The royal gazette — [Charleston] S.C., 1781-06-16 00:00:00, page 1

By bis Excellency Joseph Reed, Esq; Prefdent, and the Supreme
Executive Council of the Common-Wealth of Pennsylvania ;
A PROCLAMATION.
WHEREAS the General Assembly of this Rate, at their
last session reciting, " that it was not to be expected,
during the present war with Great Britain, that fufficient
quantities of gold and Silver money could be procured or re
tained in this State, for procuring and providing fufficient sup
plies of provisions and other articles tor the support of the
army, and the purposes of private dealings," did direct an
emission of five hundred thousand pounds in bills of credit,
redeemable with the many and large arrearages due to the
State for lands, heretofore granted within this Common-wealth:
Aad whereas by another aft, directing the payment of one
bird of the depreciation to the officers and soldiers of the
Fennfylvania line, one hundred and thirty thousand pounds of
the said money has been emitted ; and by the aft firft mention
ed, " every person refuting the said bills of credit, or felling,
giving or receiving the fame at a less rate than gold and fil
ter, are made liable to prosecution in the courts of quarter
sessions of the peace, or, if under five pounds, before ajuftice,
and on conviction to forfeit the value of the goods or articles
in question :".And whereas it is not only an essential, but the
indispensable duty of all persons in a well regulated govern
ment, to make the laws of their country the rules of their
4 conduct, seeking by legal and peaceable modes, an alteration
of any laws which they apprehend to be grievous or impolitick.
• ^oh a due confderation therefore of the above laws, the ftecial
Ligation upon us who are f<worn, faithfully to execute them, the
• great difficulties which will refalt to the Quell affected, to the indus
trious poor who have received this money in exchange for the old
continental money, and to those who have fold their merchandize
or produce to the publick commissioners, if the said bills of credit
'Jbould not fad a free circulation, we do mes carnefly recommend
to oil the citizens of this State, and especially to landlords, and
those engaged in trade and dealing of every kind, to receive the
said money agreeable to law; and for their encouragement herein,
ire do aforefueb persons, that no more of the said money fball be
issued until the meeting of Assembly, when it wil be in an efyecial
fanner recommended to them to secure the poffefors thereof from
, \^pofible loss : —And also informing them, that by letters re
ceived from the country, it is the dertenr.i nation of the in
habitants to support the full execution of the law upon this
^ct, they appearing fully fenliLle of the necessity of conti-
PHILADELPHIA, May 9.
Extras of a letter from an Officer of rank, dated Cheferfeld
Court-house ( Virginia) April 26, 1781.
" n" the evening of the 24th instant, Generals Phillips and
U Arnold landed 3000 chosen men at City-Point, about
V miles from Petersburg ; as we had only about 1000 militia as
sembled, and the Ships of war were ranged dose along Shore, it
was thought unadvifeable to attempt to annoy them while they
were landing, we therefore returned to Petersburg, where we
determined'to make a stand. Yesterday about one o'clock,
P. M. the enemy approached the town in two columns, and
were met by our light-infantry about a mile from the town,
when the skirmish commenced, and every inch of ground to
the bridge, about a mile in the rear, was deputed. The dis
pute was very hot at the bridge for some time, but at length
they cannonaded us so Severely that we broke up the bridge,
and retreated in the greatest regularity, after maintaining the
fight for near two hours.
" I have the pleasure to assure you, that the mjlitia behaved
with a spirit and resolution which would have done honour to
veterans. I am convinced the enemy have fuffcred severely;
our loss is not yet afeertained, but I fancy it vyill not exceed
sixty. Tomorrow we Shall be joined by the Marquis, when,
I think, we shall make Petersburg too hot for them,"
The Reader is referred for another fate of this affair, and the
amfequent events, to the third column.
The General Assembly of this ffate are Summoned to meet
on the 24th instant, at the State House, on special business.
Extras of a lette from Major-General Steuben, dated on
the road from Peterfer g to Chefterfeld Court-house, ten miles
from Peterfourg, April 25, 178 a.
« On the 24th, I reconnoitred the enemy's fleet, then lying
off Weftover, and consisting of 13 topsail vetels, and 23 flat
bottomed boats full of men ; the number of troops on board I
judged to be about 2500 men. The fame day the fleet stood
up 'the river. I therefore ordered General Muhlenberg to
move up as high as the vicinity cf Blandford- In the evening
the enemy landed their whole force at City-Point, which fully
evinced that their firft object was Petersburg. Being obliged
to fend large detatchments to the neck of larf'between James
and Appamatoc rivers, I had not more than cue thousand men
left, to oppose the enemy's advance. I determined, however,
to defend the place as far as cur inferiority of numbers would
permit, and r o dc choice of Blandford for the place of defence,
and the bridge of Pachaunta's for our retreat. The troops
were disposed accordingly, and passed the night under arms.
