The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1783-02-05 00:00:00, page 1

my operations, and I was on the point of fending
back my own ship, and one of the frigates, resolv
ing to winter it there myfelf in the other, with part
of the troops under the command of Major de Ro
ftaing, in hopes of being able, at the beginning of
the next season, to destroy the English fettletpents:
But on the sth of Aug. the ice which surrounded
my ship began to give way, and I resolved to cut a
passage through it, by crouding fail, however dan
gerous the trial might prove to my little squadron.
I was so lucky as to succeed; and on the Bth of
August, at night, could perceive the English colours
flying on fort Prince of Wales. I approached,
founding all the way, within a league and a half,
and dropped anchor with my division in eighteen fa
thom of water, muddy bottom. An officer was in
stantly dispatched by me, for the purpose of found-
Nothing happened to me remarkable during my
navigation till July 17th, when I discovered, about
twelve at night, the island Resolution. I had not
failed 20 leagues up Hudson's Streights, when I
found myfelf every instant surrounded with new ob
stacles of every kind. The ships under my com
mand remained entangled for several days among
the ice, so far indeed that our sailors could go on
foot from ship to ship. The frigates fuffered great
ly, and were so damaged in their sterns as to alarm
me about their fafety : The Sceptre was in the mod
imminent danger of losing her rudder. Every thing
was new to us in this navigation, and that very
circumstance occasioned my neglecting to provide
ice-anchors, which would have provefof the ut
most utility: At last, on the 30th of July, 1 came
in fight of Cape Walfingham, the molt westerly
part of the Streights. I had hitherto had no other
rule to steer by than a few points determined geo
metrically inferred in the practical navigator, and
by the means of which M. de Manfuy and myfelf
had Fetched out a chart, which we altered as the
hazy weather permitted us to descry land. 1 now
thought all difficulties overcome, and was in the
utmost impatience to reach fort Prince of Wales.
This was the place I had set down for my firft at
tack. I bad not an instant to lose, as the rigour of
the season renders those seas impervious to all whip
ping about the beginning of September. But I had
to undergo a further trial of patience. As 1 was
failing in perfect feaurity in Hudson's Bay, 1 found
myfelf, on the 3d of August, involved in a thick
mist. I was soon surrounded with pieces of ice, a
Situation which compelled me to lie too. Two
hours after the mist disappeared, and 1 perceived
the three ships entangled in the ice, which extended
out of fight: This gave birth to a well grounded
apprebenfion, that I had miffed the right time for
YOU have been informed of my failing
from Cape Francois on the 31st of May
last, with his Majesty's ship the Sceptre,
of 74, and the frigates I'Aftree and I'En
.gageante, under the refpeCtive commands of the
Chevalier de Lungle, and the Sieur de la Jaille,
Lieutenant in the navy, for an expedition in Hud
son's Bay. I had taken on board at St. Domingo
the following land forces—2so men, drafted from
the regiments of Armagnac and Auxerrois, and 40
artillerifts, together with two eight inch mortars,
300 (hells and four cannon. The above detach
ment was under the command of the Sieur de Ro
ftaing, Major of Armagnac. The Sieur le Certain,
Captain of artillery, in the service of the colonies,
had the detail of the ordnance ; the Sieur Moneron,
Captain in the corps of engineers, was to direCt the
operation of the sieges, while the Sieur de Manfuy,
Captain engineer of the colonies, was appointed to
take the drafts and charts of the coasts and bays
which we were to visit.
The foll^ing is a particular account of the tak
ing of the Englifo settlements at Hudson's Bay,
by the Chevalier de la Peraufe, in August last,
as communicated in a letter from that officer to
the Marquis de Castries, Secretary of State,
and published in the Paris Gazette.
Hudson's Streights, Sept. 6, 1782.
[VOL. VLJ THE (Numb. 267.]
NEW-JERSEY GAZETTE.
WEDNESDAY, February 5, 1783.
ing, who assured me it was very practicable for our
ships to draw very near the fort. I was further in
formed, that if the enemy should offer to oppose any
resistance, the Sceptre would be fufficient to keep
them under. Every thing was instantly prepared
for landing, but the night growing very dark, and
the tide being against us, it was two o'clock in the
morning before the boats were under way. We
landed without the least opposition, three quarters
of a league distant from the fort, which is built with
free-ftone, and seemed calculated to make an obsti
nate resistance. Major de Roftaing advanced with
his detachment within gun-shot, and then halted ;
but perceiving that the enemy made no show of re
sistance, he sent them a summons to surrender. Not
the least difficulty was thrown in his way; the
gates flew open, and the Governor, with his garri
son, surrendered at discretion. A prodigious quan
tity of merchandize of all kinds was found in the
fort; the ordnance was in the best condition, and all
the magazines were covered with lead.
As I had not a moment to lose for the purpose
of putting an end to my operations in Hudson's
ha), [ resolved to commit every thing to the
flames, except a few beaver hides, and other furrs,
which were put on board the Aftree. I gave to
the savages whatever they thought proper to carry
away, • especially powder and shot, those people
living entirely on the produce of the chafe.
