The New-York gazette, and the weekly Mercury — New-York [N.Y.], 1777-08-11 00:00:00, page 2

PHILADELPHIA, July 22.\
(jh f « letter from G neral St. Clair, to Congress,
" ' Catert F^rt Edward, fuf 14, 1777-
SIR,
C\ON GRSSS my probably think it exhaordi
-4 nary :'i A (bmuchtimefhouldhaveelapfed before
they h^rd from The, after a Hep of such consequence 1
as the evr.cuMion of the posts that had been entrusted
to or, care; but it wnsnot in my power to writewhdft
on r'e ma.ch to this place. lam lorry to find that
my letiej to General Schuyler the night the evacuation
took place has not come to his hands, as for want of
that, though he has doubtless informed the Congress
of the matter, he could net give them the reasons that
induced it : they are these :
Seeing that the posts of I iconderoga and Mount
Independence were nearly inverted, and having intel
ligence by my spies that they would be completely so
in twenty-four hours, when we should he cut off from
all possibility of fuccour: that the batteries of the
enemy were ready to open-, and tire whole of our en
campment on the Ticonderoga fide exposed to their
fire : considering at the feme time the weakness of the
grorfon, that' the ifkaive numbers were not fuffici
ent to man one hslf of the work', and that confe
queutiy the whole must be upon constant duty,
which they could not pc ihbly long sustain, and that
cl course tlie place, wun the gainful, mult in
evitably, in a very few days, fall into the enemy s
hands.' I fiw no alternative but endeavouring to
evacuate them, and bring off the army. Where
upon I called the general officers together, to take
their sentiments. They were unanimtully of opinion
that tire places (hould be evacuated without the least
fofs of time, and it was accordingly set about that
nicht, the sth instant. After embarking in boats
as much of out cannon, provisions and dores as was
pcffible, with the boats which wereordered to Skeerf
borough, I hot Colonel Long, an a&ive, diligent,
good officer, to take the command there, whh his
regiment and the invalids, until I ihoud join him
with the army, 'which was to march to that place by
Cartieton. The body of the army reached Cattle
ton hr n •.t evening, thirty miles from Ticonderoga,
and twelve from Sheer,fborough ; but the rear guard,
under the command of Colonel Wainer, which with
tne (frag,Urs and infirm, amounted to near twelve
hundreds flopped short of that place fix miles, and
were next morning attacked by a strong detachment
the enemy had lent to hang upon our rear and retard
our march. Two regiments of militia, who had left
us the evening before and had halted about two miles
from Col. Warner, were immediately ordered to his
abidance, but to my great fwprife they marched di
re&ly down to me; at the fame time I received in
formation that the enemy were in possession of
Sk^enfborough, and had cut off our boats and aimed
vessels. This obliged me to change my route, that!
might not be put between two fieu and at the fame
time be able to bring off Colonel Warner, to whom
I lint orders if he found the enemy too strong, to
reut.it to Rutland, where he would find me to cover
loin, that place lying nearly at an equal distance from
both ; before my orders reached him his patty was
dispersed, after having for a considerable time sus
tained a very warm engagement, in which the enemy
fuff:red so much that they purtued but a final! dil
tance: Our kfs I cannot afeertain, but believe it
dees ret exc el forty killed ,and wounded. About
two hundred of the party have joined me at Rutland
and fiiice, but great numbers of them are (till miffing
and I fufpe& have got down into New-England by
the way of Number Four. After a very fatiguing
inarch of liven days, in which the aimy fuffered
much from bad weather and want of provisions, I
joined General Schuyler the 12th instant.
It was my original plan to retreat to this place, that
I might be betwixt General Burgoyne and the Inha
bitants, and that the militia might have something in
this quarter to colle& to; it is now effected, and the
militia are coming in, so that I have the moll sanguine
hopes that the progress of the enemy will be checked,
and I may yet have the fati§faftion to experience,
that although I have loft a post, I have eventually
Lived a Rate.
