Budge barrels, 2. Wadhooks, thirty-two-pounder; 1 fix- fix-pounder; a four-pounders. Traverfing handfspike, 1. Intrenching-tools, 30. Boxes with ball-cartridges, 9. JAMES PATTISON, Brig.- Extract of a letter from General Sir William THE laft accounts I have received from Rhode island mention a defcent which the enemy threatened upon that place about the 30th of October, and of confiderable preparations they had made with that defign; but the difpofition of the Admiral and Maj.-Gen. Pigot to oppofe them, together with the spirited behaviour of the inhabitants, who affociated for the defence of Newport, induced them to defift and separate." "Bofton, Dec. 10. Advices from Philadelphia mention the fituation of affairs in that quarter to be as follows. SAMUEL CLEVELAND, Brigadier-General commanding the Royal Artillery. Return of the artillery and military fores found in the fort of Red bank, Nov. 22. 1777. 6 eighteen pounders, I unferviceable; 3 eighteen-pounders mounted on truck-carriages, 2 unferviceable; 2 fix-pounders mount ed on ditto, fpiked and unferviceable; 1 four pounder mounted on ditto, unferviceable; four pounder mounted on ditto, with elevating ferew, fpiked; 3 four-pounders mounted on ditto, fpiked; threeThe different redoubts are about one pounder mounted on ditto, fpiked and unferviceable; howitzer-fwivels; 4 howitzer hundred yards diftant from each other. ditto, carried off by a naval captain; 3 fwi- Between them there are abatis of trees vels; I travelling-carriage for eighteen- cut down, the roots towards the city, pounders; 5 truck carriages for ditto; tra- the branches pointed outwards. velling cauisge for nine-pounders; 4 ditto for fix-pounders; 3 limbers for ditto. SHOT. Round. 506 twenty-four pounders; 818 eighteen-pounders; 156 twelve pounders; 51 nine pounders; 23 fix-pounders; 1301 four peut ders; 173 thice pounders; 20 onepounders; 32 halt pounders. Barr. 7 twenty four-pounders; 25 twelvepounders; so nine-pounders; 65 threepounders. Grape quilted. 14 twelve-pounders; 54 fix-pounders; 28 four-pounders. Grape in bags, 24. Howe's lines are on the north fide of the city; they begin at the one-mile ftone, extend over a ftone bridge at the upper end of Second street, on the cityfide of Mafter's-mill, as far as to the feat of Mr Morris on the Schuylkill. Howe's troops are encamped on the common. A few are left in the town. Piquets of Heffians are ftationed along the city- fide of the Schuylkill. Our piquets are on this fide in view of the ene pofts of the enemy. The latter have feveral times been driven into their lines. Our troops have occafionally advanced as far as Kenfington, and parts adjacent. Howe is confined to the city, and the neck of land formed by the Schuylkill and Delawar. The utmost extent of ground which Howe occupies does not exceed feven miles. Gen. Washington is strongly entrenched. He has feveral regiments of light horse. A company of riflemen is incorporated with each regiment of infantry. His Excellency is in perfect health, and our troops are in high fpirits. They wait for an attack. The brave Brig - Gen. Arnold has joined Gen. Washington. As foon as he reached the camp, he was welcomed with the loudeft acclamations. Since the enemy entered Philadelphia, the inhabitants have been forced to live on the worst kind of provisions. No flour is to be had at any price. Potatoes ferve inftead of bread. All the cattle have been removed from the Neck. Very few were left in the city. Mutton from three to four fhillings English per pound. Beef from four to five fhillings. Not enough of wood to fupply the inhabitants: Howe has offered four guineas a cord. It was formerly fold for twelve fhillings. Mrs Penn, the late Goverhor's wife, has fent in fome cords of wood from her own eftate to fupply the poor. The enemy have demolished all the fences within two miles of the city. From Duberry's place, which is on the Wiffahicon road, to Mr Watfon's, the whole is laid wafte. All the houfes within the enemy's lines have been destroyed. A fmall party of our troops were furprifed in Mr Dickenson's house, and were every foul put to the bayonet after they furrendered. The Congrefs are to reniain at Yorktown." Bofton gazette. From the London gazette, Jan. 20. "Whitehall, Jan. 18. The following letter from the Hon. Gen. Sir William Howe to Lord George Germaine, one of his Majefty's principal fecretaries of ftate, was this morning received by the Earl Cornwallis, who arrived from Philadelphia in the Brilliant armed fhip. "Philadelphia, Dec. 13. 