The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1779-11-09 00:00:00, page 2

the (un, by this time, being near two hours bigu, and the
sign failing, I began to conclude myfelf to be in a premu
nire, and would have crossed the river back again, but I
knew the enemy would have discovered such an attempt;
and as there could not more than one third part of my
troops cross at one time, the other two thirds would of
course fall into their hands. This I could not reconcile
to my own feelings as a man, much lets as an officer: I
therefore concluded to mantain the ground: (if possible)
and all to far alike. In consequence of this resolution, I dis
patched two messengers, one to Lapraier, (to Col. Brown)
and the other to Lafumptiou, (a French settlement) to Mr.
Walker, who was in our interest, requeuing their speedy
assistance; giving them at the fame time, to underhand
my critical situation: In the mean time, sundry perfoms
came to my guards, pretending to be friends, but were by
them taken prisoners, and brought to me. —1 hefe I or
dered to confinement, till their friendship could be further
confirmed ; for I was jealous they were spies, as they pro
ved to be afterwards: One of the principal of them
making his escape, exposed the weakness of my party,
which was the final cause of my misfortune ; for I have
been since in ormed that Mr. Walker, agreeable to my de
sire, exerted himfelf, and had railed a considerable num
ber of men for my assistance, which brought him into
difficulty afterwards; but upon hearing of my misfortune,
dilbanded them again.
The town of Montreal was in a great tumult. Gen.
Carlton and the royal party made every preparation to go
on board their vessels of force, (as I was afterwards infor
med) but the spy escaping from my guard to the town,
occasioned an alteration in their policy, and emboldened
Gen. Carlton to fend the force, which he had there collect
ed, out against me. I had previously chosen my ground,
but when I saw the number of the enemy, as they (allied
out of the town, I perceived it would be a day of trouble,
if not of rebuke; 'but I had no chance to flee, as Mon
treal was situated on an island, and the river St. Laurence
cut off my communication to Gen. Montgomery's camp.
I encouraged my soldiery to bravely defend themselves,
that we should soon have help, and that we should be able
to keep the ground, if no more. This, and much more I
affirmed with the greatest seeming assurance, and which in
reality I thought to be in foine degree probable.
The enemy confided of not more than forty regular
troops, together with a mixed multitude, chiefly Canadians
with a number of English who lived in the town, and
some Indians; in all to the number of near five hundred.
The reader will notice that most of my party were Ca
nadians; indeed it was a motely parcel of soldiery which
composed both parties. However, the enemy began the
attack from wood piles, ditches, buildings, and such like
places, at a considerable distance, and 1 returned the fire
from a situation more than equally advantageous. The
attack began between two and three of the clock in the
afternoon, just before which I ordered a volunteer, by the
name of Richard Young, with a detatchment of nine men
as a flank guard, which, under the cover of the bank of
the river, could not only annoy the enemy, but at the
fame time, serve as a flank guard to the left of the main
body.
The fire continued for some time on both tides ; and I
was confident that such a remote method of attack, could
not carry the ground, (provided it should be continued
'till night :) But near half the body of the enemy began
to flank round to my right; upon which I ordered a vo
lunteer, by the name of John Dugan, who had lived ma
ny years in Canada, and understood the French language,
to detatch about fifty of the Canadians, and post himfelf
at air.advantageous ditch, which was on my right, to pre
vent'my being surrounded : He advanced with the de
tatcument, but instead es occupying the post, made his e
scape, as did lixewife Mr. Young upon the left with their
detatc ments I soon perceived that the enemy was in pos
session of the ground, which Dugan should have occupied.
