The Pennsylvania gazette — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-05-08 00:00:00, page 2

'Men, in pty from the Prince of Waldeck, and another of
the fame complement from the Duke of Mecklenburgh.
Orders are given from the ordnance office for immedi
ately taking down, and preparing for service, fix thousand
stand of arms, from the small armoury in the tower.
Yesterday evening a young recruit, who had been en
listed in the country for a soldier when in liquor, in or
der to prevent his going to America, at a public house
near Chelsea, with alarge carving knife, chopped off his
l^ft thumb and two fore fingers.
Orders are sent to Corke to get ready immediately
provisions for victualling fifty fail of transports which
will arrive there, if the wind permits, by the loth of
March; the rest of the transports which are ordered for
America will take in their provisions in England, to pre
vent the Irish from being distressed by so great a con
wmption of the necessaries of life in that country.
A new regiment of light infantry is now railing to be
sent tp Americas a ferjeant in the said regiment, in a new
uniform, was presented to his Majesty on Friday last, and
went through the whole manual exercise on an entire
new plan, before his Majesty and several general officers,
in the King's riding-house, which gave universal fatis
raflion.
All the transports that have arrived here from Boston
are to be docked and got ready as soon as possible, in
order to take on board a quantity of porter and other
ffelh fupplics, which are to be sent to the men of war
Rationed at America.
In the debate on Tu^fday night, in the House of Com
fhons, on Mr. Fox's motion, Col. Barre was extremely
severe on a law officer (Mr. W-dd rb---e) whom he com
pared to Abbe Polignac, and described him as a little,
,Crt, affected, political prater; the comparison was felt,
and caused a laugh; he said, that it was difficult to ex
press the feelings and indignation of a man of honour,
flung and irritated by the gnats and infers of court
corruption. He affirmed, that the troops, from a fixed
averlion to the service, grofiy misbehaved at Bunker's-
Hill on the 17th of June.
General Burgoyne, in contradiction, allowed that the
troops gave way a little at one time, because they were
flanked by the fire out of the houses, &c. at Charles
town, but that they soon rallied apd advanced; and no
men on earth ever behaved with more spirit, firmnefs
and perseverance, till they forced the enemy out of
their entrenchments. He said, he was an eve-witness
of the whole affair, and consequently, as he fyoke from
his own knowledge, and not by hearsay, he ventured to
speak with the greatest confidence.
A letter from the Hague, dated Feb. t 6, fays,' " It is
said that the Amfterdamers have not only consented to
cede the Scotch brigade in the Dutch service t® Great-
Britain ; but have prepofed to the States of Holland that
it should never return to this country any more."
The value of goods entered for exportation to the
Britifo Weft India Islands the last month at the custom
house, exceeds the sum of 62,0001. which is more than
have been entered for some time past.
The King has given orders to put a flop to any of the
officers belonging to the three regiments of guards felling
out, so that those who dislike the business of going to
America, though they have purchased their commissions
at high premiums, can only resign.
Infract of a letter from Portsmouth, February 23.
" Arrived the Carcass bomb, which failed from Cork
the 12th inst. with Sir Peter Parker, and 42 fail of men
of war and transports, with whom he parted company on
tin 18th in a hard gale of wind, when Sir Peter had but
25 fail left with him. The Carcass has loft her mizen mast,
and thrown many of her stores overboard."
Extraff of & letter from Edinburgh,. February 17.
" Seventeen thousand German troops are expected
here in a few days on their way to Greenock, where they
are to embarlc for America. They are to come in trans
ports up the Firth of Forth, and to land in Leith."
Extras of a letter from Corke.
" The following occurrence must give fatisfartion to
the friends of differing America: When Col. Ethan Al
len, with about 50 other prisoners, arrived in the Solebay,
two gentlemen went on board to enquire into their situa
tion, and to assure them of the difpofitien of several
gentlemen in this city to alleviate their distresses. Col.
