The Pennsylvania journal, or, Weekly advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-10-23 00:00:00, page 2

more properly (peaking, die charge made by the contractors
for extraordinaries, confiding of four crout never eat, vine
gar Raved at sea, and live dock to graze in the fathomless
oce a n, the profits accruing to those date leeches, at a mo
derate computation, will amount to eight pounds out of
every thirteen or at the rate of upwards of sixty-two per
C en. Sucha^ (oneof the blessed effefls of having c^trfors,
Carers, in the House of Commons !
^^'e tranfpo/ts, having on board
T " C D ^ h, d,^ are put back to Falmouth, after
Burgoyne s light d agoo^,
having ^en^ {tyiiamfon, of the Francis, who is ar
^^- Q Antigua, brings us the following ac
rivcd X^ after they were on this fide of
counts, v,3. ' h following mips were taken by the
the Bermuda two American privateers,
''^V/HemV'Blyth' from Barbados to Halifax, taken
^^with rum ; the Rover, Hunter, from
the 28th ot , the 12th of June, laden with dit
^ fo^to; the HarhfoG^
of June, the of fo ty , i oa ded with sugar and
N ""' fofo'o^ Fither, from Antigua to ditto, takers
ru % h f 0 Uden with rum ; the Polly, Lear, from dit
and givesusthe following accent of the capture
yefteiday, ana g r , ; from Jamaica to London, in
of his Ship the „J ids Capt. Rufden, from ditto, for
company with the ROT Marfden, from ditto for Briffol.
^"o^ the X^ ^h of May lad they were attacked by
Capt. Henry, mounting fix
t^o Amer^^ fy ivf|s , on thc 9 ho s May; and
Q Stephenson and Juno, Marfden
,C Adams, who mounted 4 fix pounders,
by the ^h' ; that the Provincials put the Captains
L° ' knard a Soaoith vessel that was leaky, rd
ano pafTcugers on where the Captain ptirchafed a
^^ * hich is foce a " ivcd at p|y
"rt^^±CT ^;□
fo^oyedrso leagues from the ports they
failed from, and left by the men of warmer a
that they ^re totally out of danger The Lady Juhana,
Ca,t Stephen, had doo hogsheads of 3 0 000
“T^^^Veiled Vfoy'fo . fail of (hips
^^ p^^ it ^ ^ ^ ma °y,
&underwriters even refufe to enter .then names on a poli
. for they look upon it a very hazardous ven me, adhere
% a vast number of privateers out, to intercept our home
ward bound Weft India ships. , ,
Forty per cent, induce was offered on Wednesday and
fifty p/r cent, infixed last Tuesday, on feme of he above
%ips P It is said privateers will, in conference of the above
Loelboence be fitted out here immediately.
The Morningstar, Capt. Miller, from the Bay of Honou
rs London, is taken by two American Guarda Coaftas,
off Black River, near the Mufqueto shore, and carrie into
H°A RLESTOWN, (South-Carola) Septembers^
On T'hurfday last the brigantine of war Comet, Captain
Turpin, returned froma cruize, with the flap Cbrifla, which
he took lying at anchor off Anguftine Bar, on the x 8 h of
% Her cargo ronfirtsof lumber, with about 40 Negrons,
and some houlhold furniture, said
who was removing from Georgia to EafrFlonda. The day
before Capt. Turpin's arrival, he saw a frigate, which gave
chace ail that diy and part of the next, and came clofein
to the land, but being confidently to leeward, and a dull
filler, could not come up with either the brig or her prize
ORohr 2 . Intelligence having been received at Savannah,
on September 16, by Col. Elbert, that a party of the enemy
from Cockfpur had furprized two of the guard ported on
Wilmington Island, and that they were expend to return
the next ni°ht to plunder the other part of the island, where a
ferrant 2nd fix privates from the Georgia battalion were fix
ed• he ordered a reinforcement of fifteen men to march and
take post on the above mentioned island : The reinforcement
conlifted of one private from the 6tft regiment, two from the
feeond, and twelve privates arid one Sergeant from the ran
gers of South-Carolina ; commanded by Lieut. Hicks, of
Thompson's rangers. They arrived on the island early in the
merging of the 17th of September, and soon di(covered the
plunderers, viz. twenty-one black and five white associates,
busy in carrying off their booty. They were soon interrupt
edby Mr. Nicks, who in the firft fire killed seven or eight of
them; an engagement here ensued. The enemy loft eleven
or more negroes killed, and one prisoner, four of the whites,
were also taken, one wounded : The one who got off was
much wounded. Lieut. Hicks loft t„o men. Capt. Good
win of the rangers was sent immediately off to the affiflance
of our men, in expectation of the enemy returning to the,
island but they had learned wisdom by their late drubbing,
and did not Care to venture for more delicacies for their bro
ther pirates palates. , C
OSoher 9. We hear from Savannah, that the men of war
have left the river ; so that there is not mow one of the ene
my's vessels in South Carolina or Georgia. It is said, there
arc some id Cape-Fear river in North-Carolina.
