The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1782-05-28 00:00:00, page 3

B O'S T„O N, May 13.
Extract of a letter from Martinique, April 17.
" We have various reports of an engagement be
tween the fleets of de Graffeand Rodney, which is a
vowed to be the most bloody adion that has happened
this war: but as there are no accounts fufficiently par
ticular at this time, shall colled what is most th be
depended on and pen it on separate piece of paper to in
clofe in this.
P. S. the 18th of April. Having procured a news
paperof this date, I ociofe it herein, and refer you to
it for the best account of the adion between the French
and English fleets, that can be at prelent obtained.
Would only observe, that count de Graffe laved an
immensely rich fleet which he had under his protection,
and then pursued his originally intended course, to join
the Spanish fleet to leeward."
A celebrated French engineer hath.prefented new
plans for the siege of Gibraltar, and they begin to flat
ter themselves with a happy success Spanish
fleet of 40 fail of the line, hath been joined by tnree 3
deckers, and 2of 64. M. de la Motte Picquet, was
separated from the French squadron off Cape Finifterre,
with a division of 4 vessels with design to intercept the
convoy bound to Jamaica ; and M. de Guichen, with
a reinforcement of 10 Spanish ships of the line, was to
cruize of Madeira, to wait for another fleet.
Extract of a letter from Martinique, April 16.
" Now for,news —The English fleet were seen since
the action tryingto beat up to Antigua, 7 fllips were
wholly difmafted, wvh their shears up railing jury
masts, about 15 more with part of their masts gone,
and about 14 or 15 more only able to form a line.
'' The French were seen to pass St. Kitts not half so
much damaged as the enemy, and bound to join Don
Cordova, the Spanish admiral with 17 ships, now lying
off Cape Tiberoon, on an-expedition, supposed by ma
ny to be to America, but by some to Jamaica: they
fay the action has been the most barbarous and fierce
ever fought. Rodney declared before he failed, he
would lose his whole fleet or destroy the French before
they joined the Spanish; they calm took them, and
they did not get separated for three days, they lay yard-
" I suppose you will be anxious for the news, as
every one h-re trembles for the event, but there is no
particulars come to hand ; it is supposed to be the most
severe action ever fought, as they have been at it for
three days; the French with 33 fail of the line, and
the English with 39. Tiie French would not have en
'gaged had not one of their ships loft her bowsprit, and
could not keep the line to windward, and therefore
count de Graffe ordered all to engage, and it has been
almost acalm for this week, so that they could not se
parate : the French admiral had 3 English ships on him
from 6 o'clock in the morning until 7 at night, yard
arm and yard-arm; he had difmafted two of them
when the frigate came away ; but the accounts are so
various that we can depend on nothing :—the French
had one ship burnt by themselves, and I believe one or
two funk, and several difmafted.
" Rodney's ship it is said is funk by the French ad
miral, and two or three more blown up and burnt,
and almost all the rest difmafted; butat any rate, there
has been seen from the fllore several ships to burn,
several to fink and two blow up of one fide or the other;
the French had the advantage in having fe en>r 8000
men on board, and a very close a&ion, and smooth
water, and they could not be out manoeuvred in a
calm."
Extracts of a letter from a gentleman at St. Euftatius,
dated the 20th and 30th of last month, received by
the schooner mentioned in the preceding paragraph.
'' There has been two naval engagements between
the fleets of ad/niral Rodney and count de Graffe. The
firft was last Tuesday week, when the French had 33
ships of the line, and the English 37. In this engage
ment the French had the best. The las twas yesterday
week, a very bloody engagement, lasted from eight
o'clock in the morning to sunset, the victory doubtful
"„ h ° le da V' the English having a superior number
] t is said the Ville de Paris is taken, (count
de Graffe a prisoner) and two other ships, one blown
and two difmafted of his fleet. The English had seven
difmafted ; but as the accounts are from the Antigua
paper, by a letter from an officer on board the fleet
and we have not received any such accounts as yet it
is not impossible but there may be errors. This ac
count adds, that count de Graffe had 450 men killed
on boardl his; own ship, and was a prisoner on board
admiral Hood s ship, to whom he surrendered. lam
The fleet under convoy of the count de Graffe, bound
from Martinico for the Leeward islands, when he fell
in with admiral Rodney, confided of 270 fail, and was
said to be the richest fleet that ever failed from that
island ; and by the good condaft of the, count every
one of them escaped from falling into the hands of the
enemy.