Alien was so affected with this instance of unexpected
generosity, that the expression of his.gratitude could
hardly find utterance.
" His treatment on board the Solebay is far different
from the barbarous and cruel usage he experienced in his
paflage from Quebec, being then handcuffed and ironed
in the molt dreary part of the vessel, and basely insulted
with cruel and unmanly reflections by some officers of the
fliip, whom he challenged in Cornwall, without receiving
fatisfartion.-
“ A fubfeription was begun this morning among some
friends of the cause, and near fifty guineas collected to
buy cioaths for his men, and necessaries for himfelf; and
if liberty can be got of Captain Williams to put live dock
on board, I can allure you, Col. Allen will be exceed
ingly well provided. We this day sent a hamper of wine,
sugar, fruit, chocolate, &c. on board, for his immediate
life, and to-morrow intend to prepare the sundry articles
of which he sent a lift. I inclofe you a rough copy of his
mifwer to our letter. Should he have permission to come
on Ihore, he will be entertained by some of the firft gen
tlemen of this city. I have not been refufed by a tingle
person on the fubfeription."
“ I received your generous present this day with a
joyful heart. Thanks to God, there are dill the feelings
Of humanity in the. worthy citizens of Corke towards
those of your bone and flefh, who, through misfortune
from the present broils in the empire, are needy prisoners.
" Dated Cove, Jah. 24, 1776."
HOUSE of COMMONS, Taefday, Feb. 20.
At about half past three o'clock the Hon. Mr. Charles
Fox arose, and having fpeke with much warmth and great
abilities for upwards of an hour, in which he gave a very
full and pointed recapitulation of the mistakes and errors
of administration, from the resolutions proposed to the
House by Lord North in Feb. 1774, to that day, he con
cluded by moving, that a committee should be appointed
to enquire into the catife of our present misfortunes, and
unhappy situation, relative to the late d'ifputes with Ame
rica; he was seconded by Lord Offory, in a short, but
fenlible speech. He was followed by Lord Maigrave,
whe/anfwered Mr. Fox pretty fully, and was replied to'
by the Hon Mr. Fitzpatrick in an able and well digested
speech ; after which a very interfiling debate was carried
bn for several hours. The division was at two this morn
ing, when the numbers were in support of Mr. Fox's mo
tion, TO4 ; against it, 240.—The principal speakers in
the debate, which was ably handled on both lides, were,
(besides the above-mentioned) Lord North, Sir Gilbert
ERiot, Lord flows, Mr, Stanley, Sir Edward Derling,
" Copy of Colonel Allen's note.
“ Gentlemen,
Thirty-eight fail of the men of war and transports
,destined for North - Carolina, from England, are said to
be arrived at Cape-Fear, and that they took @n the pas
sage a large French ship with arms and ammunition.
The prisoners lately taken in North-Carolina are to be
sent to this colony, Maryland and Philadelphia; 14 are
to come here. Mr John Goodrich and Mr. George Blair
are amongst them.
B O S T O N, April 25.
Last Friday a vessel arrived off Marblehead, from Ha
lifax, with Dr. Stockbridge, and a number of other re
fugee tories. The information from some of them is
that they had their choice of inlifting as soldiers, and as
such to be provided for, or to starve, or return to this
colony. They chose the latter, and are now suppli
cating their country for mercy. How they have been
disposed of we have not heard.
A letter from an officer at New-York, dated the 29th
of December, lays, “ We are here in the land of plenty,
among many faithful fubje&s, who dare not declare their
sentiments for want of a few regiments to support them;
Long Island. are our friends almost to a man, and the
New-Jersey Delegates have refufed to attend the General
Congress; I hope we (hall soon have the pleating news of
the New-England rebels being left to Ihift for themselves.
Kilkenny, Feb. 24. Yesterday the firft division, confid
ing of five companies of the 9th regiment of foot, com
manded by Major General Lord Vifeount Ligonier, and
this day the second division arrived here from Dublin, on
their march to Corke, in order to embark for America.
