The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1779-12-21 00:00:00, page 1

From the NEW-YORK PACKET of November 4,
Printed at Fish-Kill-
To Sir HENRY CLINTON.
A LTHOUGH your military trad in America, is
marked with a variety of misfortunes, yet, it is no
less worthy of panegyric, than that of your predecessors :
Like them, you have adventured your character, id the
execution of delufory objects; but like them, you may not
return to reap the reward of your labours.
I will presume that your cabinet after four years pro
jedion, had conceived the idea of reducing the States by
the capture of Weft Point; or if this could not be accom
plished, had directed the efieblifhment of a post in its vi
cinity. Could these fa^es have given you force and wisdom
to have captured, with Weft Point, the American army,
it would perhaps have been doing something effectual to
wards their project But the reduction and occupancy of
this post on any otaer condition was a mere found ; a rat
tle, like all their other rattles, only calculated to please
for the moment.
Had you arrived at Weft Point before General Wash
ington could have reached it from Middlebrook, (which
you might have done without a poflibility of interruption,
from your commanding the water) and carried the post by
storm ; it must have been at the expence of all further
operations, and at the certain rifque of being besieged by
the American army. Had you invefied the place, Gene
ral Washington would alone, with his foros, have been
fufficient to have railed the siege, and yoe might have
loft your heavy cannon and fibres, if not the greatest part
of your army; or had you carried it without any material
loss, frill the obfee of the ministry would have been de
feated. A new fort would have inffantly appeared en the
Hudson, capable of infusing Weft-Pm^t, and of rendering
its foppotef aovauta^ss legatory and ridiculous.
Your orders arrived, and you received them with all the
complacency of accustomed submission : The caution,
however, with which you moved towards an objed, con
sidered asthe most capital in America, at least, does cre
dit to your prudence. --You approached within nine
miles of Weft-Point, end halted before a small work at
King's Ferry, that could neither disturb the paffageof
your shipping, nor give obfiruction to the progress of
your army. Its defied was merely to give a shew of co
ver to the ferry way, and prevent the piracies of your pi
caroons
Sir William Howe could not have invested this infig
nificant place with more unmeaning formality. No
display of ofleatatious arrangement was overlooked on
this mccafion; and Mr. Andre, your Aide, as if in com
pliance with the taste of his General, signed a capitulation,
in all the pomp ®f a vain glorious solemnity, on the very
edge of the glacis, which he had gained, under cover of a
flag.
What, Sir Henry, could you intend by this farce?
What excuse will a person of Mr. Andre's reputed sense
find for this parade? Was it that you were obliged to do
femetning, in order to avoid the feudal of doing nothing.
If you meant to astonish all Europe, there is no doubt but
the intention has been answered. The capture of fity
men, after a foolish variety of movements, and under a
vain pomp of capitulation, must appear to all the world
a Grange effort towards the reduction of America ; and
but a poor recompence for the millions voted by parlia
ment, and which you have cheerfully expended for this
single purpose.
When you established your garrilon on each fide the
ferry, and improved Stoney-Point, till it acquired, in the
language peculiar t® your nation, the title of the Ameri
can Gibralter, what was the good it comprehended?
It did not interrupt the provisions for the army of your e
nemy ; their waggons came and returned as usual. A
few dragoons, and a company or two of light troops, un
der Major Lee, cncumfcribed you to the lines you had e
refted; and the country between Haverftraw and Paules-
Hook, afforded its usual supplies.—Thus your enemy ex
perienced no injury, and you felt a thousand inconveni
ences from ycur new situation.
It is a maxim in Rochefoucault, " that fortune turns
every thing to theadvantage of her favourites." By this
rule it would seem, that neither you nor your nation are
within her patronage, for the business of both, since the
begining of this happy contest, has been conGantiy going
backwards. Nay, as if the had placed you at the extre
mity of her malice, she has even made the blunders of your
diredors, serve as the steps to your ruin ; and to com
plete the catalouge of your evils, she haunts your bewil
dered imagination with the fate of Burgoyne.
