The Pennsylvania gazette — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-01-24 00:00:00, page 2

Com of a fetter from General Montgomery to General
Carleton, dated Holland House (near ^ebec) Dec.
16, 1775.
"Sir,
" Notwithstanding the personal ill treatment I have re
ceived at your hands, notwi.hftanding the cruelty you
have ihewn to the unhappy prisoners you have taken,
the feelings of humanity induce me to have recourse to
this expedient, to save you from the detraction 'which
bangs over your wretched garrison.—Give me leave to
inform you that I am well acquainted with your situation:
A great extent of works, in their nature incapable of
defence, manned with a motley crew of tailors, most of
them our friends; of citizens, who with to fee us within
the walls; a few of the worst troops that call themselves
soldiers ; the improbability of relief, and the certain prof
pedt of wanting every necessary of life, should your op
ponents confine themselves to afimple blockade, point out
theabfurdity of refinance —such is your situation, lam
at the head of troops accustomed to success, confident of
the righteouTnefs of the cause they are engaged in, inured
to danger and fatigue, and so highly inceufed at your
inhumanity, illiberal abuse, and the ungenerous means
Employed to prejudice them in the minds of the Canadi
ans, that it is with difficulty I restrain them, till my bat
teries are ready, from assaulting your works, which
would afford them a fair opportunity of ample vengeance,
and just retaliation. —Firing upon a Flag of Truce,
hitherto unprecedented, even among savages, prevents
my following the ordinary mode of conveying my senti
ments ; however, I will at any rate acquit my conscience.
Should you persist in an unwarrantable defence, the con
sequences be upon your own head. Beware of destroy
ing stores of any fort, as you did at Montreal, or in the
river; if you do, by Heavens there will be no mercy
ihewn."
Extract of a Letter from Montreal, dated Dec. 17.
" There is in this city a neat grand parade, before a
large Church, in which is a sett of bells. On the parade
stands a holy Cross, by the fide of which was placed the
bust of a person, formerly honoured, esteemed and be
loved by people of all ranks, but now, like Miltons Lu
cifer, alas bona fall'n! bow chang'd! to the reverie of
what he was. On the night of the 15th instant, his head
was levered from his body, and being faftened by his
fide, in the morning was carried to the Hospital, but it
is said the bed Surgeons declare they can do nothing for
him, and that he is absolutely past all cure.
" Our brother soldiers now before Quebec have
thrown up ramparts of snow and water, which, when
cendenfed and frozen, are proved by experience to be
fufficient for the purpose. Who but Yankoos would have
thought of &ch a contrivance? or who but euthuliafts
for Liberty would carry oh a liege at such a fcafon of the
yeaa:
..W ILLIAMSBUR G, January ii.
Notwithstanding Lord Dunmore's late proclamation for
Emancipating such haves as Should repair to his standard,
we are informed, by a correspondent, that two of his
own Negroes, with an overseer, puffed through Frede
rickfburg one day lad week, on their way to his Berke
?:y plantation ; so that it should seem his Lordship has not
been so very generous to his own bondmen as he wished
to be to those who were the property of others, but whom
neither be, nor even his auguji niafer, have the imalleft
right to intermeddle with.
Sy advices from the army, we learn that all the mills at
Tucker's point, with the Scotch distillery, and Mr.
Sprowle's houses at Gofport, are totally demolished; as is
likewise the chief part of Norfolk, a few houses only re
maining above the church, which are occupied by our
troops.
Two deserters from the Liverpool frigate inform, that
a tender is fitting out for James river, on a pirating
voyage; and that all the vessels of war, but one, are
Shortly to come round to York-town.
The Hon. the General Congress have transmitted to the
Convention of this Colony extracts of letters from Lord
Dunmore to the commander in chief at Boston, giving an
account of the many Jignal victories he has gained over
the /hirtmen, and defirihg a farther reinforcement of men,
with some cash (foool. sterling, we hear) and then, he
makes no doubt, he shall be able to fix himfelf at the
palace in Williamsburg.
The brig from Cork, taken by Captain Barron last week,
was boun, for Boston, loaded with pork, potatoes, eggs,
wine, porter, cheese, and dried beef, and is supposed to
be worth 5000 1. sterling.
WORCESTER, January 12.