At this time I had but forty-five men with me, some ®f
whom were wounded : The enemy kept closing round me,
nor was it in my power to prevent it; by which means, my
situation wuich was advantageous in the firfl part of the
attack, ceased to be so in the last ; and being almost en
tirely surrounded with such vast unequal numbers, I order
ed a retreat, but found that those of the enemy, who
were of the country, and their Indians, could run as fall
as my men, tho' the regulars could not : Thus I retreat
ed near a mile, and some o< the enemy, with the savages,
kept flanking me, and others crowded hard in the rear :
In fine I expected in a very short time, to try the world
of spirits ; tor I was apprehensive that no quarter would
be given to me, and therefore had determined to fell my
life as dear as I could: One of the enemy's officers boldly
pressing in the rear, difeharged his fufee at me ; the ball
whiffled near me, as did many others that day. I returned
the salute, and miffed him, as running had put us both out
of breath ; for I conclude we were not frighted : I then
saluted him with my tongue in a harsh manner, and told
him that inasmuch as his numbers were so far superior to
mine, I would surrender, provided I could be treated with
honour, and be assured of good quarter for myfelf and the
men who were with me ; and he answered I should ; ano
ther officer coming up diredly after, confirmed the treaty ;
upon which I agreed to surrender with my party, which
then consisted of thirty-one effedive men,and seven woun
ded. I ordered them to ground their arms, which they did.
(Continued in the Fourth Fay)
ICHARLESTOWN, (S. Carolina) Odober 6.
The following intelligence may be dpended upon as au
thentic :
Camp before Savannah, Oft. 2, 1779.
«. VET HEN the French fleet firft appeared on the
VV u coast, a number of the Enemy's vessels
" (among them two armed sloops of 10 and 12 guns) with
" the remaining part of Sunbury garrison on board, took
“ shelter in Ogeechie river, and landed near the Plantation
•' of Thomas Savage, Esq.—The night before last, Col.
« White, with his servant, and FIVE others, summoned
< c the commanding officer, Capt. French of De Lamcey's
“ ift battalion, to surrender, suggesting to him the con
ic sequences of a storm, should he refufe—intimidated with
" the threat, he capitulated—and thus FIVE Vessels,
“ with ONE HUNDRED and FORTY ONE Prisoners,
" have fallen into our hands.
The prisoners above mentioned, are, 1 Captain, 1 Lieu
tenant, X Surgeon, 5 Sergeants, 6 Corporals, 1 Assist.
Commissary, 87 Privates (mostly of De Lancey's cor,©)
Moses Kirkland and Son, and 38 sailors.
( Moses Kirkland, early an officer in the troops of S.
Carolina, anting a double part —fufpefted—attempted
to resign—being refufed he fled on board a man of war in
Rebellion Road, in disguise, whence he proposed to return
to Charles-Town on terms of pardon ; afterward taken
up in Philadelphia and confined in Goal, whence he made
his escape, leaving his son, a boy of nine years old, to the
clemency of the puclic.—An illiterate fellow but plausi
ble—an intimate and great favorite of Lieut. Governor
Moultrie, of St. Augustine.)
Our other advices from camp are, That notwith Handing
Che (unavoidably) freinote situation of the Count D'Ef
taing's fleet from the shore of Georgia, on account of the
tempestuous season; the unfavourable weather they have
had, the consequent difficulties attending the landing of
artillery, stores, &c. the great distance that the heavy
cannon and mortars were to be dragged, thro' very bad
roads, and many other obstacles to a rapid progress; all
which had given time to the enemy to add greatly to the
number and strength of the works they had ereded for
their defence in Savannah, the several approaches, and ne
cessary batteries, for a regular attack upon them, were
completed the 3d inst. so that a bomb battery was opened
at midnight, and accompanied with a cannonade from the
beating of the reveille on Monday, which continued “ at
ten o'clock, " the latest date of our letters, and it was sup
posed, would not cease till a general assault should take
place, or a white flag was thrown out. Our people were
all in good health and high spirits, the most perfect har
mony subsisted between the French and American Gene
als and troops —and the last words of one of our letters
concludes, " Every thing goes on as well as heart can
avi/h."
A ship of 18 guns, laden with military stores for
Georgia, and several small vessels, with people that had
been banished from this State, and were returning, have
fallen into the hands of the French fleet since our last.
It is now said, that the British General Officer taken on
board the Experiment man of war, is the lame General
Garth, who has so remarkably distinguished himfelf, on the
late expedition into Connecticut by huroanelybar^g the
defencelefs towns of Fairfield and Norwalk in that State :
And that the sum of money found on board the fame ship,
to pay the British troops in Georgia, amounts to 80,000
guineas.
