The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1782-05-21 00:00:00, page 2

BOSTO N, May 1%
Extrad of a letter from Martinique, April 17.
“ We have various reports of an engagement
between the fleets of de Graffe and Rodney,
which is avowed to be the moll bloody action
that has happened this war ; but as there are no
accounts fufhciently particular at this time, shall
colled what is most to be depended on and pen
it on a separate piece of paper to inclofe in this.
P. S. the 18th of April. Having procured a
news-paper of this date, I enclose it herein, and
refer you to it for the belt account of the a&ion
between the French and English fleets, that can
be at present obtained. Would only observe
that Count de Graffe saved an immencely rich
fleet which he had under his protection, and
then pursued his originally intended course, to
join the Spanish fleet to leeward."
The following account of a sea engagement be
tween the French fleet, under the command
of his excellency the Count de Graffe, and
the Britilh fleet under the orders of Sir George
B. Rodney, is translated from the Martinico
Gazzette, of April 18, —bro't by the brig
Swan, Capt. Goodhue, who arrived at New 3
bury last Thursday, in 20 days from Martinico.
MDe Graffe having held the English fleet
• at bay during the night between the Bth
and 9th, in the Channel of Dominique, covered
the merchant ships by his grand manoeuvres,and
by that means gave them time enough to make
their escape. The 9th in the morning, the two
van guards were engaged, 15 French against 18
English ships, the main body of the two fleets
being not near enough to engage. The Cato,
commanded by M. Frammond, sustained with
the greatest firmnefs, the fire from three English
ships ; near 50 men were killed and wounded ;
and flie was soon disengaged by the Triumphant
and Pluto. The English left us the field of bat
tle, and appeared infinitely more damaged than
we were. The Cato proceeded to Guadaloupe
to repair, and the next day was followed by the
Jason, who had fuffered Dy the Zele's running
on board her ; this last ship having also run on
board the Ville de Paris, in the night between
the iith and 12th, her mizen mast and bowsprit
were carried away, and not being able to ma
noeuvre, would have fallen into the hands of the
enemy, if Count de Graffe had not ordered the
frigate Aftrea to go and take her in tow. The
English in that moment crouded all their fails
towards the damaged ships ; our General to save
them made a signal for the whole fleet to bear
down upon the enemy, and to attack them at
pistol (hot ; that judicious manoeuvre at the time
when we had but 30 ships against 37, was im
mediately executed with the greatest intrepidi
ty; the Count de Graffe set the example, he
cut off the English line, and carried every thing
before him that lay exposed to the fire of his artil
lery. The two fleets being becalmed, were mixed
together, and fought with unexampled bravery,
from 7 o'clock in the morning till 7 in the even
ing ; the fllips were engaged the greatest part of
the time yard arm and yard arm. The ship of
war le Glorieux engaged by three of the enemy,
two of which were 3-deckers, was taken, being
entirely difmafted, and just ready to fink ; the
English after taking her out of the line, set fire
to her and ihe blew up. We shall go no further
in lamenting the fad effects of war, but wait for
row ih the h.imh ofthe French.—l he, have been milled
by a phantom.—They have been waked froth the poffeflion
offaurious freedom, by the embraces of meagre defporifm.
There they are held faft. Their armies are paid with Gallic
gold. The war is no longar an American-—it is a
French war ;as such we are now to treat it. Formerly we
conquered France in Germany, and now (the times require
it) we must conquer the fame perfidious power in America.
Withretpeato the mode of the war, the papers lying onyour
table declare it. The supplies you have granted must be a
better proof of the change intended in it, than any declara
tion of a Mioifter. They must tell you, that the war is not
to be carried on in the lame extent at land as formerly 1
And why ? Your lard forces are more circumfcribcd. But
to enter into the detail refpeding its condua, is what, if any
man were mad enough to desire, I would be (if possible)
more frantic in relating---! have now with the utmost can
dour opened my mind to the House, as far as the habit of
public speaking, in which I have not of late much indulged
myfelf, would permit me. I have endeavoured to be as ex
plicit as the natureof my trust, and the extent of my (len
der capacity, would permit me. I have given you my faith,
and I have given you allo such reasons for it, as while they
juftify my past opinions, will incline you to join me in my
present one, of the impropriety and ruinous tendency of
the present motion.
