Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-01-12

T tudl the general Wao 4 IeupiJho4 VI 49,
holiness.
"But il Is time to proceed to matters
more important. Having thus destroyed
the whole English army, nothing remained
/ but that we should prevent the snlps from
escaping or burning the town. FOR tnls
purpose we had prepared by the oirectlon
OF Or. Franklin, number OF vessels one
for each ship, constructed on the same
principles with that of the phllosophlc
MIR. Day. in which persons could work at
/ their ease under water. They were ready
bv the dusk Of the evening, and being
properly manned, and supplied with the
necessary implements, were Immediately
| launched, fastened with strong cables to
/ their several RATS, with capstan, by
working which they might ascend or de-
scend at pleasure, and were sunk to such
depth as that they might
be CARED down TO the ships
by the force of the subaqueOus
tide, the utility OF which our sailors had
often experienced, when towing III hogs-
heads Of gin under water TO elude the OPP
pressive officers of the customs.
II cannot better give you anaccount OF
this expedition than in the WORDS Oh
Capt. Springs, who commanded the YES
sells whicn blew upthe AdmiraPs SNIP
about $ o'clock. with ten men en-
closed, put of ia nay vessel. Inc upper
tide was strong against Us, so that the
lower current carried us but SLOWLY
along. We were all very cheerful, ana
found no di agreeable sensation except
iOul smell as OF putrid bilge water, from
which we relieved ourselves with dram
J steered my vessel 50 as 10 fall athWart
the AdmraPs atem. Here we nXed, ana
/ having taken some Jars OF oil when hung
/ on our sides, the water became smooNh'
and we could see every object around US
/ distinctly. We worked at our capstan,
and hoisted The vessel up under the stem
/ Of the ship. We began then TO pierce ner
/ beside the keelson. directly under the
makAzIne. with instruments worked by a
] curious machine invented for this service.
/ BY this time Tom Dawes, an intrepid
sailor who had been pressed on board the
I ship, IN cOntederHcy with us, had lam
/ train OF powder from the place at Whlch
be heard us boring (having watched for
/ that purpOse) to the pOWder-room' sllu
gently along the forecnains, and diving
down to The side Of our boat, gave stroke
against 1t as signal that all was ready,
/ and then rising swan as fast as he could
| to the shore. We had now worked for an
hour. and finding no further resistance IN
trOduced a conductor through the aper-
ture and made an heavy discharge OF
! electrical fire. it is impossible 10 de-
scrIbed the scene that ensued. We were
struck TO a prodigous distance and two
OF our men dashed to pieces by the
| shOck The noise was louder than the
| most violent thunder. The sea seemed 70
be on fire, and from the explosions which
we repeatedly heard was apprised OF
what we afterward learned, that our com
panions had with equal success destroyed
the other ships. Soon as we recovered
from our astOnishment l ordered the
weights to be dropped from
the bottom OF our vessel i'm
mediately mounted to the surface. We
then uncovered the patches, and, coed
heaven, what a spectacle was before us J
| Boston barbOr one scene OF blood and
frel The Admiral, his lady, officers aud
all the crew, with the commanders and
crew Of every ship in port, perished on
| this glorious night. We were welcomed
on our landing by the huz1as OF our ap-
/ plauding cOuntrymen. DR.. Chaun0y, IN
particular, threw his arms around my
neck and kissed me. This Is true ac-
count. and from your humble servant,
Andrew Spring."
The narrative goes on:
'.The next morning the most delicious
prospect RECALLED our eyes: If we turned
| them to Boston or the Neck, we found
| every place strewed with the carcasses OF
cur enemies; if to the harbOT, we saw the
water covered with the wrecks OF their
proud navy. The shock given to the water
DV the explosion was prOdigiOus,
tor Col. Pringle informed me that 10000
I maCkerel and 10000 tOmcOd were seen
floating dead IN the river the next morn
ing.
"Thus, in one day, Great Britain has
| found how little able her arms and feet
are TO withstand the courage and ingenui-
| " Of New England.
''lf the ministry think this is not de-
cisiye, let them send over 1000 men and
| as many ships as they can spare, and
q. -feD - n
| their predecessors
81 forgot to tell you, il is believed here
that the pretender IS among the dead, as
| Gen. Lee, who says be saw him in Ger
many, pointed him out in the beginning OF
the engagement among the Mercenaries
in the dress of a common soldier. We
lost about 60 men, the greater part Of
which fell from the fire of the enemy,
when Gen. Putnam desired them to
halt that he might take Gen. Howe pris.
oner.
LAS soon as you have read this letter
transmit TO Lords Oh and C--m, and
MIR. VS.. Twill revive their
spirits, and their prophecies have won
deriully forwarded their own compile
ton.
II have sent YOU some names and the
outlines of atlidavits, which, il this ac-
count should be disputed, you may nil NJ
AS YOU shall find convenient. From
your most humble servant,
"PHILIP PRoGG,"
Captain of the Sixth Regiment OF Pen
nsylYania Rlfemen."
The foregoing document was saved from
destruction by the meresJ accident. IL
was sewn up into the form Of a bag, and
on the margin there was inscribed, "Best
large long-neck squash seed" Picking
out the threads, 1 brought 10 light the
mssiVe that probably amused our great
grandfathers as much as it did the Tory
by whom il was evidently written.
CHAMPLIN.
We believe there is no doubt that the
true date OF this narrative IS that which
il bears, and in that case the condition of
the electrical art implied in the account
of the naval warfare and the curious pro-
phecy. SO 20 speak, or fOreshadowing, oil
the Washington Lee incident at Mon.
mouth became interesting. In answer "a
inquiry touching the date, the cOFrespOn.
dent who has favored as with the copy OF
the buriesque says:
"The Newport AercurV was discontinue
ed Dec. >, 1916. The New.
port Ga-ette, (British) appeared
Jan. 10, l7I5, ana continued up TO
Jan. 10, ITS. This paper very heavy
would not be likely to refer in any way 10
the burlesque. The dies OF the HercUru
fur l7Tb-16 are very imperfect. When the
notification OF the .hcrcurB was resumed
4