The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1781-09-18 00:00:00, page 2

Aer fore topmast above the topfull ' yard, which
yard was not injured by the fall, nor was hurt or
any other damage fußained, to prevent the ship
from working, the fore to'pfail being close reefed
and set.
I immediately Shortened fail to give time to the
Ths to clear the wreck, which was dyne in half an
hour or forty minutes.
_Th!s increased our diffance from the enemy.
As 100,, is I saw the Isis could make fail, I bore
up and set J'? fore fail, and made the Ggnal for
the line abroad:. When we came near the ene
my, I found the Isis and Monmouth had dropt
astern between two and three miles, though both
of them fail much better than the Romney:
Their signals were therefore made to call them
to their Rations ; the Monmouth immediately
answered, and made fail accordingly, but the Isis
Rill kept behind.
By these various obftruaions and delays, ad
ded to a strong lee current, the enemy had drawn
us far to leeward of St. Jago. The fun was set ;
the sea had increased ; I could not propose a de
cisive action in the night. If I had followed un
til day- light my profpeas were great and tempt
ing; but I must then determine to leave my con
voy in distress, and separate from the troops,
without any fixed determination concerning them
or their destination ; and I must also have relin
quished the object of the present expedition ; be
cause, after getting so far to leeward that we
could not fetch the islands of Bravo or Fogo, it is
a well known fad, that no ship can beat up against
the N. E. winds and the S. W. currents which
always prevail here, much less after such an adi
eu as must be expected.
On the other hand, if the principle force of the
enemy should arrive before us at the place of our
destination, it might prove equally fatal to the
objed of the expedition.
The dilemma was great indeed, and I felt the
cruel situation with an anguish which I never be
fore experienced ; but after maturely weighing
the fubjed in all its consequences with thofc per
sons on whose judgment I have molt confidence,
I thought myfelfbound to return to join the ships
under my protection, and to pursue the object
of the expedition, it being molt probable that the
enemy must either fend off two of their disabled
fliips of war to the Well-Indits, in which case I
ffial! have a superior naval force, or they must
touch at the Brazils for water and repairs ; and
perhaps they will be obliged to do both ; in either
of which cases we shall have a great advantage
by the proceeding action.
'I heßemainder in our next.
P H ILADE CT H 1 A,~Sept.,
Extract of a letter from Major General Greene to
the. Prefde, nt of Congress, dated Head-farters,
High Hills of Santee, July 26, 1781.
" In my letter of the 17th I informed your Ex
cellency of having detached General Sumpter to
attack the enemys lower posts. The troops were
divided and moved down the several great roads.
Lieut. Col. Lee at Dorchester took all the wag
gon horses and waggons belonging to a convoy
of provisions going up to Lord Rawdon. Colo
nel Wade Hampton made a charge on a party of
the enemy's horse at the Quarter House, and took
there and at Ryawberry, upwards of 50 prisoners
and several officers. On the appearance of our
horse below the Quarter House, the alarm guns
were fired in town, and the gates shut. Colonel
Himpton with the other detachments, burnt four
veflels loaded principally with valuable bores for
the use of the British army. General Sumpter
when he got in the neighbourhood of Monks
Corner, which was on the 16th, found the garri
son of Biggers Church had been reinforced, this,
together with his having detached largly, and
those npt having joined obliged him to move with
caution. Colonel Horry was ordered to recon
noitre the poll, and watch the motions of the
enemy, while another party was sent to destroy
Wadboo bridge to cut off the enemy's retreat.
The garrison confined of upwards of 500 infantry,
and between 100 and 150 cavalry. Part of the
cavalry under Colonel Frazier, made a charge up
on Colonel Horry and Major Lacey, but were
soon repulsed and drove back with great precipi
tation, with the loss of two officers and 10 men
killed. They again advanced with both horse
and foot, and our people retired. This was late
in the after 0011. Under the cover of this party
the enemy evacuated the post, and fled towards
Charleftown, and though they set the church on
fire to destroy the dores, which were very great,
their retreat was not difeovered until four o'clock
next d^y,
" The detachment having joined that night,
Lieutenant-Colonel Lee with the legion, and
Colonel Hampton with the Rate cavalry pursued,
and Generals Sumpter and Marion with the rest
of the troops followed : Unfortunately the bridge
at Wadboo had not been destroyed effectually ;
the enemy soon repaired it and crofted. However
the legion came up with their rear near Shoe
brick's plantation, and took their rear guard and
all their baggage ; and was pushing 011 to charge
their main body, when Lieutenant Colonel Lee
was informed that theenemy had eroded Guinby
bridge, arid were in a lane with their,artillery.
