Parker failed from Minorca the aad of laft month, at which time the garrifon were in perfect health.

Portsmouth, Dec. 10. A new and very strong fortification is erecting in Stoke's Bay, where the merchants fhips ufually ride. One part of it, called Fort Monckton, is already railed, on which 70 pieces of brafs thirty-two pounders are mounted. The other which is now raifing, and on which 400 men are at work, is to mount 70 more forty-eight pounders, but it will be twelve months before it can be completed. The Gilcicker, which was fea mark for pilots, is taken down, and another erection fet up at fome diftance, to answer the purpofe. All the buoys between this place and Spithead, are lately removed, to deceive the enemy, in cafe of any hoftile attempts.

1

a

On Friday admiral Sir George Brydges Rodney fet off for Portsmouth, to take upon him the command of his majesty's fhips def tined for reinforcement of the British fleet in the Weft Indies; Sir George hoifts his flag on board the Conqueror of 74 guns. It is faid his orders are to put to fea without a moment's lofs of time.

ftroyed as to render the place of very little fervice to the Spaniards in that quarter. It was not deemed adviseable to alienate so many men from the defence of Jamaica itself, by keeping poffeffion of St. Peftro, and the captain is on his return to that ifland, after having effected this atchievement, without the lofs of one man on the part of the British troops under his command.

This day there was a numerous meeting of electors, and other inhabirants paying taxes to government, refident in the city and liberty of Westminster at Westminster-hall, to confider of fuch measures as may be thought advifeable in the prefent critical and alarming fituation of the kingdom. The committee having taken their places on the steps leading up to the court of Common-Picas, Mr. Fox opened the bufinefs in a long speech the purport of which was, to draw a comparifon of the conduction of our public affairs during the adminiftration of lord Chatham, and the prefent minifters; this he did in a great variety of inftances, proving, as he faid, that the former had raised us to the highest pinnacle of reputation and glory, as a magnanimous, free, and independent people; while Three hundred and forty fat-bottomed the latter, by their pufilanimous, wicked, boats of various fizes, have been destroyed and inglorious conduct, had dismembered the it the boat-houfe on the common to the east- British empire, loft the dominion of the ward of S, Maloes, by fire. It is fuppofed, feas, and reduced us to the lowelt ebb of conas it broke out in four or five different places tempt and ruin. After fome other gentleat the fame time, it was wilfully fet on fire. men had delivered their opinions, a humble This catastrophe happened between two and Petition and Remonftrance (in fubftance the three o'clock on Sunday morning, the 18th fame as that agreed on at Guildhall, London, day of November. on Thursday laff) was produced, which beDifpatches have been received from licu-ing read was received with burfts of general tenant-governor Campbell, at Jamaica, giv-applaufe, and a committee appointed to preing a minute defcription of an expedition which has been fitted out from that ifland against the Spanish settlement of St. Petro, on the Mufqueto fhore, near Fort Omoa, The leading particulars of this information are, that intelligence having been received at Jamaica, that a large magazine had been formed at St. Peftro, confifting of warlike ftores, a great fupply of provifions, and a quantity of treafure, it was determined in council, to fet on foot an expedition against it, which was accordingly prepared, with a proper force, under the command of captain Brown, of the 60th regiment. Unfortunately by a mistake in not fecuring the centinel, in formation was conveyed time enough to the Spaniards to enable them to remove their treasure, before captain Brown and his detachment could effect a fecure entry into the place; and it has been to effectually difpofed of, as to fruftrate all the endeavours fince of the English, for difcovering the place of its concealment. In other refpects, however, the expedition was attended with fuccefs. A large magazine of powder, with 500 flands of arms, fell into the poffeffion of our troops, and the fort and barracks are to completely des

fent it to his majesty. The meeting then broke up with the fame order and decorum with which the business of it was conducted,

14. Letters received yesterday from Plymouth, mention advice being received there, that the French fleet at Breft had got under way, but being informed that a fquadron was waiting to intercept them, they returned back into the harbour, and all came to an anchor.

17. An exprefs arrived yesterday at lord George Germain's office, from New York, We are beyond all mode of ordinary expreffion happy, to find that the difpatches fay, that the loyalifts captured at York-Town with lord Cornwallis, were put on board, and fent to New-York, where it having been ftipulated by private agreement that the veffel thould país unmolested) they all arrived in perfect fafety,

Whiteball, Dec. 18, 1781. Extra of a letter from Sir Henry Clinton, to the right honourable lord George Germain, one of of bis majefy's principal Secretaries of flate received an the 16th inflant, by lord Dalrymple, who arrived in the Swallow packet, which left New York the 17th of November,

New

T

New-York, Nev. 13, 1781.

