The Freeman's journal, or, New-Hampshire gazette — Portsmouth, N.H., 1778-06-02 00:00:00, page 3

. FISH-KILL, May 14.
Extras of a letter from a principal officer, on the
Northern frontiers of this States, to his Excel
lency Governor Clinton, dated May the 4th.
" Two deserters came in lad Friday night
to Dufet, have been sixteen days from St.
John's, inform us that the eneyny are remov
ing their cannon over the carrying place to
wards Montreal, that there was a general talk
of the French being in the mouth of the ri
ver St. Lawrence ;—That Governor Carlton
had ordered a number of Canadians from
every parish to take up arms, and on their
retulal lent the German troops to compel
them, on which an engagement had ensued,
and fifty Germans fell. That a great sickness
attended rnem, and Icarce any lavages were
with them."
We hear by a person just arrived from New-
Jerfey,That a considerable number ot British
ships and troops had made a push up the De
laware, as far as 1 reriton, where they burnt
feme of our Whipping and destroyed several
made in Fort Washington,two thirds of them 1
perished by the unexampled cruelty and rig
ours of their captivity. Even in England,tnc
Severities which the American prisoners fuff^t
are, according to the testimony of every one
we have seen, of the mod grievous kind.
Stripes have been infli&ed on'lome, to mak>
them commit the deepest of all crimes, the
fighting against the liberties of their country.
Numbers are now groaning in bondage in
Africa, and India, to which they were com
pelled by menaces of an immediate ignomi
ni >us death ; as contrary to every rule of war
among civilized nations, as to every dictate
of humanity.
'' It is with the greatest regret we mention
these cruelties. For the honor of humanity
we hope they will not be committed again.
Your Lordihip must know, that it is in th^
power of thole we have the honor to repre
sent, to make ample retaliation upon the nu
merous prisoners of allranks in their poffefli
on; and we warn and beiecou you not to
render it their indifpenfible duty. Upwards
of 500 British seamen have bren generously
treated, set at liberty by our cruizers in these
seas, and sent at the public expence .to their
country. Wc-trurt, you will think yourselves
bound to diimifs an equal number offeamen,
taken in the lervice of the United States.
" We allo desire, that a perlon appointed
by us may have permission to iurnifh the fub
je&s ofthe United States,who are in your pri
fons,with the necessaries they may want from
time to time ; and that a general cartel may
be immediately fettled, by which the unfor
tunate on bothjides may be relieved as soon
as possible fromthe miseries of imprisonment.
" We mutt beg a speedy answer, that we
may transmit, without delay, the determi
nation of your court to our con ftjfuents.
''We have the honor to be, with the
highest refpe&, My Lord,
Your Lordships most obedient,
And mod humble servants,
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN,
SILAS DEANE,
ARTHUR LEE,
Commiffoners Plenipotentiary from the Independ
Paffa, near Paris, Dep. 12th, 1777.
The answer received from government the
3d of January, 1778, on the fubjed of the
American prifoners,is to the following effe&:
" His Majesty's servants do not approve of
the proposal of infpedors. They underhand
the eftabliihment of the prisoners to be what
is usual and proper in such cases; if there has
been any neglect, they shall give ftri& or
ders to have it rectified, and they will always
be ready to'redrefs any complaints that shall
be made. The prisoners shall be permitted
to receive, under proper regulations, any cha
ratable donations in their favour. Besides this,
government are disposed, and have it in their
intentions, as opportunity shall offer, to ex
change them in America against British pri
soners there. If any complaints are made
throngh the hands of Mr. Hartley, or through
any other proper channel, they will be taken
into consideration, according to the case, and
redressed."
" This moment received a Letter, by Ex
" press, from General WASHINGTON,
“ in which he fays— He thinks the Enemy'
“ are preparing to evacuate Philadelphia, &
" direfts me to prepare Forage upon the dis
“ ferent Routs from our prefentCamp to the
"North River."-.-General GATES adds
" ~ It seems now, if we can secure the
“ New England States, that America, Peace,
Freedom, and Independency are our own."'