" This morning I was informed that the enemy were with
in three miles of our advanced post, and that eleven flat bot
tomed boats were moving up Appamatoc river. Towards
noon they came in fight, formed and displayed to their left ;
but it was hear three o'clock before the firing commenced,
which continued from post to post till past five; when the
Superior numbers of the enemy obliged me to order a retreat,
and the bridge to be taken up, which was executed in the
greatest order, notwithstanding the fire of the enemy's cannon
and mnfquetry. With the fame good order the troops retreat
ed to this place, where they are juit encamped. lam not yet
able to afeertain our loss, but believe it is not great. Ido not
think the enemy took a single prisoner. Of the enemy's loss I
can form nojudgment.
cc General Muhlenberg merits my particular acnowledg
ments for the good disposition he made, and the great gal-.
iantry with which he executed it. Indeed the gallant conduct
of all the officers, - and the particular good behaviour of the
men must, I am persuaded, have attracted the admiration of
the enemy.
“ I have the pleasure to fay, that our troops disputed the
ground, inch by inch, and executed their manoeuvres with
great exaftnefs." Published by Order,
Charles Thomson, Secretary.
May 12.
SOUTH-CAROLINA: Printed by R. WELLS & SON, Printers to the King's Most Excellent Majesty.
ROYAL
Vol. I.
American Intelligence.
From SATURDAY, June 16,
I nuirig the money undepreciated, and resolving to use their ut
most efforts to this purpose. And we do in like manner re-
I commend to all persons, and especially to the meritorious mili
tia both officers and privates, not to be led into tumults and
outrages, which involve innocent families in distress, fully the
dignity of any cause, and will be turned by their enemies to
the prejudice of that necessary dud honourable service, but to
wait with patience the meeting of their repreferitatives, who
alone can afford competent relief unde; present difficulties.
We likewise enjoin upon all magistrates, fheriffs and con-
Tables, to use their utmost influence and authority to guard a
gainst and suppress any irregularities or disorders, which are
inconsistent with the peace and good order of government ;
and all other officers, civil and military, and all well disposed
citizens are required to be aiding and assisting them therein.
Given by order of the Council, under the Hand of his Excel
lency Joseph Reed, Esq; Prefdent, and the Seal of the
State, at Philadelphia, this eleventh Day of May, i@ the
Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty
one. JOSEPH REED, PreJident.
Attejl. T. Matlack, Sec.
GOD save the Commonwealth.
O' After having by the ways and means here provided,
dragooned the people vi et armis, to submit to this frefh in
stance of republican tyranny, we doubt not but these dema
gogues will modestly infer that a great majority of the people
among them are well withers to their cause.
New-York, May 17. A person of reputation arrived here
from Philadelphia, brings the following account of the obse
quies and final annihilation of the credit and currency of that
truly whimsical and egregioully absurd body of despicable
wretches, who have these several years, by past blazed in this
western horizon, under the assumed designation of the United
States of America, in Congress afonbled. The period of the
consequence of those infamous beings happened oh Saturday
the sth instant, in the city of Philadelphia, where they nestled
at the commencement of the present horrid rebellion, and from
thence have issued such edicts as would have put the vatican of
Rome, or the courts of the general inquisitors of Spain and
Portugal, out of countenance. Trifling circumstances are fre
quently the progenitors of momentuous events ; and in no in
stance has this maxim been more fully verified, than in the final
reprobation of the faith and honour of the felf-created members
of the unfortunate rebel Congress. Their ultimate misfortune
originated from the following incident: The infamous pirati
cal rover, Paul Jones, who has, in the course of the present re
bellion, committed depredations upon the British shipping,
sometimes without, and frequently with rebel and French com
missions, arrived this spring at Philadelphia from France, in the
Ariel, of 20 guns. That pickaroon, in her voyage, had made
some captures, and ordered them to Philadelphia, where the
prizes were disposed of by rebel agents. The poor thought
less tars, who compose Jones's crew, were called upon to re
ceive their prize money ; they attended with alacrity, and were
paid in Congress dollars, with which, according to the laudable
and established custom of jolly Seamen, they attempted to
make themselves and friends happy; but their disappointment
and rage was inexpressible, when they found that the meanest
Publican would not accommodate them with 1 pot of flip for
their flexible dollars. Irritated to the meridian of frenzy,
they seized a mangy dog, tarred and covered him with paper
dollars, and marched in solemn cavalcade with him through
the streets of Philadelphia. The citizens, considering conti
nental currency, with which the streets were then replete, as a
nuisance, conceived a disgust at so irifignificant a medium of
commerce, resolved to accept no more of it, and immediately
shut up their shops.
