The Virginia gazette — Williamsburg [Va.], 1779-09-04 00:00:00, page 1

SE PTEMBE R 4, 1779 NUMBERLQ-ss
VlRGINIA GAZETTE
WILLIAMSBURG: Pmctmm By DLXON cct NlCOLSON.
BOSTON,_]ULY29.
'ONDAY lasi arrived here, : carte] from New York, with
"4 American prisoners, who afford a shocking spsi-ctacle
_ to humanity, many of them not being able to ltand'upon
i their legcts, on account os' their debilitated state, owing'to
the inhuman treatment they met with when in captivity, from their rworji
ssw
than savaze adversaries; several of our miserable trethren who came out
in the caste], died on their passage, and others continue to expire daily;
in shovt, itie thought that very few, if any, will ever rsieover their former
flat'e of health. 0 Britaict! 'When it tbj blushl—
!njulsilo AulkchNs—The cries of expiring nature call on you
for vengeance! Why then shoutd we suffsir those prisoners we have in
our Power, and on whom we ought to begin the necessary work of
nialmliou (as the only meane to bring our enemies to a sense of
humanity) walk our streete with impunity, while our friends in captivity
are suffering every insult which it is in the power of disappointed malice
to invent.
Exsslract (as a letter received by the Bears! qf Wer in Boston, from an
eminent lmsi/pin France, dand May 27, :779.
" 'The English who ad ; great number of privateers ready to put to
ssseavwhen the hoRilitiee began, took unawaret the best Part of our WeR
,
- India merchantment (on their return) end for some time euntimied to
make deeplwounds to our trode, but now, eve every day see some of their
yrsvateerp and friga'ee brought into our ports, they were always' conquered
when the number waa equal.
" An'expedition which we attem ed lately on the iflande os ]ersey
and Guernsey, miscarried for want o wind and tide. We may however
attribute I success to it, because Admira] Aburthnot, who set s-il with :
squadron of men of was, to carry reinforcements to New.York .and
G'orgia, made a diverston to his intended voyage, bv going to the
: ftance of those iflmds, and we hope thtt delay will be favourable to
the Atherienns. Our fleet consiffing of zt ships of the line, without
frigatee', it ready to put to sea; we have beside: to other ships of the first
rate on the flocks. France will have in less than a year': time So ships
of the iihe in a good condition, with a great number of srigates. Me us.
ne le Fayette embarlu immediately with ! 5 or xSoo dragoon't tq join
our bren Genernln. :_ ct , '
\7
, ctu France, [: her mediation, has concluded peace between the Rusfiane
'an'd'l'ach. - hue alsosibeough: abouten monmoduion of the mntesi
between the [(in of Pmsfia and the Euperour :! Germany: The treaty
of, peace in sign . We latter ourselves that all these powerssl will concur
with Spain, to determine or eompel England to make a peace advan
. both to France and Ameriea. The Spanish galleons are arrived;
Spain has four ceive ships of the line ready to put to sea', and people
Made the order for their sailing will not be delivered before every
msuctre for peace have been tried unsuccessfully by the Spanish Ambas
failen: siat St. ]ames'e Court.
" lreland is very dissatisfied, there is a kind of. insurrection, and the
zsigm apprehend we shull land some troops on that island.
" Holland, Sweden, Denmark and Ruflia, are making armnmeim to
support their tude, and protect it against the depredationc of the Eng lish,
who invede everv thing thev meet at sea; in a word, all bids fair for us,
to have the satitffiction of seeing their tymnuick pride humbled.
" This, Sir, ie aeompendium of the politicai newe. The debate: in
the English Parliament aresiffill verv warm, and Lord Sendwich rennim
in osicd', notwithfianding all the efforts of the navy."ss
,PHILADE L PH I A, Aucvsr 14.
- - Bxh'dctef a latter from Paril. dared March 16. ..
. OME person: were surprised, that Doctor anklin had not yet been
s presented to the King in hil new quality of MiniRer Plenipotentiary
of-Gh United State: of America; and :; th msmd :: nisctursses were made
ldout the deity. _.The presentation however took place the zzd inflancsi
lndjs thus mentioned in the Cou't Gaz m. — " The King thengave
Mwhr ludiemceo to the Baron de Be'sd rbuch, Minifier Plenipoten;
vity ofthe Elector of Colognc, and to Dr. Franklin, Minifler Plenipo—
mdary ofthe United States of Noxth Americn " Thus then is our
unionssvith this new political ,body, recognized formally : second time,
ghd m consolidated than ever."
-By : Gentleman late y arrived from France, we are informed, that :
carte] for an exchange of prisoners was estahsishcd he'tween Dr. Frankin,
our mnifler It the Cow! of France, and the British Ministry, and that'
in Mwee a ship, called the Milford. arrived the fifth ossiApril n'
PumM in Name river, from Plvmquth, with 97 Americ-m shrssjssct,
(whohave both confined two year; in Enyland) and which ship was to
receive an equal number of British. The exchange would continue
during the war. There were me Americam remaininz in Fnylnnd,
end and an equal'nnmber of English in France A !ist of the names
of due fed Amnicdno will be soon published for the satisfaction of
M.- Wade- -The printen throughoutcthe contFnert are desired to
Fbfirflhhis mtelligence.-—-No carte] wn'esiablished between England
Wht Gentleman fmm Elinbeth town we are told it it currently
unce- ' . .
' ' there, that General Tryon, with about 3000 resugm and
who, Mled !: the Sound : few davisi ago," sup-osed with an intention of
ming and llroying New London; but we flatter O'N'ss'lvei, from the
minate lnd bnvety of our brethren, that they will be ymcnwd
!.- Mind: fo deceflable, so diaboliczl : design
; x—
CHssARLESTOWN, (s. C.) Juu 26.
