The Patowmac guardian, and Berkeley advertiser (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]), 1791-12-27 00:00:00

The POTOMAC GUARDIAN, and BERKELEY ADVERTISER.
PRICE TWO DOLLARS PER ANN.]
T U E S D A Y, DECEMBER 27, 1791.
[NUMBER 59 OF VOL. 2.]
WHERE LIBERTY DWELLS, THERE IS MY COUNTRY.
Franklin.
L O N D O N, September 15.
AS a proof of the confidence entertained in the talents and virtues of Lord Cornwallis, the most flattering hopes were conceived by the public of our success in India, from the moment that he took the management of the army into his own hands, the event has sufficiently justified the expectation.
SEPT. 30. The Duke of York's marriage was celebrated yesterday at Berlin. Political formalities would have deferred it for some months, but these obstacles the impatience and address of a lover found means to remove.
M. La Fayette is to succeed M. Bouille in the command of the troops in the department of the Meuse and the Moselle.
B E L F A S T, September 9.
THE SOCIETY OF THE FRIENDS of the CONSTITUTION, at BORDAUX, to the VOLUNTEERS and INHABITANTS of BELFAST.
Friends and Brethren,
YES, generous IRISHMEN!—receive this appellation, which we have hitherto granted, exclusively to Frenchmen, true friends of our constitution. Receive it, notwithstanding the distance which separates us; the difference of our idioms, and of our manners. Men inspired by a love of the human race, and the spirit of liberty, are mutually attracted, however distant their situations—there is nothing intermediate between them, were they placed at different extremities of the earth. The citizens who agreed to the Declaration concluded on at Belfast on the 14th of July, 1791, are then, all, our brothers and our friends.
Your address, read the 12th of this month, at one of the public sittings of our society, and frequently interrupted by universal bursts of applause, has filled our souls with sentiments of delight—In contemplating the purity, the compass, and energy of your maxims, respecting the natural and political RIGHTS OF MAN—we fancied we beheld the standard of liberty, which philosophy at this day unfurls in every part of Europe, arched in its progress on the rocks of Ireland, to receive the new homage of an enlightened people.
The truth of your sentiments; the depth of your reflections; the gracefulness of your expressions—recalled to our recollection those celebrated Bards—those immortal Poets, whom the rage of tyrannous Edward pursued with his most cruel persecutions, to stifle the voice of the country, of honour, and of liberty.
France has given the signal of a holy insurrection against all prejudices; against all abuses; against all illegitimate authorities. May it, as you desire, become general among the human race! That day, friends and brethren, will arrive, when the different parts of the civilized world shall raise together their eloquent voice; which, like that of Belfast, shall assert the rights of the people, and teach them to recover them by the empire of Reason, and the power of the laws.
Receive, friends and brethren, the congratulations and thanks of a free people, transmitted to you, through us as their origin, for the example which you yourselves lately gave to the universe.*
We congratulate you on the talents displayed in the exposition of your principles respecting the nature and end of government. We congratulate you on the sagacity, the noble freedom, with which you have pointed out the influence of the French Revolution on the happiness of every people. We congratulate you on the courage with which you force tyrants to listen to expressions of that lively interest which you take in our fate; to hear the prayer which you address to God, that he may protect us with his power; to attend, above all, to the ardent vows which you have offered up for our success. In fine, we congratulate you, brethren and friends, on the respect which you have shown to the National Assembly of France, by addressing to it directly your declaration. Ah! that you could conceive the degree in which that brilliant act of admiration has penetrated our souls with joy and gratitude! that you could conceive how much all good Frenchmen are touched, honoured, filled with noble pride, when they behold the just tribute of applause (which they themselves unceasingly offer to their regenerative Assembly) passing from mouth to mouth, from clime to clime, to that council of sages who thus enjoy, beforehand, the glory with which posterity will crown it!
We are, with the most tender affection, Friends and Brothers, the Members of the Society of the Friends of the Constitution at Bordeaux.
At Bordeaux, 14th August, 1791.
In the third year of our liberty.
* Alluding to the Volunteer institution.
L I B E R T Y, or D E A T H!
THE FRIENDS of the CONSTITUTION at NANTES, to the INHABITANTS and VOLUNTEERS of the Town of BELFAST.
IT is with a sentiment of the most profound admiration, of the most intimate confidence, that the society of the friends of the constitution at Nantes have been present at the reading of your Declaration, inserted in the Courier de l'Europe.
You may have foreseen to what degree this sublime Declaration renders you dear to the French. The tributary homage it offers to Revolution, is in effect glorious for us, and worthy of you! Ah! yes, undoubtedly, to free nations, or to those worthy of being so, belongs the honour of celebrating the day, forever memorable, on which twenty-five millions of men, giving a glorious and noble example (to subjected people) broke the fetters of slavery; the day on which the den of ministerial vengeance disappeared; that tomb of the living, where innocent victims were sacrificed to the rage of despotism. That day, in a word, when, resuming the sacred RIGHTS OF MAN, the French displayed the flag of Liberty, and swore to live free or die.
Citizens of Belfast! you have celebrated that triumph of the human kind, and you have done it with such splendor as renders you truly worthy to partake the hatred with which we are honoured by crowned tyrants.
It is to the National Assembly, or rather to the French nation, that you have paid the homage of your sentiment; it discerns in your Declaration the honour it merits; that of immortality. Yes, men worthy of Liberty, your Declaration is immortal.
It shall be transmitted to the latest posterity; and we swear to preserve it in our archives, as the most precious monument and pledge of the glory of the French.
Nantes, 18th August, 1791.
D U B L I N, September 17.
Whatever may be the opinions of the enlightened people of Ireland on political subjects, we hope the French King's acceptance of the constitution will give sincere and general pleasure—as preventing the effusion of human blood—putting a stop to the madnes of ambitious or capricious wars, and exalting 25,000,000 of people to the rank of freemen.
CONGRESS.