Perhaps I may be censured by those who are unac
quainted with the fixation I was in, for not sooner
callingthe militia to myabidance. I think I informed
Congress I could net do that for want of provisions;
and as ibon as I got a supply I did call for them, and
was joined by near nine hundred the day before the
evacuation, but they came from home so ill provided
that they could not, nor did not purpose to stay with
mebut a few days. The two Maffichufttrs regiments
of militia likewise, which composed part of thegarri
for, gave me notice that their time expired in two
days, and they intended then to go home. In vain
did I beg of their officers to cxertevery influence they
had over them, and from their subsequent behaviour,
I am fully peifuaded the officers are mod to blame.
They kept with me however two da, s on the march,
but their conduct was so licentious and disorderly,
andtheir example beginning to affe& the continent..!
troops, I was conff ined to fend them off.
Inciofed is a copy of the council of war, in which
you will find the principles upon which the retreat
was undertaken. As I found all the General officers
f, fully of opinion that it fhouhl be done immediately,
I forbore to mention to them, many circumstances
which might have influenced them, and which I
should have laid before them, had they been of
efferent fn.iments ; for I was and dill am so firmly
cenvii ced of the necessity, as well as the propriety
of it, dirt I believe I should have ventured upon it,
bad they been every one against it.
I have the utmost confidence in the candour of con
gress, and pedbade myfelf, notwithstanding the loss
they have fullained, when they have impartially con
sidered, that' I was ported with little more than two
thousand men in a place which required ten thousand
to defend it: that these two thousand were ill equip
ped, and woife armed, not above one bayonet in ten,
an arm essential in the defence cf Lines; that with
these two thousand I have made a good retreat from
under the nefe of an army at least four times their
number, and have them now betwixt the enemy and
the country, ready to act agfft them, that my
conduct will appear at least no,t deferring censure.
I have the honour to be, &c.
AR.ST. CLAIR.
P. S. The enemy's force, from the best accounts,
is 3500 British, 4000 Brunswick and Helfe-Hanau,
zoo Indians, and 200 Canadians.
The Honourable John Hancock, Esq;
Hi a Council of General Officers, held at Ticonderoga,
5, 1777.
PRESEN T,
Major General St. Clair,
Brigrdkr General De Roche Fermoy,
Biigadier General Poor,
Brigadier General Patterson,
Colonel Commandant Long.
General St. Clair represented to the Council, that
rs there is every reason to believe that the batteries of
the enemy are ready to open upon the Ticonderoga
fide, and that the camp is very much exposed tg their
so ^d to be enlraDJun all quarters ; and as there
is also realm to expect an attack upon I iconderoga
and Mount Independence at the fametime, in which
case neither could draw any support from the other; he
desires their opinion, whether it would be mod pro
per toremove the tents to the low ground where they
would be less exposed, and wait ,he attack at the
Ticonderoga lines, or whether the whole of the troops
Should be drawn over to Mount Independence, the
more effectually to provide for the defence or that
poll..
At the fame time the General begged leave to in
form them that the whole of our,force confiftedof two
thousand and eighty-nine effective tank and file,
including one hundred and twenty-four artificers
unarmed, besides the corps of Artillery, and about
nine hundred Militia that have joined us, and can
not stay but a few days.,
The Council are unanimously of opinion, that it
is impossible with our force to defend Ticonderoga,
and Mount Independence, and that the troops, can
non and stores Ih,uld be removed this night, if
poflible, to Mount Independence.
2d. Whether after the division of the army at
Ticonderoga have retreated to Mount Independence,
we (hall be in a situation to defend that port, or in
case it cannot be defended, if a retreat'into the country
will be practicable.
The Council are unanimously of opinion, that as
the enemy have already neatly surrounded us, and
there remains nothing more to invest us compleatly
but their occupying the neck of land betwixtthelakes
and the eart creek, which is not more than three
quarters of a mile over, and possessing themlelves of
tlie narrows betwixt us and Skeenfborougb, and
thereby cutting off all communication with the
country ; a retreat ought to be undertaken as soon as
podible, and that we fnall be very fortunate to effea
it. Signed,
A. ST. CLAIR, Maj. Gen.
DE ROCHE FERMOY, B. G.
ENOCH POOR, B. G.
JOHN PATTERSON, B. G.
Colonel Commandant LONG.
A true Copy taken from the original,
Isaac Budd Dunn, A. D. C.
Publiflied by oider of Congress,
CHARLES THOMSON, Sec'ry.
Extras of a letter from St. Euflatia, func 15.