WILLIAMSBURG, (Virginia) OHober 11.
On Monday last the General Assembly of this common
wealth met at the Capitol, agreeable to adjournment, and
the plan of Government adopted at the late Convention,
when the Hon. Archibald Cary, Esq; was eluded Speaker of
the Upper House, or Senate, and the Hon. Edmund Pendle
ton, Esq; Speaker of the Ho'ufe of Delegates.
The Hon. House of Delegates have been pleased to conti
nue the officers of the late Convention to be officers to their
House, and the Senate have chosen John Pendleton, Esq; to
be their clerk. „ . ~
Col. Benjamin Harrison of Berkeley was yesterday chosen
a Delegate to represent this State in General Congress, in the
room of Thomas Jefferfon, Esq; and James Mercer, Esq; a
member of the Privy Council, in the room of Gol. Harrison.
BOSTO N, OBober 10.
A letter from, a gentleman at Providence to his friend in this
town, dated October sth, has the following paragraph:
“ The two Continental frigates here have fallen down, got
their guns, and will be ready to failin ten days. One carries
twelve ^ pounders, fourteen 12 do. eight 9 do. the whole
34 The other, 28 guns. —Their names are, the Barren and
Providence, —Capt. Hopkins commands one, and Whipple the
other."
Extras of a letter from Mi)dktoi»n (ConneSisut,) OR. j. ™
" A report to-day that our army have drove the regulars
from Ppweh's-ferry (or hook) and killed 30 or 40 The re
returns made to General Howe of the killed and wounded on
Long-Island were, firft return iSgo men, 3 general officers
were killed—second return which was ordered to be made,
was 1848, so that the firft and fccond return differed but two
men—this was their wh®le loss on Long Island.— They loft
§lO in the New-York engagement, wounded, and in hospitals.
— Five waggons were employed all night in carrying off their
dead into the city.—Our people found upwards roe regulars
on the field of battle,—Gov. Skeene and Gov. Brown, set
out from this town last Thursday, under a guard, for New-
York, to be exchanged for Lord Stirling and Gen. Sullivan."
PORTSMOUTH, (Nev-HampJhireJ Off. 5.
Yesterday arrived here the brigantine Marquis of Kildare,
Capt. Thomas Palmer, in seven weeks from B rde^ux, with
a cargo of military stores, &e. he informs us the French
treated him with the utmort kindness, and seemed ready to.
do every thing in their power to serve him ; that the custom
house officers permitted the American vessels to pass without
examination, while the English were a n searched.
NEW -PO RT, (Rb&lfand ) OR. 17.
Last Tuesday a prize ship loaded with sugar, rum, &c. ar
rived fafe at Stonington ; file was taken by Capt. Nickerfon,
in a small Hoop from Plymouth.
The Independence privateer, Capt. Truxton, is arrived at
an pattern port : He has taken two ships and two brigs ; one
of the brigs he gave some prisoners, after taking out a quan
tity of cotton, cocoa, &c. the other brig is arrived fafe, load
ed with oil, and it is faid* one or both of the ships are ar
rived.
