The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1780-01-04 00:00:00, page 2

might have bten attended with the most fcrioui con
sequences. It is said, that the unexpected fight of a
three masted ship of such force, upon the Lake, threw
the enemy into the utmost, and most visible coufter
nation. It does not seem, however, probable, that a
matter of such public notoriety in Canada, should
have been so long with- held from them.
A warm action ensued; and was vigorously fop
ported on both sides for fame hours; but the wind be
ing unfavourable, so that the Inflexible, and some
other vessels of force could not be worked up to the
enemy, the weight of the action fell upon the (choos
er Carleton and the gun boats, which they sustain
ed with the greatest firmnefs, such extraordinary ef
forts of resolution being displayed both by men and
officers, as merited and received the higher applause
from their commanders. It is to be presumed, that
when so much praise war due and given to the con
du& and valour of a superior force on our fide, the
enemy mast not have acted their part amiss.
The detachment belonging to the corps of artille
ry, were highly diflinguifhed, and did most eflfen
tial service in the gun boats. But the fame impedi
ments still continuing, which prevented their being
seconded by the other vessels, Captain Pringle, with
the approbation of the General, thought it necessary
for the present, to withdraw those that were engaged
fom the a&ion. At the approach of night, he
brought the whole fleet to anchor in a line, and as
n^ as pcffible to the enemy, in order to prevent
ther retreat.
In this engagement the befi schooner belonging to
the enemy was burnt, and a gondola carrying three
or four guns funk from whence we may form some
reasonable conjecture of the execution done upon
their other vessels. Being now fully fe fible of their
inferiority, they took the opporiuni y which the
darknefa of the night afforded, of endeavouring to
escape from their present eminent danger, hoping to
obtain fheb'er and protection at Crown Point. Ar
nold concurred and executed this design with ability,
and fortune fetmed at firfl so favourable to his pur
pose, that they were out offlght by the next morning.
The chace bein^, however; continued without in
te.m ffion, both on that and the succeeding day, the
wind, and other circumflances peculiar to the navi
nation of the Like, which bad been at firft in favour
of the Americans, became at length otherwise, so
that they were overtaken and brought to aAron a
few ki;ues (hurt of Crown Point, about noon on
this rgth. ~
A very warm engagement ensued, and continued
at two hours, during which those vessels that
u 're mrfta head pufh^d on with the uncoil speed,
inf puffing Crown Point, escaped to Ticonderoga ;
but wo gallins and five gondolas which remained
^ h Arnold made a desperate refinance. During
tail ^roa the Washington galley, with Waterbury,
a Brigadier General, and the second in command,
on board, ftruck,and was taken. Arnold, at length
finding it was impossible to withfland the foperiority
of force ft 11, and weight of metal, with which he
was overborne, and finding himfelf but ill seconded
by the Caplins of some of his vessels, determined
that his people should not become prisoners, nor the
vessels a prey to the enemy. He executed this de
sign with equri resolution and dexterity, and run the
Congress galley, in which himfelf was, with the five
gondolas, on shore in such a manner, as to land his
men fafely and blow up the vessels, in spite of every
effort that was u'ed o prevent both.
Left and defeat were so far from producing their
usual eff A 'with refya to Arnold, that his condu&
in this command raised his charter Gill higher
than it was before with his countrymen. They said
that he not only a&ed the pan of a brave soldier, but
that he ^ifn affiply filled that cf an able naval com
mander. That the most experienced seamen could
not have found a greater variety of resources, by the
dexterity of manoeuvre, evolution, and the most ad
vantageous choice of fixation, to cemponfate for the
want of force, then he did; that when his vessels
were torn almost o pieces, he retreated with the
fame reflation that he fought," and by the hap,left
andmoft critical judgment prevented his people and
them from filling into the hands of the enemy. But
they chiefly gloried in the dangerous attention he
paid to a nic, point of honor, in keeping his flag
dying, and not quitting hi# fydky till she was in
Asmas, left the enemy should have boarded and
flruck it.
Thus wr Like Champlain recovered, and the e
nemy's forco nearly destroyed, a galley, and three
fmill veff:i being all that escaped to Ticonderoga.
