The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1781-12-26 00:00:00, page 2

we cou.i o , become so far chriftians as to forbear
fighting. It is rhe remains, the Gothick savageness,
unsubdued by, the spirit of the gospel. It knows
nothing of the immortal foul or its state in futurity,
it is merely the beast that fights, not the man. But
the world is not yet ripe for such doctrines. A
focratic teacher amongst us, arguing on this fubjed,
alks, if it would not be better for mankind in gene
ral, if there were no wars? Yes certainly. We are
assured that such a time is to come, and whether is
it more piobabie that this disposition (hall become
ral at.once or begin amongst a few, spread
tu. ler by degrees, and at length become universal?
Ought not those few then, who think in their con
sciences that to them war ' is unlawful, to abstain
from fighting? most certainly. This we think a
good foundation for us to stand upon, without con
demning others who are not to be persuaded. Have
as much tenderness to such a people as you can.
They are the best friends of humanity.
There is nothing tends so much to keep alive the
spirit of war, as our education. We take part in
all the spirit of heroism displayed with so much ele
gance by the Greek and Roman historians, till the
Ipirit of chriftianity, meek, humble, patient, for
giving, is obliterated from our minds. A woful
exchange for a system replete with good-will to all
me. lam not censuring others, lam pleading for
ourselves, and most fervently wish the day may be
faft advancing, when wars will be no more. I am
the brother of all mankind. 1 know lam writing
to a gentleman who has charity enough to enter ful
ly into my sentiments, and to wish there was not a
clallick extant capable of producing, cherishing,
confirming such sentiments.
Jam obligedtp write in kafte, though the length
of this may afford suspicion my time is not always
employed to the best purposes: Bur as I have con
ceived a very favourable opinion of my very sensible
correspondent, I could wish to give him every proof
of it in my power.
With fervent wishes for universal peace, the hap
piness of America and of every individual in it, that
endeavours to promote its real interest, Piety and
Virtue-- I am to ail such a very cordial friend.
J. Fothergill.
Late London advices, taken from Engli/b prints found
,on board a prize sent into Salem.
CONSTANTINOPLE, August ir.
WE have accounts the plague has this year de
stroyed upwards of 40,000 persons in Salonica,
the capita 1 of Macedonia, near one half of the inha
bitants of Grand Cairo, and at least one third of those
of Alexandria.
Dublin, August 21. It is computed that not four
out of ten !hips bound here efeape being captured
either by American or French privateers.
Hague, Angafl 26. A letter from Versailles, dated
July 30, fays, “ The Dutch Ambarthdor is very
pressing to the Court, for the loan of the Ihipwrights
and other artificers, which were promised to the
States by the King at the commencement of hostilities
with the English, and has certainly received for an
swer, that as soon as the Blips preparing for service
are completed, zoo shall be sent agreeable to promise,
and that 70 were already ordered from Brest."
Sept. 2. Ourfl let have orders to fail after the sth
l of this month, if then joined by the ships from the
i Meuse and Zeland, we know not yet who is to com
mand i' ; it is to consist of 16 fail, and is to have more
thins of the line than Vice-Admiral Zoutman had.
^ ^ , Sept. 4. Divers letters, dated 20th lugurt
/Ij\ written by officers whose veracity and military
wait are well known, do all agree in the circum-
I Lances of the due de Crillon's defeent on the island
of Minorca; they .mention particularly that his ar
lival was perfedly unexpeded. The particulars of
the expedition are the following : Yesterday being
the 19th, we landed on the island of Minorca, after
apaffye of 30 days from Cadiz. At firft the winds
were favourable to us, for in three days we had parted
the ftriits ; our fleet confiding of 105 fail, among
which two were of 70 guns, five frigates, fix xebecks,
and fix bomb vessels. In fight of Carthagena, the
wind bi came quite contrary, and obliged us to come
to for 1, days in a road. Afterwards the winds per
mitting, we proceeded on our voyage ; but calms
coming on y t were still retarded; however, about
the latitude of Malaga the wind favoured us, and
in three days brough us in fight of Minorca. . The
'ardour of the General and of the troops at this
moment was such, as to make us forget the length
and tediousness of our voyage. Every thing was
prepared for the defeent, and if the winds had not
been Wronger than usual upon this coast, and the
difmbarkation of the troops thereby rendered long
and troublesome, we would have perfectly surprised
die enemy ; for they did not know in the least of our
approach, neither did expect us. The commander
An chief having previously concerted the plan of ope
rations, and given all his officers the most particular
instructions, the defeent was made in the following
manner : t Some vessels of war commanded by
don Diego Quevedo were dispatched, before the con
voy could be perceived, to block up Port Mahon,
and prevent any vessels escaping. 1 2 Several other
vessels of War, commanded by don Pedro Carnave
ral, and by don Antonio Ortego, were sent to flint
up in like manner the ports of Fornella and Citadella.
