The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1781-02-14 00:00:00, page 2

BOSTO N, January 25.
Extract of a letter from Guadeloupe, Decern. 2.
" A few days ago arrived at Martinique, from Old
France, 60 merchantmen and transports, under con
voy of three ships of the line, and four frigates. Tho
King's ships had 4000 troops on board, which were
not admitted to land ; the Governor ordered them to
proceed direftly to the Havannah, there to join the
fleet which went from Cape Francois. The Spanish
fleet are now preparing to go on some private expedi
tion. Most ofthe English fleet on th&e fc^s are either
drove on shore, difmafted, or foundered in the late
hurricane."
NEW-LONDON, January 30.
Sunday evening a frigate from the westward went
into Gardiner's-Bay, supposed to be from New-York,
.with the Admiral on board ; and yesterday morning
there was considerable firing from the fleet, which was
doubtless a salute for the Admiral's arrival.
Last thurfday morning died here, Mr. John Tink
er, aged 103 years ; he was choaked by eating a
piece of turnip.
Yesterday week, four ships from the British fleet in
Gardiner's-B ly, came to fail and went as far caftward
as Narraganfe:-Bav, (it is supposed their views were
to fall in with three of the French fleet who that morn
ing fail'd from Rhode-Ifland, but returned into port
again the fame day) at night there came on a heavy
gale of wind from the N. E. attended with a very
thick snow, which scattered the above British ships;
one of them (laid to be of 74 guns) the fame night
was drove on Shagwaggonock Reef, about 3 or 4
leagues to the eastward of Gardiner's-idand, where
she is entirely loft, and it is laid that all her crew pe
rished ; a second (said to be of 64 guns) rode out the
gale a few miles S. E. of the Gull-Islands, but loft
a I her masts and bowsprit, and threw over her upper
tier of guns ; she was towed into Gardiner's-Bay on
Wednesday ; a third rede out the gale near the fame
place, but it is said sprung her masts and threw part of
her guns over: the fourth came too near Watch-
Point, but parted her cable in the night and has not
since been heard of. About 70 fathom of her cable
has been since taken up by some people from Stoning
ton. —
F I S H-K I L L, February 8.
EXTRACT from GENERAL ORDERS.
Head-barters, Ne^v-Windfor, fan. 30, 1781.
THE General returns his thanks to Major-General
Howe, for the judicious methods he pursued,
and to the officers and men under his command, for
the good conduct and alacrity with which they exe
cuted his orders for suppressing the late mutiny in a
part of the Jersey line. It gives him inexpressible pain
to have been obliged to employ their arms upon such
an occasion, and convinced they themselves felt all the
' reluctance which former affection to fellow-foldiers
could inspire; he confiders the patience with which
they endured the fatigue of the march through rough
and mountainous roads, rendered almott impassible
by the depth of the snow ; and the cheerfulnefs with
wnich tWey performed every part of the duty, as the
strongest proof of their fidelity, attachment tp the
service, sense of subordination, and abhorrence ofthe
principles which aduated the mutineers in so daring
and atrocious a departure from what they owed to
'their country, to their officers, to their oaths; and
to themselves.
“ The General is deeply sensible of the fufferings of
the army, he leaves no expedient unused to relieve
them, and he is persuaded that Congress and the fe
verat States are doing every thing in their power for
the fame purpose ; but while we look to the public tor
the fulfilment ofits engagements, we should do it with
proper allowance for the embarrahment of public af
fairs : We began a contest for liberty and indepen
dence, ill provided for with the means ofwar, relying
on our patriotism to supply deficiencies, w,e expected
to encounter many wants and necessities, and we
should neither shrink from them when they happen,
nor fly in the face of law and government to procure
redress, There is no doubt the public will, in the
event, do ample justice to the men lighting and fuffcr
ing in their defence ; but it is our duty to bear present
evils with fortitude, looking forward to the period
when our country will have more in its power to re
ward our fcrvices. History is full of examples of ar
mies fuffering with patience the extremities of distress,
which exceed those we have experienced, and those in
the cause of ambition and conqneft, not in that ofthe
riglits of humanity, of their country, of their families,
and of themfelves'; shall we, who afpireto the distinc
tion of a patriot army, who are contending for every
thing precious in society, against every thing hateful
and degrading in llavery ; shall we, who call ourselves
citizens, difcov?r left, constancy and military virtue,
than the mercenary instruments of ambition. Those,
who, in the present instance, have Rained the honour
of the American soldiery, and sullied the reputation
of patient virtue, for which they have been so emi
nent, can only atone for their atrocious condud by a
life devoted to a zealous and exemplary discharge of
their duty ; persuaded tliat the greater part were in
fluenced by the pernicious advice ofa few, who pro
bably have been paid by the enemy to betray their
associates. The General is happy at the lenity shewn
in the execution of only two of the most guilty, after
compelling the whole to an unconditional surrender ;
and he flatters himfelf that no similar instance will
hereafter disgrace our military history. It can only
be ruinous to those who are mad enough to make the
attempt ; for lenity on any future occasion would be
criminal and inadmissible.
" The General, at the fame time, presents his thanks
to Major-General Parsons, for the prudent and mili
tary difpolition he made; and to Lieut. Col. Hull,
^nd the officers and men under hi& command, for the
good conduct, address, and courage, with which they
executed the'enterprize against a corps of the enemy in
Weftchtfter, having burnt their barracks and a large
quantity of forage, destroyed a bridge across Haerlem
yivec, under thy protection of one of their redoubts,
brought off fifty-two prisoners, and a numl>er of h orfes
and cattle, with inconfidcrable loft, except in the
death of Ensign Thompson, of the 6th Maflachufetts
regiment, an active and enterprizing officer. The
General also thanks Col. Hazen and his party, for their
conduct and bravery in covering Lieut. Col. Hull's re
treat, and repelling the enemy; and Cols. Scamtnel
and Sherman, and in general, all the officers and men
of Major-General Parlons' command, for their good
conduct in supporting the advanced corps."
N E W-Y O R K, February 2.
Wednesday evening arrived the brig Industry, Cap
tain Moore, in eleven weeks from Liverpool. By her
we have the following advices:
LONDON, November 2.
THIS day his Majesty came down to the House at
l two o'clock, and having, in the usual date,
afeended the throne, the Commons; on receiving his
Majesty's orders, attended below the bar, when Mr.
Cornewall, their new elected Speaker, thus addressed
his Majesty:
May it pleafeyour Majefly.
Your dutiful Commons of Great-Britain, in Parli
ament aflcmbled, having, pursuant to your Majesty's
directions, and their ancient right, proceeded to the
choice of a Speaker, I am sorry to be obliged to ac
quaint your Majesty, that their choice is fallen upon
me, who, confeious of my own inability todifeharge
so weighty and important a trust, most humbly intreat
your Majesty to give them an opportunity of re-con
sidering their determination, and fend them back to
a new and more worthy election.
The Lord Chancellor, after receiving his Majesty's
inftruttions, then replied,
Mr. Gornecwail,
However diffident you may be of your own qualifi
cations, his Majesty is so well convinced of your ta
lents, abilities, diligence, and fufficiency, in the high
and important situation to which you have been so de
servedly elected, that his Majesty cannot decline, giv
ing the fulleft approbation to the choice which his
Commons have made in your election ; and therefore
lam commanded by his Majesty to declare, that it is
with great picalure that he allows and confirms you
as their Speaker.
This ceren^ony being ended, his Majesty, from the
throne, addressed both Houses of Parliament in the
following words:
My Lords and Gentlemen,
It is with more than ordinary fatisfadion that I
meet you in Parliament, at a time when the late elec
tions may afford me an opportunity of receiving the
most certain information of the disposition and the
wiihes of my people, to which I am always inclined
to paly the utmost attention and regard.
The present arduous situation of public affairs is
well known ; the whole force,and faculties of the mo
narchies of France and Spain are drawn forth, and ex
erted to the utmost, to support the rebellion in my co
lonies in North-America, and without the least pro
vocation or cause of complaint, to attack my domi
nions ; and the undisguised objed of this confederacy
manifeftly is to gratify boundless ambition, by de
fcroying the commerce, and giving a fatal blow to the
power of Grgat-Britain.
By the force which the last Parliament put into my
hands, and by the blessing of Divine Providence on
the bravery of my fleets and armies, I have been en
abled to withstand the formidable attempts of my e
nemies, and to fruftrate the great expectations they
had formed ; and the signal successes which have at
tended the progress of my arms in the provinces of
Georgia and Carolina, gained with so much honour to
the conduit and courage of my officers, and to the
valour and intrepidity of my troops, which have e
qualled their highest character in any zra, will, 1 trust,
have 'important consequences in bringing the war to a
happy conclusion. It is my most earnest desire to fee
this great end accomplished; but lam confident you
will agree with me in opinion, that we can only secure
fafe and honorable terms of peace, by such powerful
and refpcdable preparations, as shall convince our e
nemies, that we will not submit to receive the law
from any powers whatsoever ; and that we are united
in a firm resolution to decline no difficulty or hazard
in the defence of our country, and for the preserva
tion of our essential interests.
Gentlemen of the House of Commons,
I have ordered the eltimates for the ensuing year to
be laid before you. I fee and feel with great anxiety
and concern, that the various services of the war must
unavoidably be attended with great and heavy ex
pences, but I desire you to grant me such supplies
only, as your own security and lasting welfare, and
the exigency of affairs will be found to require.
M, Lords and Gentlemen,
I repose an entire confidence in the zeal and affec
tion of this Parliament, confeious, that during the
whole course of my reign, it hath been the constant
object of my care, and the with of my heart, to pro
inot, the true interests and happinef^ of all my fub
jeCts, and to preserve inviolate our excellent conftitu=
tion, in Church and State.
BALTIMORE, January 30.
Op Monday, the 22d infant, the b,rig Hawk, Cap
tain Bull; the bpg Cato, Captain Weeks; and the
schooner Nautilus, Capt. Kcrltead, outward bound
from this port, were chafed on shore in Roman bay,
a little below Cedar Point, by the Iris frigate and
other veffel§ of war- The enemy immediately board,
ed the Cato, who, by some accident, took fire, and
blew off her quarters. Fifteen of the enemy and 3
of her people perished. They set the Hawk on fire,
and the burnt to the water's edge. The Captain of
the Nautilus landed his guns, and prevented the ene
my from boarding his vessel, and in all probability
the and her cargo will be saved. The British left Ce
dar Po,int on Wednesday.
Extract ofa letter from Richmond, dated the 19th, of
January, 1781.
" I am this moment informed that the enemy land
ed at Hardy's ferry, and marched from thence to
Smithfield, and thence to Mackie's mills, where they
staid some time, and then returned to Smithfield.
Some of their vessels are up Nanfemond river, as high
as Sleepy-Hole ferry."
PHILADELPHIA, February 8.
This morning arrived here Major Giles, Aid de
Camp to General Morgan, with dispatches to Con
gress, containing the following.
Important Intelligence.
Camp, South-Carolina, on Pee-Dec,
SI R, January 24, 1781.
I HAVE the honour to enclose, for the information
of Congress, the copy of my letter to his Excellen
cy General Waihington, with the enclosures, an
nouncing the defeat of a detachment of the British ar
my, under Lt. Col. Tarleton. The action was im
portant, and reflects the highest honour on General
Morgan, and the troops under his command.
Major Edward Giles will deliver these dispatches,
and have the honour to give Congress such further in
formation as they may request.
The Deputy Commissary-General of Prisoners will,
as soon as possible, transmit a particular return of the
prisoners taken on the 17th, by which conveyance I
will forward the 'ftandards, to be laid at the feet of
Congr'efs.<.
I have the honour to be, with sentiments of the
greatest esteem and refpeft,
Your Excellency's
Most obedient humble servant,
NATHANIEL GREENE.
His Excellency
The President of Congress.
General MORGAN's letter to General GREENE.
Camp, near Cain-creek, January 19, 1781.
Dear Sir,
THE troops I have the honour to command have
gained a complete victory over a detachment from the
British army, commanded by Lieut. Col. Tarleton.
The action happened on the 17th instant, about sun
rise, at a place called the Cowpens, near Pacolet river.
On the 14th, having received intelligence that the
Britifli army were in motion, and that their move
ments clearly indicated their intention of dislodging
me, I abandoned my encampment at Grendales Ford,
and on the 16th, in the evening, took podeffion of a
post about 7 miles from the Chrekee Ford, on Broad
River. My former position fubjeded me at once to
the operations of Lord Cornwallis and Col, Tarleton,
and in case of a defeat my retreat might easily have
been cut off. My situation at the Cowpens enabled
me to improve any advantages that I might gain, and
to provide better for my security should I be unfortu
nate. These reasons induced me to take this post,
notwithstanding it had the appearance of a retreat.
On the evening of the 16th the enemy occupied the
ground we had removed from in the morning. An
hour before daylight one of my scouts informed me
that they had advanced within five miles of our camp.
On this information the necessary dispositions were
made, and, from the alacrity of the troops, we were
soon prepared to receive them. The n light-infantry,
commanded by Lieut. Col. Howard, and the Virgi
nia militia under Major Triplett, were formed on a
rising ground ; the third regiment of dragoons, con
fiding of about 80 men, under the command of Lieut,
Col. Washington, were so posted in their rear, as not
to be injured by the enemy's fire, and yet to be able
to charge thtem, should an occasion offer ; the vo)un<
teers from No. Carolina, Sou. Carolina and Georgia,
under the command of Colonel Pickens, were posted
to guard the flanks, Major M'Dowal, of the North-
Carolina volunteers was posted on the right flank, in
front of the line 150 yards; Major Cunningham, of
the Georgia volunteers, on the left, at the fame di
stance in front; Colonels Brannons and Thomas, of
the South-Carolina volunteers, on the right of Major
M'Dowal ; and Colonels Hays and M'Call, of the
fame corps, on the left of Major Cunningham ; Cap
tains Tate and Buchannan, with the Augusta rifle
men, were to support the right of the line.
The enemy drew up in one line, 400 yards in front
of our advanced corps. The firft battalion of the
71st regiment was opposed to our right, the 7th to
our left, the Legion infantry to our centre, and two
companies of light troops of 100 each on our flanks.