The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1780-12-19 00:00:00, page 1

OR I ' T HE
GEN ERAL ^^^^^ ADVERTISER.
Imported in the last veffds from Europe, and to be fold,
wholesale and retail, by
JOHN KEA N,
At the SIGN of the S PINNIN G-W &EEL,
on the north fide of Market-street, just opposite the
Wal market.-
Dark, blue, buff,
white,fcarle t, brown,
cinnamon, claret and cloth
coloured fuperfine broad
cloths.
Brown, claret, blue and
cloth coloured seconds.
Blue, brown and light
Coloured naps.
Velvets of all colours,
ribbed, plaid, Spotted and
flowered.
Drawboys.
Fine and coarse cambricks
and lawns.
Broad and narrowßuffia
Sheeting.
(checks
Worsted and fills hose.
A beautiful assortment
of chintz and calicoes.
Figured and plain mini
onet lawns.
Minionet lawn handker
chiefs.
SUPERFINE, second and
coarse Broadcloths, 0
all colours,
Blue, brown and white
Knaps,/
Thickfetts, Velvets and %I
verets of all Colours,
Spotted and flowered Cor
Duroys,
Rattinets, Shalloons, and
Tammie%
Duroys, Evrrlaftings, Cam
blets and Corded Ward
ed,
Men's, women's and child
ren's Werfted Hose,
Cotton Cords and Tassels,
A quantity ^f Blanketing,
Fin# Linens,
Russia Sheetings,
Coarse and fine Hollands,
Cotton Checks,
Diapers and Dimethies,
Drawboys,
Marseilles Quitting,
A quantity of the best Sew
ing Silks,
Said KE A N's industry 2nd attention will ba di
rested to the procuring the best goods, to keen a gene
ral assortment, and to fell at the lowest prices the fixa
tion of the times will admit. Persons having goods to
dispose of cheap for cafli, in him may find a purchaser.
At the floe, conitant attendance will be given, the ftr,&-
est punctuality observed, and every endeavour exercised
to give general fatisfaaion.
Juff Imported in the h ft V< fell from Europe,
And TO BE SOLD, By
WILLIAM NICHOLS,
At his STORE, on the north fide of Market street,
opposite the Indian king, by Wholesale and Retail,
A large and general Assortment of the following
ART ICL E S.
r 3 =========
A quantity of Irilh Linens, roiina Indigo.
A large and general Affrrtment of the best Er^lilh
SADLERY,
TUESDAY,
Mohair and Twist,
White & coloured Threads,
Pins, Needles, Tapes and
Bobbins,
Cambricks, Lawns, and
Ken tinzs,
Taffaties, Persians, Padua
fovs and Sarfnets,
Bandana, Romri and Bar
celona Handkerchiefs,
Crofi-barred, striped and
plain Mullins,
Britannia:,
^Check H r.dkei chiefs,
IA quantity of Chintzes and
ICalicoes,'
Gauzes of different kinds,
[A quantity of Lace,
(Writing Paper,
English Shoes and Boots,
ALSO,
Madeira & Claret Wiru%
Jamaica Spirit, and many
Articles which are not
. enumerated.
A quantity of the best Ca^
White, blue and brown
serges.
Fine and coarse linens.
White peelongs, farfnets
and perfians.
Black mode,
Womens white gloves.
Tapes.
White and coloured
threads.
Silk gauze.
Corded dimities.
A large quantity of the
best sewing silk.
Ribbons.
Silk hankerchiefs.
Ivory combs.
A quantity of coarse
milled hose.
Writing paper.
Snuff in hotties.
ALSO, Excellent claret
in hogsheads and bottles.
[ Published every Tuesday arid Saturday.].
From she LON DON GAZETTE EX
TRAORDINARY.
Whitehall, October .9, 17'80.
This morning captain Ross, aid-de-camp to lieutenant
general earl Cornwallis, arrived in town fr°m South-
Carolina, with a letter from his lordihip to lord
George Germain, one of His Ma jefty's principal se
cretaries of itate, of which the following is a copy :
Camden, August 21, 1780.
