The New-York gazette, and the weekly Mercury — New-York [N.Y.], 1776-09-30 00:00:00, page 2

Whitehall, June 10, 1776.
r,HIS morning Major Caldwell, Lieutenant
Colonel Commandant of the British Mi
litia i? Canada, arrived from Quebec, in his
Majesty's sloop Hunter; by whom was received
the .Rawing letter froffi General Carleton to
Lord George Germain, together with the copy
of a letter from General Carleton to General
Hawo.
Quebec, May 14, 1.776.
My Lord,
AFTER this town had been elofely inveffed
by the rebels for five months, and had
defeated all their art mpts, the Surprize frigate,
Isis, anfl Roop Martin came into the Bafen the
6th inflant.
As soon as that part of the 29th they bad ph
board with their marines, in all about' two hun
dred, were landed, they, with the greatest part
cf the garrison, by this time much improved,
and in high spirits, marched out of the Forts of
St. Louis and St John's, to fee what those
mighty bpafters were about; they were found
very busy in their preparations for a retreat; a
few Riots being exchanged, the line marched
forward, and the plains were focn cleared of
these plunderers ; all their artillery, military
Rores, leading ladders, petards, &c. &c. were
abandoned : The Enterprize, Martin, and a
province armed ytffel, went up the river, when
they ano quitted the Gafpee, and the armed
schooner M^ry : The rear of the rebels have
halted at Dechambault, and the Surprize, with
the o^her t + 0 vefleh # are a little upon- this fide
of the Falls of Richelieu.
.This ended our siege and blockade ; during
which the mixed garrison of soldiers, feilors,
British and Cm^dian militia, with the artificers
from Halifax and Newfoundland, shewed great
zeal 2r\ ppierce, under very severe duty and
u>c ~ , r vigilance, indifpenfible in a place
liable .0 b R med, bafices great labour necef
fvi r n&cr fcch attempts less practicable.
/rkrtending the inclement season they
p / vtd good health, and their spirits encreafed
,y day; A copy of my letter to General
iowe will informyour Lordship cf our fixation
io the defeat of the rebels upon the 31st of Dec.
Fer three months after they confined their
(operations to the preventing all supplies from
coming to town, a d in burning our suburbs
and Dipping ; toe iatter have almoß all escaped,
but the great ft part of the suburbs of St. Roque
aud . St, John have been burnt; the remainder
was brought into town for fuel, which was much
wanted.
befitate about giving any :nf,;er, but Rill kept
Handing toward; us ; and on being alked what
other ships were in company with her, they
answered, the Columbus and Alfred, a 22 gun
frigate; and almost immdiately a hand granade
was thrown out of her top. We exchanged
our broadsides ; she then fhrt a head, and lay
cn our b'^w, to make room for a large ship,
'with a top-light, to come on our broadside,
and another ship ran under our stern, raked as
she palled, and then lust up on our lee-beam,
vhi!ft a brig took her Ration on our larboard
quarter; and a sloop kept altering her Ration
accordingly. At four the Ration of every vef
fc. was altered, as the two ships had dropped
cat.;quarter, and a brig kept astern, giving
a:.itinual fire. Bore away, and made fail for
rude Iflaud, with the whole fleet within mus
^ Riot- on our quarters and stern. Got two
stern chafe guns out of the cabin, and kept
g^ng and receiving a very warm fire. At
day-light perceived the Rebel fleet to consist of
two fliips, two brigs, and a Roop, and a large
fliip and a snow which kept to windward as soon
as the action began. At half pnft fix the fleet
hauled their win and at seven tacked and
flood to the S. S. W. We had one man killed
and three wounded by the mufquetry from the
enemy."
The beginningof February the rebels again
attempted to enter into a cbrrefpondence by a
flag of truce, encouraged to it, I suppose, by a
pernwfficn g;ar,ted for the prisoners baggage to
enter the town ; but as they were told immedi
ately to withdraw, unless they came to implore
the King's mercy, they have not since returned.
