The Pennsylvania evening post — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-07-25 00:00:00, page 1

The PENNSYLVANIA EVENING POST,
In CONGRESS, July 10, 1776.
THE Committee co whom the cartel between Brigadier
General Arnold and Captain Foster, and the several
papers thereto relating were committed, having
had the fame under their consideration, and made
diligent inquiry into the fads, have agreed to rhe following
'%hey find that a party of three hundred and ninety Conti
nental troops, under the command of Col. Bedel, was polled
at the Ced tro, about forty-three miles above Montreal, that
they had there formed lome works of defence, the greater
part of them piqueted lines, the rest a breastwork of earth,
with two field pieces mounted.
That on W^dnefday, the fifteenth of May,, Col. Bedel re
ceived intelligence that a party of the enemy, confiding of
about fix hundred regulars, Canadians, and Indians, were on
their way-to attack mis pott, and were then within nine miles
o f lt that Coi. Bedel thereon set out himfelf for Montreal,
to procure a reinforcement, whereupon the command at the
Cedars devolved on Major Butterfield.
That on Thursday a reinforcement, under the command of
Major therburne, matched from Montreal for the Cedars,
while a larger detachment fhpuld be getting ready to proceed
thither with Brigadier General Arnold.
1 hat on Friday the nineteenth the enemy, under thecom
inand of Capt. Fuller, inverted the port at the Cedars, and for
two days kept .up a loose scattering fire—that Major Butter
field proposed from the very firft to surrender the port, and
refufed repeated iolicitations irom his officers and men to per
mitthem to sally out on the enemy- . e .
That on Sunday afternoon, a flag being font in by the ene
my Major Butterfield agreed to surrender the fort ano gam
fen to Capt. Foster, capitulating with him (whether verbally
or in writing does not appear) that the garnfon ih^d
not be putiuto the hands of the ravages, and that their bag
gage fhculd net be plundered. ,
That at the time of the surrender, the enemy confined of
ab ut forty regulars, one hundred Canadians, and five hun
dred Indians, and had nocannon.; the garrilon had sustained
no injury from the fire, but the having o 4 e man wounded=
they had twenty roundsof cartridges a man, thirty rounds for
one field piece, five for another, half a barrel of gunpowder,
fifteen pound of musket ball, and provision luffident to have
Tailed them twenty or thirty days. Major Butterfield knew
that a reinforcement was on its way, and moreover was io near
the main body of^the army that he could not doubt of being
fupportdd hy that.
What immediately on the surrender, the garrison was put
into the custody of the Savages, who plundered them of
their baggage, and even dripped them of their clothes.
That Major Sherburne having landed, on Monday the twen
tieth, at Qaifezechenes, about nine miles from the Cedars, and
marched on wi.h his party, confining then of one hundred
men, to within four miles thereof, was there attacked by about
five hundred of the enemy—that he maintained his ground
about an hour, and then, being constrained to retreat, per
formed the fame in good order, receiving and returning a
Vol. 11.1
Price only Two Coffers. Published every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday Evenings.
THURSDAY, JULY 25, 1776.
367
constant fire for about forty minutes, when the enemy finding
means te post advanced parties in such a manner as to intercept;
their farther retreat, they also were made prisoners of war.
That they were immediately put into the caftody of the
Savages, carried to where Major Butterfield and his party
were, and Stripped of their baggage and wearing apparel.
That two of them were put to death that evening, four
or five others at different times afterwards, one of whom was
of those who surrendered on capitulation at the Cedars, and
was killed on the eighth day after that surrender. That one
was firft shot, and while retaining life and # sensation wa&
roasted, as was related by his companion now in poffefiion of
the Savages, who himfelf saw the sass, and that several others,
being worn down by fatigue and cruelty, were left exposed
in an island naked and perilling with cold and hunger.
That while Major Sherburne was in custody of the enemy.
Captain Foster required of him and the other officers to figa
a cartel ftipelating the exchange of themselves and their mere
for as many of equal condition of the British troops in our
poffefiion. And farther, that notwithrtandihg the exchange,
neither themselves nor men should ever again bear arms,
against the British government. And for the performance of
this four hostages were to be delivered, which they, being un
der the absolute power of the enemy, did sign.
That on Sunday the twehty-fixth, the prisoners were car
ried to Juingrehener, when it was difeoyered that General
Arnold was approaching and making difeofitions to attack
them.
That Capt. Foster, having desired Major Sherburne to at
tend a flag which he was about to fend to Gen. Arnold for
confirmation of the cartel, carried him into the Council of
the Indians then fitting, who told him, “ that it was a
mercy never before shewn in their wars, tnat they had put
to death so few of the prisoners, but that he must exped and
so inform Gen. Arnold that they ftiould certainly kill ever,
man who Ihould thereafter fall into their hands." That Capt.
Foster joined in desiring that this bloody message should be
delivered to Gen. Arnold, and moreover that he should be
notified, that if he rejected the cartel, and attacked him,
every man of the prisoners would be put to instant death.
That Gem Arnold was extremely averse from entering into
any agreement, and was at length induced to do it, by no
other motive than that of saving the prisoners from cruel and
inhuman death, threatened in inch terms as left no doubt it
was to be perpetrated; and that he did in the end conclude
it after several flags received from Capt. Foster, and a relin
quishment by him of the unequal article reftraiaing our sol
diers from again bearing arms. , . . ,
That the prisoners, so ItipuUted to be given up to the
enemy, were not in the possession of Gen. Arnold, nor under
his direction, but were, at that time, distributed fhrojgh va
rious parts of the continent, under the orders of this Houl%
That four hostages were accordingly delivered to Capture
Foster who were immediately plundered and stripped by the
Savages ; and on his part were delivered one Major four
Captains, sixteen subalterns, and three hundred and fifty-five
privates, as fpecified in a certificate of Capfiin J^ 0^
[Num. 236.