Dunlap's Pennsylvania packet , The general advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-11-12 00:00:00, page 5

L O N D O N, Xu^uflt)
To the LORD MA Y 0 1b
My Lord,
TWAS last week on board the American privateer
X called the Yankee, commanded :y Capt. Johnson,
and lately brought into this port by Captain Ross, who
commanded one of the V/eft-India %ar ships, taken by
the privateer in July last ; —and, as an Engliflunan, I
earnestly with yeur Lordllrip, who iq so happily placed
at the head of this great city ijuflly famed for its great
humanity even to its enemies) would be pleased to go
iikewhe or lend proper persons, to lee the truly shock
ing, and, I may fay, barbarous and miserable condition
of the unfortunate /American prifeters, who, however
criminal they may be thought to have been, are deserv
ing of pity; and entitled to common humanity.
They are twenty fivein number, and all inhumanly
faut elofe down, like wild beads, in a small stinking
apartment, io the hold of a sloop, about 70 tons bur
then, without a breach of air, in this sultry feafen, but
what they received through a small grating, over head,
lire openir gs in which are not mere than two inches
fguare in any part ; and through which the fun beats
intensely hot, all day, only two or three being permitted
to come on the deck at a time ; and then they are ex
prfed in the open fun, which is reflected from the decks
and water like a burning gla's.
I<b not, at all, exaggerate, my Lord, I speak the
truth, and the resemblance that this barbarity bears to
the memorable blade hole, at Calcutta, as a gentleman
prefect, on Saturday observed, strikes every one at the
light. All England ought to know that the fame
game is now aCiug upon the Thames on board this
privateer, that all the world cried out against, and
shuddered at the mention of in India, feme years ago,
as pra&ifed on Captain Hollowell, and other of the
King's good fubjed.
The putrid steams iffuiog from the hold are so hot
and offenfive, that one cannot, without the utmost dan
ger, breathe over it; and I ihould not be at all fur
prized, if it should cause a plague to spread. The
miserable wretches below look like perlons in a hot
bath, panting, [wearing, and fainting for want of air;
and the Surgeon declares, that they must all foen
perih in that fituatiou, especially as they are almost ail
io a sickly ft.v.e with bilious disorders.
Toe Captain and Surgeon, it is true, have the li
berty of the.cabin, (if it deserves the name of .a cabin)
tend making complaints cn their own account. They
are both lenfible wed behaved young men, and can give
a very good account of Ihemhlves, having no signs of
fear, and being fu.pported by a tonfeioufnefs es the jus
tice of their cauA. They are men of charier, of good
families in New-Eugland, and highly refpe^ed in their
different occupations; but being Gripped of their all,
by the burning of towns, and other deftrudive rriea
fares ofthe present unnatural war, were forced to take
the disagreeable method of making reprisals to maintain
ihemftlves, and their children, rather than starve.
Numbers of gentlemen, and friends of government,
who were on board at the fame time, will confirm the
truth of this my representation, being very feuffiy
touched themfekes at the h >rrid fight.
EoghTn prisoners, taken by the Americans, have been
treated with the meft re arkabh. tendernofs and gene
rosity; as numbers, who are fiLlj returned to Eng
land, moll freely con 'efs, to the honor of our brethren
in the colonies. And it is a fadl, which can be well at
tested in London, that this very surgeon on board the
privateer, after the battle of Lexington April 19,
J 775> for many days voluntarily and gene^ufly, with
out fee or reward, employed bimfelf fn dressing the
King's wounded foldiets, who, but an hour before,
would have shot him if they could have come at him,
and in making a collection for their refrdhmem of wipe,
linen, money, &-:. in the town where be lived. This is
a real fad, of which the most ample tLtimouy may be
Lad.
rile capture of the privateer was solely owing to the
iif judged lenity and brotherly kindness of Capt. Jdhn-
Im, who, not co didering his English prisoners in the
fame light that he would Frenchmen or Spaniards, put
then under no fort of confinement, but permitted them
to walk the decks as freely as his own people, at all
times. Taking advantage of this indulgence, the pri
foneis one day watching their opportunity when most
of the privateer's people were below and asleep, flirt
down the hatches, and making all faft, had immediate
pdfeffion of the vcfTel without using any force.
