towards Crofs Creek, attending to the conve nience of fubfiftence, and the movement of our wounded. On the way I iffued the inclofed proclamation, and took every other means in my power to reconcile enemies, and to encourage our friends to join us. From all my information, I intended to have halted at Crofs Creek, as a proper place to refresh and refit the troops; and I was much difappointed, on my arrival there, to find it totally impoffible. Provifions were fcarce, not four days forage within twenty miles, and to us the navigation of the Cape Fear River to Wilmington impracticable; for the distance by water is upwards of 100 miles: under thefe circumstances, I was obliged to continue my march to this place, in the neighbourhood of which I arrived on the 7th inftant. I have been bufy fince my arrival in difpofing of our fick and wounded, and in procuring the neceffary fuppies, to put the troops in a proper ftate to take the field with the most marked decision, on the morning of the 25th marched with the greater part of his force to meet him, and about ten o'clock attacked the rebels in their camp at Hobkirk's with that spirit which prevailing over fuperior numbers, and an obslinate resistance, compelled them to give way; and the purfuit was continued for three miles. To accident alone they were indebted for faving their guns, which being drawn into a hollow, out of the road, were overlooked by our troops in the flush of victory and purfuit, fo that their cavalry, in which they greatly exceeded us, had an opportunity of taking them off. My Lord Rawdon states the loss of the enemy, on this occ-fion, as upwards of 100 made prisoners, and 400 killed and wounded, his own not exceeding too, in which are included I officer killed and 11 wounded. After this defeat General Greene retired to Rugeley's Mills, (twelve miles from Camden) in order to call in his troops, and receive the reinforcements; but as Lieutenant Colo. Captain Schutz did a few days after the nel Watfon, of the Guards, who had been for action, as we ex efted; but I am forry to infome time detached by Lord Rawdon, with a form your lordthip, that, notwi hitanding the flattering appearances, and the affurances of the furgeons, Colonel Webfter (whofe lofs is feverely felt by me and the whole army) Captain Maynard, of the Guards, Captain Wilmousky, and Ensign De Trot of the Regiment of Bole, are fince dead. Major Craig, who took poff ffion of this place on the latter end of January, has con ducted himfelf with great zeal and capacity, having with a very fmall force, not only ecured the poft from all infults, but made himfelf refpectable in this part of the country by feveral fuccefsful excurfions. corps of 500 men, to cover the eastern frontiers or the province, is directed by me to join his lordship, I am in hopes he will be able fpeedily to accomplish this." Copy of a letter from Sir George Collier, command of bis majety's fhip Canada, to Mr. Stephens, dated Cork, May 25. "You will be pleafed to acquaint their tached in the Canada, from the fleet under lordships, that on the first inftant, being deVice Admiral Darby, as a ship of obfervation, 1 difcovered at feven A. M. a confiderable num. ber of English merchant veffels, and a thip Extra of a letter from Li utenant Colonel Bal-mies, a litle to windward of them. My Lord, " By Lord Cornwallis's dispatches, which are herewith tranfmitted, your lordship will 'be informed, that after the action at Guildford, General Green, being obliged to retreat from before the king's army, turned his views towards this province, as the more vulnerable point, in the abfence of Lord Cornwallis. With this idea, on the 19th ultimo he came before Camden, having with him near 1500 continental, and feveral corps of militia: Lord Rawdon having charge of that poft, and about 800 British and provincial troops to fuftain it. For fome days General Greene kept varying h's pofition, waiting, as is fuppofed, to be reinfo ced by the corps under Brigadier Marrian and Colonel Lee, which were on their way, being ordered to join him. Judging it neceflary to ftrike a blow before this junction could take place, and learning that General Greene had detached to bring up his baggage and provisions, Lord Rawdon, So foon as we could fetch into the wake of the fhip, we put about, and continued the chace full feventy leagues, il dawn of day next