The question was then, called for, and the House divided,
Ayes, 193
Noes, 1,4
Majority for carrying on the)
American war offensively)
“ The French were feeri to pass St. Kitts not
half so much damaged as the enemy, and bound
to join Don Cordova the Spanish Admiral, with
17 ships, now lying off Cape Tiberoon, on an ex
pedition, fuppofea by many to be to America,
but by some to Jamaica ; they fay the a&ion has
been the most barbarous and fierce ever fought.
Rodney declared before he failed,' he would lose
his whole fleet or destroy the French before they
joined the Spanish ; the calm took them, and
they did not get feperate for three days, they lay
yard-arm and yard-arm from 6 in the forenoon
to 7 in the afternoon, officers firing at each other
with their pistols. The French had 6500 troops
divided in their ships. The English could get no
advantage by there being no wind, and the
daughter great on both sides."
Extract ofanother letter from Martinique, April
17, 1782..
" I suppose you will be anxious for the news,
as every one here trembles for the event, but
there is no particulars come to hand ; it is sup
posed to be the mod severe action ever fought,
as they have been at it for three days ; the French
with ^3 fail of the line, and the English with 39.
The 1 rench would not have engaged had not one
of their ships loft her bowsprit, and could not
keep the line to windward, and therefore Count
de Graffe ordered all to engage, and it has been
almost a calm for this week, so that they could
not feperate: The French Admiral had three
English fliips on him from 6 o'clock in the morn
ing until 7at night, yard-arm and yard-arm ;
he had difmafted two of them when the frigate
came away; but the accounts are so various that
we can depend on nothing :—The French had
one ship burnt by themselves, and I believe one
or two funk, and several difmafted,
'' Rodney's ship it is said is funk by the French
Admiral, and two or three more blown up and
burnt,and almoftall the rest difmafted; but at any
rate, there has been seen from the shore several
ships to burn, several to fink and two to blow up
of one fide orthe other ; —The French had the
advantage in having 7 or 800® men on board,
and a very close action, and smooth water, and
could not be out manoevered in a calm."
the well authenticated account of this memora
ble and bloody day. We have but this moment
the certainty of the deplorable situation in which
the two fleets were left at the end of the action,
and know only that during this bloody engage
ment, a number of English ships were seen in a
bad condition going before the wind ; that on
the 13th, the two fleets were seen off Guadaloupe,
13 leagues diftantfrom each other ; that the con
voy passed by Basseterre for St. Domingo, in the
night between the 9th and loth, under the es
cort of the Sagittaire and Experiment, and ex
cept the loss of the Glorieux, the English ships
have fuffered much more damage than ours.
P. S. It appears by the last letters from Gua
daloupe, that our fleet flood for St. Domingo ;
and that the English were endeavouring, on
Monday last, to gain Antigua: They add that
the frigate Richmond, after having towed the
Glorieux for some time, saved her crew, and
then set her on fire.
A celebrated French engineer hath presented
new plans for the siege of Gibraltar, and they be
gin to flatter themselves with a happy success.—
The Spanilh fleet of 40 fail of the line, hath been
joined by three 3 deckers, and two of 64. M. de
la Motte Piquet, was feperated from the French
squadron off Cape Finifteere, with a division of
four veflels, with design to intercept the convoy
bound to Jamiaca ;.M. de Guichen, with a re
inforcement of 10 Spanish ships of the line, was
to crize off Madeira, to wait for another fleet.
The American ships the Cyrus, from Newbury
with a cargo of fifh and lumber, and the Adven
ture, from Virginia, with 100 barrels of flour, a
few days past entered our roadi
Extra& of a letter from Martinique, April 16.
" Now for news--=The English fleet seen fnee
the action trying to beat up to Antigua, 7 ships
were wholly difmafted, with their (hears up raff
ing jury-masts, about 15 more with part of their
masts gone, and about 14 or 15 more only able
to form a line.
The fleet under convoy of Count de Graffe,
bound from Martinico to the Leeward ICands,
when he fell in with Admiral Rodney, confided
06270 fail, and was said to be the richest fleet
that ever failed from that island ; and by the good
conduct of the Count every one of them escaped
from falling into the hands of theenemy.
Capt. Elwell, who arrived at Cape Ann, last
Friday, in 19 days from Mrrtinico, confirms the
above arid further adds, that the whole of the
fleets were engaged the second day after meet
ing ; that the Count de Graffe and Admiral Rod
ney were so near each other that the cannon of
the Count's ship set Admiral Rodney's on fire,
which was consumed ; and that Rodney took
himfelf on board one of the frigates during the
remainder of the engagement.
