The Pennsylvania evening post — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-07-18 00:00:00, page 1

PHILADELPHIA, July iS.
On Monday last the Convention of this province met at the
State-Hcuie, but there nor being a fufficient number of mem
bers present, they adjourned to the next day, when they met
and chose Dr. EENJAMIN FRANKLIN, President; Cel.
GEORGE ROSS, Vice-President; and JOHN MORRIS,
Esq; Secretary.
The brig Folly, Capt. Lacey, the brig , Capt. Kelly,
Capt Wells in a schooner, and Capt. Patton, in a sloop, be
longing to this port, were taken by the Orpheus and King
fifher, off our capes, the beginning of this month, an'd Capt,
Wiley, in a pilot boat, was taken about four weeks ago.
In CONGRESS, July ii, 1776.
THE Marine Committee, in purluance of the order
01 Cegrets, reported that they have called be
fore them divers ot the inferior officers belonging
to the Erips Alfred and Columbus,and having heard
their complaints against the Captains Saltonftall and Whip
ple, in t^eir presence, are of opinion that the charge against
Capt. Saltonfiall decs not appear to be well founded, and
that the charge againk Capt. Whipple amounts to nothing
more than a rough indelicate mode of behavior to his marine
cficers. W hereupon Reiolved, That the Marine Committee
be directed to order the Captains Saltonftall and Whipple to
repair to their refpe&ive commands, and that it be recom
mended to Capt. W hippie to cultivate harmony with his offi
cers. Extract from the minutes,
CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary.
By order of Congreis,
JOHN HANCOCK, President.
N E W-L ONDO N, July 5.
The Council of Safety have given t rders for the immediate
removal of all the flock, &c. from the islands lying off this
port..
Extract of a letter, dated Southampton (Long-Island) June
25, 177 b.
“ Two of our privateers took a ship and a sloop from Eng
land, and carried them into an inlet called Nichol's Gut, in
the sooth bay. The ship had on board five gentlemen, their
wives, children, servants, and household furniture, intending
to fettle on some pleasant part of the conquered lands. I hope
we shall be able to fettle them all as there are fettled, viz. in
a jaik"
A French sloop is fafe arrived at the above mentioned gut.
MARRIED—In Mansfield, Mi. Luke Flint, of Windham,
to Miss Mary Slate, daughter of Mr. Ezekiel Slate, an agree
able and happy pair.—What deleaves the public notice, and
may serve to encourage the manufactures of this country, is
that the entertainment, though served up with good wine, and
other fpiritous liquors, was the production of their own fields
and fruit gardens, assisted alone by a neighbouring grove of
spontaneous maples.—The bride, and two of her lifters,- ap
peared in very genteel silk gowns, and others of the family in
handfomeapparel, with sundry silk handkerchiefs,&c. intirely
of their own manufacture.
The PENNSYLVANIA EVENING POST,
Vol. lI.J
Price ong Pico Coppers. Published every Tuejday, Phurfday, and Saturday Evenings.
THURSDAY, JULY 18, 1776.
355
Extract of a letter from Crownpoint, dated July 3, 1776. ,
" I wrote you last from the Sorrel, immediately after the
action of the eighth ult. near Trois Rivieres. I gave you a
just account of it in my letter. We loft in the whole about
two hundred and forty, amongst whom were Col. Irwin and
Lieut. Eddie of our regiment. We were a third part of the
force in the engagement, and loft about a third of the men.
The badness of the ground, great fatigue, and mistake of
the way, prevented us from getting to the town at day break,
otherwise we should have made one of the boldest attacks that
late years has produced. The enemy, it is true, were treble
our number; but we, being favored with the furprize, and
they unacquainted with our force, should have been very near
carrying the place, or making an honorable exit, for it would
have been conquer or die. Fate, however, determined other
wise. Our loss was considerable, and that of the enemy
equal, if not greater. Something must have prevented them
from anting with vigor, for had we been in their situa
tion, possessing their advantages of artillery and whipping, we
could have beat four times our number. We thought it prudent
to retreat, in order to secure our boats, as we had no profpe&
of carrying the place; and made, I think, a good one, con
sidering all things.
16 Just as I elofed my last letter to you, we heard the ene
my's cannon, # and expected an attack at the Sorrel ; we pre
pared ourselves to receive them, but they did not approach
that day. We had certain information that between five and
ten thousand had arrived in Canada, that the greatest part
were within a few leagues of us, and that the Indians and
Canadians, with some regulars from near the Cedars, were
preparing with a large body to take possession of a narrow part
of the lake, on this fide St. John's, and cut off our supplies
of provisions and stores, whilst another part gets up the river
St. Lawrence, and takes possession of Chamblee. We had
not above three thousand troops in Canada, that were fit for
duty, and a number equal to them were sick with the imalL
pox and other disorders, who, confirming the fame quantity
of provisions as the healthy, were a burthen to us. We had
many places to hold. The enemy's Flipping were matters of
St. Lawrence, and riding triumphant wherever they pleased.
Above Duchambeau there is no place that can be so fortified
as to prevent vessels from passing. At several places between
Chamblee and the mouth of the Sorrel, the river St. Law
rence runs within a league, the mouth of which last river if
the enemy once possessed, which would have been done on
the north fide, without coming near our batteries, our retreat
would be effectually cut off; and in case they should make
any attempt that way, we had no profped of a reinforcement,
to enable us to keep possession of Canada. In fh art, as we
saw it was imp ffible, whilst the enemy commanded the wa
ters of St. Lawrence, it was agreed, in council, that this
place, being of the greatest consequence, ought to be fortified
and lecured, and we should immediately leave Canada, and
come here.
“ The troops were ordered from Montreal, and other parts
of the country, to St. John's. A uckly army,, and a large'
quantity of baggage and stores were to be conveyed away.
[Num. 233.