I shall conclude with faying that though this letter
is addressed to your Lordflrip, I hope that all who may
read it, and have any influence, will do all in their
power to gain the necessary relief; and it is humbly ap
prehended, that the well disposed, who are bluffed with
affluence, could not better bestow their bounty than
upon thufe poor objects. Vegetables and ripe fruits of
«T kinds, with potter, &c. must be very useful, as well
as the means to procure other neceffiries The pri
vateer lies onpofite to Ratcliffe Crofs,a mile and a half
below the Tower, and by asking for Capt, Johnson ad
mittance may be chained.
HUMANITAS.
*, We have been informed, since the receipt of
the above letter, that the cie6 of the American pri
vateer the Yankee, were yesterday morning, at half
past three o'clock, conveyed on board a vessel, and car
tied down the river to be fecurad in Den er Castle.
POSTSCRIPT to DunlaPs PENNSYLVANIA PACKET. Numb: 2 6{.
A&fl §. A very extraordinary anxiety about the
next intelligence from the army in America is difeo
vered at St. James's ; and though cve/y person who ap
proaches the King, clearly fees and foretells the total
overthrow of the provincials, yet an uncommon unea
siness is very manifest in some countenances at Court.
It is whispered there, that should any misfortune hap
pen to the troops on their landing, which might be like
ly to impede the future operations of the campaign, a
body of .twenty or thirty thonfand Ruffians will be im
mediately applied for, and lent over to reinforce the
army, let the step be ever so disagreeable to the court
&f France, or let the conic .fences be what they will.
The true reason of Gen. Howe's embarking his troops
before the arrival of Lord Howe at Halifax, was en
tirely owing to the great defection which prevailed a
meng them. It alarmed him so much, that he thought
it more advisable to set out on bis expedition without
waiting for his bother' than to day and fee his army
flying away almost by whole companies.
Leiters from Peterfburgh, by the Withemas, Janf
fon, arrived in the river cn Friday, fay, that it may be
depended 00 as a fad, that the Ruffian fleet lately fail
ed for the Mediterranean, is abiclutely in the pay of
Great-Britain, and are to a& in conjunction with our
men of war ag. inst the Americans, and to endeavor to
flop, France, Spain and Holland, &c. throwing in
fuccours to them, or giving them any affillance what
ever.
From the Gazetteer andflew Daily Adyertifer, Aug.lfo
HOW unreasonably Some people will complain !
Last Saturday nights Gazette is unintelligible!
they all cry out; but tbey do not confider, that, if we
can believe the date of Whitehall, the news was given
to the Gazette on the very day it arrived; and thro'
the different hands of the different departments thedif
patebes pa's before given to the Printer of the Gazette,
it must have been very late indeed before the above
news reached the printing office; the letters, perhaps,
were too long ; they probably contained some ether
paragraphs of a fri^icw'future; and, in order to have
the fubitahce appear that very evening, they were
obliged to curtail them, and coolcquentiy the articles
in the Gazette could not have that fmopthmefs of read
ing which is expected of an original. However, in
order to make the matter entirely clear and intelligi
ble to your numerous readers, I (hall take the liberty
of explaining arid paraphrasing the articles alluded to,
which, I doubt not, will meet with universal approba
tion,
E.\frd3 ^l^ F:tusfrom the Han. General Hirwe, &.
