The Pennsylvania evening post — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-07-30 00:00:00, page 2

lamp and works; and the fire soon became so hot that the
Dunmore was obliged to cut her cables and haul off, after
receiving ten (hot, some of which raked her fore and aft.
The Otter lay next to her, and it was expected would have
taken her birth, but the firft fact we gave her took place,
supposed between wind and water, as she immediately flip
ped her cable likewise, and hauled out on a careen, without fir
ing a gun. By this time all the fleet, any way near shore,
began to flip their cables, in the utmost confufion; and had
the wind set in with a flood tide, we must have taken great
numbers of them. Our eighteen pounders did great execu
tion from the upper battery, which raked the whole fleet;
and Capt. Denny, who commanded the other battery, soon
silenced the enemy at the point, knocking down several
tents, which put their camp into great confufion. At half
after nine the firing ceased, which was renewed again at
twelve, with double vigor, from both batteries ; and nothing
prevented our pushing to the island during the cannonade,
but the want of vessels.
The Gen. being determined to cross next day, gave orders
for a'l the small craft to be collected together from the neigh
bouring creek that night, and two brass field-pieces, fix
pounders, to be carried to a place called Lower Windmill
Point, to attack the tender that lay there, and facilitate our
creffing. Accordingly, in the morning, Capt. Harrifon,who
had the diredion of those field-pieces, began playing upon
the tenders, which he galled so much, that the schooner ran
up a small creek which made into the island, where the crew
abandoned her, and the sloop got aground in reach of our
cannon ; upon which the General ordered Capt. Smith, of
fevehth regiment, with his company, to man the canoes and
board her, which was done with alacrity.. However, before
our men came up with her, the crew got into their boat and
pushed for the island ; bat Capt. Smith, very prudently pas
sing the tender, pursued them so close, that, before they
could reach the shore, he exchanged a few shot with them,
and took part of them prisoners. The enemy's lookouts,
perceiving our men close upon the lower part of the island,
cried out " The fhirtmen are coming," and scampered cif.
The pilot boat made no refinance.
Gen. Lewis then ordered two hundred men, under Colonel
U'Clanahan,. to land in the island, which was performed as
expeditiously as our small vessels would admit of. On our
arrival, we found the enemy had evacuated the place with
the greater precipitation, and were struck with horror at the
number of dead bodies, in a state of putrefaction, strewed
all the way from their battery to Cherry-point, about two
miles in length,, without a shovel full of earth upon them ;
others gasping for life ; and some had crawled to the water's
edge, who could only make known their distress by beckon
ing to us. By the small pox, and other malignant disorders,
which have raged on beard the fleet for many months past, it
is clear they have loft, since their arrival at Gwyn's island,
near five hundred fouls. I myfelf counted one hundred and
thirty graves, or rather holes loosely covered over with earth,
close together, many of them large enough to hold a corpo
ral's guard. One, in the middle, was neatly done up with
turf, and is supposed to contain.the remains of the late Lord
of Gofport. Many were burnt alive in brulh huts, which,
in their confufion, had got on fire. In fliort, such a scene
of misery, distress and cruelty, my eyes never beheld ; for
which the authors, one may reasonably conclude, never can
make atonement in this world.
The enemy left behind them, in their battery, a double
fortified nine pounder, great part of their baggage, with se
veral tents and marquees, befidet the three tenders, with
376
TO be SOLD, the time of a Scotch servant woman, who
has about three years to serve. Inquire of the printer.
Philadelphia, July 29, 1776.
THREE POUNDS Reward.
RAN away yesterday from Schloffer and Franck, an
English servant lad, used in the tanning trade, named
JOHN FORD, about eighteen years of age, five feet four
or five inches high, fair complexion, and brown hair. He
had on, when he went away, a brown cloth coat, light blue
jacket, leather breeches, good shoes, brown thread flockings,
a white ffiirt and cocked hat. It is probable he may change
bis dress, as one or two of his acquaintance went away the
fame time, and may be in company. It is supposed he will
go over to the enemy as soon as he can. Whoever takes up
said servant, and secures him so that his masters get him again,
snail have the above reward and reasonable charges.
SCHLOSSER and FRANCK.
READY money, and the highest price, given for OLD
BRASS, COPPER a^d PEWTER, by Benjamin
Town, coppersmith and brass-sounder, at the corner es Front
and Market Arteta, facing the coffee-houfe.
A SILVER SHOEBUCKLE was loft last week in Tur
ner's-tane. Whoever brings it to the printer ihall be
handfcmely rewarded,
their cannon, small arms, &c. also the anchors and cables
of the Dunmore, Otter, and many others, to the amount,
it is supposed, of twelve or fifteen hundred pounds. On their
leaving the island, they burnt some valuable vessels, which
had got aground. Mr. John Grymes's effects on the island
have fallen into our hands, confiding of thirty-five Negroes^
horses, cattle and furniture.
'Major Byrd, on the approach of our canoes to the island,,
was huddled into a cart, in a very sick and low condition, it
is said, and carried down to Cherry points where he em
barked. The second shot the Dunmore received cut her
boatswain in two, and wounded two or three others; and she
had scarcely recovered from the shock when a nine pounder
from the lower battery entered her quarter, and beat in a large
timber, from the splinters of which Lord Dunmore got wound
ed in the legs, and had all his valuable china fmalhed about his
ears. It is said his Lordship was exceedingly alarmed, and
roared out,. " Good God, that ever I should come to this !"
We had our information from, one of his people that came
ashore after the engagement, who was taken by our scouts ;
he likewise said, that many were killed in the fleet, which
had sustained some thousand pounds worth of damage. The
Fowey and Roebuck were the lowerraoA ships, besides which
there were one hundred and large odd fa.il of vessels, who
took theft departure on Thursday afternoon, and are sup
posed to have gone into Potowmack.
In this affair we loft not a man but poor Captain Arundel,
who was killed by the bursting of a mortar of his own inven
tion, although the Gen. and all the officers were agaiaft his
firing it. His zeal for the service loft him his life."
Philadelphia, July 30, 17.76.
ON Thursday the fiffcof Augud next, will be fold by
public vendue, on Bright and Pidgen's wharf, a few
tons of Fuftick, twscarriage Guns two pounders, two Swivels,
fix Muskets, fix Cutlasses, and a few tierces of Bread and
Beef.