MY LORD,
In my last difpatch I had the honour to ac-
quaint your lordihip with my fears refpeating
the fate of the army in Virginia,

that every poffible means would be tried by the navy and army to relieve us, I could not think myfelf at liberty to venture on either of thofe defperate attempts; therefore, after remaining two day's in a strong pofition in It now gives me the deepest concern to in-front of this place, in hopes of being attacked, form you that they were too well founded, upon obferving that the enemy were taking as your lordship will perceive by lord Corn-measures which could not fail of turning my wallis's letter to me of the 20 ult. a copy of left flank in a fhort time; and receiving on which, and the papers accompanying it, being the fecond evening your letter of the 24th of inclofed for your information. September, informing me that the relief would fail about the 5th of October, I withdrew within the works on the night of the 29th of Septemeer, hoping by the labour and firm. nefs of the foldiers, to protract the defence until you could arrive.

Had it been poffible for the fleet to have failed from hence at the time it was firft imagined they would have been able to do, I have not the least doubt that lord Cornwallis would have been relieved, by the joint exertions of the navy and army; and I therefore cannot fufficiently lament that they could not

have been made fooner.

Your lordship will be informed by lord Cornwallis's letter to me (a copy of which accompanies the dispatch) of the force that was oppofed to his lordship in Virginia; befides which, by rebel accounts, which I have the honour to inclofe for your lordship's information, general Green feems fill to have an army acting in that quarter; and there are at this infant above 3000 continental troops at Weft Point and its vicinity.

My difpatches will be delivered to your Jordmhip by lord Dalrymple and I cannot part with his lordship without teftifying to you the high opinion I have of his merit, and my entire approbation of his conduct fince he has been on this fervice. acting as one of my aids de camp, having always fhewn the greateft attention to me, and highly diftinguifhed his fpirit by attending as a volunteer upon every expedition and excurfion which have taken place fince his being here. Copy of a letter from liutenant-general carl "Cornwallis, to Sir Henry Clinton, dated YorkTown, in Virginia, Off. 20, 1781.

SIR,

Avery thing was to be expected from the fpirit of the troops, but every disadvantage attended their labour, as the works were 10 be continued under the enemy's fire, and our stock of intrenching tools, which did not much exceed 400, when we began to work in the latter end of August, was now much di minished.

The enemy broke ground on the night of the 30th, and conftructed, on that night and the two following days and nights, two re doubts, which, with fome works that had belonged to our outward pofition, occupied i gorge between two creeks or ravines, which come from the river on each fide of the town! On the night of the 6th of October they made their first parallel, extending from its right on the river, to a deep ravine on the left, nearly oppofite to the center of this place, and embracing our whole left, at the distance of 600 yards. Having perfected this parallel, their batteries opened on the evening of the 9th against our left, and other batteries fired at the fame time against a redoubt advanced over the creek upon our right, and defended by about 120 men of the 23d regiment, and marines, who maintained that post with uncommon gallantry. The fire coninued inexcellent from heavy cannon, and from mortars and howitzers, throwing fhel s from eight to fixteen inches, until all our guns on the left were filenced, our works much damaged, and our lots of men confiderable. On the night of the 17th they began their fecond paralel, about 300 yards nearer to us. The troops be ing much weakened by fickness, as well as by the fire of the befiegers, and obferving that the enemy had not only fecared their flank", but proceeded in every refpect with the atmost regularity and caution, I could not venture fo large forties as to hope from them any confiderable effect; but otherwise I did every thing in my power to interrupt this work, by opening new embrazures for guns, and keeping up a conftant fine with all the howitzers and fmall mortars that we could man. On the evening of the 14th they assaulted and carried two redoubts that bad been advanced about 300 yards, for the purpose of delaying their approaches, and covering our left tank,

I have the mortification to inform your cellency, that have been forced to give up the pofts of York and Gloucefter, and to furrender the troops under my command, by capitulation, on the 19th, as prifoners of war, to the combined forces of America and France.

I never faw this polt in a very favourable | light; but when I found I was to be attacked in it, in fo unprepared a state, by fo powerful an army and artillery, nothing but the hopes of relief would have induced me to attempt its defence, for I would either have endeavoured to efcap to New-York, by rapid marches, from the Gloucefter fide, immediately on the arrival of general Washington's troops at Williamsburgh, or I would," not with landing the difpariry of numbers. have attacked them in the open field, where it might have been juft poffible, that fortune would have favoured the gallantry of the bandful of troops under my command: but being affured by your excellency's letters,

and,

divided, the enemy's batteries opened at daybreak.

