The New-York gazette, and the weekly Mercury — New-York [N.Y.], 1779-07-26 00:00:00, page 2

a fine fleet there; and that the (hips le Heros,
Ie Jason, la Mignonne, la Gracieufe, la Sui
tane, and others, were under failing orders
for a secret and important expedition against
the English, under the command of a Mr. Ie
Roi de la Grange. This intelligence came
from force French prisoners.
Miv 29. Saturday morning certain advice
was received that the Hawke cutter, which is
arrived at Torbay had seen the French fleet
on the morning of the 23d, aboutig leagues
to the south weft of t'ne Lizard, lying to, and
counted 28 large fail.
The New-York fleet have been spoke with
at sea on the 27th ult.by a ship which is ar
rived at Cork, under convoy, all well.
May 31. Within these fixweeks the Quebec
frigate has taken no less than three prizes on
the coast of Holland ; one of them being load
ed with a considerable quantity of arms and
military stores, is expeded to turn out a valu
able acquisition.
An oxprefs arrived yesterday at one 0 clock
dated May 23, with advice of the Weft-India
fleet having arrived at Falmouth the evening
before.
A French frigate arrived at Brelt the Sth
ind. from the Weft-Indies, but the news ihe
brou ht was kept a profound secret.
Yesterday morning General Grant arrived in
town fron St. Lucia, in the vVell Indies, ana
immediately waited on Lord George Germain,
at his office, to deliver his private dispatches:
he held a long conference with his Lordship,
went afterwards to the Admiralty, to deliver
the dispatches from the Admirals Byron and
Barrington, and this day was presented to the
King at St. James's.
The gallant Sir James Wallace is appointed
Commander of a Squadron of fix frigates, to
cruize between the Bahama Inlands and the
tapes of Virginia.
It is d termined in the British cabinet to at
tack and seize all Dutch ships laden with naval
stores for France, notwithstanding their con
voy, an<| to hazard a war, rather than fuffer
the enemy to be amply supplied through that
quarter.
Lord Sandwich lately declared to the King,
that retiring from the Admiralty would give
him pleasure; to which his Majesty replied,
" But, my Lord, it would give meptin ; your
" cordu£ lhas fatisfied those uho are belt
" judges of it, and in so doing has fatisfied
“ me. Depend on my protection."
Arrived the Pallas frigate, Aid Cabot and
Fortune flcops of war, from Jersey. Also the
Poland, Camel^on, Greyhound, Quebec, and
Ambuscade men of war from the Downs ; also
the Hind man of war, with twenty fail of
transports, having on board 5000 German
troops from Stade, destined for America.
Extras of a letter from Falmouth, May 22.
" Last night arrived off here the Well In
dia fleet ; happy it was that they got fafe here,
for had they been at sea 12 hours longer in all
probability they would have been taken, for
the French fleet was in fight when they made
the land. Some of them fay that had our fleet
been out, they might have come in with the
French fleet b.foie they could have reached
their own coarts. Some of the Weft India
ships were so near them, that they counted
22 ships of the line, besides frigates and ocher
armed ships; in the whole 35 fail."
On Sunday night last at nine o'clock, died
at his house at Knightbridge, in the 83d year
of his age, his Grace John Duke of Rutland,
Marquis of Granby, and Earl of Rutland ;
Baron Roos of Hamlake, Trufout, and Bel
voir ; Baron Manners of Haddon ; Knight of
the Garter and on^ of his Majesty's Privy
Council.
His Grace's honours and estates defeend to
Charles Marquis of Granbv, (now Duke of
Rutland) eldett son of the illurtrious Marquis,
by Lady Frances Seym or, daughter to Charles
Du^e of Somerset.
Wednesday Captain Allen, of his Maj fly's
ship Families, sent up an express to the Admi
ralty office, with an account of the fafe arri
val of the above ship at Spithead, and that he
had brought in a French frigate of 36 guns,
and two other valuable prizes, which he took
while out on a cruize, [ft iuas apprehended the
Rundles had beer, defrayed by fire J
Five fail of the line, four frigates, and roeo
troops of the Irish Brigade, failed on an ex
pedition from 13:^11 the rath of April, under
the command of Mons. La Motte Picquet, and
are fappofed to be defined for America. [This
Fleet <lo,ls said to he defined for Charles-1 oion,
South-Carolina, hut a violent form of voind de
frayed several of the flips and forced the whole
hack into Port.)
