The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1779-05-12 00:00:00, page 2

To AZARIAH DUNHAM, Esq.
SIR,
I AM no divine. I never was a president. I never
was a judge. I am, Sir, a friend to the freedom
and independence of America ; have frequently
rifqued my life, and nearly spent my all in its de
fence. This being my character, I trust it will not
be thought impertinent if I presume to address a
gentleman who is one of the assistant purchasing com
missaries, and who superintends chief of the purchases
made for the army in the eastern division of this state.
Whether, Sir, the author of the True Patriot will
take any notice of your publication, I know not :
for my part I shall be short with you, and I hope
decent.
I have, Mr. Dunham, long known you; I believe
I am well acquainted with your character and princi
ples, and I cannot help smiling when I fee you step
forth so boldly like a champion ready to fight the bat
tles of the immaculate tribe of commissaries and
quarter-masters. I shall reserve for another oppor
tunity what I have to fay refpeding the conduct of
those your illustrious friends whose honesty and fide
lity ,ou can prove in a thousand inflances, not doubting
but I shall be able to fatisfy my countrymen that they
have indeed been ' harpies who have preyed upon
' our vitals.'
Did you, Mr. Dunham, or did you not, whilst
airing as purchasing commissary, buy necessaries for
the army and fell them again at an advanced price
for your private emolument? And have you not by
these means contributed your mite towards the de
preciation of our currency? Does not a conscious
blush cover your face when you read this question,
and compare it with that fcemingly bold honesty
which appears in your famous publication in the Ga
zette of the lift of April? I call upon you to an
swer me, Whether as an officer paid by the publick,
you had any right whatever to make such purchases
for the advancement of your own fortune? If you
answer in the affirmative, I shall not wonder that
you so warmly deny the charges exhibited by the
True Patriot against the gentlemen of the commis
sary and quartermaster departments. But, Sir, I
conceive that though you may be brought to a dis
agreeable dilemma you will not be hardy enough to
declare, that either a quarter-master, or a commissary
of purchases, or even a DiRECTOR-general, has a right
to Peculate with the publick money; or to engross
those things, which by his office he is bound to buy
for the army, in order to fell them either to the
publick or to individuals at a more exorbitant price.
You have, Sir, declared to the world that the
author of the True Patriot has vilified the character
of quarter-masters and commissaries; I trust you will
on this occasion behave as becomes an honest man,
and if possible defend every individual of their thou
sands if necessary in ' a thousand inftances.' In the
firft place I hope you will not in your zeal for your
brethren forget to do justice to your own charader,
so that the world may not be convinced that after all
your seeming integrity you are in truth but a /peculat
ing commissary. If, Sir, you will declare to the
world that you do not recollect any initance of your
transgressing in the above particular, you may hear
further from, Your obedient servant,
TIMOLEON.
P. S. As you have cavalierly turned out, name and
all, you may think yourfelf entitled to a different
signature from the above. You will please to be in
formed that when you think proper to bring the
matter to an issue as above hinted, mine shall be at
your service, for which purpose it is left with the
Printer. T.
PORTSMOUTH, April 20.
A long and particular account of an engagement be
tween the ship Hambden, of 22 guns, from this
port, and an English Eaft-Indiaman, of 26 nine
pounders, and 8 fours, came to hand so late, our
readers must put up with the following extracts :
ON Sunday the 7th of March, at ^o'clock, A. M.
lat. 47. 15. W. lon. 28. 30. saw a fail to wind
ward bearing S. by W. distance about two leagues.
We flood for her as nigh as we could, after heaving
out a signal for capt. Smith (in a schooner of 12 four
pounders) to follow us, which he did accordingly.
At 5 P. M. the fliip hoisted an English blue ensign at
the ensign ftaff, which we answered with a red one,
and a gun to leward to bring him down to us; but
he did not come down. At 7P.M. we loft fight of
her, and hoisted three lights at our ensign ftaff as a
signal to let capt. Smith know we intended to follow
the ship all night, and for him to follow us, but he
neither answered our signal, nor followed us. During
the whole night we were in compleat readiness for
adion. At day-light the was aboutthree miles ahead
of us; we set all our fails and gave chafe, the schooner
then out of fight. At 7 A. M. came under her lee
quarter within hail, hoisted continental colours and
gave her a broadside. She kept her guns hous'd till
just befoie we fired, although we could tell her ports
thirteen of a fide, a very great distance apart, she re
turned the broadside without any damage, with 24
nine pounders and 8 four pounders, and had the ad
vantage of a spar deck to cover her men.—Being a
beautiful large ship with two tier of cabin windows,
we knew her to be an Eaft-Indiaman, and of much
superior force, but fuppofmg they were badly mann'd,
were determined to fight her as long as we could.
