The Freeman's journal, or, New-Hampshire gazette — Portsmouth, N.H., 1777-08-16 00:00:00, page 2

PHILADELPHIA, July z g.
Extract of a Letter from General Walhington to
Congress, dated July 25, 1777..
" SIR,
I do myfelf the honour to transmit you a copy of
my letter to General Howe, of the 1 6th inflant/pro
poling an exchange between Generals Lee and Pref
cot. Idifpaiched it early the next morning, and pre
sume it got to hand on the 18th. As yetl have not
received his answer."
Extraft of a Letter from General Washington to
Gen. Howe, dated New-Jersey, July 16. 1,77,
"SIR,
The fortune cf war having thrown Major General
Prefcot into our hands, 1 beg leave to propose his ex
change for that of Major General Lee. This propo
sition being agreeable to the letter and spirit of the
agreement fubfiftieg between us, will, I hope, have
your approbation, lam the more induced to cxped
it, as it will not only remove ore ground of controyer
fy between us, but in its confluence effed the ex
change of Lieut. Co). Campbell, and the Hessian field
officers, for a like number of ours of equal rack in
your possession.
" I (hall be obliged by your answer upon the fub
je&, assuring you that Mrjor Gen. Frefcot shall be sent
in if the proposed exchange is acceded to, either on
the previous releafement of Gen. Lee, or your projnife
that the fame shall immediately take place on Gen.
Prefcot's return
I have the honour to be, &c.
G. WASHINGTON.
To his Excelled y Sir William Howe."
Published by order of Congress.
CHARLES THOMPSON, Scc'ry.
InCONGRESS, July 25, 1777.
Resolved, That Congress have a jurt sense of the
merit of Lieut. Cot. Meigs, and the officers and men
under his command who ciftinguifhed their prudence,
activity, enterprize, and velour in the late expedition
to Long Island ; and that ah elegant sword be provid
ed by the Commissary General of Military stores, and
p efented to Lieutenant Colonel Meigs.
Resolved, That Congress have a just sense of the
gallant behavour of Lieutenant Colonel Barton of a
militia regiment of the Rate oj Rhode Island and Pro
vidence Plantations, and the brave officers and men of
his party, who tiftinguifhed their valour and address
in making prisoner cf M jor General Prefcot of the
B'itilh army, and Major William Barrington, his Aid
de Camp ; and that an elegant sword be provided b,
the Commissary General of Military stores and pre
sented to Lieutenant Colonel Barton.
Extad from the minutes,
CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary.
FISH-KILL, Augnii 7.
Last Monday, 3 Hessian delerters puffed
through this town on their way to General
Washington ; who left the British army 15
days ago. They gave the following intelli
gence, viz. That 72 of their people were
killed at the battle of Fort Ann, including 2
Majors, 3 Indians, and a great many wound
ed ; Tnat a short time before, a dispute hap
pened between the Brunfwickers and British
co account of their proportion of rum being
detained, the former in the fray killed 82 of
the latter. They further inform, that they
had little other provisions than flour and salt
pxk, and that near two years pay had been
detained from them; that the whole of the
British army were about 10,coo, including
British, Foreign, and a few Canadian troops,
and that the Indians were to return home.
NEW YORK, July 31, 1777,
Last night arrived here his Majesty's jhip S-yren,
©u board cf which is that noted Pirate MANLEY,
Commodore of the rebel squadron. He was taken by
a Brrifh man of war and his ship sent into Haifax
being so much Mattered as to render it impossible for
her to reach this pert.
Yesterday arrived here from St. Kitts in 14 dais,
the sloop Hammond, Capt. Goodrich, who on his
passage tock the sloop Neptune, Arthur Wood, maf
ler, from Virginia, bound to fioflon, laden with 40
barrels of flour.
- NEW-LONDON, July 18.
Last Saturday a Prize Brig was fat into Port, taken
by the ^lo?p Trumbull, Capt. Henry Billings, from this
Port. She bat 5 or 6000 Weight of Coffee, and fame
other Articles on Board.
Ca„, Giles Latham, in the Schooner Little Jo, belong
ing to this Place, is arrived at a jafe Port, from St.
Eufatia. laden with Salt,
By Capt. Latham we learn, that all Dutch Vffels,
having American Produce on Board, bound to Europe
or elsewhere, are taken by Bririfh Cruizers alledging
that a l fetch Produce is British property : Two Dutch
fh : ps, under that Pretence, were lately carried into
Antigua, larkn with Rice and Tobaco.
The Ship Betsey, Capt. William Packwood, from
the Fort, is arrived at St. Euftatia, in 13 Days Pas
sage.
