The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1781-06-26 00:00:00, page 2

Inclofed I fend your Excellency copies of se
veral letters found among the papers of Lieut.
M'Pherfon.
I have the honor to be, with great refpe&,
Your Excellency's mod obedient humble
servant NATH. GREENE.
His Excellency S. Huntington, Esq;
Camp at Ancram's Plantation, May 16, 1781.
SIR,
I WROTE your Excellency, that .we should
march the 14th for this poll, and Liertenant
colonel Lee, with the van of the army, had ad
vanced ± evening before. We arrived here
When we began our march towards Camden,
from Deep River, I wrote to General Pickens to
endeavor to collet a body of militia, to lay siege
to Augusta and Ninety-fix, and both places are
now iiivefted. The fort at Friday's Ferry will
be invested by tomorrow morning; Lieutenant-
Colonel Lee, with his legion, and some of the
detachments serving under him, marched for
this purpose last evening. The army marches
for that place this morning.
By the lall intelligence I had of Lord Rawdon,
he was near Nelson's Ferry, where the enemy
have a poll ; the stores of which were moving
to Charleftown, which indicated an evacuation.
Generals Sumpter and Marian are watching
their motions.
mediately sent to Asia ; they are defined to be
feat as early as the beginning of May.
Amongst the papers found on board cf the
picket taken coming from the Mauritius, a par
ticular account was found on board of Mons.
Tronjoli's failing from thence with 6 fail of the
line and some frigates; and with a convoy of 1400
French troops, for the afliftance of Hyder Ally,
immediately on their receiving the news of the
defeat of the arniy under Sir Heitor Munro.
Upon the enemy's evacuation, we immediate
ly took possession ofthe place, and the works are
levelling, a pian of which is herewith inclofed.—
Had the Virginia militia arrived in time, the
garrison would have fallen into our hands, as
they would have enabled us to have invested it
on all fidc6, and the garrison had neither provisi
ons or stores to hold out a siege. The detach
ments below, operating under General Marian
and Lieutenant Colonel Lee, having cut off their
supplies, particularly the article of lalt, of which
the garrison were entirely destitute. On the 9th
the army marched for this place. On the iith
the poll of Orangeburg, commanded by a Col.
and confiiling of upwards of 80 men, and several
officers part British surrendered to General Sump
ter, who by his address so intimidated the garri
son in the disposition of his artillery and troops
as to produce a surrender of a very strong poll,
without loss of time or men. Great quantities
of provision and some other (lores were found at
this place. On the 12th Fort Motte surrender
ed to General Marian. The garrison confided
of upwards one hundred and forty men, 120 of
which were British and Hessians, and seven or
eight officers; The place was invested on the
eighth, and the approaches carried to the foot of
the abbatis, before it surrendered. The redoubt
was exceeding strong, and commanded byLieut.
M'Pherfon, a very gallant officer. Great credit
is due to General Marian, and the few militia
that continued with him, in the reduction of this
post.---Lieutenant-Colonel Lee's legion, and the
detachments serving with him, under Major Ea
ton, Captains Finley of the artillery, and Old
ham and Smith of the infantry, were indefati
gable in prosecuting the siege. There was ta
ken at the fort one caronade, about 140 (land of
arms, a quantity of salt, provisions and other
stores ; returns of which (hall be forwarded
hereafter.
PHILADELPHIA, June 1%
Camb at Jf' Card' $ Ferry, on the Congaree, May 1 7.
S I R,
I Wrote your Excellency on the sth from near
Cambden, by Capt. O'Harra. On the Bth
that place was evacuated by the enemy. They
left it with great precipitation, after burning the
greater part of their baggage and stores, and even
the private property belonging to the inhabitants.
They also burnt the goal, mill and several other
houses, arid left the town little better than a heap
of rubbish.—They left all our men wounded on
the 25th, amounting to 31, and§B of their own,
and 3 officers, who were too badly wounded to
be removed. It is confidently asserted by feve~
ral people of the place, that the enemy fuffered
in the late a&ion, not lefsin killed and wounded,
than three hundred men.
ARTICLES of CAPITULATION, entered
into between MajorMAXwell, of the Prince
of Wales American regiment, on the one part,
and Lieutenant-Colonel Lee, commanding
the legion, on the other part, this 15th of
May, 1781.,
ift. That the detachment of British, with their
officers, (hall confider themselves prisoners of
war, and (hall be conduced to Charleftown by
the nearest route, where they (hall remain, on
parole, until such time as they are regularly ex
changed.
