The Virginia gazette — Williamsburg [Va.], 1779-08-28 00:00:00, page 2

it'o S T O N, jULt' 29.
Y several esselo arrived at Martinique, which left Marseillcs the
asth of Lia ,si'advice waactreceived, that 14 sail of the line, and a
teat number of rigatee,'zebecks, &c. were at Cadiz, ready to put to
let, 11 of the line at Fertol, and ! ] of the same force at Corunna. it is
added by letters, aewell as the report of the masters, that Mr. Marain,
ctTmmande'r at the Burgoyne, of 74 guns, had taken in the (lraights of
Gibraltar, the Montreal, an English frigate of 36 gunuss and thcttt the
Victoire, of 14, gitn'a', 'had pursued the Thetis, another British f'tsiigate of
16 guns, which, to avoid the Victiore, had taken her courssie through
Serombaire, where she must inevitably be lost, as she took this route in
a very storm ni ht. _ si _
ct We hear t at Lord Cornwalht came over to Amertca in the Greyhound
ffigate, to supercede Clinton al Commander in Chics, whose reputation
lsslld atly sunk in the ellimation of his emsployers.
tvfdsiday last arrived here a brig, bound rotn Tortola to New Yosk,
with 156 punoheonl of rum and some fruit. She was naVigatcd with
8 hands, three of which were Americans, the Mate being one; the
Capt-ctin also waa 'an American. These three agreed to confine the
Captain, and bring the vessel to thin port. They exectsstted their purpose
with caution and intrepidity: They seized the Captatn in his eahtn at
night. confined him and three othere of the crew, a sounh ltsi-ndtng
neuter: They had brought the vessel and eargo safe to part, and made
their fortunes. - ct
We hear the Hibernia, a privateer schooner from NewburyjPort, has
taken 5 izes since shelet't that port, three of which are in a sate harhour.
Tues :ty last arrived here a French srigate of 32 guns trom France, in
sswhieh came passenget'e His Excellency the Chevalier de la Luserne,
Plenipotentiary from His Most Christian Majesty to the Umtcd States,
with his Secretary, &c. as also the Honourable jchn Adams, Esq; late
I commiflioner from these states to the Court of France. His Excellency
,lnd suit landed on General Hancock's whart', about 5 o'clcck the same
Istemoon, where they were received hy : Committee from the Honour
able Council of this (tate, who Were waiting with catriages for their tecep
tion; they were conduc'ted to the house, late the scsidH-Cc of the contiuemal
General. He wat saluted bya discharge of thirteen cannon, on his
landing. from the fortres- on Fort-htil, and every other mark of respect
shcwn him, siwhich circumstances would admit.
Saturday lah arrived here the prize ship Tartar, mounting 26 carriage
me, beside: cohorm and swivcls, and had no hands; taken by the
fiifflin, of 10 gunl, Captain Babcock, of this port, and only too hands.
'She was fitted out of lreland for the purpose ctsi taking an Antericm trigate,
and she happened to catch : Tartar. The Tartar had her Captain and
," hande killed beside: some wounded: The Mifl'hn had 1. men killed.
The Mifflin had also taken 4 other prizes, one of which we- hear h ta since
been tetaken and carried into Newport. - When the Tartar left the
Mifflin, she wal chased by it 40 gun ship and two srigatea, but as she
sailed very fast, it in thought she got clear. The Tartar on her voya e
hither, took : hrigladen with about asoo quintals of fish. which sfie
yarted with 5 day: before her arrival here, and mav be hourly expected.
Captain —— in a merchant ship, and Cnptain Young in a brig, who
came out under convoy of the le Senfible, a day or two ago, very nar
rowly escaped being taken by : British ship, under cover at a fog. Both
these vessel: arrived safe yesterday.
It ma be depended on thatthe Brefl fleet sailed on the 3d of Jttne, tor
'ctthe eoa bf Spain, and that the Britishsifleet could not be insia condition to
qt to sea till three weeks at least after the departuisiecsthe sutmrl'. All
, uro was waiting the issue of such sormidable atmnments, and it wae
exYe ed some important blow would soon be ltruck.