—.March the 2;th, the advance guard of a party,
railed by Mr. Beaujeu to relieve the town, was
defeated ; the rest dispersed. The 3 ift it was
discovered that the rebel prisoners had formed a
plot to escape, to seize the guard of St. John's
Gate, and let in Mr. Arnold ; which was effec
tually disappointed.
The 4.tf of April the rebels opened a bat
tery of four guns and one howitzer from the
opposite fide of the river Su Lawrence ; and the
zzd another of two guns and one howitzer
from the opposite fide cf the river St. Charles :
these were also intended to burn the town and
Dipping. Frora both they fired red hot balls.
The 23d they attempted throwing some shells
intoto rom a battery on the heights opposite
to port -'Louis: Ad these batteries were much
dama, d^ our artillery.
My ^ 3d, about ten at night, a firelhip at
tempted to run into the C.d-de-Sac where the
greateit part of our Shipping were up; but this
also proved abortive, and ihe burned to the
wall's edge, without doing us the least injury :
It is supposed they intended a general assault,
had they succeeded in fetriog fire to the fliips and
lower town.
I cannot conclude this letter without doin,
jugice to Lieutenant Colonel Maclean, who has
been indefatigably zealous in the King's service,
and to his regiments, u herein - ? has cdle&ed a
number of experienced gona f.cars, who have
been very ufefuh "Colonel Hamilton, who
commanded the battalion of seamen, his officers,
and men, discharged their duty with great ala
crity and fpirir. The fume thing mull be ac
* Captain cf his Majesty's Lip Lizard.
From the London Gazette Extraordinary
G. C.
Extras of a letter from Edinburgh, May 28.
“ Yesterday Lord Cathcart, his Majesty's
Commiffi )ner, came to the Aflembly, and deli
vered a very elegant and animated speech from
the throne, in which his Grace tock a view cf
the present situation of public affairs. He said
the rebels were not only carrying on a defenfive
but an offenfive war, as they had invaded and
taken possession of the whole of the populous
province cf Canada, Quebec, he hoped, ex
cepted ; but the great armamtnt fitted out, he
trusted, was more than Efficient to reduce the
rebels to a proper sense of their duty. His
Grace took notice es the propriety of appoint
ing Lord Howe and General Howe to the com
mand of the fleet and army, and of fending
out the olive branch with Lord Howe, as well
as the sword. He paid many encomiums on the
valour, experience, judgment, and other virtues
of the two commanders. He reminded the
Aflembly of their loyalty on former occasions,
which he had net rhe smallest doubt they would
teftify to his Majesty on the present alarming
crisis.
After every preparatory stratagem had been
used to intimidate our wretched garrison, as Mr.
Montgomery was pleased to call it, an assault
was given the 31st of December, between four
and five in the morning, during a snow fiorra
from the north-east. The alarm was general ;
from the fide of the river St. Laurence, along
the fortified front, round to the bafon, every
part seemed equally threatened. Two real
attacks took place upon the lower town: one
under Cape Diamond, led by Mr. Montgomery,
the other by Mr. Arnold, upon the part called
the Saut au Matelot. This at firft met with
some success, but in the end was flopped. A
sally from the upper town under Capt. Laws
attacked their rear, and sent in many prisoners;
Captain M'Dougal afterwards reinforced this
party, and followed the rebels into the post they
bad taken. Thus Mr. Arnold's corps, himfelf
and a few others excepted, who were wounded
and carried off early, were campleatly ruined.
They were caught as it were in a trap; we
brought in their five mortars and one cannon.
The other attack was soon repulsed with daugh
ter. Mr. Montgomery was left among the dead.
The rebels have loft on this assault between fix
and seven hundred men, and between forty and
fifty officers, killed, wounded, and taken pri
foners. We had only one Lieutenant of the
navy, doing duty as a Captain in the garrison,
and four rank and file, killed, and thirteen rank
and file wounded; two of the latter are since
dead.
" The Reverend Principal Robertson then
moved for a loyal Address to his Majesty. He
was seconded by the Rev. Dr. Hamilton at
Glasgow, who said a few words on the necessity
of reducing the Americans to obedience. A
Committee was unanimously appointed to draw
up a loyal Address, and report the fame to the
Assembly this day, for their approbation.
