The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1781-12-12 00:00:00, page 1

NEW-JERSEY GAZETTE.
BytheUNITED STATES in CONGRESS assembled,
October 29, 1781.
Resolved,
^W™"'' the thanks °f the United States in
Congress assembled, be presented to Major-
I General Greene, for his wife, decisive and
magnanimous conduct in the action of the
Bth of September last, near the Eutaw-Springs in
'South-Carolina; in which, with a force inferior in
number to that of the enemy, he 'obtained a most
signal victory.'
That the thanks of the United States in Congress
assembled, be presented to the officers and men of
the Maryland and Virginia brigades, and Delaware
battalion of continental troops, for the unparalleled
bravery and heroism by them displayed, in advancing
to the enemy through an inceflant fire, and charging
them with an impetuosity and ardour that could not
be refitted.
That the thanks of the United States in Congress
assembled, be presented to the officers and men of
the legionary corps and artillery, for their intrepid
and gallant exertions during the action.
That the thanks of the United States in Congress
assembled, be presented to the brigade of North-
Carolina, for their resolution and perfeve'rance in
attacking the enemy, and sustaining a fupcrior fire.
That the thanks of the United States in Congress
assembled, be presented to the officers and men of
the state corps of South Carolina, for the zeal, acti
vity and firmnefs by them exhibited throughout the
engagement.
That the thanks of the United States in Congress
assembled, be presented to the officers and men of
the militia, who formed the front line in the order of
battle, and sustained their post with honour, propri
ety, and a resolution worthy of men determined to
be free.
Resolved,
That a British standard be presented to Major-
General Greene, as an honourable testimony of his
merit, and a golden medal emblematical of the battle
and victory aforefaid.
That Major-General Greene be desired to present
the thanks of Congress, to Captains Pierce and Pen
dleton, Major Hyrne and Captain Shubrick, his Aids
de-Camp, in testimony of their particular activity
and good conduct during the whole of the action.
That a sword be presented to Captain Pierce, who
bore the General's despatches giving an account of
the victory, and that the board of war take order
herein. .—
Resolved, #'
That the thanks of the United States in Congress
assembled, be presented to Brigadier-General Marion
of the South-Carolina militia, for his wife, gallant
and decided conduct, in defending the liberties of
his country, and particularly for his prudent and
intrepid attack on a body of the British troops on the
30th day of August last, and for the distinguished
part he took in the battle of the Bth of September.
Extract from the minutes.
CHARLES THOMSON, Sec'ry,
NEW-Y OR K, November 24.
SIR,
lAM directed to fend you the enclosed letter from
Lieutenant-General Earl Cornwallis to His Excel
lency the Commander in Chief, <whicb you are defred to
publish in your next Gazette.
I am your obedient servant,
01. DELANCY, Adjutant-General.
November 23, 1781.
Mr. James Rivington, Printer, &c,
York-Tran, j n Virginia, October the 24th, 1781.
SIR,
I HAVE the mortification to inform your Excel
lency, that I have been forced to give up the posts
of York and Gloucester, and to surrender the troops
under my command, by capitulation, on the 19th
instant, as prisoners of war to the combined forces of
America and France.
I never saw this post in any favourable light; but
when I found I was to be attacked in it in so unpre
pared a state, by so powerful an army and artillery,
nothing but the hopes of relief would have induced
me to attempt its defence; for I would either have
endeavoured to escape to New-York, by rapid march
es from the Gloucester fide, immediately on the ar
rival of General Washington's troops at Williams
burg, or I would, notwithstanding the disparity of
numbers, have attacked them in the open field, where
it might have been just possible that fortune would
hare favoured the gallantry cf the handful of troops
under my command. But being assured by your
Excellency's letters, that every possible means would
[Vol. IV.]