- t demonstratee the great flren th and natural resottrces of France,
that her navy hat so soon "COVCI'BE from the disatttrs it met with the last
war, and is already able to sace in the channel, or upon the ocean, the
maritime Kd'zf of a nation that hat so proudly bended itself to be Save
nign of t e occlm A French fleet putting to sea so long before a British
one ofeqnal force could he got ready to oppost: it, engages the attention
ctof Europe, demonflrates the weakness of Britain, and must be not a
. little humiliating to her.
From the haughty manner in which Britain hctsits conducted towards
other maritime were, trow the oppresiion with which she first loaded
America, andt en the savage barbarity with which she has carried on
this war. the nations of Europe regard with a secrersatissaction the
poyver of her rivall, and the manifelt symptom! of her own feebleness
'and deea . '
_ The gaurttos France and Spain, by-the last account: from Europe,
' 'are no firmly united !! ever, and there il the utmost considence between
them. The French carry on their armamenn, and make their exertions
'with a satprising alacrit and spirit ; and Bt'itain may soon reoent that
silhe has not moreleasona le, and in earnest, employed the proper means
{on general paeiflcation.
The Marsiquil Fayette, we hear, continues to express upon all occa.
'stonl, the htghefl affection for America, in the service of which he so
greatly dilinguished himself. He is now employed in an important
'command among the troops of France, near the British coast.
HARTFORD, Avcvsr 3.
" litract q/ - letter from an ficul- of distinctiv- a Bennington, lated
' _ ]u 7 18. .
" " Tuesday the lzth inshnt Major Wlsiight Hopkim, who then
O sieolhmanded thlt pofl, sent I seout commanded by Lieutenant
Whence! Dnnning, down the lake to the north end thereof, to recohnoitre
side lake end woods ldjacent, and (is possible) to make any diseoveries
;ofthe enemy, lnd report to the eommandinf officer. The next day
qui: llopkinl, several of hit officers and so dien, with some Ladiez,
set 'l (for their plusure) in : boat, with : view to meet the scout, and
returlss! with them to the ;!rrison. The Major met with the scout ; little
sinofth of the Fourteen mile island, so called, and on hie return found the
wind [is I held, lnd night nearly approachin , which occasioned
them to lll'l on the ifland, draw upss their boon, an turning one of them
over," made lunvenient flulter for the whole to flcep under, which the
Major thought he might shfely do with hit party, at the scout had made no
discoveries of any enemy. ln this secure condition they were surprised
:: break of day while afleep, and flred on by :! deuchmenflok the enemy,
confiding of a number of lndianz and Tories. ln thic'fisse the Mlsor,
I serjeant, : corpcral, three privales and two women were killed. Clpt.
Gideon Brownson, Captain Smith, Liemenant chhael Dunning (who
commanded the scout) : sesjeant, three privates, and a little boy were
taken prisoners; wounded and left on the island, one private, who was
scalped, and left for dead; a Mr. Scon, who had lpth thighl broke, and
: ]itlle boy shot through his leg. Neither pleasure boat not seen: return
ing, : party wan sent on Friday in quest of them, and on Samjday
morning found the dead and wounded on the ifland, the latter they
brought off."
PHILADELPHIA, AUGUST n.
Extract of 4 letter from St. Pierre (Marliuiqn) dared In], an, 1779.
HAVE already mentioned the Casflhc ot St. Vincents, which hue
l been followed by that of Grennda and 'lobago, two very important
possessions of our enemy.
" Admisa] Byron, with :! ships of the line, and zooo troopl under
the command of General Grant, lsiziled from St Lucia to relieve them;
an engagemem between the two flsieioensued, in which the English were
beat, romed :md dispcrscd, and tide off unde.- the friendly protectiolof
the night, And zrrived one after the other at St. Ritts in the most shattered
condition.
" Count D'Eslain remained mafler of the field of battle, ready to
renew the combxt in ( :: morning of" the succeeding day, but to hie great
surprise found the enemy had disctppezued. ,
" From the advantage which Admiral Byron had-os being to wind
ward, Count D'Esiaing could not bring but half of his fleet lo action.
" After having gax ritbqed Giehadn wuh t5oo troops, he immedintely
took his tlepar'ul'c on an expedition against St. Kim; but :: Adlninl
Byron, 'with the tsanl'poxtn containing zooo tronpt, are at that island,;—
he Will perhaps change hie dettination mid attack some other of the
'English Posselliu'm." _
Extract qf qkmr from ]amaica Plains, mar Bosion, dom! lages 4.