morning. She thought proper to bringto, and engage us, hoifing Spanish colours: it fell about this time almoft calm, with a confiderable twell, or the conteft would not have lafted fo long, probably, as half an hour, which it did, the then fubmitted to his majefty's colours, being a good deal fhartered, and having a number of men killed and wounded. They difmounted a lower deck gun of the Canada, and shot off one of its trunnions. We found her to be a very large Frigate belonging to the king of Spain, called the Leocadia, and the only one the Spaniards have coppered. She had been only fix days from Ferrol, and was bound (I have reafon to imagine) to the South Seas exprefs, but threw all their papers overboard. She has ports for forty guns, yet carries only thirty-four, they fupplying the fpare ports from the opposite guns." St. James's, June 8, 1781. ftone to the Earl of Hillsborough, dated Romney, in Port Praya Road, in the island of St. Jago, April 30, 1781. "My Lord, "On the 16th of April, at half past nine o'clock in the morning, being at anchor in Port Praya, in the land of St. Jago, with the fquadron of his majesty's fhips under my command, which are named in the margin *, together with the East India fhips, tranfports, and victuallers, who failed with us from EngJand, the Ifis (which ship lay the farthest to leeward) made the signal for seeing eleven fail in the offing, towards the N. E. As foon as I faw the fignal for fo many frange fhips, I inftantly returned on board the Romney, and made the fignal for all perfons to come from the shore, and to repair on board their respective fhips, having at that time no less than г500 perfons abfent from the fleet. fourth fhip run on different lines, luffing and bearing up as he paffed among the skirt of our fhips, and firing and receiving fire as he failed along, but feemingly in great confufion alfo; and at last, with much difficulty, he wore clear of the reef on the west point withour us. The 6th hip un among the merchant veffels alfo, firing at all and attempting to board two or three as he paff. d along without fuccefs. In a quarter of an hour after the first gun, feveral of our Eaft-India fhips had recovered the alarm, and were firing at the en my, and fome of them in well directed lines; two or three, however, had ftruck their colours, and thrown the company's packets over-board, and others prudently put to fea. Seeing the Romney was like to have little fhare in the action, after the fourth fhip had paffed her, I ordered the barge to be manned, to 20 on board the Hero. General Meadows and Captain Saltern infifted they should accompany me, with a degree of generofity and good-humour which I could not refift. It is pleasant to be near the general at all times, but on the day of battle that fatisfaction is felt in a peculiar degree. We were received by Captain Hawker with as chearful and affable civility as if we had come to dinner, while the Hero kept up a conftant, awful, heavy difcharge of artillery. We plainly perceived they intended to at tack, by the (prings which were paffed to their cables along the outside of the fhips; and we knew the small regard which the French ufually pay to the laws of nations, when they are poffeffed of a fuperior force, or find it convenient to difpenfe with fuch obligations, and in this our expectations were not difap. pointed; for with much courage, and feeming determination, the French commodore led on within two cables length of the Monmouth, The action bordered upon a furprise, and Jupiter, and Hero, paffing the Diana, Terror the nature of the fervice in which we were enbomb, and Infernal fire-fhip, who lay with-gaged, rendered us liable to much confusion; out the rest of the fhips; hear he hoisted his yet upon the whole, until the enemy were broad pendant, and difplayed the French co- beat off, I faw nothing on our part but steady, lours; he then hauled up his courfes, and cool, determined va'our. fired two fhot at the Ifis from his larboardbow as he luffed up, and immediately after permitting his fhip to shoot up in the wind, as far as the force with which the ship was failing enabled her, he dropped his anchor abreaft of the Monmouth, and began to fire away among the fhips as fast as he could dif The French commodore now found his ficharge and load; his fails, however, were fituation too hot, and he cut his cable in three