Cap) a] a [mer jrm an qffiur as rank in the Briush m], dddj'm
Ro) at yzml, July :. ,,
N my last letter to you, l gave you the particulars of : bold effort
I made by the rebeli, the :oth ot ]un! to fiorm our intrenchmento !!
Stonsiu. ]- ahis ] have little newe to convey, nothing material devi
hnypcnessd tizssce, unless ! was to give a dom] ofthe miferable smion 05
the army from the heat of this ciimme. ! fclr, my friend,- thered .
cause will suffer material injury; in that we hld not : sufficient now
of troops to take Charlcstown by florm, the evening we marched before
the waile of it; and the deity till 'wint'er will be attended with immensi
difficu'tiet. is it be bpt strdngly fortifyed, the siege of it will prove hard
and tedious, as the rebel: have store of artillery, and will, no doubt,
have their publick cellers well flored with meat. drink and Bring, for
many mouths; so that if we shall affault- it, we shall be once more fained
to quit it with shame; and the affairs of Europe and America am so
various, that it will be impossible for is to have an lrmyss sufficient to
reduce it. ct_ - ",
" Our commanded (item to lay much Rresl on holding posseflion ct
the country, corru ting the negroes, plunderin the inhabitann, end,
burning their possefiihns: " Seeing their estate: esh'oyed, say they, the
" people will not have patience to bearthe war, nnd : love for them
" selve: will make them desert their caule, home: convmeed of in
" justice." This mside of warfare I ever hold !: d ignominious.
and the command of the country, without the passe on of Charleflown
is, in my poor opinion, but of small account; and is their government
has but worth and valour, and a geniun for resource- equal to what this
rich colony affordt, it will matter all these difficulties. Thil cruelty,
this destruction and waste, will rather warm. the people, and make them '
tesolutc. I am of opinion. that the damage al] done, andth'e mischief
over, the people seeing no help for it. will [tick fasterto their new govern
ment, which will then be more bound to theirpatriotism. u their property
is mined in its defence. .
" Much also hn been hoped sot- from the malecontelm or loynlists;
so far from yeilding on any affistance, that few only zpply for protection
from plundering parties. and do no other service than Real their neigh
bour: horses, cattle, and other oecesszriet for the army, and ' e intelli
gence of the movements lnd designs of the rebelt, notwith nnd'mg the
W solemn oaths and vow: of fidelity to them! ] hue tend much of
the history ofcivil wll'l, but never heard ossuch a'n amphibiom, worthiest
ss;
not: of men. In all other countriet, the mast of the. le (eke and
side or other, and could never yet behold, with indi renee, publickct
A
-.\r
calamities. in our civil wan of former day. in Scotland, that native
wzrmth of our temper, lb: ]mtorun strm'dm inguimr, which could
never admit neutrality, now no [ongct exists in our countrymen, which
nothing but the strange fatalitv attending the royal cause cln account
for. But howesiver useless these ,toriet (at the rebell call them) are to
us, and contemptible in themselves, if the new governmenu knew how
to take edtmntage of time: and circumstanceasi, their faint oppofition, so
far from injurin'g the rebelo, it would he na ladder for them to rise
higher, nay, they might find, ( think, fanh and profit in them, had they
wisdom and sound policy. I could quote exampelt, where those who
were held sus' ed in the beginning of : similar war, hive, from :
strange plizbllity and changublenese of men- nature, changed idea,
and done more worthy services, than many who (lcpt forward in the
beginning. lt it from all these and many other reasons, that I much
dcpubt the success of hie Majsifly'l um the ensuing campaign against the
arolinn. '
" Tuking : congreh even for granted, I think it were much better to
ant them indepen nce, and secure their tude. In case of: subduction,
Fsoretell you, my friend, thlt :- new rebellion will be the inevitnble
consequence ; for the people hznpsi'rd as they are, with the fifiguee "end
heat of the war, will not immediately feel the anguish of themnd their
reputation and feeling: must suffer, when they grow on], and God
themselves fligmatized by the world. and Ferhaps treated by government
" actual rebele. The pride end s irit 0 to ordiu men could never
bear the unspenkable shame end in nmy of so ignommioul : fitnationz
and the experience of other countries seems to prove, that the single
consideration of national character, will prom them to incur all the
miseries of the war. It is not impossible but at the toriee themselvec
m'zy hereafter think themselves and posierity involved in the dishonour of
being conquered from : state of rehellion; and so much ere the mites
men past finding out, that ihey may be the first to rouse en arm..
" The hill: of exchange drawn by Capnin Clmpbell, ! he:: have
been protested; I be; you will recover the money, or] she]! lose it
inevitably. After my sincerffl tespectt to your Lndy, Milk Betsey, and
my friend the Golonel, I\remlin, Sir, your friend," and molt obedient
humble servant." .
nly 38. A repbrt prevailed, that Brigadier-Genml Pmol m
or ered to New York under an amfl, for not had.; donemore mischief
in (his state than he did, but, if it be true, du! he wan in copal'l'nershi'
to share al] plunder, whether in plate, horse: or negmee, with the fumo
M-Gin (as m: confidently affirmed siby mal of the British office".
while they were in this nel hhnurhood) the Geneu] will hue nogren
cause to regret even : dismi n from the service; for M'Girt himself hu :
declared, (but his own [hue of what he had holm, mounts to hie 'ct'ct
we; ht in gold, he is now satisfied, will immdiatel] quit 55!qu
pso effion, and settle in Wefl Florid. '