The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1781-08-21 00:00:00, page 2

ANNAPOLI S, August 2.
Extract of a letter dated Malvern (or Nealvern's)
hill, July 29, 1781.
" It is not easy to make any thing out of Lord
Cornwallis's prelent movements. The fleet with
about 1300 troops on board (some fay 2000)
were by our latest advices Hill in Hampton road.
Since taking this portion, there have been winds
that would nave carried them out of the capes,
or up the bay. They have pilots on board, ac
quainted with the navigation of the Chefapeak.
The fleet is watered, and the enemy give out,
that Baltimore is the place of dellination: I know,
not well what to fay in this case. To deceive
more effectually, Generals fometfmes anounce
their real intentions : Lord Cornwallis has done
this in some instances., Going up the bay is also
agreeable to the mfniftefral fyfteit) The com
poGtion of the troops is likewise calculated for
such service, comprehending the light infantry,
or a regiment of cavalry, or, the queen's rangers.
On the other hand, New-York seems to call for
their assistance, and they may be waiting for a
convoy, or a second embarkation. In fine, if I
dared to conclude ary thing, it would be, that
they are destined for New-York. Nevertlielefs
precautions may not be improper in your quar
ter, but I state the intelligence, and you will be
the heft judge of the measure.
" It appears to me, that this State will not be
evacuated, nor their design of penetrating Ma
ryland even suspended at this moment, unless
the French have obtained such a naval Superio
rity as to place New-York and C,liarleftown in
the last degree of danger. Such an event only,
or the certainty that the army here will be expo
sed to capture from such a superiority, can or
will force them ' from this State.
" The Maryland "dragoons have been ordered
to return, and I suppose have commenced their
march this morning."
BALTIMORE, July 24.
It is said two thousand British troops were a
few days firice, embarked at Portfmputh ; sup
posed to be destined for New-York.
PHILADELPHIA, August 1.
Extradl from General Orders, July 19, 1781.
V THE Commander in Chief is exceedingly
pleased with the conduct of Major Gen. Howe,
lor marching with so much alacrity and rapidity
to the defence of the stores at Tarry-Town, and
rapulfing the enemy from thence: He requests
General Howe, and all. the officers and soldiers
of the American and French armies, who were
employed on the occasion, to accept his public
, acknowledged of their services.
" The gallant behaviour, and spirited exerti
ons ofCol. Sheldon and Capt. Hurlbut, of the
2d regiment of dragoons; Capt. Lieut. Miles,
of the artillery, and Lieut. Shayler, of the 4th
Connecticut regiment, previous to the arrival of
the troops, in extinguishing the flames of the
vessels which had been set on fire by the enemy,
and preserving the whole of the ordnance and
fibres from deftru&ion, entitle them to the most
diftinguifhednotice and applause of the General."
Monday last came upto town, a flag of truce,
from St. Augustine, with a number of virtuous
citizens of South-Carolina, who had the misfor
tune to fall into the enemy's hands at the surren
der of that place, and afterwards cruelly sepa
rated from their families and friends, and sent
prisoners to Augustine.. Another flag, with seve
ral more gentlemen under thelike circumstances,
may be looked for every hour, as die failed at the
fame time.
August 4. A small open boat was brought into
our port the beginning of this week by two Ame
rican seamen. She was employed by a number
of the piratical villains, called refugees, to plun
der in the bay and coast. These two men, late
ly prisoners with the enemy, entered on board
the above boat : but watching their opportunity,
while the rest of the crew were on shore near
Sandy-Hook, brought her offfafe.
Thursday evening another flag arrived here
from Charleftown, with a number of the families
of the gentlemen already in this city, belonging
to South-Carolina, who have loft their all forthe
fake of the glorious cause of their country.
A second flag from Augustine is come up as
high as Chester, with more of the worthy inha
bitants of South-Carolina.