Extract of a letter from Portfmoutb, Aprils.
" The grand fleet will not put to sea until
the arrival of a fyiadror of Ruffian men of
war, soon expected at this port, when it will
fail It will consist of four divisions, Red,
Blue, White, and the Ruffian, commanded
bv a Ruffian Admiral."
Ycherday the following French Prizes ar
rived at their moorings in the river, viz. the
Prudent, Captain Cole, from Bourdeaux ; La
Harron, Captain Lloyd; the Pilota, Captain
Bowater ; the Efperance, Captain Gray ; the
Hercules, Captain Elms ; the Marques St.
Maria, Captain Scott, from Martinico ; the
Victory, Captain Louring, from Georgia ; the
Serva Jonge, Captain Tom ; the Count Droys,
Capt. Smith ; and the Vanquet, Capt. Jones,
from St. Domingo.
Weymouth, May 27. Friday last the Mulh
room, Capt. Wilson, fell in with a fleet of
French coasters : we engaged the largert, and
soon made her strike her colours ; then pursu
ed the rest, and obliged fix others to follow
her example ; had her crew been fufficient to
have boarded more, the whole mart have sub-
mitted. The Lieutenant is much hurt, but
likely to recover. As the Mushroom is an old
ship, and only used to the impress business, it
is thought an extraordinary adipo.
June 1. The grand fleet will not fail from
Spithead till the return of Admiral Derby's
squadron from convoying the New-York fleet
to a certain latitude, which is expelled about
the latter end of June.
The camp on the shore of Brest water, js to
contain 4.6,000 men. That near Cherburg,
8000 ; that at St. Maloes, 10,000 ; another
near Dunkirk, of 5000 ; and there are 8000
troops in the town of Rochfort.
A letter received yesterday at Lloyd's coffee
houfe, dated May 29, mentions, that Admiral
Arbuthnot was failed from thence for New-
York, together with his Majesty's ship Sur
prise, with the fleet for Newfoundland.
Admiral Edwards is expeded to fail to mor
row for Newfoundland, in the Portland of 50
guns, Captain Hart.
A- letter from Portsmouth, dated May 30,
fays, " Friday Sir John Lockhart Ross hoiked
his flag on board the Britannia, of 100 guns."
PARIS, May 14.
LETTERS from Rochelle of the 7th inst.
advise, that the division of M. de la
Mothe Piquet had been drove to the lile Aix
in a terrible storm, which he met with on the
coast of Aunis, and wherein, we are assured,
three of the merchant ships under his convoy,
were totally loft.
Madrid, April 22. It was without 'founda
tion that the foreign papers have said, that
Lord Grantham, the Engiifh Ambassador, had
received orders to leave our court, and that
the Marquis d'Almodaver would be recalled
from London ; which indicated an approach
ing rupture between the two courts. Never
was the English Ambassador treated with so
much refpedt as at present ; and we know for
a certainty, that the Marquis d'Almodaver
not only has no thoughts of leaving London,
but there are positive proofs to the contrary.
From Rebel Papers.
Charles-Town, (S Carolina) May 29.