WILLIAMSBURG, April 26.
There have, within these two or three weeks, been
taken and brought inUrNorfolk, by the tenders, &c. the
following vessels, viz. the sloop Congress, with 110 bar
rels of gunpowder, and a large quantity of cloth, linens,
ofnabrugs, &c. a ichooner, witli a very large cargo of
medicines, particularly jefuits bark. A large new ship
from Baltimore, bodrid to Liverpool, with 1900 barrels
of flour and bread, and 5000 bushels of wheat; this last
taken by old Goodrich, who commands a privateer,
fitted out by himfelf, and has likewise fitted out two
others, one commanded by his son William, the other by
a certain William Pickett. A brig, outward bound,
loaded with provisions. And a New-England schooner,
supposed to be bound for Maryland.—There were taken
and brought in, some little time before, three vessels
with gunpowder, about 5000 stand of arms, &c. also a
New-Englandman, bound for Baltimore, with cheese,
cyders potatoes, cheftnut^, &c.
Last Monday ' evening 13 runaway negroes, and a
couple of Tories, were brought up from Suffolk, and
lodged in the public goal ; and there is advice that Lieu
tenant-Colonel Eppes has taken 14 soldiers of the black
fufleers, and killed two grenadiers of the 14th regiment.
Last Saturday his Excellency the General, with his
two Aid de camps and Secretary, Col. Bullitt, &c. set
out for Suffolk; since which, we learn that his Excel
lency has marched from that place, at the head of a
large body of troops, upon some secret expedition.
Capt. John Dixon, in a vessel from Gloucester, bound
to the Weft-Indies, who was lately taken by a man of
war, and carried into Antigua, has returned from St. Eu
ftatia. and landed a cargoe in this colony confiding of
four thousand pounds sterling worth of linens, fail duck,
&c. The Captain informs, that the Argo (loop of war
had chafed a vessel among the islands, but was prevented
from taking her by a French frigate, who exchanged a
few shot with the Argo, took the vessel under convoy,
and carried her fafe into a French island.
WATERTOWN, April 29.
Saturday last precepts were iffiied, summoning a new
Assembly to convene at the Meeting-house in Water
town, on Wednesday, the 20th of May next.
N E W P O R T, April 29.
Last Thursday night, the Continental ships Alfred and
Columbus, and the brig , arrived in our Bay, and
anchored near Hope ; a ftatioh occupied by British pirates
a considerable part of the winter.
A letter frQm the Weft-Indies, dated March 1, fays,
“ Every barrel of provision has been bought in the wind
ward islands to be sent to Boston. A transport of 26
guns, well manned, and commanded by a Lieutenant of
one of the ships of war, arrived at Barbados for provi
sions; the inhabitants refufed to let them have it, but he
feixed upon a ihip that accidentally eame in, belonging
to Lancaster, but last from Ireland, and obliged him to
fell his cargo. This day all the transports failed from
Antigua for Boston, but I hope the provincial cruisers
among the islands will give a good account of them."
William Jackson of this town, and Crean Briifh of
New-York, who were on board a brig taken by Captain
Manly, are now imprisoned in the goal of this town.
We hear that the Continental currency is received in
payments, and passes very freely among the inhabitants
of the French Welt-India Islands;
Mr. Ihy, the Lord Advocate bf Scotland, the Solicitor
Gene ral, Col. Barre, the Lord Mayur, Governor fohn
ftoue, Mr. Adams, Mr. Cruger, and Mr. T. Townsend.
D U BL I N, March 2.
Tht commanders of the Lord's Gift, and the Mary,
of Dublin, the two vessels in which George Ogle, Esq;
had flripped and entered 300 barrels of beef for Bour
deaux, attended with a Notary Public at the custom
house, and demanded a clearance outwards for said ves
sels from the proper officer; but we hear it was not
complied with.
The yeffis freighted by George Ogle, Esq; (in oppo
sition „ the late proclamation for an embargo on pro
vdtons) after the goods having paired entry, were refufed
to be out voiced; this of course, will bring the affair
to a legal determination, and it now reds in the bosoms
of tquetve honefl men whether the king's, partial procla
mation, without ad of parliament, is to be considered
as part of the law by which we are to be bound. To
this spirited and patriotic gentleman the kingdom hands
very much indebted; as he has, at his own expence,
made an attempt to refeue them from the tyranny of mi
nisters in a mos t essential point; every friend to liberty
wiflies him success; and every good citizen who regards
the trade and manufacture of Ireland must honour, ap
plaud, and assist the man who thus hands forward in the
face of an overbearing administration, to prevent an in
jury ariling to the constitution from a scheme planned
with a view to enrich a few ministerial hirelings, at the
expence of the merchants of Ireland.
All masters of vessels taken bringing in arms and am
munition are put in the prison vessel, and laid in irons,
and are to be lent to England for trial.
Ammunition is in such plenty on board the fleet, that
Lord Dunmore gives it gratis to those whs fit out pri
vateers.
His Excellency the General has been pleased to pro
mote James Innis, Esq; of the artillery, to be Major
of the 9th regiment.
Last Wednesday a ship, supposed the Scarborough or
Jan. 31. Captain Seaban, from the Bay Government,
the firft hero that came to our assistance, 25; Captain
Smith,- with 19. Feb. 9, Lieut. Munson and Pettibone,
with part of two companies, 25. 21, Lieut. Walker, 17;
Captain Wetherby, 33. 22, Lieut. Meacham, 12. 24,
Captain Hinman, 23; Capt. Pierce, 25; Uziah Wright,
a gentleman volunteer, 8. 26, Lieut. Sunderland, 32;
Serjeant Clark, 20. March 1, Lieut. Loomis, 58 ; Lieut.
Talbot, with the firft Pennsylvania Company, 60; Lieut.
Deane, from the Bay Government, 40. 4, Serjeant St.
John, 15; Serjeant Gideon Benson, 7. 5, Capt Goode
ridge, 35; Lieut. Frifby, 31; Lieut. Walbridge, 49; 6,
March 28, 1776.'
" Three days since I had advice that a party of 60 men
from Quebec were landed at St. Pieres, 10 leagues down
the river, and that they had feiked a convoy of provisions
coming to the camp, with two commissaries : I immedi
ately sent Major Dubouys with 80 men in pursuit of
them, who came up with a party of 50 odd, attacked
and killed two, wounded two others, and tock 38 priso
ners, most of them French, who are just arrived here.
Major Dubouys wrote that he had intelligence of <SO
men being in arms below. —Col. Nicholson has joined
him with 70 men, and are gone in pursuit of the enemy,
and will, I make no doubt, give a good account of them.
The inhabitants are generally in our favour, and many of
them have taken up arms for us, or rather for them
selves."
N E W-Y O R K, May 6.
Extrafl of a Letter from an Officer in the Continental Arm,,
dated Trois Riatiers, March 24, 1776.
“ My business at this post is to furnifh horses, carria
ges, &c. for the passing army, and fee them supplied
with provisions, which business takes up almost my whole
time. J have it also in my orders to call in the old corn
miffions given to the officers of militia, in the seventeen
parities in the diftrirt of three rivers, by the late Gover
nor Carleton, and to have new officers elerted; some of
them seem (hy of receiving the post, being afraid either
that the ministerial troops will drive us out of the pro
vince, or that we, after carrying our point with Great-
Britain, will leave them to fall a facrifice; but in general
they seem to be fond of holding commissions under the
Congress; in some parishes there have been three or four
candidates for the captaincy, and I receive information,
that bribery and corruption is already beginning to creep
into their elections; at some the disputes run so high,
that I am obliged to interfere ; at one I was under the
necessity of going 27 miles to superintend the pole, and
was obliged to give them a new election, with which they
were fatisfied. I have sent up about thirty names to the
General, in order to get commissions under the Right
Honourable the Continental Congress, which have been
new elected, and expert soon to fend more. I have been
extremely sorry that our forces do not come forward
fafter, of late some have come up, but upon the whole,
I must fay I think this department has been neglected. I
have troubled you with an account of all the frelh forces
which have past this post, exclusive of those who were in
Montreal, who have been nearer the feene of artion.
