The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1781-10-02 00:00:00, page 2

The British line had been continually pressed
down to approach the enemy, as near as possi
ble, and the moment the French van betrayed
their apprehension of our design, by bearing a
way, the signals for a close action was made,
and the signals for the line taken down, that no
thing might cross the opportunity.
The action began a quarter after four, about
the fourth or fifth ship, and in a few minutes ex
tended from the van to the second ship a=ftern
of the center.
Rear Admiral Drake's division composed the
van of the British. line, Rear Admiral Sir Samu
el Hood, Bart- that of the rear.
The action in the van was very close and sharp
for some time, and continued fountil the French
ships put before the wind toprevent being cut up.
The French center and rear pushed forward,
and kept much from the wind as they approach
ed the British center, and appeared to have lit
tle more in view than to advance far enough to
receive their own van, who were going nearly
before the wind, and the better to effect this pur
pose they constantly declined close action with
the center of our fleet.
Every neceflary signal was madfc to urge a close
as well as general action, which the enemy ap
peared as much to decline, and did not permit
our rear to close with them, which prevented
that part of our fleet from having any share of
the action.
Frew the New-York Rgai Gazette,Sebtei^ber 22.
Mr. Rivington,
As your intelligence is generally looked upon
as the best which circulates through a news-pa
per, I will venture to put the following into your
hands, as no very imperfect picture of the action
which happened on the sth inttant between the
British and French Fleets close in with Cape
Henry.
^f % HE firft certain notice our Admiral receiv
ed of the enemy's fleet being actually up
on the coast, was from the advanced ihips of the
fleet on the morning of that day,when the French
were seen at an anchor, extending from Cape
Henry to the center of the middle ground (a shoal
so called ' which confines the entrance into the
Chefapeak) apparently in : three divisions;
As the British fleet advanced with a fair wind,
the French got their ships under fail, and extend
ing themselves in a line of battle a-head, flretch
ed out to seaward.
The British ran down upon an Eaff and Weft
line, with the wind at N. N. E. formed, and put
themselves into order and preparation for battle.
As the British advanced towards the shoal of
the middle, they were prepared to veer by fighal
the whole fleet together, to bring them upon the
fame tack with the enemy, who were all this time
forming the line as they advanced to sea.
The moment it was nolonger fafe for the Bri
tish van to advance further, on account of the
shoal, the fleet wore together, and came to the
fame taele with the French, and formed aline a
head nearly parallel to them, 'with their main
top fails square, to let the enemy's van gunrdad
vance, until the British could operate to advan
tage.
The French came forward slowly, and Brewed
twenty four large ships in their line of battle.
The British formed nineteen in their's.
It will be noedlefs to give you a detail of fig
gals. A great number were made, and I believe
all that were neceffaty to prepare the British line
for an united effort.
The French van had extendedthemfelves con
siderably too much from their own center, and
seemed to prefect the favorable moment for at
tack.
All firing ceased on both ides soon after sun
set.—About terPo'clock it was made known to
the Admiral by two frigates, which had been
sent through the line, that several of the ships of
the van were not capable of keeping extended
with the enemy, having fuffered so much in their
grafts and rigging, they mutt attend to its Secu
rity or be difmafted. That two of the ships
vd'ich came very leaky from the Weft-Indies,
hid aggravated their complaints, and one of them
could only be kept free with all her pumps.
The two fleets remained near each other for
five successive days, at times very close. The
enemy, it was vifiblc, had received much da
mage to their van fliips, and from thence quite
on to the next a head of the Admiral's fhip:—
hut our masts and yards had fuffered much more
apparently—this enabled the French to gain the
wind of us, and two changes of wind much in
their favour, prevented gur recovering it, &o
time or effort was neglected which could put the
British ships in proper order; for the enemy
with their fdperiority of numbers ought certain
ly to haxe attacked us. On the loth the Terri
ble could no longer resist her leaks, and the fleet
was obliged to bring to, as well as to give time to
fllift some topmalts. This was done at night,
and the next morning we saw no more of the e
nemy, who certainly pushed to regain the Che
sapeake, having been driven a great way to the
southward.
The day being calm the Terrible was difman-
tled and set 011 hre, and several of the Welt-In
dia fquadrOn, that had very little bread on board
and but a few day's water were supplied from
other fliips of the fleet, and the whole moved to
wards Cape Henry, which we made on the 14th,
and finding, the French fleet had placed them
felves' so adVanfafcoufly between the sands, as
to give no probability of our being able to force
them, or to' get' any fuccour up to York river, it
became absolutely necessary to Shelter the fleet
before the approaching equinox, as a gale of
wind by dismantling 9ur fliipsy might do us more
injury than a general adion.—The fleet there
fore returned to New-Yorke
We loft in the action, one Lieutenant, and 90
men killed ; and 246 woulided.---One Captain
having loft a leg/.
