The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1781-07-12 00:00:00, page 2

By the Right Hon urable FRANCIS LORD
RAWDON, Colonel, commanding a Corps of His
Majesty's forces in South- Carolina, &c. and NIS
BET BALFOUR, Esquire, Lieutenant Colgnel, and
Commandant of Charleftown, &c.
, [THOUGH attention to the general security of
the province, has obliged His Majesty's troops,
for' the present, to relinquish some of the upper parts
of it, we trust, that it is unnecessary for us to exhort
the loyal inhabitants of those difirias to hand firm in
their duty and principles; or to caution them aginft
the mfidious artifices of an enemy, who must fhordy
abandon to their fate, those unfortunate people whom
they have deluded into revolt.
But being well informed, that many persons finc'rely
attatched to His Majesty's cause, have, ^nothwith
flanding been forced to join the enemy, as the onl
means of preferring t emfelves and their families from
the fav'ge cruelty of the rebel Militia, until escape
fliould be praHicable ; We de re all such to be con
fident, that they run no rifque of fuff, ring from us,
through indiscriminate vengeance; reminding them,
that the British government n-ver extends its narid to
blood, wethout the most convincing proofs of intentio
nal guilt.
And we advise all persons in the above predica
ment (as likewise those who, from the oppressions of
the enemy, have been obliged to quit their possessions)
to take the earliest opportunity of coming in, with
their arms, to any post or detachment of the Royal
army. We givethem assurance of every support, and
of every endeavour, on our part, to mitigate their
prefen Bufferings : Further declaring to them, that we
shall feel ourselves no less bound to reward the fide
lity of those who have remained unshaken in their al
legiance, than to inAid the punishment due to reiterat
ed perfidy. Nor Ihould we give them this invitation,
were we not certain that, in conjunction with the
army, (daily expe&ing powerful reinforcements) their
exertions will very shortly reinflate them in the full
and peaceable possession of that property, which they
will thus have only yielded for a time, to receive again
with confirmed security.
GIVEN under our hands, at camp, at Monk's
Corner, this twenty.fourth day of May, 1781,
and in twenty-fird Year of Uis Majesty's
Reign. RAWDON,
N. BALFOU R.
By Order of his Lordship)
and the Commandant,j
H. BARRY, Dep. Adjut. General.
re O all our fubjeds, true and loyal,
$ We feting fend this promise royal,
Tho' signed by Rawdon and Balfour,
'Tis George's sentiments, we're sure—
And therefore if you can believe it
As such we doubt not you'll receive it.
'Tis true we are a little daggered,
(But when so, we've always swaggered)
We've found the trick has some times taken
And by it oft have saved our bacon,
And so for once we think we've reason
T'exhort you firong y againfl treason ;
For tho' to save nurfelves 'twas meet,
That to Charles-Town we fhoulJ retreat,
To keep ourselves from rebel Greene,
The d deft cut-throat e'er was seen.
Yet still we think it very right,
That you ffiould flay behind and fight;
You know the worst—you can but die,
Or in to our protection fly,
And if the rebels do not carve you,
We with the greatest ease, can flarve you:
But should you fuffer them to bang you,
Unless y'efcape, we'll surely hang you ;
Foronly such as to us run,
Shall 'fcape the halter or the gun,
For running is a token sure,
That on our fide you are secure,
Which is the greatest test we have,
To prove the loyal and the brave.
From such we never draw t e blood;
But(n we have it) give them food,
To strengthen them and make t em fat,
To march the better in retreat.
This nofirum great Cornwallis taught,
The following are taken from Charleftown Papers,
brought by the flag which arrived last week.
CHARLESTOWN, May 12.
10RD RAWDON having on the 7th instant been'
^ reinforced by the corps under lieutenant-colonel
Watson, marched out, with the hope of bringing
general Greene to a&ion; but that wary officer, rep
d red did more so by the event of the 25th of
April, chose to remain in a flrong pofrion, behind
Swanfey-creek, from which no efforts of his Ipfdfhip
c, uld draw him; he rather prefering to fee bis enemy
manoeuvre in his front, with all the confidence of a
viAorious army, than contest a point, of which for
mer experience mull have rendered him so very cauti
ous.
