The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1781-02-13 00:00:00, page 2

'' It gives me much plcafure that I have it in
my power to inform you,' a detachment of horse
(from General Morgan's party) confining of Bay
lor's regiment of dragoons, and 200 militia horse,
commanded by Cole Wafliingtori, has totally de
feated a party of Tones of about 250, command
ed by a Col.-Vernor^ This ' happened about 25
miles from Ninety-Six/ Col. Waffiington's par^
ty killed and mortally wounded 164, and made
40 prisoners, witliout having a 6ngle:man of his'
party killed or wounded?' ,
Narrative of the mbvements: of the encihy fined
cur last/
Three ' little rencounters have happened with)
the enemy. - In the firft, General Smallwood led
on a party of two or three hundred niilitia, and
obliged some armed yeflels of the enemy to retire
from a prize they had taken at Broadways, and
renewing his attack the next day, with a four
pounder or two (for the fird day he had only mus
kets) he obliged some of their vefiels to fall down
from City-Point, to their main fleet at Weftover.
T'<e enemy's loss is not known; ours was four
n^n wounded. A party of the enemy's light
horse surprised about 100 or Igo niilitia at Charles
City-court house, wounded four, of whom two
died, and took fix prisoners.
On Baron Steuben's approach towards Hood's,
the enemy embarked ; the wind, which till then
had set direHly up the river, from the time of
their leaving James Town, Shifted in a moment
to the opposite point. Baron Steuben, with the
plain body of the troops under his command, was
about ten miles from Hood's, when the enemy
landed 1200 there.
On the night of the 10th, Colonel Clarke (of
Kafkalkie) had been sent on with 330 men, and
having properly disposed of them inambulcade,
gave & enemy a deliberate fire, which killed se
venteen on the spot, and wounded thirty. They
returned the fire in confufion, by which we had
three or four wounded ; our party being much
ft Idu M()N D, O^gi^Q January ^.
Copy of a letter lent on ihore at Burwell's ferry,
from on board his Majesty's Ihip Hope, dated
January 2, 1781.
“ SIR, Having the honor to command a body
of his Majesty's troops, sent for the protection ot
his loyal subjects in this Colony, I am surprised
to observe the hostile appearance of the inhabi
tants under arms on shore. I have therefore lent
lieutenant White, with a flag -of truce, to be in
formed of their invention's.
" If they bfltr a vain opposition to the troops
under my command, in their landing,. .they mail
be anfwerabfefbr the confequeu'ces. At the fame
time, I think it my duty to declare/ I have not
the least intention to injure the peaceable inha
bitants in their persons or property ; but that
every thing supplied the troops by them (hall be
punctually paid tor.
I am, Sir, your obedient humble fervent,
BENEDICT ARNOLD, B. G.
To the officer commanding the party on shore.
Extract of a letter from an Officer in the Southern
Army.
inferior in numbers, retired. Embarking again,
they fell down the river to Cobham, where they
plundered the warehouses, and carried off about
sixty hogsheads of tobacco. The last intelligence
received was, that on the 16th they were handl
ing for Newport-News;
BALTIMORE, January 23.
Extras of a letter from Peterfburgh, Virginia,
dated the 12th instant,
" We have for some weeks pafl expe&ed our
town to be reduced to ashes. The enemy have
been within twelve miles of it, and some of their
privateers within fix, but luckily for us they re
ceived a small cheek, which occasioned them to
fall down to the fleet at Weftover, on James Ri
ver, and yesterday the whole of them went down,
as we expect, to Portsmouth, They have burnt
a number of valuable houses on James River, and
carried off a great many Negroes, We have eve
ry reason to believe they intend to, quarter in this
State—should this be the case,, there mull be a
total flop to all kind of business,
" Arnold obliged the inhabitants ofßichmond
to turn out all their rum, sugar, &c. into the
street, and then destroyed the whole, which
makes me conclude every thing will take a rapid
rife here. Weare all in the greatest confufion
here, so that you will ex^ufe my not being more
particular.".
Extract of a letter from Frederickfburgh, Virgin
nia, dated the 16th instant.