House of Representatives of the United States. MONDAY, December 5.
PETITIONS were read from Joseph Bird, Ebenezer Brooks, Burr Gilbert, and Jonathan Horton, respectively praying compensation for wounds received or injuries sustained, during the late war.
A petition of Sarah Parker, of Massachusetts, praying relief for the support of herself and a large family of children, being the widow and orphans of Lieutenant-Colonel Moses Parker, wounded in the battle of Charlestown, in June, 1775, and afterwards died of his wounds in Boston jail.—The above were all referred to the Secretary at War.
A petition from J. D. Mercier, late a Canadian resident, praying compensation for losses sustained in consequence of his adherence to the American cause, during the war—referred to a committee, to whom were referred the petitions of certain Canadian refugees, on a similar occasion.
TUESDAY, December 6.
Petitions of John Wilton, Benjamin Keese, and Samuel Gibbs, were read, praying compensation for service, &c. rendered in the late war—the first referred to the Secretary of the Treasury, the two latter to the Secretary at War.
Mr. Benton called up the motion which he had laid on the table yesterday, and, after some debate, the following resolution was agreed to:
Resolved, That Mr. Benson, Mr. Gerry, and Mr. Smith, (S. C.) be appointed a committee, on the part of this House, jointly with such committee as shall be appointed on the part of the Senate, to consider, and report to Congress, the most eligible manner for carrying into effect the resolution of the United States, in Congress assembled, of the 7th of August, 1783, directing that an equestrian Statue of General Washington should be erected.
Ordered, That the Clerk of the House do acquaint the Senate therewith.
The three following motions being severally made and seconded, to wit;
First—That a committee be appointed to examine and report upon the state of the Treasury department; and that such committee be appointed on the second Monday after the Meeting of Congress, in every session.
Second—That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to report to this House, on the third Monday of every annual session of Congress, a regular statement and account of the receipts and
expenditures of all public money, for the preceding year, as far as the same can be then ascertained, and as soon thereafter as circumstances will permit, of such receipts and expenditures as cannot be specified in the first statement.
Third—That within the month of January, in each year, if Congress shall be then in session, or if not then in session, within the first week of each succeeding session, the Secretary of the Treasury shall lay before the House of Representatives an accurate statement of receipts and expenditure, down to the last day of the month December, immediately preceding, including the said day; in which statement shall be distinguished the expenditures which fall under each head of appropriation, and shall be shown the sums, if any, which remain unexpended, of such appropriations. And that a committee be thereupon forthwith appointed to examine the said statement, and report concerning the same to the House, and that this be considered as a standing order—
Ordered, That the said motions be referred to Mr. Gerry, Mr. Dayton, and Mr. Barnwell; that they do examine the matter thereof, and report the same, with their opinion thereupon, to the House.
Agreeably to the order of the day, the House resolved itself into a committee of the whole, on the bill for establishing the post-office and post-roads, within the United States, and after some time spent thereon, the committee rose, and asked leave to sit again to-morrow.
Mr. Lawrence, from the committee to whom was recommitted the bill making appropriations for the support of government, for the year 1792, reported an amendatory bill, which was read the first time.
Adjourned.
WEDNESDAY, December 7.
A bill making appropriations for the support of government, for the year 1792, was twice read, and ordered to be engrossed for a third reading.
The House then resolved itself into a committee of the whole (Mr. W. Smith in the chair) and resumed the consideration of the "bill to establish the post-office, and post roads, within the United States."
Question before the committee.
Mr. Sedgwick's motion for striking out from the first section of the bill, the whole detail of the post-towns and roads from Wiscasset to Savannah, and to make it (with the amendment, inserted in italic) to read as follows:
Be it enacted, &c. that, from and after the passing of that act, the following roads be established as post roads, namely, from Wiscasset, in the district of Maine; to Savannah, in Georgia, "by such route as the President of the United States shall, from time to time, cause to be established." Provided that the route, by which the mails are at present conveyed, shall in no case be altered, till the contracts, already made by the Postmaster-General, shall be determined.
After some debate, the question was taken on the motion, and passed in the negative.
The committee then proceeded to the consideration of the different roads, as detailed in the bill,—sundry amendments were proposed—various difficulties were started—the committee rose, and reported progress.
Adjourned.
THURSDAY, December 8.
An engrossed bill, making appropriation for the support of government, for the year 1792, was read a third time, passed, and sent to the Senate for their concurrence.
Nine memorials were presented, from as many societies for the abolition of slavery, in the State of Rhode-Island, Connecticut, New-York, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia—referred to a select committee, consisting of Messrs. Benson, Baldwin, Dayton, W. Smith, and Larned.
The House having resolved itself into a committee of the whole, proceeded to the further consideration of the post-office bill; and, after some time spent therein, agreed to establish the main post-road as follows:
Wiscasset, Portland, Portsmouth, Exeter, Newburyport, Ipswich, Salem, Boston, Worcester, Springfield, Hartford, Middletown, New-Haven, Stratford, Fairfield, Norwalk, Stamford, New-York, Newark, Elizabeth-Town, Brunswick, Princeton, Trenton, Bristol, Philadelphia, Chester, Wilmington, Elkton, Charleston, Havre-de-Grace, Harford, Baltimore, Bladensburg, George-Town, Alexandria, Colchester, Dumfries, Frederickburg, Bowling-Green, Hanover Court-House, Richmond, Petersburg, Halifax, Tarborough, Smithfield, Fayetteville, New-Bridge, over Drowning-Creek, Cheraw Court-House, Camden, Strasburg, Columbia, Cambridge, Augusta, Savannah.
The committee then proceeded to consider the cross-posts, pointed out in the bill, agreed to some, altered others, introduced some additional ones, rose, reported progress, and asked leave to sit again.
Adjourned.

Western Intelligence.
Major-General ST. CLAIR's Letters to Major-General KNOX, Secretary of War, as communicated to both Houses of Congress, by the PRESIDENT of the UNITED STATES, on the 12th Instant.
