The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1781-08-14 00:00:00, page 2

thjfe within the lines, who arc unfit for milita
ry service, are desirous of being ' fettled in the
country about Penobfeot, and requite only to be
supplied with provisions for the firft year, some
tools for husbandry, and iron Works for their
buildings ; and as it is proposed to fettle that
country, and this appears a cheap method of dis
posing of these loyalists, it is wished you would
encourage them to go there, under the protecti
on of the associated refugees, and afliire them
that a civil government will follow then! in due
time; for I hope in the course of the fumnier the
Admiral and you will be able to spare a force
fufficient to effect an establishment at Cafcp bay,
and reduce that country to the King's obedience.
I am very glad to find by the lift of the officers
released, that the exchanges have been carried so
far ; but as it appears from Mr. Washington's
last letter to you, that they will not lie carried on
further^ the measure of inliftirig their prisoners
for service in the Weft-Indies Should be adopted
immediately, and indeed, such hds been the mor
tality from sickness among the troops there, that
I do not fee any other means of recruiting them;
I am sorry to acquaint you, that the general
prevalence of westerly winds for these last two
months, has prevented the Warwick and Sole
bay, with their convoy, from getting further
than Plymouth, where they are fiill detained.
I am, Sir,
your most obedient humble servant,
(Signed) GEO. GERMAIN.
Sir Henry Clinton, A. B.
[The reyolt of the Pennsylvania line and Jer
sey brigade, although fir Henry Clinton'was too
cautious to be led into the snare, and expose
himfelf to the consequences of an attack in the
state of New-Jersey, has terminated beneficially
for the United States. This event has involved
the Court of London in the most fatal errors, and
directed their operations to objects, absurd, ri
diculous and impossible. Lord Cornwallis can
inform this minister how far his conjectures
were right, refpe&ing the Pennsylvania line; a
detachment of which, under the command of
Gen. Wayne, lately attacked his Lordship's
whole force in the state of Virgnia, and almoll
convinced him ofthe inutillity of superior num
bers, when contending apainft men inspired with
a virtuous zeal for their country's fafety. How
vain and delufory are the faireft profpe6ls when
founded only in a bewildered imagination. It
is true the numbers of the regular forces of the
United States, was greatly reduced at the close
of the last campaign, owing to the expiration
of the terms, for which many ofthe soldiers had
entered into the service. How could his Lord-
Ihip conclude from hence that General Washing
ton would be confined to the eastward of the
Hudson river ? This would have been the event
undoubtedly for a time had the British forces
compleatly subjugated all the States westward
and southward of that river; but what appears
to tyrants an inexplicable paradox, is perfectly
understood by the citizens of a republic, that in
times of greatest apparent weakness, the most vi
gorous exertions are made. America knows, and
Europe will know, that the forces of the United
States in this period, which appear so contempti
ble to his Lordship, have reduced nearly all the
polls established by the British in the Carolinas
and Georgia, and made prisoners of their garri
sons, with a rapidity equal to the uninterrupted
march of armies through an equal extent of coun
try. What do the British now possess in those
flutes ?—mere defenfive positions, and totally in
compatible with the idea of civil jurifdidion ?
If the deftrudion of a few hogsheads of tobacco,
the fedudtion of a number of negroes, the fteal
ingof horses and houfhold furniture, which made
up Arnold's expedition, areobjefls of triumph to
the British ministry, we are far from envying
them the glory of a success, which all civilized
nations will ascribe to the predatory excursions
of parties-bleu. The army under Lord Corn
wallis in the state of Virginia, instead of gaining
laurels from victory or conquest, has taken the
precaution of anting upon the defenfive, being
covered by the whipping in James river. The ar
my of the United States, which has compelled
them to adopt this humiliating measure, is com
posed of a part of the Pennsylvania line, a small
detachment from the army under the immediate
command of his Excellency General Washing
ton, and the virtuous yeomanry of that country.