“ The trade between America and this Island is
likely to be cut off entirely ; two (hips with tobacco
and rice, &c. on board for Holland, have been taken
andcanied into Antigua, where it is expeHed they
will becondem.ned.--A (now from old Spain to Porto
Rico is taken and carried into St. Kitts, with some
American fleur op boaid, and bis expefled will be
I condemned. This will in a great Measure hurt the
I American trade, as there will not be that file as
Iheretofore.
To the Impartial Public.
WHEREAS a few envious and falfe men, in
and near the precinft of Newburgh, who en
deavour more to stab their neighbours characters than
to support the cause of liberty, have maliciously, and
without the least grounds or colour of truth, indus
triously reported that I am a Tory ; and in order to
inftil the poison into the minds of the populace, have
endeavoured to propagate the following falfehoods.
First, 7 hey have reported that I had Lord and
General Howe's Proclamation. To which I answer,
I really had it; and these Very men know how I
came by it ; and Mr. Samuel Clark found it (as he
told me) in the public highway, and immediately
delivered it to me as a Committee-man, as will ap
pear by the following certificate :
“ I Samuel Clark do heieby certify, that on or
about the firft day of January last, I found Lord and
General Howe's Proclamation in the public highway,
and that I immediately delivered it to Col. Palmer,
as he was a Committee-man, and that he informed
me in a few days after, that he had delivered it to
John Jay, Esq; in Fish-Kill."
I (hewed it to but one or two men ; and particu
larly I remember I (hewed it to Mr, Abel Belknap
the fame evening I got it, and in a few days after
I deliver d'it to John Jay and Z'phaniah Piatt,Efqrs.
at Fish-Kills, as will appear by their certificate fol
lowing ;
“ We the fubferibers, who were members of a
Committee, of the late Convention of this State, for
enquiring into, detecting and defeating conspiracies,
&c. do certify, that while the Committee were fitting
at Fish-Kill last winter, Colonel Palmer delivered to
them a printed copy of Lord and General Howe's
Proclamation, which he told the Committee, had
been given him by one Clark, who he said had fouud
it in the high-way.
" JOHN JAY,
“ ZEPH. PLATT."
Secondly, They have reported that I have dis
couraged others, and been backward myfelf in flip
porting the war. To this charge I can give no bet
ter evidence against it, than the testimony of Capt.
Samuel Clark, of the company of militia where I
reside, whicL is as follows:
" I the Subscriber, Captain of the company of
militia at Newburgh, do hereby certify, that from
time to time, and as often as I have called my com
pany in order to rail's men for the public service, that
Col. Thomas Palmer has attended without request,
and been one of the foremort in encouraging men to
enlist, and voluntarily paying his quota, and more
than his quota for encouragement for men to go ;
and that he has freely, tho' not obliged to do it, put
himfelf as a common soldier, in elaffes for a draught.
“ SAMUEL CLARK, Captain."
And as higher evidence cf my faith and willing
ness to support the war against our bloody and tyran
nical enemy, I told Lieutenant Thomas Blinckley,
an officer in the continental army, about two months
ago, that whenever he could inlift one or tuo men
the more, for the addition of thirty dollars to each
of their continental bounty, that I would cheerfully
• give it as an encouragement for filling up the land
ing forces. To the truth of this Lieutenant Blinck
ley will teftify at any time. I Ihould have inferud
his certificate, but he is at prefentabroad.
Timidly, Those wicked and designing men have
even gone so far as to fay that I had Lord Howe's
Pretention. Arid as it is out of my power to give
the public any greater fatisfa&ion to the contrary
than my own declaration, I hereby call upon the
villain who reported it, promising him a reward of
one thousand pounds on his proving it ; and (hould
he fail, as most certainly he will, I take this method
of publishing him to the world as a notorious rascal
and liar.
