into that, I mud request you will be
so kind as to inform me, Whether you deem the capitu
lation dissolved: you tell me lord Cornwallis has fre
quently applied to general Greene for an equitable
exchange of prisoners l ean also assure you, that ge
neral Greene, in a letter to general MTntofh mentions,
that he proposed such a measure to lord Cornwallis ;
and I can also assure you, t at by a letter from a dele
gate in Congress we are warranted' to fay, that Con
gress Has proposed a plan for a general exchange,
w ic i fir ; ~enry Clinton approved, and signified to ge
neral Wethington his readiness to proceed on it, and
f r ought we know is at this moment taking place;
however, the fending us to the Weft India islands can
not expedite the exchange one moment, neither can
the measure alleviate the difirefs of those of your offi
cers who are prisoners, as you must be well affurd
fuchtr atn^nt as we receive.will be fully retaliated by
general Washington.
I am sorry to hear general Marion Should use any
prisoner ill ; 'tis contrary so his natural difpofitmn• I
know him to be generous and humane. Before you
proceed to extremity, I muff request you will permit
me to fend an officer to general Greene, with a copy of
your letter and the proceeding of the court with the
letter relative to lieutenant csknel Grimkie and major
Haberfham for his ipfpeaion.
I am, fir, Your most obedient, humble servant,
(Signed) WM MOULTRIE/brig. gen.
Lieut, col. Balfour, commandant, &c.
S I R, Charles Town, April 2, 178/.
IN reply to your letter of the 31st ultimo, though it
is impossible to permit an officer to proceed with your,
difpatehes to general Greene, yet, I have no objection'
to fending a flag of truce, as soon as possible, to that offi
cer with any letters you may fend over here ; and as in
refpea to tie prisoners of war being fem to the Weft-
Indies, I aft only in confequ nee of i°rd Cornwallis's
particular directions, the propriety of such a measure
will mere properly become an object for th.e RCcuffion,
of his lordship, and general Greene, andl Shall there
fore defer ailing on it in the last infiance, until you
shall receive the result of ther communication.
I am, fir, Your most ob ' dient, humble servant,
(Signed) " N. EALROUR.
B* ^en. Moultries
thrift Church Parilh, April 3, 1781.
SIR,
I AM to acknowledge the reception of yours of yef
terdays' date, and as I cannot be permitted to fend an
officer to general Green with my dispatch es, I have
sent them down for yottr perusal, and r quest the fa
vour you will forward them. I am also to request,
that I may be permitted to fend to congress your tetters
and my answers, relative to the fending th continental
and militia prisoners of war to the v fc ft- Indies ; which
if you agree to I have fen't down to be out immediate
ly on board the flag going to Philadelphia, that She
may not be detained one moment on that account.
I am, Sir, Your most obedient, humble servant,
(Signed) WILLIAM MOY LTRIE, L. G.
Li^ut. col. Balfour, commandant, &c.
Torbay Prifoh-fhip, Charles-Lown harbour, May
23, 1781.
SIR,
THE indofed papers, viz. a letter from the com
mandant of Charles Town, to the prisoners on board
this fllip, our two letters in reply, a lift of our names,
and our letter to general Greene, being so intere^ing to
us, as to excite a cefire of their speedy conveyance to
his excellency, the prefdent of con,refs we therefore
take the liberty of recommending them to your care.
Wishing you a pleafan: paffa^e, we rest Yeur very
obedient Servants, JOHN BADDELEY,
Lieut, col. Scott.' JOHN NEUFVILLE, junr.
Gentlemen, Charl flown, May 17, 1781.
SEVERAL * prifmers on parole, hav ng been this
day taken up, and sent on board flip, the motives
for which are explained in the encloßd copy of a let
ter to them, I am directed by the l commandant to de
sire you will insert the fame in your n-xt p per, for
the information of the publick.
I am, Gentlemen, Your most obedient servant,
H. BARRY, Secretary, and D. A. General.
Messrs. Wells & Son,
Printers to the king's most excellent majefly.
Gentlemen; Charleflown, My 17, 1781.
% ,tfANY have been the representations which the
outrages committed by the American troops,
and their violations of all rhe humaner principles of war,
have compelled me to. make to such of their officers as
commanded parties in this province: but more parti
cularly have I been obliged to remunerate agairfftthe
rigorous treatment, in many cases extending to death,
which the loyal militia, when made prisoners, must in
variably experience.