Sept. 20, 1781/
. BO ST O N, September 24:
Last Friday arrived at Newbury, the fall failing brig Gates,
- Captain Newman, in 36 days from Amsterdam, in whom
came passenger Mr Eliphalet Brush, of the State of New-
Y'ork, with dirpatches to Congress, from bis Excellency
JOHN ADAMS, Esq; American Minister at the Dutch
Court.
The above vcffel left the Texcl the 13th ult. by whom we
have the following very interesting intelligence, received
at the Texel the 12th, by the Ajax Dutch Cutter, com
manded by the Count de Weldaron, who saw the engage
ment, and was dispatched by the Admiral to the Dutch
Court at the Hague, viz.
THAT the Dutch fleet consisting of fix ships of the line
and five frigates, under the command of Rear Admiral
Zookman, left the Frie, the firft of August, with 70 fail of
merchantmen for the Baltic. On the fifth fell in with, and
defeated (off Berges) the English' fleet corifilling of nine fail
of the line and a number of frigates, commanded by Admi
ral Parker, who, relying on his fupFriofity of force, hoisted
Dutch colours under English out of derision, and bore down
on the Dutch Admiral, who had previously ordered his con
voy ahead under the protedion of the frigates, and formed a
line of battle. Their antagonists were so warmly received
thatthey judged it prudent to haul by the wind and leave
their adversaries entire mailers of the sea. There were no
vessels taken on either fide; the Dutch loft two line of battle
ships thatfunk the next day ; one of them had eight foot
water in her hold, during the greatest part of the a&ion ; but
the Captain, Benting, (who was killed towards the conclu
sion of the engagement) kept the line for fear of difepurag
ing others, notwithstanding the general cry that his ship was
finking, and obstinately flood tlx fire from two of the ene
my's line of battle ships and obliged them twice to quit
their line. The Dutch : ^ above 400 nien killed in the ac
tion, and were obliged to return into port to refit. The
men of war entered the Texel the day Capt. Newman failed
from thence ; they were much damaged in their masts, rig
ging, &c. However, the English must have fuffered consi-
derably more, being twice forced out of their line, and at
Lift obliged by flight, to leave their energy vidorious, who
undoubtedly would have captured some of them had they
been in a situation to follow them.
AMSTERDAM, July §.
Letters from Paris mention, That the vessel sent from
France in January for rhe Cape of Good Hope, to carry in
telligence of the rupture between England and Holland, is
returned ; that the Governor of the Cape had given orders
that all the ships of the Dutch Company, forming the se
cond division, should be immediately disarmed, and that
they were making every necessary preparation to put that
place in defence. The Governor dispatched a veffcl iuftantly
for Batavia, to carry news of the war.
We learn from I'Orient, that the frigates la Frippenne and
la Grorie had taken and sent into that port the English fri
gate Crefeent, and, retook the Dutch Frigate Callor, who
was taken after a bloody a&ion.
Yesterday being the memorable fourth es July, the anni
versary of American independence was celebrated in this ci
ty, at the new Stades Harburg Hotel, delightfully situated on
the banks of the Fly, affording a superb view of the water
andshipping on the one fide, and the city on the other :
where an elegant entertainment was given by the Ameri
cans suitable to the occasion. At the rising of the fun the
American ship Apollo hoisted continental colours, and fa
inted the day with 13 cannon, and at two o'clock fired 13
more, when the flags of the Thirteen United States of Ameri
ca, and the seven United Provinces, were displayed from the
top of the house, where the following gentlemen assembled,
and chose the Hon. Francis Dana, Esq; President, Major
Jackson Vice President, Mr. Brush, Director of ceremonies
Col. Seard, Edmund Jennings, George Greives and John
Thaxter, liiiq; Capt. Fottigen, Mr. Nixon, Mr. Buyek,
Mr. White, Mr. Matthewman, Mr. Deblois, Capt. Honzel,
Mr. Waldo, Mr. Brice. Lieut. Bourmai, Captains Skinner,
Caaneau and Barnes, Mr. James Adams and Mr. Course,
Grangers, and gentlemen of the city that were invited;
Messrs. John de Neufville and Son, Messrs. de la Lande and
Fynge, Mr. Le Pool, Messrs. Tigelers, Count de Raineval and
Mr. Chouquet of Amsterdam, Mr. Dormaad, of Lisbon, Mr.
Morell of Dunkirk, and Chevalier Waldcren, Major' in the
Austrian service. At dinner the following toasts were drank,
at the diffharge of thirteen caaaa from the A^glLo and
Dutch craifer Dolphin, for ;he fi.ft, and three for each
succeeding, viz.