Lord Rawdon therefore finding it impossible to draw
on an action, but on terms highly disadvantageous,
and by assailing a portion, which gave the rebels their
only security, returned to Camden, having convinced
general Greene how futile were his ideas of blockading
that place, when obliged himfelf to seek shelter in the
recesses of the country, and even there to fuffer tha
blockaded garrison to taunt him with daily defiance.
Thus finding all efforts to engage general Greene in
a fair field, were ineff aval, lord Rawdon removed
with the king's troops from Camden, induced thereto,
by the approaching season, when that part of the coun
try proves most deftru&iVe to the soldiery ; and as it
abounds neither in riches or provisions, which are most
ly the produce of this fide the Santee, he has only re
linquished barrenness for fertility and disease for health,
and taken up a position, nearly impenetrable to an
enemy, perfeHly in the power of co-operating with
this garrison, and in which the communications are
not weakened by t eir extent.
And with it we have wonders wrought,
;By this arcanum * Carleton soon
Escaped that butcher, WASHINGTON;
Who but for this had flic'd him down,
From nape of neck, to knuckle bone.
, I Rawdon too, from Camden hurried,
Or flawing Greene my hide had curried.
Should our predicament befall you,
Or should you fear that they may mail you.
Or should oppression from the rebel
Greater than ours be twice or treble,
Come quickly to us we invite you .
And we will do our best to right you,
And when we get a flrong remittance
Will give you of those scoundrels quittance ;
These we exped each day will come
(We sometimes think we hear their drum)
But Giould our organs be mistaken,
N e ' r the less we hope you'll be unshaken.
Firmly to your allegiance hold,
'Till we can get a little gold,
Then faithful fubjefts we'll reward,
And punish to'thers with a cord ;
I Then think how foolifh they will look
1 (<ung by th' neck in every nook)
While you with pockets full may flrut,
lAnd all your vengeance fafely glut.
Who would not yield what they possess,
For a time? t'arrive at so much bliss.
That all we've fold you is most certain
(We therefore here will drop the curtain)
As that two and two make four,'
And sign R. Raw on, N. Balfour.
N. B. I' the name of George, our gracious king,
It's known, we may fay any thing.
* At the Cowpens.
One of the victuallers in endeavouring to com? over
the bar last Tuesday, unfortunately get on the south
breakers, and a high fwd| prevailing next d y, not
withflanding every effort ^ade to save her, she was
loft ; part of the cargo is saved.
June 13. We hear that a cartel is agreed on, and
that the necessary arrangements for an immediate ex
CHARLESTOWN, May 12.
By a vessel which arrived yesterday in 14 days from
St Chriflophers, we have intelligence of the English
fleet, which failed the beginning of March, being ar
rived there. They came out with the grand fleet, con
filling of 28 line of battle (hips, with a numerous con
voy destined for the relief of Gibraltar, but parted
with them soon after they got clear of the channel.
Admiral Darby had the command, and had under him
fir John Lockhart Ross.
June 6. The Corke fleet which arrived off the Bar
last Saturday, left that port on the 27th of March, in
company with number of victuallers and transports for
Gibraltar, under convoy of part of the grand fleet, the
main body of vftich were then cruising between.Scilly
and Cape Clear, where they were joined by the victual
lers and transports above mentioned.
The Warwick, captain Elphinftone, and the Solebay,
captain Everit, were the convoy to the fleet for this
place. Every transport and victualler is fafe arrived.
On the 9th of April the Warwick (poke with a Swe
dish merchantman from the Canaries for Lisbon, the
master of which informed captain Elphinftone, that he
had spoke with commodore Johnftone's squadron seven
days before, all well.
Commodore Johnftone's squadron confi fls of the
Hero 74, Monmouth 64, Romney 50, Isis 50, Lean
der 50, Jupiter 50, 4 frigates, 1 sloop, 2 bombs, feve
ral large armed transports, the whole copper Iheathed.