The Broom privateer, Capt. Welding, is arrived fafe in
an e.ftern port, witk three valuable prizes ; all which he
took in four days after he failed.
The Lady Washington privateer, Capt. Godfrey, has sent
a brig into a fafe port, loaded with rum, &c.
Last Tuesday two of the enemy's fliips took four vessels
off Montague Point, three of which were prizes to Captain
Munro, and some other privateers, the other a merchant
man belonging to Connecticut. All the people belonging to
these vessels, we hear, took to their boats, and got fafe ashore
near Stonington.
We hear the privateer Industry, Capt. Child, is returned
into port, having been out just three weeks, and taken a Blip
and two brigs.
Capt. Child, in an engagement with a large letter of marque
ship, of 14 9 pounders, had two men killed, and several
wounded.
There were two men of war, supposed to be the Cerbe
rus and Milford, cruising a little without the chaps of our
harbour all yesterday.
Last Monday the continental sloop Providence, Captain
Jones, arrived at a fafe port, having, in a cruize of fix weeks,
captured 16 fail of vessels, 6 of which he burnt ; among the
others is one Drip with 3000 quintals of codfifh, some (mai
ler fifhermen, and two Weft-indiamen.
PHILADELPHIA.
By means of a person who has lately made his escape out of
New-York, we leatu that Gen. Howe makes every one of the
inhabitants firear to submit and be obedient to the laws of the
British Parliament " in all eases whatsoever."
YefterJay was sent in here the Brig Sherburn Capt.
who was taken by the brig Hancock, Capt. Newman, on her
passage from St. Lucia for London, with 900 barrels of oil,&c.
Monday lad arrived here the schooner Sally from Bermuda,
with fait, &c. by whom we learn that the Galleta a 20 gun
Ihip, and the Dreadnought of 18, were at Bermuda, where
they had carried in several prizes. That the Galleta was
to fail in a fliort time and to cruize off the Capes of Vir
ginia.
ALiftof the Representatives, &c. for the County of New-
Castle, in the Delaware State, elected October 21, 1776.
Co^nfetiors. George Read, Nicholas Van Dike, Richard
Cantwell.
Affimblymen, Alexander Porter, Abraham Robinson, John
Jones, John Thompson, John Lea, John M'Kinly, Thomas
M'Kean.
Sheriffs. John Clark, Robert Watt.
Coroners. William Anderson, John Enos.
Indigence received in CONGRESS, October lift, from the Mid
dle and Northern Departments.
In the night of the ifth infant General Mercer passed over
to Staten-Island with part of the troops ported at Perth Amboy,
and advanced within a few miles of Richmond Town, hav
ing been informed that a company of British troops, one of
Hessians, and one of Skinner's militia lay there—Col. Griffin
was detached with Col. Patterson's battalion, and Major Clarke
at the head of some riflemen, to fall in upon the cart end of
the town, while the remainder of the troops enclosed it on the
other quarters; both divisions reached the town by break of
day, but not before the enemy were alarmed ; most of them
fled after exchanging a few foot with Col. Griffin's detach
ment. Two soldiers of the enemy were mortally wounded,
and feventcen taken prisoners; with the loss only of two sol
diers killed on our fide. Col. Griffin received a wound in the
foot from a musket ball, and Lieut. Col. Smith was slightly
wounded in the arm. Amongrt the prisoners taken in this
actios are eight Hessians. Our troops brought off from Staten-
Island 45 muskets, a number of bayonets, cutlaffcs, &c. and
one standard of the British light horse.
It has been determined in a Council of War at Head Quar
ters, to remove the army from the Heights of Harlem towards
Eart and Wert Chester, in order to outflank the enemy and
difapppint their intentions.
On Friday the 18th inst. one of the enemy's advanced par
ties near Eaft-Cherter fell in with part of Col. Glover's bri
gade, when a smart and close engagement ensued; in which
out men behaved witli great coolness and intrepidity, and
drove the enemy back to their main body.