-—" The Mercury packet is difpatch^d to inform your
Lordfllip of the arrival of the Halifax fleet, &c. at
Sandy-Look, &c. where I met with Governor Tryon
on baihd of a ship (to 'which a meft loyal people obliged
him to retire) and many gentlemen, fall friends to go
vernment ( uJew hc:tcbmer fr cj no property ror probit,)
attending him, from whom I had the fulleft informati
on cl the flrite of the rebels, who are very numerous,
and very advantageously polled with a strong entrench
ment, &c. with more than one hundred pieces of can
non for the defence of the town from the lea, and to
obftru& the passage of the fleet tip the north river (fa
that nue may fatter think of frufig the moon than doing
execution here.)
" We passed the Narrows with three men of war,
and the firft divifi in, &:.. landed the grenadiers, &c.
to the great joy of a most loyal people (who, because
they are now left to oar dijerctiou, are exceeding loyal)
who (as they pretend) have long fullered on that ac
count, under the oppression of the rebels Rationed
amengß them, who precipitately fled on the approach
of the flipping (and probably to entice us to pursue them
in order to cat us to pieces ; but thanks to our profound
rwifdorn, c:e did not venture to fir an inch.)
•• In justice to Capt. Raynar, who made the dEpo
fi:ion of the boats in landing the troops, and to Capt.
Curtis, who was to fuperintead the execution, I piuft
express my inrire fatisfaftion in the (wife and fririted)
condu& of these gentlemen, (as I already mentioned the
rebels fed, and there was not a foul to hinder or harrafs
our landing) and the dependance to be placed upon their
Services in th ; s line, (viz. in landing troops without the
leaf oppoftion.)
" I propose waiting here (though there is hardly rt
possibility of firming, without exposing my few troops to the
utmost danger) for the English fleet, or for the arrival
of Lieut. General Clinton, in readiness to proceed,
(but by no meant muck further) unless by some unex
pected change of circumstances, (and enefe nous, 1 ex~
pest that change every moment) it Should be found ex
pedient to aft with the present force (to defend our re
treat on board the foips.)
" Vice Admiral Shuldham was joined on his voyage
by fix transports, &c. There is no other intelligence
of that embarkation, (that sands in need of being pub
lished) except an account (because of its being) pub
lished in the New-York papers, that two traniports of
the fleet were taken by the enemies privateers (but in
what manner, place, or time, your Lordfsip need not
know, and fuffice it) that Major Menzies was killed in
the engagement, and that Lieut. Colonel Campbell,
with 15 other officers, and about 450 of our men were
made prisoners (but Low many men were killed and
wounded in the engagement I cannot tell, for it was not
published in the Mew Yorkpapers)
It W, ^,
c Gover nor franklin, who for a long time main
tained his ground in jersey (kf u pp%fe under pretence of
being a friend to America but now difeovered) has been
lately taken into custody (by a vmf loyal people) at Am
boy, and is riow prisoner at Connecticut.
“ Ihe Mayor,of New-York was a few days ag>
confined on a frivolous complaint, viz. of fending in
telligence to Governor Tryon (in order to defray the
main Provincial army of 30,000 men, and to betray the
wboie plan of the Congress laid in defence, of the glorious
cause of Libery.) Brought to trial and condemned to
Suffer death.
CT " No,twithstanding these violent proceedings (as we
Tories and Jacobites calk kt) I have the farisf^hon to
inform your Lordflrip (in the Jame manner as all car
Governors did before, and foould it turn out to the con
tra?,, the Alinifer can but plead miJinJormation in
the House cf Commons) that there is great reason to
expect a numerous body of the inhabitants to j^in the
army from the provinces of New-Yoik, the Jerseys,
and Connecticut, who only wait for opportunities to
give proofs of their loyalty and zeal for government
(witne/s thatjrom the above provinces, containing ^OO,OOO
inhabitants) Sixty men came over two days ago with a
few arms, amd 1 understand ftbough..l wid not be pej:-
^ve) that 500 more are ready to follow their example.
s his disposition of the people, (viz, the 560 men ofc
oj 200,000, who are ready to join our minfecial arm,)
makes me impatient for the arrival of Lord Howe,
concluding the powers with which he is furnished
(which, as lam informed, is to treat with the Congrj,'
and to makegreat condefcenfans) vail have the belt tf
fecl at this critical time.
