The Pennsylvania journal, or, Weekly advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-07-31 00:00:00, page 1

PH IL ADEL P H I A.
In C ONGRES S, %', to, 1116.
TH E Committee to whom the cartel between Brigadier
Genital Arnold and Captain Fuller, and the Several
papers thereto relating were committed, having had the
fame under their corilid nation, and made diligent inquiry
into the fa6h, have agreed to the following report :
They find that a party of three hundred and ninety Con
one'u al troops, under the command of &d. Bedel, was
potted at the Cedars, about forty-three miles above Mon
treal; that they had there tonmu some works of defence,
the greater part of them piqueted lines, the rest a breax
work of earth, with two field pieces mounted.
That on vVednefdiy, the fifteenth of May, Col. Bedel re
ceived intelligence that a part, of the enemy, confiiting of
.noy, c, horded refrs, c^^.r; and Indians, were
on their way to attack bis port, auu wets umu ","" #
miles of it—that Col. Bedel thue^u fe: out himself for
Mon real, to ptacute a reitif' rCcment, whereupon the com
mand at the Cerbos d volved on Major Butterfield.
That on Thuriday a reinforcement, under the command
of Maier Sherburne," marched from Montreal for rhe Cedars,
^hile a larger de%rnuK Should be getting ready to proceed
thither with Brigadier General Arnold.
That on Friday the nineteenth the enemy, under the com
maud of Capt. F iler, inverted the pod at the Cedars, and
for two day, kept up a loose scattering tire—that Major B.ut
urfiehl propofol from the very fob ^ fune„dei tue poh,
and refuted repeated felicitations from his ofticcis and man
to permit them to tribe out on the enemy. .
That on Sunday afternoon, a flag being sent in by the
enemy, Maj r Butterfield agreed to fuwenaer the fort and
garifon to Cap,, hotter, capitulating with him (whether
verbally or in writing dots not appear) that the garrnun
should not be put into the hands of the savages, and th«t
their baggage mould not be plundered. a r
That at the time of the Surrender, the enemy confided of
about forty regulars, cue hundred Canadians, and five hun
dred Indians, and had no cannon; the ga-nfon had mf
tai^d no injury fi.ua the fire, but the having one man
wonnded-thev had twenty rounds of carries art
thirty rounds for one field piece, live tor another, hart a
barrel of gunpowder, fifteen pound of mukcet ba% and
provision Sufficient to have lifted them twen y or thirty
days. Major Butterfield knew that a reinforcement was on
its way, and moreover was io near the mam oody of tae
army that be could not doubt of being Supported by that.
That immediately on the fune<..hr, the gfnt n was put
inm the custody of the Savages, who ph^ri^cd <hcm of
their baggage, and even IHipp.d them of then cloains.
That M^jor Shebiurre having laned, on Monday the
twentieth, at. Quiefe zechenes, about nine mils irom the
Cedars, and matched on with his patty, c^nTug then of
one hundred men, to vithin four mil s thereof, was there
stacked by about five hundred of the enemy—that he main
tained his ground above an hour, and thru, being couftrain
ed to retreat, performed f be fame in good order, receiving
and reimaing aconAant fire for about forty m.nines, when
the enemy tindinyupean^ to pod advanced parties in inch a
manner as to intercept their farther it.real, they alio were
made prisoners of was. ,
Todt they were immediately put into the cuAody of me
fiv^.s. carried to where Major Butterfield fed his party
were, and Shipped of dzir baggage and w areg apparel.
That two of them were put td death that evening, four
Dr five others at different ti.vts ahetaatJs, one or w^orn
was of those who furr udeied oh c^ uai.o' at the Cedars,
and was killed on the eivbn day aher that fu^e^r. Ibat
one was firft Bru', a,id wodi iciaoong ri,e aad >c^,apm Mas
roasted, as was wGarej by, hi, c t ,p llbn
of the Savages, ^ko bnrieir saw the 00, <cr bort Severn
Other's, being w :"n down by Logue ,d c.-uefy, were l.n
expos d in an ilhial ual.u and per thing with coal aeu
hunger.
TiW while Major Sherburne was in cnOody of the eremv.