ON the 28th of April, a party of the Bri
tilh,army, f-ii to be 300 of the 71st re
giment, under the command of Major Fraser,
landed 9 miles below Puryfourgh ; and on the
next morning Lieut. Col. Maitland, with the
light infantry of the line and a battalion of
the irt, landed four miles higher up Savannah
river. Col. Mackintolh, who commanded at
Puryfburgh, having only 24.0 men, the major
part of whom Were militia, after calling in all
his out-posts, was obliged to retire as the ene
my advanced towards the town, of which they
took possession that afternoon.,
General Moultrie was at this time polled at
Black-Swamp, with about 800 men. The
enemy's drawing more of their forces on this
fide the river, and advancing higher up, evi
dently indicated an intention of attacking the
General before he could be joined by Colonel
Mackintosh. Gen. Lincoln, with the main
body of the army being then 80 miles further
up the country, Ihould the enemy have suc
ceeded in the attempt, there would be no ob
stacle in their march to Charleftown, and as
their force was treble Gen. Moultrie's, the
work was to be apprehended. These consider
ations induced the General to retire on the
30th, and that night he met Col. Mack
intofh on his march to join him at Black
Swamp. The event proved the propriety of
the movement, as next morning the British
were in possession of the ground our troops
had evacuated.
The General baited at Coofawhatchie that
night, and having marched over the bridge,
before day light next morning proceeded to
Tulifinny, and took poll there. A field offi
cers guard was left at the bridge.
Early in the morning of the zd of May, ad
vice was received that the enemy were in mo
tion, and about two o'clock in the afternoon
an attack was commenced by their advanced
party of light-infantry at the Bridge, where
the guard had been reinforced by 150 riflemen.
Their superior numbers rendered it impoffibie
to flop their progress. Little other loss was
sustained in this Ikirmilh than Colonel John
Laurens, being wounded in the. right arm,
which has as yet deprived the army of that
gallant officer's ferviccs.
The General's army being chiefly composed
of militia, whose families and effefts lay in
the way of the enemy, was every moment di
minishing, and laid him under the necessity of
retiring, which he did by the Saltketcher
road, having destroyed the bridges of Tuli
finny and Pocotaligo in his way. The army
halted for a few hours at the meeting house,
and then marched to afoepoo. They passed
the bridge in the forenoon of the 4th, and
took poll for the rest of the day on the high
grounds near Mr. Pinckney's houses. Intelli
gence was this night received that the enemy's
advanced party had reached Godfrey's Savan
nah, and that their main body had found
means to cross Saltketcher river, notwithstand
ing our having taken the precaution to destroy
the bridge; this joined to the inferior num
ber of our army, which was considerably less
than when it left Black-swamp, and to the na
ture of the country which rendered it impoffi
bie to make a stand without being exposed tn
be surrounded, obliged the General to quit
Afhepoo, between 3 and 4 in the morning of
the ,h. At night die enemy bdkeJ ^ Mr.
Ferguson's plantation, called Spring Gro^t
having destroyed jackfoilborough bridge in
their wav, and reached Bacon bridge next
night, when Gen. Moultrie left the army, and
proceeded to town.
Major Butler, who joined the army at Jack
fonborou >h, with a party of horse, on the 6th
fell in with a foraging party of the enemy 1)
miles to the southward of Parker's ferry.
Three of them belonging to the 71st light in
fantry were taken prisoners, and a few horle
killed and wounded.
Part of Count Poland's legion arrived on
the Sth. „
On the 9th, Colonel Mackintosh with the
troops left at Bacon bridge, and a detachment
from Orangeburgh arrived in town. And
next day Col. Harris, who had been detached
by Gen. Lincoln with 3^ Continental troops
to reinforce Gen. Moultrie, and Col. Neel
with 300 men from Orangeburgh, also ar
rived.
Tn the evening of the icth, intelligence was
received of the royal army being encamped
on the south fide<f Ashley ferry, where they
appeared so suddenly as to prevent t^e ferry
boats being destroyed. The troops ftatioced
in town, regulars and militia, were under
arms the whole night.
The enemy began to cross Ashley ferry at
10 in thef orenoon of the i tth. 1 heir ad
vanced party composed of light infantry, Ca
valry and savages, took port half a mile from
the ferry. Gen. Pulaski after reconnoitring
them left a detachment to watch their motions,
and repaired to town in order to confer with
,ae council. During this interval the enemy
had compleated their passage of the river, and
were advancing in three columns towards the
town. Their advanced guard confided of 200
horse, 400 hrhlanders and fojne Indians;
their rear guard of cavalry.