Fort-Washington, October 6, 1791.
SIR,
I HAVE now the satisfaction to inform you that the army moved from Fort-Hamilton, the name I have given to the fort on the Miami, on the 4th, at eight in the morning, under the command of General Butler. The order of march and encampment I had regulated before, and on the 3d returned to this place, to get up the militia. They marched yesterday, and consist of but about three hundred men, as you will see by the enclosed abstract of the muster. I have reason to believe, however, that at least an equal number will be up here by the 10th. and I have left orders for their following us. The monthly return should have accompanied this letter, but it was not ready when I left camp, and has not been forwarded since. I have hitherto found it impossible to reduce the officers, commanding corps, to punctuality, with respect to their returns; but they are mending. Our numbers, after deducting the garrisons of this place and Fort-Hamilton, are about two thousand, exclusive of the militia, I trust I shall find them sufficient; and, should the rest of the militia come on, it will make the matter pretty certain. But the season is now so far advanced, that I fear the intermediate posts, which would indeed have been highly necessary, it will be impossible to establish; in that, however, I must be governed by circumstances, of which I will take care that you shall be apprized in due time. Should the enemy come to meet us, which seems to be expected, and be discomfited, there will be no difficulties; but if they expect us at the Miami villages, the business will wear another face, and the intermediate posts become more essential.
I am this moment setting out for the army, which I hope to overtake to-morrow evening, and will write to you again as soon as may be.
With great regard and respect, I have the honour to be, Sir, your very humble servant, ARTHUR ST. CLAIR.
The Honourable Major-General KNOX, Secretary of War.
Camp, 81 miles advanced of Fort-Washington, November 1, 1791.
SIR,
SINCE I had the honour to write to you, on the 21st instant, nothing very material has happened, and indeed I am at present so unwell (and have been so for some time past) that I could ill detail it, if it had happened; not that that space of time has been entirely barren of incidents, but as few of them have been of the agreeable kind, I beg you to accept a sort of journal-account of them, which will be the easiest for me.
On the 22d, the indisposition that had hung about me for some time, sometimes appeared as a bilious cholic, and sometimes as a rheumatic asthma, to my great satisfaction changed to a gout, in the left arm and hand, leaving the breast and stomach perfectly relieved, and the cough, which had been excessive, entirely gone. This day Mr. Ellis, with 60 militia from Kentucky, joined the army, and brought up a quantity of flour and beef. 23d. Two men, taken in the act of deserting to the enemy, and one for shooting another soldier and threatening to kill an officer, were hanged upon the grand-parade, the whole army being drawn out. Since the army have halted, the country around this, and ahead for fifteen miles, has been well examined; it is a country in which, had we arrived a month sooner, and with three times the number of animals, they would have been all fat now. 24th. Named the fort, Jefferson , (it lies in lat. 40° 4' 22", N.) and marched, the same Indian path serving to conduct us, about six miles, and encamped on good ground and an excellent position—a rivulet in front, and a very large prairie, which would, at the proper season, afford forage for 1000 horses, on the left. So ill this day that I had much difficulty in keeping with the army. 25th. Very hard rains last night—obliged to halt to-day, on account of provision; for, though the soldiers can be kept pretty easily in camp, under the expectation of provision arriving, they cannot bear to march in advance, and take none along with them. Received a letter from Mr. Hodgdon, by express; 13,000 lb. of flour will arrive on the 27th.—26th. A party of militia, sent to reconnoitre, fell in with 5 Indians, and suffered them to slip through their fingers; in their camp, articles to the value of twenty-two dollars were found, and divided. The Virginia battalion is melting down very fast, notwithstanding the promises of the men to the officers; 13 have been discharged by Col. Dark, to-day. 27th. Gave orders for enlisting the levies, with the condition of serving out their times in their present corps. Pyamingo arrived in camp, with his warriors: I was so unwell, could only see him and bid him welcome, but entered on no business. Considerable dissatisfaction among the levies, about their enlistments. 28th. Some cloathing sent for to Fort-Washington, for the recruits arrived, was begun to be distributed, and will have a good effect; but the enlisting the levies does not meet with the encouragement that might have been expected; it is not openly complained of by the officers, but it is certainly privately, by some of high rank, and the mea-
sure of tempting them with warm cloathing condemned. Mr. Hodgdon writes me, that he is sending forward a quantity of wollen overalls and socks by General Butler's orders: I have ordered them to be deposited at Fort-Jefferson. Some few Indians, about us, probably those the militia fell in with a day or two ago. Two of the levies were fired upon, about three miles off, one killed; two of the militia, likewise, one of them got in, and the other missing, supposed to be taken. 29th. Pyamingo and his people, accompanied by Capt. Sparks, and four good riflemen, gone on a scout; they do not propose to return under ten days, unless they sooner succeed in taking prisoners and scalps. 30th. The army moved, about 9 o'clock, and with much difficulty made seven miles, having left a considerable part of the tents by the way; the provision made by the Quarter-Master, for that purpose, was not adequate—three days flour issued to the men, to aid the horses that carried it to his arrangements; the Indian road still with us; the course, this day, N. 25 W. 31st. This morning about 60 of the militia deserted; it was at first reported that half of them had gone off, and that their design was to plunder the convoys which were upon the road: Detached the first regiment in pursuit of them, with orders to Major Hamtramck to lead a sufficient guard back with Benham, a Commissary, whenever he met with him, and follow them about 25 miles below Fort-Jefferson, or until he met the second convoy, and then return and join the army. Benham arrived last night, and to-day, Nov. 1st, the army is halted, to give the road-cutters an opportunity of getting some distance ahead, and that I might write to you. I am this day considerably recovered, and hope that it will turn out what I at first expected it would be, a friendly fit of the gout, come to relieve me from every other complaint.
Yesterday I was favoured with yours, of the 28th and 29th September, I have enclosed my communications with the old and new contractors, and their answers—My orders for the posts to them are not yet definitive, but they will be, very soon; in the mean time, I expect they are both at work.
