The Virginia gazette — Williamsburg, Va., 1776-02-23 00:00:00, page 2

assembly left the house in'consusion, and
scdmpered off with great precipitatiun.
Lnst Saturday, a vessel filled with our
distressed brethren of Bushm put off from
that lace, andss landed her pusscngers ut
Cheliea. lt is said : consiclerable number
more were suonssxo follow. _
February 1. Lnst Tuesday an express
arrived from Canada, with despatchcs for
his excellency the general, (lated thc 15111
Ult- We have the pleasure to hear thar.
Our army, notwithstanding the loss "sus—
tained in the late unfortunate attack upon
Quebeck, still continues the bhmkacle of
that city ; and that we have good grounds
to hope tha_t the reducsstion ot'thsitt capita]
will be completed besore fin'ing, as we
have authentick intelligence, that rein
forcements, tsirum various quarters, have
been poured in to Lheasiiltaucc ot'our brave
little arinv.
. Last 'I'hursday morning capt. Manly,
being on a cruise in the bay, discovered a
ship a league or two S. E. os Boston light—
house. He immediately gave chase, and
took her within sight ofthe ships in Boston
harbour. He then stood fora snow, \\ hich
he espied OffCohasset; and soon coming
up with her, she struck to him without
hesitation. just as csiipt. Manly had mun
ned his last priZC, a schooner of eight car
riage guns, with many swivcls, and full
of men, convoying two littie provilion
vessels from Halifax, came up, and began
an engagement with capt. M.mly; but
being soon convinced of her errour, she
sheered offfor Buston . Capt.Mau!y would
have undoubtedly taken her also, with the
two provision vessels, had not his crew
(which was at first much short of the com- siss
plsisissment) been considerabiy weakened, by
manning the two' prizes. In the engage
ment, his gunner was wounded, and his
rigging something damagcd. We have
not heard what loss the enemy sustained.
Both of'the prizes, which were loaded with
coal from Whitehavcn, in England, cept.
Manly got ssiute into Piymuuth with, the
ensuing night .
' It is said about too sail ostransports may
be soon expected on thecoast from England .
A wood vessel, bound to Boston, was
taken by one of our cruisers, this week,
in the bay.
Last. Monday one of the continentnl
cruisers got into & harbour at the eastward,
after having been chdlccl by the Livcly
man of war, who fired about 170 shot at
her.
Extract of a letter from a young gentleman
in London, to lusisfilther, (! ch/fom [muste
officer'in New England , datcc'l bcpt . 1775'.
" Give me leave to aduse you to cn
deavour living in quiet, and to cultivutc
the good- \\ ill sitml friendship osyour migh
boursandtownsmcn, in these criticctl times.
Aciminish'ss-tiondoes nurdesisi'e, not cxpccsisit,
the officers of the revenue to intermeddle
in the present political disputes. By no
means think ofsscoming to England . Those
persons who have, without orders, or
leave of absence, quittcd Amcrica, are
nowneglected , and sturvinghere athomc ."
N E W Y O R K, Fcbruary 8.
ss AST Thursilay, being the dsicty ap
pointed ['or (he election of members
to represent this city and cuunty in General
Assembly, the following gentlemen, well
attached to the great cause of Amcrican
freedom, were chosen without oppo
sition: Philip Livingston, jolm Aisop,
Juhlylssiy, and AlexandtrM' Dousi'sial, esqrs .
Extract of'a letter fi'om St. '1 humzu's,
7an. 20.
