The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1778-09-15 00:00:00, page 2

16 gunt, twelve pounders, difeovered from the tep
of the mafls several fhios ; at half pail ten, he begun
to Tufpeft they might be an Englilh squadron; a few
"minutes after, he reckoned twenty men of war,
fourteen of which at lead appeared to him to be
flops of the line; the ftp adron was then at four
leagues distance from the French frigate. The Sieur
de la Clocheterie soon perceived that a frigate and
Sleep gained upon them. The latter carrying ten fix
pounders came up with the Belle Ppule and bailed
her in Enghfh, The Sieur de la Clocheterie answer
ed, bidding him speak French: then the stoop join
ed her frigate.
At half past fix, the English £ igatt came up with
in musket ihot of the Belle Poule, to leeward, the
Squadron being fill at the fame didance.
T he Sieur de la Clocheterie mahoebvered to avoid
the disadvantageous pofitipn he was in. His ma
noeuvre, executed with precision and celerity, soon
put the two frigates across each other, and within
pistol Shot. In this pofitiori, the Englfh frigate.hail
ed her in Bnglifh : he answered ht did not n^der
ftand; She then hailed him in French, and said he
muff come to her Admiral ; the Sieur de la Cloche
te ie answered, that his mission did not permit him
to that route. The English frigate infilled, and re
peated that he must come to the Admiral ; the
Fr ench Captain assured him he would do no such
tu ing; the English frigate poured a broad fide
into him, and the eaga^emeot began, at a time
when there was'fc irce any wind to govern the fli p.
The action lathed from halfpaft fix in the evening till
half pad eleven, still within pistol shot. It is to be
presumed that the English frigate, which is of 28
fix pounders was Spent, Since at that epocha She
availed herfelf of a breeze that Sprung up, and re
turned to her Squadron ; in that position She receiv
ed upwards of fifty cannon Shot from the French
frigate, without returning one.
It was impossible for.the French frigate to pursue
her; that rout would have carried her amidst the
English fleet. The Sieur de la Clocheterie resolved"
to run aground, and at half past twelve at night, he
anchored among the rocks, near Plouafcar, where,
the 18th, the frigate was obfcrved, and watched by_
two English Ships ; but the rocks which furrbunded
him seemed to ffielter him from any insult.
The a&ion has been most bloody. On the 18th,
the exa& number of the dead was not yet known ;
but was estimated at 40 at least. The Sieur Green
de St. Marfalt Lieutenant, and second in command,
was killed. The Sieur dela Roche de' Kerandraon,
^nfign, having had his arm broke, after fighting two
hours, had it set, and returned to his post, which
he kept during the three remaining hours that the ac
tion la ed. The next day he was obliged to fuffer
an amputation. The SEur Bouvet, an auxiliary of
ficer, was grievously wounded, but would not leave
the deck to be dressed. The Sieur de la Clocheterie
had two violent bruises, one in the thigh, and the
other in the head. The number of the wounded a
mounts in all to 57.
Theaaton was kept up with equal fire ,nd with
the fame fp:rit, till the moment the English frigate
abandoned the combat. The Chevalier de Capellis
commanded the battery, and was seconded by the
Sieurs Bernard and Shirre auxiliary officers, and
the Sieurs de Bafteror, and the Chevalier de la Ga>
lernerie, marine guards. The crew, animated by
the example of the officers, gave the greatest proofs
of bravery and pre fence of mirfd.
July 2. A letter from Paris' fays, " his Moss
Christian Majesty has sent notices to the several par
liaments throughout the kingdom (as it is customary,
previous to a declaration of war) that a war with
Great. Britain is new become no longer avoidable.
The Brest fleet has certainly.failed.
Admiral Keppel has positive orders to fail this day
er to morrow.
From the difficulty of getting marines, as well as
land forces, orders are sent for the §eth regiment of
foot; to be removed from their camps at Winchester
to Portsmouth, and immediately embarked on boa>d
the men of war thatare getting ready there to rein
force Admiral Keppel's fleet.
The retreat ofMr. Keppel firm before Brest, the
more it is considered, the more it ought to be ap
plauded. Matters are now reduced to that extremity,
tey ourrifquing bungling Ministers, that this coun
try can have no other dependence than on the pru
dence of our Admirals and Generals. And if the
French should land with twenty five, or thirty
thousand men, the fame prudence should govern
. admiral Keppel, not to rifque a battle with an infe
rior force, be^aufe, if that is once loft-all is left ;
ray if Lindon was to be the fact lice, it ought not
to be done; for melancholly and difgracefui as the
idea is, it is the only method left us to five the re
mining partof he island.