At the distance of § miles from town, some
of the Count's partv were ordered to fire, prin
cipally with a view of announcing the enemy's
approach. The enemy made frequent halts
in order to explore the ground over which they
were to pass.
The Count who had ordered the infantry of
his corps to form an ambuscade, and directed
a detachment of volunteer horse which he fell
in with to second his infantry, advanced and
made his disposition for inducing the enemy
to detach their cavalry from the head of their
Column. A close fire began, both our cavalry
and infantry charged ; but the latter were ex
ceedingly embarrassed and confined in their
movements by the volunteer horse, owing to a
misapprehension of orders. Notwithstanding
these difficulties and the superiority of the
enemy's numbers, the ground was obstinately
disputed. But at length the order for retreat
became necessary, and the enemy by their
prudence in not advancing escaped the fire of
the artillery from our works. The enemy's
loss was 45 soldiers and officers, and ours 30
in all.
The Count two days afterwards attacked a
detachment of the enemy, took several prison
ers, and obliged the remainder to save them
selves by flight.
About 10 at night, an alarm being given
by one of our centinels, occasioned a general
fire of cannon and musketry from the lines
and armed vessels Rationed 'on the Hanks
Major Benjamin Huger, who had been sent
out with a party to fill up a gap in the abbatis,
and three privates, were unfortunately killed.
He was a gentleman whose memory will be
ever dear to all those who had the happiness of
knowing him : and whether considered as a
citizen, as a soldier, as the father of a family,
or as a friend, is universally regretted. The
enemy had several men killed, they fay chiefly
from the flipping.
On the morning of the izth, Major Gard
ner of the 60th regiment, was met with at
some difiance from the lines, bearing a flag
from Gen. Prevoft. Several others palled and
repaired ; but in the afternoon all further in
tercourse of that kind was difeontinued, and
every preparation nYade for vigorously repell
ing a general assault expelled at night, which
however was never attempted.
Early in the morning of the 13th Count
Pulaski went out with a small party of horse
to reconnoitre ; and the furprize was Scarcely
to be conceived, which was occasioned by his
fending intelligence of the enemy having de
camped and recrossed Ashley ferry. Eleven
deserters, and about as many prisoners were
brought into town during the course of the
day.
The sudden departure of the enemy gave
rife to a variety of conjectures; the most pro
bable appeared to their being misinformed re
fpeding the strength of the garrison and works,
and their having some intimation of General
Lincoln's approach. They were for several
days after their retreat, encamped in different
places in the neighbourhood of Ashley ferry
and on James Island. On Gen. Lincoln's
coming to Ashley ferry, they drew in force
towards Wappoo, and it was imagined meant
to hazard an action, but the night before last
suddenly decamped and passed over to John's
Island, where by the last accounts they are at
present. Some are of opinion that they in
tend proceeding through the islands to Port-
Royal.
A party of 'he John's Island Port-Royal
Militia, Rationed at Stoutenburgh's landing,
were surprised on Friday morning the 21st by a
party of the British light infantry, command
ed by Major Graham of the 16th regiment,
and several wounded 'with bayonets. The
others that were taken prisoners are since ex
changed.
As some movements of the enemy gave rra
fon to imagine they intended attacking Fo.t
Johnson, and the greater part of tae forces
then in this neighbourhood being required for
the defence of the works in town, that forti
fication was blown up on the 12th. Great
Dart of the ball, &c. have been since brought
off. 30 of Capt. Matthew's company of the
Charieltown militia being sent down to cover
a party employed in bringing off Sumi mere
of the iron work, were attacked on Saturday
by M^jor Gardner with a Superior number of
men, but were fortunate enough to escape
with the loss of 7 wounded and one taken
prisoner.
Public AuElion.
This D A 2', ^viU be SOLD,
By Taylor and Bayard,
At their Auction Roosts corner of tf'allfriCt,
eppofte Mr. Rivington's,
400 Pieces IriSh linen, 100 pieces yard wide
cotton checks, 20 pieces Sheeting. Bgq ready
made Shuts, a few pieces costings, fouie blank
books, bladders fnuff, &c.