How often, Sir Harry, in your affairs, has the song of
themorning been closed with the evening tear ! You had
scarce finiffed your dispatches, which were to flatter the
hopes of an all expecting Minifiry, when Stoney Point
was flormed, and carried at the bayonet, by a body of troops
but little superior in numbers to its garrison.
In your account of this event, (which holds so small a
corner in the Gazette, as if wifning to escape the public
^^%^fi%M ^ flip
&»^^<2&&
GENERAL
TUESD
A Y,
O R
[ Published every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. ]
eye) have you told your nation, that the American foldi.
try, in the full career of their a dour, exhibited a com
passion and magnanimity, of which the practice of their
army, had not afforded one fingfe solitary proof?
As this place was of small moment to the States, when
your stores and prisoners were fefely lodged, you were
permitted to repossess it without opposition. The only
circumGance that could have added to the entertainment
of a repossession, you happily adopted. You landed your
difgu fled troops under a furious waste of ammunition, di
reded from your Whipping, at both flanks of the rock;
while the enemy at several miles difiance, were enjoying
their vidory, and laughing at inch a profufion of folly.--
Was it, Sir Harry, to foothet e short-sighted sagacity of
a deluded people, that you again attempted to hold, what
you hid so ostentatiously acquired, and f® degradingly
loft : Or because the ministerial inift was not to be too
suddenly dissipated, that you were obliged to re-occupy a
few acres of unprofitable rock?
But scarce had you announced the fecend solemnity
of re-possessing Stoney Point, when the Minifiry were
compelled to shed frefh tears over the furprize of Paules-
Hook.
The situation of this post gave it every possible security;
and you might have laughed over the midnight bottle
without imputation of folly. Formed on a peainfula,
within protection of your shipping, and the instant support
of the city. Trie approach hazardous in its nature; and
rendered still more so, by the difficulty of keeping the least
movement of your enemy from the knowledge of your
emiflaries, that were scattered for that purpose in its
neighbourhood. The retreat was equally dangerous,
being conducted along several miles of your flank, and
liable at every step to interfeaion.---Ali these obstacles
were surmounted, and another ray plucked from that star,
whose luftre is nearly extinguished.
Did the tale end here, you might have solaced yourself
in the full security of reward.---But the ftrengtk of your
army was to be worn down in forming new works on both
sides of King's- Ferry, and the health of your troops waft
ed in nightly watchings, to guard against a furprize, and
to add to the triumph of your enemy by their evacuati
on.
How flail we account for this change in your conduct ?
Was it a few faciues which were ordered to be cut, and
General Wayne's taking post on Haverftraw knights, with
in five miles of your principal fortrefs; ---the bringing of
a few boats down the North river, and the armies on each
fide of the ferry, under Lord Stirling and General Howe,
drawing nearer your works, that forced you from a place
without making the smallest refinance? It is, however, a
just pumfhment, that what was occupied from folly, Should
be evacuated through fear —How will you explain to mi
nistry, the myGery of your campaign ; and how will they
explain to the people, its labyrinth of absurdities? How
will they make it appear, that it was proper to do one day,
what was improper the next That to conquer America,
it was necessary to disgrace their arms---That to hold
Kmg's-Ferry was right; and that to hold King's-Ferry
was wrong --That it was expedient, and founded on true
English policy, to expend several millions of money to
bring an army up the North river, and take only a part
of it back again; after having loft in prisoners, and by
deaths and defections, a tenth of the whole ?
Alas, Sir Harry ! in aiming at a campaign, you have
rendered yourfelf ridiculous to the world. They will ei
ther suppose that you wanted means or capacity; or that
possessing these, you mistook your enemy, and ventured
against your superior in both. The momentary hopes
you had raised, like the fugitive gleams of a winter's fun,
have been scarcely felt, before they were succeeded by all
the severity of disappointment. Even the flatterers your
profpeas had drawn around you, withold their wonted
adulation, and dispose of your character, in order to make
peace with your supposed successor. You have even dis
honored your few former acquirements, in the difgracq of
publishing Negro proclamations.* You have fuffered
yourfelf to be successively defeated, by a people, boafting
ly called cowards, and ridiculously rebels. You have
taken away frora your Prince the chief support of his
speeches. He will be no longer able to tell his Parliament
of his reliance on the bravery of his troops, and the cou
rage and conduct of his commanders. To the dull ear,
that the Dutch turned to Sir Joseph Yorke's plaintive me
morial, you have added the storm of Stoney-Point, the
furprize of Paules-Hook, and the degrading evacuation of
King's- Ferry ; A campaign commenced in exultation,
and ended in sackcloth. You hava multiplied the ene
mies of your patrons, and opened against Lord North,
the full-mouthed cry of his antagonist Charles Fox.
