revolt of America, of our earneft defire to preserve your Majefty's fovereignty entire over every part of the British dominions, and of our determined refolution to fupport the juft rights of your crown to the utmoft extent of our power; [37.581.]

Being now alarmed with the continuance of that unnatural revolt, beg leave to approach your Majefty's throne with repeated affurances of the difpofitions which we formerly expreffed, and with our humble requeft, that your Majefty would be graciously pleafed to allow us to levy for your Majefty's fervice a regiment of 1000 men, to be employed where your Majefty fhall be pleafed to command, and to be named, with your Majefty's permiffion, THE EDINBURGH VOLUN

TEERS.

The liberal fubfcriptions of the citizens of your ancient metropolis of Scotland enable us to make this small offer of our duty without any expence to the revenue; and the fpirit of loyalty which prevails amongst us gives us every reafon to hope, that the levies, for which we prefume to afk your Majefty's permiflion, will be speedily completed.

That your Majesty's reign may be long and profperous, is the conftant and ardent wish of,

May it please your Majefty, Your Majefty's moft dutiful and loyal fubjects,

The Lord Provoft, Magiftrates, and Town-Council, of your city of Edinburgh,

JOHN DALRYMPLE, Provoft." The officers were appointed on the humble recommendation of the Lord Provoft, Magistrates, and Town-council; of whom the field-officers are, Sir Wil. liam Erskine Colonel, Major Thomas Dundas, Lieutenant-Colonel, and Capts Gordon of Ellon and Sir James Murray, Majors. The King honoured this corps with the title of The Royal Edinburgh Vo

lunteers.

Leith and Canongate opened each a fubfcription for affifting to raife the Edinburgh regiment; the former to raise a whole company.

In the beginning of January, the Magiftrates of Aberdeen opened a fubfcription, and in name of the community, fubfcribed 500 guineas, towards raifing a corps to be called The Abe deen Volan tees, the Incorporations fubfcribed 4001,

the Advocates 100 guineas, the Dyers 20 guineas, the Gardeners 15 guineas, the Masons of St Nicholas lodge 15 1. and many citizens fubscribed liberally.

The borough of Montrofe opened a fubfcription for ftrengthening the hands of government, authorifed the Provoft to fubfcribe 100 guineas in name of the community for that purpofe, and lodged a fubfcription-paper at the Town-hall for the inhabitants to subscribe.

Many towns, &c. affifted in promoting the recruiting-fervice, by offering bounties to perfons refiding within their limits, fome limited as to time, and as to certain officers with whom to inlift, viz. Muflelburgh, Air, and Dunbar, offered each five guineas a-man for the land or fea fervice; the town-council of Dunfermline, two guineas, and the free mafons of that borough one guinea, to every man who fhould inlift for the Argyleshire Highlanders, with Lieutenant John Stewart, fon of Major Charles Stuart of the 63d; Perth, two guineas a-man for the Athol Highlanders till 200 guineas be expended; Falkland and Dunkeld, two guineas a man each for the Athol Highlanders; Stirling, two guineas a-man for Lt-Col. Campbell of Barbreck's Highlanders, in Capt. Campbell junior of Ardkinglafs's company; Auchtermuchty, three guineas a-man for the Athol Highlanders, in Lieut. George Freer younger of Innernethy's company; Greenock, two guineas a-man for the Athol Highlanders, in the company of Lord Cathcart, or that of his brother Mr Charles; St Andrew's, the town council two guineas, the guildry one guinea, and the trades one guinea, a man, for the Athol Highlanders, to inlift with Mr William Gillespie, fon of Dr Gillefpie minifter in that city; Burntifland, five guineas a-man, for the Duke of Hamilton's regiment, (the first fubject of Scotland, and who is himfe:f to ferve as a captain), this bounty to be given wherefoever the volunteer may happen to refide, and continued till no tice be given of its being withdrawn; Rutherglen, fix guineas a man, for the Duke of Hamilton's regiment, the bo rough to name the company in which they fhall ferve; Alloa, the town two guineas, and the mafon-lodge three gui neas, a-man, for the Athol Highlanders, in the company of Lord Cathcart, that of his brother Mr Charles; and others, to be afterwards mentioned.