In the 2d, General GATESenclofes his Eg
cellency General WASHINGTON'S Let
ter to him, dated Valley Forge, May i 7 ch
Infant. In which the fame idea of Evacua.
Extras of a Letter from Hertford, May 23.
"Last Night and this Morning another Ex
press arrived from Major General GATES
with Letters ; the firft enctofr^—ExtraH 'of
a Letter from Major-General GREENE, Q.
M. General at Morris-Town, May 19,1778°
viz. j ss•
Since our l@ft, the Oliver Cromwell and Defence
Veffeh of War (belonging, to the Scale of Connecticut)
have sent fafe into port two valuable prizes, viz. the
(hip Admiral Kepple, Abrah-m Brown, and the ship
Cyrus, — Drake, late master ; the former bound from
Bristol to St, Kuta & Jamaica, & the lauer from Brifiol
to Nevis and J rmaica, and both concerted together.
The Admiral Kepple mounted eighteen 6 pounders, &
had 47 men, the Cyrus fix een 6 a<d 4 pounders, and
37 men, both Letters of Marque, which they took af
ter an obstinate engagement of 47 minures. The con
rents of their cargoes are not yet come to hand. The
Oliver Cromwell had 59 of her bands sick of the small
pox at the lame time of the engagement, and we hear
they loft eleven killed.
By letters from captain G. Conyngham in the Re
venge Cutter,(an AmericanCruizer sited out in France)
we learh, that he had taken five prizes two of which
were merchant brigs, one a snow mounting 8 carriage
guns, one a Letter of Marque ffiip of ;6 guns, and a
King's Tender fitted out at Gibrriter to cruize ; this
last, after taking, he burnt. — H's Leites were
dated at Cadiz Bay, the 29th ofM^rch left.
We learn from Providence, that early on Monday
Mordini ' a "' a Detachment of the EnemyemboikeJ
at Rhode liiand, and landing r'cte frown or Warren,
where, after destroying two Houfes,3 Number of Boats,
' w f Gundalos, and a small Pri a:eer, they proceeded to
Bristol, cutting off the Communication to the Main ;
they there burnt the Church, feverri Dwelling Houses
took a Col. and a Party of Men, polled dw^Prifoneri.
and then made a percip'tate Retreat to the Aland.
The Militia of the adjacent Tow^ mufteced with their
usual Alacrity, but were too laic to check their Helijh
Career.
A Letter from Chatham, of May 16th, fays, " A
great Number of Houses are taking up in New York
for People in Philadelphia : Boats are bringing to the
Weft End of Staten Island, and e^ery appearance of
evacuating Philadelphia ; the British Ar^y will doubt
left cross Jersey.
§3 On the 34 of this Infant Ma% at ten /Clock in the
Marni ;, the Managers of the United State, LOTTERY,
began the Drawing of the First Class, at the Court-Houfa
tn York flows, acceding to the dime affixed by them.
Tuesday last arrived fafe in Port, a pnze^ip ; fee mat
bound from Madeira to Barbadoes, where fee but just an.
chor'd, when foe was cut out from be Moorings. Captain
Bifap in the privateer sloop Sally, took her. The cargo on
board, isJaid to be upwards of 300 pipes of Madeira Wine,
*c.&c. &c.•
houses alpng the river. The Jersey militia
turned out with their usual ardour, in order to
meet these imaginary conquerors of America,
and should they,eave their hupping,we doubt
out but they will have reason to repent their
villainous adventure.
About the beginning of April, the Com
u»dioners met at Germantown,to fix a cartel
tor the exchange of prisoners. On Gen.
Howe's part were lent, Col, O'Hara, Col.
Stephens, and Capt. Fitzpatrick ; on Gen.
Washington's, Cols. Grayfoh, Harrison and
Hamilton, and Elias Boudnot, Esq; Com
missary of Prisoners. On examining their
commissions and powers to negotiate, it was ,
found, that Gen. Howe's c^mmiffion had noj
recital of the authority under which his Com
miilioners were to a&, it was nothing more
than his own personal order; Gen. Washing
ton's was, by virtue of power delegated to him
from the United States. £AT? altercation
and reasoning enfued,but ' ^le purpose.—
The much defire'd exchange vT* no; effca^J,"
and the meeting broke up without answer
ing its important purpose.