The men fcemed intelligent, and said it
was their opinion, that 2000 men might have
withstood the force of their 1 0,000, at the ad
vantageous passes of Ticonderoga and Inde
pendence. It much furprized their ainiy to
find the forts evacuated, though at the lame
time,it was transporting to them to find large
piles of provisions, ammunition, clothing and
intrenching tools, ready to their hand. 'I hey
fay about 200 of our people, on the retreat,
were taken as they were asleep in a barn.
Boston, August <4, '777-
A letter from Albany, dated Auguiig, fays, Thirty
two Hessians deferred from the Enemy the other day
to us. I heard from Fort Schuyler, about 130 miles
from this Place, that the Enemy about a thoufand,in
cluding Tories, Regulars and Indians, commanded by
a Johnson, are within For Hours Mate! of the Fer;
and we cxpe& to hear of an Attack every Day : We
have about 700 Troops in the Fort, who [ am per
suaded will fight. Col. Brocks with Part of th Re
giment is to march this Day for that Quarter.
A letter from a gentleman at Albany, fays, 6 The
barbarous savages, having received full liberty from
the more barbarous Britains, to murder 2nd scalp ;ll
before them, without regard to age or sex. A young
woman (whose brother I saw this day, who gave m?
the account,) was taken out of a cellar, carried off&
murdered and scalped in fight of the British army.
Five or fix cf our regiments have been killed & scal
ped. The inhabitants from that part ofthe country,
are moving down this way daily. Burgoyne has is
sued out another pompous fometbing (I don't know
what to call it) which may get to your hands before
this. People in this city are much alarmed, some
moving down (he counts, ; I am not in the leaflet
cerned about their getting here, if we have a Com
mander in which our men can confide ; I don't fay
we have not : But such is human nature, if men have
the best Commander in the world, after certain mil
fortunes they will be uneasy, and often throw the
blame upon a Commander,when he does not deserve
it. General Waftrington is an exception,none can with
justice change him with mifeondud and the tongue
of slander dare not stir against him : Oh ! ma, hea
ven raise up more Wafhingt ns to save an injured
country. Generals Arnold & Lincoln sassed through
this city a few days ago to j in this army, who are ex
cellent men and have r^t^med the good will ard con
fidence of our army. Three little girls a few daysa
go, picking berries two were killed and scalped, the
other wounded and made her escape. I saw a Cap
tain belonging to this place, who went a little distance
from fort Schuyler to kill pigeons, was shot and tome
hawked by an Indian, then scalped in a most Lock
ing manner ; lay eight hours in that condition, but at
last was relieved by the assistance of a good forriful
dog : Who, by his repeated persuasions, whether by
natural or supernatural knowledge, I cannot fay,
went about a mile, met two foldieri, did not leave
fawning and whining about them 'till they followed
him to the place, found this Captain and tock care of
him, who is now almost well. I saw the person, saw
his wounds dreft, heard the story from bis own mouth.
Will the just Governor of the univetfe fuffer such en
ormities tro unpunished ? I acquiefee, being ferfible
vengeance is his, and he will repay it in his own time.
We may look upon these horrid murders done by Bri
tilh butchers, fir.ee they arc committed by their per
H A RTFO R D, August rr.
Extrafl of a letter from an officer of diftinaion at Peeks
kill, to bis friend in this sown, dated riugufl 3.
" We have received an account of an extraordina
ry instance of cruelty at Fort Edward. A small ad
vanced guard was surrounded by 400 regulars & In
dians.—They took an officer, stripped him & woun
ded him in ten places, with knives and tomahawks,
then scalped him ; a sergeant they cut off beth his
hands, and fcalped^rilled aid scalped three privates;
draged an old worn and girl out of the house, kill
ed ard scalped tLold woman, fired two brace of balls
through the bod, of the girl, and then scalped her
The girl was a iveet heart to an officer in the ene
my's service, r.d a very great tory. — Hear, Oh Hea
vens ! and give ear, Oh America ! and be aroufid,
as a hrong lion, at the infernal ferocity of our ere
mies, who, devil-like, delight in the moll barbarous
ads of cruelty, sport themselves in irflaing the moil
excruciating miferics on their fellow-creatures, and
have an insatiable third for human blood, without
diferimination of friend or foe, Tremble at, and fire
from, and avoid Burgoyne's f ecious proclamation,as
you would a Lake, impregnated with every mifchief
to us, our coun ry and posterity, that the firfl seducer
of our race is capable of.