He sent forward to order the legion to halt, but
before the order could reach the advanced corps
Captain Arinftrong had palled the bridge ; which
the enemy were endeavouring to take up, and was
charging their line. He drove them from their
artillery, but the mnfquetry beginning a heavy
lire obliged him to file off into the woods, not ha
ving advanced quite up to the line. He bad two
men and four horses killed, and Major Mayhem,
who was with the advance, had his horse killed
under him. Nothing can equal the gallantry of
this troop, and had the enemy been overtaken in
any other position, the cavalry in all probability
would have taken the whole party. Generals
Sumpter and Marion came up about four o'clock
in the afternoon, and made the disposition for at
tacking the enemy, which was begun about five,
and lalled until near eight. The firing was close
and warm. But the enemy being advantageously
polled in a range of houses where our cavalry
could not a&, and our artillery being left behind,
they maintained their ground though every effort
was made to dislodge them. The troops kept up
a fire untill the whole of their ammunition was
consumed, when they were ordered to retire, our
loss was about 10 or 12 killed, and between 20
and ^owounded. As the firing was not more
than from 40 to 80 yards distance, and most of our
people good marksmen, it is thought the enemy
must have fuffered considerably. The gallantry
of the militia and Rate troops upon this occasion,
would have done honour to veteran soldiers.
"Lord Rawdon,with part of the troops at Orange
burg, being on the movedownwards, and judging
the position of our people ineligible, Gen. Sump
ter ordered them to retire towards Nelson's ferry.
There were taken in the expedition, in the diffe
rent attacks, near 140 prisoners, eight or ten of
whom were officers, between one and two hun
dred horses, several waggons, one loaded with
ammunition, and all the baggage of the 19th re
giment, in which was found 720 guineas. The
General has ordered the whole to be divided
among his troops as a reward for their bravery.
Part of the enemy are Rill at Orangeburgh, and
Lord Rawdon has gone towards Charleftown.”
Published by older of Congress,
CHARLES THOMSON, Sec'ry.
Extract of a letter from Gen. Marion to Gover
nor Rutledge, dated Camp, St. Stephens,
August 6, 1781.
" On my return from you, the last evening, I
found a letter from Col. Peter Horry, giving an
opcount of an armed vessel of 10 guns, from
Cbarleßqwn, coming before Georgetown and
burning it. By some neglect of the men who
were to oppose their landing, they get on shore
and set it on fire ; the wind blewhigh, and allthe
haufes from thebay to the church are in ashes,
only a rew houles on the right and left are stand
ing. On the enemy's retreat, some that were
polled on the Point, who fired on the boat tow
ing the vessel, killed and wounded moll of the
men in her, several were killed and wounded in
the vessel. We had one man killed and three
wounded, one mortally. The vessel fell down to
Newtown, where the lay yesterday. The dif
trefled inhabitants saved nothing, as a constant
fire was kept up while the houses were burning.
Ihe vessel was commanded by one Manson, and
manned mostly, if not quite, by tories.
'ye hear that Congress palled the following
Resolve yesterday, viz.
Resolved, That Congress will, as soon as may
be, make such provilion for discharging or con
tinuing the loans that have been made to these
, nited States on Loan-Office Certificates, asthat
toe holders of them shall sustain no loss thereon
by any depreciation of the Bills loaned, fubfe-
1 u ° n "o "e refpeaive dates of laid Certificates.
'ay 3 a ^°' ? British frigate gave chace to
a British 20 gun lhip, each mistaking the other
an enemy ; the 20 gun ship ran ashore at
when the frigate sent her boats,
which difeovered the mistake and took the people
cd ; but the ship, with the materials, are fallen
into tie hands of Ge n. Turmer, uho icmmand
cd on that shore.
We hear the Navaro, Capt. Keeler, of this
port, on her paflage to Europe, Las taken a valua
ble prize, loaded with beef and butter, bound
front Cork to New-York.
Since our last was feet in here by the Holker,
the privateer schooner Fame, Capt. Nelson, from
Nww-York, on a cruize ; as also a flocp that had
been taken, by Capt. Neilfon, and retaken by the
schooner Fame, after she was manned by the
Holker.
FI SH -KI LL, Sept. 1 3 .