—ra^effWiil&flfl,niimrot j„
BOSTON, Ma, 28.
TO BE SOLD AT PUBLIC VENDUE,
°: T 's%! be 4 " °' J°" e °' xt/ at o'clock
A. M. on tape ^aff^ Wharfe, & following
Articles, viz. / °
combat Set of Sugar Works
Confuting of Mill Cases Five C%p#Boi|er,,
Aheels, fron Bars, hire ftrine, &c. *
Ten Four Pounders. Four Three Pauadere *
'"' o' a , Cheft ° f TEA Some Rozlg, & c .
if'tJmouth, May ißtb. 1778,
0 The Sale of the afouffleiforfat ti.w.
jtion is held up, with General GATES's An
;fwer .the latter request our fix Battalions
lofI of Militia to be held in readiness, to March
; On the shortest Notice."
j POUGHKEEPSIE, May 17.
1 Extrad of a letter from Lancaster, May 4;
j" The Army increases very fafl, and are
I moftly well eloathed & in high spirits. There
have been betts laid in this town as high.as
£ 1000 to£.2o^o,that we shall be in peffefi
fion of Philadelphia by the 27th of June, and
a fettled peace by theist of November,
which God grant. Last week 150 of the
enemy (Germans) came out in a body, with
their arms and farrender'd ; federal of them
I have seen who came into the country to
Iwork."
Extras of another Letter from Lancafler,
• May,
'' Spain has gt~„;,d thiee millions ^
[ Dollars to be landed in America. -France
as many more."
To be fold by public Vendue,
At the House of Mrs. Tilton's, Innholder in Portjmoutb;
Turfday tbe fxteextb Day of June next, Four o'ClocE
in the Afternoon,
qfHirty one Acres & one third
°f PaJlure Land, situate in Portsmouth, and lying
at the Head of Mr. John Banfield's Land. Condition
of Sale to be seen at Time and Place.—.—
The above to be Sold by Joseph Pattinfon, who will
give a Warrantee Deed of tbo fame.
Newington, May 27th, 1778.
To be fold at Public Vendue
^ ^'""'^V' h Day ° f ^ 2l Stofe No. 5,1
Sherburne /Wharfe, at to o'C ock •
lINNENS, Calamancoes Chints, Thread-ftofo
& er :% D °"r '''diThread, Lawns, Breeches^
Furniture > choice B ° h e3
and &een J EA, Loaf-bugar, Coffee ; —- Nails - a
few Pipes of choice MADERIA : About
, r , of BEE, and ,on .... A^ a N^^
of other A-^cles. P^t^uth, M, 25th 1778;
Portsmouth.
The Select-men of the Town of
Portsmouth, take this Method to inform the
Inhabitants of said Town, That the LAW
prohibiting SWINE going at large in said
Town, is Bill in Force ; and unless they im
mediately confine their HOGS, which are a
,public Nufance, they will be taken and fold
as the LAW direfts.
Portsmouth, June 1, 1778/
NO lIC Eis hereby given,
to the Inhabitants' of the Town of PortG
mouth, who have not render'd their Invoi^
ces of their Rateable Estate for the current
Year, that the Seleft men of said Town
will receive all that are properly attested and
brought to them by the 20th Instant.
To be fold, a Schooner,
About thirty eight fy, and about fix Years old. middling
well found, a ffang well built Vfil : A, p,./„„ so
efrg to purcbafe fab a Kfcl, may apply to THOMAS
Bell at New-CaJPe.
Io be fold, a Lot of Land, ~
FIFTY Feet front, and eighty Feet deep,'
with a good House, four Rooms on the
Floor ; a Barn, and other Conveniences there
on, situated in Deer-Street. Enquire of Mr.
Cotton Palmer. of Portsmouth. June 2d.