“ The enemy, by our latest accounts, are Bill
on James River, at Burwell's ferry, about four
miles from Williamfburgh.—General Nelson has
near 1900 men with him—-and we are making
_r ^__m h r —,;„/Jr nb^. which I hone
sent their men in boats up Pagan Creck, and
landed at Smithfield,- on the louth fideof James
River. Baron Steuben was at Cabin Point, about
30 miles above them, General Nelson at Willi
amfburgh, and General Weedon at Fredcricki
burgh, General Muhlenburgh is gone down with
a line body of riflemen to reinforce the Baron and
Gen.Nelfon. I suppose you heard that Arnoldiilu
ed a proclamation, inviting the inhabitants to en
list with him, Gffertng a bounty df three guineas,
and a commission to any man according to the
number he fhal± bring with him."
txtraclof a letter from Williamsburg, Jan. 20.
" The enemy marched by land ' to Portsmouth,
where it is probable they will entrench."
Extract of a letter from Annapolis, Jannuary22/
" Captain Forbes, in the Nefbit, arrived here
about 2 o'clock; He left L'Orient the last hr
Novembers with a fleet of fyo faihof merchants
men and a few frigates, arid went with them off
Brest harbour,; where there lay a fleet waiting
forthe veflels from L'Orient and other ports
bound to the Weft-Indies and American Captain
Forbes understood that a fqtradron of 14 or IC
flrips of the line lay at Breit y and be understood
a body bf troops, 3 or 9000, were to fail with the
fquadrc>n,.bu^ he did n@t learn.their deftiriatione
The grand fLeJof Britain and the united grand
fleet of France and' Spain: were at lea.. Captain?
Forbes was five daysuff our tapes, in which hc°
came elofe by cape Henry) trill Thurfilay alters
110611, about' an. 'hour before ten, lie lookedfrorii
the topniaft-head, with a spy-glass; nhtoHainpton)
road, but law no veflels there.. He was onboard
Captain Buchanan, at the foouth of Patuxent/
yesterday morning-, who failed with the whole
fleet, about ten o'clock, with intention to put to
sea. Captain Forbes took a prize from Charlel
town with rice and indigo, and ordered her to
Philadelphia."
CHA T II A M, January 31.
On Saturday evening, the 20th instant, about
160 soldiers, of the Jersey brigade, fol owing the
example of the Pennsylvanians, left their huts
and proceeded to this place, under the direction,
of their sergeants. They were unacquainted with
a resolution of the Ligifleture, appointing com
missioners to enquire into their inliitments ; but
as soon as the commiffioners,who met them here
the Monday following, had readand explained
that resolution to them, hey immediately agreed
to return to their duty. The commandant of the
brigade, in consideration of their great penitence,
ana of their being unacquainted with the mea
sures adopted for fettling the disputes respecting
their inliitments, promiled full pardon to all who
immediately returned to and continued in their
duty. But upon the way to, and after their arri
val at the huts, a few of the ring-leaders, encou
raged by emissaries from Sir Harry, and perhaps
by the two great clemency of granting then age
neral pardon, again became insolent and mutin
ous. A detachment from the main army, under
the command of General Howe, which had been
sent on to quell the mutineers, arrived about this
time, when those who had forfeited the pardon,
by not performing the conditions, were appre
hended, by order of the General, and David Gil
more, sergeant in the 2d regiment, and John Cut
tle, private in theist, were tried, found guilty,
and immediately executed. Every mark of peni
tence and refpea for order was manifested by the
others who had offended, and entire order und su
bordination took place in the brigade.'
Last week the enemy hung, at Bergen-Point,
one Ball, an inhabitant ofßahway, who was fuß
peeked of being a spy.
A letter from New-York, mentions, " That
there is an homeward bound fleet, of upwards of
two hundred fail, which it is expended will leave
there this week, under convoy of the Brilliant of
32 guns, and the Clinton of thirty, in which a
number of his Majesty's defponding fubje&s are
to take their departure."
Last Friday, General Robertson, with between
two and three thousand troops, came from New-
York to Staten-Island. It is supposed he has it
in contemplation, to make an incursion into this
State, as some of their dirty productions, to poi
fen the minds of the Soldiery, were found last
Sunday morning at this place. We would re
commend it to Sir Harry, to silence the clamorous
hirelings of Hesse, to whom he is fifteen months
in arrear, before he makes overtures te our
foldierv.
will be fufheient to check them, if they should
pay us a visit. The enemy have done little or
nothing since nay last.
PHILADEL P H I A, January 30;
Extract of a letter from a gentleman in Virginia,
dated January 22, 1781.