MAR

FROM a variety of difficulties attending the conftruction of additional batteries in a morafs, against the fort upon Mud-ifland, and in the transportation of the guns and ftores, they were not open ed against the enemy's defences until the 10th inftant. On the 15th the wind proving fair, the Vigilant armed fhip, carrying fixteen twenty-four pounders, and a hulk, with three twenty four pounders, got up to the fort through the channel between Province and Hog iflands. Thefe, affifted by feveral fhips of war in the eastern channel, as well as by the batteries on fhore, did fuch execution upon the fort, and collateral blockhouses, that the enemy, dreading an impending affault, evacuated the island in the night between the 15th and 16th; and it was poffeffed on the 16th, at daybreak, by the grenadiers of the guards. Much commendation is due to Brig. Gen. Cleaveland, to the officers and men of the corps of artillery, and to the troops in general employed upon this fervice, attended with great fatigue.

The enemy's fire upon the fhips of war, the Vigilant and bulk, from two floating-batteries, feventeen gallies and armed veffels, and from a battery on the Jerfey fhore, was exceedingly heavy; but the gallantry difplayed by the naval commanders, their officers and feamen, on this occafion, fruftrated all their efforts, and contributed principally to the reduction of the enemy's works. Permit me at the fame time to report to your Lordship, that the perfeverance of the officers and feamen employed in bringing up ftores from the fleet, under the conduct of Capt. Duncan of the Eagle, demand my higheft acknowledgements; and that the fervices they rendered were moft effential, and borne with the utmost cheerfulness.

I have the honour to inclose a return, No 1. of the cannon and ftores found in the fort. The enemy's lofs during the flege is computed to have been 400 killed

On the 18th at night Lord Cornwallis marched with a corps from camp, and paffed the Delaware on the 19th from Chefter to Billing's fort, where he was joined by Maj. Gen. Sir Thomas Wilfon, with a corps that arrived a few days before from New York under his command, having with him Brig. Gen3 Leflie and Pattifon.

As foon as the neceffary preparations were made, his Lordship pursued his march to attack the enemy entrenched at Red-bank. Upon his approach the rebels evacuated the poft, and retired to Mount Holly, where they joined a corps of obfervation, detached from the main army of the rebels, encamped at White Marth.

The in

His Lordship found in the enemy's works, cannon, ammunition, and ftores, as per return, NO 2. trenchment being demolished, his corps returned by Gloucester on the 27th, and joined the army in this camp.

The enemy's fhipping having no longer any protection, and not finding it advifeable to attempt the paffage of the river, the channel being commanded by the batteries of the town, and the Delaware frigate, they were quitted, without being difmantled, and burnt on the night between the 20th and 21ft; but the gallies of a smaller draught of water, by keeping clofe along the Jerfey fhore, efcaped from the great breadth of the river.

A forward movement against the enemy will immediately take place, and I hope will be attended with the fuccefs that is due to the fpirit and activity of his Majefty's troops.

The paffage of the river, by the reduction of the two places aforementioned, has been fufficiently opened to bring up frigates and tranfports; but the removal of the chevaux de frife is poftponed to a more favourable feason.

Maj. Gen. Sir Thomas Spencer Wil fon having reprefented the very critical fituation of his private concerns in England, has my leave to return, and has taken charge of my dispatches to your Lordship, by the Eagle packet.

With the moft perfect refpect, I have the honour to be, &c.

W. HOWE." "Return of ordnance and ftores found in MudB 2 illand

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 several 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 spirits. 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 provifions. No flour is to be had at any price. Potatoes serve instead 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 Watson's, the whole is laid waste. All the houses within the enemy's lines have been destroyed.

A fmall party of our troops were furprifed in Mr Dickenfon's houfe, and were every foul put to the bayonet after they furrendered.

The Congrefs are to remain 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 4000 men, with cannon, from the northern army, affembled their whole force in a ftrong camp at Whitemarth, covered in part by Sandy Run, fourteen miles diftant from hence, with their right to Wisfahichon 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 onset of the 2d battalion of light infantry, and part of the Ift, they were inftantly defeated, with the lofs of between thirty and forty men killed and wounded, and a brigadier made prifoner.

Not judging it advisable to attack the enemy's right, the army, having remained in the fame pofition 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 enemy'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