The paffage between this place and Gloucefter was much exposed; but the boats having now returned, they were ordered to bring back the troops that had paffed during the night, and they joined us in the forenoon without much lofs. Our works in the mean time were going to ruin; and not having been able to ftrengthen them by abbatis, nor in any other manner, than by a flight fraizing, which the enemy's artillery were demolishing wherever they fired, my opinion entirely co incided with that of the engineer and pr.ncipal officers of the army, that they were in many parts very affailable in the forenoon, and that by the continuance of the fame fire for a few hours longer, they would be in fuch a flate as to render it desperate with our num bers to attempt to maintain them. We at that time could not fire a fingle gun; only one-eight inch, and little more than 100 co horn thells remained; a diversion by the French fhips of war, that lay at the mouth of York River, was to be expected : our num bers had been diminished by the enemy's fire, but particularly by ficknefs; and the frength and fpirits of thote in the works were much exhaufted by the fatigue of constant watching and unremitting duty. Under all these circumftances, I thought it would have been waston and inhuman to the last degree to facrifice the lives of this small body of galant foldiers, who had ever behaved with so much

and, during the night, included them in their second parallel, on which they continued to work with the utmost exertion. Being perfectly fenfible that our works could not fland many hours after the opening of the batteries of that parellel, we not only continued conftant fire with all our mortars, and every gun that could be brought to bear upon it, but a little before day break on the morning of the 16th, I ordered a fortie of about 350 men, under the direction of lieutenant-colonel Abercromby, to attack two batteries which appeared to be in the area eft forwardnefs, and to fpike the guns. A detachment of guards, with the Both company of grenadiers, under the com mand of lieutenant-colonel Lake, attacked the one; and one of light infantry, under the command of major Armstrong, attacked the other; and both fucceded, by forcing the redoubts that covered them, spiking 11 guns, and killing or wounding about 100 of the French troops who had the guard of that part of the trenches, and with little lofs on our fide. This action, though extremely hopourable to the officers and foldiers who executed it, proved of little public advantage; for the car.non having been spiked in a hurry, were foon rendered fit for fervice again, and before dark the whole parellel and batteries appeared to be nearly complete. At this time we knew that there was no part of the whole front attacked, in which we could fhew a Gingle gun, and our fhells were nearly expended. I had therefore only to chufe between preparing to furrender nex' day, or en-fidelity and courage, by exposing them to an deavouing to get off with the greatest part of the troops; and I determined to attempt the fatter, reflecting, that though it should prove unfuccefsful in it's immediate object, it might at leaft delay the enemy in the profecution of further enterprizes. Sixteen large boats were prepared, and upon other pretexts were ordered to be in readinefs to receive troops precifely at ten o'clock; with thefe I hoped to pass the infantry during the night, abandoning our baggage, and leaving a detachment to capitulate for the town's people and for the fick and wounded; on which fubje&t a letter was ready to be delivered to general Washington. After making my arrange ments with the utmost fecrecy, the light infantry, the greatest part of the guards, and part of the 23d regiment, embarked at the hour appointed, and most of them landed at Gloucester; but at this critical moment, the weather from being moderate and calm, changed to a most violent florm of wind and rain, and drove all the boats, fome of which had troops on board, down the river. It was foon evident that the intended passage was Impracticable, and the abfence of the boats rendered it equally impoffible to bring back the troops that had paffed, which I had ordered about two o'clock in the mornIng. In this fituation, with my little force

|

affault, which, from the numbers and precautions of the enemy, could not fail to fucceed. I therefore propofed to capitulate, and

have the honour to enclofe to your excel lency, the copy of the correfpondence be tween Gen. Washington and me on that fubject, and the terms of capitulation agreed upon. I fincerely lament that better could not be obtained; but I have neglected nothing to aileviate the misfortunes and diftreffes of both Officers and foldiers. The men are well clothed and provided with neceffaries, and I truth will be regularly fupplied by the means of the officers that are permitted to remain with them. The treatment in general that we have received from the enemy, fince our furrender, has been perfectly good and pro per; but the kindness and attention that has been fhewn to us by the French officers in particular, their delicate fenfibility of our fituation, their generous and preffing offers of money, both public and private, to any a mount, has really gone beyond what I can poffibly defcribe, and will, I hope, make an impreffion on the breaft of every British offi cer, whenever the fortune of war fhould put any of them into our power.