On Monday night, about 8 o'clock, a detachment con
lifting of three or four hundred men, under the command
of Major Knolton, crossed over to Charleftbwh; part of
them went over the Mill-dam, part passed through the
enemy's abbetic on the common road from Cambridge to
Charleftown. They were conduced, as it is said, by a
young deserter from the Welsh fuzileers; but be that as
it may, their object was to burn the houses which escap
ed from the great conflagration on the 17th of June ; and
to make prisoners a bbdy of soldiers and carpenters who
were reported to lodge in theie houses. The affair was
conducted with the utmost silence, prudence, regularity
^nct fpirii ; —the houses were set on tire as directed, and
the soldiers (five in number, and one woman) brought off
prisoners. The Regulars in the fort of Bunker's-Hiil,
did not ad with that regularity which those gentlemen
who labour hard to intimidate us, with the superiority
of red coats over brown coats, would persuade us that
regulars always do; for they kept a very hot and close
fire on absolutely nothing at all, that is, they fired with
out an object. Our people calmly executed their pur
pose, laughed in security, and in security returned with
their captives, without a single man killed or wounded.
NEWBURY-POR T, January 5.
By Capt. Lee, who arrived here last Wednesday from
Malaga, we are informed, that on his pafihge he spoke
with a large store (hip, from London, loaded with pro
visions for the ministerial troops at Bofton —The Captain
of which informed, that he failed in company with a
number of other vessels loaded for the fame purpose—and
tyt the Ministry were to fend 40,000 troops early in the
Spring to America.
Captain Lee also informs, that the King of Spain has
raised another army of 30,000 men, to go against the
Moors and Algerines;—and that the Spaniards were
greatly in our favour.
Extract of a Letter from a Master of a Vessel in Antigua,
to bis Friend in Portsmouth, dated November 7, 1775.
“ This day a vessel arrived from Gibraltar, and fays
the Hanoverians, amounting to near 900, had arrived
there, and the English troops embarked for England;
the soldiers declare they will not fight the Americans;the
Governor has thrown up his Commission, and the people
look upon Gibraltar to be SOL D."
N E W-Y O R K, January ^.
Messieurs HALL and SELLERS.
The following piece upon the method of procuring SALT-
P ETRE, which you are requeued to publi/h, was writ
ten by a Gentleman in a neighbouring colony, who has
always turned bis speculations towards the public good.
At this time, every thing new upon so important a fubje#
as that on which be treats has a claim to general atten
tion. The idea of teaching by example, ratber than by
written or verbal directions, infifled on so firongly by the
author, it is to be hoped will not be loft upon those, who,
in the several provinces, are in the direction of public
affairs. Your humble Servant,
A SUBSCRIBER.
TH E influence of Parliament was exerted to obtain
pot-ash from America: Men were sent over to ere&
works ; —they failed of obtaining it to advantage. This
endeavour of Parliament was seconded by the inclinations
of the people of America in general, and by the zeal of
many; some of whom were ruined, or much hurt, by
the attempt to become rich from great works. And tho'
a few in companies so far succeeded, as to continue in
making pot-ash from them, yet it was not so as to encou
rage others, who were intent upon it, to follow them.
Very little pot-ash was exported ; and the object was al
moftloft, when a few old women in the country took to
making it in their little iron kettles, and, carrying their
finall parcels to the market towns, the pot-ash was col
lected, and thence exported, to the amount of several
hundreds of thousands of pounds value. Thus pot-ash
was, by the good old women, established a valuable arti
cle of commerce, when the omnipotency of Parliament,
aided by the inclinations of the country, could not suc
ceed in great works.
Just so is falt-petre to be obtained. Lead the good
country houfewife to take up the practice ; —you will
presently fee it a common article of goods in the market.
Nitre is no where to be found in the lap of nature, in
considerable quantities; but is every where, in jeattered
particles.
The design of erecting great works, for making falt
petre in America, for immediate use, is attended with
several objections and inconveniencies, especially in a time
of war. The collecting the dispersed particles to a great
factory is infinitely discouraging and difficult: And the
factory would be liable to furpriz^ and deftruCtion, by the
sudden unexpected success of a bold invader.
Rubbilh and earth, containing, as essential to the pro
duction of nitre, the remains of vegetable or animal pu
trid matter, may be collected; but, in what time, in
what quantity, where, at how many places has it been
done, or is likely to be, to answer the present emergency ?
There has, indeed, been much talk of it, —and great
things were to have been done —but are not !
The business of falt-petre making is quite new ; —the
people in general gape at the thought of it; —'tis bc
caufe of its novelty, —their ignorance of it. They are,
I know, defiroua of making it. But all the verbal and
" The Companies of the Captains Weifenfelt, Cheefe
man, Mott, Varrick, and Quackenbos, arc before Que
bec; Captains Goforth's and Lyon's are Rationed here,
under Col. Ritzma. Captain Willet has the command at
St. John's."
PHILADELPHIA, January 24.
In C ONGRESS, January 17, 1776.
Refolded, That the Colonels of the several Battalions,
ordered to be raised; do immediately order their Officers
on recruiting service, to such parts where they are belt
known and have the greatest probability of success.