Aying about in great confusion, so that the fpring on the cable did not hold when the fhip was checked to bring up, and he drove abreaft of the Hero. After the two guns mentioned above had been discharged with hot, the fire from his majesty's fhips opened upon the enemy with great power and effect. The next French fhip which followed their commodore anchored a head of him: the third endeavoured to pass through for the Romney; but being unable to weather the different fhips, hè anchored a- ftern of his commodore, and continued there for a short space, driving about with his fails loofe, until he boarded the Fortitude and Hinchinbrook East India fhips, and then went to fea. The Romney, 50; Hero, 74; Monmouth, 64; Jupiter, 50; Ifis, 50; Terrible bomb veffel; Infernal fire-ship; Rattlesnake cutter. Captain Alms, of the Monmouth, kept up a well directed fire. Captain Paisley had worked hard from the beginning of the bufinefs, and had got spring on his cable, by which effort every fho told from the Jupiter. quarters of an hour, and went away through the fhips, as his fecond aftern had done before him; the other a head was now left behind, an object to be fired at by all the ships in our fleet, who could get guns to bear upon him. In this fituation he remained for fifteen minutes, hardly firing a gun during the whole time I am fatisfied myself he ftruck his colours, and that they were not merely shot away, as fome alledge." Whether his cable was fhot away, or he cut the cable, I cannot fay, but off the fhir went round upon the heel, her stern fallinge to the broad-fide of the Is; her mafts were tottering; her yards were hanging different ways; her fails were flying about in regs, and full of holes. First fell the mizen-ma, next went the main-maft, and lastly the fore-mast and outer end of the bowfprit tumbled into the water. I inftantly returned to the Romney, and made the fignal for all cap ains, and after hearing the condition of every fhp, I directed the men of war to cut and flip as faft as they could get to fea, to follow up the victory. As foon as the Jafon was out of the way, the Romney was cast by a spring on the cable, and fhe went out to fea under the acclama tions of the whole fleet. The Jupiter inftantly followed, and we run -between our fcattered fhips and the enemy. Perceiving neither the Ifis nor Diana making any figns to follow, though both of them lay in clear births for fo doing, their feveral fig. nals were made. The Diana anfwered, and foon after followed; but although gun after gun was fired to enforce the fignal to call out the Ifis, the ftill remained without any figns of obedience to my fignal then abroad. laft the Hero came under our ftern, with a meffage from Captain Sutton, faying, that his mafts and yards, and fails and rigging, were fo wounded, that he cou'd not come out without repairing them, but that he would follow as fast as he could. At Captain Sutton's fignal was therefore again enforced by another gun; he then hoifted his anfwering flag, and came out after three hours delay. All the ships being now come out, the fignal was made to form the line a-head on the larboard tack. The French (hips had before this collected and taken the difabled ship in tow. muft alfo have relinquished the object of the prefent expedition; because, after getting fo far to leeward that we could not fetch the ilands of Bravo or Fogo, it is a well known fact that no ships can beat up against the N. E. winds and S. W. currents which always prevail here, much lefs after such an action as must be expected. On the other hand, if the principal force of the enemy fhould arrive before us at the place of our deftination, it might prove equally fatal to the object of the expedition. Next day we retook the Hinchinbrook East India hip, with 25 Frenchmen on board; and I learn from them that the fquadron who attacked us was composed of Le Heros, 74, M. de Suffrein, Brigadier des Armes, grand commander de Malte. L'Annibal, 74, M. de Tremigon, Capitaine de Vaiffeau. L'Artefien, 64, M. de Cardaillac, Chevalier de Malthe, Le Sphynx, 64, M. de Duchillon Capitaine de Vaiffeau. Le Vengeur, 64, M. le Chevalier de Forbin, Capita ne de Vaiff au. La Fortune, 15, Corvette. M. de Caftries, commandant de l'armée de Terre. Regiment de Pondicherry, d-aux batalions Detachment du regiment d' Auftr.fic. 4 Vaiffeaux des Indes, viz. 1 Le