The enemy, upon the rout of their fleet, having set
fire to the hoofer,, and defircyed every thing they
could not carry off, at Crown Point, evacuated that
place, and retired to their main body at Ticondero
ga,. General Czrhon took possession cf the ruins;
where he wet fooa joined by the army. As he
continued there till towards the end of the month,
and, besides several reconnoitring parties, pushed
on at one time firong detachments on both sides of
the Lake, who approached within a small distance
of Ticonderoga, at the fame time that vessels appeared
within cannon shot of the works, to examine the na
ture of the channel, and found its depth, little doubt
can be entertained that he had it in contemplation
to attempt that place. The strength of the works,
the difficulty of approach; the countenance of the
enemy, and the ignorance of their number, with c
ther cogent reasons, prevented this design from tak
ing place.
It was evident that this post could not be forced
in its present state, without a very considerable loft
of blood, whilst the benefit arising from success would
be comparatively nothing. The season was now to
far advanced to think of palling Lake George, and
of exposing the army to the perils of a winter cam
paign, in the inhospitable; and impracticable wilds
to the southward. As Ticonderoga could not be
kept during the winter, the most that could be ex
pe&ed from fuecefs, would be the reduction of works,
more indebted to nature than art for their strength,
and perhaps the taking of some cannon; whilst the
former v/ould be reflored, and the latter replaced by
the enemy, before the army could interrupt their
proceeding in the ensuing summer. But if the de
fenfe should be obflinate, although the army were
in the end fuccefsful, it would probably thereby be
so much weakened, that all profpea of advantage in
the future campaign would, in a great mcafure. be
innihilated. The difficulty, perhaps impossibility,
cf kerping open the communication with Canada,
and fubfi^ing the army during the winter was obvi
ous; General Carleton therefore reimbarked the ar
my without making any attempt, and returning to
Canada, cantoned them for the winter in the bast
manner the country afforded.
[. jb, continued.]
LONDO N, AUGUST 25.
YESTERDAY it was currently reported, that
the combined fleets of Franco and Spain had
taken an Enghih ship bound for Quebec, laden with
military eloathing, stores, &c. and having besides
200 000 1. in specie on board.
We shill probably be informed from France next
week, of the proceedings of the combined fleets in
the English channel, and of the numerous captures
which they have made; for we canno' well have an
account afeertained for some time from any other
quarter, when besides the Ardent, we {hall read the
capture of the R^illiei, of 90 guns ; the Marlbo
rough, of 74; the Seaforth, of 32 guns ; with two
hundred thoafand guiheas on board for the pay cf
the troops in Canada, two cf her convey, one with
soldiers eloathing, the other a rich florefti p, and the
Alert cutter, and a variety of ships of different deno
mutations, which detail will be wound up with a
boafl. unfortunately too well founded of their trium
phant entry into, and possession of the channel, and
of the ignominious flight of the British fl?t. Can
any man, who has a grain of spirit in his composition
anticipate this probable acount for a moment, with
out burning with indignation at the name ofSandwich.
Extract of a letter from Scarbro, Sept. zi.
'! Yesterday a ffiip. (a two decker) a frigate; a,
fluop and a cutter, appeared about a mfie eff the Pier,
supposed to be French; they fired at several ship%
took two, and obliged two others to run into the
harbour, damaging their rigging and fails, by keep
ing a continual fire afer them; they then fleered
their course to the northward."
Sept. 27. A letter from Sunderland, dated the
20th of September fays, " : hat an express arrived
there the 18th from Aymaath, with information,
that PaJ Jmes was off there, with five fall cf ships
cf war, and 2000 troops on board ; that on the 19th
they appeared off Sunderland, and came up within
two miler, which put the inhabitants into great con
fufion, as they expeded them to land every hour, or
defyey the ships in the harbour. The inhabitants
and soldiers got immediately under arm; and con
tinued so at the writing of the latter, as they were
Bill in fifeht."
Extract of a letter from Stockton, Sept. 21.
'I Copy of an express which arrived here this day
from Sunderland, dated September 21.
