The New-York gazette, and the weekly Mercury — New-York [N.Y.], 1777-09-01 00:00:00, page 2

Your Correspondent from Manchester (it
pains me to fay'an Officer) furnifties you with
agrofs Misrepresentation ; for be assured that
I myfelf ordered his Regiment to strike their
Tents one full Hour before a Man removed
from Ticonderoga, though it is equally true I
could not find the Colonel.—! suppose inhead
of attending to the Embarkation of the Stores,
he was packing up. I am obliged to invalidate
the Authority of your " Gentleman of Capa
“ citv and Character, who had the firft Oppor
." trinity of knowing there wefe upwards of
“ 4.000 Effectives in the Garrison," since the
Returns of the Army are made to me, and I
declare to God and the World, that there was,
cxclufive of about seven or eight Hundred
Militia, who had just Arrived, only two Thou
ihnd and eighty four Men lit for Duty—“ Be
*' lieve it who will."
You observe that “ the greatest Number of
" the Enemy, allowing the Accounts of those
«' whofc Business it is to make it as large as
" Appearances would allow, could not exceed
4< 6000 ; it was probably Dor: of that Num
•' ber." The Malice of this Suggestion Time
will evince ; 1 wish we may not find the Ene
my one Thousand stronger. The Number of
filly, malicious Questions which follow this
Observation, are too pitiful to be answered.
“ I join with you in thinking there ought
to be an Enquiry after the Arms and Cloaths
'you mention, for they really never reached
Ticonderoga; though your Interrogations on
that Head are improperly directed and mali
ciously pointed. '*
" Believe me Sir, if Virtue or Justice have
Exigence, that the Man who now hands con
demned for retreating from Ticonderoga, will
be thanked for the Salvation of near 3000
Men, who, instead of being in Captivity are
now opposing your Enemy.
I a'm, Sir,
Ybur very obedient Servant,
JAMES WILKINSON."
State of Massachusetts Bay.
In the House of Representatives, Aug. 6, 1777.
. RESOLVED, That the Board of War be,
and hereby are directed, to make Disposition
of Fifteen Hundred Fire-Arms, and Two
Thousand Gun Locks, of those remaining
now in the public Stores, to the Selectmen or
Committees of such Towns as may apply and
have not been already supplied from the pub
lic ' Stores, in such Proportion as they may
badge proper and advantageous to the public
Safety; they paying for the fame, such Prices
as they have been delivered at to those Towns
who have not already received those Articles;,
and also, that they deliver to the Selectmen or
Committees of such Towns as have not already
received ary from the public Stores, Fifty
Thousand Gun-Flints, and Fifteen Tons of
Lead, in Proportion to the Number of Inha
bitants and particular Situation of each Town,
they applying and paying for the fame, such
Prices as the Board of War shall judge reafon
abie, and in Proportion t'o the Price of the
Arms.
Sent up for Concurrence,
J. WARREN, Speaker.
In Council, August 6, 1777.
Read, and Concur'd.
JOHN AVrRY, 1) Sec'ry.
A true CopA—Acted.
JOHN AVERY, D. Sec'ry.
The Selectmen and Committees are desired
to call for their Proportions at the War-Office
immediately, except the Selectmen and Com
mittees of Essex County, who, are desired to
apply to Samuel Ojgood, Esq; at Andover.
NORWIC H, July 28.
Extract of a Letter from Moses Creek, dated
July 26.
^ Major-General Arnold, we are credibly
informed, passed through Albany last Monday,
in his Way to join the Northern Army, being
)fo ordered both by the Congrefs.and General
Wallington; and it is thought is appointed to
the chief Command in that Department. If
so (fays a Correspondent) the heroic, magna
nimous Spirit, with which that Gentleman is
endowed, (though a cowardly Connecticut,
as our Southern Brethren please to stigmatize
us) will dictate to him better than delivering
up Forts, even before they are besieged, as a
Southern General is supposed to have already
done, that has caused more Speculation by far
than any Surrender since the Commencement
of the unnatural War in America, and may
be termed the giving up the KEY that locked
the Inlet, through which unparalleled Devaf
iation will, it is feared, flee, like an Inunda
tion, on our Frontiers."