There have been lately taken, in a sloop of Mr. M'Gilli
vray's, carried into Havanna, and are closely confined in
the Moro Caflle, Messrs. William M'Gillivray, Willi-
Strothers and John M'lntofh, for having been extremely
industrious, to excite the Southern Indians to ads of ho
flilit ts against the Spaniards in New-Orleans, during a
time of profound peace. And on the 14th ult. 1000 troops
were embarked and failed from Havanna, under convoy of
3 or 4 frigates, for New Orleans.
Last Saturday three notorious counterfeiters of Conti
nental money, viz. I>enj. Cock, Jobn Stien aad W. Stro
ther (part of a chain of near 500, dispersed from one end
of this Continent to the other, supposed by the British Go
vernment, or its Generals in America) were brought to
town, under a strong guard, with their press, some print
ing types and other implements, and properly secured.
P. S. Letters from camp, just received, dated Yester
day, fay, the effed of Monday's cannonade was, one of
the enemy's batteries of 9 guns silenced and dismantled;
and that, by all day's fire, the French had only two men
wounded; and we, Mr. Samuel Douglas, of the Charles-
Town Artillery, not dangerously. And we havea report
by sea, that they have made themselves masters of such
a battery, by assault, wherein the British loft 400 men;
but this wants a confirmation.
NORWICH, October 26.
Last Friday arrived at New. London, four prizes,
— three of which were taken by Capt. Sage and Capt.
Hopkins, two loaded with rum, sugar and provisions, and
one armed vessel, the other was afehooner, laden with lum
ber, taken by the privateer sloop Sally.
PROVIDENCE, October 28.
Capt. Efek Hopkins, in the privateer schooner She|ah,
of this port, in company with a Connecticut privateer,
has taken four valuable prizes, and lent them into New-
London.
Oa the evening of the 25th, the invincible troops of
Britain having evacuated Newport, embarked on board
transports that lay ready to receive them; and the fame
night, the whole fleet set fail, it is said, for New-York,
to assist in defending that last asylum of British tyranny
in the Thirteen United States Our troops took possession
of the town next morning. -It being evident that Sir
Harry Clinton ordered that motion, it will not be in the
power of his rivals to rob him of his title of the Moonfbine
General, to which his celebrated retreat from Philadel
phia, through the Jerfies, had already given him the fair
eft pretentious.
It is reported that several officers entreated their Gene
ral to delay the evacuation 'till next day, that the epocha
of their King's accession to the Throne, might not be dis
graced by the evacuation of one of his most important
posts in America; but old Silver pipe desirous as he was
to gratify their fenfil^ity, thought that his situation could
not excuse such cohderceufion, were he ever reduced to
juftity it before a court martial.
“ The fecund anniversary of the surrender of the Bri
tish army at Saratoga, was celebrated at Gen. Gates's
Quarters here last Sanda) fe'night, with all the decency
which the solemnity of the Lord's day prescribed, and that
frugality to which a principled republican army are con
demned by extortioners. Loyal toasts went round in
humble toddy ; and the guests, confeious that the Ge
neral aded right, in not countenancing, by his example
the weakness of some people, who submit to pay twelve or
thirteen pounds for one gallon of wine, were delighted
with his patriotic oeconomy. No part of the eighty pipes
of wine taken by the Continental frigates could be procu
red at Boston, orders having been received there, to fend
the whole to the Westward !
It was rumoured lately, That the British and Indians
were coming down in force, against Fort Schuyler, which
occasioned the militia of Albany county to assemble; but
it proving groundless, they were ordered to return home.
FISH-KILL, November 4.
Died, on the 14th ultimo, at Ped-Hook, thecelebra
ted andßverend Dr. Archibald Ladlir, one of the Mi
nifiers of the Reformed Dutch Church ofthe city of New-
York; whose zeal and abilities for promoting religion,and
indefatigable industry in the work of the ministry, have
justly intitled him to the love and admiration of all who
' knew him. His arduous labours, for some years past, be
came too weighty for bis cohflitution, and he has funk
gradually under the burthen, until at last, a dropsy and
jaundice have terminated a life precious to his friends, and
extensively ufeful to the public: By his death the Churcii
is deprived of an able defender of the faith, who boldly
confronted infidelity and vice, without fearing the face of
man ; and our country has loft a fervent praying patri
ot.