1 0-morro-zu, between it and 12 o'clock, oppofte
the Coffee- HouJe Bridge,
zoo cases geneva, to hogsheads rim, 20
boxes starch.
At the Merchant's Coffee-Houfe, betiveen 12 and
a o'clock,
The Sloop Black Prince, burthen about 75
tons, and the Schooner Planter's -Folly, bur
tJien about So tons, both Strong Stout vessels,
and well found, lying at Walton's wharf —
Inventories to be seen at the time of sale, or
before at Taylor and Bayard's office.
On Lburfday, at the Merchant's Coffee-Houfe,
between 12 and 1 o'clock,
The Privateer Sloop American Revenue, a
remarkable fall-failing fine L'e muda built
Sloop, with all her guns, stores, &c. as She
now lays at Hallett's wharf. Inventory to be
seen at the time of sale.
Duncan,Barclay,& Co.
Have to dispose of at priva e Sale,
A Quantity cf excellent DUMB FISH,
a few tierces of Liver oil, old Barbadoes
spirits in quarter calks, and rum in puncheons.
Also one Seventh Part of the fine privateer
Sloop King George, David Fenton, Master,
as She now lies at Ten Eyke's wharf. She is
a fall failing velfel, mounts ten double forti
fied four pounders, with swivels and cohorns,
and in every refped well found Inventory to
be seen at their office, No. 516, Hanover-
Square.
BROKE into the inclofure of J. Le^ke, at the
Hermitage a few days ago, a COW and a
HEIFER ; also feme Weeks ago another COW,
heretofore advertised in this paper. The Owner or
Owners can have them again, proving Property and
paying Charges, by applying as above.
To-morrow, at Twelve o'clock, at the
Coffee House,
A QUANTITY of CHOICE
VI N E G A R,
In HOGSHEADS and BARRELS.
Patrick M"Davitt.
Public Au&ion.
TO-MORROW,
At 12 o'clock at the Coffee-Houle <wil be fold by
JOHN M'ADAM, "and Co.
The Privateer Sloop W I T C H,
With all her guns, stores, &c. is a remark
able fine Vcffel, well found in fails, anchors
and cables, and a fall sailer. Inventory to be
seen on board at Well's wharf, and at their
office.
To the Humane and Charitable.
THE Subscriber, Elizabeth Lindsey,
on her Passage from England to New-
York, in the armed Brig Earl cf Sandwich,
of 14 Guns and 43 Men, commanded by J< -
feph Cluff, fell in with the Black Prince, a
Rebel Privateer of 20 Guns and 130 Men,
commanded by Elias Smith, the 31st July,
1778, and was taken after an Engagement of
three Glasses; during which, while the Sub
fcribcr was handing Cartridges along, she had
the Misfortune to have both her Thighs broke
bya Cannon Ball: She has fuffered an Ampu
tation of one, and has loft the Use of the
ether for Want of proper Attendance, and has
been ever since a Prisoner in Boston, until the
13th ult. when she was put on board a Flag
for New-York. She is now a real Objeft of
Charity, in a strange Country, without Mo
ney or Friends, and is nct in a Condition to
help hers If; she therefore hopes the humane
and charitable Ladies and Gentlemen of this
Town will confider her unhappy Situation,
and affirt her to procure a Palfage to England,
her native Home. - The fiuallcft Donations,
(which will be received by H. Gaine, Printer)
will be most gratefully acknowledged by the
unfortunate Subscriber,
ELIZABETH LINDSEY.
FIVE DOLLARS, Reward.
RUN AWAY oq Thursday Morning;
Jaft, from the subscriber living in the bowery
at the sign of the Recruiting Serjeant, a likely Neg^&
Winch, named BINA, 30 years of age, about §
feet 6 Inches high, had on when she went away an
ofoaburg jacket and pettycoa', and carried away a
Virginia kerfey jacket and pettycoat. I fufpea Ihe it
lurking about the Virginia negro honfes, and hereby
forworn any person, tybite or black) from harbour
ing or enteriaining her ri their peril. Whoever
takes her up and brings her to me, shall have five
dollars reward.
JAMES DUN.