On the iith, I failed on my way to Fort-
York, the chief place of the English settlements in
the Bay, but here I met with difficulties far great
er than those I had encountered since my arrival in
these seas. I was well aware that the coast was
infefted with rocks and shoals: I had no chart,
and our prisoners obstinately refufed to give me
the least information ; at last, after taking an infi
nite deal of precaution, and having escaped the
dangers that surrounded us on all tides, failing by
seven or eight fathoms on a rocky bottom, I reach
ed the entrance of Nelson's river, where 1 came to
anchor, on the 20th of august, within five leagues
of the shore: As good luck would have it, I had
strengthened my squadron with the addition of 3
boats, taken at the Prince of Wales fort. They
proved of the utmost service: I had entrusted
them to the command of M. du Bordieu, a Swede
and an ensign in the navy; Dorie, Lieutenant of
a frigate; and Carbonneau, a Midihipman. It
would have been impossible for any body to be of
greater service than the three above named officers,
founding a-head, and endeavouring to discover
Hay's river, on which Fort-York stands, and whole
near approach 1 knew to be impracticable for every
ship of burthen.
On the 18th of August, Messieurs du Bordieu
and Carbonneau, each in his boat, and the fieur le
Fevre, in that belonging to the Sceptre, took an
exaCtfurvey of the said river. I waited for them
at our moorings, eight leagues at sea, out of
fight of the land. They had minutely set down
the soundings, and being returned on board, served
as guides and pilots. Un the 20th of August, my
division dropped anchor on a good sandy bottom.
The next day in the morning, I prepared to land:
I thought it advifeable, having nothing to fear from
the enemy on the sea fide, to bring up the van.
Our great distance from shore might have suggested
to the enemy the means and resolution of opposing
us, which could not so well be the case at Fort
Prince of Wales, by reason of the easy access my
ship had to the latter settlement. I ordered the
Chevalier de Lungle to follow me, and gave to the
Sieur de la Jaille the command of the division, as
suring him, that the landing once effected, I should
return on board the Sceptre, and leave the
Chevalier de Lungle to command the boats,
which, with their crews, were to remain on shore
till the surrender of the fort.
Hays island, on which stands Fort York, is at
the mouth of a large river, which it divides into
two branches; the one called Hay's, and the other
Nelson's river. I knew that all the enemy's means
of defence was along Hay's river: 1 here was, more
As I proceeded in my soundings for the space of
three miles, I found that Nelson's river could not
be entered: 1 he smallest boats could not approach
it nearer than 100 fathoms distance, the remaining
space being foft and muddy: We therefore deter
mined to remain at anchor all night, and wait till
the next morning; but the tide ebbing much lower
than I had at hilt imagined, my boats anchored in
two fathoms and an half, and were left aground by
thiee 0 clock in the morning. Ihe Chevalier de
Lungle ptopofed to Major Roftaing, to walk over
the mud, and thus get on shore. 1 his was agreed
to; all our men with their firelocks shouldered,
waded for a quarter of a mile through the mud
knee deep, and we at last reached a meadow, or
lather marih, distant half a league from the woods.
I he troops then foi med themselves in battle array,
and marched about three miles in their way to the
woods, where we were in hopes to find a dry path
that would lead us to the fort. A prifoner,to whom
we had been very liberal, had offered to be our
guide; he pointed out to us a road, which, upon
being reconnoitered by Major Roftaing, was judged
impracticable ; yet we have since been informed,
that it was the best in the island. We spent the
whole day in a fruitlefs search for roads that were
not to be met with. J resolved at last to cut out
one through the woods and bogs, which I attempted
to effect by means of the compass: Messrs. Mone
ron and de Manfuy took upon them that very fa
tiguing talk. We pitched our tents by the skirts of
the wood, and at night notice was given, that there
was a morass to go over, up to the knees in mud.
During the night the wind blew so hard a gale,
that I was in the greatest anxiety about my ships
which were at anchor close to the coast, in a place
where the sea is uncommonly boisterous, and where
the bottom, though muddy on the furface, is full
of little rocks, so sharp as to cut the cables asun
der. I directly resolved to endeavour all I could
to join my division. ]he landing being effected, I
thought myfelf no longer juftified in continuing on
shore, especially when the ships were in the greatest
danger. 1 ordered the Chevalier de Lungle to take
the command of the boats, and hastened to the sea
shore; but the storm continuing flill to rage, I
over, a fllip belonging to the Hudson's Bay compa'
ny, mounting 26 nine-pounders, and anchored in
the mouth of the river, which is full of sand banks.
The currents are very violent, and the ebb and
tide succeed each other with great rapidity: Our
boats might have run and remained on ground
within gun-shot of the fort, and it highly con
cerned us not to give the enemy so favourable an
opportunity. I therefore fleered my course for
Nelson's river, knowing full well that our land
forces would have above 16 miles to march; by
this means we effectually rendered useless the bat
teries erected along Hay's river. On the evening
of the 21st we arrived with our flotilla of boats at
the entrance of Nelson's river. My boats, includ
ing those taken at Fort Wales, were 12 in num
ber, with 250 men; my mortars, cannon, and eight
days provision. Matters were so disposed that we
wanted nothing from the ships with which it was
not easy to fettle a communication, as they were
obliged to stand off at a great distance. Ordered
the boats to drop anchor in three fathom founding,
at the mouth of the river, and accompanied by the
Chevalier de Lungle, Messieurs Roftaing and Mo
neron, I went before, founding, all the way up
the river, on which I supposed the enemy might
have made some preparations to oppose our land
ing* At five 0 clock, P. M. we were got near
enough to the fort, and the company's ship, for the
enemy, with their spy-glasses, to be able to distin
guish the colour of our regimentals. A gun, loaded
with shot, was fired from the ship, and answered by
the fort. This, 1 supposed, to be a signal for the
troops to file off towards Nelson's river. What I
had most to apprehend was from the savages, whom
the English might have induced to take up arms
against us, by supplying them with gunpowder and
brandy.