Brifon, 2. Les Trois Amis, 3. L'Ifle de France, 4. Pondicherry, et cinq Vailleaux de transport Armee en Flute;—ail doubled with copper. The Hannibal was the fhip which was dif maned; the Hero led in, and suffered damages When the Ifis joined us the signal was made next in proportion to the Hannibal; the Arto bear up in a line of battle a-breaft. At tefian, Sphynx, and Vengeur came in accordthat inftant the Ifis loft her fore-top maft a-ing as they are named, but the last three did above the topfail yard, which yard was not injured by the fall, nor was the fail hurt, or any other damage futained, to prevent the ship from working, the foretop-fail being close reefed and fet. I immediately shortened fail to give time to the If to clear the wreck, which was done in half an hour or forty minutes. When we came near the enemy, I found the Is and Monmouth had dropped a stern between two and three miles, though both of them fail much better than the Romney: their fignals were therefore made to call them to their ftations; the Monmouth immediately anfwered and made fail accordingly, but the Is Aili kept behind. By thefe various obftructions and delays, added to a strong lee current, the enemy had drawn us far to leeward of St Jago. The fun was fet; the fea had increased; I could not propofe a decifive action in the night. If I folIwed uni, day-light, my profpes were great and tempting but I must then determine to leave my convoy in difrefs and feparate from the troops without any fixed determina ion concerning them or their defiination; and I not receive much injury. The captain of the Artefien. to which thip the prifoners belong, was killed by a grape fhot on the shoulder. They informed me that they failed from Breft the 22d of March, with M. le Grafs and 20 fail of the line, three of which are of three decks, bound to Martinique, besides the Sagittaire frigate of 50 guns, bound to North America. After an action of fuch a length, in fuch fituation, in smooth water, with large fhips fo near eath other, it is furprising to find how few men have been killed, and what flight damages his majesty's hips have received.. The Monmouth, lying within a cable's length, had not a man killed, and only fix wounded. The Jupiter had two wounded. The Iis had four killed, and five wounded. The Jafon and Latham Eaft India ships, who lay at the furtheft diftance from the enemy, had 4 killed and 14 wounded; among the number of the killed is Lelut. Keith, of the Jafon, a brave and worthy officer. Several of the East India fhips have fuffered in their masts, yards, and rigging, but nothing | that will impede the voyage, or which cannot be repaired even here with fecurity. The fate of the Infernal fire-fhip, and Terror bomb, deserves to be particularly related: they had come from the Isle of May two days before, and lay to the eastward, without all the hips, notwithstanding my orders in writing had been strictly given, and punctually communicated, for all the fmall ships to anchor within the rest. The Terror had sprung her bowfprit, and was fishing of it, with her rigging loofe, when the enemy appeared, and one of the fixty-four gun fhips layed her on board. The Terror catched fire, and the enemy durk not take poffeffion of her, though often invited fo to do by Captain Wood. She then cut her cable, and drove to fea, where the loft her bowfprit and toremast. One of the French ships again followed her in this miferable condition, and fired feveral fhot at the Terror; yet Captain Wood feeing us preparing to come out, would not flrike his colours, but bravely contrived to fet fome Atay fails, and slide off in that shattered condition. The fire-ship went to fea, and was taken by the enemy, by what means I cannot relate; but I have good reason to believe fhe was afterwards either abandoned by the enemy, or re-taken by the crew, as the Jupi er faw her next day to leeward, and standing towards us, with her diftinguishing vanes and anfweringAag abro.d. The Fortitude India ship behaved with un common bravery. She was boarded by the Artefien, who fired many guns into her; feveral of the enemy s crew jumped on board the Fortitude; yet in this situation Captain Jenkinson, of the 98th regiment, kept up a conftant fire with small arms; feveral of the enemy were thot on the fhrouds, and two were forced over board, and taken up again into the Fortitude, after the two ships had feparated. impoffibility of joining the convoy if I had followed the enemy. We fhall fail from this island to-morrow; and the Porto floop will be ready to proceed for England the day after with these difpatches. I am, with the greatest respect, MY LORD, Your Lordship's most obedient, GEO. JOHNSTONE. 