We are informed beyond a'deubt, that Admiral
Keppel accepted the command he now has, with
the greatest reludance, as it was given him under
certain inftru&ions, but the King pressed it on him
before his inftruaions were communicated to him,
and then it was too late to admit of any delay.
Whatever foperiority the French might have had
in the number of their ihips at Bieft; it is thought, by
people the molt intelligent in maritime affairs, that
Admiral Keppel was under no necessity of quitting
his late flation off that harbour on that accounts
While heremained there, it was impossible for the
enemy to venture out of port. They could not
bring their whole fleet out at once; and any thing
less must have penfhed in the attempt.
If Admiral Keppel cannot put to. sea till a rein
forcement of, only eight or nine flfps are ready he
will not fail this week or ten days. If a single Brest
fleet is so much fierier to us, what arc we to do
when Spain is joined to France! We have loft the
dominion of the sea. There is a new^ra in thqhif
tory of mankind. Great Britain ' has loft Amer p,
and is no longer mistress of the ocean. This hap
pened in the reign of George the Third.
The present doubtful, undecided itate of affairs,
caches a very great ftagnaiion in all branches of
trade, except those of military preparations. If this
continue long, what is to Support these military
branched Ministers of State never consider thele
things till monied men flop their hands. This they
did last winter, till fix per cent, brought them forth;
ifthings go-no belter than they do now, eight per ct.
will net do next year.
The Court of Enquiry into the conduct of Gene
ral Burgoyne, it is said well be held in 14 days, on
Account of General Sir Wm. Howe's arrival in Eng.
land, who is to be prefeat.
Admiral Byron spoke with a merchant Ship at sea,
which is just come into port, and desired theCaptain
to take care to avoid any French Ships of war, as they
had-all of them directions to commence hostilities
directly: All the .letters by the lift mails from
France Speak cf these general directions; so that
war, though net a&ually declared, is a&ually begun.
BALTIMORE, August 25.
Capt. Earle, in 'the Sleep Rutledge, arrrived here
in todays from "Cape Francois, informs that the
last arrival there brought advice, that four fail of
the line, and four frigates, had been ordered by the
French Court to fail immediately from Brest to re
inforce the Count D'Eftaing -Capt. Earle failed in
Company with the brig True American, Capt. Buf
fington; of 12 guns, belonging to Salem; who, three
days after the came out, had a smart engagement
with a Jamaica privateer, which narrowly escaped
being taken by the True American. The Rutledge
left Capt. Buffington in lat. 28, long. 72, all well
on board.
PHILADELPHI A, September 3 .
By the last secret advices we have frora New- York,
we have authority to assure our readers, that the Bri
tish army is preparing to evacuate that city and
that their deflinxion is to Canada & the Weft Indies.
A correspondent observes, that in the Packet of
the 16th of July last. there is an article under the
London head cf April 21, advising; that Dr Berk
enhont and John ' emple. Esq. had the day before
set out from London to Pertfmouth, to embark for
America, foppofed to be sent on a private embassy
to Congress---and that an article in the Packet of
the i fth-qf Ahguft, there is an account of the arri
val of those gentlemen at New York, and hopes that
'the Congr^fs will dfappoint them of their base in
tention, (for that they can have no other) of getting
among the good people of these Dates, in order to sow
djffentions among us. , -.
Yesterday at noon Lyons, Ford and Wilson, late
Lieutenants, and John Lawrence, late Gunner, in
the Navy of this State, were taken from the jail to
one of the gallies dying off Market-street wharf,
where the two former were fhet agreeable to their
fente>ce, but thetwo latter reprieved. The number
of fpe&atorswere very great, and it is hoped the me
lanchely feene will have a proper effect upon the
pre fligate and thonghtlefs, who do not seriously con
fider that the crime of desertion is attended with the
dreafdul consequences of wilful perjury.•
F ISH-KILL, September 10.
Accounts from New York by defer'ers, as well
as persons come cut of the city in exchange---That
the enemy by appearances, are preparing to leave
the city, ,heir heavy baggage and artillery being
embarked. They are felling off the fire-wood, falt,&c.
which was stored for public use; all their fouer is
delivered t@ the bakeft to be made into bifcuit-^Go
vernor Tryon was returned with some thou^nds
head cfcattls from threat! end of Long Island, and
they were hiding and felting them up.
N E W-H A V £ N, Septembers
Monday re nnivht, about 40 of out troops wer^
drawn into.an ambulcade, by the enemy, near Fort
Independence, aad taken or killed; zo of whera
Were Indians, Among tl e slain is an Indian ofneteh
BO S .tO N, Sept^mb^r 10.
Thirteen Men in an op.ro boat, have captured)
and sent into /art, tour Prizes, viz. two Bros arid:
two Schooners."''