Cam/o PTt required of him ard .he c^er officers to fig,
a cartel ft.„n'ating the exchange of thcn,<c!vtt and their m 1
for b many of equal condition of the b.^fh troops Dour
pofoboa. ° And tanhci, that not whhla„ur.gthe exchange,
neither thrm<cives nor men should ter anaa bear arm.,
againffthe British government. And f r the perfomar.ee cf
this four hoftages.w.re to be delivered, which they, being
under the abfohne power of the enciry, die rign.
That oa Sund y the twenty sixth, the petfoods were car
ried to [uing^hener, when "h was discovered that General
Arnold was approaching and making dis, ofuion^to a: ^
July 31, 1776. ^/& _ ^ hi N^.x„6
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That Capt. F< B% having defi cd Mrj h r Sherborne to at
tend a flag whicu he war about to bud to G.p. Arnold for
confirmation of rhe cartel, cabled him into me council of the
Indians then firing, who told A^, 61 .^ sc w^s a mercy
never before Shewn in their w?os, ria'wuy old put to deith
so few of the prifoneis, but ,1^ he mint expert and fc ui
form Gen. Arnold that 'hev soon d renan^y k^l every man
who mould thereafter f.ul a:o ^vo hands. li,?rt Captain
Forget joined in denting that this bioody meflage biouid be
delivered to General Arnold, a. d moreover that he Should
be notified, that if he rejected the cartel, and attacked him,
every man of the prithnn. would be put to infant death. #
That G n. Arnold was extremely averse both entering in
to anv agreement, and was at length induced to do it, by no
other motive than,hat of Saving the prisoners from cruel and
inhuman death, threatened.in Such terms as left no doubt it
was to be perpetrated; and that he did io the end conclude
it after Several flags received from Capt. Softer, and a reiin
qnifhment by him of the unequal allele redlining ot cur
Soldiers from bearing arms.
That the prisoners, so ftipnlated to be given up to the
enemy, were not in the pofleffion of Gen. Arnold, nor un
der his direction, but were, at that time, distributed through
various parts of the continent, under the orders of this
House.
That four homages were accordingly delivered to Captain
Fitter, who were immediately plundered and dripped by the
savages; and on his part were delivered one Major, four
Captains, sixteen subalterns, and three hundred and fifty
five privates, as fptcified in a certificate es Captain James
Oigood, and others of whom no fpccification by their names
or number has yet been transmitted ; that he retained twelve
Canadians, ailedging, in his jollification, express orders so
to do; and that living in a military government, tiey were
to be couftdered even in a worse light than defertets from his
Mody's armies. These he carried away in irons, but af
terwards released ; that he rcuh^urt ^^ Initios to carry
into their countries fevcral other natives of file United States,
for ourpofes unknown.
Thar during the time of their captivity not half food was
allowed the prisoners. They were continually infuhed, buf
feted, and ill treated by the savages; and when the tirft
parries of them were carried off from the Ihore, to be deli
vered to General Arnold, balls of mud were fired at them,
and at the last parties musket bails.
Whereupon the Cougrefs came to the following resolu
tions:
Rejoined, That all a&s, contrary to good faith, the laws
of nature, or the cuft>m of civilized nations, done by the
officers and soldiers of his Britannic Maj^dv, or by foreign
ers or savages taken into his service, are to be considered as
done by bis orders, unless indemnification be made in cases
which admit indemnification, and in all other cases, unites
immediate and eftkaive measures be taken by him or his
officers for bringing to condign puniihuieut the authors,
abettors, and perpetrators of the a&. ~
Refolded, That he plundering the baggage of the garrison
at the C dars, Gripping them cf their eloarhs, and deliver
ing them into the hands of the savages. was a breach of the
capitulation on the part of the enemy, for which indeiduifi
caunn ought to be demanded.
Halved, That the murder of the prisoners of war was a
gross and inhuman violation of the taws of nature and na
tions; that condign puniflimcnt Ihould be inflicted on rhe
authors, abettors, add perpetrators of th, fame ; and that,
for this purpoft, it be required that they be delivered into
our hands.
ReF^d, That the agreement entered into by General Ar
iild was a mere fpo fern on his past, he not being i..v-ftcd
with powers tor the disposal of prf n rs not in his pofliffi in,
nor under his direction ; and that therefore it is subject to
be ratified or annulled ar the dirttuionof thia Hoiife.
