The Pennsylvania ledger, or, The Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, & New-Jersey weekly advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-04-20 00:00:00, page 3

“ Among the dead are Mr. Sinclair Seymour,
Master of the Cabot, a good officer; Lieut Wilson,
of the Cabot; and Lieut. Fitzpatrick, of the Alfred.
“ The officers all behaved well on board the
Alfred; but too much praise cannot be given to the
officers of the Cabot, who gave and sustained the
whole fire for some considerable time, within pistol
shot."
Extrafl of a Letter from an Officer on board the
Alfred foip of war, dated New-London harbour,
April 10, 1776.
" I doubt not but you have heard of our arrival
at this place, and of our engagement with the
Glafsgow man of war, of which I Ihall now give
you some particulars :
" On the fourth instant we made the east end of
Long Island, and discovered the Columbus, who
had parted from us the night before, to windward,
with a schooner of fix guns (one of Capt. Wallace's
tenders) which she had taken in the morning. We
made Block Island in the afternoon, when the Com
modore ordered the brigs to Hand in for Rhode-Bland
to fee if any more ofthe fleet were out, and to join
us the next morning, which was accordingly done,
without feeing any vessel except a New-York sloop,
which Capt. Biddle brought to the fleet, and after
her papers were examined she was released. At
day-light we discovered a brig to leeward, made
fail, loon came up with, and after a few ffiot took
her; she proved to be the bomb-brig belonging to
Wallace's fleet, mounting 8 guns and 2 howitzers,
commanded by one Snead, a Lieutenant in the navy.
We continued to cruise all day within fight of Block
.Island, and in the evening took a brig and a sloop
from New-York, and brought both into port with
Last week nine men deferred from the miniflerial
navy on this Nation, and brought off three boats.
N E W-Y 0 R K, Aprils.
Whereas the Asia having quitted her Ration,
and left the harbour, the navigation between this
city and New-Jersey, by the Kills, is become quite
fafe; the troops upon Staten-Island and Bergen
Neck, are to let all boats coming to New-York,
or retuning to Jersey, to pass and repafs without
moleflation. Civen at Head-Quarters, in New-
York, 14th of April, 1776.
Horatio Gates, Adjutant General.
PHIL A DE L.P H I A.
Extrafl of a Letter from Eseck Hopkins, Efg;
Commander in Chief of the American Fleet, to the
President of the Congress, dated on board the Ship
Alfred, New London Harbour, April 9, 1776.
" When I put to sea, on the 17th of February,
from Cape-Henlopen, not thinking we were in a
condition to keep on a cold coati, I appointed our
rendezvous at Abacco,' one of the Bahama Blands.
“ I arrived at the rendezvous, in order to wait
for them fifteen days, agreeable to orders. I then
formed an expedition against New Providence,
which I put in execution the third of March, by
landing 200 marines under the command of Capt.
Nicholas, and fifty sailors under the command of
Lieutenant Weaver, of the Cabot, who was well
acquainted there. The fame day they took pofTefii
on of a final! fort, of seventeen pieces of cannon,
without any opposition, save five guns which were
fired at them without doing any damage. I receiv
ed, that evening, an account that they had two
hundred and odd men in the main fort, all inhabi
tants. I then caused a manifefto to be published,
the purport of which was, that the inhabitants and
their property should be fafe, if they did not oppose
me jn taking poffeflion of the fort and King's llores.
This had the desired effect, for the inhabitants left
the fort almost alone. Captain Nicholas, by my
order, fenttto the Governor for the keys of the fort,
which were delivered, and the troops marched di
rectly in, where we found the several warlike stores
agreeable to the inventory inclofed; but the Go
vernor sent 150 barrels of powder off in a small.
sloop the night before. I have taken the Governor,
Montford Browne, the Lieut. Governor, who is a
half pay officer, and Mr. Thomas Arwin, who is a
Counsellor and Colleger of his Majesty's quit rents
in South-Carolina; and it Appears, by the Court
Callendar, that he is also Inlpe&or General of his
Majesty's Customs of North-America. Since we
came out, we have loft company with the Wasp.
“ The fourth infant we fell in with the east end
of Long-Island, and took the schooner ,
commanded by young Wallace, of 6 carriage guns
and 8 swivels; and the fifth we took the bomb brig
of 8 guns and 2 howitzers, to swivels and 48 hands,
well found with all forts of stores, arms, powder,
&c. The sixth in the morning we fell in with the
Glafsgow, and her tender, and engaged her near
three hours. We loft fix men killed, and as many
wounded. The Cabot had four men killed and 7
wounded, the Captain is among the latter. The
Columbus had one man who loft his arm. We
received a considerable damage in our flip. but the
greatest was in having our wheel rope and blocks
shot away, which gave the Glafsgow time to make
fail, and I did not think proper to follow, as it
would have brought on an action with the whole of
their fleet, and I had upwards of thirty of our bell
fearaen on board the prizes. I therefore thought it
mod prudent to give over the chafe, and secure our
prizes, and having taken the Glafsgow's tender,
arrived the seventh with all the fleet.
us, not being fatisfied as to their clearances. At
sun-set we were twelve fail in all, and had a very
pleasant evening: At half past one I was awaked
by the cry of all hands to quarters. —We were soon
ready for action, the main body of my company,
with my firft Lieutenant, being placed in the barge
on the main-deck, and the remaining part, with my
second Lieutenant and myfelf on the quarter deck.
