The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1779-09-08 00:00:00, page 2

have thought proper more particularly toexplain what
I lignified to you in my letter of the tenth of July. I
therefore command you to notify to all under your
orders, that the insult offered to my flag by the En
glish squadron, in seizing, on the 17th of June, 1778,
my frigates the Licorne and Pallas, laid me under the
necessity of making reprisals. And accordingly that
very day, the 17th of June, 1778, is to be considered
as the commencement of hostilities committed upon
my fubjedts by those of the King of England. Having
nothing further to deliver to you, I pray God, my
couzin, to take you into his holy protection.
DONE at Perfailles, on the <tb day of the month
of April, 1778.
(Signed) L OUIS.
(And below) DE Sartine.
Maj 14. The Royal Louis is fitting out for sea as
fdft as possible, and three men of war have received
orders to be ready to fail on the shortest notice; fix
firefllips are also arming, and the squadron under the
Chevalier D'Efpenoufe is expected at Breit from
L'Orient.
L ON DO N.
April 23. This morning policies were opened for
the insurance of the Ramifies man of war, it being
feared that (he and her prizes were forced out to sea
in the storm last Friday morning, as she has not been
heard of since ; she passed by Falmouth on the 20th
instant.
We are sorry to inform the public, that there is the
greatest reason to doubt some accident has befallen
to the Ramilies, of 90 guns, as her prizes, the French
Weft-Indiamen, are come into port without her. A
large ship had been seen on fire at sea, which by some
distinguishing marks, was supposed to be the above
unfortunate man of war, however no absolute con
firmation of the above melancholy news, is yet come
to hand, so we will hope for the best.
MONTEGO -BA Y, June 2.
Last night his Majesty's ship Glasgow took fire in
this harbour, and was entirely burnt—no lives loft —
no damage done to the flipping, though in extreme
danger.
June 26. The privateer Experiment, of this port,
and her prize, are taken by the Minerva and another
frigate. —The fate of the Captain of this little vessel of
wai is rather severe, —having been accused of destroy
ing the papers of one.of his prizes, we hear he was
lent in irons on board of a Spanilh man of war.
WILLIAMSBUR G, August 21.
The Tartar Cutter, Capt. Goofley, arrived in
York river last Monday, in twelve days from the Ha
vanna, brings us the important news of a Spanilh de
claration of war on the 22d of July. This the Cap
tain had from the Spanilh Governor and Admiral,
who had dispatched an authentick account of it to
Congress a day or two after the declaration was made.
The Spanilh Admiral gave this vessel every allift
ance the Prod in need of; and the behaviour of all
ranks of people at the Havanna manifefted a warm
attachment to the Americans. They hourly expect
the arrival of twelve fail of the line, and have every
thing in readiness for some important expedition.
B OSTO N, August 23.
Capt. Bartlet, of the brig Starks, in 17 days from
the Mole, informs, that the privateer Ichooner Grey
hound, Captain Jarid Wright, from Jamaica, bound
on a cruize and for New-York, where she was own'd,
of 14 carriage guns, besides swivels, cohorns, &c. with
forty odd men on board, eight of winch were Ameri
cans, who, after being out ten days, rose on the rest,
took possession of the ichooner, and carried her into
t’ne Mole, before Capt. Bartlet fail'd. Capt Bartlet
was 011 board the privateer.
Captain William Brown arrived here last Friday, in
17 days from the Havanna, and acquaints us that he
was inform'd by the Governor and Spanilh Admiral,
that war was declared there against Great-Britain on
the 22d of July last ; they allo informed him that a
fleet of forty Spanilh ships of the line had joined the
French fleet, commanded by M. D'Orvilliers, and
with one hundred thousand troops were gone to in
vade Great-Britain.
Capt. John Riardan arrived here the fame day in
19 days from St. Croix, and informs us, that on his
passage he fell in with Capt. Armitage, in an armed
brig, from Teneriffe, bound for Philadelphia, .who
inform'd him that war was declared by Spain against
Great-Britain, and that the French and Spanilh fleets
had join'd, and had a great many thousand troops on
board, and were bound to attack Gibraltar. He also
inform'd him that the whole victualling fleet, from
Ireland bound to Gibraltar, were taken, and had fafe
arrived in French and Spanilh ports.
Authentic letters from Cadiz, dated the 25th of
June last, mention the failing of the Spanilh fleet un
der the command of Don Carvado, confining of 32
fliips of the line, fix frigates, and two firefhips, which
were to bejoined by nine ships of the line from Ferrol.
The French fleet is certainly gone to meet that formi
dable armament.
PROVIDENCE, August 26.
Extrafl of a letter from Pierre, ( Murtinico) July 22.
" The 18th inst. M. D'Eftaing palled here with his
ewhole fleet, bound to St. Kitts, all in good order;
there is no doubt remaining now but he will take and
destroy Byron's whole fleet, as there is 110 place of
security for them, and particularly as they are in so
Shattered a condition that they cannot get up to An
tigua; therefore you may expect the firft opportuni
ty, to hear of the intire deftru&ioh ofit, and the fall
of all the English illands.