Z% 6. Yesterday his Grace the Duke of
Montague, killed his Majesty's Hand on being
appointed Governor to their Royal Highnesses
the Prince cf Wales and Biffiop of Ofnaburgh,
s did Sir Charles Thompson, cn being ap
poi ited Sub-Governor, and Capt. Hotham, on
being appointed Secretary. His Grace was af
terwards admitted one of his Majesty's most Ho
nourable Privy Council, and took his feat ac
cordingly.
The celebrated Edward Woftley Montague,
Efy died on his return Lem Venice to England.
knovledged of the matters, inferior officers, and ;
teamen belonging to his Majefty'stpmfports,l
and merchant-men detained here last fall : only
one fenman deserted the whole time. The mi
litia, British and Canadian, behaved with a stea
diness and resolution that could hardly have been
expefted frem men urarfed to arms. Judges,
and other officers of government, as well as
merchants, cheerfully submitted to every incon
venience, to preserve the town ; the whole in
deed upon the occasion shewed a spirit and per
severance that do them great honour.
The 4.7 th from Halifax, and the greatest part
of the 29th, are since arrived.
Major Caldwell, who commanded the British
militia all winter, as Lieutenant Colonel Com
mandant, and is bearer of these dispatches to
your Lordship, has proved himfelf a faithful
fubjad of his Majesty, and an active diligent
officer. He, and indeed almost every loyal fub
je&, are very considerable fufterers by the present
hostile invasion. I am, &c.
GUY CARLETON.
Copy °f a Letter from General Carleton to General
Home, dated ^ebec, fan. 12, 1776.
SIR,
CT~'HE sth of December Mr. Montgomery
I took post at St. Croix, within less than
two miles of Quebec, with some field artillery;
his heavy cannon were landed at Caprouge; at
the fame time Arnold's party tock possession of
the other avenues leading to the town, and pre
vented all Communication with the country. —
The 7th a woman stole Into town with letters
addressed to the principal merchants, advising
them to an immediate submission, and promising
great indulgence in case of their compliance.
Inclofed was a letter to me in very extraordinary
language, and a summons to deliver up the
fow< ; the mefienger was sent to prison for a
few days, And drummed out.
To give\more efficacy to these letters, five
Email mortars were brought to St. Rock's, and a
battery of five cannon and one howitzer railed
upon the heights within about seven hundred
yards of the walls. Soon after Arnold appeared
with a white flag, said he had a letter for me,
but was refufed admittance, and ordered to
/Carry back his letter.
Ycu will be pleased to transmit a copy of my
letter to the Secretary of State, by the firft op
portunity, for his Majesty's information, &c.
' NEW-YORK, Sept. 30.' I
On Saturthythe 21st Infant, we had a terrible)
Fire in this City, which cenfurned about One|
^boufand Houses, or nearly a fourth of the whole 1
City. The following is the belt Account we can|
collet of this melancholy Event. The Fire broke
out firlt at the most foutberiy Part of the City,;
near White-Hall; and was Recovered between
rz and 1 o'Clock in the Morning, the [Wind §
blowing very freth frem the South, and the Wea-j
ther exceedingly dry. The Rebel Army having ]
carried off all the Bells of the City, the Alarm |
could not be speedily communicated ; and very|
few of the Citizens were in Town, most of them
being driven out by the Calamities of War, and
several of the firft Rank lent Prisoners to New-
England, and other distant Parts. A few Mi
nutes after the Fire was discovered at White-Hall,
it was observed to break out in five or fix other
Places, at a considerable Distance.
In this dreadful Situation, when the whole City
was threatened with Destruction, Major General
Robertson, who had the Chief Command, sent
immediately for two Regiments that were en
camped near the City, placed Guards in the seve
ral Streets, and took every other Precaution that
was practicable to ward off the impending Ruin.