Extrafl of a Letter from Saratoga, August 2.
“ We arrived at this Place Yesterday, where
we found the chief Part of our northern Army
"^ Ac Da^ei or the Eh^n-Gazette.
Head-Quarters, Moses Creek, July 28.
Sir,
•- AC is with Astonishment and Concern that
I observe in your late Papers, a Vein of Pre
judice against General St. Clair, incurred by
> retreating from Ticonderoga, equally impo
litic, ungenerous and inhuman ; for ifcis im
politic to depreciate the Influence of an Officer
high in Command ; it is truly ungenerous to.
put the word Cohlkhdion on every Incident
attending tne Retreat, and it is truly inhuman
to murder a Man's Reputation without giving
him an Opportunity of Vindication.
If General St. Clair has transgressed, he will
fnrely answer for it at a proper tribunal ; don't
. then prejudice him or disgrace your Paper with
the malicious Inuendo's of every talkative
Puppy. Be charitable enough~to fufpendyour
Opinion for a little Time, and a Scrutiny of
his Conduct, which General St, Clair has
already claimed, will fatisfy you and the
Public.
Extract from the minutes,
CHARLES THOMSON, Sec'ry.
FISHKILL, Augurt 14.
Hanover, ( New-Jersey) August 6, 1777.
Mr. Loudon,
I TAKE the freedom to inclofe you a copy
of a letter which I received through the hands
of his Excerency General Washington. The
original I have sent to Congress. The manner
in which it was directed appeals upon the let
ter. I beg the favour of you to publilh it,
with this letter. Indeed I could wish it to be
published in all the States, that the people
may fee that every measure is adopted by our
enemies to accomplish their tyrannical purpo
ses. Nothing is left una.tempted which they
think may promote their hellish designs. . hey
are so far loft to all sense of honor and honesty,
that by their own feelings they judge it a right
matter for a person to facrifice his honor and
conscience by betraying the trust reposed in
him by his country, and assisting them to esta
blish despotism upon the ruins of freedom.
'This letter was directed to me as commander
at Ticonderoga, therefore how great the im
portance of having the command of our fron
tier polls in the hands of those who have the
greatest attachment and the strongest ties to
bind them to the cause of their country.
I am, Sir, your most humble servant,
JOHN SULLIVAN.
SIR,
I HAVE long desired to write my mind on
a matter of the very greatest importance to
you ; but the unhappy situation of things has
rendered all intercourse very difficult, and has
hitherto prevented me : I now find a man is
to be sent for a very different purpose to you,
by him I shall contrive to get this letter to you,
a person having undertaken to put it in the
place of that which was designed to be carried
to you. You know me very well, and are ac
quainted with many circumstances of my life,
and have seen me in many trying situations,
that might perhaps have been some excuse, yet
I am fare you never knew me guilty of any
ungentlemanly a&ion : 1 remind you of this
to convince you that you may fafely trust what
I fay to you as coming, from a person who has
never trifled with any man.
much dikuderc by the retreat. The Indians
arc all around us, they are very bold, they
often kill and scalp Centries and others, in
Sight of the Army; they have killed and
scalped about 60 Men, Women and Children,
making no Diftindion between Whigs and
Tories. We shall begin our RETREAT to
Still-Water To-morrow, as thg Enemy are on
their March towards us. Still-Water is about
25 Miles from Albany."
Extract of a Letter from an Officer of Distinc
tion, dated Manehefter, Aug. 5.
" I arrived here the 2d Instant, The Mili
tia from the Eastern States are assembling at
this Post. I expect in a few Days to advance
nearer to Skenefborough and Ticonderoga,
which is in some Sort failing into the Rear of
Burgoyne's Army. This Movement will oblige
him to leave such Detachments to secure the
several Posts of which he hath poffefs'd him
felf and which at all Hazards he must attempt
to maintain, as will greatly weaken his main
Body."
NEWPOR T, August 21.