With great respect, I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient servant, ARTHUR ST. CLAIR. The Honourable Major-General KNOX, Secretary of War.
Fort-Washington, November 9, 1791.
SIR, YESTERDAY afternoon the remains of the army under my command got back to this place, and I have now the painful task to give you an account of as warm and as unfortunate an action as almost any that has been fought—in which every corps was engaged and worsted except the first regiment, that had been detached upon a service I had the honour to inform you of in my last despatch, and had not joined me.
On the 3d inst. the army had reached a creek about twelve yards wide, running to the southward of west, (which I believe to have been the river St. Mary, which empties itself into the Miami of the lake, at the Miami village) about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, having marched near nine miles, and were immediately encamped upon a very commanding piece of ground, in two lines, having the above-mentioned creek in front. The right wing, composed of Butler's, Clarke's, and Patterson's battalions, commanded by Major-General Butler, formed the first line; and the left wing, consisting of Bedinger's and Gaither's battalions, and the second regiment, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel Darke formed the second line, with an interval between them of about seventy yards, which was all the ground would allow. The right flank was pretty well secured by the creek, a steep bank, and Faulkner's corps; some of the cavalry, and their piquets covered the left flank. The militia were thrown over the creek, and advanced about one quarter of a mile, and encamped in the same order. There were a few Indians, who appeared on the opposite side of the creek, but fled, with the utmost precipitation, on the advance of the militia. At this place, which I judged to be about fifteen miles from the Miami village, I had determined to throw up a flight work, the plan of which was concerted that evening with Major Ferguson, wherein to have deposited the men's knapsacks, and every thing else that was not of absolute necessity, and to have moved on to attack the enemy, as soon as the first regiment was come up; but they did not permit me to execute either, for on the 4th, about half an hour before sunrise, and when the men had been just dismissed from the parade (for it was a constant practice to have them all under arms a considerable time before day-light) an attack was made upon the militia—those gave way in a little time, and rushed into camp, through Major Butler's battalion, which, together with part of Clarke's, they threw into considerable disorder, and which, notwithstanding the exertions of both those officers, was never altogether remedied, the Indians following close at their heels. The fire, however, of the first line checked them, but almost instantly a very heavy attack began upon that line, and in a few minutes it was extended to the second likewise—the great weight of it was directed against the centre of each, where the artillery was placed, and from which the men were repeatedly driven with great slaughter. Finding no great effect from our fire, and confusion beginning to spread, from the great number of men, who were falling in all quarters, it became necessary to try what could be done by the bayonet. Lieutenant-Colonel Darke was accordingly ordered to make a charge, with part of the second line, and to turn the left flank of the enemy
this was executed with great spirit—the Indians gave way, and were driven back three or four hundred yards; but for want of a sufficient number of rifle-men to pursue this advantage, they soon returned, and the troops were obliged to give back in their turn—At this moment they had entered our camp, by the left flank, having pushed back the troops that were posted there. Another charge was made here, by the second regiment, Butler's, and Clarke's battalions, with equal effect, and it was repeated several times, and always with success; in all of them many men were lost, and particularly the officers, which with such raw troops, was a loss altogether irremediable.—In that I just spoke of, made by the second regiment, and Butler's battalion, Major Butler was dangerously wounded, and every officer of the second regiment fell, except three, one of whom, Mr. Greaton, was shot thro' the body. Our artillery being now silenced, and all the officers killed, except Captain Ford, who was very badly wounded, and more than half of the army fallen, being cut off from the road, it became necessary to attempt the regaining it, and to make a retreat, if possible. To this purpose the remains of the army were formed, as well as circumstances would admit, towards the right of the encampment, from which, by the way of the second line, another charge was made upon the enemy, as if with the design to turn their right flank, but, in fact, to gain the road. This was effected, and, as soon as it was open, the militia took along it, followed by the troops, Major Clarke, with his battalion, covering the rear. The retreat, in these circumstances, was, you may be sure, a very precipitate one—it was, in fact, a flight—The camp and artillery were abandoned; but this was unavoidable, for not an horse was left alive, to have drawn it off, had it otherwise been practicable: But the most disgraceful part of the business is, that the greatest part of the men threw away their arms and accoutrements, even after the pursuit, (which continued about four miles) had ceased. I found the road strewed with them, for many miles, but was not able to remedy it; for having had all my horses killed, and being mounted upon one that could not be pricked out of a walk, I could not get forward myself; and the orders I sent forward, either to halt the front, or to prevent the men from parting with their arms, were unattended to.
The route continued quite to Fort-Jefferson, twenty-nine miles, which was reached a little after sun-setting.
The action began about half an hour before sunrise, and the retreat was attempted at half an hour after nine o'clock.
I have not been able to get returns of the killed and wounded; but Major General Butler, Lieutenant-Colonel Oldham, of the militia; Major Ferguson, Major Heart, and Major Clarke, are among the former. Colonel Sargent, my Adjutant-General, Lieutenant-Colonel Darke, Lieutenant-Colonel Gibson, Major Butler, and the Viscount Malartie, who served me as an Aid, are among the latter, and a great number of Captains and Subalterns in both.
I have now, Sir, finished my melancholy tale—a tale that will be felt sensibly, by every one that has sympathy for private distress, or for public misfortune.
I have nothing, Sir, to lay to the charge of the troops, but their want of discipline; which, from the short time they had been in service, it was impossible they should have acquired, and which rendered it very difficult, when they were thrown into confusion, to reduce them again to order, and is one reason why the loss has fallen so heavy upon the officers, who did every thing in their power to effect it; neither were my own exertions wanting, but worn down with illness, and suffering under a painful disease, unable either to mount or dismount an horse, without assistance, they were not so great as they otherwise would, and, perhaps, ought to have been.—We were overpowered by numbers; but it is no more than justice to observe, that though composed of so many different species of troops, the utmost harmony prevailed through the whole army, during the campaign.
