The New-York gazette, and the weekly Mercury — New-York [N.Y.], 1778-12-14 00:00:00, page 1

For regulating the Prices of Wood,
PROCLAMATION,
By Major-General JONES, Commandant
of^New-Yark.
Complaints having been made that exor
bitant Pricey are exaded for FIR E
WO OD, though at the fame Time it is
certain great Quantities of Wood have been
cut for the Use of this City. It is hereby or
dered, that from and after Saturday the sth
of December next, no more than Five Pounds
Currency shall be demanded or paid for a
Cord of Walnut Wood, and Four Pounds
Currency a Cord, for any other Sort of Wood.
Any Person that may be convicted of having
(on or after that Day) demanded or received a
greater Price than the above Rates, fliall forfeit
the said Wood, or the Value thereof, one half
to the Informer, the other half to the City
Alms-House.
The above Rates being deemed from the belt
Information, amply fufficient, the Owners of
Vessels and the Boatmen that have usually
supplied this City with Wood, are hereby
warned not to attempt to distress the Inhabi
'tants by defining from bringing the fame, as
their Vessels and Boats shall upon Proof thereof
be seized and assigned to others that will un
dertake to supply the City, and all Protec
tions and Partes will he withdrawn from such
Delinquents.
Those Persons that have cut wood for the
Cfe of this City in Conference of the Per
mits rranted, are to fend„ to New-York as
fog as poffble; n,,a l^f of uneecefk^
D&, th^ Weed (hall be fcrfated for L^
Benefit of the Petr, and their Permits with
drawn.
NEW-YORK, Nouem^ 2':,. 17,8.
DANIEL JONES, Major General.
NOTICE is hereby given, that John
Roome is appointed to examine the
Stoves put up in this City, and the Places al
lotted by the inhabitants to keep their Allies
in.
The injudicious Method of firing Stoves,
and ket ping Affies, having often endangered
this Citv, it is expected that the Citizens will
punauaily attend to such Directions as Mr.
1 oome may judge necessary, in order to pre
vent the Calamity of fire, which is equally to
be dreaded by every Inhabitant.
ANDREW ELtTOT,
Superintendent-General.
D. MA IHEWS; Mayor.
Superintendent-General's Office,
New-York, Dec. 1, 1778.
By Order of the Commandant of NEW
YORK.
V ICENCES will be granted by the Police,
{ / to such Ferfons to keep Taverns and Pub-
Yc-Houfes (not exceeding a certain Number)
as may be recommended by the principal Offi
cers of the Army and Navy, the Merchants
and other refpe&able Inhabitants of this City.
Any Peifoa detected fell Liquors without
Licence, from and after Saturday the Twelfth
Day of December, Instant, shall fuffer One
Month's Imprisonment, ar forfeit Five
F-cnds.'.
the Money arising from the aiftive Licen
ces and Fines, is to be paid into the City
Funds for the Support of the Poor.
Application for Licences to be made at the
Cilice of the Police.
ANDREW ELLIOT,
Superintendant-General.
D. MATHEWS, Mayor.
Superintendent-General
c! Police, New-York,
December 1, 1778.
^/TOTTCE is hereby given to the Citizens,
) '< That JOHN NORRIE, at the Corner
hcfc. near the Main-Guard, and DAVID
HbNRY MALLOWS, near the Tea Water
Vmp, have the Care of the Chimney-Save,/,
fad that on a Note in Writing being left at
r her of their Houses, a SWEEP will be sent
, the Place required. The Fine of FIVE
^'CNLS heretofore established, will be punc
rully exacted from every Inhabitant whole
CMmney ihall take Fire through Neglect.
F,ch Chimney to be swept once in every
feur Weeks.
ANDREW ELLIOTT, Sep. General.
DAVID MATHEWS, Major.
A White Loaf of the finertFLOUß, to weigh
A zlb. 6oz. for 14 Capped a nd.m tbe fame
Proportion for Loavespl; a lesser Weight.
JAMES ROBERTSON, M. G.
ASSIZE of BREAD. Flour at ;,. per Cent.
Published February a, 1778.
Monday, December 14, 177&
N E W-Y ORK
# W E E KL Y
Containing tbe eatlicfl ^tne^
^ Printed by HUGH GAINE, at THE BIBLE and CROWN, in HANOvTR^QUARE.
AND
The following Copy of a Letter, giving an account
lof the affair of Monmouth, as taken from a Rebel
Paper, is pretty exa&, excepting the omission of
the Number of Rebel P+ifeners which were
taken, of whom rhe following is a Return.