WE D N-E SDA Y, December 12, 1781.
be tried by the Navy and Army to relieve us, I could
not think myfelf at liberty to venture on either of
thbfe desperate attempts. Therefore, after remain
ing two days in a Strong portion in front of this
place, in hopes of being attacked, upon observ
ing that the enemy were taking measures which
could not fail of turning my left flank in a Short
time, and receiving on the second evening, your letter
of the 24th of September, informing me that the
relief would fail about the sth of October, I with
drew within the works on the night of the 29th
of September, hoping, by the labour and firmnefs of
the soldiers, to protract the defence until you could
arrive. Every thing was to be expeCted from the
spirit of the troops, but every disadvantage attended
their labour, as the works were to be continued
under the enemy's fire, and our flock of entrenching
tools, which did not much exceed four hundred when
we began to work in the latter end cf August, was
now much diminished.
The enemy broke ground on the 30th, and con
structed on that night, and the two following days
and nights, two redoubts, which, with some works
that had belonged to our outward position, occupied
a gorge between two creeks or ravines, which come
from the river on each fide of the town: On the
night of the 6th of October they made their firft
parallel, extending from its right on the river to a
deep ravine on the left, nearly opposite to the centre
of this place, and embracing our whole left, at the
distance of fix hundred yards. Having perfe&ed this
parallel, their batteries opened on the evening of the
9th against our left, and other batteries fired at the
lame time against a redoubt advanced over the creek
upon our left, and defended by about one hundred
and twenty men of the 23d regimept, and marines,
maintained that poll with uncommon gallantry.
The lire continued inceflant from heavy cannon, and
fi an mortars and howitzers throwing shells from 8
to 16 inches, until our guns on the left were Silenced,
our works much damaged, and our lots of men con
siderable. On the night of the 11th, they began
their second parallel about 300 yards nearer to us;
The troops being much weakened by sickness, as
well as by the fire of the besiegers, and observing
that the enemy had not only Secured their flanks,
but proceeded in every refpe& with the utmost regu
larity and caution, I could not venture so large forties
as to hope from them any considerable effect, but
otherwise I did every thing in my power to interrupt
their work, by opening new embrasures for guns,
and keeping a constant fire with all the howitzers
land small mortars that we could man.—On the even
ing of the 14th, they, assaulted and carried two re
doubts, that had been advanced about 300 yards for
the purpose of delaying their approaches, and cover
ing our left flank, and during the night included
them in their second parallel, on which they continu
ed to work with the utmost exertion: Being perfectly
sensible that our works could not hand many hours
after the opening of the batteries of that parallel,
we not only continued a constant fire with all our
mortars, and every gun that could be brought to
bear upon it, but a little before day-break in the
morning of the 16th, I ordered a sortie of about 350
men, under the direction of Lieutenant-Colonel Aber
crombie, to attacktwo batteries which appeared to be
in the greatest forwardnefs, and to spike the guns; a
detachment of guards, with the 80th company of
grenadiers, under the command of Lieutenant-Col.
Lake, attacked the one, and one of light infantry,
under the command of Major Armitrong, attacked
the other, and both succeeded by forcing the redoubts
that covered them, Spiking eleven guns, and killing
or wounding about 100 of the French troops, who
had the guard of that part of the trenches, and with
little loss on our fide.—This action, though extreme
ly honourable to the officers and soldiers who exe
cuted it, proved of little publick advantage, for the
cannon having been spiked in a hurry, were soon
rendered fit for service again, and before dark, the
whole parallel and batteries appeared to be nearly
complete. —At this time, we knew that there was no
part of the whole front attacked in which we could
Show a finale gun, and our {hells were nearly expend
ed; I had therefore only to choose between prepar
ing to surrender next day, or endeavouring to get pff
with the greatest part of the troops, and I determined
to attempt the latter, reflecting that though it Should
prove unfuccefsful in its obje&, it might at least de
lay the enemy in the prosecution of further ent&r
prizes; sixteen large boats were prepared, and upon
other pretexts were ordered to be in readiness to re
ceive troops precisely at ten o'clock; with these I
hoped to pass the infantry, during the night, aban
doning our baggage, and leaving a detachment to
THE
capitulate for the town's people, and for the sick
and wounded, on which fubj<dt a letter was ready
to be delivered to General Washington. After mak
ing my arrangements with the utmost secrecy, the
light infantry, greatest part of the guards, and part
of the 23d regiment, embarked at the hour appoint
ed, and most of them landed at. Gloucefler, but at
the critical moment the weather, from being mode
rate and calm, changed to a most violent Storm of
wind and rain, and drove all the boats, some of which
had troops on board, down the river.