Lord'HowE ordered the Boats of the Fleet to be
manned, and after landing a large Number of
Officers and Seamen to assist us, the Boats were
Rationed on each Side of the City in the North
and East Rivers; and the Lines near the Royal
Army were extended across the Island, as it mani
feffly appeared that the City was designedly set on
Fire.
The Fire raged with inconceivable Violence ;
andin its deftrudive Progress swept away all the
Buddings between Broad Street and rhe North-
River, almost as high as the City-Hall ; and from
thence, all the Houles between Broad-W?y and
the North-River as far as King's College, a
few only excepted. Long before the main Fire
reached Trinity Church, that large, ancient and
venerable Edifice was in Flames, which baffled
every Effort to suppress them. The Steeple,
which was 140 Feet high, the upper Part of
Wood, and placed cn an elevated Situation, re
sembled a vast Pyramid of Fire, and exhibited a
most grand and awful Spe&acie. Several Women
and Children perished in the Fire ; their Shrieks,
joined to the roaring of the Flames, the Crash of
failing Houles, and the wide spread Ruin which
eveiy where appeared, formed a Scene of Horror
great beyond Description, and which was frill
heightened by the Darkriefs of the Night. Betides
Trinity Church, the Rector's Heufe, the Charity
School, the Oid Lutheran Church, and many
other fine Buildings were.con fumed. St. Paul's
Church and King's College were dirt&ly in the line
of Fire, but laved with very great D ffi-uhy, After
raging about 10 Hours, the Fire was extinguished
between 10 and 11 o'Clock, A. M.
During this complicated Scene of Devastation
I and Diftrefa at which the most savage Heart
I might relent, several Persons were discovered
; with large Bundles of Matches, dipped in melted
/ Rosin and Brimftohe, and attempting to set Fire
5 to the Houses. A New. England Man, who had
I a Captain's Commiffim under the Continental
I Congrefs, and in their Service, was seized with
Ithefe dreadful Implements of Ruin---cn being
Ifearched, the Sum of 5001- was found upon him.
I General Robertson related two of thole Incen-
Idiaries from tie enraged Populace, who had other
[wife consigned them to the Flames, and reserved
them for the Hand of deliberate Justice. One
Weight White, a Carpenter, was observed to cut
the Leather Buckets which conveyed Water---
he also woun id, with a Cutlass, a Woman
who ws very active in handing Water. This
provoked the Spectators to such a Degree, that
they instantly hung him up. One of thoe Vil
lains set Fir? to the College, and was seized ; ma
ny others were detected in the like Crime, and
secured.
The Officers of the Army and Navy, the Sea
men and Soldiers, greatly exerted themselves,
loften with the utmost Hazard to themselves, and
I shewed all that Alertness and Activity for which
I they are justly celebrated on such Occasions. To
I their vigorous Efforts in pullingdown such Wood
en Buildings as would conduct rhe Fire, it is ow
ing, under Providence, that the whole City was
not consumed ; for the Number of Inhabitants
was final), the Pumps and Fire-Engines were very
much out of Order. This last Circumrtance, to
gether with the Removal of our Bells, the Time
and Place of the Fire's breaking out, when the
Wind was South, the City's being set on Fire in
so many different Places nearly at the fame Time,
fa many Incendiaries being caught in the very
Fad of setting Fire to Houles: These, to mention
no other Particulars, clearly evince beyond the
Possibility of Doubt, that this diabolical Affair
was the Result of a preconcerted, deliberate
Scheme. Thus, the Persons who called t*em
fe,ves our Friends and Protedors, were the Perpe
trators of this atrocious Deed; which in Guilt and
Villainy is not inferior to the Gun-Powder Plot :
Whillt those who were held up as our Enemies,
were the People who gallantly ftept forth, at the ;
Rifque of their Lives, to snatch us from Deftruc-|
tion ! Our Distresses were very great indeed be
fore ; but this Disaster has increased them tenfold.
Many Hundreds of Families have loft their all ;
and are reduced from a State of Affluence to the
Iqweft Ebb of Want and Wrctchednefs---deftitute
of Shelter, Food or Cloathing.