3. A long boat manned with sailors and grena
diers, under the command of an officer of infan
try, was sent before to reconnoitre the coast of the
bay of Mufcheto, the intended landing place. 4.
Several long boats belonging to the squadron of don
Bonaventura Moreno, landed the due de Crillon, fol
lowed by his Brigade Major and Aid de Camps ; this
General was at the head of a brigade of grenadiers,
and the volunteers of Catalonia, commanded by the
Marechal de-Camp the Marquis de Cagigal. 5. At
the fame time, don Felix, second in command, and
don Louis de las Cafas, disembarked several regi
ments. 6. A third division composed of grenadiers,
chaffeurs, and dragoons a foot, under the command
of Colonel the Marquis de Aviles, took possession of
the town of Citadella and of the forts that defended
the entrance of the port, by Forming them. 7. As
soon as a defeent was effected at the bay of Mufcheto,
a brigade of grenadiers and chaffeurs, under the Mar
quis de Penafiel, son of the due d'Ofuna, were or
dered to proceed, either by land or water, to seize
upon Fornella, and to dorm the two forts which de
fend the entrance of this port. This defeent was
covered by several vessels of war, commanded by
don Bonaventura de Moreno. 8. During this time,
don Balthazar de Perma covered the brigade of Sayoy
on their landing at the bay of Alcofar, a league and
a half from Mahon; don Antonia Ortego covered
that of the Marquis d'Avilles, in the environs of
Citadella; and don Pedro Carnaveral was to Cover
that of the Marquis of Penafiel, ifit had been neces
sary for this detachment to have gone by sea to For
nella. 9. Thirty-two transports carrying artillery,
fafeines, gabions, powder, provisions, hospital stores,
&c. were arranged in the rear of the two principal
disembarkations at Mufchefo and Alcofar, in order
to put it out of the power of the enemy, to judge
which was to be the true attack.
From this plan of defeent, which could not be so
completely executed as wished, owing to the con
trary winds, we may judge how much more fuccefs
ful it would have been, if she brigade of Savoy had
not been prevented from effeding a landing for 36
hours, by the bad weather. The two bays, de la
Mufcheto and d'Alcofar, are one league and a half
from fort St. Philip, and about the fame dirtance
from each other :' and if the division at Alcofar could
have effected a landing at the fame time with that at
Mufcheto, they would have prevented the English
troops which were at Mahon from retiring into fort
St. Philip; but the brigade of Savoy could not ef
fect a lauding with the rest of the army, and the
alarm being given, the governor of the fort was ena
bled, by the delay, to draw in the two battalions
which were at Mahon, and to force 500 of theinha
bitants into the fort, which already confined of 2500
men.
The towns and forts of Citadella and Fornella,
surrendered without making any defence. The land
ing which began at three o'clock in the afternoon,
was finished at midnight,- and in 24 hours we became
matters of the whole island, except fort St. Philip.
We expert a reinforcement of 5000 men in a few
days.
LONDO N, August 7
Another of our firft houses have failed for 300,0001.
sterling; our late losses in India, it is said, has been
the cause of the failure: And on Wednesday last two
houses of equal importance ftopt payment. It was
said yesterday that St. Helena was taken by the French.
Extract of a letter from Rye.
" Our coasts swarm with French privateers, our
Vessels dare not leave the road; their crews pillaged
many farmers, and carried away their cattle, poultry,
&c. They .took this morning a vessel from the Ille
of W ight bound here, and have taken many coasters,
within these eight days that they have been off."
Sept. 20. By the latest accounts of the combined
fleets, we. learn, that they separated in four divisions,
one of which bore away for the weft of Ireland to
cruize some leagues off the mouth of the Shannon,
and the other three to cruize in the tracks of our
homeward-bound fleets.
A letter from Plymouth, ofthe 16th, fays, “ This
evening the fleet was out of fight from the Tower,
and if the wind continues brisk, will be out of the
channel to-morrow; it consists of 27 fail of the line,
10 frigates, and 3 fire ships."
Admiralty Office, August 12, 1781.
Copy of a letter from Captain Drury,' of His Moffo's
/loop Camelion, to Mr. Stepbens, dated Shields, Am.
16, 1781.