13. Capt. Moutrie was tried by a court martial, held on board one of the King's ships on the Jamaica station, just before the depar ture of that feet; and by this circumftance they were delayed from failing feveral days. After enquiring into all the particulars of the unfortunate capture of the large and valuable outward-bound fleet under his convoy, we hear he was, by the fentence of the court, fufpended. Admiralty-Office, June 15, 1781. Extract of a letter, received the 12th instant, from Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Hughes, K. B. to Mr. Stephens, dated at Bombay, Jan. 2, 1781. On the 17th of October I failed from Ma dras-road, intending to proceed to the relief of Tellicherry on this coaft, (clofely invested by the Nairs, and a detachment of Hyder Ally's troops) and from thence to this port, to clean and refit the fhips. I arrived in Tellicherry-road on the 27th of November, where I found two of the company's armed fnows, and a transport ship. which had brought ftores and ammunition to the garrifon a few days before: in the mean time, the a med boats of the ships in Callicutroad, cut out and brought away one of Hyder Ally's ships, and forced the other on fhore; but, in the course of their operation, the Sartine frigate being warped into shoal water to cannonade the enemy's fhips, fruck on the rocks at low water, and filled, so that she was totally lost. After having left a Captain of Marines, with 4 officers, and 108 rank and file, with 1000 barrels of powder, at Tellicherry, for its defence, until a reinforcement should arrive from Bombay, I failed, with all the fquadron, towards Bombay, on the 5th of December last. The Hinchinbrook was also miferably cut and mangled by the Artefien, before the wes taken. Many of the other India ships tuffered confiderable damages, particularly the Lord On the 8th of December, being off ManguNorth, Ofterly and Afia; and the Edward vic-lore, the principal sea port of Hyder- Ally, on tualler was nearly funk and carried out to fea, the Malabar Coaft, I faw two fhips, a large though afterwards abandoned. fnow, three ketches, and many smaller veffels, at an anchor in the Road, with Hyder Ally's colours flying on board them; and, standing with the fquadron clofe into the Road, found them to be veffels of force, and all armed for With great difficulty, after turning many days, we recovered this bay with the Fortitude, and we towed in the Hinchinbrook and Edward. I have judged it proper to put Captain Sut-war; on which I anchored as close to the ene ton, of the Ifis, under an arreft. Since writing the above account, the Infernal fire hip has joined us. The enemy had abandoned her on our app oach, having taken away Captain Darby, and five seamen and nine foldiers of the 98th regiment. my's veffels as possible, with safety to the ships, and ordered the armed boats of the fquadron to attack and deftroy them, under cover of the fire of the company's two armed fnows, and of the prize-fhip cut out of Callicut-road, which were anchored in shoal-water, and clofe Lieutenant Hamilton has been ever fince to the enemy's fhips. This fervice was con turning up to gain this port, which shews the | ducted, on the part of our boats, with a spirit and Wednesday laft, at five o'clock in the afternoon, after a paffage of 14 hours, in a neutral veffel from Dover. His Royal Highnefs obferved the stricteft incognito, and was dressed in plain blue, without a far; but was notwithstanding, immediately recognized, and activity that do much honour to the officers and men employed in them; and in two hours they took and burnt the two ships, one of 28, the other of 26 guns; one ketch, of 12 guns, was blown up by the enemy, at the intant our boats were hoarding her; another ketch, of 10 guns, which cut her cables, and endeavoured to put to fea, was taken; and the third ketch, with the fmaller veffels, were all forced on shore, the fnow only efcaping into the harbour, after having thrown every thing overboard to lighten her. On this fervice the fquadron loft Lieutenant Gomm, of the Bur-mediately fent Colonel Lowther to fignify his ford, and ten men killed; Lieutenant Sutton, of the Superb, Lieutenant Maclellan, of the Eagle, and 5 men wounded, many of them fince dead. On the 28th of December I arrived with the fquadron in this harbour, and immediately fet about the docking and refitting the ships for fervice, which I hope to acomplish all in the month of March. 