'? ur months regiment, under the command of Col.
Weifenkk, marched from this town to Weft Point Lift Fri
day ; a fine body of men as have been raised during the pre
sent war. During their £ay in this town, the officers were
unweariedly diligent in improving thole new troops in dif
ciphne ; and their pains was not loft, for their several ma
ncevrings was more like veterans than young soldiers. This
does honor to the choice of experienced officers,under whom
discipline and order are properly maintained.
On Thursday tire 6th irritant Capt. Pcarfe, of Pawling's
Prccinft, having had a hint of a prty of robber's being
seen in the mountains, collected afew men to go in quest of
them : Having divided them in three parties, one of them
discovered tourvillains playing cards near a small house in
the woods; our men fi:ed on them and killed the noted
thief Vaughan on the spot; Hoeg, Proffer -and the other got
oh. One of them (supposed to be Hoeg, by bis hat which
was left) was wounded, by the blood which was difeovered
in considerable quantities on the road. Several papers werc
found on Vaughan, giving an account of the division of
their plunder. Captain Pcarfe and his men deserve the
highest thanks of their country for their activity, in this
and other exploits. In the house, near where the fellows
were difeovered, were cooking for them, two quarters of
mutton, and two more hanging up : They pulled down the
house which harboured the robbers, and took bail of the
difaffc&ed man who possessed it. Captain Pearfe in the
month of May last took seven robbers in a cave, some of
which received the reward due to their deserts.
Extract of a letter from a gentleman in Albany, dated Septem
ber 8,17 CT
" We have just received the disagreeable news, that one
of forty men, Col. Willet sent out on a scout from Fort
Plain(his present ftation)only twelve returned ; the rest be
ing either killed or taken by a superior force of the enemy*"
Extract of another letter from a gentleman in Albany, dated
September 7, 1781.
'' On Saturday last, a party of his Most Sacred Majcfty'&
savage fubje&s, went to the house of one Feitz, at Bever
dam, near Schonarie, where they performed a most extra
ordinary piece of bravery, that should be told to the world :
They murderedthe old man and Ids wife, both of them at
lead yoyears of age ; his fon's wife and five children—,his
son being a Captain of Militia, was kept alive to be an eye
and ear-witness to the horrid cruelties perpetrated on his
dear relatives.— After burning the house, barn, &Q they
wen;off w^h ;htir booty, the Captain and eight .fca^C
oerpent cutter of 18 guns, Capt. Ama de Laune,
has this moment arrive d here with difpatchesfor
y° ur -Excellency from Count de Grade, who ar
rived in Chefapeake^Bay with 28 ihips of the line,
the 26th ultimo: The next day he landed 3000
troops on the south fide of James River, in order
to '°f m a junction with the Marquis la Fayette.
" e ° eet °? ^eir passage took a Packetfrom
Charleftown, with Lord Rawdon on board,bound
to Europe.
," r' ie g ran d fleet have taken their Ration front
the Middle Ground to Cape Henry, fromwhence
they detached three Ihips of the line and one fri
^ate to York-River, where one twenty-two gun.
Ihip fell into their hands. Captain de la Laune
informs me, that he left the fleet the day before
yellerday, andthat he has particular directions
from the Admiral to forward his dispatches to you
by one of bis officers ; but as this gentleman can
not be in, readiness to proceed immediately,lhave
thought it expedient to forward this intelligence
express, to assist your Excellency in the go
vernment of such movements as may be judged
neceflary to adopt on this occasion.
"I do myfelt the honor to inclofe a lift of the
fleet, delivered to me by the Captain of the cutter,
who will wait here for your orders.
" ! have ordered all the vessels in this harbour
to fail immediately, for the reception of the
troops at the head of Elk."
Jam, &c. W. GIST.
His Excellency General Washington.
By an express which arrived here this after
noon, we have the following veiy important in
telligence.
Extract fa letter from His Excellency General
Iffbington to the Prefdent of Congress, dated
Che/ler, September 5, three o'clock, 1. M.
" With the highest pleasure I do myfclf the
honor to transmit to your Excellency the inclofed
copy of a letter from Gen. Gill; it announces
the arrival in the Chesapeake of Admiral de Graffe,
with 28 Ihips of the line :---On the happy event,
I beg your Excellency to accept my warmelt
congratulations.”
Jhar Sir, Baltimore, Sept. 4, 1781.
I have the pleasure to inform you, that the