Return of Prisoners taken in New-Jersey, in the
Action of the 28th of June, 1778.
I Lieutenant-Colonel.
I Liemenant.
I Forage Matter.
56 Rank and File.
From the London Gazette Extraordinary."
Monday, &gu/i 24, 17,8,
Whitehall, Aug. 24, 1778.
THE following letter from Lieutenant Ge
neral Sir Henry Clinton, Knight of the
Bath, to Lord George Germaine, one of his
Majefty's' principal Secretaries of State, was
received on Saturday night by Col. Patterfori,
who arrived in the Grantham Packet from
New-York.'
New-York, July 5, 1778.
Mr Lord,'
IHAVE the honour to inform your Lord
ship, that pursuant to his Majesty's in
ftru&ibns, I evacuated Philadelphia on
the 18th of June, at three o'clock in
the morning, and proceeded to Glou
celter Point, without being followed by the
enemy. Every thing being from thence parted
in fafe'y across the Delaware, through the
excellent disposition made by the Admiral to|
secure our passage, the army inarched at tenj
o'clock and reached Haddonfield the fam,
day, A ftronu corps of the enern; having.'
apon our approach, abandoned (he difficult
, °„Uf^^d^W'r,»' ^^rpteded #ij
6ul any interruption from them -'opting;
what was occasioned by their having destroyed
every bridge or. our road. As the country ^
much interfered, with marshy rivulets, .the ^
obftru&ions we met with were frequent, . d
the excessive heat of the season rendered the
labour of repairing the bridges severely felt.
The advanced parties of our light troops
arriving unexpectedly at Croffwicks on the
23d, after a trifling skirmish, prevented the
enemy from destroying the bridge over a large
creek at that village, and the army parted it
the next mornings One column, under the
command of his Excellency Lieutenant Gene
ral Knyphaufen, halted near Emlay's-town,
and as the provision train and heavy artillery'
were Rationed in that division, the other co
lumn, under Lieutenant General Earl Corn
wallis, took a position at Allen's town, which
covered the other encampment.
Thus far, my Lord, my march pointed
equally towards the Hudson's River and Sta
ten-lfland by the Rariton. I was now at the
juncture, when it was necessary to decide ul
timately what course to pursue. Encumbered
as I was by an enormous provision train; &c. to
which impediment the probability of obstruc
tions and length of my march, obliged me to
submit, I was lead to with for a route left
liable to obstacles than those above-mentioned.
I had received intelligence that Generals
Washington and Lee had passed the Delaware
with their army, had assembled a numerous
militia from all the neighbouring provinces,
and that Gates, with an army from the north
ward, was advancing to join th,em ,n the R„-
ritt,- Afr|^°u^d not hope that, after having
always hitherto so ftu&eufly avoided a general
action. General Walhingtbn woyld now give
into it against every dictate of policy; 1
could only suppose that his vied/s were directed
against my baggage, &c. in t/hich part I was
indeed vulnerable. This circumltance alone
would have tempted me to avoid the difficult
passage of the Rariton; but when I reflected
that from Sandy Hook I Should be able, with
more expedition, to carry his Majesty's further
orders into execution, J did not hesitate to or
der the army into the road which leads through
Freehold to the Neverfink. The approach
of the enemy's army being indicated by the
frequent appearance of their light troops on
our rear, I requested his Excellency Lieute
nant General Knyphaufen to take the baggage
of the whole army under the charge of his
division, confiffing of the troops mentioned
in the margin.* Under the head of baggage
was comprised, not only the wheel carriages of
every department, but also the bat horses ; a
* 17^ ^^ dragoons, id battalion of light in
fantry, Hessian Yagers, if and 2d brigades Bri
tif). Stern's and Loo's brigades of Heffi&ns. Pinn
fillania Lovalifs, Wefi-jerf, Voluntary Mary
land Loyalifta
Monday, 38 Min. after xz
Tuesday, 26 Min. after 1
Wednesday. 13 Min. after 2
Thursday, 58 Min. after 21
HIGH-WATER atNEW-YORK, this Week.
^^'^^^ @™^'^
Friday, 41 Min.aftes 3
Saturday, 25 Min. after 4
Sunday. 9 Min. after 5
I Fitf Quarter on Sunday.
THE
train, which, as the country admitted but of
one route for carriages, extended near twelve
miles. The indifpenfible heceffity I was under
of Securing tbefe, is obvious, and the difficul
ty ofdoingit, in a most woody country, against
an army far superior in numbers, will, I trust,
be no less so.