It is acknowledged that General Wallington is
on the east of the Hudson river, but he there
commands an army of veterans in the regular
service of the United States, in eonjua&on with
the troops of our mri/ftahlmous ally ; and, at this
moment, confines Sir Henry Clinton and th^
troops under his Command to the duties of a
garrison oply.. The bbje&s ofliis operations are
such as will loon convince the British ministry
themselves of the futility of their claims to the
United States, or any of them, as they mull be
ijient upon all the arguments deduced from the
" ultimalex regum ;" and will expose the absur
dity of his Lordfhip'§ visionary scheme of form
ing eftablifhment^ for the tories at Penobfeot,
whole fituatiori ought to claim the greatest at
tention from the Court of London, as their trea
sons have long since merited the halter from the
United States.
The " itilifting" or rather compelling the
Americari prisoners into the service for the Weft-
Indies, deed not have been urged from the prin
ciples of necessity, as the experience of the whole
war; of the inhuman and barbarous treatment
of ourcitizens in the British jails and prison-ships,
lias convinced us that deliberate murder is con
sonant to the idea of British policy.
In short, the delusion of the British ministry is
an inconteftible proof of the interposition of Hea
ven in our favour. A continuation of vigorous
exertions, and a few more virtuous and fuccefs
full struggles will amply reward us for all our
toils, and confirm to us the unconquerable pos
session of these blessings, of which only the vir
tuous and the brave are worthy !]
PHILADELPHIA, July 25.
By the United States in Congress affembfed,
July 23, 1761.
RESOLVED,
THAT five suitable persons be appointed
and authorized to open a fubfeription for
a loan of thirty thousand dollars, for the support
of such of the citizens of the States of South-
Carolina and Georgia, as have been driven from
their country and pofleffions by the enemy : The
said States refpeftively, by their delegates in
Congress, pledging their faith for the repayment
of the money so lent, with interest in proportion
to the sums which shall be received by their re
fpe&ive citizens, as soon as the legislatures of the
said States shall severally be in condition to make
provision for so doing; and Congress hereby
guaranteeing this obligation :
That the said five persons do likewise receive
voluntary and free donations, to be applied to
the further relief of said fufferers,
Ordered, That the President fend a copy of
the above resolution to the executive of the sever
al States not in the power ofthe enemy, requeu
ing them to promote the success of the said loan
and donation, in such way as they shall think
best.
JULY 24, 1781.
Resolved, Messrs. William Bingham, John
Bayard, George Meade, Jacob Barge and doctor
Hutchinson, be, and they are hereby appointed
and authorized to open a fubfeription for a loan
agreeable to the resolution passed yesterday.
Extract from the minutes,
CHARLES THOMSON, Sec.
July 28. By authentic advices from Virginia,
as late as the 21st instant, we learn, that after
Lord Cornwallis had crossed James River, he de
tached a body of cavalry and mounted infantry
into Amelia county: What his Lordship's object
was, in this movement, does not appear; but
they effected nothing, as the detachment return
ed with the greater precipitation ; a body of A
merican forces having been sent to watch their
motions. We also learn, that the enemy have
all collected in and near Portsmouth, where se
veral empty transports were laying; and that
the Marquis de la Fayette was in such a position
as effectually to refresh his brave army, and pro
tect the country from the ravages of a cruel and
inveterate foe.
Extract of a letter from an officer of diftinftion,
in Virginia, dated Chicohominy Church, 8
miles from James-Town, July 18, 1781.
" After a variety of marches and counter
marches, frequently offering battle to Cornwallis
on military terms, the Marquis la Fayette receiv
ed intelligence on the sth, that the enemy had
marched from Williamsburg to James-Town,
and were preparing to throw their baggage and
troops over that river ; this induced the General
to make a forced move to this place (with the
Continental troops, including Major M'Pherfon's
little legion, together with a few volunteer dra
goons, under Col. Mercer and Capt. Hill) the
vicinity of which, to the position of the enemy,
would have put it in his power to ftriketheirrear,
Should the passage of that river betheir principle.