That the Recruiting Officers ought to be careful to in
lift none but healthy, found and able bodied men, not
under 16 years of age.
That the Colonels of the several Battalions aforefaid ap
point some place or places of rendezvous to which the
recruits may be sent, and where the Battalions may be
quartered.
That the greatest attention ought to be paid to the be
haviour of the Troops in quarters, that they may give no
reasonable cause of complaint.
That the quarters of the Troops be duly difeharged
once every week.
That an allowance of Ten Shillings per man be made
to the Recruiting Officers, in lieu of their expences in re
cruiting, exclulive of the subsistence money allowed them,
and that in case any men be inlifted contrary to the fore
going regulations, the pay they may have received, and
the subsistence money that may be paid for them, shall be
flopped from the pay of such Recruiting Officers.
That the Colonels of the several Pennsylvania Bat
talions be supplied with money for the recruiting service
by the Committee of Safety of Pennsylvania, and dis
burse the fame to the several Recruiting Officers, the Co
lonels and other Officers to be accountable for what they
shall receive, and all arrears they may fall into to be flop
ped from their pay.
That no bought indented servants be employed on
board the, Fleet or in the army of the United Colonies,
without the consent of their matters.
Extract from the minutes,
CHARLES TH OMS ON, Secretary.
In COMMITTEE of SAFETY.
Philadelphia, January 17, 1776.
Such persons as are willing to eredt POWDER
MILLS in this province, within fifty miles distance of
this city, are desired to apply to the Committee of Safety,
who will lend them money on security, if required, for
that purpose, and give them also other encouragerhent.
Extract from the Minutes,
WILLIAM GOVETT, Secretary.
In COMMITTEE of SAFETY.
Philadelphia, January 23, 1776.
WHEREAS many officers of the association have
purchased arms, at their own expence, for the use of
such associators as are unable to supply themselves, for
the defence of this province:
Refolded, That this Committee are willing to purchase
all arms purchased by officers of the association in this
city, that shall be approved as good arms by the Com
miliary. And the Committees of Infpedion in the several
counties are requeued to take proper steps to purchase
all arms purchased as above, by any officers in their re
fpedive counties, and draw orders on this Board for pay^
ment. And the said arms shall be put, or remain, in the
hands of such associators in their refpe&ive counties, as
are unable to supply themselves, and the commanding
officers of the several battalions shall certify the number
and value of each firelock to this Committee, and be ac
countable for the delivery of such arms, unless loft in
adual service, whenever they shall be called upon by this
Committee or Assembly.
Extra# from the Minutes,
WILLIAM GOVETT, Secretary.
The Rev. Mr. Daniel M'Calla is appointed Chaplain to
the firft battalion of the Pennsylvania regulars.
The above firft growth or brown chryftals of falt-petre
are fafficienti, good for an, family use ; but if wanted for
ph'Jic or .gunpowder, it is to be refined, by melting down
those brown cbryflals in a very eaf,fimple way, which shall
be given &0 toe public very Joon. It is now omitted, as
being unnecessary for country people to know, until the, have
made the firfl process above quite familiar to them. To
give the other process with this might confound and difeou
rage taem. indeed, it is not at all necefar, for the gene
7aid, of private families to know the refining process, the
brown cbrfals being ver, good for all their purposes.
What nitre the, ma, make for market had better be fold,
mils rough brown fate, to the refiners.
* A person in Second-street Jbewed me rough nitre, ob
tained by him from the floor of an old house near Philadel
phia. It was good, and considerably more, in proportion to
the earth from which it was taken, than in man, operations
was obtained from an old tobacco-house floor.''
t A gentleman in a tobacco colon, tried the methods of
making salt -petre direkled in Chambers's dictionary, Poftle
^J,"'' ^ c - b "'> meeting great difeouragement from them
Jhifted to the method given by Mr. Jeremiah Brown. Tbi'g
proved so Jimple, and so certain in all of man, operations
that he recommends this alone to be purfued.—lt follows—
" Make a lye from the earth in the fame manner as is
usually done for soap, noting that the earth is mot to be
hard packed on the straw in the bottom of your Ive veffJ
which would retain the water to be poured on it too
long, and overcharge it with feline particles, to the grc^t
interruption of the process; place the earth hollow in
the vessel, for the reception of the water; the firft put to
it must be warmer than new milk from the cow—after
wards add cold water; fix a vessel to receive the lye as
soon as you begin to put your water in, as it will not re
main long upon the earth, but in a few minutes begin to
drop into the receiver; if it runs foul, it must be returned
upon the earth; as soon as it has dropped a gallon, you
may begin to boil it in a east-iron pot: Every bushel of
earth will require near eight gallons of water: Continue
to boil it gently, until you have fully charged your pot with
the lye, and you will find the watry particles evaporate
until it is reduced to a thick oily consistence, Ihootin^
into small icy chryftals, which you will easily perceive by
exposing the luds, in a spoon, to a cold place; then put
the liquor out of the pot into wetted wooden trays and
set it by in a cool place for the firft growth ; if you ac
cidentally boil it too thick, add a little cold water. When
your trays have Rood with the suds a few hours you
must raise one end, to let the lye drain off from the falt
petre, which is the firft growth, and which, by boiling a
second time, will yield you a frefh quantity.