Officers are included in the account.
Cerberus, and 2 black brig, were Handing ofi and on a
little without the entrance of this harbour great part of
the day ; they were twice close in with the light-noufe
two American brigs and three (loops, the fame day, were
chafed by the above black brig, but got clear, and wen?
in the ealt fide of this island.
Captain Ebenezer Barker arrived at Bedford last Thurs
day, in 23 days from the Weft-Indies, informs, that last
,Wcdnciaay, a little to the southward of Montague, he
was chafed by two large ships, but night coming on, be?
made his escape; that the islands were in great want of
provisions, and were planting most of their cane-land
with potatoes, &c. and that the transports which were
blown oft the coast last winter, were to fail for Buftoh
about the time he failed.
Extras of a letter from Boflon, April 22.
" They aic fort tying and putting the harbour, &c. io
the best poftiue f defence they can. To-morrow the,
talk of finking nuUsty the castle, and erecting a battery
at Camp-Hill, on Noddle's Island. There was a fleet of
the enemy, about 20 fail, lay at Nantafket last week, but
they are all gone from thence except the renown. Our
small privateers run in and out by failing's point, without
any regard to the enemy."
During the last and beginning of this week, several of
the men of war have been cruizing in the oTp-
N E W-H A V F N, w,.
Extract of a letter from Brigadier General Arnold, dated
Holland House, March 26 and 28, 1776.
" You doubtless exped news from me; I can write
you very little.^ I exported before this to have had a re
inforcement of 3 or 4000 men, but have not receir d one
thousand. We have been some time busy in colle&ing
materials for batteries, one of four guns on Point Levy,
I expert will be opened in two or three days, which will
command the shipping and great part of the town, and
one on the Height of Abraham of 8 guns, 1 howitzer
and 2 mortars, which I hope will have the desired effe&°
in case they fail, we have ladders, &c. for a storm.—The
frigate in the harbour is bending her fails, I am appre
hensive with intention to give us the flip as soon as the
ice will permit, to prevent which we have one gundalo
with a 12 pounder mounted, and are preparing another
of the fame strength, which I am in hopes will command
the river. We labour under almost as many difficulties
as the Israelites did of old, obliged to make brick with
out straw. However, we hope matters will soon take a
more favourable turn. —The season remains very severe
here, we have near five feet snow on the ground, and in
most places fufficiently hard to bear a man and horfc,
though under the snow, the froft is entirely out of the
ground. We have 400 sick and wounded in the hospitals.
Capt. Schillenger, of Long Island, and Mr. Sabin, of
died here a few days since, the latter was the firft volun
teer who arrived here after our repulfc, with a company.
I am so far recovered of my wound, that two days since
I rode 14 miles on horse back, and walked five more,
reconnoitering, which fatigued me so much I have hard
ly been able to walk since."
N E W .-. L O ND O N, April 26.. .
.We hear that it is the determination of the Continental
Congress . to fortify New-London harbour .in the belt and
most effectual manner; it being judged a good and con
venient rendezvous for the Continental fleet.
Yesterday week the brig Cabot, Capt. Elisha Hinman;
one of the Continental fleet from this port, was chafed
into Newport by a man of w of 28 guns, commanded
by John Simmons: The said .A failed from Halifax 14
days before, in company with a brig of 10 guns :—They
watered at Block-Bland last Saturday, when several peo
ple from that island were on board the fhjp and learned
the above particulars ; and were further informed, that
the ministerial fleet from Boston lay at Halifax when they
came out, waiting orders from home.