Fourthly, They have reported that I was con
cerned in the lad To:y plot a-t Newburgh, when 16 or
18 Tories went off in one night. This report also is
known to every one in the neighbourhood, and even
to those my mod inveterate enemies to be one of the
most devilish falihoods that ever was reported against
a man, a§ I was the very man that alone dif'cQvered
the plot very early the next mining aftci they went
off, having had fume suspicion from the movement
of the" Tories the day before. I apprehended an ap
prentice of one of them, examined him under oain,
put him under guard ; I then apprehended tire fdher
of the fame man, (wore him, &c. by which means
I found they were gone off with an intention to go to
the regulars. I then mounted my hoist, called
several of the Committee, and other tit ghbours,
advised the bed meafmes for pursuing them, let one
of my belt hories go gratis for one of the expresses to
ride after them. Phis is a well-known truth, which
if necessary, I can prove by the testimony of more
than twenty fp&nfible men. And Imce that I by
ftrafagem difeovered two other villainous Tories,
who lent their fans off with, at d hai boured Daniel
M'Guin, "a Toiy Captain, about the time Rose went
off with his party ; and by my evidence alone they
were committed, at our last county committee, of
which I ama member. And left all this Ihould not
be (efficient to deltroy my character, these wicked
emissaries of fatan hake promulgated,
Fifthly, That I kept Tory company and held up
a correspondence with them, against the fafety of
America ; that I had lately been acceffary with the
Tories in framing a libel, and in calling the Tories
together in order to relieve the Tory prisoners now
in goal. These charges also are infernal falfhaods,
calculated by the fame ft of.rafcally liars, for no
other purpose than to stab my character, and dettroy
my interert. I now take this method to call upon
those villains, whoever they are, telling them, they
are liars, tatlers and knaves.
I now most humbly appeal to the impartial public,
whether those evil machinates are not a set of ene
mies to their country. For, Cuppole for a moment
that I am guilty of all that they have so induftri
oully reported, then are they enemies in not appre
hending me, and bringing me to the justice of my
country ; if lam not, then are they enemies in caus
ing schisms and divisions, at a time when it is the
indifpenfible duty of every man that is a friend to
his country, to set slide every weight, &c. and en
courage peace and unanimity. But there are certain
characters among us that ought 10 he known, fitch
as those that oppose the Constitution, and have done
their utmost to oppose the choice of officers of go
vernment under it ; that have dared to a& deroga
tory to the authority of the grand court of the State,
on which lie all the ties of faith, honour and reli
gion, they have bound tbemfelves by the general
association to obey; that are damning men for
Tories, that have tuined out on all occasions in de
fence of their bleeding country ; that have encou
raged armed men to patrole a part of the country
by night and day, surrounding honed and well
difpofed mens houses at an unseasonable time cf
night, for the very purpose of frightening them and
their families, and all this without any order from
either officer or Committee ; that as lately as the
last alarm, made a ridicule of men going to defend
their country, by pointing at them, and faying,
there goes a fellow or a coward with a fwerd at his
arfe, &c. Such I fay, are dangerous men, pregnant
with mifehief, I won't fay they are Tories, but thus
much I dare fay, that they are enemies to God and
man ; I could fill up many pages more, with just
reflections on this set of men, but forbear-.-humbly
begging the favour of such of the public as have
been prevailed on to believe those wicked and de
signing men, that they will now call on them to
prove their assertions ; or otherwise, that they will
view them in the light they deserve, alluring the
public, that I ever have been a zealous friend to the
glorious cause in which we are struggling against the
tyranny cf the King and Parliament of Great-Britain,
and that I firft engaged in it from real principle, with
a determination to facrifice both life and property in
defence cf it—and if in any part of my conduct I
have committed an error, I am open to conviction,
and by being called on and convinced, (hall think it
my duty and honour to make all that concession be
coming a Gentleman and a friend to my country ;—
and that I am kill of that unshaken principle, not
withftan'ding all those provocations that might swerve
a weak mind ; I appeal b the great Arbiter cf the
Universe (by whom the truth is known, and by
whom I and all men (hall be judged at the last day)
for the truth and sincerity of this profeffion.
THOMAS PALMER.
Newburgh, July 18, 1777.
°XXXXXXXX/00<XXXXXX/%°
In CONGRESS, June 30, 1777.