'Tis reported he also brings an account that
only two hands were saved out of the Glorieux
Yesterday arrived a schooner bound from Ja
maica to Barbadocs with difpa,tches, prize to the
Deane.
The Deane has also taken another prize and
sent her into the Capes. Her cargo, 1.0,000 fieri,
in dry goods.
N E W-L O N D O N, Mayiy.
Monday night last, the Continental frigate Al
liance, John Barry, Esq; commander, arrived
here in 55 days from Port I'Orient, in France.
This ship was bound to Philadelphia, but' on
her arrival in the Delaware, they difeovered a
Britilh ship of the line, up the bay, who gate
them chace, which occasioned their Handing for
this port. Off Sandy-Hook they were chafed
for some time by two frigates. The only news
of importance brought by this vessel is, an ac
count that the States of Holland have entered
into an alliance with France, by which these
powers guarantee to each other all the possessi
ons they held before the present war: That the
Dutch by this treaty, engage to enter into the
war with spirit, and were fitting out a large fleet.
Capt. Williams, late commander of the Maf
faebufets ship Protestor, rho has been a priso
ner in England, and Capt. Bradley of Boston,
came passengers in the Alliance.
HAR T F OR D, May 21.
" DIED on the ;,th of April, in the 57th year of hi, age,
the Rev. Mr. DANIEL WELCH of Mansfield---"! he disorder
which put a period to his life was of short duratation, tho°
distressing. On Sunday afternoon, while pciforming divine
service, he was suddenly taken ill, and before sunrise the next
morning a breathless corpse—He met death with compo
sure, chriftian fortitude and a firm reliance on the merits of
the Redeemer, whose unsearchable riches he had been dis
playing in the course of his miniftry---Hc has left a numer
ous offspring diflolved in tears, who deeply lament the lc&
of a tender parent, in whole councils, guidance and guar
dianship they fafely confided. The many gifts and endow
ments which Mr. Welch possessed, commanded esteem and
rendered him the delight of his friends and acquaintance
His conversation easy, free, animating and infouftive ; li
beral to the poor, given to hofptaliry, a lover of good
men.---By his death a dark cloud as drawn over the church
and society, and a great part of their strength and glory de
parted. He lived in great harmony and friendship with his „
people, and was univcrfally esteemed by them as a valuale
and ufefulmin ifter—-But his work is done, and we trust he
is gone from a world of darkness and borrow to the re
gions of unclouded day.
The Sth instant Mr, Woodin Sperry of Canaan was unfop.
tunately drowned, in attempting to repair a Mill D.m.
Died, at Northampton, the loth irfiant, Maj. Jonathan
Clapp, in the 6,th year of his age.
To-Morrow will be Published, (Price is. 6d.)
Brief, Decent, but Free
Remarks and Observations,
On several Laws passed by the Honorable Legis
lature of the State of Connecticut, since the
year 1775.
ByaFRIEND to his COUNTRY.
The Freedom of the Press is the btf fecugity to the
Liberties of a free Stare. North Briton.
LOS T,
BY the fubferiber, some time last winter, between Hart
ford and Milford, a number of PAPERS, wraped up in
a NEWS-PAPER, among which were two STATE NOTES,
one in favour of Stephen Gunn, for the sum of 121. as. 4 d.
the other in favour of Daniel Hine, for the sum of sal. as.
Bd. No. 1174, and 1175.--- Any person that will give infor
mation of the fame shall receive the thanks of their humite
servant,
GIDEON BUCKINGHAM.
Hartford, May 17th, 1782.
NOTICE is once more given to' all whom it doth com?
cern, that the fubferibers will attend the fettlemer.r of
the estate of William Welles, Esq. late oP Glaftenbury de
ceas'd, at the house of said deceas'd in said Glaftcnbn.fr, on
the last Monday of instant May and the firft Monday of June
next. All persons having any demands on said efta„, arc
then desired to exhibit their accounts; and all ^ho are in
debted to faideftate are requeued to make immediate pay
ment, or ballance their accounts by notes' of hand ; and at
they haye been repeatedly called upon in this way.they m?j,
rely on it, that this is the last summons they will receive
unattended by an officer.
TH O's. and Wm. WELLES, Executors.
Glaftenhnrr, May 18, 1782.
Bliltered tteel and bar-iron,
Refined and Rloomary Cart Tier, to be fold by AARON
BRADLRY, near the Great Bridge, Hartford.
N- B. ,id Bradly wants immediately a JiitrocynMn
Blackfmirh, that uaderitaud^ Ship work, to triiom good
wages will be given.
May :o, i 7 h.