Thee representations, gentlemen, having been
grounded on the truest principles of benevolence, and
which it behoves each fide, equally to have advanced,
I was as much furprized as I was mortified, to find
them in all caf-s practically disregarded, and in many,
wholly neglected. It is therefore become my duty, how
ever irksome to myfelf, to try how far, a more decided
line of conduct will prevail, and whether the fafety of
avowed adherents to their cause, may not induce the
American troops to extend a proper clemency to those,
whole principles arm them in defence of British go
vernment.
Induced by these motives, I have conceived it an aft
of expediency to seize on your persons, and retain them
as hoflages for the good 1 sage of all the loyal militia,
who are, or may be made prisoners of war, resolving
to regulate, in the full extent, your treatment, by the
measure of theirs, and which my feelings make me hope,
may hereafter be most lenient.
And as I have thought it necessary, that those per
sons, who some time since were sent from hence to St.
Augustine, should, in this refpe&, be considered in the
fame point of view as yourfeives, I shall fend notice
there, that they be likewise held as sureties, for a fu
ture propriety of conduct towards our militia prison
ers.
Reasons so cogent, and which have only the most
humane purposes for their objects, will, I doubt not,
be confiJerea by every reasonable person, as a fuf
ficient juftification of this most necessary measure, even
in those points where it may militate with the capitu
lation of Charleftown ; though, indeed, the daily in
fractions of it, by the breach of paroles, would, alone,
well warrant this procedure.
Having been thus candid in Rating to you thecaufes
for this conduCt, I can have no objections to your
making any proper use of this letter you may judge to
your advantage, and will therefore, should you deem it
expedient- grant what Hags of truce may be necessary
to carry out copies of it to any officer commanding
American troops in these parts, and in the mean time
the fulleft directions will be given, that your present
situation be rendered as eligible, as the nature of cir
cumßarices will admit. I am, Gentlemen,
Your most obedient, humble servant,
(Signed; N. BA DFOU R.
To the militia prisoners of war,
late on parole in Charleflown,
now on board a prison ship.
Priion-ftlip, Torbay, Charleftown harbour, May 18,
1781.
TN conformity to your letter of yefhrday, we em
brace your offer of forwarding a copy of the fame,
together with a roll of the prisoners on board this fh:p,
and a letter addressed to major general Gr-ene, ail
which are inclofed. We could with one of our number
might be fuffered to attend the flag of truce.
We are, fir, Your most obedient, humble fervmts,
STEPHEN MOORE, beat. col.
JOHN BARNWELL, major.
In behalf of ourselves and 130 other prisoners.
Lieut, col. Nisbet BalFour.
Torbay Prison Ship, off Charles-Town, May 19, 1781.
S I R,
YESTERDAY we transmitted to you a letter (in
clofing a Copy of yours, with a lift of one hundred and'
twenty nine prisoners of war, confined on board this
fllip,) which we hope is forwarded to major general
* 130 prisoners on parole,(xclufive of others, bro't
on board ' ^fterward^
Greene, agreeable to your promise, and make ne
doubt but that your feelings, as a gentleman,will, upon
this occasion, induce you to do every thing in your
power, to liberate from a most injurious and disagreea
ble confinement, those against whom there can exist no
charge of difhonour, and whole only crime (if such it
can possibly be termed by men of liberal ideas) is an
inflexible attachment to what they conceive to be the
rights of their country, and who have scorned to de
ceive you by unmeaning profeffions. In justice to our
selves we must fay, that if the Americans have at any
time so far divested themselves of that character of
humanity and generosity, which have ever diflinguifh
ed them, we feel ourselves most sensibly mortified, but
are induced, from the generous treatment of colonels
Lechmere, Rugely, Feowicke, and Kelfall, and their
parties, and from a number of other instances which
might be easily adduced, to believe, that the outrages
which you complain of, must be the effed of private
resentment (subsisting between British fubjefts and those
who, after having a vailed themfeb/es of the royal procla
tion, have resumed their arms, in opposition to that
government,) and totally unfandioned by any Ameri
can officer, and which we are well convinced they
would reprobate ard would punilh in the most exem
plary manner, could the perpetrators of such horrid
a&s be detected.
Ina war, circumfianced as the present, there will
be some instances of enormities on both sides. We
would not wTi to particularize, but doubt not, there
are ads of cruelty frequently committed by the irre
gulars of your army, and are convinced, that on your
part, as well as our own; they are generally to be at
tributed to an ignorance of toe rules of warfare and a;
want of discipline, but the idea of detaining in close
custody as homages a number ®f men, fairly taken in
arms and Entitled to the benefits of a solemn capitula
tion; is so repugn fit to the laws of war, and the usage
of civilized nations, that weapprehend it will rather
be the means of encreafihg i s horrors, than answering
those purposes of humanity you expell.