But I leave you, Sir Henry, to your own refleaions, I
cannot increase their severity; and year present situation
needs not the scourge of the satirist.
• See Sir Henry Clinton's proclamation, to fell Negroes
captured from the enemy.
3fl¥^r%3^^fyfo
THE
I ^>\^^^^^
ADVERTISER
December 21, 1779^
Just published and to be fold by Joseph Crukshank,
POOR WILL'S
POCKET ALMANAC K,
For the YEAR 1 7 £ e.
Just peblifhed and to be fold by JOHN DUNLAP,
FATHER ABRAHAM's
POCKET ALMANACK,
For the YEAR 1780.
CT__
Just imported and to be fold by
JACOB and HENRY GEIGER,
At the corner of Market and Third-streets, oppefite
the Old Gaol, A quantity of the heft
South-Carolina SOAL LEATHER.
Philadelphia, December 14.
APOC KET - BOOK containing Five
Hundred and Sixty-one Dollars, in Continental
Bills @f Credit, was found between the Frankford and
Germantown roads, about five weeks ago, by a Negro
man. The owner proving his or her property and pay
ing charges, may have the fame again by applying to
the Printer.
One Thousand Dollars Reward.
STOLEN out of the house of the fublcnber, in
Third-fret, near Chefnut-ftreet, Philadelphia, in
tue evening of the 1 sth inst. (December) Twenty one
Pieces of double folded D UTCH CHECK S, about
eighteen yards in each piece. Whoever fecu es the
Goods so th^t the owner may have them again, (hall
receive the above reward, paid hy
ROBERT PAISLEY.
B^TTFL-U-m'sTTt,
At 50!. per bushel,
TO BE SOLD BY
ANDREW AND JAMES CALDWELL.
TO BE S O~ L~dT"
SI X and a half acres of LAN D, on Keyfer'sLme,
one mile out of Germantown; three acres thereof
good watered meadow and one acre woodland. Enquire
of the Printer.
WH EREAS Hannah Shafer, daughter
of the fubferiber, has not been heard of by her
father since the year 1777, at which time she was in fefe
vice with Peter Carolus, in Front street, near Chefnut
ftreet, Philadelphia, who removed on the approach of
the enemy to the fa d city, but not known to what place;
This is therefore to requett the favour of any perlon
who may know where find Hannah Shafer refines, (If
she be living) to give information thereof to her father,
in Hamilton townflyp, Northampton county, which
will confer an obligation on him that will ever be ac
knowledged with gratitude and thanks.
JACOB SHAFER.
NJO TICE is hereby given to all nerfons who are pof.
" feffed of any due Bills for provisions, given by me
or my Assistants, That they draw the amount of the
fame, on or before the 31st of December infant, and
so on before the last day of the month after such due Bill
becomes due. Those who are left after that time will
not be anfwared.
By order of the Cemmiffar, General of Iffnes,
H. VALENTIN E, A. C. of I.
~W A N T E
Loan-office certificates of
an early date. Those who have such for sale may
hear of a purchaser by applying to the Printer.
TO BE S O L D,
A large elegant three story BRICK HOUSE, fron
ting Water and Front Greets, below the Diaw
bridge ; and now in the tenure of Mr. Pollard. Enquire
of the Printer. December 14..
Philadelphia Manufacture.
TO BE SOLD b%,the fubferiber, at his Manu
' factory in South-Alley, between Market and Arch
ftreets and between Fifth and Sixth-streets, on Hudson's
square, an assortment of Coatings, Blanketing, Saga
thies, Jeans, EvcrlaGings, &c.
SPINNERS employed as usual, by
is. SAMUEL, WETHERILL, Jun,
THE