Surely, " there mult be some chosen Curse---
" some secret Thunder in the Stores of Heaven ;
“ red with uncommon Wrath to blast" the Mis
creants who thus wantonly sport with the Lives,
Property, and Happiness of their Fellow Crea
tures, and unfeelingly doom them to inevitable
Ruin.
On Thursday the Halifax Packet, Captain
Bolderfon, failed from this Port for England.
On Wednesday last, the Eagle Man of War,
Vice Admiral Lord HOWE, came up from off
Bedlow's-Ifland, and moored off the Fort in the
North River; and, next Morning, the Bristol,
Vice Admiral Lord Sbuldbam, and the Preston,
Commodore Hotham, came up and placed them
selves likewise in the North River just above the
Eagle.
Many Transports and other Ships and Vessels
are anchored off the Town in the North and East
Rivers..
*, The Gentlewoman who was in the Bowling-
Green on the Night of the Fire,* over the Care of
her own Goods, when she took the Charge of another
Bed, is desire to leave what Information she can about it
at the Printing-Office, which will much oblige the Per
lon whom it belonged to.
i^^^=i==!^^^^^B
To be SOLD,
A SLOOP of about 40 tons burthen, with her fails,
furniture, and apparel, built last April ; is excel
lent well found, and a prfmt sailer. Enquire of the
printer,
To be fold at public VENDUE,
THIS MORNING
At Eight o'Clock,
At a ftore-hcufe on the North-East corner of Burling's
QUNDRY articles of dry goods, pieces and remnants
O of cloths, ftuffs, linens, buttons, twill, editor, bea
ver, and felt hats fr parcel of hard ware and earthen
ware, with sundry other articles too tedious to mention.
WMrfTdNGUE, Broker.
Just imported in the Fallas, Capt. David Ross, from
London, and to be fold by
JOHN PATERSON,-
At the store lately poffefs'd by Mr. Henry Remfen, in
Hanover-Square;
WORSTED HOSE, sorted; mens shoes, also top
pieces and soles ; womens and boys ffioes, Bri-.
tiffi liaeK, ofnaburghs, Irish linens, Meetings, dowlas
and checks; check, printed linen, and silk handker
chiefs; silk cravats ; mens silk, thread, and cotton
Dockings; white ticking for breeches, Manchester fufti
ans and jaans, caffmire cloth, scarlet and white cloth
for uniforms, with a genteel assortment of srmy and
navy buttons, with lace; Walloons, silk, twist and
thread, fcarletand buff worsted breeches, white flannels
and linfeys, Welch plains and drapery bays, beaver coat
ings, plain and napt, bath beaver and ratteens, Mon
mouth and Kilmarnock caps, sailors round hats, mens'
fine hats, do. with gold bands and buttons,' do. gold lac'd
and fiivef lac'd, mens shirts and womens ffiilts, blacks
ribbons, pins and needles, knives and forks, iron pots
and a final! afibrtment of hard ware, hair powder, starch,
lamplack, quil bark, powder bark, and an assortment of
medicines, tingle and double refin'd fugir, London por
terin ho;fhetds, Gloucefler, Ghefhirc, and loaf cheeses,
Yorkshire hams and baton, tongues pickled and dry'd,
oils and pickles of different forts, figs, currants, railing
and almonds, fmyrnas, prunes, bottle ' and phial corks,
fUtionary..
To be SOL D, by
THOMAS ORR,
At Mr. Bogart's Store, near Lupton's Wharf:
IRISH linens by the bex or piece, British oznaburgs by
the bale or bolt, fuperfine scarlet and white cloths
with trimmings, cambricks and nuns thread, cotton and
checked handkerchiefs, Russia drilling, milled plaiding,
and worsted mitts, thread, worsted and yarn Hockings,
mens shoes, claret in bottles, sherry and port wine in
quarter calks, old Jamaica rura in hogsheads, candles,
ship bread, Irish butter, do. beef in barrels, do. pork in do.