On board of the squadron, were the seven additional
companies of the Convention regiments, the 2d batta
lion of the 42(1, the 97th Fullerton's. and the 100th
Humberfton's, which, with the marines, would form
a body of about 5000 troops. Major general Mea
dows, the St. Lucia Hero, had the chief command.
The deflination of this armament had given rife to
many conjeßures. Some thought it was going against
the Spanish fettltments on the weflern coafl of South
America, there to ad in concert with the Peruvian re
volters ; others, that Buenos Ayres was the object;
but the most generally received opinion was, that it
was destined against the Dutch settlement at the Cape
of Good Hope.
The right honourable the earl cf Lincoln, major ge
neral Gould, lieutenant colonel Stewart, honourable
lieutenant colonel Conway, lieutenant colonel Morgan,
lieutenant colonel Leake, lieutenant colonel Grinfield,
lieutenant colonel Coates, major Dawson, major Hat
fell, major Majoribanks, major M xwell, the honour
able Thomas Irving, esquire, receiver-general of the
quit-rents, and member of his majesty's council in this
province, the honourable Thomas Skottowe, esquire,
Secretary of this province, and member of his m felly's
council, Henry Peronneau, esquire, treafurir of the
province, the reverend Mr Robert Cooper, formerly
redor of t. Michael's, with a number of other gentle
men, came passengers in the fleet.
Yeflerday afternoon the flank companies of the regi
ments lately arrived, were landed iu town. Their ap
pearance was truly elegant, martial and healthy.
On the passage, the Warwick took two brigs, bound
from Gauda oupe for Boston.
Last Sunday captain Saunders of the queen's rangers,
with a party of horse, furprized Snipe's gang, at the
Horse shoe, and cut up 18 of them ; it is thought some
more were killed in Snipe's Mill-house, which was set
on fire. A number of fine horses were taken, and se
veral prisoners, among them some who had, in conse
quence of great felicitation, been admitted to the pri
vileges of Eritifh fubjeds ; they were this afternoon
brought to town and lodged in the provost.
June 9. The memorial presented by the Ruffian
ambassador to the Rates general, is the firft public
paper on the subject of the mediation offered by the
Czarina, that has yet appeared here, it appears to
be dilated by a wish to restore peace and good under
standing be ween two ancient natural allies, and the
ac eptance ofher Imperial majesty's mediat on, by both
the contending powers, gives room to expert it may be
effectual.
change of prisoners, are now making by the relpeaivs
commissaries in this town.
The floep Briar, William Roberts, maft A r, of Har
bour island, from New Providence for this port, was
taken the 31st of last month, eight leagues to the south
ward of our bar, by an open galley, commanded by
John M'Cleur, which rowed with 26 oars, was armed
with 5 swivels, and had 14 men on board, besides a
few prisoners. M'Cleur detained one of the Briar's
sailors, and put captain Roberts and the rest of his
crew, three in number, ashore on Evans's island, near
St. Helena.
A bear was lately shot on James island, each bind
quarter of which weighed no less than 70 pounds.
Yesterday arrived a cartel fllip from Pensacola, in
which came passengers the honourable Peter Chester,
esquire, governor of Weft Florida, and sundry other
officers belonging to that garrison.
June 20. The cartel sloop from Pensacola, men
tioned in our last, got in on Sunday.
\ We have been favoured with the following account
of the siege of that } lace.
" On the morning of the 9th of March, a Spanish
fleet confiding of thirty two fail, one 64 gun ship, 6
frigates, 5 or 6 row gallies included, appeared off the
h^r of Pensacola, on board of which was General
Galvez with about 2500 men, and in the night landed
the greatest part of them upon St. Rofe's Island. On
the iith, they ereHed a 6 gun battery, which prevent
ed the fllip Mentor and sloop Port Royal from laying
in their proper Nations for the defence of the harbour.