My Lord,
JT is with great pleasure that I communicate to your
lordfllip an account of a compleat victory obtained
on the 16th inflant, by His Majesty's troops under my
Command, over the rebel' southern army commanded
by general Gates. # ,
In my dispatch No. 1. I had the honour to inform
your lordihip, that while at Charles-Town, I was re
gularly acquainted by lord Rawdon with every mate
rial incident or movement made by the enemy, or by
the troops under his lordship's command. On the 9th
inflant two expresses arrived, with an account that
general Gates was advancing towards Lynch's Creek
with bis wholearfhy, supposed to amount to 6000 men,
exclusive of a detachment of 1000 men under general
Sumpter, who after having in vain attempted to force
flie posts at Rocky Mount and Hanging Rock, was
believed to be at that time trying to get ground the
left of our pofifion, to cut off our communication with
the Congarees and Charles Town ; that the difafte^ed
country between Pedee and Black River had aeualy
revolted; and that lord Rawdon was contrasting his
posts, and preparing to assemble his force at Camden.
In consequence of this information, after finifhing
some important points of business .at Charles-Town,
I set out on the 10th, and arrived at Camden on the
night between the 13th and 14th, and there found lord
Rawdon with our whole force, except lieutenant colo
nel Turnbull's small detachment, which fell back from
Rocky Mount to major Ferguson's posts of the militia
of Ninety-Six on Little River.
I had now my option to make,- either to retire or
Attempt the enemy; for the portion at Camden was
a bad one to be attacked in, and by general Sumpter's
advancing down the Wateree my supplies must have
failed me in a few days.
I saw no difficulty in making good my retreat to
Charles-Town with the troops that were able to march;
but, in taking that resolution, I must have not only
left near 800 sick and a great quantity of fiores at this
place, but I clearly saw the loss of the whole province,
except Charles-Town, and of all Georgia, except Sa
vannah, as immediate consequences besides forfeiting
all pretentions to future confidence from our friends
in this part of America.
On the other hand, there was no doubt of the rebel
army being well appointed, and of its number being
upwards of 5000 men, exclusive of general Sumpter's
detachment, and of a corps of Virginia militia of 12
or 1500 men, either actually joined or expected to join
the main body every hour; and my own corps, which
never was numerous, was now reduced, by sickness and
other casualties, to about 1400 fighting men of regu
lars and provincials, with 4 or 500 militia and North-
Carolina refugees.
However, the greater part of the troops that I had
being perfectly good, and having left Charles- Town
fufficiently garrisoned and provided for a siege, and
feeing little to loose by a defeat, and much to gain by
a victory, I resolved to take the firft good opportunity
to attack she rebel army.
Accordingly, I took great pains to procure good
information of their movements and pofitioti; and I
learned that they had encamped, after marching from
Hanging Rock, as colonel Rugeley's, about twelve
miles from hence, oh the afternoon of the 14th.
After confuting some intelligent people, well ac
quainted with the ground, I determined to march at
ten o'clock on the night of she 15th, and to attack at
day-break, pointing my principal force agaihft the r
continental^, who from good intelligence I knew to be™
badly posted close to colonel Rugeley's hotife. Late
m the evening I received information that the Virgi
nians had joined that day: however, that having been
uxpecbed, I did not alter my plan, but matched at the
hour appointed, leaving the defence of Camden to some
provincials, militia, and convalescents, and a detach
ment of the 63d regiment, which, by being mounted
on horses which they had pressed on the road, it was
hoped would arrive in she course of the night.
I had proceeded nine miles, wherr about half an hour
pall two in the morning, my advanced guard fell in
with the enemy. By the weight of the fire I was con
vinced they were in considerable force, and was soon
assured by some deserters and prisoners, that it was
tiie whole rebel army on its march to attack us at
Camden. I immediately halted and formed, and,
the enemy doing the fame, the firing soon ceased. Con
fiding in the difciplincd courage of his majesty's troops,
and well apprized by several intelligent inhabitants^
THE
Number 690.