FoR , sA L E,
A PARCEL of Anchors, Bar Iron, Pig
Metal, Potash Kettles ; made at Stirling
Iron Works. Also a Parcel of Petre's Salt
Hams : For Particulars Enquire of WILLIAM
HAWXHURST or of Mr. JACOB WAT
SON, Merchant.
Just imported from London, by
DAVID KENNY,
Arid to be fold at his store in VZall-flreet, opposite the
Coffee-Acute, the following articles, viz,
CHEESE, hams, porter in barrels and hogsheads,
mustard, Florence oyl, capers, olives and ancho
vies, cordage, junk, oakum, flops, furtouts, stockings,
caps and mitts, hats, knives and forks, carving knives,
and sundry other hardware, which he is determined to '
fell on the lowest terms. Sept. 28, 1776.
W ANTE D,
By JOHN M'KENNEY, Taylor,
In Broad-Street,
JOURNEYMEN TAYLORS, who are capable of
their business, to whom good encouragement will be
given ;---and as he it strongly recommended to serve the
gentlemen of the^rmy and navy, he will make it his
study to fezve thrm well, andjon reasonable terms.
To be SOLD by
WILLIAM THOMSON,
At his store in the house of Peter Bogert, Dock-street,
BARBADOS RUM and spirits, Mufcovado sugar,
claret and strong beer, tobacco in hogsheads, Ger
man catobrigs, Kendal cottons, linens, threads, checks,
thread fakings, mens ihoes, hats, check handkerchiefs,
Ruflia linen and drilling, tamarinds and sweetmeats.
THOMAS BROWNEJOHN,
DRUGGIST and APOTHECARY,
HAS opened his medicinal flare at the corner of
Hanover-Square, next door to Mr. Hugh Gaine's,
Printer; where gentlemen of the army and navy can be
supplied at the shortest notice, with all kinds of medi
cines, on the most reasonable terms.
A Merchant Broker's Office,
and
Auction or public Vendue Room,
IS OPEN'D BY
WILLIAM TONGUE,
(Who arriv'd lately with his Majesty's fleet from
England, and , has been a resident in tbis'prdvince
16 years, in the character of a merchant,)
At the.houfe where Henry Wilmot lately liv'd, nearly
opposite Mr. - Gaine's, printer, in Hanoref-Square,'
and next door but one to Wall-ftrect, heat the Coffee-'
House, New-York.
WHERE all kinds of business will be tranfaAed
on commission, either in buying, falling, or
bartering European, Wefclqdia, or American merchant
d^ze; also, slaves, vessels, or any other articles, fold in
the brokerage way in the manner praftifed ih London.
Masters of vessels may immediately be Inform'd the
Rate of the market, and enabled to fell their cargoes to
advantage.
The conductor has had such experience in London and
America, as to have acquir'd a general knowledge of
mercantile affairs, and from those advantages hopes to
render this office of public utility ; to accomplish which,
the ftriaeft attention will be given to the interest of
those concern'd, and the utn/ioft punauality obferv'd.
Convenient floras are provided when vessels may re
quire immediate dispatch, or when their cargoes may, in*
all probability, advance in price; and he will dispose of
any art icles at public vendue, when it is agreeable er ad
vantageous to the proprietors.
Charter parties and other contracts, or instruments in
writing, accurately drawn, and all disputed and compli
cated accounts stated and adjusted on reasonable terms,
and with the utmost expedition.
The said William Tongue, having the supply of
the officers of his Majesty's guards, and the Hessian offi
cers, he begs leave to assure the other gentlemen of the
array and navy, thatthey will be accommodated by the
quantity, with the best of wines, Jamaica spirits, brandy,
&c. er any other article that is now, or shall hereafter
arrive in this city.
LIEUT. COL. CLERK, Barrack Mafier
General, gives this public notice to all
persons who are willing to contrad with him for
supplying his Majesty's troops with fire-wood,
that he is ready to receive proposals for that
purpose, from any perfim Ur perfens who will
contrast to supply him with the quantity of that
article that fhali be necessary for that service, for
which such person or persons will be paid by
him on delivery.