As a most fine adherent e to the terms of our paroles,
and a firm reliance on your honour, have been the only
reasons of our being in your power at present, we
trufl, that upon equitable proposals being made for
our exchange by general Greene, no objections will be
raised, but every thing done, to bring the matter to
the most speedy issue.
As you have thought proper to publish your reasons
for seizing upon our persons, we request our anfiver
may a so be inserted in the next Gazette.
, We are, Sir, Your most obedient, humble servants,
(Copy ) (Signed) STEP? EN MOORE,
JOHN BARNWELL,
SAMUEL LOCKHART,
JO N BADDELEY,
BENJAMIN GUERRARD,
Lieut, col. Balfour, CHARLES PINKNEY, junior:
Com. of Charleftown. in behalf of the wholes
Trifon-fhip, Torbay, Charleflown habour,May 18, 1781.
WE have the honour of inclosing you a copy of a
letter from colonel Balfour, commandant of Charlef
town, which was handed us immediately on our being
put on board this fltip ; the letter speaking for itfelf,
needs no comment , your wisdom will best diaate the
notice it merits. .We would just beg leave to observe,
that should it fall to the lot of all, or any of us, to be
made vi&ims, agreeable to the menaces therein con
tained, we have only to regret that our blood cannot
be disposed of more to the advancement of the glorious
cause tb which we have adhered. A separate roll of
our names attends this letter.
With the greatest relpeß, we are
Sir, your malt obed. and most humble servants,
Stephen Moore, lieutenant colonel North-
Carolina militia,
John Barnwell, Major, South-Carolina mi
l:tia ; for ourselves, and 130 prisoners.
Major General Greene.
Cn board the Priforffhi) Torbay.
William Axon, Samuel Alh, George Arthut, John
Anthony, Ralph Atmore, John Baddeley, Peter Bo
netheau, Henry Benbrid^e, Joseph Ball, Jofepfr Bee,
Nathaniel Blundell, Jarnos Bricken, Francis Bayle,
William Bifquin, John Clarke, jun. Thomas ' Cooke,
Norwood Conyers, James Cox, John Derfus, Jofeph<
Dunlap, Revd. James Edmunds, Thomas Elliott, Joseph
Elliott, John Evans, John Eberley, Joseph Glover,
Francis Grott, Mitchell Gargie, William Graves, Pe
ter Guerard, Jacob Eenry, David Hamilton, Thomas
Harris, William Hornby, Daniel Jacoby, Charles Kent,
Samuel Lockhart, Natnaniel Lebby, Tuomas Li ftor,
Thomas Legare, John Leffefne, Henry Lybert, John
Mic ael, John Minott, fen. John Moncrief, Charles
M'Donald, John Minott, jun. Samuel Miller, Stephen
Moore, George Monck, Jonathan Morgan, Abraham
Mariette, Solomon Milner, John Neufyille, jun. Philip
Prioleau, fames Poyas, Job Palmer, Joseph Robinson,
Daniebßhody, Joseph Rifoton, William Snelling, John
Stevenson, jun. Paul Snyder, Abraham Seavers, Rip
py Singleton, Samuel Scottowe, Stephen Shrewsbury,
John Saunders, James Touffiger, Paul Taylor, Sims
White, James Wilkins, If^c White, George Welch,
Bmjimin Wheeler, William Wilkie, John Welch/
Thomas You.
Oh board the fchobher Pack Horse.
John Barnwell, Edward Barnwell, Robert Barnwell,
William Branford, John Blake, Thomas Cochran, Jo
seph Cray, Robert Dewar, William Defauffure, Tho
mas Evelejgh, John Edwards, inn. John W. Edwards/
William Llhdtt, Benjamin Guerard, Thomas Grayson,
John Gibbons, Philip Gadsden, John Greaves, Willi
am 11. Harvey, John B. Holmes, William Holmes,
Thomas Hughes. James Heyward, George Jones Hen
ry Kennon, John Kein, Stephen Lee, Philip Meyer,
George Moke, William Neufville, John Owen, Charles
Pinkney, jun Samuel Smith, William Wigg, Charles
Warham. Thomas Waring, fen. Richard Waging,
John Waters, David' Warn am, Richard Yeadon.
PubPfhed by Order of Congress,
CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary;