The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1780-02-02 00:00:00, page 2

or by private ships or vessels of war fitted out in any
particular state, these shall be firft exchanged, to far
as is necessary, for the fubjefis or inhabitants of the
fame Rate, taken by the fubje^ts, adherents, ships or
vessels of the enemy, and the overplus, if any, shall
go towards redeeming the prisoners in the hands of
the enemy, without regard to their being fubjeds or
inhabitants of any particular Rate.
That all masters or commanders of private ships or
vessels of war, shall take the utmost care to bring into
port all prisoners captivated by them. And if from
necessity they shall be obliged to dismiss any prisoners
at sea, they shall, on return from their cruize, make
report thereof, on oath, to the Judge ofthe Admiral
ty of the Rate to which they belong, or in which they
arrive, within twenty days after their arrival, with
their reasons for such difmiffion. And if the Judge
shall not be fatisfied with the reasons assigned, or ifit
shall appear that the prisoners were difeharged to a
void the trouble or expence of bringing them into port
and delivering them into custody, or in any wife un
necessarily, then the Judge shall transmit an account
thereof to the Executive of the Rate, who are request
ed to examine into the matter, and vacate the com
mission granted to 'he said delinquent master or com
mander of the fliip or vessel, if they are of opinion
that such difmiffion was improper.
That all prisoners of war captivated by private ships
or vessels of war, be delivered by and at the expence
of the masters or owners of such ships or vessels to a
Commissary of Prisoners nearest the place of their land
ing, or into the nearest county gaol, on pain of for
feiture of the commission granted to such private ship
or vessel.
That on such delivery of the prisoners into the gaol,
the gaoler shall be obliged to inform the government
of the Rate wherein the said prisoners are landed ; or
in case of their residence at too great a distance, the
lieutenant or commanding officer ofthe militia of the
county wherein such prisoners are landed, the Com
missary General of Prisoners or his deputy, that if
the said prisoners are not deemed by the Executive of
the Rate, or the said commanding officer of the mili
tia, in a place of fufficient security, they may be re
moved under proper guards to a place or places of
greater, fafety, at the expence of the United States.
And the Executive Powers of the refpeftive Rates are
requeued to give the necessary orders to the com
manding officers of the militia on this fubjed, and to
pay the expences of escorting and transporting the
prisoners, charging the fame to the United States.
The said Executives are also requested to give orders
the report, be directed to confer with his Excel- 1
lency the President and Supreme Executive Coun- 1
cil of Pennsylvania, in order to their ' carrying into'
execution the request of Congress made.to their
State:
That letters be written to the other States, re
questing them immediately to proceed in furnifhing
the supplies.
In CONGRESS, January 13th, 1780.
Resolved, That it be recommended to the Execu
tive Authorities of the several Rates to transmit with
all possible expedition, to General Washington, the
names and rank of all officers; and the number of
privates Belonging to the enemy, held as prisoners of
war within their refpedive Rates, and the places they
are at, in order that they may be included in the ge
neral exchange, should a cartel be agreed to between
the Commanders in Chief of the American and Britiih
armies.
Congress took into consideration the report of the
Board of War relative to prisoners, and thereupon
came to the following resolutions:
MANY inconveniencies attending the present ma
nagement of prisoners of war, and great diffatisfadion
having arisen from the mode of exchanging them here
tofore used, from the partialities inevitably attending
the fame, while conduced under various directions
by divers Commissaries independent of each other;
and fufficient provision not being made for their secu
rity, in many cases frequently occurring :
Resolved, That all prisoners of war, whether cap
tivated by the army or navy ofthe United States, or
by the fubjedts, troops, or ships of any particular
state, shall be delivered into the care and custody of
the Commissary General of Prisoners, his Deputies or
Assistants, and be deemed and treated in all refpeds
as prisoners of war to the United States.
That it be earneßly recommended to the govern
ments of the refpedive Rates, that they make no ex
changes of prisoners, to the intent that all exchanges
may be made thro' the Commissary General of Prison
ers, by direction of Congress or the Commander in
Chief, or Board of Admiralty: And when prisoners
are taken by the particular fubjeds, troops or vessels
of any Rate, not in the service of the United States,
to the officers of their militia to take immediate charge
of all prisoners of war, captivated by the ships and
vessels of war belonging to the United States or to
any particular Rate, and convey them at the expence
of the United States to the nearest Commissary of Pri
soners, or county gaol, and also direct the like steps
to be taken in regard to their removal to places of
greater fafety, as is provided in the case of prisoners
captured by private vessels.
That it be recommended to the legislatures of the
refpedive Rates, effectually to provide, at the ex
pence of the United States, for the delivery and fafe
Keeping of all prisoners captivated by their refpedive
fubjeds, out of vessels Branded or cast on shore on
their coasts, obliging the parties taking prisoners to
deliver them to the nearest Commissary of Prisoners,
or into the nearest gaol, in case no Commissary of
Prisoners is Rationed within convenient distance ofthe
place of capture ; and in case of neglect or mifcon
dutt in the persons so taking the prisoners, that they
forfeit all right to the vessel, her tackle, apparel and
furniture so cast on shore, or the property they may
save, or be otherwise entitled to out of such vessel;
or imposing such other penalty as the said legislatures
shall reflectively think proper.
That it be recommended to the said legislatures to
provide and dited, that all gaolers receive and deli
ver prisoners of war, without charging any fee or re
ward to the persons delivering them into or taking
them by proper authority out of their custody. The
reasonable expences of supporting such prisoners in
gaol to be paid by the government of the state where
in they shall be confined, and charged to the United
States, except where they can and shall be otherwise
provided for by the proper officer in the service ofthe
United States. And the gaoler shall transmit a copy
ofhis charges against the United States, for account
of prisoners of war, to the Commissary General of
Prisoners, or his nearest deputy, when any prisoners
leave the gaol, either for removal to places of greater
security or exchange.
That prisoners of war either on their march or in
confinement, be furnifhed with only two thirds of a
soldier's ration.
That none but lick or wounded prisoners be allow
ed carriages at publick expence.
That all prisoners on parole pay their own expences,
and such expences shall be paid before they shall be
exchanged.
That all officers, prisoners of war to the United
States, unlcfs in nofpitals, pay their phylicians, sur
geons and attendant .
That the Commissary General of Prisoners and his
deputies make regular monthly returns to the Board
of War of the numbers, situation and exchanges ot
all prisoners under their charge, and that they also
give the said Board such occasional information of all
material tianfaffions in their department, as circum-
Rances from time to time render necessary ; or when
they shall be required by the Board so to do, under
pain of being suspended cr dismissed by the said Board.
That all exchanges of prisoners made in conse
quence of the foregoing resolutions, shall be soldier
for soldier and sailor for sailor.
Extract from the minutes,
CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary.
From the London Evening Pofl.
America's Address to England.
ENGLAND, remember the opprobrious lot
Denounc'd against me by a hungry Sot;
The wretched flav'ry, remember too,
Which he prepar'd for me is doom'd for you;
For death or life refolv'd, in such a cause,
Bravely 1 strove for liberty and laws;
Preferv'd them too —by your inftrudions taught,
My sons thought nobly, and as nobly fought.
Oh! cherish ever Freedom's sacred fire,
Nor let it perish till the world expire.
MADRID, August 31.
A ROYAL edict has been published, by which
1 1 an exact and compleat observance is ordered
of the second and sixth articles of the treaty of
friendfhip, guarantee and commerce, concluded May
11, 1778, between his Catholic Majesty and the
Queen of Portugal.
BOSTON, December 13.
Translation of a late letter from the French pri
soners on board the prifon-foip at New-York, to
bis Excellency Mons. Gerard, Minister Pleni
potentiary of France to the United States, at
Philadelphia^
" Your Excellency,
" From the depth of the most hideous prifon,we
elevate our supplicating voices to you, as we do to
our God.
“ Reduced to all the extremities of misery : —
Devoured on all sides with all the impurities of na
ture: —Combating between life and death, we em
ploy our finking efforts in repelling from us these
invenomed corruptors that would entirely destroy
the thread of our melancholy days. In this few a
mong ns are able to succeed; and we crawl about in
the unfeeling view of our barbarous conquerors, as
walking carcases, which the earth oughts to cover
for the honour of humanity.—Numbers^are become
victims to the contagion, which continues to make
the most cruel ravages: Nor do we fee any profpea
of a speedy relief.
" May your sensibility interest itfelf in favour of
such unfortunate men ! May the known goodness of
your heart be expanded in our behalf. And let the
bowels of your pity yearn towards us! The air
shall resound with the cry of our united blessings.