'' Yesterday an express arrived here from France,
in 32 days, who fays, that Spain has lent them and
America, 30 ships of the line, and acknowledged the
independence of America; and that the French fleet
put to sea the sth of June, and was joined by the
Spanilh fleet. Also, that Ireland had revolted, and
M. Count D'Veaux was embarking at the head of
30,000 troops for Ireland, which of course must fall,
as Admiral Keppel is not in a situation to face both
the French and Spanilh fleets. express further
fays, that a fleet of 100 tranfpguts, with 6000 men
on board, and 9 ships of the lme^tyd failed from
England for America: This is effort, which
I hope, will have as little effect as The others. As I
suppose by this time M D'Eftaing has taken Byron
and his whole fleet, and a few more of the English
illands, he will loon pay you a visit. Continental
money is at three and a half for one in this and
the other French islands.
'' Admiral Barrington had 180 men killed upon
his decks, and himfelf wounded in the arm, in his
late engagement with the Count."
NO R W I C H, Augnjl 26.
Late accounts from Penobfcot fay, that our people
have destroyed all their shipping, except two or three,
in order to prevent their falling into the hands of the
enemy, previously taking out the ftorcs, and the men
had orders to effe& an escape as soon as possible.
Yesterday arrived at New-London, a vessel from the
Havanna, in 14 days passage, with dispatches for Con
gress, and his Excellency the Governor. She brings
advice that the combined fleets of France and Spain,
confining of about 70 ships of the line, betides frigates,
&c. were cruizing in the English channel; that war
was declared in Spain against England the 21st of July,
and in France the 20th of June ; that fix Spanish ships
of the line had arrived at the Havanna, and ten more
hourly expected.
NEW - YORK, August 28.
On Wednesday last arrived in town MARRIOTT
ARBUTHNOT, Esq. Vice-Admiral of the Blue,
and Commander in Chief of all his Majesty's ships
and armed vessels in North-America, having fafely
convoyed the sirs t division of troops for the royal
army. The Right. Hon. Lord Thomas Pelham Clin
ton, ton of his Giace the Duke of Newcastle, and
the Hon. Mr. Murray, second son of the Right Hon.
the Earl of Dunmore, with many officers of diflinc
tion in the military and civil departments of the army,
gentlemen of fortune in several of the American Co
lonies, and refpe&able merchants were passengers on
board this numerous fleet of transports and rich com
mercial vessels, they are landed in perfect health.
PH ILADELPHI A, September 2.
On board the Continental Sloop Argo, Auguji 27, 1779.
SI R,
I failed from Providence iir the State of Rhode-
Island, by order of Major General Gates, on a cruize
against the enemies of the United States the 2d inst.
and on the sth I law a fail and gave chace to her, af
ter coming up with her, and bringing her too, I
found her to be a schooner mounting 4 carriage guns,
named the Count D'Eftaing, a prize to the brig King
George, immediately after manning her, I made fail
and flood the course that I was informed by the pri
soners, the King George bore.
'On * e ,'h a t two o'clock, P. M. I observed a fail
Landing for us, and bore away for her, on approach
ing each other, the difeovered us to be a vessel of
force, and declined attacking us, and made off with
ail the fail she could pack, before the wind, but after
4 hours chace, I came up with her. She then made
ready to engage us, and before I got along fide of
her, she fired three broadsides, which I did not think
proper to return, being determined to board her and
rifque the fate of an adion in that way, rather than
engage at long-shot, for fear during the action flic
should bring me by the wind; and in that case I was
convinced she would make her escape. I carried her
without the lots of a man; she mounts 10 four poun
ders, betides cohorns and swivels, and was com
manded by Stanton Hazard of Newport. I carried
her into New-London, and landed my prisoners 30
in number—The fchconer got into Bedford. I im
mediately flood out to sea again. On the 24th I
took, in company with the sloop Revenge from New-
London, the (loop Adventure, Thomas Jackson,
master, from Tobago bound to New-York, she had
on board 94 hogsheads of rum. I manned her and
ordered her to port. 25th I took, in company with
the above-mentioned sloop, the brigantine Elliot from
London for New-York, a large vessel mounting 6 fix
pounders full flowed, her cabin not excepted, with
dry goods, flour, butter, cheese and lemmons; I
manned her and sent her into port under the convoy
of the Revenge. The fame day I fell in with the bri
gantine Saratoga, James Munro, Captain, an Ame
rican cruizer, and at 11 o'clock, P. M. fell in with
and was fired upon by a cutter from New-York.