We soon discovered a large ship handing directly
for us. The Cabot was foremoft in the fleet, our
fliip close after, not more than 100 yards behind,
but to windward withall, When the brig came
close up she was hailed by the ship, whi^h we then
learned was the Glafsgow man of war. 'The brig
immediately fired a broad-fide, and received a return
two-fold, which, owing to the weight of metal, da
maged her so much in her hull and rigging, that she
was obliged to retire for a while to refit. Our ship
then came up (not having it in our power to fire a
shot before without hurting she brig) and engaged
her fide by fide for three glasses, as hot as it could
possibly be on both sides.
The firft broadside she fired, my 2d Lieutenant
fell dead by my fide, having a musket-ball through
his head. In him I have 101 l a worthy officer a
sincere friend, and a companion that was beloved
by all the fhip's company.—Unfortunately for us,
our tiller-rope and main-brace were shot away soon
after the fight began, which made the ship broach
to, and gave the enemy an opportunity of raking
fore and aft. The engagement continued until
day-light, at which time Ihe crouded all the fail
she could, and flood in for New-Port; our rigging
was so much hurt, that we could not make lail
time enough to come up with her again. At sun
rise the Commodore made the signal to leave off
chafing, he not thinking it prudent to rilk the
prizes near the land, left the whole fleet should
come out of the harbour. The Glasgow continued
firing signal-guns the whole day after. I 101 l three
of my people out of 12 that were on the quarter
deck, and two others who were in the barge were
slightly wounded. Capt. Hopkins, of the Cabot,
is wounded, his Master killed, and the 2d Lieute
nant of Marines is since dead ofhis wounds. Upon
the whole, it was a very hot engagement, in which
our ship and the brig were much damaged; but
we have this confolatibn, that the enemy buffered
full as much—for, by several expresses from Rhode-
Island, we are assured that it was with much dif
ficulty she got into port, with both pumps going."
PHILADELPHIA, ^ril ^.
In CONGRESS, April 16,0776.
Whereas much inconvenience may be derived
to the public from Committees (other than the
Committees of Safety in each Colony) on the pub
lic poll roads, flopping and opening the mails, and
detaining letters from the Constitutional Poll; It
is therefore resolved, that no Committees, but the
Council or Committee of Safety, in each Colony,
or such person as they Ihall, on extraordinary oc
casions, authorise, should flop the Conltituticnal
Poll, open the mail, or detain any letters there
from. Extract from the minutes,
CHARLES THOMSON, Sec.
In ASSEMBL Y, April 6, 1776.
^„HEREAS the Honorable the Continental
YV Congress, did lately recommend to the Icve
ral AfTemblies, Conventions, Councils, and Com
mittees of Safety, of the several United Colonics,
to cause all perlons to be disarmed within their re
fpeclive colonies who are notoriously dilalßded to
the cause of America, or who have not associated
an'd refufe to associate for the defence of th^fe colo
nies, by arms, against the hollile attempts of the
Brittfh fleets and armies, and such arms having
been duly appraised, to be applied to the arming
the Continental troops raised in this colony, the
troops railed in its own special defence, and the re
sidue for the use of the Associators, the laid appraif
ment to be paid by the Congress, Affemblits, Con
ventions, and Committees of Safety respectively,
as the said arms should be appropriated. And by
a further Reiolve it was declared that, the appraif
ment of the arms of difaffefted perlons, so taken as a
bove, should not be paid, unless for such arms
as were fit for theuL of the troops, or could be
conveniently made so, but that all defective arms
should be fafely kept by the Assemblies, Conventi
ons, Councils and Committees of Safety, to be de
livered to the owners when the Congress ihall direct.
The House taking into consideration the said re
commendations, and the very great difficulty of
procuring arms to put into the hands of Continental
and Provincial troops, and the ATociators within
this province, for the defence of the liberties of
America; Therefore
Refolded, That it be earnestly recommended, by
this House, to all well affe&^d Non-mTociators who
are possessed of good arms, to deliver them to the
Collectors, hereafter directed to be choien, as they
regard the freedom, fafety, and prosperity of their
country.