" The schooncr Hope, capt. Cunning—
ham, arrived at St. Eustatia the 17th in—
stant, after being); within 30 hnurs sail Os
New Yurk; but was obliged to bear awav
the 25lh ult. the captain, man:, and asl
the people on board., being sick, except
one man. From good aulhority, ] can
allurc you that Booo troops are at Marri
nico, and every merchantman brings out.
from 25 to 50 shldicrs. A fleet 'ssv daily
expected with 3000 more, for said phcc;
5000 troops are at Guadctduupc, and 8000
at the Cupc. The intcnliunosthc lct'rcnch
is, to let (he troops from Europe: arrive:
in Amcrica, and then they will unfold
their deligns. ]imaginc lhc \Nindwzn'd
]lhnds, and jnm'sined, uil] rece'ne no bc
ncfic srum these manwuvressi Issmukc no
doubt but the French will he the means of
bringing England and Amcrica to a re
cunciliucion in three months, and heartily
wish it may be done on honourable terms
to both parties."
P [1 1 L A ]) is L (TiTTn, jsimum'y 31 .
Extract ofa letter jrnm London
TUL ltthl' ] sent you by pAcket is stop
ped; may the writer escape the ty
runousi inhissjons ol thin bloody adminiltru
tion. ]t is to the last degree dangerous
to communicate mtr-lligentc to Amenca.
It is laid a New England wist] ib going
from Liverpoo]; ] Wiiihssil'l-Ji'd the danger,
by sorwarding the newspapers, and v-rit
ing to you. l'he king's speech, and the
echoes from both Houlsits, prove two
things: One, that the same huttsilul system
pervades the cabinets against the colonies;
and the other, that your hrmncss and
powers so dsinnp their uilhcs as to make
them hold out a tutile ofter of pardon
through their daspicable governours in
the different provincc-s. But who cannot
see through this inlidious plan? V\ hat.
colony um be so blind, io irrasional, as
to be (iupcd into a submisiion to tyranny ?
Us sh lbanduloufly mean as to desert her
sisters, at the time when it is evident that
perlex crunce in your resolutions will soon
bring your enemies heads to the block,
and giorioufly and eternally fix your liber
tics on an immutable basid? Contemn
then, my countrymen, the deinsive share;
and, if it is possible, be more animated
to conqucr, or die, rather than enfiave
yourselves and your posterity: For I
contend, that however Britsiiin may talk
of her resources, and the sacility of hiring
troops, it will be your own faults if you
are subdued , for this country is so divided
that you have at least half of" it on your
side c-ven at this day. What then will be
your case in the spring and summer, when
the munusacturers will be wholly unem
p -- ed, and provisions, through varissus
caused, become distrcsiingly scarce? 'l'he
minori y gain ground daily. 'l'he Duke
of Graf'ton has nobly departed from go
vernment, and boldly' arrairned their
wickz-d and deliruetive plans. 'l'he bishop
of Peterborough has joined him, lament
ing he had ever voted against Anierica.
General Conwny, sir James Lowthcr,
and many others, have openly vindicated
us, and severely satyrised the minish'y.
Be assured, if you do your parts, that
the ends for which you stopped your trade,
and flew to arms, uiil be crowned with
success.
You Wll] lce the cratty North hnsdcclar
cd, that adminish'atiun wish nothing more
than to place Amcrica in the situation she
was in the year 1763. Vthit aninsamuus
suischood! View the temlcncy of the
king's speech. Dors he not say he will
proceed to crush You tofsubmisslon to the
snpremacy of pariiument ? H/hat is this,
but luxation and pensioners, t_\ranny,
prerogalive, and the devil? Never lay
down your arms till this country wit hch'aw s
her troops from your proxinces, and you
have ample satisfaction and indenctmification
for your sufferings, and ultimatc security
for your rights. And is] could have my
wiss, .there should he no peace made with
this fiagitious ministry. You will wonder
lord (jwsinrlc-n did not speak; he waited to
attack Mansifichl, but all the attacks of
the minurity lords could not bring the lat
ter up.