On Saturday the 30th inst. about 12 o'clock in the morn
ing, departed thislife, Louis Deshaix be la Radiere,
Colonel of Engineers in the service of the United States of
America, in the 35th year of his age. He was interred at
New-Windsor, on Monday theist inflant, with the ho
nours of war.
Col. La Radiere was a gent'eman of a refpeftable fa
mily in France,poffeffed of great talents, and bleft with all
the amiable virtues of society ; which procured him a great
number of friends during his life, and rendere him, after
his death, universally regretted.
^X^X^^MXlOh)^^^
JOHN BENEZE T,
Has for SALE at the north-east corner of Front and
Pine ftreeis,
AF EW pipes of Madeira Wine, of the firft quality ;
" alio a quantity of Opium. Said Benezet conti
nues to purchase Loan Office Certificates bearing inte
rest payable in France ; likewise Bills on the Commis
sioners for interest due on such Certificates. He has to
dispose of, a Bill on Annapolis for 2561. is. gd.
FOR SAL E,
A N elegant HARPSICHORD, with flops; a
handsome CHARIOT, with harness compleat ;
also a likely young BAY HORSE. Enquire of th^
Printer.
Choice Old TenerifFe W I N E,
In pipes and quarter-<afke, to be SOLD by
BUNNEk, MURRAY and Co.
To he SOLD by Public Vendue, on Saturday next,
at Six o'clock in the evening, at the Coffee house,
The Brig B URGOYN E,
Laying at Thomfon'swharf, as per inventory.
Philadelphia, November 8.
Imported and to he fold wholesale and retail, by
WIKOFF, SIDMAN and SMITH,
At their store in Second-street, a few doors below
Chefnut street,
A LARGE assortment of European GOODS,
" among which are, coarse blue, brown, black,
green and Icarlet Broadcloths; blue, black and green
Exeter Serges; black Serge Denim, white and black
Rattinets, Sagathies, black Callimancoes; black, blue
and red Drawboys; blue and brown Duroys, Bomba
zine, woifted Hose and Breeches Patterns ; an excellent
assortment of Hairbines and Camblets, a quantity of
Baizes of the best quality and colours, harrateen, steel
shoe and kneeßuckles, brass Nails, small Bells, &c. &c.
N. B. At laid store is given the current price for
Bills of Exchange on France. 7
COMMISSION STORE
KEPT BY
RICHARD FOOTMAN,
In Second-street, a few doors below Market street, and
opposite Black Horse Alley, for the reception of
Merchandize, particularly for Importers, who are not
accommodated with convenient ftor es.
For SALE at said store,
A VARIETY of MERCHANDIZE, con
fiding of Calicoes, Chintzes, Linens, Checks,
Cutlery, Woolens, Britannias, Hyion and Bohea
Tea, &r.
Said Footman continues to fell by Au&ion, House
hold Furniture, &c. for perlons leaving the State, Ex
ecutors and Administrators.
FORTY DOLLARS REWARD.
TITAS LOST by the fubicriber, on the 4th inst.
YV (November) a red Morocco POCKET-BOOK,
edged with silver, and a silver lock; supposed to have
dropped out of his pocket between Col. Farmer's house
and Market street. There was therein a commission,
and some papers which can be of no use to any person
but the owner. Whoever brings said pocket-book to
Col. Farmer's house, or to the lubfcriber, (hall receive
the above reward.
TWENTY DOLLARS REWARD.
TX7" A S STOLEN from the fubferiber, on the Bth
inst. (November) eight yards of LINSEY,
two threads, striped black and blue. Whoever takes
up and secures the thief, so that the lincey may be re
covered, (hall receive the above reward, paid by
QI ARY PETERS.
To be SCL D by Private Sale,
AN excellent FRAME STABLE, in Cypress
Alley, next the Scots Presbyterian Burying- Ground,
measuring 42 feet by 12, more or left; one part of it has
been formerly occupied as a dwelling-house, nearly 15
feet by iz, would suit well the front of a vacantlot ; the
other part covered with cedar shingles, would make a
large commodious stable and chair-house for the other
part of the lot. Fer further particulars enquire of
ROBERT AITKEN, Bookseller.
FRANCIS SWAINE.