Yesterday failed on their Cruise His Maje
fly's Ships Diamond, Flora and Lark.
In the Boston Paper of the nth Instant, is
an Advertisement fign'd by William Cooper,
Town Clerk, calling upon all Persons that
have Waggons and Carts, to notify him there
of, that the Goods may be remov'd out of the
Town, as they expert daily to be attacked.
The greatest Confufion prevails in every Part
of the Country, every one fearing that the
Army will soon be amongst them.
The People have a long While been amused
with Accounts of large Quantities of Arms,
Ammunition, Cloathing, &c. &c. said to be
received from France; but what has taken
Place, at Ticonderoga, has raised a Spirit of
Enquiry which may be fatal to Propagators of
such infamous Fallhoods.'
Col. Marshal of Boston. who went with a
Regiment to Ticonderoga, has return'd home
alone, all his Men having left him.
NEW-LONDON, July 18.
By Capt. Latham we learn, that all Dutch
vessels having American produce on board,
bound to Europe or elsewhere, are taken by
British cruizers ; alledging that all such pro-,
duce is British property : Two Dutch ships,
under that pretence, were lately carried into
Antigua, laden with rice and tobacco.
PHILADELPHIA, July 29.
In CONGRESS, July 25, 1777.
Refolded, That Congress have ajuft sense of
the merit of Lieutenant- Colonel Meigs, and
the officers ar.d-men under his command, who
distinguished their prudence, activity, enter
prize, and valour in the late expedition to
Long-Inland; and that an elegant sword be
provided by the Commissary-General of mi
litary stores, and presented to Lieut. Colonel
Meigs.
Refolded, That Congress have a just sense of
the gallant behaviour of Lieutenant Colonel
Barton of a militia regiment of the Rate of
Rhode-Ifland and Providence Plantations, and
the brave officers and men of his party, who
distinguished their valour and address in ma
king prisoner of Major General Prefcot of
the British army, and Major William Barring
ton, his aid-de-camp; and that an elegant
sword be provided by the Commissary-General
of military stores, and presented to Lieutenant
Colonel Barton.
You know better '.h-r J do the fhu^icr. of
your Congress, and the confufion there is
among you, and rhe ruin that impends; you
have felt how unequal the forces of your own
people are to withhand the power of Great-
Britain ; and for'foreign nffiftance I heed tell
you how precarious and deceitful it must be ;
France and Spain know they cannot embark in
your quarrel without the greatest danger of
Great-Brimin turning suddenly againit and
taking pofleffion of their Colonies, with so
great a force already collected and in America;
besides their fears of railing views of inde
pendence in their own Colonies, to which
they are much disposed. Butwhy should I en
large on this fubjedl? lam lure you know the
futility of ail hopes of effectual foreign assis
tance, and that these hopes have been thrown
out only to keep up the spirits of the deluded
common people ; you therefore will not buffer
yourfelf to bt deluded by them ; the most you
expert from foreigners is, that they will help,
at the expence of your countrymens blood and
happiness, to keep up a dispute that will ruin
you and distress Great-Britain. It is not the
interest of France or Spain that America should
be independent ; but if it were possible that
you could entertain any thoughts that the
hopes of effectual foreign assistance were well
grounded, you cannot but know that such as
sistance must now arrive too late. The lart
campaign was almost consumed before the Eng
lish army could be collected, and in a position
to ad in America; but now the campaign is
just opening, the whole army in the greatest
health and spirits, plentifully provided with
every thing, most earnest in the cause I do al
lure you; well acquainted with the country,
and placed so as to ad briskly, witli the greatest
efficacy ; a few months will therefore probably
decide the contest ; you must either fight or
fly ; and in either case ruin seems inevitable.
You was the firft man in active rebellion, and 1
drew with you the province you live in. What
hope, what expectation can you have? You
will be one of the firft facrifices to the resent
ments and justice of government; your fami
lywill be ruined and you must die with igno
miny; or if you should be so happy as to cf-|
cape, you will drag along a tedious life of po
verty, misery, and continual apprehensions,
in a foreign land.