“ Our last account was, that the enemy had
During the 1 olydap, an attempt * asmade Ly
tome people in New-York and some from Long
liland, to fieze the person of Sir Henry Clipton,
and to bring him off a prisoner to us, but it un
fortunately miscarried, and his head-quitters are
now secured by two field-pieces. Several are con
fined on fuipicion, in order to investigate this
matter. We give it as a fa& to our readers. ,
PROVIDEN C E, February 3.
On Thursday Capt. Phineas Potter arrived
here, in 21 days from Cape Francois. He in
forms, that advice was received there that the
British Fleet and Army made an attack on the
island of St. Vincent, and were reoulfed with
great loss. ' )'
The French and Spanifh,Fleets were said to
be at the Havannah, when Cape Potter failed.
Captain Harding, in the Confederacy, was arriv
ed at the Cape from Philadelphia.
NE W-L ON I) O Np February 9..
Extract of a letter from an officer at Horse-Neck,
dated Jan.? 22, 1781.
'' We are now returned trom* Tfticrefsful ex
pedition against the enemy in M^iriffauia/ from
whose excurfionsthe frontiers hrive lo 'rtiiichbuffer
ed—undertaken with dofign to destroy their tem
porary hutt%arid (as they cariribthe ' rebuilt'this
winter)'in that way a^oridome ^eteaton to). the'
inhabitants near the lines/ With, that view Lieut.
Col. Hull tints detached Bf a rOiit Between, East
and North-River, on Sunday noon from North-
Castle ; and at the fame time a party moved from
Bedford by the road from White-Plains to East-
Chester. Col. Hull with his detachment pro
ceeded to the bridge about two miles below Kings-
bridge, which is covered by the cannon of a re
doubt on the east fide of Harlem river, and having
detached parties to Williams's and Delaney's
bridge, destroyed the bridge aver Harlem river,
whilst another detachment of his division pro
ceeded to the enemy's hutts which lie still further
fduth towards the point of Morriffania, gaining
which they met witbra difficulty which nothing
but their resolution could surmount, the bridge
over a deep wide creek which lay in their rout
was removed, and they were under the necessity
of fording the creek to their waists or give over
the enterprize, they did not hesitate, but forded
the creek : by this time they were difeovered and
a firing commenced before they had passed the
creek ; but the worst consequence was, most of
the enemy run away under cover of the night ;
however we burnt the huts, which was the prin
cipal objeH, destroyed the Pontoon Bridge over
Harlem River, and drove the cattle from Morrif
fania, and retired through West-Chester towards
East Cheder church, but the enemy having col
le&ed a force pursued and came up with Col-
Hull, in West-Chester, when an engagement en
sued ; and though our men were exceedingly fa
tigued, with a march of more than forty miles,
yet they kept embodied and retired in order, and
kept up a well directed fire untill they were flip
ported by a battalion of frefh troops under Col.
Hazen, which secured the retreat of Col. Hull
with the detachment, and checked the enemy's
progress till Col. Hull had reached East-Chester :
In the mean time the British troops made their ap
pearance in considerable force, on the road to
Williams's, which would, had they succeeded, ef
fe&ually cut off the retreat qf the detachment
from Moriffania; but on marching Cpl. Sher
man's and part of Col. Scammer's battalion into
their front they halted (the remainder being held
in reserve) and proceeded 110 further.
We have taken about forty prisoners, a consi
derable number of cattle and horses, destroyed
their huts and convinced them that they are not
invulnerable in their retreats of the greatest secu
rity. Having accomplished the business on which
we were sent we retired to Rye in fafety ; being;
ordered to rifque nothing with the enemy after
fulfilling the order we received to execute.
We had 1 Lieut, and bout 8 Men killed. 1
Captain (Dorrance) and about 10 Men wounded.
The Enemy also buffered considerable in the Ac
tion.”
Last Tuesday, the sloop Hamlin, Capt. Smith,
arrived here in 19 Days from Grenada, and brings
the following Account refpeHing Admiral Rod
ney's going againit St. Vincents, viz. That he
landed 500 Men, and was repulsed with the Loss
of 200 of them: That he embarked and fleered
off S. S. E. That this took Place 50 Days ago;
after which accounts were received of their arri
val at Barbadoes, and that another fleet had also
arrived there from England: That the General
of St. Vincents had, agreed to give up the Island
for a large sum, to Admiral Rodney, but the
Plot being difeovered the General was sent over
to Martinico and put in Confinement to be sent
home to France ; That the Governor of Martin