That on the i ith inst. at 8 o'clock in the morning, the ene
my's fleet on Lake Champlain, confiding of one (hip mount
ing 16 gun*, o °e snow mounting the fame number, one
schooner of 14 guns, two of 12, two sloops, a bomb ketch,
and a large vessel, (her force unknown) with fifteen or twenty
flat bottomed boats or gondolas, carrying one rx or 18 pound
er in their bows, appeared off Cumberland Head: General
Arnold with his forces immediately prepared to receive them.
At ii o'clock the attack began, at half part 12 the engagement
became general and very warm; some of the enemy's ships
and all their gondolas beat up and rowed within musket ffiot
of our fleet. They continued a very hot fire with round and
grape shot till 5 o'clock, when they thought proper to retire
about 6 or ,eo yards dirtance, and continued there until dark.
Gen. Arnold and his troops conduced themfelvcs during this
action with great firmnefs and intrepidity, and made a better
refirtance than could have been expected against a force so
greatly fuperior,—the whole of our killed and wounded
amounted to about 60. The Philadelphia gondola and a
schooner were loft in the engagement, but all the men were
saved. The enemy landed a large number of Indians on
Schuyler's Island and on each Ihore, who kept up an inceffaut
fire, but did little damage. The enemy bad to appears
upwards of 1000 men in batteaus prepared for boarding.
The 4. emy's force being so greatly superior, it was dete
mined in Council to remove to Crown-Point, in order to 1.
and collea our force. At 2 o'clock P. M' the rath, our rt
weighed anchor, with a frelh breeze to the southward : 1
enemy's fleet at the fame time got under way; our gondo.
made very little way ahead —ln the evening the wind mo #
rated, and we made such progress that at 6 o'clock next mor
ing we were about 28 miles from Crown-Point. Tae enemy
fleet was very little above Schuyler's Island, the wind bree?
Up to the southward, so that we gained very little by beat:
or rowing; at the fame time the enemy took a frefh bre
from the N. E. and, by the time we had reached Split Ro
were along fide of us. The Washington and the Cong:
were in the rear, the rest of our fleet were ahead, except t.
gondolas funk at Schuiyer's Ifland:—The Washington gal
was in such a shattered condition, and had so many men k
led and wounded, that flic struck to the enemy after receivi
a few broadsides. The Congress was then attacked by a i
mounting if eighteen pounders, a schooner of 14 fixes,^
and one of 12 fixes; two under her rtern and one on
broadtide, within mufkei shot: The enemy kept up an in,
fant fire about five glades with round and grape shot, wl
was returned as brifkiy. The fails, rigging and hull of
Congress were shattered and torn in pieces; when, to prev
her falling into the enemy's hands, Gen. Arnold, who was
board, ran her ashore in a small creek ten miles from Crc
Point, where, after taking out her final! arms, she was set
fire, wi h four other gondolas; with whose crews the Gene
reached Crown Point that evening, luckily escaping the sa
ges, who way-laid the road in two hours after he bad part
it.—Of our whole fleet we have saved two gallics, two fcho
ers, one gundola, and one (loop.
Gen. Arnold behaved with such intrepidity, that he cove
the retreat of the few vessels we saved at the expenee of 0
third of his crew.—Our commanders and men behaved m
gallantly; some vessels having loft all their officers, foug
notwithstanding, and refufed to yield but with their lii
The enemy acknowledge our bravery, and confefs their h
of men equal to ours.
Our troops are now busily employed in compleatingt
lines, redoubts, &c. at C^o^n Point, expecting the ener
to attack them with their fleet and army. But as the season
now far advanced, and our men ate daily growing in heart
they have the most flattering expectations of maintaining the
post against any force the enemy can bring.
N. B. Two of the enemy's gondola were funk the firft d
by our fleet, and one blown up with 60 men.
Last Monday the British and Hessian troops, lately tak
on Staten Illann. were brought to town under guard
Extrafl of a letter from Fort Lee, (late Fort Constitution, b
now altered by General orders) dated Q&ober 20, sue.