Captain Elwell, who arrived at Cape Ann, last Fri
day, in 19 days from Martinique, confirms the above,
and further adds, that the whole of the fleets were en
gaged the second day after meeting : that the count de
Graffe and admiral Rodney were so near each other,
that the cannon of the count's ship set admiral Rodney's
on fire, which was consumed ; aad that Rodney took
himfelf on board one of the frigates during the remain
der of the engagement.
Tis reported, he also brings an account, that only two
hands were saved out of the Glorieux.
BALTIMORE, May 23.
Yesterday afternoon, a small schooner, belonging to
Oxford, on the Eastern Shore of this state, arrived
here from St. Euftatius.
Cort were met yeflerday morning at fix o'clock, op
pefite the Saints, proceeding on their voyage in the
most excellent order and best Bate imaginable.
arm and yard-arm, from 6in the morning till 7 in the
afternoon, officers firing at each other with their pistols.
The French had 6500 troops divided in their ships.
The English could get no advantage by there being no
wind and the daughter great on both sides."
Extrad of another letter from Martinique, April 17,
1782.
" This glorious action was fought with equal fury
" on both sides, but fortune gave the vidory to the
" British; whose thunder has dealt such perdition a
" mong the French fleet, as will undoubtedly make
" them lay aside all thoughts of frefh enterprises for
" some time to come.
" The Ville de Paris, on board of which was admi
" ral de Graffe, of 1:0 guns and 1300 men, flruck to
" the brave fir Samuel Hood, in the Barfleur of 90
" guns, after three quarters of an hour engagement;
" 500 men and upwards killed on board the French
" admiral. Le Glorieux, 74 guns, 750 men, and 150
" troops, had 235 men killed and wounded. The
" He&or, 74 guns, 750 men, and 150 troops, taken
" The Caesar, 74 guns, 750 men, and 150 troops, was
" taken, but by some unhappy accident took fire, af
'' ter taking possession, and consumed; we had a lieu
" tenant and 10 men on board, making in all 911 fouls,
" all. perilled, except 30 taken off the wreck. The
" Ardent, of 64 guns, 600 men, too troops on board,
" is taken. The Diadem, 06 74 guns, 750 men, 150
'' troops, was funk, and every foul perilhed.
" Our known loss in killed 230, and wounded 759.
" Two of our ships had not given in the lift of killed
" and wounded when these dispatches left the fleet.
" Captain Blair of the Anson, and Baine of the Alfred,
" killed; it lieutenants ditto ; lord Robert Manners's
" leg shot off, and otherway s wounded ; gone home
" in the express. Captain Savage of the Hercules
" wounded. Rodney writes, had he had two hours
" more day-light, very few would have escaped." —
Thus far English accounts. Now let us remark:
iff, The a^ion certainly was continued the whole day ;
and every body know# in what manner admirals are
seconded : How then could it be possible the French
admiral could be captured in so short a time as three
quarters of an hour? 2d, How then could it be possi
ble, when they acknowledge the ' adion was fought
with equal fury on both sides, that their loss in kill d
should not be one half of what the admiral's ship loft
alone? How could it be possible their whole loss should
be so lew, even laving out two ships not giving in their
accounts? Will not the whole world judge it falfe ?
But why were not these two ships accounts added?