Late accounts from the Southward inform us,
that the enemy have destroyed their works at
Ninety-Six, in South-Carolina, and retired to
Monk's Corner, 26 miles from Charleftown,and
it was supposed they would shortly be obliged to
'retreat into that capital, as considerable bodies of
American forces were near them ; some, indeed,'
were polled between Monk's Cornerand Charlef
town, but not in such a portion as effectually
to prevent the enemy's retreat : That our affairs
in that quarter wear an agreeable afpeft, fomeof
our troops being within 3 miles of Charleftown,
and airdoll the whole country submitted to the
victorious arms of General Greene. Our ad
vices add, that numbers of the reinforcement of
troops, lately arrived at Charleftown, had perish
ed with excessive fatigue, added to the great dif
ference of the climate from shat of their native
country.
^rom tbe Nezu-York' Gazette, JAy 2s.
Part of the fleet from St. Euftatia for England
we hear has arrived ; it is 1 said some of them have
been captured * within 20 leagues ofthe land, by
the French Admiral la Motte Picquet ; and that
Admiral Digby was sent in quell of him and them
with ten fail of the line..
TRENTON, August 8.
It was currently reported yesterday that a
British ffeet with troops,- supposed to be Corn
wallis's army, was in the Chesapeake, bound for
Baltimore.
Three or four British frigates have been cruiz
ing in the Delaware-Bay for several days past.
On Sunday last James Armstrong was com
mitted to the goal in this town for attempting to
pass counterfeit Eight Dollar bills of credit of
this State.
N E W-Y O RK, JCity) Julyifr
General Washington's portion is from Dobb's
Ferry to to the Brunx, 12 miles from King's
Bridge, and the reports there are, that he is wait
ing for the arrival of a French fleet to attack
New-York by sea, when he will immediately
commence hostilities by land, with all his force*
The French fleet in the Weft-Indies confills of
26 fail of the line, and it is probable some of
them may pay Rhode-Inland a visit in the hurri
cane months ; But it is supposed that' Admiral
Rodney, who has under bis command 22 mips
of the line, will keep a vigilant eye over the
motions of Count de Grafle, and wherever he
may fleer, fend a force after him fufficient to de
feat his intentions ? The public may be allured
he will; and that an addition to our naval force
is shortly expelled from more quarters than one.
The Congress, it is said, has given orders for
the.capturing all the Spanish flags that had any
of the garrifan of Penfatola on board, as by the
capitulationof that place, the troops taken there
might a£l against the Americans, as the Spani
ards were not in alliance with the United States.
POUGHKEEPSIE, August 13.
We hear from Albany, that on Wednesday,
theist inflant, a fculking party from Canada,
confining of 4 tories, 2 regulars, and two men
they had seduced to join them on the way, came
to the house of John James Blecker, Esq; an
active magistrate, at a place called Tom-Heaneck,
25 miles above Albany. After robbingthehoufe,
they carried off with them, Mr. Blecker, a
white lad that lived with him, and a negroe.—
On their return to Canada, in puffing through
the Grants in the night, they miflook the way,
and instead ofcroffing the Green Mountain,where
they intended to quarter on Saturday night, they
took:up their lodging in a wood, surrounded with
cleared lands and settlements. In the morning,
Saturday the ;th, after palling two houses, and
finding themselves observed, they began to run,
whereby the inhabitants, being convinced they
were enemies, immediately collected, to the num
ber of 1$ or 16, and pursued them. Three of
these, more alert than the rest, and having with
them a dog, trained to followinga track, cameup
with them at the foot of the Green Mountain,
and ruffling upon them suddenly, secured their
arms, and madelliem all prisoners before the rest
ofthe party came up. By thismeans Mr. Blecker
and his people recovered their liberty, and arc
returned home. It appears that the Governor of
Canada has a lift of the principal inhabitants on
our frontiers and settlements, as low as Albany;
and that he had sent off a strong party, to take
off those people mentioned in hi's lift, or as many
of them as possible : This body divided on the
way into small parties, one of which furprized
Mr. Blecker, another was to attempt General
Scuyler, and the rest went in quest of other per
lons pointed out to them. About the fame time,
several couatry people in the neighbourhood of
Albany, had been flopped by the last mentioned
party, as is supposed, who, after asking several
questions, relative to public affairs, and theprin
cipal inhabitants, obliged them to take an oathof
fecrccy, and then dismissed them. A robbery
had been committed near the city, and on ex
amination, it appeared that one Walter Meyer
had been concerned in it. "•
On the foregoing intelligence, Gen. Schuyler
had ordered the yard.gate, leading to the back
part of his house, at Albany, to be locked every
night ; and one of his servants was armed with
a loaded musket and fixed bayonet.