At Fort-Jefferson I found the first regiment, which had returned from the service they had been sent upon, without either overtaking the deserters, or meeting the convoys of provision. I am not certain, Sir, whether I ought to consider the absence of this regiment, from the field of action, as fortunate, or otherwise—I incline to think it was fortunate; for I very much doubt whether, had it been in the action, the fortune of the day had been turned; and if it had not, the triumph of the enemy would have been more complete, and the country would have been destitute of every means of defence.
Taking a view of the situation of our broken troops, at Fort-Jefferson, and that there were no provisions in the Fort, I called upon the Field-Officers, viz. Lieutenant-Colonel Darke, Major Hamtramck, Major Zeigler, and Major Gaither, together with the Adjutant-General, for their advice, what would be proper further to be done—and it was their unanimous opinion, that the addition of the first regiment, unbroken as it was, did not put the army on so respectable a footing as it was in the morning, because a great part of it was now unarmed—That it had been then found unequal to the enemy, and should they come on, which was probable, would be found so again—That the troops could not be thrown into the Fort, both because it was too small, and that there were no provisions in it—That provisions were known to be upon the road, at the distance of one, or at most, two marches—That, therefore, it would be proper to move, without loss of time, to meet the provisions, when the men might have the sooner an opportunity of some refreshment, and that

a proper detachment might be sent back with it, to have it safely deposited in the Fort. This advice was accepted, and the army put in motion again, at 10 o'clock, and marched all night, and the succeeding day met with a quantity of flour—part of it was distributed immediately—part taken back, to supply the army on the march to Fort-Hamilton, and the remainder (about fifty horse-loads) sent forward to Fort-Jefferson: The next day a drove of cattle was met with, for the same place, and I have information that both got in: The wounded, who had been left at that place, were ordered to be brought here by the return horses.
I have said, Sir, in the former part of this letter, that we were overpowered by numbers; of that, however, I have no other evidence but the weight of the fire, which was always a most deadly one, and generally delivered from the ground, few of the enemy shewing themselves on foot, except when they were charged; and that in a few minutes our whole camp, which extended above three hundred and fifty yards in length, was entirely surrounded, and attacked on all quarters.
The loss, Sir, the public has sustained, by the fall of so many officers, particularly General Butler and Major Ferguson, cannot be too much regretted; but it is a circumstance that will alleviate the misfortune, in some measure, that all of them fell most gallantly, doing their duty. I have had very particular obligations to many of them, as well as to the survivors, but to none more than to Colonel Sargent—he has discharged the various duties of his office with zeal, with exactness, and with intelligence, and, on all occasions, afforded me every assistance in his power; which I have also experienced from my Aid-de-Camp, Lieutenant Denny, and the Viscount Malartie, who served with me in the station as a volunteer.
With every sentiment of respect and regard, I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient servant.
ARTHUR ST. CLAIR.
The Honourable Major General Knox, Secretary of War.
P. S. Some orders that had been given to Colonel Oldham over night, and which were of much consequence, were not executed; and some very material intelligence was communicated by Captain Slough to general Butler, in the course of the night before the action, which was never imparted to me nor did I hear of it until after my arrival here.
List of the Officers killed and wounded in the battle of the 4th November, 1791.
K I L L E D.
  Major-General.  Lieutenants.    Richard Butler.  Boyd,    Lieutenant-Colonel.  M Math,    Oldham, Kentucky militia.  Borgels,     Kelso,    Majors.  Read,    Ferguson,  Little,    Clark, and  Hopper, and    Heart.  Lickens.  
  Captains,  Ensigns.    Bradford,  Cobb,    Phelen,  Balch,    Kirkwood,  Chace,    Price,  Turner,    Van Swearingen,  Wilson,    Tipton,  Brooks,    Smith,  Beatty, and    Purdy,  Purdy.    Platt,  Quarter Masters.    Guthrie,  Reynolds, and    Crombs, and  Ward.    Newman.  Adjutant.    Lieutenants.  Anderson.    Spear,  Doctor.    Warren,  Gralson.  
W O U N D E D.
  Lieutenant Colonels.  Fork,    Gibson,  Buchanan,    Darke, and  Darke, and    Sargent, Adj. Gen.  Slough.    Major.  Lieutenants.    Butler.  De Butts,    Captains.  Price,    Doyle.  Morgan,    Truman,  M'Crea,    Lyle, and  Adjutants.    Thomson.  Whistler, and    Ensign.  Crawford.    Bines.  The Viscount Malartie,    Lieutenants.  who acted as a Volun-    Greaton,  teer Aid-de-Camp.    Davidson.   
The above List was forwarded by, Quarter Master Hodgdon, at Fort-Wajington, to the Secretary of War.
PHILADELPHIA, December 15.
In several of the Eastern papers, received by Tuesday's post, appears a circumstantial account of the transactions that passed at the Sandwich-Islands, between the natives and the crew of the Snow Elinora, Capt. Medcalf, of New-York, in January, 1790. The substance of the whole narrative is comprized in the following paragraph:
In the latter end of January, 1790, the Elinora anchored in one of the Bays of Mohee, lat. 19. long. 168 E. and trade was established with the natives for such produce as the Island afforded. During the stay of the Snow in this bay, the cutter was one night stolen from the stern, together with the boat-keeper, who was on board. It was soon after discovered that the cutter had been taken to pieces by the Islanders, and the boat-keeper offered up as a sacrifice to the Gods of the Island, only his thigh bones being afterwards brought on board, which Capt. Medcalf threw into the sea, and resolved up-
on taking exemplary vengeance the first opportunity. Soon after the trade, which had been interrupted for some days, recommenced. Two hundred and twelve canoes came along-side [another account says 170 or 180] filled with men, women, and children, of all ages, imagining that no ill was intended them. Capt. Medcalf now saw a fair opportunity of making the natives pay severely for the death of the boat-keeper. In this view he ordered all his great guns to be loaded with musket-balls, langrage, nails, &c. and to be discharged at the same instant into the canoes. This dreadful order, notwithstanding the remonstrances of several of his officers, was obeyed, and many hundreds of people torn to pieces. The Snow soon after sailed from the Island, and in six weeks after, a schooner arrived there, belonging to Capt. Medcalf, the crew of which were murdered by the natives.