Perhaps they were either taken or funk. But let me
add all the accounts we are able to colled on the
French fide, that can be called authentic (and you
will find we are yet in a delemma for the real truth):
I he firft is, two ships put into Guadeloupe during the
the action, and were out again before it ended • they
were in ftantly refitted, and failed in a few hours to join
the fleet. Second, a cutter, attendant on Admiral de
Graffe, who kept in the fleet till late in the afternoon,
when she received a broadside from one of the English
ships, that tore her in such a manner, carrying away
all her quartern down to the bends, as obliged her to
run for Grenada ; her captain reports, that after leav
ing the fleet fftill engaged) about eight at night (the
ffet Bill ia fight) he saw a ship on fire, and afterwards
blew up. Third account i*, a letter from the marquis
de Bouille, who writes the commandair of St. Kitts :
" Herewith I enclose you compte de Graffe's letter of
" the 13th, giving me account of the battle fought the
" day before, which had been very severe, and that
" he had loft a great number of men: that admiral
" le Motte Picquet had arrived at St. Domingo with
" 16 fa il of the line and 8000 troops, whom he was
" battening to join, and urges me to haflen all I can.
" This moment 1 embark on board a frigate for that
" purpose. You may depend the English fleet has had
" a very severe blow ; and not being in condition to
" return to windward, have gone for Jamaica."
Yesterday arrived a prize schooner from A ntigua, taken
by the people on board (Americans, of Salem and Vir
ginia, with a Frenchman) bound for Carolina, loaded
with rum and sugar, and which left Antigna the night
before, at fun-down; they all declare, that when the
above account was published, no ship had arrived,nor
had there been a single ship of the king's there for a
month ; a brig of the king's was there, and lay there
conftanfly to press men, but mo other ; nor had they
any confirmation then, the 28th, sixteen days after the
battle.
" St. John's, Antigua, April 17, 1782.
" On Friday last, the 12th instant, at 7 in the morn
'' ing, the British fleet, under the command of the
'' admirals Rodney and Hood, came to action with
" the French fleet under admiral de Graffe, in the
" channel between Dominica, Martinico and Guada
" loupe.
" We have certain accounts both fleets are gone to
leeward, so that you will probably receive the true ac
count on the American continent from St. Domingo,
as soon, if not sooner, than we shall here."
Philadelphia, May 28.
By captain Richard Grinnell, who came to town last
Saturday, we are informed, that he failed from Cadiz
the 27th of March last, in the ship Lady Jay, bound
for this port, and on the 16th instant came to anchor
in Cape May road, and took a pilot on board- but
there be ng then fix fail of English ships of war in fight,
the pilot could not proceed, and the day following he
was attacked by seven boats from the enemy, who board
ed the ship, Cut her cable, and towed her off under
cover of the men of war, and the next day he had the
mortification to fee his ihip in flames. Before he was
boarded he got the ship within musket shot of the shore
with a warpe, in order to ground her, but a brisk gale
springing up from the eastward, the rope broke and
prevented the ac<;omplifhmeut of bis design
confident a most defperafe engagement has happened,
and 1 firmly believe both sides have had hard fate ;
but do think the accounts arenas yet imperfect. The
French fleet was intended for leeward, generally sup
posed for Jamaica. Count Dillon left this a week past
for leeward, to command the army of 12,000 at St.
Domingo, all ready for embarkation. The Spaniards
have 15,000 more, and a large fleet of the line."
"April 30. 1782.
" Since writing the foregoing, I have had the peru
sal of an Antigua Gazette, from which I have taken
the following extrafts, viz.
Forty Shillings Reward.
°,'°." EN-out of the p mure of the fubfermer, liv
ing in Exeter township, Berks county, Pennfylv^
nia, A Black. Roan HORSE, 9 years old, 15 bancs
and an h; If high, branded on the left bur ock with B
L. and by the brand on laid buttock a large ft
Whoever secures the Horse and Thief, so as rh e thief
is conviaed and the owner get the horse again, sh 11
have Three Pounds Reward, and for rhe Horse onir
the above Reward, if delivered to Mr, HENRY I OF
FER, Inn-holder, at the sign ofthe White-horse on
theß eading road, or to PHILIP MILLER, livin'^ in
Reading. Ma, 28 '
WAS taken up by the subscriber, the beginning
of this month, in the public road, between
Chetter and Darby, a light Bay HOR SE, about
hands high, to appearance about 10 years old, branded
with the letters J. G. The owner is desired to come
and prove property, pay charges and take the H< re
away within three weeks from this date, otherwise he
will be dilpofed of as dye law directs, by
PEIER JOSEPH, Store-keeper, in
May 25, 1782 the borough or Chester.