Be pleased to inform my Lords Commissioners of
the Admiralty, that in consequence of an order
from Vice-Admiral Drake, Commander in Chief of
His Majehy s ships and vessels in the Downs, to ex
ercise between the Galloper, Middleburgh, and the
Broad Fourteens, the 14th instant at 6 A. M. the
1 exel bearing S. E.diftant fix leagues, we gave chace
to a Dutch dogger, belonging to the 'States of Hol
land, mounting 18 fix pounders and 20 swivels- a
quarter before nine got close along fide and desired
him to strike his colours to his Britannic Majesty's
flag; he immediately fired his broadside into us, which
we mftautly returned, and continued the a&ion yard
arm and yard-arm till half part nine, she then blew
up close along fide. The fliock was so very great,
that it ihook the proplJdff their legs, and the cloud
of finoke was so very thick, that it was impossible
to fee each other ,on the deck for the space of two
minutes. It then began to clear away, and we per
ceived our topsails on fire in several places, parti
cularly the main topfall and fore top-gallant-fail,
which I was obliged to cut from the yards. The
fire in our fails was occasioned by the splinters from
the wreck, which had blown up in the explosion;
many pieces of human flefh were found kicking
against our marts and rigging, and some limbs of the
Dutchmen were taken up upon deck. We have great
lealon to believe that his mammaft went over us, as
we saw it about the vessel's length to leeward of us;
his colours flew on hoard us all on fire. We, as soon
as podiole, hoisted out our boat, in hopes of taking
up some of the people, but could not ire one living;
we picked up his pendant and a marine's hat.
, It b with great pleasure I can inform their Lord
foips, that I had only twelve rhen wounded, in the
action, none of which appear at present dangerous.
I am the only officer hint, having from a splinter
received a flight hurt in my leg, which in all pro
bability will be well soon.
A good deal of injury is done to the ship in her fails
and rigging; in her hull there was no shot of con
sequence that I at present know of except one, which
went through between wind and water, knocked
down two men in the magazine, and afterwards
lodged in the master's bedplace.
In jurtice to my flop's company, I cannot conclude
without acquainting their Lordships with the steady
and refouite behaviour of my officers and crew on
this occasion, as it merits my warmest praises and
admiration, and I hope it will recommend them to
their Lordships favour.
N. B. The Camelion mounts 14 guns, 6 pounders,
4 carronades, and 90 men.
From the London Gazette Extraordinary, Ohlober 15.
n ^^^^ °fr, oa. 15, ttr.
Capt. Duncan, of His Majesty's frigate Medea,
arrived at this office late on Saturday night, with
.Rear Admiral Graves, Commander
in Cnief of His Majesty's fleet in North America, to
Mi. Stephens, cf whicli the following are extracts:
London, at Sandy Hook, Auguji 31, 1781.
The 28th Sir Samuel Hood arrived off the Hook
with fourteen fail of the line, four frigates, one sloop,
and a fire thip, from the Weft-Indies. The fame
evening intelligence was brought that Moi I. de Bar
ras had tailed the Saturday before with his whole
squadron. As Sir Samuel Hood had brought 'intel
ligence from the Weft-Indies, that all the French
fleet fi om the Cape were failed, I immediately de
termined to proceed to the Icuthward, in hopes to
intercept the one, or both, if possible.
, . London, at Sea, Sept. 14, 1781.
h ' ° e ^ '° u "'" ° e Pleated to acquaint my L >rds
Commissioners of the Admiralty, that the moment
the wind fervid to carry the ships over the bar, which
wa . B buoyed for the purpose, the squadron came out,
and Sir Samuel Hood getting under fail at the fame
'"''' Proceeded together, cn the 31st of
August, to the southward.
Ihe cruizer> which I had placed before the De
laware, could give me no certain information, and
the ermzers off the Chefapeak had not joined; the
Molds being rather favourable, we approached the
Chelapeak the morning of the sth of September,
when the advanced ship made the signal of a fleet.
VI e loon difeovered a number of great ships at an
chor, which seemed to he extended across the entrance
of the Chefapeak, from Cape Henry to Middle
th ^ y '"' . a frigate cruizing off the Cape,
winch flood in and joined them, and as we approach
ed, the whole fleet got under fail, and stretched out
'°'' a ' ",'th the wind at N. N. E. As we drew nearer,
I formed the line firft a-tead, and then in such a
manner as to bring His Majesty's fleet nearly parallel
to the line of approach of the enemy, and when I
found that our van was advanced as far as the shoal
of the Middle Ground would admit of, I wore the
fleet and brought them upon the fame tack with the
enemy, and nearly parallel to them, though we were
by no means extended with their rear. So soon as I
judged that our van would be able to operate, I made
the signal to bear away and approach, and soon after,
to engage the enemy close.
Somewhat after four the a&ion began amongst the
headmoft pretty close, and soon became general as
far, as the second from the centre towards the rear.
The van of the enemy bore away to enable their
centre to support them, or they would have been cut
"P' The action did not entirely cease till a little
after sunset, though at a considerable distance, for
the centre of the enemy, continued to bear up as it
advanced, and at that moment seemed to have little
more in view than to Shelter their own van as it went
away before the wind.
His Majesty's fleet confided of nineteen fail of the
line; that of the French formed twenty-four fail of
the line. After night I sent the frigates to the van
and rear, to push forward the line and keep it ex
tended with the enemy, with a full intention to re
new the engagement in the morning; but when the
frigate Fortunee returned from the van, I was in
formed that several ships had fuffered so much, they
were in no condition to renew the adion until they
had recured their marts; we however kept well ex
tended with the enemy all night.
We continued all day, the 6th, in fight of each