On Tuesday night, about 9 o'clock, the 7th
inst. an attempt was made to rob the house, and
it is supposed to carry off the General. He and
and his family were then at supper, the front
door of the house, next the river, being open ;
but the robbers, 12 or 13 in number, came to
to the back gate, which being locked, they broke
open, and thereby alarmed the servants, two
white men and a negro, who difeharged the
musket, and made several thrusts with the bayo
net at them, whereby it is supposed some were
wounded, as much blood was left on the place.
This refinance delayed their proceedings, until
they had secured thetwo whitemen, and wound
ed the negro, who, notwithstanding, made his
escape—They then went to the door leading to
the kitchen, where a negro girl was just entering.
They did not direaly enter with her, but bid
her tell the General that Capt. Meyer wantedto
speak with him. He immediately fufpe&ed it
was Walter Meyer, before mentioned, and run
ning up flairs, as he went, saw them enter the
passage below. From the upper window, he dis
charged two pistols to alarm the town, which had
the desired effect ; aud'withinlefs-than a quar
ter of an hour,;a number of the inhabitants came
with their arms; mean while, the robbers plun
dered the house of the plate in use at supper, and
that they found in another room, which they ,
broke open, viz. a large silver tankard, several
salts, and 30 table spoons, and then went off pre
cipitantly, taking with them the two white men.,
They were scarce out of fight, when the inhabi
tants came, who pursued, but could not over
take them ; however, their rout was soon after
discovered, and notice sent to the Indians above,
and rewards offered for intercepting them, which
it is hoped may be effeaed.
CHATH A M, August 8.
On Tuesday night, the gift ult. a party from
Staten-Illand,, of blacks and whites, came over
to Elizabeth Town and plundered three horses
and thirty-seven head of horned cattle from the
inhabitants. Some nights previous to this, they
carried off twenty-two milch cows.
Last week a subaltern ofthe §2d regiment, with
his whole guard, deserted the British, and came
to General Washington's head quarters. This
comes from indubitable authority.
We also learn, by the fame channel, that de
sertion among the British was never more pre
valent than at this time ; scarcely a day elapses
but what eight or ten of them come off.
A Halifax paper, ofjuly 17, fays, " Yester
day arrived from England Sir Andrew Snape
Hammond, Lieut. Governor of this Province,
Commissioner of his Majesty's yard, with his La
dy and two children. We can assure the public
from ihdifputable authority, that the negociation
for a general peace, is still going forward at Vi
enna—That the Ambassadors from the fever!
courts interefled are appointed, and that the suc
cess of it is not doubted.
A New-York (city) paper of August 1, men
tions, That Lord Rawdon had quitted the fort at
Ninety-Six, and taken poll at Orangeburgh; and
that there had been an engagement between the
British and rebels at Monk's Corner, and that the
latter were defeated.
BOSTO N, August 16.
Yesterday arrived here, in fifty days from
Brest, his Most Chrillian Majesty's frigate Ma
gicienne, of 36 guns, together with a transport,
having on board cloaths and warlike stores of all
kinds, on account of the United States. A
number of French gentlemen of the army and
navy, came passengers in the frigate, among
whom is Col. Armong, a gentleman who has
highly distinguished himfeli in the cause of the
United States ; he has brought over with him,
arms, eloathing, Ac. complete for his legion,
now at head quarters.
By these veflels we have a confirmation of the
taking of the homeward bound 'Statia fleet of 25
fail, the two British ships, their convoy, escaped,
the value of those taken, is pflimated at fifteen
millions of French livres: That the French
grand fleet failed from Brest the 23d of Jui^ in
order to join the Spanish fleet at Cadiz, which,
when effeaed, will amount to forty ships of the
line, besides frigates, &c # That the Dutch fle^l;