- Last Saturday, about 40 Sail of Bri+iffi Men cf
War and Transects appeared off Bedford, at 6 o'-
clock they landed about 4000 British Troops, To %
ries, &c. under the command of General Cray, and
. then began their Helliffi Work, of burning the Roue-
Walks, 12 Dwelling Houses, M the lower Street
a,nd 111I 11 ffic S ' ore ^^ ,d the principal Part of
the whipping in that Ha; Lour: Also burnt all the
Dwelling Huiesanr Shipping atM'Pherfon'- .wharfs
and the principal Part of the Houses at the Heed of
the River, and the Mills ; and burnt two or -three
houses on the Road cn the Ead fide toward Fairha
ven, and a Number of Shipping. The enemy em
barked on Sunday and Modify, ^d on Monday
Night re landed a Party t bum feme Veffcls arid
Stores at Fairhaven, but were prevented. The fleet
remained at the%;b@uri M^h, on Tuesday last.
They hilled Abraham Ruffe! 2nd a Boy, wounded
one ,ok, Lieut. Mitchel mortally wounded.
, The above intelligence, was received from a Gen^
titman w! d arrived in sown left liveni»c from Bed
ford, and who is a Person of undoubted Veracity.
Saturday last arrived at an Eastern P £r t, a Prize
Brigantine, bound to Quebec having on board 180
Pipes of Wme, and 200 &fc c fQ, Por fydQ
ter, besides ether Articles, She was taken, it is said,
by the Montgomery Privateer, fr^m Salem.
J Lately arrived at an Eastern Port, a Prize Brigan
tine, of r6®Toh6, from Britain but last from Ma
deira, be^nd teNew Yerk, a very valuable Prize,
aden with Wines, Tea and Provisions of various
kinds. She was captured by the Black Prince,;
Privateer Ship of 2c Gins, fitted out at Salem '
HARTFOR D, September 'r
Return of the Killed, Wounded and Mfling of t^
American Troops, in the action of the 29th o'
August, on Rhede Inland.
Col, Laurens's advanced corps, 2 non commiff
°° ed °ffcers, 8 privates killed ; 7 non comrr.iffion
ed oncers, 24 privates, wounded; 1 non commit -
ed officer 3 privates, miffing.--C©l. Livingston
light corps, 2 fbbahcfns, 1 non-comnnfiioned offi.
5 Privates, killed; 4fubalterns, 5 non commit
officers, 16 privates, wounded; 9 private o
^T^ Varmim ' s brigade, 3 privates ki
led; i field officer, 2 subalterns. 19 privates, wour
ded ; i private, miffing.--General Glover's brigade
I subaltern, 2 privates, killed; 1 subaltern, Y 6'fr
vates, wounded ; 4 privates miffing.---General Ct
nel's, I private killed ; 11 privates wounded;
privates miffing.---Col. Commandant Green's,
subaltern, 2 privates killed ; 9 privates wounds
11 privates mffinp.-- General Level's, 2 p/ival
killed; i field officer, 1 captain 1 non can.miff
ed officer, 13 privates wounded, y ron-commiffic
ed officer, 4 privates, miffing. -Gmmi Tykt~
subaltern, 4 privates, waunded.-- Col. Comm)-
dant Brown's, I private wounded.
Total, 4 subalterns, 3 non commissioned ofT<
23 privates, killed; 2 Field Officers, r Captain, -
fubalteiir, 13 non commiflioned officers, 113 r^
vates, wounded; 2 non commifficned officers,
privates miffing.---Total, cf killed, wounded ‘'
miffing, 211.
The loss of -the enemy, in killed, wounded
prifooers, is supposed to be upwards of 700.
We hear, that 2 or 3 British frigates are cruif
in the Eaff part of the found, and that a day cr 4
ago they chac'd ashore, near Say Brock, a f
vessel, laden with flour.
U§l lAn accident at the Paper-Mill has prove
ed our obtaining the wfual supply cf Paper, w
obliges us to publish no more than a Half Sheet /J
Week.
W r HEKEAS a number of prisoners of war?,
in this slate. on a former advertisement •.
not sent into Hartford as was expected : Some
feeing the advertisement, and others not un deist
ing that those formerly belonging to the Ui
States were to be sent in; ard consequently•
not been able to fend into New-York the nun'
that I was directed to do by the-Commissary
neral, and am new called upon to fend them in
mediately ; desire therefore, that all persons
have any prisoners of war, of any fort whatever n
der their care would fee to it that they come : #
Hertford on the Wednesday of the next week, v
cut fail, in order that they mav be sent for exc| 1
EZEKIEL WILLIAM}
Sept 8, 1778; Deputy -Cemmifriry of Pri'z