18. Captain Frederick arrived this morning with difpatches at the Admiralty-Office from Capt. Fanshaw, of the Egmont, whom he left, the 3d inftant, 35 leagues to the weltward of Tory Illand, going with the Jamaica convoy, all well, round the Mull of Scotland. Capt. Fanshaw dispatched a fhip with the trade for Ireland. The ship taken by the convoy, is the Marquis de Fayette; alfo recaptured the James and Rebecca, of Liverpool. 19. Thirty feven publick and private bills received the royal affent by virtue of a commiffion under the great feal for that purpose. Admiralty-Office, June 19. Extract of a letter from Capt Fanshaw, of the Egmont, to Mr. Stephens, dated at fea, the 31st of last month. In the courfe of our voyage from Jamaica, the Endymion took the French hip le Marquis de la Fayette, Galletha commander, 1200 tons, mounting 40 guns, (pierced for 60) 200 men, laden with arms and cloathing on account of the American congrefs, and bound to Philadelphia, after a handfome running action of about two hours." 20. Lare laft night the Farl of Harrington arrived at Lord George Germain's office, in Pall-mall, with difpatches from Governor Dalling at Jamaica, brought over in the Gren ville packet, Capt. Tanker field, which failed from thence the 28th of April. She brings intelligence of a great many Dutch veffels being captured by the flips on that flation, and likewife of two Spanish transports belonging to the expedition which went against Penfaco Ja, being taken by one of our frigates, and carried into Port Royal. 20. His Royal Highnefs the Duke of Gloucefter, accompanied by Colonel Lowther, and Lord Malden, arrived fafe at Oftend, on The Emperor had left Oftend at three o'clock in the afternoon, and was to lie at Bruges that night. The Duke of Gloucester fet out, after his Imperial Majefty, at five o'clock the next morning, and arrived at Bruges a little before seven the same day, and im defire of an interview. The Duke hearing of the honour the Emperor intended him, received him at the foot of the ftair-cafe, and after conducting him into his apartments, the most perfect ictercourie of cordiality and friendship took place, which was fucceeded by a long conference. 25. In last Saturday's Gazette there is publifhed a letter, dated Petersburgh, May 12, 1781, from Gen. Arnold, to Sir Henry Clinton, in which is given a detail of his opera tions in Virginia. April 25, marched to Petersburgh, were oppofed by 1000 militia, who were difperfed, with the lofs of 100 men. On the 26th deftroyed at Petersburgh 400 hogfheads of tobabco, one ship, and a number of fmall veffels on the flocks and in the river. Next day, at Cheflerfield Court House, burnt a range of barracks for 2000 men, and 300 barrels of flour. On the fame day at Ofborn's two thips, three brigantines, five floops, and two fchooners, loaded with tobacco, cordage, flour, &c. fell into our hands. Four ships, five brigantines, and a number of fmall veffels were funk and burnt. On board the whole, fleet, (none of which escaped) were taken and destroyed about 2000 hogheads of tobacco. At Manchester the 30th were destroyed 1200 hogfheads of tobacco. The fame evening we returned to Warwick, where we deftroyed a magazine of 500 barrels of flour, and Colonel Cary's fine mills were deftroyed in burning the magazine of flour. We alfo burnt feveral warehouses, with a hundred and fifty hogsheads of tobacco, a large fhip and a brigantine afloat, and three veffels on the flocks, a large range of public rope walks and frorehouses, and fome tan and bark houses full of bides and bark. As foon as it is reduced to a certainty that Lord Cornwallis has crossed the Roanoke and is on his march for this place, the army will advance one or two days march from hence to meet his Lordship, and carry a supply of provisions for his army. A confiderable magazine of flour and bread has fallen into our hands near this place, and the country abounds with cattic. Lift of Births, Marriages, and Deaths in our next. |