1777. My LORD, LORD Cornwallis having applied for leave of abfence to attend his private bufinefs in Europe, I take this opportunity of fending my difpatches by his Lordship in the Brilliant armed fhip. Since my laft, the enemy being joined by upwards of 4coò men, with cannon, from the northern army, affembled their whole force in a strong camp at Whitemarth, covered in part by Sandy Run, fourteen miles diftant from hence, with their right to Wiffahichon creek. Upon a prefumption, that a forward move might tempt the enemy, after receiving fuch reinforcement, to give battle for the recovery of this place, or that a vulnerable part might be found to admit of an attack upon their camp, the army marched on the night of the 4th inftant, the van commanded by Lt-Gen. Earl Cornwallis, the main body by LtGen. Knyphaufen, and on the next morning took poft upon Chefnut hill, in front of the enemy's right. The enemy foon after detached a corps of 1000 men to attack the light infantry pofted in front under the command of Lt-Col. Abercromby; the confequence of which was, that upon the firft onfet of the 2d batta. lion of light infantry, and part of the 1ft, they were inftantly defeated, with the lofs of between thirty and forty men killed and wounded, and a brigadier made prisoner. Not judging it advisable to attack the enemy's right, the army, having remained in the fame polition during the 6th, marched at one o'clock in the morning of the 7th, the van and main body commanded as before, to take poft on Edge hill, one mile diftant from the enemy's left. A corps of 1000 men, compofed of riflemen and other troops from the cncmy's northern army, were found by the vanguard posted on this hill with cannon. Ld Cornwallis immediately attacked with the 1ft light infantry, fupported by the 33d regiment, and defeated this body, with a confiderable lofs of officers and men, their cannon narrowly escaping. The thickness of the wood where the rebels were pofted, concealing them from the view of the light infantry, occafioned the lofs of one officer killed, three wounded, and between twenty and thirty men killed and wounded, from their firft fire. Maj. Gen. Grey with his brigade, light infantry of the guards, Queen's Rangers, Heffian and Anfpach chaifeurs, took poft upon the left, in front of the enemy's enemy's centre. A detachment to harass this corps was immediately routed by the general's advanced guard, compofed of his light troops, with a lois to the enemy of fifty men killed and wounded. Your Lordship will fee, by the inclofed return, the lofs fuftained by the King's troops in the above-mentioned attacks. The enemy's camp being as ftrong on their centre and left, as upon the right; their feeming determination to hold this pofition; and unwilling to expofe the troops longer to the weather in this inclement feafon, without tents or baggage of any kind for officers or men, Ireturned on the 8th to this place. - The rearguard, under the command of Ld Cornwallis, quitted Edge hill on the right, about four o'clock in the afternoon, without the fmalleft appearance of the enemy; and Maj. Gen. Grey retiring from his poft at the fame time without the leaft moleftation, the army arrived in this camp at nine o' clock in the evening. On the 11th at day-break Ld Cornwallis, with Maj.-Gen. Grant under his command, paffed the Schuylkill with a ftrong corps. and the waggons of the army, to collect forage for the winter-fup ply, which his Lordship accomplished, and returned yesterday evening. The enemy having quitted their camp at White Marih fome hours before Ld Cornwallis marched from hence, his Lordfhip met the head of their army at a bridge they had thrown over the Schuylkill near to Matfon's ford, about three miles below Swedes ford, and fifteen miles diftant from hence. Over this bridge the enemy had paffed 800 men; who were immediately difperfed by his Lordship's advanced troops, obliging part of them to recrofs it; which occafioned fuch an alarm to their army, that they broke the bridge; and his Lordship proceeded to forage without meeting with any interruption. The enemy's intention feems to be, to take their winter quarters at Carlifle, York, and Lancaster, and probably they may have a corps at Reading, and another at Purlington in Jerfey. The 71st regiment and regiment of Mirbach are immediately to imbark, to feinforce Sir Henry Clinton at New York, upon his reprefentation of a want of troops for the defence of that poft; and I propofe to put the army immediately into winter quarters in this town, where there is fufficient room. Maj. Gen. Daniel Jones is arrived at New York, and orders will be sent to him to join this part of the army. With the most perfect refpect, I have the honour to be, &c. W. HOWE." "New York, Dec. 15. Several gentlemen who left Philadelphia in the last fleet, intimate, that about the beginning of last month, the Congrefs, confidering the melancholy fituation of their affairs, fummoned all the members to attend, which was complied with by all except two or three. When they entered on bufinefs, a motion was made, "Whether it would be most proper to adhere to their declaration of independence, or refcind it, and open a treaty with his Majefty's Commiffioners." The debate lafted three days, and was supported with great vehemence on both fides. On a divifion of the members, for and against independence, the numbers were equal : however, the factious party, dreading a total annihilation of their importance, fent for one of the abfentees, who voted in their favour. Immediately after the above refolve paffed, Mr Morris refigned his feat; Mr Harrison fet out, in difguft, for Virginia; and Mr John Hancock went off for Boston." "In Congrefs, Oct. 14. 