CONGRESS, agreeably to the order of the day,
resolved itfclf into a Committee of the whole,
to take into consideration the letters from Abraham
Ten Broeck, Esq; President of 'the Convention of
the State cf New-York, dated 20th January and ift
March, 1777, the resolutions passed in Committee
cf Safety for the State of New-York, at Filh-Kill,
aoth January, 1777, transmitted with rhe above let
ters ; a petition signed Jonas Fay, Tho. Chittenden,
Hernan Allen, and Reuben Jones, in the name and
behalf of the people stiling themflves inhabitants of
the New-Hampshire Grams, dated New-Hampshire
Grants, Westminster, 1 sth January, 1777 ; a letter
from Pierre Van Cortlandt, Esq; President of the
Council of Safety of New-Yoik, dated 28th May,
1777 ; and a printed paper signed “ A word to the
wife is fufficient," containing an extract from the
minutes cf Congress, and a letter to the inhabitants
of Vermont, signed Thomas Young, dated Phila
delphia, iith April, 1777, laid before Congress the
23d inst. by the Delegates of New-Yoik ; and after
some time the President resumed the chair, and Mr.
Harrison reported, That the Committee have had
under consideration the letters and papes to them
referred, and have come to sundry resolutions there
upon, which he is ready to report whenever the
Congress (hall please to receive them.
Ordered, That the report be now received.
The report from the Committee of the whole was
then read, and agreed to, as follows:
Resolved, That Congress is compcfed of Dele
gates chosen by, and representing the communities
respectively inhabiting the territories of New-Hamp-
Ihire, Maffachufett's-Bay, Rhode-Ifland and Pro
vidence Plantations, Connecticut, New-York, New-
Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Mary land, Virginia,
North-Carolina, South-Carolina and Georgia, as
they refpe&ively flood at the time of its firft institu
tion ;—that it was instituted for the purpose of
securing and defending the communities aforefaid,
against the usurpations, oppreflions, and hostile in
vasions of Great-Britain ;---and that therefore it
cannot be intended that Congress by any of its pro
ceedings would do, recommend, or countenance any
thing injurious to the rights and jurifdi&ions of the
several communities which it represents.
Resolved, That the independent government at
tempted to be eftablilhed by the people Riling them
selves inhabitants of the New-Hampshire Grants,
can derive no countenance or juftification from the
a& of Congress declaring the United Colonies to
be independent of the crown of Great-Britain, nor
from any other aft or refolutien of Congress,
R< Solved, fa.fi the petition of Janas Fay, Th®,
mas Chittenden, Hernan Alien and Reuben Juns,
in theiname and behait of the people hiring thern
f Ives as aforefaid, praying ' that their declaration,
6 that they would consider themselves as a free and
' independent State, may be received ; that the dh
' tri& in the laid petition dderibed may' be ranked
' among the free and independent States, and that
c Delegates therefrom may be admitted to feats in
' Congrefs,' be difnifled.
Resolved, That Congress, by railing and officering
the regiment commuided by Col. Warner, never
meant to give any encouragement to the clairn cf
the people aforefaid, to be confidrred as an indepen
dent State ; but that the reason which induced Con
gress to form that corps was, that many officers of
different States, who had served in Canada, and al
ledged that they would soon raise a regiment, but
were then unprovided for, might be reinttated in the
fervice,of the United States.
Whereas a printed paper, addressed to the inhabi
° tahts of the dittrid aforefaid, dated Philadelphia, inh
April, 1777, and fubferibed ' Thomas Young,' was
laid before Congress on the 23d instant, by the De
legates of New-Yoik, to which address is prefixed
the resolution of Congress of the 15th of May, 1776,
and in which are contained the following paragraphs:
—' I have taken the minds of several of the leading
' members of the Honourable the Continental Con
' grefs, and can affiire you that you have nothing to
' do but fend attested copies of the recommendation
' to take up government, to every township in each
' diftri6t, and invite all the freeholders and inhabi
' tants to meet in their refpeaive townflrips, and chufe
' members for a general Committee, to meet at an
' early day to choose Delegates for the General Con
' gref^ and Committee of Safety, and to form a Con
' Iliturion for your State. Your friends here tellme,
' that some are in doubt whether Delegates from your
' diftria would be admitted into Congress ; I tell you
' to organize fairly, and make the experiment, and I
' will ensure you success at. the rifque of my reputa
' tion as a man of honour or common sense ; indeed
' they can by no means refufe you ; you have as
' good a right to choose how you will be governed,
' and by whom, as they had.'
Resolved, That the contents of th% Did para
graphs are derogatory to the honour of Congress,
and a gross mifreprefeutation of the resolution of
Congress therein referred to, and tend to deceive and
mislead the people to whom they are addressed.