that the ground off which both armies flood, being
narrowed by fwanips on the right and left, was ex
tremely favourable for my numbers, I did not chufe
to hazard the great flake for which I was going to fight,
to the uncertainty and confufion to which an action in
the dark is so particularly liable. But having taken
measure's that the enemy fliould not have it in their
power to avoid an engagement on that, ground, I re
solved to defer the attack till day. At the dawn I made
my last disposition, and formed the troops in the fol
lowing order ? The division of the right confining of a
small corps of light infantry, the 23d and 33d regi
ments, under the command of lieutenant colonel Web
fler; the division of the left, confining of the volun
teers of Ireland, infantry of the legion, and part of
lieutenant colonel Hamilton's North-Carolina regi
ment, under the command of lord Rawdon, with two
6 and two 3 pounders, which were commanded by lieu
tenant M'Leod. The 71st regiment, with two 6 poun
ders, was formed as a reserve,- one battalion in the rear
of the division of the fight, the other of that of the
left, and the cavalry of the legion in the rear, and
the country being woody, close to the 71st regiment,
with or ,'ers to seize any opportunity that might offer
to break the enemy's line, and to be ready to pro'eft
our own, in case any corps fliould meet with a check-
The disposition was just made when I perceived that
the enemy, having likewise perfifled in their resolution
to fight, were formed in two lines opposite and near to
us ; and obfirving a movement on their left, which I
supposed to be with an intention to make some altera
tion in their order, I di^eded lieutenant colonel Web
ster to begin the attack, which was done with great
vigour, and in a few minutes the action was general a
long the whole front. It was at this time a dead calm,
with a little haziness in the air, which, preventing the
smoke from rising, occasioned so thick a darkness, that
it was difficult to fee the effed of a very heavy and
well supported fire on both fitfes. Our line continued
to advance in good order, and with the cool intrepidi
ty of experienced British soldiers, keeping up a con
stant fire, or making use of bayonets, as opportunities
offered ; and, after an obflinate refinance during three
quarters of an hour, threw the enemy into total con
fufion, and forced them to give way in all quarters.
At this instant I ordered the cavalry to compleat the
route, which was performed with their usual prompti
tude and gallantry : and after doing great execution
on the field of battle, they continued the pursuit to
Hanging Rock, 22 miles from the place where theac
tion happened, during which many of the'enemy were
slain, a number of prisoners, near 150 waggons, (in
one of which was a brass cannon, the carriage of which
had been damaged in the tkirmifh of the night) a con
fidefable quantity of military fiores^ and all the bag
gage and camp equipage of the rebel army fell into
our hands.
The loss of the enemy was very considerable ; a
number of colour's, and seven pieces of brass cannon,
(being all their artillery that were in the action) with
all ther ammunition waggons, were taken ; between
eight and nine hundred were killed, among that num
ber brigadier general Gregory, and about one thou
sand prisoners, many of whom wounded ; of which
number were major general baron de Kalb, since dead,
and brigadier general Rutherford.
I have the honour to inclofe a returrnof killed ai)d"
wounded on our fide. The loss of so many brave men
ismuch to be lamented ; but the number is moderate
rn proportion to so great an advantage.
The behaviour of his majesty's troops in general was
Beyond all praise ; it did honour to themselves and
their country. I was particularly indebted to colonel
lord Rawdon and lieutenant colonel Webster, for the
diflinguiihed courage and abilities ' with which they
conduced their refp^Rive divifions.and the capacity and
vigour of lieutenant colonel Tarleton at trie head of
the cavalry, deserve my highest commendation: lieu
tenant M'Cleod exerted himfelf great!, in the conduß
of our artillery. My aid de camp, captain Ross, and
lieutenant Haldane of the engineers, who acted in that
capacity,' rendered me mos feffential Cervice ; and the
public officers major of brigade England, who aHed
as adjutant general, and the majors of brigade Man
ly arid Doyle shewed the most active and zealous at
tention to their duty : governor Martin became again
a military man, and behaved with the spirit of a young
volunteer.
The fatigue of the troops rendered them incapable of
further exertion on the day of the a&ion ; but as I fav,
the importance of defiroying or dispersing, if possible,
the corps under general Sumpter, as it might ' prove a
foundation for assembling the routed army, on the
morning o f the 17th I detached lieutenant colonel
Tarleton, with rhe legion cavalry and infantry, and
the corps of light infantry, making in all about 350
men. with orders to attack him wherever he could
find him : and 1 sent orders to lieut. col. Turnbull and
major Ferguson, ^ that time on Little River, to pu,
DE CEM BE R 19, 1780^