I desired Lieut. Gen. Knyphaufen to move
at day break on the 28th ; and that I might
not press upon him in the firft part of the
march,in which we had but one route,! did no
folow with the other divisions till near eights
o'clock. Soon after 1 had marched, recon
noitring parties of the enemy appeared on our
left flank. The Queen's Rangers fell in with
and dispersed feme detachments among the
woods in the feme quarter. Odr rear guard
having ddfcended from the heights above Free
hold, into a plain near three miles in length,
and about one mile in breadth; Several co
lumns of the enemy appeared likewise des
cending into the plain, and about ten o'clock
they began to cannonade our tear. Intelli,
gence was at this moment brought me, that
the enemy were discovered marching in force
on both our flanks. I was convinced that our
baggage was their obje& ; but it being in this
jun&re engaged in defiles, which continued
for fame miles, no means occurred of parrying
the blow, but attending the corps which haf
raffed our rear, and prefling it so hard as to 0-
915, the detachments to return from cur flanks
it&fc,Miftrate; -- ./.
✓ thad good informatic that General Wafi
^ ton was up with his waolehfy, estimated
& ^gil^pGrori^^fotetafr, ™?,
t& defile between him and the corps^hich B
pfot to Strike, T judged that he could not
save parted them with a greater force than'
what Lord Cornwallis's division was well able
to engage; and had I even met his whole
army in the passage of those defiles, Ihad little
to apprehend, but-his Situation might have
been critical.
The enemy's cavalry, commanded it is said
by M. La Fayette, having approached oar
reach, they were charged with great spirit by
the Queen's light dragoons. They did not
wait the Shock, but fell back in confufion, upon
their own infantry,
Thinking it possible that the event might
draw to a general action, I sent for a brigade
of British and the 17th light dragoons from
Lieutenant GeneralKnyphau fen'sdivifion, and
having directed them on their arrival to take a
position effectually covering our right flank,
ofwhicLl was moftjealous,l made a disposition
of attack on the plain, but before I could ad*
vance, the enemy fell back and took a Strong
position on the heights above Freehold Court
House. The heat of the weather was intense,
and our men already fuffered severely from
fatigue. But our circumstances obliged us to
make a vigorous exertion. The British gre
nadiers with their left to the village of Free
hold, and the Guards on the right of the gre
nadiers, began the attack with such spirit, that
the enemy gave way immediately. The Se
cond line of the enemy Stood the attack with
greater obstinacy, but were likewise compleat
ly routed. They them took a third position,
witu a marshy hollow in front, over which it
would have been fcarceiy possible to have at
tacked them. However part of the Second
line made a movement to the front, occupied
some ground on the enemy's left flank, and
the light infantry and Queen's Rangers turned
their left.
By this time our men were so overpowered
with fatigue, that I could press the affair no
farther; especially as 1 was confident the end
was gained for which the attack had been made.
I ordered the light infantry to rejoin me,
but a strong der^chmeat of the enemy having
possessed themselves of a poll, which would
have annoyed them in their retreat, the 33d
regiment made a movement towards the enemy,
which, with a Similar one made by the firft
grenadiers, immediately dispersed them.
I tock the position from whence the enemy
had been firft driven, after they had quitted
the plain, and having reposed the troops till
ten at night, to avoid the excessive heat in the
day, I took advantage of the moon light to re
join Lieutenant-General Knyphaufen,who had
advanced to Nut-Swamp, near Middletown.
f 16th light dragoons, if battalion of Britifo
grenadiers, 2d ditto, if battalion of light infantry,
Hefian grenadiers, guards, 3^ ¥^> pb brigades,
1 Brits,.'
Wheat per Bushel, 12s. od.
Flour, 355. od.
Brown Bread, Bos. od.
Weil-India Rum, ss. 6d.
New-England do. 4 s - od.l
GAZETTE:
mercury.
PRICE CURRENT, in NEW-Y@RKi
, Mufcovado Sugar, 51. yos.i
Single refin'd ditto, s. od.!
Motaffes, 2 s. 6d.|
Beef per Barrel, g[ od.|
IPork, k;. ICT.|
foreign and DomeOick.
Our bagpage had been iatercepted by fame
of the enemy's light troops, who were repul
led by the good difpofitiohs made by Lieute
nant-General Knyphaufen and Major General
Grant; and the good countenance of the 40th
regiment, whole pickets alone were attacked,
and one troop of the 17th light dragoons.