It was soon evident that the intended pafiage was
impracticable. And the absence of the boats render
ed it equally impofliblc to bring back the troops
that had palled, which I had ordered about two
o'clock in the merning.
In this Situation, vrith my little force divided, the
enemy's batteries opened at day-break. The-passage
between this place had Glpucefter was much expos
ed, but the boats having now returned, they were
ordered to bring back the troops that had pafied
during the night, and they joined us in the forenoon
without much loss. Our works in the mean-time
were going to ruin, and iK>t having been able to
Strengthen them by abbatis, nor in any other manner
than by a flight frazing, which the enemy's artillery
were demolishing wherever they fired, my opinion
intirely coincided with that of the engineer and the
principal officers of the army, that they were ih
many places very available in tie forenoon, and that by
the continuance of the lame fire for a few hours long
er, they would be in such a state as to render it
desperate with our numbers to maintain them. We
at that time could not fire a Single gun; only one
eight inch, and little more than 100 coborn Shells
remained; a diversion by the French Ships of war,
that lay at the mouth of York rivem, was to be ex
pected; our numbers bad been diminished by the
enemy's fire, but particularly by fickhefs, and the
Strength and Spirits of those in the works weremuch
exhausted by the fatigue of constant watching and
unremitting duty.
Under all these circumstances, I thought it would
'?"' b een wanton and inhuman to the last degree to
Sacrifice the lives of this Small body of gallant soldiers,
who had ever behaved with lo much fidelity and cou
rage, by exposing themselves to an assault, which, from
the numbers and precautions of the enemy, could
not tail to Succeed. I therefore proposed to capitu
late. And I have the honour to enclose to your
Excellency the copy of the correfpondru& between
General Washington and me on that fubjeft, and the
terms of capitulation agreed upon. I sincerely la
ment that better could not be obtained. But I have
neglected nothing to alleviate the misfortunes and
aiftrefs of both officers and soldiers. The men are
well clothed, and provided with necessaries; and I
trust will be regularly supplied by the means of the
officers that are permitted to remain with them. The
treatment in general, that we have received from the
enemy Since our surrender, has been perfectly good
and proper. But the kindness and attention that
has been Shewn to us by the French officers in parti
cular, their delicate sensibility of our situation, their
generous apd prefling offers of money, both publick
and private, to any amount, has really gone beyond
what I can pebbly describe. And will, I hope,
make an imprefiion on the breaftof every British
officer, whenever the fortune of war Should put aoy
of them into our power.
Although the event has been so unfortunate, the
patience of the Soldiers in bearing the greatest fa
tigues, and their firmnefs and intrepidity under a
persevering fire of Shot and Shells, that I believe has
not often been exceeded, 'deferved the highest com
mendation and praise; a fuccefsful defence, however,
in our Situation was perhaps impoffibk, for the place
could only be reckoned an intrenched cam% fuhjeft
'? "??' 'places to enfilade, and the ground in general
''° d'ladvantageous, that nothing but the nectSlity of
fortiiying it as a post to protect the navy could have
induced any person to ereCt works upon it; opr force
diminished daily by ficknels and other losses, and
was reduced when we offered to capitulate, on tl is
Side, to little more than 3200 raik'and file, fit for
duty, including officers Servants and artificers, apd
at Gloucester, about 600, including cavalrv. The
enemy's army confined of upwards cf 8000 French,
nearly as many continentals, and 5000 militia. They
brought an immense train of heavy artillery, molt
amply furnished with ammunition, and perfectly well
manned.
The constant and uniyerfal cheerfulness and spirit of
the officers in al! hardship and danger, deserve to,
warmest acknowledgments; and 1 have been particu
larly indebted to Brigadier-General O'Hara, apd to
[Numb. 207.]