' On the morning ofthe 6th, several corrobo
rating advices arrived, removing every doubt on
that head, and that nothing but a forced march,
with the lightest and most advanced part of the
troops could arrive in time to affect their rear;
this induced the Marquis to order the advance
guard, Major MTherfeft, Col. Mercer's and
Capt. Hill's corps, 150 riflemen, with Colonel
Stewart's battalion of Pennsylvanians, amount
ing in the whole to aboutjoo men (dragoorsand
artillery included) to make a forced move and
endeavour to come up with the enemy.
" Upon our arrival at the Green Springs farm
a variety of controdiflory intelligence renderedit
prudent to reconnoitre tliem with a military eye :
their vast superiority in horse also, made it expe
dient to advance the whole of our little corps, to
drive in their guards and keep their cavalry in
check. About this period the Marquis arrivedin
person, and adopted the measure, which being
effected, it was soon difeovered that a very con
siderable part of the army yet remained on this
tide the river, ready formed for a&ion, this in
duced the General to fend for the remainder of
the Continentals, distant five or fix miles in our
rear. At 2 o'clock, P. M. a large smoke was
railed by the enemy, probably as a signal to their
parties to return to camp, and for allfuch ashad
eroded the river to repafs it.
" At 3 o'clock the riflemen commenced and
kept up a galling fire upon the enemy from an
orchard, which continued 'till 5 P. M. when the
British began to move forward in columns, upon
which Major Galvan, at the head of the advanc
ed guard, attacked them, and after a fpirited,but
unequal contest, retired and took poll onourleft,
a detachment of the light-infantry, under Major
Wyllys, having arrived also, commenced afevere
fire, but were obliged to fall back, which theene
my observing, and beginning to turn our Banks,
a manoeuvre, in which had they persevered, they
must have inevitably penetrated between this
corps and the army ; but being joined at this cri
sis by Lieut. Col. Harmar and Major Edwards,
with part of the 2d and 3d Pennsylvania batta
lions, under Col. Humpton, with one fieldpiece,
it was determined (among a choiceof difficulties)
to advance and charge them ; this was donewitli
Io much spirit and vivacity, as to produce thede
fired efFe&, i. e. checkingthem in their advance,
and diverting them from their firft manoeuvre ;
but being eveloped by more than five times our
numbers, many brave and worthy officers and
soldiers killed or wounded, we found it expedient
''" back one half mile to Green Spring farm.
Two of our field pieces under Capt. Duffy, were
necessarily introduced to keep up the idea of our
being in force, and served with equal spirit and
efledt until disabled, by having Capt. Crofslyand
many of the men dangerously wounded, and all
the horses killed, they at last fell into their hands.
1 he waggons and ammunition were brought off
fafe.
, “ The enemy fore from the contest, and find
ing our little corps supported at that place by the
remaineder of the light infantry, were content
with barely keeping the field, altho' opposed by
only a handful of men, compared with theirs,
and which, from the nature of the ground, and
the numbers of the enemy, were necessitated to
a& in a detached manner, except that part of the
Pennsylvanians who had time to arrive, and them
not more than 500 men, with Major M'Pherfon's
dragoons on our right.
"brom themutual emulationin the officers and
soldiers of each corps, I am conlidentthat had the
army been in force, victory would have inclined
to our arms.
" Every circumstance considered, our small
reconnoitering party of horse ad foot, who had
the hardiness to attack Cornwallis at the head of
Iris whole army, with the advantage of so power
ful a cavalry, on their own ground, and in their
own encampment, are more to be envied than
pitied, as it not only fruftrated the British Gene
ral inhis premediated manoeuvre,but precipitated
his retreat the fame night to James-Island, pro
bably to avoid a general a&ion, which he had
reason to expert so pointed an attack was the pre
lude to.
" Our field officers were generally dismounted,
by having their horses either killed or wounded
under them.
'' I will not attempt to diferiminateamongany
corps of officers or men, so equally deserving;
and onlv beg leave to observe, that if they have a
fault, it is an excess of bravery, which if a crime,
it is of a nature th^ least to be reprehended in a
feldicr."