After it is thus drained, and become dry, you may
put it into calks or tubs, until you have leisure, without
prejudice to your crops, to refine."
written directions in the world, ever so often repeated,
will not lessen the apparent difficulty or impracticability^
But, Jbew them the process ; —let them fee that it is as
limpH as soap- making ;— let John, the horc# country-,
man, fee you go to his rubbilh, his tobacco-boyfe or
other belter, and, with a spade, in two or three minutes,-
dig up earth fufficient to produce a pound or two of
pure falt-petre ; — fee you put it into a tub; pour on it
two or three times its quantity of warm water; and,
after its handing twelve or fifteen h ours, fee you draw off
the lye, quite clear, and then evaporate it, toy boiling
and simmering, until it will flioot into brown chryftals,
when put into a cool place;—and what will be the great
est encouragement to him, that this process is exactly lik*
drawing off and boiling lye for foap,— earth being used
instead of alhes. But, when he difeovers that so far of
the process, simple as it is, and so like his daily prddice
in soap making, is the most tedious part, how will he
be astonished that, before this time, the making falt-petre
has not been the daily profitable employment—amufe
ment—of every country family, especially when he comes
to calculation.
I am a tobacco planter, and frequently fee my tobacco
boufe floor shot up with nitre like hoar froft, in consider
able quantities. But it is not tobacco-houses alone that
yield it. Any earth, sheltered from the fun and rain,
will give it you; especially where any putrid vegetable or
animal substance has lain, or is mixed with the earth *.
Jeremiah Brown, of Virginia, whose account of falt
petre is published in the Museum Rufticum, Gentl. man $
Magazine, and Annual (or Political) Register for 1763,
fays a lixty foot tobacco-houte will yield 1600 lb. of falt
petre. I have pursued his method of making it, and
find his directions answer in every particular^. ° But, in
stead of 1600, I will reckon only on polb. each toba'ceo
houfe, and am sure this is much within bounds, from
observations of my own in the course of some practice.
It is known that Virginia and Maryland export 90,000
hogsheads of tobacco per annum. I will suppose 5 hog
sheads of tobacco cured in each tobacco-house; equal
to 18,000 boufes, at ilb. of nitre per day each' .The
yield will be ^ tons per day, or upwards of 3000 tens
per annum. This nitre is very pure, and may be worth,
in peace, 2s. per lb. equal to 657,0001. a noble article of
commerce, added to the produce of the tobacco of those
houses. Brown's way of making falt-petre, in which no
filtration, no lime or ashes are used, being once intro
duced, would prefrntly become habitual, a thing of
course; (so is the making potash among the country
houfewifes in the northern colonies.) It needs little or
no attendance, other than of an old Negroe to fill the
tubs and kettle, and stir up the fire, and the eye of the
master or mistress over the work.
Let the country people only make brown chryftals ;
those to be carried to market, to a refiner in fome' or
other of the towns. But do not depend on the towns
for quantity, rather put the country people, the con
tinent, in motion. The people only want to fee how
you condud the business; they will imitate. Forbear to
talk much to them ; overlook inftrudion by words • Jbro
them the operation. ' °
Into every county, in every colony, fend a company of
falt-petre makers# Give them a flag, on which paint the
utensils of the work, spades, &c. The company to con
lift of a Captain, Ensign and Fife, &c. Public money ift
the Captain's hands, to pay down for all nitre produced
to him. The Captain detaches those under him, to in-
Jlrudt different neighboui hoods; shew them the procefs*
a noise rauft be made, a frolick; give a passion to the
country people for making falt-petre ; continually per
ambulate and inftrud, so as to obtain the greatest qiian
tity, in the leaf time possible ! No time is to be loft. ' Un
der such a regulation would be order and subordination
and all are to be under the call and direction of the Pro-'
vincial Powers. What a valuable flock of nitre may be
gathered thus, by the end of March !—But if this mo
ment is loft, —talked over the left Shoulder —FAR
WELL!-ALL THAT's WORTH LIVING
FOR!—FAREWELL! T. C. D.