Extract of a letter from Cape-Francois, dated November 3.
"Matters now begin to take a better turn; the blacks are starving, and so much discouraged that we hope now to see an end to the calamities under which we have so long suffered."
Extract of another letter from Cape-Francois, of the same date.
"The day before yesterday in the morning, we took the Camp of Limbe, we killed the General, Jannot, we took alive the king and queen, Jean and Louis, and the Curate of that parish, who was at the head of the blacks—they are all three in prison, and their fate will be soon decided. We saved 31 white women that were chained for upwards of two months amongst the blacks; they were truly the picture of death when they landed here. We have lost seven men and forty three wounded. Matters begin to take a better turn; the blacks are starving and much discouraged—We hope we shall soon see an end of this melancholy affair."
Accounts from the southward inform, that the commissioners who met at Rock Landing, in Georgia, for the purpose of running the line agreeably to the treaty with the Creeks, waited till the beginning of November for the Creek Chiefs, when they despaired of being able to effect the business this season. The difficulties which prevented the Chiefs from attending, are said to be raised by the famous Bowles, who arrived in the Creek country in September last.
P E T E R S B U R G, Dec. 15.
Extract of a letter, dated Wilkes, in Georgia, from a very respectable man, of the name of Morrice Kain, dated November, 1791.
"I shall now inform you of our Indian affairs.—Our commissioners from the best accounts I can learn, met at the place appointed to cut the line, and on the day appointed Col. M Gilivray did not come in, neither will the Savages be ruled by him; and we learn at the last talk he had with them, they told him that he had sold their lands, and that he had received the money, or part thereof, therefore they would not agree to the treaty, and one of the Indians swore that all they had got was a shirt, each one, and raised into such a passion, that he threw off his shirt into the fire that was most convenient to him, and from what I am told the rest followed the same example, and so committed the whole to the flames. This conduct exasperated M Gilivray, which caused him to say, they might go to the Devil their own way—and from what I can understand he is gone to reside in the Spanish dominions, a great distance from the Creeks—what the event hereafter may be is not yet known; there is a gentleman of the name of Bowles, who hath lately arrived from England, with eight or ten thousand pounds worth of goods, come up St. Mary's river, and is now among the Creeks; he with his insinuating talk, is informing them of the great man over the water—bids them hold their lands, and not give up the three frontier counties, to wit, Franklin, Green, and Walhington, and from what I can learn, they are much taken with his sophistry, and some of the friendly Indians have warned Capt. Philips and some more to move off."
SHEPHERD'S-TOWN, December 27.
MARTINSBURG, 25th December, 1791.
Mr. N. WILLIS,
AGREEABLE to your request, this contains a short statement of the unfortunate battle fought by the troops under the command of Major-General Arthur St. Clair, with the savages on the 4th of November.—Very early in the morning, the action commenced by an attack on the militia, who immediately returned without making any defence, but having a small distance to retreat before they came to the main body, sufficient time was given the troops to be drawn up, which amounted to 1400.—In a very few minutes the action became general, and after a few very warm fires, orders were given to charge the enemy, which was done with firmness and uncommon cheerfulness, that would have done credit to any soldiers that ever lived, but not being able to support our charge, the enemy being partly round us, gave them an opportunity of flanking so severely, that little advantage was derived from the charge. During the continuance of the action, which lasted about three hours, we made two other charges, at which several times the Indians always gave way, but still availed themselves of the advantage in surrounding and flanking us; at length from necessity, we were obliged to retreat, though the word retreat was never given, but in lieu thereof charge the road were the orders. Killed in that action six hundred thirty odd. Wounded about three hundred and sixty. Col. Darke, through the whole
of the engagement and retreat, acted perfectly agreeable to that distinguished character that he supported as an officer during the last war. Officers killed that are not mentioned in the list already published, are, Willson and Reeves. Those not killed that are mentioned, Majors Clark and Brown, Lieut. Hopper, Quarter-Masters Reynolds and Ward.
Your sincere friend, &c.
J. STEPHENSON.
Copy of a letter from Captain John Rogers, to his Excellency Henry Lee, Esq. dated Road, 12 miles East of New-London, Campbell county, November 26.
"On my way from Spanish America across by land, I passed the Kentucky country, where a few days after my arrival, and three days previous to my departure from thence (which was on the 15th inst.) we received certain intelligence of the defeat of our army under the command of general St. Clair. It does not appear that the army were taken by surprise, as the centinels fired above sixty shots at the enemy before the action came on; during which time I suppose the veterans of the forest were taking their position, as it appears they had completely surrounded the army, and attacked it on all sides at day break tomahawk in hand against bayonets. They twice surrounded St. Clair's tent, being, (as he generally is) so ill with the gout, that he could not get out until he was set on horseback, and then conducted the retreat. The Indians fought the army 5 miles on their retreat; and were prevented from tomahawking the General in his tent by the vigilance of the troops who defended it. The battle was fought 30 miles from Fort Jefferson, and 15 miles from the ground on which Harmar was defeated. The remains of the army are in the above named fort, and have only 12 days provisions, the flesh of pack horses. The Indians appeared in force around the fort the next day. St. Clair passed on himself to the next fort about 60 miles from Fort Jefferson, where it is said he is waiting assistance to relieve the fort. The leading characters in Kentucky are turning out, and it was thought that a body of 1500 or 2000 horsemen would go to the relief of the army. The Mountain Leader, a Chickasaw, with a part of his nation, and a part of the first regiment, were out on command, said to have been ordered to some small town.—There is no word of them; it is generally feared they will be cut off, as they could know nothing of the defeat of the army. There was a second party of the Chickasaw nation under the great leader Colbert, on their way to join our army, but had not reached it; they will go on with the relief. There was only one Indian of that nation in this action, who it is said killed and scalped eleven of the enemy with his own hands, and engaging with the 12th, he fell greatly lamented by the Americans."