Last Sunday about four o'clock in the afternoon, Colonel De
Lancey, with about one hundred cavalr and two hundred
foot, marched from Morrifinia, and penetrated about thirty
three miles into the country, distant one mile and a half be
yond Croton River, which they crossed with great difficulty,
from its being then unusually deep ; the cavalry were obliged
to carry the foot on horseback, and many of them were forced
to swim. Directly after crossing the river, Captain Kipp of the
horse, and Lieutenant Totten, of the Rangers, with the
troops under their command, attacked the rebel Colonel
Green, with a number of continental troops ; the Colonel was
mortally wounded, and Major Flagg, with 12 privates, were
killed. One Dodor with la or 13 men were taken prisoners.
At the fame time Captain Knapp, of the horse, with a detach
ment under his command, attacked the house of the widow
Griffin, about half a mile distant from the above, where he
took one Ensign and twenty privates, and killed eight men.
On their return Captain Kipp took five militia men, and killed
three, without the loss of a man. Lieutenant Totten was
flightiy wounded in the toe, and one private slightly wounded
in the fide.
The above service was compleatly efefted in twenty four
hours.
Total. Killed, 22; wounded, 2; prisoners, 36; including
one Ensign, two Lieutenants, and a Surgeon on parole.
Yesterday arrived the brig Adventure, ladeh with 900 bar
rels of flour, from Philadelphia; she is prize to the Royal
Oak, taken off Egg-Harbour.
New-York, May 19. A person arrived last Tuesday from
the Southward, brings advice that most of the Jerfev line,
with which the Marquis de la Fayette marched to the South
ward, had deserted from his Lordship, and their Commander,
Lieutenant Colonel Barber, had returned home ; that the In
dians having arrived (armed with terrors against the rebels)
within fifteen miles of Sussex Court hotife, and the militia
being called on, all refufed to march against them —The difeon
ted of the Penfylvannia line, whom Mr. Wayne has been some
months past cajoling to take the field, likewise absolutely re
fufe to inarch, since they are apprized of the finifhing stroke
lately given at Philadelphia to the exigence of the Continental
treasury.—Bankrupt on the Delaware, and bankrupt in Paris,
there remains now only to seize the persons of the Continental
Congress to end the rebellion, and establish a liberal conftituti
-011 for the future felicity and good government of the British
empire in America.
The Indians have arrived at Gofhen, much alarmed the ene
my, many of whom they have killed, their houses desolated
and great quantities of provisions with other property carried
off.
By the latest accounts from the eastward we are informed,
the French fleet hill remain in Rhode-Ifland harbour, waiting
the arrival of a number of flour and provision vcO frora
^^^^{M
:I^^^B
GAZETTE.
to WEDNESDAY, June 20, 1781.
Philadelphia, under convoy of L'llermoine frigate, Captain
De La Touche.
We are informed that one hundred and twenty of the rebel
troops marching to Virginia, had deserted in a body ; they
were part of the difeontented brigades who feceeded from Mr.
Washington last winter ; this is declared by an intercepted let
ter from a field officer in their service.
On Thursday morning arrived his Majesty's ship General
Monk, by which we have received the following account of
the operations of his Majesty's forces in Virginia.
" ON the 18th of April, the light infantry, part of the 76th
and 80th regiments, the Queen's rangers, Jagers, and Ame
rican legion, embarked at Portsmouth, and fell down to Hamp
ton road ; on the 19th they proceeded up James River to Bur
well's Ferry : On the 20th Lieut. Col. Abercrombie with the
light infantry went up the Chickebomany in boats, Licut. Col.
Simcoe, with a detachment to York, Lieut. Col. Dundas,
with a detachment landed at the mouth of the Chickphomany;
and Major General Phillips and Brig. Gen. Arnold, landed
with part of the army at Williamsburg ? where about 500 mili
tia were posted, who retired upon their approach. The mili
tia at York crossed the river before the arrival of Lieut. Col.
Simcoe, who made a few prisoners, spiked and destroyed some
cannon, and next day returned to Williamsburg. On the 22d
the troops marched to Chickehomany ; they were met on the
road, five miles from the mouth of the river, by Lieutenant-
Colonel Dundas, with his detachment. In the evening the
troops, cavalry, artillery, &c. were re-embarked. The next
morning they were joined by Lieut. Col. Abercrombie with
the light infantry, who had been ten or twelve miles up the
Chickehomany, and destroyed federal armed ships, the state
ship yards, warehouses, &c. At ten o'clock the fleet weigh
ed, and proceeded up James River to City-Point, where the
troops were all landed at 6 o'clock in the evening of the 24th.