“ We are your Excellency's most humble and
most obedient, &c.
“ N. B. The American prisoners fare no better."
Extrad of a letter from Frederick fbuYgh % Virginia,
dated November 16, 1779.
" It is undoubted that seven ships of the line of
Count d'Eßaing's are to winter in the harbours of
this Rate, to protest the coast from any attempts of
the enemy; two of those ships are already arrived,
and more were in fight when we heard from the capes."
We are informed that Gen. Sullivan has lately
resigned his commission, upon account of the ill
state of his health, which has been much increased
by the fatigues and hardships to which he most
chearfully exposed himfelf in his late honorable and
fuccefsful campaign through the Indian country. —
At the fame time we are told this active and intre
pid leader is much pressed to continue in command.
He has received the thanks of Congress for the im«
portant services from which he has lately returned,
with his brave army; and the Commander in Chief
has particularly recited these services, with marks
of the highest honour, in his general orders.
Thursday the 6th day of January is appointed by
authority for the execution of Patrick Greene, coir
vided of robbery, as mentioned in our last.
Dec. 16. All accounts from Georgia agree in
representing the terrible execution from the fire of
the allies on Savannah: The enemy acknowledge
this, and are not able to disguise the distressed situ
ation into which it has reduced them; and instead of
meditating conquests, they are in the utmost per
plexity how to maintain their present ground.
Dec. 23. By the last intelligence from Canada;
(which is unquestionably true) we learn, that some
hundreds of American prisoners, taken from the back
settlements of these Rates, are now in the hands ofthe
savages, whose unparalleled barbarity (if they are
not rescued) will soon bring their miserable lives to a
fatal period; listen Americans! Our neglecting to
put an end to the depredations of these savages, and
their more savage employers (by the reduction of Ca
nada) is the admiration of the world ! and Should we,
by omission, let flip the present opportunity, it would
cost us rivers of blood, together with the best part of
America, and our negled would be justly handed
down with infamy to all future generations.
PROVIDENCE, December 18.
Since our last two prizes have arrived in the river,
taken by the Franklin and Pickering privateers, of
Salem; one of them is a schooner from New-Pro
vidence, with fruit, bound to New-York ; the other
a sloop fiom New-York, laden with lumber.
NEW-LOND 0 N, December s.
Last Friday Capt. Perkins, in a sloop belonging
to Norwich, arrived here in 19 days from Cape
Francois.
A letter from the Cape, dated the 7th ult. to a
gentleman here, informs, that 17 fail of merchant
men, convoyed by a frigate, arrived at the Cape in
October last; that the frigate brought money to pay
off the French troops, and landed it at Porto Plata,
to be carried by land to the Cape. At this time the
Ruby of 64 guns, and Bristol of 50 guns, (Britiih)
were cruizing off Monto Chrifto.
Yesterday fe'nnight a small britiih ship came close
in with Saybrook bar, and it being almost calm,
sent her boat and took a sloop which was bound into
Connecticut river, from the eastward, laden with
salt. The people on board the sloop attempted to
run her on shore, and had got so near that one of
them, by running up the bowsprit, jumped on the
land and got off,
POUGHKEEPSIE, January 10.
The very remarkable and long continued severity
of the weather (the like not having been known, as
we are informed, by the oldest man living) has
flopped all the avenues of intelligence, and almost
cut off all social intercourse between people of the
fame neighbourhood. Ihe incessant intenseness of
the cold, the great depth and quantity of the snows
following in quick succession one on the back of an
other, attended with violent tempers of wind,
which for several days made the roads utterly im
pafiable, has put a stop to business of all kinds, ex
cept such as each family could do within itfelf.—
And as many were slenderly provided with necessa
ries for subsistence, we have reason to apprehend,
that we shall fhoitly hear many melancholy accounts
of private distress in the country; and that from the
sea-coasts and vessels at sea, the accounts will be
dreadful.
FIS H-K ILL, January 27.
We learn that Captain Lockwood last week with a
few continental troops and some militia, made an ex
cursion to Morriffania, ten miles from the city of
New-York, and furprized and took twenty prisoners
of Bearmore's corps, among whom was their new
advanced partizan Col. Hattield---they were in Mrs.
Morris house, and refuted to surrender until it was
set on fire. 'Tis said the Major and four others were