The Virginia gazette — Williamsburg, Va., 1777-02-07 00:00:00, page 1

FEssBRUARY 7, 1777. 'r nsi ! —: ct NUMBER 106.
VIKGINIA
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ALWAYs F'on LIBERTY ssfz'ssssct' jsiss'sisissi'ssss si)? Will}
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Hsssi'lsib HEAVEN ta GRACIOUS ENDZ sse'n-uz—l; 'sr'x S'lssURM!
Nzwsirovu, Buckscounty, 7an. 14, 1777 .
8 l ?
OU ,are requested to publish in your
Gazctcc, three weeks succesiivcly,
that. the ibllowing officers and volunlccrs,
viz. MajorsMcigs and Bigclow, captains
Lamb,, 'l'opham, Theyer, Morgsm,
Ward, Goodrich, and Hancbcll, licuxc
nunts M*Doug*al, Compton, Clurkc,
Webb, Christophcr Febigcr, lieutcnancs
Hath, Savage, Brown, Nichols, Bru'm,
and Steel, - cnfign 'sisdall, volumccrs
Osbomc, Duncan, Lockwood, M*Guirc,
Peterfield, and Henry, who were sent from
Canadab general Carleton, arc released
from their parolcs, others of the same
rank belonging to the British army hav
ing been exchanged for them. -
si I am, sir,
' your humble servant. si
_ R. H. HARRISON, sccct'ry
to his Excellency general Washington.
Mr. Punmz.
,? .
PHlLADELPHIA, jammry 14.
. Extract of a letter fi-om an ojszcer of distinc
tion ingeneral Washington's army, dared
Pluckemin, Yan 5, 1777
HAVE been so much engaged wish
marchcs_ aud countcr-marchu, that;!
have not had a moment to write. We
lest Crosswicks the lst instant, about 10
, o'clqck in the morning, andarrived al'mle
safter snnsct at Trenton, through the
rss worst reads that were ever seen. About
11 o'duck we were alarmed by the up
proach of the enemy. Vw'c only sent out
a brigadc tn amuse them, while we took
post on the lower side of the creek, and
Eack in the wopds. There was a pretty
in si_ l._.L
ss lmls]. Clillllu ]: _ ll ussatn, wucu uun-u
'5 sides ceased firm ,. 'The men were ordered
k'(to keep their po -, and lie on their arms.
kenn'df of war'iwas held, and it was de
termined to sile off to the right, through
' the wood! and byf'e roads, leaving the ene
my on theleft, andfattack Princcton by day
light. About 5oosimen, and two pieces of
ironcannon, were left to amuse the enemy .
" Our whole army, with a great. train
Of artillery, marched about !, and you may
suppose that we must form a very longline
ofmareh. - We arrived one hour too late.
About 700 British troops were prepared
to march, to join their main body, part
of which lay at Muideuhead. They saw
,our army about a mile and a halsdistance,
which maden very sormidable appearance.
They returned to the town. and made
ready to receive us. One division of their
troops formed in front of a house on the
south side of the college, and on the right
hand of the road. General Mercer's bri
gade filed of to the right, and was attack
ed by the other division. The brigadc
did not fire till they advanced within 40
yards. The enemy received this brigzde
with charged bayonets. General Mercer
was wounded (it is said by a ball tired)
but it is a fact he was afterwards wounded
in the belly by a buyonet. Out" brigasish
advanced through the (kirts of a woud in
front oflhe enemy, pusted on an eminent:
with two field pieces. General Gum mct
desired me to sorm as soon as we :1! lived,
on a hill about : or goo yards dist-lncc.