What wi}! a" Americn think of her in
famous countrymun, Frank Richardson,
who, for a pztltry risi: in the 'trmy, has ut
temptecl tu lssu car the line ut mr haste
away, for \\ hich the latter wax. cummitted
a clblsie prisoner to the 'l'uwer. He: is at
length mhniuc (] tn but] by lord Munzstcsshl,
:uld vtiH be cleared in lrial; huttht. inform
cr will be so close th'iVeu that day, that
he had better nvsistd the ignumy, by 21]er
ciPutt-d death. Your old sric m! l,---l'--—
mill he ;! lmrd evidence against him, and
may perhaps prove him the very traitor,
in another dqnusi, he had (lcliy'ned to
hot our mr . Ssizyre with. Alrcudy he dare
not \\ :Ak the (treets, and in & httle time
he will he consigued over to despttir, want,
and a variety ot wretche htessi , but though
there are not many who have )et attempt—
ed thehxes of their countr) menby peljury,
yet there are lcoumh'z,th from every part
of Amerlc :t, Vl hu ou; ht to be execmted
to eternity by all good men, and for
whlch proper end] shall catalogue the
names of the rascals,l find timely tr :msmit,
not only theirs to you, but the names of
those}- English nnd Scotch ingrutes m hsso
have f'sitttened on American consimtisimns,
and yet b sely join the cry of has ock and
bloody deeds to the once happy colonies. '
Onte more, whatever Amtrsilca does,
let her be sirm to her resulutions , that ts,
support her miiit try arcluur, and never
trade with this country till she is totally
relieved of her grievancu."
ten. 12. we are are told, that there:
arc 14 or 15'04 troops arrived at. New
York, last wcrk, sromCmmcCsiticut, under
the commune] ns' general he; :md lb.":
the regular.— . unde general Clinton, vurc
absuhuel) sisint nn' by 50Vsi'tlshu1' 11)u11.
A gentleman lately arrived from Yurk
town, in this proxince, informs, that the
committec ofsimspcctiou had scntcnccd one
Richardson to three mouths implisumnent
for hsuing spmken dilisiclpsicttull) of the
Hon. Continenta] Congreih.
Extract ofa letterfi'om (jam'z zridgc , Yan . 2 8 .
" Last 'l'hu-sihluy capl. Manly took two
storcshipu load (! with prmsiisious, otatoes,
coal, &c. whi-..]1 he carried into l'gmouth,
notwithstanding he was attacked by & cut
tcr, which he could have taken, had he
not been afraid otsilofing his prizes. It ,!
(aid that cupt. " atcrd, in the coull'c of
]alt week, took a ship and brjg, but the
succc ss of Waters wsimts continuation. [t
Would now be no news to itcsquaint you
uith the burning the houses at Charles
town, or rather at the that of Buukcr's
hill; but the! csircumllanccs being odd,
and humorous, shall give them to you.
Whe—n about zoo ofum' people (cul Mis
flin in the number) were perturming the
business, the resixulars Were acting a pla
called the Busy Body. 'l hat being finish;
ed, the sccnes were hoistcd to pcrwrm :
sarcc (wrote by the oilicer:-) called the
Blockndz nfBo/r'on. General \V Jhington,
with 3 l vsirge wig, am] a long rulty sword,
had just appeared on the stugc, together
with his orderly si rjcant, who had a lusty
gun or leven sect long on ms lnoulder.
At that instuut, one of the regular scz-je
ants came running (sllllsilOst out of bl'CLlih)
on the [lage, on Which he threw his bayu-'
net, and hollowed out, Boston is on fire,
and attacked in fifty places. These who
Were unacqu-finted with the shrcc thought
this part ofit; but general Howe cried
out, Qfficerslo your alarm past;, which
changed the act to (In-itklngct, crying,
f'sitiming, &c. And indcccl the troops on
Bunker's hill were not muchlcssiii'ightcncd
than they Were in Bostun; for notwith
shmding the officers ordered the men to
rcserve their fire, {they kept a continued
bhzc all round the hill. Col. Neshit, \\ ho
commanded, was tricd sor sullsizzq out on
our mcn, but have not yet heath] his sate,
" 'l'he weather is now very cokL
Should it umtinueso, for one wsieck lon—
ger, think we shall have a good bridge m
Buslun. si
" There are now here the chiess of
three tribes of Cunadian Indians; 13 02'