The Pennsylvania evening post — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-08-29 00:00:00, page 2

PHILADELPHIA, August 29.
An express, which arrived between eight and nine o'clock
this morning from New-York, brought the following let
ter.
“ New-York, August 27, 1776, eight o'clock, P. M.
" Sir, I this minute returned from our lines on Long-
Island, where l left his Excellency the Gen. From him I have
it in command to inform Congress, that yesterday he went
there, and continued till evening, when, from the enemy's
having landed a considerable partof their forces, and most of
their movements, there was reason to apprehend they would
make, in a little time, a general attack.
" As they would have a wood to pass through, before
they could approach the lines, it was thought expedient to
place a number of men there, on the different roads leading
from whence they were Rationed, in order to harrafs and
annoy them in their march. This being done, early this
morning a smart engagement ensued between the enemy and
our detachments, which, being unequal to the force they had
to contend with, have sustained a pretty considerable loss ;
at lead many of our men are miffing. Among those that have
not returned are Gen. Sullivan and Lord Sterling.
'' The enemy's loss is not known certainly, but we are
told by such of our troops that were in the engagement, and
what have come in, that they had many killed and wounded.
Our party brought off a Lieutenant, Serjeant, and Corporal,
with twenty privates, prisoners.
" While these detachments were engaged, a column of
the enemy descended from the woods, and marched towards
the center lines, with a design to make an impression, but
were repulsed.
" This evening they appeared very numerous about the
ikirts of the woods, where they have pitched several tents ;
and his Excellency inclines to think they mean to attack and
force us from our lines by way of regular approaches rather
than in any other manner.
" Today five ships of the line came up towards the town,
where they seemed desirous of getting, as they turned a long
time against an unfavourable wind. And on my return this
evening, I found a deserter from the twenty-third regiment,
who informed me that they design, as soon as the wind will
permit them, to come up, give us a severe cannonade, and
to. silence our batteries, if possible. I am, &c."
The following gentlemen, it is said, were killed in the late
skirmish upon Long-island, viz. Lieut, Col. Parry of the 2d
battalion of Pennsylvania musketry; Major Abiel, in the
New-York militia ; and Hermanus Rutgers, a gentleman of
New-York, but of what rank in the army, or whether more
than a volunteer, is not known.
0 The NEW-YORK POST was not arrived when this
paper went to press.
Dear Brother, Camp Long-island, July 13, 1776.
WITH the greatest difficulty I have procured this small
piece of paper to inform you of my being very well,
notwithstanding the miserable situation we are in.
We have been encamped on this iiland for this month pad,
and have lived upon nothing else but salt pork and peafe.
We sleep upon the sea shore, nothing to shelter us from the
violent rains, but our coats or miserable paltry blankets.
There is nothing that grows upon this iflaud, it being a mere
sand bank, and a few bufheswhich harbours millions of muf
ketoes, a greater plague than there can be in hell itfelf.
By this sloop of war you will have an account of an action
which happened on the 28th June, between the mips and the
fort on Sullivan's-Island, The cannonade continued for about
428
The foregoing letter was found on Long Island, South-
Carolina, and forwarded to Congress, and i§ now made pub
lic by order of Congress.
August 29, 1'776. JOHN HANCOCK, President,
WAR OFFICE, Philadelphia, August 28, 1776.
AS there is the most pressing necessity for all the troops,
without exception, who are now in Philadelphia, on
their way to the camp, to march to Amboy, in the date of
New-Jersey, it is hereby most earnestly requested, that they
do immediately proceed, without waiting for farther supplies
of arms or any other matter or thing, as care will be taken
to fufnilh them when they arrive at camp.
RICHARD PETERS, Secretary,
nine hours, and was perhaps one of the bri/keft known in the
annals of war ; we had two fifty gun ships; and five frigates
from twenty-four to thirty guns playing on the fort, I may
fay without success, for they did the battery no manner of
damage, and killed fifteen, and wounded betwixt forty and
fifty. Our ships are in the most mangled situation you can
conceive. The ACteon, a thirty gun frigate, run aground
during the aftion, and as it was impossible to get her off, we
were obliged to burn and blow her up.
Our killed and wounded amounts to betwixt two and three
hundred. Numbers die daily of their wounds.
The Commodore is wounded in two different places. His
Captain loft his left arm, and right hand, and was wounded
in different parts of his body, he lived but two days after
the action. Captain Scott, of the Experiment of fifty guns,
died ofhis wounds, and numbers of the other officers.
If the ships could have silenced the battery, the array was
to have made an attack on the back of the inland, where they
had about one thousand men entrenched up to their eyes, be
sides a small battery of four guns, one eighteen pounder, and
three four pounders, all loaded with grape shot, so that they
would have killed half of u s before we could make our land
ing good.
We are now expecting to embark for New-York, to join
Gen. Howe with the grand army. My anxiety to inform you
of bad news had well nigh made me forget to mention our
passage to Cape-Fear, where we arrived fafely the firft of
May, after a voyage of three months. Though it was long;
yet it was not disagreeable after we got out of the bay of
Biscay, where we met with the worst weather ever known
at sea, and continued in that situation for sixteen days; after
that time we had very fine weather all along ; sometimes we
were becalmed for four or five days together, not going above
ten knots a day. Upon our arrival in Cape-Fear we disem
barked, and were encamped in the woods until the 27th of
May, when we went on board again, and failed for this in
fernal place. The oldest of the officers do not remember of
ever undergoing such hardships as we have done since our
arrival here.
I hope you will be so good as to watch every opportunity
to let me hear from you and Mrs. Falconer, and at the fame,
time to inform me how I shall do in case 1 shall be obliged
to purchase my Lieutenancy, I beg you will make my ex
cuse to my dear sister for not writing to herat this time ; it is
not owing to want of affeftion,. but to the want of proper
materials. lam obliged to write on the ground. You will,
be so good as to let Captain Falconer know the fame thing. I
shall write again from New-York. I am, dear Sir,
Your most affectionate brother,
WILLIAM FALCONER,
To the Hon. Anthony Falconer at Montrofe, Scotland.