Now, Sullivan, I have a method to propofe|
to you, if you have resolution and couragel
enough for it, that will save you, and your ;
family, and estate, from this imminent de-I
ftrudion: it is in plain English to tread backl
the steps you have already taken ; and to do ;
some real effenwal service to your king and ;
country, in assisting to re-eftabhfh public tran
quility and lawful government. You know I
will not deceive you ; every one who will ex
ert himfelf for government will be received ;
and I do assure you, firmly upon my honour,
I am empowered to engage particularly with
you, that it shall be the case with you, if you
will sincerely endeavour to deserve your par
don. It is not desired of you to declare your
felf immediately, nor indeed to declare your
felf at all, until you can dispose matters so as
to bring the province with you ; in order to
which you should, as much as possible, under
different pretences, con five to fend every man
out of the province from whom you apprehend
d fficuky, and to keep at home all those who
are friendly to government, or desirous of
peace, in the mean time endeavour to give me
all the material intelligence you can collet,
(and you can get the belt) or if you find it
most convenient, you can convey it to General
Burgoyne; and by your using my namq, he
will know whom it comes fiom, without your
mentioning yourown name. As soon as you find
you can du it with fafety and success, declare
yourfeit, and you will find assistance you very
little exped in restoring the province to lawful
government. If you do hot chufe to undertake
this, another will, and if you continue obsti
nate on the ground you are now on, you may
depend upon it you will suddenly find it fail,
and built under you like the springing of a
mine. What I recommend to you is not only
pru ^nt, fate and necessary ; it is right, it is
honorable. That you early embarked in the
rebellion is true ; perhaps you mistook the po
pular delusion for the cause of your country
(as many others did, who have returned to
their duty)and you engaged in it warmly ; but
when you found your error you earnestly re
turned, you saved the province you had en
gaged for from devastation and ruin, and you
rendered more essential service to your king
and country ; for which I engage you my
word, you will receive pardon, you will secure
your estate and be further amply rewarded.
Your past conduct has been unworthy : your
return will be praise worthy. What is all the
exigencies of human life for ; those deluges of
human blood ? Very probably only to set
afloat some lawless despotic tyrant in the room
of our lawful King.
I conceive you must be ftirrounded with
embarrassments; you may perhaps find diffi
culty in getting a letter to me; possibly the
fellow who carries this to you, may be fit to
be trusted ; he thinks indeed he carries you a
letter very different from this, and I suppose
will be frightened a good deal when he finds
the charge that has been put upon him, and
that I am in possession of the secret he was in
tended to carry. Yet 1 have understood he
has a family here, and will, I suppose, wish
to return, and knows well enough it is in my
power to procure him pardon, and reward ;
and I imagine he thinks (as I fruft most people
do) that J am never forgetful of a man who
does any thing to oblige me ; you will confi
der how far you may trull him, how far it is
prudent to do it; and you can found him, and
fee whether he wishes to return, and whether
he is likely to answer the purpole ; and as you
! think prop-, may engage tc him, that I will
I protect him, and reward him, if he ' brings
I me fafely a letter from you.
I could fay a great deal more on this sub
-Ijefe, but I must close my letter, left it should
be too late. Be sincere and steady, and give
me an occasion to drew myfelf
Your sincere friend,
FERER LIVIUS.
Montreal, 'June 2, 1777.
To John Sullivan, Esq;
This letter was taken out of a canteen with
a falfe bottom, by General Schuyler, at Fc # t-
Edward, the 26th day of June, in the prefer.ee
of Benjamin Hicks, Captain.
Henry P. Livingston, A. D. C. to General
Schuyler.
John W. Wendell, Captain.
John Lansing, jun. Sec'ry to Gen. Schuyler.
I certify upon honor, that this letter was
taken out of a canteen, which I delivered to
Gen. Schuyler, which canteen I received from.
Col. Van Dyck, who separated part of the wife^
f om the falfe bottom to fee whether it was the
canteen I was sent for, and who after taking
out this letter, and letting out some rum, re
turned it into the canteen without breaking
the seals.