2d. The militia shall have it at their option to
accept of the firft article, and to march with the
British troops to Charleftown, and remain there
till exchanged ; or be allowed to remain at their
refpe&ive homes, without considering themselves
prisoners, or being molested in their property.
3. All the baggage belonging to the officers
and men of the garrison, shall be allowed them,
and two waggons shall be allowed for transport
ing it to Charleftown., All private property to
be considered in this article.
4th. The sick and wounded that cannot at
present be removed, shall have free liberty to go
to Charleftown as soon as able.
The heads of departments will give in returns
of stores, and a lift of prisoners will be transmit
ted to Major Hyrne, the Deputy-C'ommiffary-
General, as soon as it can be made out.
I have the honour to be. Sir, with the most
exalted sentiments of refpe& and esteem,
Your most obedient servant,
HENRY LEE, Junior.
Fort Granby, May 15.
Major-General Green.
sth. The officers shall be allowed to keep their
fide arms and pistols.
6th. The garrison to commence their march
to-morrow, and provisions to be furnifhed them,
with a fufficieht escort to protest them from in
sult and injury.
Captain Rudolph, of the legion infantry, will
take possession at twelve o'clock. Major Max
well to order the heads of departments to deliver
up all public stores, to such officers as Captain
Rudolph may introduce.
A. MAXWELL, Maj. P. W. A. Regt.
JOSEPH EGGLESTON,
Capt. P. L. D.
HENRY LE E, Jun.
Lieut. Col. Comm. R Legion.
yesterday about rioon, but the garrison had sur
rendered to Lieutenant Colonel Lee a few mi
nutes before our arrival. Inclofed are the con
ditions of the capitulation, and returns of the
prisoners and stores.
I have the honor to be, with great refpe&,
Your Excellency's mod obedient humble
. servant, N. GREEN E.
His Excellence the PreJident of Congress.,
$I R,
I HAVE the honour to communicate to you
the surrender of Fort Granby, and I enclose a
copy of the capitulation. Col. Taylor, whom I
found here with a body of militia, left by Gen.
Sumpter, to annoy and harrafs the garrison, had
molt vigorously and judiciously exerted hintfelf,
and has claim to particular attention.
The troops under my command, after a rapid
march, from the poll at Mott's, reached this
place on the evening of the 14th. The enemy's
position was reconnoitred, labourers collected,
andtheline ofapproaches determined on. During
the night a battery was thrown up within point
blank foot of the Fort, under the direction of
Lieutenant Heard and Cornet Lovel, assisted by
parties from Colonel Taylor's militia. Early
in the morning of the 15th, Captain Finley com
menced a cannonade, at the fame time the legion
infantry and Captain Oldham's detachment took
a position of support,
Matters being thus arranged, agreeable to my
inftruaions, I sent the summons, which I have
the honour to transmit, and received the answer
annexed.
A few moments after, an interview took place
between myfelf and Major Maxwell, and the
business was thrown into a train of adjustment.
It is needless for me to fay any thing concern
ing the efforts of the officers, and the toil of the
troops, who have served with me in the late ex
pedition. Your perfect knowledge of every in
tention, and every exertion of the corps, and
your invariable disposition to countenance merit,
fully ensure to them every reward they may de
serve.
Extraftof a letter from a French missionary, datedat Lisbon
April 14, 1781, to the Count de Moutmorin.
" ON the 13th current two Portuguese vefTels arrived at
this port from Madrafs, on board one of which was a French
missionary, who gives the following account, which is also
confirmed by the other paflengers : At the time of our leav
ing Madrafs, which was in the evening ofthe 23d Odober,
the last year, the English were in the molt critical situation.