Reived. That the fhamefnl funnider of the p> ft at the
Cedarsis chargeable on the commanding ofnccr. That such
other of the prisoners, as were taken there, Viewed a willing
rtfs and desire to tight cho enemy ; and th.it M jor Sh.r
brnue, and the prirtauis taken with him, though their dis
paitv rs numbers was greaq fought die enemy braved tor
a considerable time and furieudcid ai last. but on abs lute
necessity ; on which cot iidsations, and on whi.halope, it
is refolded that the fa d fp<uGon be ratified, and that an equal
number of captives from the enemy of the fame rank and
co ? ditiou be rcltoud io them as Ibpulatsd by the said fpon
lion..
Refolded; That, previous to the delivery of the prisoners
to be returned en our pare, the British com zander in Cana
da be required to driver noo our bands the authors, abet
t ws, and perpetrators of the horrid murder committed on
± or ,<ucrt to fuller such punifliroent as their crime de
fers ; anATfoto make indemnilicatiou for the plunder at
he Cedars, ak % • contrary to the faith or 'he capitulation;
and that, moil inch delivery and indemnirication be made,
the fald priforen be not delivered..
^c/lel rhar if the enemy thall commit a o v farther vio
lences h? porting to deadi, torturing, or osherwife ill treating
tpe prfoucss stained by them, er any of rhe homages put
i: ra their bantu, :econtie be had to retaliation, as the sole
n\< am rt (topping the progress of human birch ry ; arid
that io b>t nwpMc puwfhmeuts of the fame kind and de
cee be infected on an equal number of the rapiv c s from
liuoce in cur peff dion, nil they thill be taught due refpeft
to the violated rights of nations.
F: Aw, That;! copy ot this report be transmitted to the .
Commoner in Chia f the Continental Forces, to be by
tub Ant to Genets Hc^c and BurgO) ne.
By older of the Cbngrefs,
JOHN HANCOCK, President.
c^^^cto^^c^^c^W-cZ^x^o^
The follroing it ^ exae Rate of ^^ fifed at the int^tew
between his E^elknc, Conceal U^fa^flon and C }^" '" :°
son, Adfrt^it General rs the army u; oer General Have, ]^l,
ao, 1,76.
,1 FTER usual compliments, in witch, aswf't as through
/'% rhe whole converfition, Col. Pauerfen adrbefl,d Gen.
Wallington by the title cf Excellency. Cob Parterion en
tered upon <b p butinefs by faying, that Gen. Howe touch re
grertedrhe difficulties which hid arifro refo p aing the addrtfs
cf the letters to General Wathiaptoo ; 'bat it was deemed
conUß?nt with propriety, and to d-d upen precedents of
the Lke nature by Ambaffad^s a # d Plenipotentiaries whe-e
deputes or difficulties of rank had anw; that Gen. Wash,
ingtoo might rccohci't he liad, last former, anrhehed a let
ter to Gen. Howe, To t h e Hgp. Wiliam Howe. Esq; that
Lord Howe and Geo. Howe did not mean to derogate frora
the refpea or ra^k cf Gen. WalLmgtGO ; that thy held his
person and character in the highest esteem ; that the direc
tion, with the addition of &c. &c. &c. implied every thing
that ought to follow. He then produced a letter which he
did not dirtily offer to Gen. Wallington, but observed that
it was the fame letter which had been sent, and laid it on
the table, with a superscription To George Wallington, &c.
&c. &c. The General declined the letter, and said, that a
letter directed to a person in a public character, fhou!d have
foine description or indication of it, otherwise it would ap
pear a mere private letter; that it was true the &c. & v .&c.
implied every thing, and they also implied any thing; that
the letter to Gen. Howe, alluded to, was an anfwet to one
received under a like address frora him, which the Officer on
duty having taken, he did not think proper to return, but
answered it in the fame mode of addiefs; that he should ab
fobucly decline any letter diredied to him as a private per
fn,rt ben it related tokis public Rarfon. Cel. PtteHoa
then Aid, that Gen. Howe would not urge his delicacy far
ther, and repeated his assertions, that no failure cf refpe<ft
was intended. He then said that he would endeavour, is
wed as he could, to recollect Gen. Howe's sentiments on the
letter and resolves cf Congress lent him a few days before,
refyedting the treatment of our prisoners in Canada. " That
the affairs of Canada were in another department, not sub-r
jedt to the coatroul of Gen. Howe, but that he and Lord
Howe utterly d,fapproved of every infringement on the
rights of humanity." Col. Patterson then tm k a paper out
of his pocket, and after looking it over, fad he had expres
sed nearly the words. 'Gem. Wafhingtoh then said that he
bid also forwarded a copy of the Rcfolve to Gen. Burgoyne.