Extra& from the Journals,
CHARLES THOMSON, Sec'ry.
F I SH-K I L L, July 3 r.
E^rafl of a letter from Mojes's Creek, July 26.
“ We have just had a brush with the enemy at Fort:
Edward, in which Lieut. Van Veghten was most in
humanly butchered and scalped. Two ferjeants and
two privates were hkewife killed and fcalpef, one "of
the latter had both his hands cut off. They took a
young woman, Janey M'Ciea, by name, out of a
house at Fort Edward, carried her about half 3 mile
into the bushes, and there killed and scalped her in
cold blood. They have killed and leaded another
I woman near the fame place.
Last Tuesday, two men were taken up and inter
rupted in their errand to General Howe. They be
ing both Germans, were recommended to one Fre
leigh, their countryman, a Launch Tory, to direct
them the road. They unluckily made a millake by
calling on a Whig of the fame name, who heard
their enquires and found out their errand; thinking'
it rather unfafe to let them pass, without a fnrthet
examination into their real business, sent them for
that purpose, under convoy to the commissioners at
Poughkeepsie.
Last Monday was hanged at Fort Montgomery^
one of Lord Howe's recruiting officers.
Last week another of the fame gentlemen was hang
ed at Peek's-Kill.
THOMAS ROACH,
In Water-street, No. 042, next but one to the corner of
the Fly-Market, has lor sale wholesale arid retail, viz.
OLD Madeira wine ofl
the firft quality,|
Lilbon, ffierry, and Tene
riffe ditto,
Port and claret ditto,
Jamaica spirits,
Wed-India rum,
Porter in bottles,
Loaf sugar,
Mufeovado ditto,
Hyfon, fufhon, ^nd bohea
teas,
Coffee, chocolate,
Rice, pepper,
Mustard, vinegar,
Allspice, ginger,
Mace, cloves,
With sundry other articles in the grocery way.
A neat Assortment of
European and India Goods,
JUST opening for Sale at the House of Mr. Thomas
Duncan, Dock-street.
Forty Shillings Reward.
RUN-away from Isaac Valentine, living at West
chester, about the zd inflant, a negro slave named
JOE, about I 8 years old, a little upon the yellow com
plex on ; his wearing apparel homespun, except a red jac
ket without fleeves# He was brought up on the Weft-
Farms. Whoever takes up and secures the laid negro in.
any of his Majesty's goals so that his master can have him
again, or brings him home, shall receive the above reward
S~ T'O' L~ E~N, —
EARLY on Sunday morning the third instant, out of
the house of Mary Minihull, on Golden-Hill, one
case of silver handle knives and forks, some of them out.
Six silver table spoons, old faffiian, marked with the let
ters E. D. the raaket's stamp, J.G. One defect spoon,
marked with a double cypher in a circle, P. E. L, the
maker's stamp, W. T. One diamond ring, a brilliant
and ruby heart joined, with three small sparks set over
the top. One garnet ring with two white stones set on
eacn fide. One common white ftonc ring. If any of
the above articles ffiould be offered for sale, a reafonabe
reward will be given to the person who stops them and
th, thief.'
TO be told, a valuable negro, about zz years old,
who is capable of doing all forts of house work,
either as cook, or any other kitchen work, and is a sober
fellow. For particulars, apply to Hugh Gaine.
A choice parcel of Irish Butter,
LA TELY arrived, and to be fold reasonable by the
firkin o quantity, by
RICHARD LAWRENCE,
In Q^enJ^ebetween Beekman's and Burling's (lis;
rHE (loop JOHNT^LTTIfoT^^
mouth with wines, will be ready to fail by Wed
nef^y °r Thursday next, for freight to any part of the
yeft-lidles or Europe : Burthen 120 tons, two years and
°L For P ai ti c wUrs, apply to Richard Yates, in.
WalDftrch
ICinnamon,
Nutmegs,
Sweet oil, soap,
Starch,
Irish and Scotch fnuff,
Chambers best fmoaking
tobacco,
IMerry Andrew cards,
Raisins and currants,
Olives, capers,
Anchovies,
Pickled walnuts,
Mangoes, caveach,
Cheshire and Glouceftet
cheefc,
Stoughton's bitters,
MolafTes by the hegfhead.