Our column was surm-sissd smm the l'sil'si'sshl,
by divisions. About 50 light ini'antry of
the enemy posted themselves behind the
scncc. abouc xoo yards distance; and, an
our lcst flank, ] despatched capt. Henry
with a body oslsight infancry, about 100,
10 flctmk that party, but she sivst'dischargc
from our field pieces on the left drove
them up to the main body. I immediately
rode in from to the column, and ordered
the second divisions to double up to the
right, the third to the left, and so on al
ternatdv. This was done in the face of
the enemy, and under a lhower or grope
shot. About half the first battalion was
formed when they broke, sell back upon
the column, and threw the whole into
confusion. I immediately rode round the
left, and formed :: division, joined one
after the other to it, but the fire was so
hot that they'again broke. Some of the
officers behaved very bravely, and exert
ed themselves to the utmost. General
Washington came down and exposed him
self very much, but expostulated to no
purpose. ] just then saw a considerable
party oshorse moving off to our right, to
take advantage of the confusion, but a
dlscharge or two from the cannon imme
diately dispersed-lhem. ] asked the gene
ral if'ic would not be proper to form about
loo yard; in the rear. He desired me to
try, which succeeded beyond my expecta
tion. I collected some New England men
and advanced obliquely to the rlgnt, pal
scd a scnce, and marched up to the last of
the enemy. Two small parties were
formed on the left, and advanced at the
same time, and bravely pushed up in the
face of a heavy fire. The enemy then
lest their station, and inclined to the left,
and gave us several heavy firel, in which'
two Were killed, and several wounded. I
pressed my party forward, huzzaed, and
criedout, " they fly, the dayisonr own;"
and it passed from right to lest.
" I fancy the enemy found it impossible
to escape, as our troops al] began to rally
and join in the pursuit. They all drop
ped their packl and flew with the utmost
precipitation, and we pursued with great
engcrncss. The men were much fatigned
for want of rest, provisions, and with
marching. We followedabout two miles,
and then gave over. Many parties are
yet out, and have taken several prisoners.
The town surrendered, and about 60, in
cluding 14 officers, surrendered . We
have taken in the whole about 300; about
30 killed, and 50 wounded. ] have no
doubt but others will be brought in. We
lost about 30 killed, and go wounded.
We took three pieces of brass artillery.
The troops that lay ac Maidcnhead re
turned about the same time that we re
turned srum the pursuic. llorses could not
! e :ss'ccut-ed to carry offche artillcry. Major
Pn ctor made an exchange; he lch an imn
three puuzzdcr, ausil brought :! bras- six
puumlcr. 'shc cncmy proceeded towards
Bksimswi-sik with the utmost expcd'uion;
Lhc British arrived there asicaboutdaylight,
and the Zlessusins at twelve yesterday.
All was in the greatctest confusion ; and the
British troops lest town last evening, and
the whole this momin ._ We marched
immediately to Morrilfown, where we
shall be ready to fall down on Elizlbcsh
towm Ncwark, or Amboy. General
MsiDougal is back ossiNcwark, with three
continental rcgimcms, and jerscy militia,
altogether zooo. General Heath has
cross:d the North river with three brigad'cs.
General Putnam is to come up-with all the
troops he can master." -
7" he ]bllowing fzdverti/Z'mmt was put up in
the most public]: pair: of the ]crscys.
lllS excellency general W alhington
strictly forbids all the officers and suldicrl
of the continental army, of the militia,
and all recnuiting parties, plundcring any
person whatsoevcr, whekhcr Torics or
others. The esiects of such person: will
be applied to public]; uses, in a regular
manner; and his expected that humanity
and tendcmess to women and children will
distinguish brave Amcricam, contending
for liberty, from infamous mercenary ra—
vagcrs, whether British or Hcffiians.
G. WASHJNGTON.
Tuu'ron, 7an. 1, 1777.
B ALTIMO R DZ january 54.
Extract of a letter from a general (fficer m
thecontz'nmtaI/brvice, dated at 'I renton,
january 9 . - "
liEGlMENT of British troops :
- Spankton, six miles below elizmbetht
town, was attacked on Sunday by a party
ofjsisrssy milit'ta ; the encounter continued
about two hours. Two regimcnts march- -
ed up from Wocdbridge and Amboy to
reinfurce the enemy, which ] suppose has
suved them. The remains of the t7th_,
4oth, nnd 55th regiments, which had-been
engaged a: Princeton, and now amounc
only to 250 men, are at Bonamton.
" Lord How: lies ill, and the Helsian
general scratched out one half of his hair
on hearing of the news at Trenton. Fil'ty
Hesstans were taken prisoners, and carried
the other day to Morristown.
" we last a very good officer, capt.
Fleming, of the lst Virgin'tn battaiion.
When within ten yards of the enemy, he
called to his men, " Gentlemen, dress he
sore you make ready." The British troops
blackguarded our people, and damned
them, " they would dress them," and
ave the first sire. Our men plact-d their
fire so Well, that the enemy lsicrcamed as
is many devils had got hold of them.
They were encouraged by their (flictssctz's,
and advanced with their bavonc ts. but
were sorced nsiut ot'thc hsssilsii by the brane
Amoricans."