Bar. J. V. Valkenburgh, Lieut.
June 16, 1777.
G E'N OA, May g.
LETTERS from Madrid import, that the
Court hath received certain advice that:
the grand fleet which failed from Cadiz under
the command of Don Cevallos was arrived at
Buenos -Ayres, and had in its route taken an.
English snip laden with gold and silver, and
other contraband merchandize, from, different
parts of Spanish America, besides having in
tercepted three other ships of the fame nation,
which were carrying warlike ammunition to
Brafil.
Paris, May 16. Last Friday the Emperor
being with the King at la Muette, the conver
sation turned on the execution of one Des
Rues, who after having been put to the tor
ture, had been broke alive on the wheel, for
having poifuned a woman and her son. On.
this occasion, the Monarch exprefled his fir
prize to his Majesty, that the torture, which
owes its origin to the times of barbarism, should
still be in use in France, adding, that it was
suppressed in all the Austrian countries, and
also in Russia and Sweden.
Constantinople, April 17. The last advices
from Crimea mention, that Sabib Gueray, af
ter taking the island of Taman, had entered
Crimea, near Kerfch. This event gave rife
to a conference with the Reis Effendi, at which
the Ruffian Minister was present, and we are.
assured that overtures were made for an accom
modation with Russia. In the mean time the
Porte has permitted the smallest of the Ruffian,
vessels arrived here to pursue its voyage to the
Black Sea, which is looked upon as a favoura
ble omen.
Lifan, April 30. To appease the populace,
who kill are very much enraged against the
Marquis de Pombal, the Government last Sun
day caused the bull of that nobleman on the
equestrian flatue of the late King to be cove ed
with mortar, in lieu of which the arms of the
city will be placed. The reason of this is said
to be to prevent any disorder on the day of
the proclamation of their Majesties, which is
fixed for next Saturday, if it is not changed
on account of the King having a disorder in
his leg.'
Vakncielles, May 18. In the night of the 9th
inst. we had a violent storm of rounder, light
ning, rain, and hail, which did great damage
in our neighbourhood, and in that of Bouchin,
Conde, Quefnoy, and Maubege; many houses,
barns, stables, and mills, were blown down,
which by their fall killed several people.—-
Many vineyards have been destroyed.
Bruflils, May 26. The Duke and Duchess
of Cumberland arrived here last .Wednesday
under the name of Count and Countess of
Dublin, and set off the next day for Aix-la-
Chapelle.
, %/ ••.
To-morrow, at 11 o'Clock,
Will be fold at Public Auction,
On Brownejohn's Wharf,
By BOWMAN and CODNER,
PART of the Cargo of the Ship Nancy, from Ja
maica, retaken by one of his Majesty's Ships of
War, viz.
20 Hogsheads Mufcovado Sugar,,
12 Puncheons Jamaica Rum,
6 Pipes be£ Loudon particular Madeira,
Irish Beef and Pork in Tierces and Barrels,
' Citron in Boxes, &c. &c.
On Friday next, at ii o'Clock,
Will be fold by Public Auction, at
Bowman and Codner's
Auction-Office, Hanover-Square,
A general Assortment of
ENGLISH GOODS.
To be SOLD,
A Handy Negro Wench 13 Years old, has had the
Small-pox and Meaflis. Also a smart Carriage or
Saddle Mare. Enquire of Robert Hargrave, at his Ma
jeffy's Naval Brewery, on Long-Island.
Wanted to purchase a grown Wench, and Negro Boy
of about 12 Years old, by Did Hargrave.
WILLIAM TONGUE,
Broker and Auctioneer, at his Office in
Hanover- Square,
HAS to dispose of, Spgrmacete whale oyl by the
barrel, ship bread, flour, oatmeal, beef, pork, nails,
excellent Liverpool beer; best Newfoundland codfi/h, salt,
salmon, fine Florence oyl in halfchefts, fpermacete candles
and hard soap, by the box : Sundry dry goods, a set of capi
tal surgeon's instruments, wines, rum, excellent fpirifs,
brandy, and most other articles as ufuak