" We receitsied advice yeflerday of the lignsi-l succes- of our little fleet
and army at Persitobscot, who as we see inlmsimed tcok every man of the
enemy there, twotrigates, two floops of war&c. Mowat, who burned
Falmouth, commanded the enemy's fleet, and finding he could not
save it, sunk part of it, but it is_thought they may beraised. He is
: prisoner.—-A vessel from Marblehead, which arrived to—day, bfio
the same account; so that it is universally credited, notwithsiindinz
Council have not officiafly recewcd it."
Extract off a letter ji'am a general qffiter In his srieflrdiu tbi: rit], laud
camp, in the Highlmnls, Augufl 7, 1779. ss
" A any of me horse, past continental and part militia, under the
eommanrfof Colonel Wh.t-:, assitted by 5oinsantry us Glover'e bri ,
engaged zeo of the cnemy'a horse and me infnntry, at New Roehellejf
the day belore yelterday; in which we repulsed the enemy ma] time:,
and made good our retreat with the loss ofone killed, one;" 'ndesid and
one miffing. We took eight horse: with their accoutrementt, &c. and
killed fifteen of the enemv "
Extract qf' :: Ietlfr from Sunhury, laud lu ]? 5, 1779.
" It is with sincere pieasure that ! inform you, ! at the martial spirit
is not yet extinct on the frontiers of Pennl'ylvznia. T he attack made by
M'Donald latt week in this county was an alaiming one, as the ultimm '
object appei-ed to be the magazine at Sunhury, and the cutting of the
communication with Genersil Sullivan. The danger had a proper effl
on the t'rontier inhabitants of Lancaster, Cumherlam! and York cnuntiee.
As it was evident that an order from the Council, would be too flow in
its effect for the succour of Sunbury; volumce-s to march immediately si\
to Nnrthumberhnd caunty, wan the only expudient that could be thoughtsi
of. Near 50 of Colonel E'der's hattalion, with Colone] Smith, marched
without loss of time up the Susquehannah, and arrived in Sunbury on
Monday evening, every hour since has blought as fresh atceflion of
numbers. We were near 5oo ltronfg this morning, and the whole marched
undcrcommand ot'CoI. Smith (c the Counczl) for Muney, determined
if the enemy remain in these parts, to seek them out."
WILLIAMSBURG, AUGUST 28.
Extrd} qf :: [mer fi'om a Genh'emau " St. Euffatia, lwbo wax iu St.
Kitt't, when the En lish fleet arrived.
CANNOT here give you so ful an account at the en : ment of
I Grenada as [could wish, for want oftimc. The ishn' o Grennda
was, ! think, taken on Mondazf the lath; their lose was trivial, is "
that of the French. The next day (the tzth) Mr. Byron appeared wsiich
:: sail of the line, expecting to find only ! 3_0f' the Coum'a- Admirll
Barring'on began the action and behnve<1_ thh uncommon bravery,
receiving the fire of six or seven sail of the !me for some minutes; the
others were following as they could, till a signs] for a line a head wed
thrown out; this lte t some of the fleet from engaging at all; "those that
did were very rough y lmnclled. The appearance of the fleet comin to
anchor was shockirvg; their hunt and rigging tore to pieces. The Prince
of Walec'had 74 shot in the larboard side; the others not much better.
The loss of killed and wo'unded is little short of woe men. A few days
after the fleet came into St. Ki-si , and the nlt the Count appeared of
the hnrhonr, and the nd cnm': ; , -.losc that ] watched for some minute:
expectin the ships to fire on him. After insultinz them in this manner
he hewe m (hys and flood to the S. E. Since which we have seen nothin
of him: It is supposed he ne gone to Antigua; is so, he wiil lettkthe
affzin of their i'lmds. There are at that Place ship: Stone to the
siJ—4L __l ,
amountof zoooool. sterling. and the fleet cannot, short osjamaien, find
: mast except there] 'I'hsi-y are in the man shntered condition si" Leg.
suppose. I suw every ship of the Count'u, and could not oct !:
that were damaged 'On'pxitk of. Thing: look very well in thl up;! '
end ] douht not but they do so with you."
Extract qs another [mer from St. Eushttia, dead jub as,
" I have no! time to tell you more than that war was declared at Peru
Rieo against England on the rsth insiant. lt it not generally Emi
here, but you may depend on it." -' . .- . ::