On the iSth an armed brig and three row gallies came
in through the Point Channel, and on the ensuing day
the whole fleet, one 64 gun Ihip excepted having
both wind and tide in their favour, followed them
through a heavy fire from the Royal Navy Redoubt
on the Red Cliffs, and came to anchor inside St. Rofe's
Island. On the aid, they landed upon Tartar Point,
and were joined by Col. Efpilletta with 800 men from
Mobile, and on the 23d by 18 transports from New-
Orleans, having on board about 1300 men. On the
26th the enemy's fleet came up and anchored a little
below the town, opposite to Sutton's Lagoon ; where
on the 28th they landed their whole force, and from
thence on the 30th moved to Neill's Meadows, about
a mile and a half from Fort George ; here they were
attacked by the Indians, who were supported by the
lig t troops and two field pieces under the command
of Capt. Johnftone, and driven from their post with
considerable loss on their fide ; among their killed was
-one Colonel ; the Indians brought 4 drums off the fi Id
and a number of muskets, On the 12th of April our
troops made a sally from the garrison on an advanced
• party of the enemy and forced them to retreat. Ge
neral Galvez was wounded, and a number of his men
killed On this occasion we loft one subaltern
the 19th a fleet appeared, confining of a 11 (hips of
the line and 4 frigates, Spanish, 4 ships of the line,
one frigate, one armed brig and a cutter, French, in
all 22 fail, having on board 5000 men, including the
marh^s, which they landed on the 22d. The arrival
of this reinforcement, there is every reason to believe,
prevented General Galvez from railing the siege and
reimbarking his troops. On the night between the
28th and 29th the enemy having completed a covert
way from the place of their landing to a height about
7500 yards from our outer redoubt, they began a bat
tery which was opened on the 2d of May, and did
some damage to our works, which however were al
ways repaired in the night. A number of sallies were
made after that of the 12th of April by the besieged,
in which the enemy always fuffered considerably, but
none of consequence until the 6th of May, when one
hundred men, commanded by Major M Donald, about
12 o'clock, with fixed bayonets, attacked and drove 8
or 900 of them from their works, which they had ad
vanced within about 600 yards of our outer redoubt
made one Captain, two Subalterns and four privates
prisoners, killed three officers and about 50 men, (pik
ed 5 pieces of brass cannon and set fire to their works,
with the loss of only one ferjean tkilled, andtwo privates
wounded. On the Bth about 9 o'clock by some acci
dent the magazine o'the outer redoubt was blown up,
by whi^h the redoubt with a great part of our artil
lery Bores, was entirely deßroyed, and upwards of
one hundred men killed. In consequence of this a par
ley was beat, articles of capitulation were agreed upon,
and on the 11th the brave garrison marched oct to
the number of 800 men including the framen of both
ships, and laid down their arms to General Galvez.
The garrison then were feme hundreds less than the
enemy acknowledged to have loft during t l e siege.
Our loss in all the axions did not amount°to above 20
men till the blowing up of the advanced redoubt; and
had it not been for that unfortunate accident, notwith
standing their great superiority of force, it is uncer
tain whether they would have reduced the place."
The terms of capitulation, as far as we understand,
arc in the greatest degree honourable to general Camp,
bell and his troops, and fatisfaftory to the inhabitants.
The latter are allowed one year to settle their affairs
with liberty to depart the province afterwards . and du
ring that time the English laws are to be in force, and
the chief justice to remain with them. Tie troops are
to be sent to any port belonging to his majefly, except
St- Augufline and Jamaica. General Campbell, we hear,
has resolved to go to New York
June 26. Toe general - xchange of prisoners, which
for some time pah has been in agitation, at length has
taken place, and the transports, with the rebel prison
ers now on board, are expected to leave this place for
James river, Virginia and Philadelphia, in the course
of this week.
The militia taken by the British or Americans in the
province of South Carolina, since the commencement
of the rebellion, we hear, are all exchanged, and or
deis given for their release in consequence.
% ^ / HEREAS in pursuance of adequate powers re
, V fpeHively delegated to us, to carry into execu
tion articles of a cartel, made on the third day of May
in this present year, between capt. Cornwallis, on the
part of lieutenant general earl Cornwallis, and lieute
nant colonel Carrington, on the part of major general
Greene, for the exchange and relief of prisoners of war