" Ytfterday's affair was honorable to us—Three regimen
Glover's, Reed's, and Shepherd's, of Maffachufett's uud<
Col. Glover, who commanded the brigade, were advance
under cover to receive the enemy marching cut towards t"
country. Col. Shepherd was well covered under a wall, ar.
at 30 or 43 yards gave their grenadiers and infantry an une
petted heavy fire, then a fccond and third, which broke tn
enemy so much, that they ran away as faft as they could
zoufufion. They returned with field pieces and out flank
our party, which occasioned our people to retreat to a silo!
distance, where they rallied well and kept their ground again
their cannonade and numbers. Our men behaved with r
markable spirit and coolness, and I think are in a good wa
to do great things. We loft a few, 30 or 40 killed an
wounded.—Twodeferters from the enemy lay they loft isos
but really I have the best opinions to believe they left 15
or upwards, as our men fired with great coolness at a got
distance. They are trying to surround us, it wont be eat
and I am miftakep if they dont meet some severe rubbers
aft a MEETING of a large and refpeßable number of t
Citizens of Philadelphia, in the State House Yard, on Mon
day and Tuesday, the 11ft and iid days of ORoler inftar.
(Colonel JOHN BAYARD in the Chair,) the follo-wn
Resolutions were agreed to, by a great Majority, ar
affeaiona.ely recommended to their Fellow Citizens, in ev^
pal of the State of Pennsylvania.
RefAved, 1. r I" 1 H A T the late Convention was called fc
the express purpefe of forming a new g<
vernm^pt in this State, on the authority of the people on' :
with power also to appoint Delegates in Congress, and
Council of Safety.
2. That the said Convention assumed and exercised powe
with which they were not entrusted by the people.
3, That in the Constitution formed by the said Convention
the Christian religion is not treated with proper refpe&
4. That the said Constitution unnecessarily deviates from art
rcfemblauce to the former government of this Slate, to whici
the people have been accustomed.
5 That itis the sense of this meeting, that the People d:
not define such strange innovati ns, but only that the kingly
parliamentary, and proprietary powers should be total!
abolished, and such alterations made, as would thereby b
rendered necessary, so that a well formed government raigh
be eftabTilhed solely on the authority of the People.
6. That the said Constitution differs not only unneceffarii
from that to which the People have been accustomed, but>
many important a ticks from every government, that ba
lately been established in America, on the authority of th
People—from the sentiments of the Honourable the Coa^
nental Congress refpe&ing government —and from those
the molt diftinguitbed authors, who have deliberately cor.
fidered that fubjefl.§
§ The laid Constitution differs from others lately formed
in these particulars; ift, It establishes only a fagk legiflativ
body, adly, It renders the judicial dependant on that fine
legislative body, who may remove any judge from his cffic
without trial, for any thing they please to call " mifbehav
our." 3dly, It renders the executive dependant on that firg
legislative body; by whom alone the executive officers are
be paid for their Services,—ind by whom, from the great dis
proportion between the numbers of the Assembly and Cour
cil, the President and Vicc-Prefident mud always be annuail
chosen, —besides, that every officer executive or judicial ma=
be impeached by the Assembly, before fix of the Council tb:c
dependant on the Assembly, and be tried and condemned
4 lily, It ereas no Court of Appeals, mote neceffar
here than in some other States, as our Supreme Court may :i%
causes in the firft instance, and finally determine them, so the
there is no mode fettled for correcting their errors.
The laid Constitution differs from the sentiments of the
Honorable Congress, in rendering every fudgein the Slate en
tirely dependant on the single legislative body.—For in th;
firft petition to the King of Great-Britain, die Congress in enu
merating ''grievances," fay, " The Judges of Courts of Com
mon Law have been made entirely dependant on one part of
the legislature for their salaries as|well as the duration of their
commissions." Again, the said Constitution differs from the
sentiments of the Honorable Congress, in not having " Jepa
rated and dijlribated powers into Afferent hands for checks, on.