1. The United States of America.
2. The Congress.
3. Our frit and illustrious Ally, his Most Chriflian Majcf
4. Hit Moss Catholic Majesty.
5. Their High Mightin fles the States General.
6. His Serene Highn< Is toe Prince of Oral ge.
7. The Regency end city of Amsterdam.
8. General Washington and thcAmcrican army.
9. The American navy.
10. Univerial liberty to navigation and commerce.
lit Success to the arms of France, Spain, Holland and A
merica, against the common enemy.
12. Io the immortal memory of the Americans who
have bravely fell in defence of the liberty of their country
and the rights of humanity.
r Lo^n-Ojpce, Hartford, September 29, tySr.
[HE public are hereby informed, That Bills of F.X
---' change on France, are now ready, far the payment of
Interest on Continental Certificates, dated before the firft
of March, 1781.
N. B. The current exchange in hard money, given for
B^f^^nd Ghicc.
At the new Earthen Ware Works, near the
. Great Bridge, Hartford,
A Quantity of W A R E,
Consisting of
Milk Pans, Cream Pots, MU%re, ,n_ ^ r ?.
Coarse and Fine Bow-Strings,
Of the best Sort, for Hatter's use, by
„ GEORGE CALDWELL
Hartford, October 2, 1781.
WE the fabferibers being appointed Commiflioners by
the Hon. Court of Probate for the diltria of Litch
field, to receive and examine the claims of the creditors on
the eftare of JOHN RICHARDS, late of Torrington, deceas
ed, represented inlolvent; do hereby give notice that we
shall attend said business at the dwelling-hovfe of Lieut.
Ephraim Bancraft, innholder in Torrington, on the third
and fifth mondays in Odober, and the firft Monday of No
vember next, from one to fix o'clock afternoon. No ac
counts will be allowed unless properly actefted.
CALEB LYMAN,
EPAPHRAS SHELDON, ja%
ASAHELSTRON G.
Torrington, September 27, 1781.
MISSIN G, supposed to be lent, the First Volume
of the Adventures of DON QUIXOTE, (the property
of Mr, Josiah Blakeley). Whoever has said Book and will
return it to me, shall be well rewarded.
D. DWI GH T,
Hertford; Sept. 2,, r,Br.
13. Stability and peipctyity to the free and happy consti
tution of America., :
At fix o'clock the two flags were (truck, thirteen cannon
fired, and the company repaired to the house of Messrs
John de Neufville and Son, where a splendid and luxurious
Supper was given by those Gentlemen in a large magnifi
cent hall, decorated with the following emblematical de
vices.
1. The geniuses of the two republics, in characters of
Women reciprocally tendering each other their trade and
commerce.
2. A Slap eroding die weflern ocean from America t.
Holland.
3. America and her inhabitants represented in their differ
ent branches of commerce, offering their staple commodi
ties to the fubjeds of the Seven United Provinces.
4° ?be,even United Provinces accepting the ,rodu&s of
America in exchange for their principal Manufactures.
f. The colours of the two R publics, with the motto LI
BERTY.
The evening inferably paged in facia, mirth and gaiety—
Joy and fatisla&ion appeared' in every countciiarcc.—-
Thirteen patriotic toasts were drank, and at twelve o'clock
the company peaCably retired much fatisfied with their fdti>
val meeting.
The following billet was sent by older of the Society
to Capt. Vandcilide, commander of the Dutch ciuixer
Dolphin,
" The President arid members ofthe American Society,afr
fcmblcd to celebrate die anniversary of their independence,
conceive themselves in particular, and their country in ge
neral much obliged by the polite minder in which Captain
Vanderlidc has honored their feftival, in a salute from his
ship : They beg leave to express their obligations to hirri
for thatcivility, to prefect him with their best refp<&s and f
Maccic eliaiiks for his iuccefs against die common enemy of
the two republics.''
Due attention was paid to the day by all the Commanders
of American ships at the Texel.
July 14. His Imperial Majesty the Emperor of Germany,
, [ hc ftri&ft incog, by die name of Count de Falkerflein,
bas visited the Texel aud our fleet there under the cemmana
°f Vice Admiral Hartfinock; on his return he honored this
city with a visit of three days ; a vast concourfc of People of
all denominations, flocked to fee this monarh: He was ac
companied to the State House and other.places of curiosity,
°J c"° Eurgoinafters of the city, who he very politely thank
ed for their attention to him,and that feeing their grand city
audpasiotifm of herinhabitants,gave him ferfible pleasure.
n 1 , H AG U E, August .&.
# The Duke de Vangyon, Ambassador from his Most Chrif
tien Majesty, has communicated to the deputies of the pro
vince of Holland, a piopofition of openings loan of four'or
five millions of florins for the account of the United States of
America, under the guarantee of France.
His Serene Highnels the Prince of Orange, in the quality
of Admiral General, has given orders to all commanders of
ships of war and cruizers, belonging to the Republic, not to
commit hoftiimes in t he Baltic lea.