On the 25th they matched at 10 o'clock for Petersburg, where
they arrived at 5 o'clock in the evening ; they were opposed
about one mile from the town by a body of militia under the
orders of Brigadier General Muhlenberg, supposed to be a-,
bout one thousand men, who were soon obliged to retire over
the bridge, with the loss of near one hundred men killed and
wounded. Our loss was one man killed, and ten wounded.
f' The enemy, took up the bridge, which prevented their
being pursued. On the 26th the troops destroyed at Peters
burg, 4000 hogsheads of tobacco, one ship, and a number
of small vessels on the flocks^ and in the rivers On the 27th
Major General Phillips with the light infantry, part of the ca
valry of the Queen's rangers; and a part of the Jagers, march
ed to Chefterfield Court-House, where they burnt a range of
barracks for 2000 men, also 360 barrels of flour.
" The fame day Brigadier-General Arnold marched to
Osborn's with the 76th and Both regiments, Queen's rangers,
part of the Jagers, and American legion, where they arrived
about noon ; finding the enemy had a very considerable force
of ships, four miles above Osborn's, drawn up in a line to op
pose them, he sent a flag of truce to the Commodore, propo
sing to treat with him for the surrender of his fleet, which he
refufed, with this answer, " that he was determined to defend
" it to the last extremity ;" General Arnold immediately
ordered down two fix arid two three pounders, brass field pie
ces, to a bank of the river nearly level with the water, and
within one hundred yards of the Tempest, a 20 gun state ship,
which began immediately to fire upon them, as did the Re
nown of 26 guns, the Jefferfon, a state brigantine of 14 guns,
and several other armed ships and brigantines, and about two or
three hundred militia on the opposite Shore, at the fame time
kept up a heavy fire of mUfqdetry upon them; notwithstand
ing which the fire of the artillery, under the command of Capt.
Fage and Lieutenant Rogers, took such place, that the ships
were soon obliged to Strike their colours, and the militia drove
from the opposite Shores Want of boats, and the wind blow
ing very hard, prevented their capturing many of the seamen,
who took to their boats and escaped, but not without firft
Scuttling and Setting fire to some of their ships, which could,
not be saved.
" Two Ships, three brigantines, five (loops and two Schoo
ners, loaded with tobacco, cordage, flour, &c. &c. fell into
our hands.—Four Ships, five brigantines, and a number of
small vessels were burnt and funk. ^On board the whole
fleet, (none of which escaped) were taken and destroyed, a
bout 2000 hogsheads of tobacco, &c. &c. and very fortunate
ly we had not a man killed or wounded that day, but there is
reason to believe the enemy fuffered considerably.—About five
in the afternoon, they were joined by Major General Phillips
and the light infantry.—-The boats having arrived on the 29th,
Major General Phillips, with the main body, and Brigadier-
General Arnold, with a detachment, proceeded up the river,
and met him between Carey's Mills and Warwick?
" On the 30th, the troops marched to Manchester, and de
stroyed about i2co hegfheads of tobacco. The Marquis de la
Fayette having arrived with his army at Richmond, opposite to
Manchester, the day before, and being joined by the militia
who had been drove from Petersburg and Williamsburg, they
were fpedators of the conflagration, without attempting to
molest them.—The fame evening the troops returned to War
wick, where they destroyed a magazine of 500 barrels of flour ;
Col. Carey's fine mills were destroyed in burning of the maga
zines.—They also burnt several warehouses, with 150 hogsheads
of tobacco, a large ship, and a brigantine afloat, and three vef
fds on the Stocks ; a large range of publick rope-walks and
store-houses, some tan and bark-houses, full of hides and bark.
“ Between theist and 6th, the troops fell down to Hog-
Island. On the 7th, they returned up the river again, and
landed at Brandon in the evening.
" On the 9th, the light-infantry and part of the Queen's
rangers, proceeded in boats, with two armed vessels, to City-
Point, where they landed. The rest of the army were out in
motion for Petersburg, where they arrived late in the night,
after a march of thirty miles.
" On the troops leaving Bermuda Hundred, and going down
the river, the Marquis de la Fayette, with his army, reeved
towards Williamsburg, and by forced marches had croflfd the
Chickehomany at Long-Bridge, when the fleet returned to
Brandon, which retrogade motion occasioned him to return as
rapidly by forced marches to Osborn's, where he arrived the
Bth, and was preparing to cross the river to Peterfourg when
we arrived there, which was so unexpected, ' that we firprized
and took two Majors, one Aid-de-Camp to Baron S'euber,
the other to Gem Smallwood ; 1 Captain and 3 Lieutenants of
dragoons, 2 Lieuts. of foot, a Commidary and a Surgeon,
Numb. ,2.