To which Col. Patterson replied, ne did not doubt a proper
attention would be paid to them, and that he (Gen. Wash
ington) was sensible that crtielty was not the charadteriftic of
the Britiili nation. Col. Patcerfon then proce d d to fay he
had it in charge to mention the case of Gen, Prefect, who
they were informed was treated with such rigour, that, un
der his age and infirmities, fatal confcqdences mighk be ap
prehended.
Ger. Wlhimgtoi^ replied that Gen. Prefcot's treatment had
not fallen under his notice; that all persons under his parti
cular direction he had treated with kindoefs, and made their
Situation as cHy and comfortable as peffible; that he did not
know where Gen. Prefcot was, but believed his treatment ve
ry different from their information. Gen. Washington then,
mentioned the case of Col. Alien, and the officers who bad
been confined in Boston jail. As io the firft, Cbl. Patterfoil
rinfwered, that Gen. Howe had no knowledge of it but by
information from Gen, Washington, and that the Canada de
partment was not under his direction or controul; that as to
the other prisoners at Boston, when ever the Bate of the army
at Boston admitted it, they were treated with humanity and
even indulgence; that he affected this upon his honor, and
fhmi'iu be happy in an opportunity to prove if.
Gen. Washington then observed, that the cornua; of fe,
veral of the officers would well have warranted a diffcrept
treatment from what they had received; some having refufed
to give any parole, and others having broke it when given,
by escaping or endeavouring so to do. Col. Patterson an^
fwmd, that as to the tirff, they misunderstood the matter ve
ry much, and feerned to have mistook the line of propriety
exceedingly;, and as to the latter, Gen. Howe utterly disap
proved and condemned their conduct.
That if a remondfance was made, such violations cf good
faith would be fi vere y punished; but that he hop d Gen.
Wallington was too just to daw public inferences nom the
mribhavitur of some private individuals: that bad men were
to be found in every class and fuciet; that such behaviour
was considered as a dishonor to the British army. Col. Pat
terson then proceeded to fay, that the good^efa and benevo
lence of the King had induced him to appoint Lord Hewe
and Gen. Howe his Com-miffi nets, to accorarngdate this un
happy dispute, that they had g^eat powers, and would derie
the greatett pleasure from effecting an accommodation; and
that he (Cob Patterson) wished co have this vifir considered
as making the fir& advances to this defirible object. Gen 0
Washington replied, he was not hefted with any powers oa
this fubje.<ft, by theft from whom he derived his Authority aud
power. But from what had appeard or frarffpiced on thi^
head, Lord Howe and Gen. Howe we r e only to grant par
dons; that thof ewho had committed no fault wanted no par
dm, that we were only defending whit we deemed our iadif
putable right. Cub Patterson said, that would open a very
wide field for argument. He then expressed his apprehen
sions that an adherence to forms was likely to oofhaia bufo
nets of the greatest moment and concern.
He then observed, that a pfopofal had been formally made
of exchanging Governor Skene for Mr. Lovell; tha^ he now
had authority to acede to that proposal. Gen. Wellington,
replied, that the proposition had been made by the dire&ioa
of Congtefs, and having been then rfi&d, he could not now
renew the butiuHs, cr give any answer, till he had previously
communicated it to them.
Col Patterson behaved with the greatest attention ard po-
Ihrnefs during the whole bu'fine% expressed firing acknow
ledgment that the usual ceremony of blinding, bis eyes had
been dispensed with. At the breaking up of me conference,
Geo. Warrington ftrorg^y invited him to par ike of a Small
eolation provided for him, which he politely declined al
hdg'rig bis late breakfaft, and an impatience to return to Ge».
Hove, though he had not executed his commiffian so amply
as he wished. Finding he del not propofc flaying, he was
introduced to the general officers, after which he took his
leave, and was fafely conduced to his own boat, which wait
ed for him, about four miles distant from the city.
Made Public G order rs Corgrefs,
JOHN HANCOCK, P^fidect.