" Dr. Leonard was brought here to day,on aho fe
litter, and we hope will recover. Some difig^eables
in his situation, wrh a low hipocondriac habit of bo
dy, wh ch has attended him horn hishaving the small
pox, being m<ch entreated, brought on a kind of de
lirium, which occasioned the uabappy accident, and
cannot be computed to him, by any means, as a deli
berate aft.— This, from my own observation, as he
left this place but a day or two before this accident
happened, I think it my duty, thus far to obferve,as
he is yet unable to answer for himfeif; though hehas
his reasons, yet is unable to speak.
6The Exeter News Papers and others, will for the pre
fent,he delivered out at the House of Capt Odlin's in Exeter R
which used to be called for at the Printing Office there.
million, and'l am informed by their express order, &
ar. :promifed 20 dollars per scalp."
An Officer at Albany writes his Friend, here, thus,
" The next Time you hear from me. 1 shall have
conquered, or shall be in the Woild cf Spirits, for we
a e aetermined never to give up the Fort, while ary
of us arc alive. And I think there arc small Hopes
for any of us to surrender, for while they have a Num
ber of Savages with them, there will be no Quarters
given. Burgoyne intimates we need ezpe& to Quar
ters; I hope it will learn us to defend our Forts, and
Lot run away and leave them like Children."
Authority of th-s State has thought fit to appoint
1 hufday, the 28th of this Inflant, to be let apart as a
Day cf pub ic Humiliation, Fading and Pra,er, thro'-
out the fame, on Account of the many Judgemen s
which are abroad in the Ear h.
The Honourable the Council of Safety of
the State of New-York, "in the Name and
by the Authority of the good People of said
State, did, on the 30th uh, Proclaim audDe
clare,GEOßGE CLINTON, Efq;Governor,
General and Commander in Chief of all the
Militia,& Admiial of thc^avy of said State."
Thursday last arrived fafe in Port,the p.%e
Brig Devonshire, laden with about 230 Hds.
of Rum, and 11,000 staves, bound from St.
Kitts for Cork, lately commanded by Wm.
Fisher of Coik, and taken about the sth nit.
by the Captains Gaks and Freeborn ; who
were in chafe of a large Sugar Ship, and a
Brig, when the Prize left Them.
Captain Freeborn engaged a Sloop out of
Newfoundland, with 12 double fortified four
Pounders, and near double the number of bis
own Hands, two Glasses, when he obliged
her to bear away, much damaged ; Captain
Freeborn burst one Gun and one Swivel, and
had four Men lightly wounded.
Capt. McDaniel, PriZeMafter ofthe above
Brig, informs,That on the 19th ult,he ipoke
with the Brig Flute, Brown, and Schooner
Harlequin, Dennis, in concert,who had been
out 1 4 Days, and had taken a Brig from Ja
maica for Quebec, laden with Rum.
The next Day, Capt. Oaks above mention
ed, returned fafe in Port. We hear he took
a Brig, after the above Prize, laden withFifh,
and sent her for the Weft-Indies.
General St. Clair, we have it from sufficient
Authority, is on his Way to Congress, to take
his Trial tor his Conduct at Ticonderoga.
Extract of a Letter from a Gentleman in
France, dated May ift, 1777.
" Ihe People of this Country are almost
unanimously in your Favor The Conduct
of thole Princes of Germany, who have fold
the Blood of their People, has fubje&ed them
to the Contempt and Odium of all Europe.
The Prince of Anfpack, whose Recruits rou
tined and refufed to march, was obliged to
disarm and fetter them, and drive them to
the Sea-fide by the help of his Guards, him
felf attending in Person. In his Return, he
was publicly hooted by Mobs through every
Town he passed in Holland ; with all forts of
reproachful Epithets. The King of Pallia's
Humour of obliging those Princes to pay him
the fame toll per Head for the Men they
drive through his Dominions, as used to be
paid him for their Cattle, because they were
fold as such, is generally spoken of with Ap
probation, as containing a just Reproof of
those Tyrants."
Extract of a letter, dat. Saratoga, Aug. 1 & 2.
" We arrived at this place yeflerday,where
we found the chief part of our Northern Ar
my, much disordered by the retreat. The
Indians are all around us, they are very bold,
they often kill and scalp centries and others,
in fight of the army; they have killed and
scalped about 60 men, women and children,
making no diftin&ion between Whigs or To
ries. We shall begin our retreat to Stillwater
to-morrow, as the enemy are on their march
towards us. Stillwater is about 25 miles above
Albany."
Sunday an express arrived with an account
of our troops being at Stillwater on Tuesday
fe'nnight.
Extract of a Letter from Moses-Creek.
" I suppose you have heard of our fhame
ful retreat from Ticonderoga and Mount In
dependence-—a fhameful retreat indeed ! to
quit such good lines, and good Cannon in the
manner we did ; for we never destroyed any
thing, but left the cannon loaded and prim
ed, ready to turn on ourfelve%"