1777. Whereas the British nation have received into their ports, and condemned as lawful prize, feveral veffels, and their cargoes, belonging to thefe States, which the mafters and mariners, in breach of the truft and confidence repofed in them, have betrayed, and delivered to the officers of the British crown; [39. 451.] Refolved, therefore, That any veffel or cargo, the property of any British fubject, not an inhabitant of Bermuda, or any of the Bahama islands, brought into any of the ports or harbours of any of thefe United States, by the masters or mariners, fhall be judged lawful prize, and divided among the captors, in the fame proportion as if taken by any Continental veffel of war.—Extract from the minutes, CHARLES THOMPSON, Sec." A PROCLAMATION. "WHEREAS complaints have been made, that many of the inhabitants in and near Philadelphia have been injured in their property by diforderly persons, and that the depredations complained of are encouraged by citizens purchafing from the foldiers and others what is thus unwarrantably unwarrantably taken from their neighbours, to the prejudice of regularity and good difcipline among the troops, and the great diftrefs of the inhabitants, to whom the fulleft protection is intended: I do therefore hereby declare, that the moft exemplary punishment fhall be inflicted on all perfons whatsoever, who fhall be found guilty of taking the property of others unwarrantably, of expofing the fame to fale, or of purchafing what may be so offered by soldiers in particular, or by any other perfons, who are ftrangers in this city, or of fufpicious --- A writer in an American paper gives the following account of the aims and views of the different parties in Philadelphia, which probably may be the fame in the other colonies.One party confifts of the friends of a late General Convention, who have pretended to frame an entire new government for the colony. The leading principles of this new government are an almoft formal abolition of the Chriftian religion, and, of confequence, a wide opening left for Latitudinarians of all forts, of the worst and moft dangerous principles [39. 120.]. The fecond party confifts of thole who, it would feem, have little chance of being elected into this fovereign affembly of the ftate; and therefore oppofe the new form, under pretence of favouring the old, and getting their former aflemblies eftablished, with fome trifling va riation.-A third party is for throwing all power into the hands of the Congrefs, and for rendering them altogether abfolute over all the colonies, without law or compact to guide or reftrain them, making them even ultimately judges, by way of appeal, in all matters that arife internally in the feveral colonies.-The fourth party is made up of those who would have wifhed to have continued under their old form of government, under which their lives and properties were fecure, and their trade free. These are tired of the tarring, gouging, mobbing, profcribing principles of the patriots among them, and rather wish to pay a trifle to fupport the government which liberally protected them, and under whose wings they were free, and grew daily in wealth, than having their lives and properties lying continually at the mercy of a cruel mob. - Johnston, the Maryland delegate, who feems to be one of the moft fenfible men in Congress, in his intercepted letter to Otis, acknowledges, that whenever they should come to make the difpute a national quarrel with Britain, by throwing off their dependency, every honeft man in Britain who wished them well before, muft, of neceflity, in his own defence, become their bitter enemy. From Rivington's New-York gazette, Dec. 6. A letter from Lt-Gen. Burgoyne to Gen. Howe, brought by Lieut. Valancy, of the 62d. "SIR, Albany, Oct. 20. 1777. IN conformity to my orders, to proceed by the most vigorous exertions to Albany, I paffed the Hudson's river at Saratoga, on the 13th of September. No exertions have been left untried. The army under my command has fought twice under great fuperiority of numbers. The first action was on the 19th of September, when, after four hours farp conflict, we remained mafters of the field of battle. The fecond action (on the 7th of October) was not fo fuccefsful, and ended with a form upon two parts of our entrenchments; one defended by Lt-Col. Breymen, who was killed on the fpot, and the poft was loft; the other defended by Lord Balcarras, at the head of the British light infantry, who repalfed the enemy with great lofs. The army afterwards made good their retreat to the heights of Saratoga, unable