Although the event has been so unfortunate, the patience of the foldiers in bearing the greatest fatigues, and their firmnels and in

trepidity

the CAPITULATION enween his Excellency General Commander in Chief of the Armies of America and France, ellency le Comte de Rochambeau, mant-General of the French Army. 25 Excellency Comte de Graff, Comder in Chief of the Fleet in the Bay of hesapeak, on the one Part, and the at Hon. Earl Cornwallis, Lieutenanteneral of the Forces of his Britannic Majefty, and Thomas Symmonds, Efq; Com mander of the Fleet of his Britannic Majefty, in York River, in Virginia, on the

other Part.

Article 1. The garrisons of York and Gloucetter, including the officers and crews of his Briannic majesty's fhips, together with all the marines,' fhall furrender themselves prisoners of war, to the combined forces of America and France. The land forces fhall be prifoners of the United States, and all the naval forces fhall be prifoners to the fleet of his Moft Chriftian Maj-fty.-Granted.

II. The artillery, arms, clothing, military treature, and public magazines of all kinds, fhall be delivered up without any depredations being made upon them, to the different officers appointed to receive them -Granted.

III. This day at noon, the two redoubts on the left flank of York shall be delivered up, the one to a detachment of American infantry, the other to a detachment of French grenadiers; the garrifon of York fhall march to a place which fhall be thought convenient before the posts, having their arms, the Aags in their cafes, and the drums beating a march, be they English or German. They shall then lay down their arms, and return to their camp, where they fhall remain till they are fent to the place of their deftination; the two works of Gloucester shall be delivered up at one o'clock to detachments from the American and French troops, who will be put to take poffeffion of them. The garrifon fhall quit the place at three o'clock; the horse with their fwords unfheathed, and trumpets founding: the foot hall file off in the fame manner as the garrison of York, and fhall return to their camp, until fuch time as the place be entirely evacuated-Granted.

fible: they fhall have the fame rations as are allotted to the foldiers in the American fervice. A fuperior officer of each nation, English, Anfpach, or Heffian, and the other officers, in the proportion of one to fifty men, fhall be permitted on their parole of honour to refide near their regiments, to visit them often, and so he witneffes of the treatment they receive. Thefe officers fhall receive and diftribute to them, their cloathing and other neceffaries. Paflports fhall be granted for these purposes whenever they are demanded.-Granted.

VI. The generals, thofe in civil employments, and thofe officers who are not engaged as is mentioned in the foregoing article, fhall be permitted, on their parole, to go to England, New York, or any other poltin America, now in the poffion of the English forces, at their own option. Le Compte de Graffe hall fupply them with vessels, and every thing neceflary for conveying them to New York within ten days, reckoning from the date of the paffport, if it be poffible, with a flag of truce, they fhall remain in a place which shall be affigned them till they embark. The civil officers and those of the navy and army are included in this article; and land passports shall be given to thofe who want to be fupplied with fhips Granted.

VII. The officers fhall be allowed to keep foldiers as their fervants, according to the ufual practice of the fervice, and fuch of the officers fervants as are not foldiers, fhall not be confidered as prifoners, but may go with their masters Granted.

VIII. La Bonetta, a floop of war, shall be fitted out and commanded by its captain and crew, and left entirely at the disposal of lord Cornwallis, the moment after this Capitulation shall be figned; it fhali take on board an aid du camp, to carry the difparches to Sir Henry Clinton. The foldiers which he shall think proper to fend to New York, shall be permitted to go without being examined as foon as the dispatches are ready :-his lordship engaging on his fide that the vessel shall be delivered up to the order of Count de Graffe, if it efcapes the dar gers of the fea, that it shall not convey any public effects, and that they fhall take account of those things belonging to the foldiers and failors which they mifs, when they are delivered to them. Granted.

IX. The merchants hall retain their property, and shall be allowed the fpace of three months either to difpofe of it in, or to carry it away. They shall not be confidered as pri foners of war.

IV. The ofheers thall keep their fwords, and both officers and foldiers retain their private property of every kind; neither their baggage, nor their papers, fhall be liable to be fearched or infpected. The baggage and papers likewife belonging to the officers and foldiers, which were taking during the fiege, fhall be returned to them. It is, however, to IX. The merchants may dispose of their be underftood, that the property of the inha-effects; the Allied army fhall have the right of bitants of this flate, which is at prefent in the prefeription. The merchants fhall be regardbands of the garrison, shall be restored to ed as prisoners on their parole. them. Granted.

V. The foldiers fhall remain in Virginia, Maryland, or Pennsylvania, and shall be kept together in regiments as much as pos9

X. That natives or inhabitants of this country, at prefent in York or Gloucester, shall not be punished for having joined the English army.

X, Thia