Upon this it was agreed that I should run down to the
leeward of her, and bring on the attack, whilst the
Saratoga lay a hull, in order to make the Captain of
the cutter suppose that she was not a vessel of force,
until I had prevented a poflibility of her escaping by
getting to leeward ofher. I begun the action with
her and continued it three glaflcs before the Saratoga
could come up to our affiflance. The reason of this
delay was, that in shipping her tiller, by miflake, it
was only entered into the rudder case instead of the
rudder-head, by which means the brig under all fail
went off before the wind from us, and it was a long
time before any person could discover the reason that;
the brig would not fleer to answer her helm. Upon
the Saratoga's coming up and giving her a broadside,
they cried for quarters with great earnestness. She
mounts io double fortified 4 pounders, and had when
the action began (as they fay) 52 men, but we re
duced them down to 48, and several of them were
wounded, she was commanded by Phoenix Fagin. I
had one man killed and 6 wounded. 26th, I took in
company with the Saratoga, the brigantine Chance
from London bound to New-York. She had on
board 1008561 b. bread, 447 bushels and 4 gallons of
peas, 337 bushels and 4 gallons of oatmeal, 285281 b.
of beef, 284001 b. of pork, 213801 b. of flour, 71271 b.
railins, 342 gallons and 7 pounds olive oil, 901 gal
lons of vinegar and 80261 b. butter. The cutter and
brig Chance, I have brought in with me. I parted
with the Adventure and Elliot within one day's fail of
New-London with a fair wind to get in. I have
brought in with me 70 prisoners. In the adion with
the cutter, I received a shot through my mast; my
boom is much wounded, my square fail yard is almost
cut in two, and my fails and rigging much damaged.
The damage I had received and the large number of
prisoners I had on board, made me judge it prudent
to make the firft harbour in my power.
I took two letters in the Adventure, directed to
Gen. Clinton from which I have extracted the follow
ing paragraph. " Certain it is, that the Islands of
St. Vincents and Grenada are in pofleffion of the
French, and I fear through the bad conduct of Adm.
Byron. There has been an action between Byron
and Count D'Eftaing, but our fleet got off with the
loss only of the Lyon." It is likcwife added, that
Admiral Barrington was wounded slightly, and that
it was his squadron only that engaged; that Byron
declined engaging the Count, and that it was thought
the command would be taken from Admiral Byron by
his officers. I should have transmitted these letters to
your Excellency, were it in my power; but I had
sent them, together with the invoices of the Chance
and Adventure, to Gen. Gates before I had any ex
pe&ations of putting into this harbour.
I am, your Excellency's most obedient
and most humble servant,
SILAS TALBOT.
John Jay, Esq.
Publiihed by order of Congress,
CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary.
On Wednesday last was sent in here, the brig Polly,
Capt. Atkinson, with 125 tons of flour from London
for New-York, taken by the schooner Mars, Capt.
Taylor, of this port.
The fame day was sent in by Capt. Geddis, in the
Holker, the sloop Sall, Capt. Hunt, from New-York
tor Providence.
On the 20th of August, off Egg-Harbour, Captains
Geddis and Taylor, in company, took the sloop Re
covery, Capt. Bowles, from Providence for New-
York; who soon after was retaken by the Irish Hero,
of New-York, for which once more she fleered her
course, when Capt. Fields, in the Rattle Snake, laid
hands on her, and conducted her into Egg-Harbour.
On Monday was brought in here by four American
sailors, who rose on the Captain and rest of the crew,
the sloop Terrible, Capt. Irwin, from Jamaica, be
longing to and bound for New- York, with 118 pun
cheons of rum.—She left Blewfields in Jamaica, the
ift of August, with a fleet of 130 or 140 fail, under
the convoy of the rEolus of 32 guns, and the Prudent
of 40; that io or 12 of the above fleet were bound to
New-York; that none of them were armed, except
a ship of 6 and a brig of 14 guns.
Saturday last arrived here a flag of truce from Ber
muda, with 56 Americans, seamen, for exchange.
T R E N T O N, September 8.
Extract of a letter from fort Weft-Point, Aug. 29.
" Our expedition against Penobfcot, I fear, will
prove abortive, having just received information from
Providence, that one of the enemy's ships of the line
and 4 frigates had suddenly appeared off Penobfcot,
and after capturing the ship Warren, caused our peo
ple to destroy the remainder of the fleet, and make
their escape in the belt manner they could."
The Honorable the Legislature of this State are to
meet, agreeable to adjournment, on Wednesday the
15th of this instant.
We learn, that Major General Lord Stirling march
ed his division of continental troops, a few days ago,
to a place called the Clove.
We hear, that on Friday last several armed boats,
belonging to the enemy, went into Egg-Harbour river
and destroyed a number of vessels, and other property
to a considerable amount.
Extract of a letter from Camp,fix miles from Chemung,
August 30, 1779.
" Yesterday about 12 o'clock we left Chemung with
our whole army and its apparatus. After marching
about three miles our advanced party was fired on by
a small party of Indians—Our men returned the fire
and dispersed the enemy in a few minutes— General
Sullivan fufpedling a large body to be near, ordered a
halt, and, after giving the different departments the