The engagement continued until half past 10, close
along fide, when finding our three malts and bowsprit
very badly wounded, our starboard main shrouds to
tally gone, our rigging and fails cut to pieces, our
double-headed shot expended, and near 20 of our
men killed and wounded; were obliged to our grief
to leave her, a mere wreck, her malts, yards, fails
and rigging cut to pieces. Having ourselves only the
forefail which we could set to get off with ; the fleets
being cut away, were obliged to use our tacks.
During the action our brave and worthy commander
Capt. Pickering, was killed; Mr. Peltier, a French
man, killed ; Samuel Shortridge, so badly wounded
he died in two hours after ; John Boating, both legs
shot away, but lived nine days after; John Tanner,
mailer's mate, left arm shot off; Micajah Blafdel,
left hand shot off; Peter Derrick, his mouth shot to
pieces; and twelve others wounded, but none dan
gerous: We gave them three different cheers during
the adion, and our men fought with the greatest
bravery and coolness possible. The ship was about
800 tons, and a tier of air ports under her gun ports.
BOST O N, April 29.
We hear from Portsmouth, that a vessel lately ar
rived there in a short passage from Teneriff, which
brings an account that the French have taken Sene
gal and Goree, on the coast of Africa.
All the half pay officers in the British naval service,
at New-York and other places in America, we hear,
are ordered to Britain, to enter into full service.
Friday last arrived here Captain Munroe, in a sloop
from Surrinam, after a passage of 36 days. By this
vessel we learn, that a ship had arrived there from
Holland, in 30 days, as short a passage as was almost
ever known, which brought an account there, that
Holland had been nearer to a revolution than was ever
remembered since the seven provinces were formed
into a diftind state: That the commotions had not
yet subsided; and that their High Mightirteffes, the
States General, were in great perplexity how to con
duct affairs in this trying situation. The court of
London, it is said, has peremptorily demanded the 12
Blips of the line, and the land forces which Holland
is bound by treaty to furnifh, in case France declares
war against the former. The States know not how
to comply with this demand, nor how to evade it.
The Stadtholder, and some leading men in the city
of Rotterdam, are warmly in the British interest ; and
the court of London spares no cost or pains, in their
present critical situation, to increase this interest. On
the other hand, the generality of the merchants and
inhabitants of the United States warmly oppose a
compliance with this demand, and every measure pro
posed to be taken in support of Britain : They com
plain loudly, in the most determined manner, that
the flag of Holland has been grofly insulted, and the
rights of their neutrality fhamefully violated by the
British cruizers: That the most intolerable depreda
tions have been made upon their trade, under pretence
of flopping supplies going to France and America:
That a great part of their Norway fleet had been taken
by English ships, and no fatisfattory answer given to
their complaints on this head. Amsterdam, the firft
city in Holland, takes the lead in these warm remon
strances ; a large number of the principal merchants,
and men of the firft estates and influence, lately went
in a body, in near forty coaches to the Hague, to* pre
sent them to their High Mightinesses. They insist that
the fleet and arms of Holland should not be employed
for the support of a power that would ruin its com
merce, and withes to monopolize the trade of the
whole world. They publickly declare that rather
than submit to this, they will take their ships and
merchandize to France, and other powers, where
they shall find protection. They call upon the States
to defend the trade of their fubjeds, and the honour
of their King—they offer the loan of any sum, should
it be needed for this purpose ; and scruple not to in
timate, that if this is not done soon, they will do it
at their own charge, and indemnify themselves for the
losses they have sustained. —At the fame time they
profefs their desires for an accommodation, between
France, England and America, that shall be fair and
reasonable, and not prejudicial to the trade of Holland
and the other maritime powers in Europe.—This is a
general idea of affairs inHolland,given by an intelligent
person who came fromSurrinam in the above mentioned
vessel. —America ought to know its own importance ;
to be Ready to its allies and friends; and to extend its
views in all treaties, to the whole commercial world.
We have the pleasure to acquaint the publick that
last Thursday evening arrived here the continental
frigate Queen of France, Capt. Olney, with the ship
Maria of 16 guns, three brigs, and the schooner Hi
bernia, being the remainder of the eight fail captured
by the Warren, Queen of France, and Ranger.
The Ranger, Capt. Simpson, is arrived at Ports
mouth with the other brig and schooner Chance.
It is said the prizes taken by the Warren, &c. turn
out richer than was at firft expeded; every day, in
unlading them, new difeoveries are made of valuable
articles, not included in the invoice. The collective
value, it is now supposed, will exceed an hundred
thousand pound- sterling.
Last evening the brig Tyrannicide, Captain Allen
Hallet, belonging to this state, returned into port
from a fuccefsful cruize ; having taken, since the brig
Revenge mentioned in our last, a schooner bound
from the Weft-Indies for Newfoundland, laden with
rum, sugar, and melaffei; and on Tuesday last a fine
ship of 3CO tons, mounting 14 fix pounders, bound
from Scotland for New-York, laden with dry goods,
and above 1000 barrels ofprovifions of different kinds.
N E W-L ONDO N, April 29.