Refolded, That the Freeholders and Freemen of
every township, borough, ward, or dillrift, within
this province, qualified to vote for members of ^f
fembly shall respectively meet together, at some
convenient place within their several townships, bo
roughs, wards, and diftrids, on the twenty-fifth
day of this month, and then and there chufe, by
WHEREAS the Continental Congress did lately
resolve, That if any person shall be so 101 l to all
" virtue and regard for this country, as to refufe
" to receive the BILLS of CREDIT emitted by
“ the authority of Congress, or should obstruct or
“ difeourage the currency thereof, and be convi&ed
“ by the Committee,of the city, county, or district
“ where he should reside, such person should be.
“ deemed, published and treated as an enemy of
" this country, and be precluded from all trade and
“ intercourse with the inhabitantsol these colonies."
“ And whereas TOWNSEND SPEAKMAN,
druggist, of this, city, being charged with a breacli
of this resolve, in refuting to receive the above Bills
ballot, three persons for Collectors of arms; which
persons, so chosen, Ihall meet the persons chosen
by the next two adjoining townships, boroughs,
wards, or diftrifts; and the said perlons, or a ma
jority of them, shall collect and receive all such
arms of Non-afTociators as are fit for use, or can be
conveniently made so, within their refpeCtive town
ships. boroughs, wards, and diftrids, and ffiall ap
praise, or cause the laid arms to be appraised ac
cording to the true and real value, which they shall
pay to the owners, and then shall deposit the said
arms in some dry, fafe, and convenient place in the
several townships, boroughs, and diftriCts, fubje&
to the orders of Assembly, or in their recess, of the
Committee of Safety.
Resolved, That the said persons so chosen, or a
majority of them, ffiall disarm all difaffefted persons,
before described, and shall appraise, or cause to be
appraised, as aforefaid, and shall pay to the owners
the value of such arms as are fit for use, or that can
be conveniently made so, depositing all the arms in
the manner before mentioned.
Refolded, That if any townships, boroughs, wards,
or dillricis, ffiall negled l or refute to chufe such per
sons as aforefaid, or if the persons so chosen shall
negled or refufe to perform the duties hereby re
quired of them; in such case the Committee of In
fpe&ion and Observation, in each county cefpe&ive
ly, shall immediately proceed to carry the forego
ing recommendation of Congress effectually into
execution.
Refolded, That the persons so chosen shall im
mediately make returns of all arms fit for use, or
that can conveniently be made so, which they shall
take, colled, or receive, with the value thereof, to
the Assembly, or, in their recess, to the Committee ot
Safety, who may draw orders for the amount
thereof, in favour of such persons, on Michael
Hillegas, Esquire, Treasurer; who is hereby re
quired to pay the. fame out of the monies directed
to be emitted by this House.
In COMMITTEE of Inipedtion and Observation
for the City and Liberties, April 9, 1776.
of credit in payment, appeared before the Commit
tee for the city and liberties, acknowledged the
truth of the charge, and alledged, in his defence,
scruples of confeience thereupon, as being money
emitted for the purpose of war.
The committee, pursuant to the trust reposed in
them, proceeded to consider the charge and defence,
and were of opinion, that if such allegation was
true, yet as the Congress has made no exception,
and as such conduct tends to subvert the most essen
tial rights and liberties of their fellow citizens, and
by destroying the means of defence, to expose their
lives and properties to unavoidable ruin, it ought
not to be admitted. But it appears by his own ac
knowledgement, that he has heretofore received,
and docs continue to receive.bills of credit emitted
in this and the neighbouring provinces, though
frequently issued for the purposes of war, therefore
such objection is not well founded, or the present
pretence confident with his former condu^.-
The Committee therefore (the party having decla
red he did not mean to appeal to any other Board)
do unanimously hold up to the world the said
TOWNSEND SPEAKMAN as an ENEMY
to his country, and precluded from all Trade
or Intercourse with the inhabitants of these
Colonies, Ordered, that the above be published.
Extraß frQVi the Minutes,
J. B. SMITH, Secretary,
ofocfoe^#c^oc^x^o# tj^xP^^°^^T^cfoofocfe^s
rpHE Members of the St. GEORGE's So-
I cicty, are desired to.meet at Smith's tavern,
on St. Georgf's Day, Tuesday 23d instant, to
choose Officers and do the Bufmefs of the Day.
Dinner to be on the Table at three o'Clock.
„ Richard Peters, jun. Secretary.
A few Copies of the
Military Guide,
F'o R
YOUNG OFFICERS,
By THOMAS SIMES, Esquire,
In Two Volumes, large O&avo, embellished
with a Number of Copperplates',
(Prize Three Dollars)
May be had of the PRINTER hereof.•
Blue & Brown Wrapping Paper '
To be Sold by the Printer hereof,