The twd borps* which had marched against it
(being, as I Since learn a brigade on each
Hank) were recalled, as I had fufpe&ed, at
the begirifcihg of the aftienh
It would be fufficient honour to the troops
barely to fay, that they had forced a Corps,
as I am informed, of near 12,000 men, from,
two Strong positions; but it will, I doubt net,
be considered as doubly creditable when I
mention, thatthey did it under such disadvan
tages of heat and fatigue, that a great part of
those we 101 l fell dead as they Advanced.
Fearing that my order had raifearried, before
I quitted the ground, I sent a second, for a
brigade of infantry, the 17th light dragoons,
and zd battalion of light infantry, to meet
me on the march, with which additional forces
had General Washington Shewn himfelf the
next day, I was determined to attack him;
but there not being the least appearance of an
enemy, I fufpe&ed he might have parted a con
siderable corps to a Strong position near Mid
dletown; I therefore left the rear guard on
its march, and detached Major-General Grant
to take port there, which was effected on the
2,th. The whole army marched to this posi
tion the next day, and thin fell back to ano
ther near Ne<ern,k. wh, % I waited two & ...
in thctepe. that Mr. WamingfMjLgt:; tye
been ffepted to have advanced tc ,e pofirion
near Middletown, which we had aired : : ;
which case I might have attacked him to
advantage.
During this time the fica. and wounded were
embarked, and preparations made for passing
to Sandy-Hook island by a bridge, which by
the extraordinary efforts of the navy was soon
compleated, and over which the whole a^my
parted in about tro hours rime; the horses
and cattle having been previously transported.
Your Lord Ship will receive herewith a return
of the killed, wounded, miffing, &c. of his
Majesty's troops on the 28th of last month :
That of the enemy is fuppofa to have been
more aonfiderable, especially in killed.
The loss of Lieutenant-Colonel Menckton,
who commanded the 2d battalion of grena
diers is much to be lamented.
lam much indebted to Lord Cornwallis for
his zealous Services on every occasion; and [
found grea; support from the activity of Major-
General Grey, Brigadier-General Matthew,
Leslie, and Sir William Erskine.
I beg leave to refer your Lordihip, for any
other particulars which you may wilh to be
informed of, to Col. Patterfen, who will have
the honour of delivering these difpatehes, and
whose services, in this country, entitle him to
every mark of your Lordship's favour.
I have the honour to be, &e.
H. CLIN.ON.
Return of the killed, wounded, miffing, &c. of the
troops under the command of General Sir Henry
Clinton, in an engagement with the rebel army on
the heights of Freehold, county of Monmouth,
New-Jersey, the 28th of June, 1778.
TOTAL BRITISH.
I Lieutenant Colonel, 1 Captain, 2 Lieutenants,
4 Serjeants, 56 rank and file, killed; 3 Serjeants,
4.5 rank and file, died with fatigue : 1 Colonel, 1
Lieutenant Colonel, 1 Major, 7 Captains, 5 Lieu
tenants, 7 Serjeants, 137 rank and file, wounded ;
3 Serjeants, 61 rank and file, miffing.
TOTAL GERMAN.
I Rank and file, killed; 11 rank and lie, died
with fatigue; if rank and file, wounded.
GENERAL TOTAL.
1 Lieutenant-Colonel, 1 Captain, 2 Lieutenants,
4 Serjeants, 57 rank and file killed; 3 Serjeants, 56
tank and file,'died with fatigue; 1 Colonel, 1 Lieu
tenant-Colonel, i Major, 7 Captains, 5 Lieutenants,
7 Serjeants, 14S rank and file, wounded; 3 Ser
jeants, 61 rank and file, miffing.
Names and rank of the officers returned killed and
wounded on the 18th of June 177#.
Royal Artillery. Lieutenant Vaughan, killed,
ift. Grenadiers. Capt. Gore, of the sth oompany,
killed.
2d Grenadiers. Lieut. Colonel H. Monkton, of the
45th company, (commanding the battalion) Lieut.
Kennedy, of the 44th company, killed.
ift Grenadiers. Capt. Cathcart, of the 15th com
pany, Capt. Brereton of the I,th company, Capt.
Willis, of the aiicompany> wounded.
2d Grenadiers. Major Gardner, of the loth com
pany, Capt. Lei,wn> of the 46m company, G^t,
THE
IFine Salt, „. 6d
ICoarfe Salt; is. od
llndian Corn per Bu. 7s. od
'Coffee, is. 9 d
ICholate; 265. per Do
[No. 141)