The Pennsylvania evening post — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-09-21 00:00:00, page 3

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 21.
In a London paper is the following account of the evacu
ation of Boston, being the contents of a letter fiom an officer
of diftindtion in the British army to a person in London, dated
March 3, 1776.
" For these last fix weeks, or near two months, we have
been better amused than could possibly be expected in our
situation. We had a theatre, we had balls, and there is
actually a subscription on foot for a masquerade. England
seems to have forgot us, and we endeavoured to forget our
selves. But we were roofed to a sense of our situation last
night, in a manner unpleasant enough. The rebels have
been for some time past erecting a bomb battery, and last night
began to play upon us. Two ihells fell not far from me. One
fell upon Col. Monckton's house, and broke all the win
dows, but luckily did not burst till it had crossed the street.
Many houses were damaged, but no lives loft. We exped.
some carcases tonight, if the fear of of destroying their own
property does not prevent it. What makes this matter more
provoking is that their barracks are so scattered, and at such
a distance, that we cannot disturb them, although from a.
battery near the waterside they can reach us easily..
" 4th March. Bad news from New-York this morning.
A man who calls, himfelf Lord Sterling (I believe one of his
family has. a right to the title, but passed eldest, and this gen
tleman plays alone) he put himfelf at the head of three thou
sand men, in conjunction with that arch rebel (Lee) and has
driven all the well-effected people from.the town of New-
York. If something is not speedily done, his Britannic Ma
jelly's American dominions will probably be confined within
a very narrow compass. The rebel army is not brave, I believe,
but it is agreed on all hands, that their artillery officers are at
least equal to out own* In the number of Ihells that they
flung last night, not above three failed. This morning we
flung four, and three of them burst in the air,,
" s<h March.. This is, 1 believe, likely to prove as im<
portant a day to the, British empire, as any in our annals.
We underwent last night a very severe cannonade, which da
maged a number of houses, and killed some men. This
morning at day-break we discovered two redoubts on the hills,
cn Dorchester point, and two smaller works on their flanks.
They were all railed during the night, with an expedition
equal to that of the Genii belonging to Abidin's wonderful.
lamp. From these hills they commanded the whole town,
so that we must drive them from their post, or desert the
place. The former is determined upon, and five regiments
are already embarked. A body of light-infantry, under the
command of Major Mufgrave,. an excellent officer, and a
body of grenadiers, are to embark tonight at seven. I think
it is likely to be so far a general, affair, that we shall take our
share in it. Adieu balls, masquerades, &c. for this may be
looked upon as the opening cf the campaign..
It is, worth while to remark with what judgment the lea-?
dors- of th% # rebels take advantage of the prejudices, and
work open the passions of the mob. The §rh of March is
the anniversary of what they call the bloody massacre, when
in, J think, 1769, the King's troops fired on the people in
the streets of Bolton. If ever they dare stand us, it will be
today, but I hope tomorrow to be able to give you account
of their defeat.
" 6th March. A wind, more violent than any thing lever
heard, prevented our last night's purposed expedition, and so
fared the lives of thousands. Today they have made them-,
selves too strong to make a difladgment possible, We are
under their fire whenever they choose to begin, so that we
are new evacuating the tof/a with the utmost expedition, and
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leaving behind us half our worldly goods. Adieu! I hope
to embark in a few hours.
“ 7th March. When the transports came to be examined,
they were void of both provisions and forage. If any are got
on board today, it will be as much as can be done. Never
were troops in so difgraceful a situation, and that not in the
least our own fault, or owing to any want of skill or difere
tion in our commanders, but entirely owing to Great-Britain
being fail asleep. I pity Gen. Howe from my foul.
“ Transport, 9th March. 1 have slept one night on board ;
the troops are embarking as fall as poflible. I mistook when I
imagined the works already made could destroy the town;
but the rebels possess a hill so situated, that if they pleased to
ere& a battery, it would entirely consume us. They, as yet,
have not proceeded to make a work, nor do they attempt to
molefl us in our embarkation. It appears as if there was at
least a tacit agreement between Washington and Gen. Howe.
" 10th March. Today the horse transports are ordered to
fall down to Castle William, a fort about three miles from
the town in our possession ; it commands the harbour, and
the troops now there will embark the last. . The retreat from
the town of Boston is to be covered by a large body of grena
diers and light infantry, and the sth and 10th regiments.
The Fowey, a man of war of twenty eight guns, commanded
by Capt. George Montague, covers the retreat by water. A
packet is to fail, I hear, as soon as the army is clear of the
town, so probably I shall not have it in my power to inform
you whether we are attacked in our retreat or not; if I have,
I will.
" Nantafket road, March 17. According to my promise I
proceed to give a brief account of our retreat, which was
made this morning between the hours of two and eight. Our
troops did not receive the smallest molestation, though the
rebels were all night at work on the near hill, which I men
tioned to you in my last letter; and we kept a constant fire
upon them fiom a battery of four twenty-four pounders.
They did not return a tingle (hot. It was lucky for the inha
bitants now left in Boston they did. not. For I am informed
every thing was prepared to set the town on a blaze had they
fired one cannon. The dragoons are under orders to fail to
morrow for Halifax, a curled, cold, wintry place, even yet.
Nothing to eat, less to drink. Bad times, my dear friend.
The displeasure I feel from the very final! share I have in our
prefect infignificancy, is so great, that I do not know the
thing so desperate 1 would not undertake in order to change
our situation."
Extract of a letter from a Gen. Officer at Ticonderoga to an
Officer in this city, dated Sept. 4, 1776.
" The enemy must come cn ; and, 1 think, they will be
severely drubbed, for we are in a good poflure to receive them.
Gen. Arnold has got down with the fleet, having on board
about one hundred pieces of cannon, who, it is very probable,
will take the fiery edge off the enemy before they reach us.
If we succeed at New-York, the game is up, and Great-
Britain undone. What sudden milcnief a few designing men
can bring upon a nation ! But Britain was loft before. And
should America ever reach the fame pitch of luxury and cor
ruption, ihe too will fall. Liberty can only subsist with vir
tue."
On Wedoefday evening last a gentleman had his pocket
picked, as he fappofes under the piazza of the Coffee-houfe,
of a small Morocco pocket-book, wherein were two half Joes,
both plugged in such a particular manner as the owner
will know them again, a set of exchange drawn by John
Wereat, Esq; on Alexander Rose, Esq; of Charlcftown, Shuxh-
Carolina, in favor of George Walton, Esq; for one thousand