Hyder Ali Kan marched to the coast of Coromandel with
cohfiderable force, and took Porto-Nova, and all other
Imall British settlements in that quarter, destroyed their
factories there. &c. Plundered all their possessions. He
afterwards direded his rout to Pondicherry, which the
English abandoned on his approach, and on which he dis
played his flag, shewing honor and humanity to the inhabi
tants. The English sent ambassadors to him, of which he
took no notice, from whence they concluded they must pre
pare for war. Accordingly while Hyder Ali was besieging
Arcot,the capital of the province, they formed a camp at a
final! distance from Madrafs, to ad as future circumstan
ces might dire& ; but Hyder Ali had taken the precaution
to lay waftethe country fourteen leagues round that city, te
cut off their subsistence. In the month of September the
English with a great part of their troops advanced to give
him battle. The result was fatal to them : The Marrattat
having surrounded them with such courrge and vigor, that
before die remainder ofthe British troops at two leagues
distance could arrive, they killed eight thousand of the belt
difciplincd and bravest Seapoys, eight hundred Europeans,
and forty officers, 47 others would have perished at the fame
time had not the French in the army of Hyder Ali interposed
totfaye their lives. This defeat entirely difeoncerted the
English, and produced the greatest consternation in Madrafs;
where a resolution was immediately taken to call in the
troops from another fa&ory on the fame coast; but before
these troops could embark, the Seapoy officers represented
to the English, that they and their soldiers were engaged to
serve only in that part of the country, and not at Madrafs 3
and that they had their wives and children which they could
not abandon. The answer the English made, was, to treat
roughly the officers who made this representation ; upon
which the Seapoys immediately fired upon the British officers
and killed many of them ; after which they repaired to the
Governor's house, forced the gates, took the military chest,
and went off with it. This is the firft example of mutiny or
revolt which the natives has e ever given.
", To remedy the want of troops, the English have en
roll'd at Madrafs all the merchants, traders, &c. of the
town, inftruding them with great diligence in military
manoeuvres, though little dependence is to be placed upon
so feeble a resource. When we left Madrafs, there was a
great scarcity of provisions in the place; and the lighttroops
of Hyder took every day the few cattle which the English
had between the city and their camp for the supply of both.
The Fiench merchants, Armenians, Moors, and others who
had any property, were preparing to leave Madrafs and
to Pondicherry for Security.
" Some days before our departure from Madrafs, the
English received accounts that threw them into consterna
tion ; they were careful to concealthem from the strangers;
but we knew they imported the arrival of a French Squadron
in these seas from the isle of France. We knew also, that
their fort Tallycheri was taken by assault, and the garrison
put tothe sword; and we further knew of the loss of their
late acquisition in the Guzarote.
" The date of their affairs in Bengal is not at all more
P^afing; an army offix thousand Marrattas was in the en
virons ofßallaffon, which had given them the greatest un
easiness. The funds of the English were exhausted, and
chey supported themselves entirely by fallacious loans drawn
from the rich Banians of the country. The greatest diffen
non prevailed in their councils and among their comman
ders, between two of whom a duel was fought with pistols,
two days before we left Madrafs/;
N EW-L ONDON, June 22,
Early on Monday morning last, a brig, a fchob
ner, and twelve boats, appeared off Guilford
harbour, and soon after landed at Leete's illand
about 150 men, who set fire to two dwelling
houses and two barns, which were all consumed,
except one of the houses : A number of militia
from the town soon repaired to the above island,
attacked and drove them off, and it was thought,
killed and wounded several of the party. Two
of the militia (named Leete and Hart) were kil
led, and three (lightly wounded.
BOSTO N, June it.
The following important account was brought from Bilbo#
by a French gentleman, who arrived here since our last.
RETURN of Prisoners taken at Fort Granby,
, , May 15.
i Lieutenant-Colonel, 2 Majors, 6 Captains,
6 Lieutenants, 3 Ensigns, 1 Surgeon, 2 Sergeant-
Majors, 17 Sergeants, 9 Corporals, 305 Rank
and File, 9 Deserters, 1 Miffing
RETURN of Prisoners taken at Fort Mott,
May 12;
I Captain, 3 Lieutenants, 3 Ensigns, 1 Ser
geant-Major, i Sergeant, 8 Corporals, 2 Drum
and Fife, 165 Privates.
E.M.HYRNE.
Prisoners taken at Orangeburg not returned.
RETURN of Military Stores, taken at Fort
Granby. May 15.
Musket Cartridges 8928, Muskets 192, Bayonets
86, Cartridge-Boxes ido, Rifles 63, Flints 3000,
Powder 120 pounds, Lead 328 pounds, twelve
pounds Caviller Shot 20, Drums 1, two pounds
Caronades 3, five and an half inch Howitzers 2^.
JOHN MAZARET, F; C. M.S.
Published by Order of Congress,
CHARLES THOMSON, Sec'ry.