to proceed further, the enemy having purfeffion of all the fords and the paffes on the eaft fide of Hudfon's river. [39.653,4] The army there waited the chance of events, and offered themselves to the attack of the enemy till the 13th inft. when only three days provifion, at thoit allowance, remained. At that time, the lat hope of timely affiftance being exhaufted, my numbers reduced by palè actions to 3500 fighting men, of which about 1900 alone were British; invefted by the enemy's troops to the amount of about 16,000 men, I was induced, by the general concurrence and advice of the the generals, field-officers, and captains commanding corps, to open a treaty with Maj. Gen. Gates. Your Excellency will obferve, by the papers tranfmitted herewith, the difagreeable prospect that attended the firft overtures. The army determined to die to a man, rather than fubmit to terms repugnant to national and perfonal honour. I truft you will think the treaty inclofed confiftent with both [39.658-663.] I am, with the greatest refpect and attachment, Sir, your moft obedient, and most humble fervant, J. BURGOYNE." By refolves of the general affembly of Maffachufet's-bay, the troops under Gen. Burgoyne [39.660.] were appointed to be quartered in the barracks on Prospect and Winter hills, and fuch others as a committee of both houfes fhould judge moft safe, retired, and eafy guarded; fuitable houfes to be obtained for the general officers, and proper rooms for the other officers of rank; the foreign troops to be kept feparate from the British as far as practicable; both officers and foldiers to be prevented from entering the town of Bofton, &c. "New York, Nov. 3. The following is the best account we have been able to obtain of the damage done to the rebels in the late expedition up the North river, between Fort Vaughan and Red hook. [39.640.] Oct. 15. Three floops taken in attempting to escape from Fifh-kills, and two pettyaugers deftroyed. The house, mills, out-houfes, and a floop belonging to Col. Francis Stoutenburgh, at Crum Elbow, burnt. Two floops on the caft fide burnt that evening. Od. 16. Set fire to two brigs and a number of floops in Efopus creek, burnt the houses at the landing, the town of Kingston, confifting of between 200 and 300 houfes, not one of which, except Mr Lefferts's, efcaped the flames. 08. 17. The houfe, ftorchoufe, barn, &c. of Mr Petrus Ten Broeck, a rebelgeneral; the house, barn, and out-houfes of Rob. Gilbert Livingston, jun. Efq; and a house and mill belonging to Robert Livingfton, Efq; on the eaft fide of the river, burnt. Ott. 18. Another house belonging to Rob. Livingston, with three others, dehoyed in like manner. 08. 22. Two houfes, one the proper. ty of Mr Smith, on the eaft fide, a floop and barn, likewife two houses, with their appendages, on the west fide, were burnt. Oct. 23. A floop was burnt on the ftocks. In the town of Kingston, a large quantity of powder, and a large number of fire-arma, together with many valuable ftores, were deftroyed. Saturday fe'ennight the bridge laid over the Clove, between the Forts Montgomery and Clinton, was destroyed; and the troops, after demolishing the latter, embarked on board the transports, and arrived here the next evening. The Hotham tender, commanded by Capt. Chriftopher Hele, being stationed near Pollepel's ifland, whilft the fleet were up the North river, to prevent the rebels finking a number of chevaux de frize, prepared to obftruct their return on the 19th inft. obferved two large boats, full of armed men, coming off with an intention to surprise the veffel. In order to give the gentry a warm falutation, he masked the guns, and made the veffel appear in a defenceless fituation till within his reach, when on a fudden discovering his guns, gave the contents with fuch fuccefs, as made it difficult for them to reach the shore. Early in the morning of the 24th Capt. Hele fent his boat's crew on fhore a little below Tarry-town, and destroyed two pettyaugers, which rowed ten oars each, and a boat of fmaller fize. Another account from Efopus informs. us, that on the landing of Gen. Vaughan with the troops under his command, the rebels, without the leaft profpect of advantage to themselves, fired upon them from a breaftwork juft thrown up, and. which they did not ftay to defend. This, joined to an infolent and provoking behaviour, occafioned the army to march up, and fet fire to the town, which was prefently entirely confumed. There were deftroyed 326 houfes, with a barn to almost every one of them, filled with flour, befides grain of all kinds, much valuable furniture and effects, which the royal army difdained to take with them. Twelve thoufand barrels of four were burnt, and they took at the town four pieces of cannon, with ten more upon the river, with 1150 ftand of arms, and a large quan tity of powder was blown up. The whole fervice was effected, and the troops re embarked in three hours." PAR |