“ The under mentioned ships having appeared off
this phte, under the command cf Paul Jones, we
have sent the bearers toinform all light colliers they
may meet with, to take harbour as fcon as possible,
and there to remain till they receive advice of their
being off the coast ; the bearers are to proceed to
Bridlington with all speed. Two ships appearing
to be 50 guns each; one frigate, abou 40 unr; one
brig, nkea collier; two floeps ; one and one
brig both armed. E. Lirffidl, J. Yeung,
J. Marshall, J. Smith."
On Saturday noon two gentlemen of the corpora
tton of Hull, arrived ex,refs at the Admiralty, with
the alarming account, that the cricb.^ed American
corsair, P*ul Jones, bad entered the river Humber on
Thursday left, and chafed a vehtl to within a mile
cf the Pier, inhere he funk, burned and destroyed 16
fail of valuable vessels, which threw the whole town
and neighbourhood into the utmost confirmation ;
as a very few men in armed boats, might have laid
the town in ashes. He had taken nine or ten colliers
and other vessels a day or two before he appeared at
Hully one of which; being left to the charge of only
four men, her former crew rose upon them, and car
ried the vessel into a port near Holl ; and which men
slate the strength cfhis squadron to be as follows :
A Boflon built frigate with 40 guns upon one
deck, (Junes'# Qtp)
A F euch ship (an old Indiamar) 0'44 guns.
Two American frigates of 32 guns each. new.
One 20 gun ditto.
Two brigantines ofiß guns, and
Two small tenders.
Some of this squadron conduced the prizes they
had made to the coaff of France, and returned to
Hull the Friday nook, attended by other Dunkirk
privateers.
On Saturday night another express arrived at the
AdmTalty'from Hull, (which set out at three in the
morning) with the further disagreeable intelligence,
Paul Jones s squadron, after having done more
mifchief in the Whipping on Friday, had fell in with
the Baltic fleet, (for which purpose he principally
ventured to cruize in the North Channel) and had
taken their convoy, the Serapis man cf war of 44
guns, Capt. Prarfon. aid the aimed sh p hired to
government by a gentleman ofHoll, called the Coun
ted cf Scarborough, Capt. Piercy, of 24 gone:
This sAion was seen by thousands of Spectators, and
t^e lath express was di(patched in conftquence cf it,
and feeing the other ships of Jones's fqu dron mak
ing havjck among the fleet; mofl of which however
had taken ffidter near Flamborough and the Head.
From the four captured Americans it war disco
vered. that this flzet failed (with stores for 3 month,)
from Bieft the beginning of August ; and that two
other (mall fquadron# were to fail fcon after them for
the coatis 01 Ireland and Wales. They were all in
the service cf the Conpefs, and few, or no French
seamen on board.
Their plan generally was to alarm tie cca% of
Wales, Ireland, the weflern parts cf Scotland and
the North Channel, while the combined finis kept
Sir Charles Hardy at by to the Westward. Jents
tock several prizes on the coast of Ireland, (particu
larly two armed transports with stores for N w York)
in the North Sm, and near the Firth of Forth, and
had it in his power to burn Leith ; but his orders
are only to deflroy Whipping. His squadron is now
but weakly manned, owing to the great number of
prizes he has taken, and it will likely fall an easy
conquest to the 16 fail cf men of war who have or
ders to go after him.
The Serapis man of war loft her main mass, bow
sprit and mizen top naft, before the Bruck ; and the
Counters cf Scarborough made an exceeding good
defence against one of the 32 gun frigates. The
enemy's 44 gun ship was not in the afton. and the
Serspis Bruck to Jones's ship and the other 32 gun
frigate.
Expresses also arrived on Saturday from Sunder
land, dating that Paul Jones had takrn 16 fail of
colliers.
In confluence of the capture effo many colliers,
and the interception cf the trade; the price of coals
will be enormous.
Infieid cf having the dominion cf the fee, it fa
now evident that we are not able to defend cur own
coast from depredations.
Exra& cf a letter from Newc^flle, Sept. 25.
" The little squadron commanded by Paul Jones,
after leaving the Firth of Forth, direct'd its course
along the coast southward, and excited no small fears
in the inhabitants along shore as they piffid. About
five on Sunday afternoon they appeared off Tyn
mooth, end after parading a while n the offing, pro
ceeded onwards to Sunderland, and so much alarms
ed the inhabitants of th%t place, that many cf them
immediately had their valuable effc& buried j n the
earth, or conveyed up the country. The militia
there beat to arms, and, with many of the town's
people, lined the shore until the next morning : but
no defeent was attempted, the enemy continued
their course to the southward.
" The Emerald frigate of 32 guns, appeared off
Sunderland on Monday morning, when four foy
boat men were sent off to her, to give information
of the above squadron ; the ^ running exceeding
high at the time, made the fpeftators on shore fear
much for their f&fety ; but happily they effected these
errand, and were kindly received on board.
, Monday the Content failed from Shi^da end