Several officers, late on the expedition under Gen. St. Clair, have returned home:—the information received from those gentlemen, nearly corresponds with what has already been published.
On Wednesday the 6th inst., the prize of ten thousand dollars, and one of two thousand dollars was drawn out of the Massachusetts lottery, both the property of that commonwealth.
Late advices from France say, that after the first day of October, 1791, no American ships, laden with tobacco were to be admitted to entry in the French ports, except upon condition of coming directly from America with clearances for France.
A late Boston news-paper mentions, that the government of Halifax have advertised for 1000 tons of shipping, to convey the Blacks from thence to the coast of Africa.
Died at Winchester, John Magill, Esq. Attorney at Law.
—In this town, Mrs. Richardson, consort of Mr. John Richardson.
This Day Published, And to be sold by the Printer hereof, [Price 11d.] AN ADDRESS TO THE CONVENTION OF THE PROTESTANT EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN V I R G I N I A. By the Right Rev. J. MADISON, D. D. Bishop of said Church.
TAKE NOTICE!
THAT ON FRIDAY, the Third of FEBRUARY next, the Managers of the Shepherd's-Town New-Church Lottery, are determined to commence drawing the same. And all those who have purchased Tickets on credit, are requested to pay for them before that day. There are still a few Tickets for sale in the hands of the Managers and others, that may be had by those who make speedy application. Shepherd's-Town, Dec. 19, 1791.
Tickets in the New-Church Lottery which is shortly to be drawn, may be had at the Printing-Office.
A few Tickets in Mr. T. White's Lottery, are for sale at the Printing-Office.

SEAT OF THE MUSES.
THE WINTER-WALK.
BY SAMUEL JOHNSON.
BEHOLD, my fair, where'er we rove, What dreary prospects round us rise; The naked hill, the leafless grove, The hoary ground the frowning skies! Nor only through the wasted plain, Stern winter is thy force confess'd; Still wider spreads thy horrid reign, I feel thy power usurp my breast. Enlivening hope and fond desire, Resign the heart to spleen and care, Scarce frighted love maintains her fire, And rupture suddens to despair. In groundless hope, and causeless fear, Unhappy man! behold thy doom, Still changing with the changeless year, The flave of sunshine and of gloom. Tir'd with vain joys, and false alarms, With mental and corporeal strife, Snatch me, my Stella, to thy arms, And screen me from the ills of life.
GALLANTRY;---A SCRAP.
By PETER PINDAR.
WHEN once a woman's handsome, smart and clever, In God's name let her bloom for ever! Ah! could I catch Time's ploughshare from his hand, Who with that safe a farmer skirts his land, Farrows so cruelly o'er the fairest face! Relentless as a Mohawk, on he goes, Cuts up the lily and the rose, Roots up each wavy curl, and bends the neck of grace. Ah! could I simply do but this, The sweetest lips would give me many a kiss.
O beauty, how thou stealest me away! Boru, thou sweet witch, thy poet to beguile! Thy fool, idolater, by night, by day, He feels a chain in every smile, Thou tyrant of my heart, let go my pen— I must, will speak to Academic men.
E P I G R A M.
ONE morn, said lovely Chloe, with a laugh, To her old man, "Here! read your epitaph." My epitaph, he! he! now I'm a bed? "Here lies old Buff, to marriage pleasures dead!"
A N E C D O T E S.
From a late Massachusetts paper.
A NEGRO was not long since transported from the Rev. Mr. R—'s parish to Carolina for sale. Mr. R—was soon after accosted by one of the African fraternity, "Massa, an't you thepherd?" "Yes, if you have a mind to call me so." "Why a d—l'en don't you take care of the BEACK shep well as WHITE."
THE celebrated Whitefield, once told a congregation, that he himself should bear witness against them, at the tribunal of heaven.—"Ah," says a sailor, "just like the Old Bailey for all the world—The greatest rogue turns King's evidence."
E X T R A C T.
THE more men can be made to think, the better; books have the tendency—But they are dear and scarce. All the lazy, and almost all the busy, neglect them, because it is a talk. Who would begin that could not or would not finish the reading one? Every body reads the Almanac—it is the poor man's library—but the lesson, though good, is too seldom taught.
A newspaper is cheap, of small bulk, and goes every where—besides, it is a treat which always creates an appetite, for curiosity is sauce to it. Add to all this, it is daily, or weekly, served—it is a kind of standing dish. A newspaper, therefore, is a valuable utensil of knowledge—it tells us facts at the minute we are curious to know them—it tells us also the opinion of the world upon them. We keep company with the absent; we are, by their means, made acquainted with strangers—we feel, in solitude, a sympathy with mankind without abstruse thinking, we receive the truths which others have hammered out. Men stick to their business, and yet the public is addressed as a town meeting. Yet the Gazettes follow us to our closets, and give us counsel there. With all this pleasure, and more than all this use, they need not cost any thing, to the public, to be made easy of circulation thro' all parts of the country.
A few copies of the letter from Miss S—A to Mrs. R. and from Mrs. R. in answer to Miss S—A, on the subject of Saint Rosa Villonzo—also, the third wife of Susannah Williams, and the wife of a lady in Bristol, may
To be sold by the Subscribers, At Public Vendue,
On MONDAY, the ninth of JANUARY next, if fair, if not, on the next fair day, at the stack-yard near the Swan-Ponds in Berkeley County, and not far from Shepherd's Town,
A large quantity of WHEAT & RYE,
In the straw. This Grain will be sold by the single stack, or altogether, as may best suit the purchaser. A small part of the purchase money will be expected on the day of sale, and time will be given, if required, for the payment of the residue, upon the purchaser's giving bonds with approved security.—Mr. Christopher Parratt, who lives near the Swan-Ponds, will shew the stack-yard to any gentlemen who are disposed to view it.