" A n zal force is preparing to be sent up the North
river, and orders are given for two of his Majetty's
flips, one of 40 guns and ilie other of 20, to proceed
on toat service, (but your Lordfoip mus kmk upon these
twofcips asgood as funk already, as being expojed to. the
fire of tie abovementioned 100 pieces of cannon ofthe
tebels.)
)eve.al men have, within these two days, come
over ojtois illand (I believe I have mentioned that ak
.ready) and tri the flrips; and I am informed, that the
Continental CongreL (and which your Lerdfeip mutt
have known feme months.ago) have declared the United
Color, s Free and Independent States."
The other two letters, one of Governor Tryon, and
the other of Vice Admiral Shuldham, nee/no )ora
phrafatior, as they contain nothing new: they are a
mere confirmation to the above (excepting the contra
diction concerning the two transports of Admiral ShuM
bam'sfleet, which, according to General Howe's ac
count, were taken; but, according to fy Admiral and
Governor's accounts, they knew nothingof it, is a mere
tiffiog dispute ; and, it is Supposed, ,when the Vice Ad
nnral sent away his difpflches (Bth uh.) he had not
read what account the New-York papers gave of bis
voyage, as, perhaps, did not Governor Tryon; and,
therefore, they would pass it in silence. However, [
hope, Mr. Printer, that by the above paraphrase, your
readers will find the news pretty clear and
INTELLIGIBLE.
PHILADELPHIA, November 9.
Fxtrafk of a letter Jrsm Fort L ee , October zs, 1776.
'' Ji.-sd-Qurter 3 is now above 20 miles, from this place,
a xi we have out little news we can depend upon till a day
or two after the tranfa&icn. To-day indeed Ihea-d the
following, which may be worth communicating : One of
the v<fi'.;s up rhe North Riv/r came before Dobb's Ferry
'witiraniaieiition to cutoft the communication. She lay
there one day undidurbed; but bit right two field pieces
were sent down, and early this morning began to play up
on her. They bulled her 11 fi.Qcs out of 15. She hoik
ed Lie, but could make no way for want of wind, and
was obliged to put out her boats and be towed eff; all
which time @e was exposed to our fire. It is hoped this
drubbing wril prevent such manoeuvres for the future,
and oblige the pirates to keep aloof. I an informed
that several brigades of our army moved this day Up to
White Plains ; so that alfnoft all the army is now at
that place. Little fkirmiffies happen almost every day :
but they are thought so little of that they fldom are
mentioned as news. The most confiderah/e was tirnt
with Rogers's party, in which 3 number was killed ar 1
wounded, 36 taken prisoners, with 60 Land of arm.
Two of the prisoners prove to be spies, and one a defect
er from us, These I hope will be made examples of.
Several Hessians have been taken since.
October :6. “ P. S. Since I wrote the above, I learn
that the enemy have got between Kingsbridge and White
Plains. That ground was left vacant by the lemoval of
the brigades I have mentioned. A Captain's guard c-n
---iy was left over fume provision till it could be moved.
This day about noon the Capt. difeovered about 100
light horse and as many infantry making that way to
wards him : He recreated to Fort Independence, and the
enemy continued their rout. Whether this was only a
foraging party, or whether sent to take the ground which
he had left, I cannot tell : If the latter, I believe it win
not be disagreeable : It is "probable the brigades vert
moved higher up cn purpose to give the enemy an op; or -
trinity of getting in, when they will not be very likely to
get out undisturbed."
Extras of a letter from Fort Lee, November 2.
" Six gentlemen who eicaoed from the fleet inform us,
th it there are now 70 fail of transports lying :t Red-
Hook, to take in 3000 troops who are to go for Rhcde-
Island."
By authentic intelligence, from on board the last fleet
from England, we are affnred, that of the fix thonfandi
foreign ti^ops in that fleet, one fourth part at least wB© r
cither dead or greatly affl fled with the black feurvy.