A further Sale of the
PUBLIC LOTS of this city, for the re
demption of the Bills of Credit of this state,
dated April the 29th, 1780, will be held,
at the Coffee-Houfe, on THURSDAY
next, the 30th May, at 10 o'clock in the
Forenoon, A Plan of the Lots may be
seen at the Coffee-houfe and at the Sur
veyor-General's Office. The Conditions
the fame as the last tales, except the time
of payment, which is as follows—One
Eighth Part to b® paid within One Week
after hle, the remamingSeven-eighths with
in Twelve Months after file.
N. B. There is likewise to be Sold at
the fame Time and Place, A LOT of 10
acres and perches, on State-lfland, on
the fame Terms as above. May 27.
TO BE SOLD, BY
Thomas Randall & Co.
In Front-ftre^t, a few doors above Market-street.
A few Boxes of Window Glass,
TIN in Calks and Box *.
Also, A Variety of DRY GOODS.
TH E Subs riber aving observed the great and ge
neral utility of an INTELLIGENCE OFFICE
™ populous and trading cities, begs leave to inform the
Public, that he has opened an OFFICE for that pur
pose, at his honfron the east fide of Front-street, e^ht
doors above M^rket-ftreet ; where persons vantine to
purchase or fell Grods or Property of any kind -
Such as, houses, f rms, lots, horses, carriages shj §
bills of exchange, continental or ftrfs certificates, &' c '
mayenter and dispose of their refprai v e articles d R mo °
derate premium ; secrecy, if required, may be depend
ed on. Clerks, gardeners, coachmen, nurses, chamber
maids, cooks and servants of every description mar
enter thir names in said Office, after paying Ei^htetn^
pence ; the fam? sum is to be paid by perfans who are
accommodated with servants by means of the Office
nothing charged for enquiries which prove untu~cefs'
ful. The Public may rest assured, that no p in/noc
attention Full be wanting to render this Office as u s&.
ful as possible, by their most humble fervam,
Ma y 2 7. MOSES COHEN.
Ordered. That the a&: intitled, “ An a& to enable
" the supreme executive council, to negociate such.
" loans as may be necessary to procure a fufficient
" sum of money for the defence of the frontiers of this,
" state, and the support of civil government," be
published ; and that the treasurer of she state be au
thorifed to receive from any person or persons, all such
sum and sums of money, as he, the or they, refpeHive-r
ly, shall lend to the state, for the purposes expressed
in the said law, and give h^ certificate for the f; me,
to be paid with interest thereupon, at fix per centum,
per annum, agreeably to the said law: Provided, That
no less sum than five pounds be received from ary one
person. Extract from the minutes,
T. MATLACK, secretary.
The president and council have made the following
promotions in the militia, viz.
Brigadier general Potter and brigadier general Irvine
to be major generals. Jimes VVilkinfon, Perfifer Fra
zer, Daniel Heister, junr. and Frederick Watt, efqUires
to be brigrdier generals.
In C OUNCI L,
Philadelphia, May 27, 1,82. r
THE council taking into consideration the slate of
the frontiers:
Captain Grinned returns his sincere thanks to theirs
habilants of Cape May who came to his assistance with
their arms ; but in a particular manner to the geo?
tiemen who had the field piece, and fought till all their
powder was expended.
Captain Grinnell fays that the siege of Gibraltar goe^
on with spirit, a reinforcement of 6000 men having beety
sent to trie Spanish camp before he left Cadiz; and it
seemed the determination of his Catholic majesty to re r
duce it if pra&cable.