STEPHEN WEST, BENJAMIN ODEN. Prince-George County, Maryland, December 10, 1791.
TO BE SOLD, A VALUABLE PLANTATION,
Situated in Berkeley County, about three miles from Martinsburg:—It contains 130 acres of as good land as any in that part of country, and well improved; 53 acres of the land is now seeded in grain, 12 of which are in wheat, and fit for meadow. There are on the premises two good Dwelling-Houses, a barn, stable, and other out-houses, an excellent well of water, which never failed, and many other advantages which are here unnecessary to mention. For further particulars, apply to WILLIAM CRAG-HILL, or the Printer hereof.
December 18, 1791.
At a Court of Quarter Sessions, held for Berkeley County, on the third Tuesday in August, 1791.
Leonard Davis, Compt. against William Worthington and Nancy his wife, and Sarah Wilson, Defts. In Chancery.
THE Defendants not having entered their appearance agreeable to an Act of Assembly, and according to the rules of this Court, and it appearing to the satisfaction of the Court that they are no inhabitants of this County, on the motion to the Complainant, by his Council, Ordered, That the said Defendants do appear here on the third Tuesday in November next, to answer the bill of the Complainant, and that a copy of this order be forthwith inserted in the Virginia Gazette for two months successively, and published at the Church in the Parish of Norborne, in the County aforesaid, on some Sunday after divine service, and also at the Court-House door of the said County.
A copy. Teste, MOSES HUNTER, C.B.C.
THE SUBSCRIBER Begs leave to inform his friends and the Public in general, That he carries on the
Copper and Tin BUSINESS,
In Shepherd's Town, where those who choose to favour him with their custom, may depend on being duly attended, and their commands gratefully acknowledged. Those that have favoured him with employment, he returns the most sincere thanks.
All sorts of Kitchen Furniture are tin'd and repair'd in the neatest manner and on the most reasonable terms, by their humble servant,
JOHN WATERS.
N. B. Old Copper, Brass, Pewter and Lead, bought or exchanged. November 21, 1791.
WHEREAS Elizabeth Franceway, the wife of me the Subscriber, eloped from my bed and board on the evening of the 20th instant, without any just cause on my part—this is to forewarn all and every person from paying any money to her on my account, or trusting or dealing with her in any manner whatever, as I will pay no debt of her contracting, after this date.
JOSEPH FRANCEWAY. Berkeley County, November 21, 1791.
WANTED, One or two JOURNEYMEN Shoe-Makers,
To whom good wages and steady employ will be given. Inquire of the Printer.
To be SOLD, or LET, and entered upon immediately, A Merchant-Mill,
Known by the name of Hite & Gibbs's Mill, situate eight miles from Winchester, near the road leading to Shepherd's Town. For terms, apply to Mr. James Gibbs, at the Clerk's office, Winchester, to Mrs. Gibbs, on the premises, or to
ALEXANDER WHITE. Woodville, October 1, 1791.
A Mill for sale.
BY Virtue of a Decree of the Court of BERKELEY County, and State of VIRGINIA, will be exposed to sale by PUBLIC VENDUE, upon the first day of February next, if fair, if not the next fair day, a MERCHANT-MILL, with the Lot, Premises, and Buildings thereunto belonging, late the property of HENRY COOKCUS, deceased, and now in the possession of CHRISTIAN ORENDORFF.
Also, the Stone Dwelling-House, and Ground-Rents of the said estate, late of the said COOKCUS, deceased, all situate in Shepherd's Town, in the County and State aforesaid.
The terms of sale will be, one third part of the purchase money to be paid in twelve months from the day of sale, one other third part within two years after the day of sale, and the remaining third part within three years after the day of sale.
By order of the Court.
JOHN KEARSLEY, } Trustees. HENRY BEDINGER. } BERKELEY COUNTY, July 25, 1791. 6m.
WHEREAS the Subscriber some time since, gave a Bond to FRANCIS HARVEY, for one hundred pounds, bearing date in February, one thousand seven hundred and seventy-nine;—as the said Harvey is absent, and as I have a full receipt against said Bond, I hereby forewarn all persons from taking an assignment thereof, as I shall not be answerable therefor in any manner whatever.
WILLIAM LEMEN. November 26, 1791.
To the Gentlemen of SHEPHERD'S-TOWN, and in vicinity.
A SUBSCRIPTION is left open to purchasers of Lots in the Town of Woodstock, in the hands of the Printer hereof; and as sundry Gentlemen in this Town have already purchased Lots there, any person wishing to purchase can be informed by them of the terms on which they are sold. Their favours in so doing, will be gratefully acknowledged, and subscriptions diligently attended to, by their humble servant,
JOHN HOPWOOD. Shepherd's Town, November 25, 1791.
TAKEN up by the Subscriber, living near Shepherd's Town, on the river, a few days ago, a small brown HORSE, about 12 1/2 hands high, five years old next spring, no brand nor mark; he has been posted according to law, and appraised at forty shillings. The owner may have him again by proving his property, and paying charges.
JOHN BARNES. December 3, 1791.
Wanted immediately, A GOOD
Journeyman Taylor
To whom 3s. Pennsylvania currency, per job, will be given, and constant employ.
GEORGE TILLEY. Martinsburg, Nov. 19, 1791.
ALL Persons who are indebted to the estate of JOHN FISHER, deceased, are desired to come in immediately and make payment, otherwise they may expect the law will be put in force against them. Those who have just claims against the said estate are also desired to bring in their accounts to have them settled.
MARY FISHER. Berkeley County, November 10, 1791.
FOR SALE,
By the Printer hereof, Blank Deeds of Bargain and Sale, Lawyers Declarations of every Kind, Common Bonds.