Last Thursday afternoon was sent into port by the
privateers Hancock and Bever, the sloop Dispatch,
from St. Domingo, laden with rum, sugar, &c. re
taken off Sandy-Hook.
Same day also was sent into port, the schooner
Marlborough, from Bermuda, bound to New-York,
loaded with lumber, captured by the Hancock and
Bever off Sandy-Hook.
The sloop American Revenue has taken and sent
into Guadaloupe, a schooner bound from Antigua to
St. Lucia, with Weft-India goods.
POUGHKEEPSI E, May 3.
An enterprize against the Onondago settlements of
the Indians having been projected, and approved by
His Excellency General Washington, and the direc
tion of it committed to Brigadier-General James Clin
ton, commanding in the northern department; he
on the 7th of April issued his orders, and gave the
execution of them to Col. Van Schaick, commander
of the firft battalion of New-York continental troops,
appointing as second and third in command Lieut.
Col. Willet and Major Cochran, of the 3d N. York
battalions, all officers of approved courage and abili
ties. The detachment for the service confifled of fix
companies of New-York, one of Pennsylvania, one of
Massachusetts troops, and one of rifle-men, amount
ing in the whole to 504 rank and file, officered by t
Col. I Lieut. Col. 1 Major, 9 Captains, 18 Lieuts. &
27 Serjeants. Fort Schuyler being appointed the place
of rendezvous, from thence early on Monday morn
ing the 19th of April, the whole party began their
march, provision for eight days having been previoufl,
sent off in 29 batteaux, into Wood-creek.
After a march of 22 miles, the troops arrived about
3 o'clock A. M. at the old Scow Place, but the boats
having much farther to come, did not arrive till 10
o'clock. As soon as the boats arrived, the whole of
the troops embarked, and upon entering the lake,
were much impeded by a cold head wind
At 8 o'clock in the morning of the 20th, halted at
Piffers bay, till all the boats came up, and then pro
ceeded to the Onondago landing, opposite to old fort
Brewenton, which they reached at 3 o'clock P. M.
From thence, after leaving all the boats with a pro
per guard, they marched 8 or 9 miles on their way to
the Onondago settlements ; and not being able to con
tinue their march in the dark, they lay on their arms
all night, without fire.
Very early on the 21st, they proceeded to the Salt
Lake, an arm of which, 200 yards over, and 4 feet
deep, they forded with their pouches hung to their
fixed bayonets, and advanced to the Onondago Creek,
where Captain Graham took prisoner an Onondago
warrior. The creek not being fordable, the troops
crossed it on a log, and as soon as they were over, the
utmost endeavours were used to surround the settle
ments, but as they extended 8 miles, besides some
scattered habitations lying back of the Castles; and
on the opposite fide of the creek, though our troops
entered their firft settlement, wholly undifeovered by
them, they soon discovered some of our advanced
parties, and took the alarm in all their settlements.
The Colonel however, ordered different routs to be
taken by different parties, in order to surround as
many of their settlements as possible at the fame time:
But the Indians fled precipitately to the woods, not
taking any thing with them. Our troops took 33
Indians, and one white man prisoners, and killed 12
Indians. The whole of their settlements, confiding
of about fifty houses, with a large quantity of corn
and beans, were burnt; a number of fine horses, and
every other kind of flock were killed; about ico guns,
some of which were rifles, were among the plunder;
the whole of which, after the men were loaded, with
as much as they could carry, was destroyed, with a
considerable quantity of ammunition; one swivel,
taken at the council-house, had the trunnions broke
off, and was otherwise damaged; and in fine, the
deftrudion of all their settlements was completed.
After this the troops began to march on their re
turn, re-crossed the creek and forded the arm of the
lake, on the fide of which they encamped on a good
ground. They had been only once interrupted by a
small party of Indians, who fired upon them from the
opposite fide ofthe creek, but were soon beat back by
Lieut. Evan's rifle-men, who killed one of them. On
the 22d the troops marched to the landing, embarked
in good order, and rowed to Seven Mile Island, on the
23d crossed the lake, and landed two miles up Wood
creek, and on Saturday the 24th at 12 o'clock, the
whole detachment returned in fafety to Fort Schuyler,
having been out five days and an half, the whole dis
tance going and returning being 180 miles.
PHILADELPHIA, May 5.
Extras of a letter from Williamsburg, dated April 27.
" A gentleman, last evening from the southward,
brings the agreeable account of Gen. Lincoln's ad
vantage over a part of the enemy's army, who at
tempting to cross the river below him, to cone upon
his back, loft upwards of 700 killed and taken prison
ers. This is credited by many."
The above extrad is the latest intelligence we have
from the southward.
Extrad of a letter from fort Augufla, April 27, 1779.
" I am really sorry to Inform you of our present
disturbances. Not a day but forae of the enemy
make their appearance on our frontiers. On Sunday
last a party of the savages a tacked the inhabitants
that lived near fcrt Jenkins, and took two or three.