are feveral others, at other ports, at this prefent, upon the fame bufinefs." "London, April 27. A letter from Antigua fays, His Majefty's ship the Deal-castle, of twenty guns, on this ftation, met with, at fea, an American veffel deeply laden with warlike ftores of all kinds from St Maloes in France, for the ufe of the American army, and brought her into this port. She had on board feveral American people of property, who had been at France on fome important bufinefs; and when the above veffel left St Maloes, four others, laden with fimilar cargoes, were preparing to fet fail." The account of the seizure of the Dickenfon, a fhip belonging to the congrefs [215.], was published in a Bristol Four nal extraordinary, April 8. with the following intelligence fubjoined. "The following veffels failed the fame time the Dickenfon did, all bound for different ports in France, and on the fame bufinefs; but as fhe is a very fwift failer, the left them foon after they put to fea; the fhip Sally, Rowland; Nep. tune, Collins; Aurora, Checky; and three brigs, captains names Montgomery, Bethel, and Martin, and many other veffels, the names of which are forgot. About three weeks before the Dickenfon left Philadelphia, a French nobleman (who with another of the fame nation had been fome time treating with the continental congrefs, and had vifited the camp of the grand army at Cambridge, in New England) had put his baggage on board her, and was to have gone paffenger to Nautz: but as he was very deep laden, and another veffel in the fame employ arriving there in ballaft, he had all his effects removed on board the laft, and is fuppofed to be now on his paffage for France. The day they came down Deleware river, a French veffel, laden with powder, ball, and fmall arms, arrived there. Philadelphia, Feb. 16. The following is a true lift of the privateers fitted out here by order of the congrefs laft January, with the commanders names and their force. They failed about the middle of February laft, on an expedition kept as a profound fecret, viz. Hopkins, Commander in Chief. The Alfred, Tatterson, 32 guns, 300 men; the Columbus, Whipple, 32 guns, 300 men; the Andrew Doria, Biddle, 16 guns, 200 men; the Sebastian, Hopkins, 14 guns, 200 men; the Providence, Hazard, 12 guns, 150 men. Row-gallies in the river Delaware, with the commanders names: The Wafhington, (104 feet in keel), Doughty, commander in chief; the Diekenson, Rice; the Chatham, Alexander; the Camden, Ears; the Burke, Blear; the Effingham, Moar; the Bull Dog, Hen derfon; the Franklin, Boyce; the Congrefs, Hambilton; the Experiment, Thompfon; the Ranger, M'Gomary; the Hancock and Adams, Moore; and the Warren, (no master when Capt. Mefton failed). The congrefs have ordered thirteen frigates to be built with all expedition, of 36 guns each, at Maryland, Philadel phia, and Rhode Island, four of which were on the flocks at Philadelphia when Captain Mefton failed. Likewife one floating battery of 105 feet in keel, which is to mount 18 eighteen-pounders, row fifty oars, and carry 500 men; also 30 fire-rafts. They have funk 50 chevaux de frizes in the river, to prevent the English fhips from going up.' The veffels which the provincials fend out as merchantmen are the property of the congrefs, as are alfo their cargoes; fo that when any of them are taken, the lofs falls upon the community, and not upon any private perfon. The following letter is faid to have been fent to Gen. Howe, from a mem ber of the Council at New York. " SIR, New York, Feb. 11. 1776. As I have not a doubt of my laft letters to adminiftration convincing them, that this city and province is the only fpot in America for carrying on the war with effect against the rebels; and that, in confequence, the forces expected this fpring, as well as thofe now under your command, will be ordered hither; it may be neceflary and adviseable to fend the army through the found between Connecticut and Long Iftand. Of the latter it may be proper to give a defcriptron: it is 130 miles long, is very fertile, abounding in wheat and every other kind of corn, innumerable black cattle, sheep, hogs, &c.; is very populous; and Suffolk county in particular, as well as the other parts of it, all good and loyal subjects; of which they have lately given proof, and only wait to be affifted by the King's troops. The island has a plain on it at least twenty-four miles long, long, which has a fertile country about it, is twenty miles diftant from the city of New York; Connecticut oppofite to it; New Jersey about thirty miles diftant; Philadelphia 110, Maryland 130, Rhode-Inland 150 miles: fo that in this fertile inland the army can fubfift without any fuccour from England or Ireland; and from their incampment on the above plain, they can in five or fix days invade and reduce any of the above colonies at pleasure. Add to these great advantages, that the poffeffion of the Narrows and Nutton island, would be the deftruction of this city. But of this I think there would be no need, for all the principal inhabitants are at heart with the crown; particularly all my brethren, the members of the council, and moft of the affembly [xxxvii. 120. 354.]; but as the mob now commands, prudence forbids them to declare, without a military force. You have many perfons with you who are well acquainted with the navigation of the found. The fpot which I advife you to land at is Cow bay." The King's army, after having been in a manner befieged in Bofton [xxxvii. 306.] fince hoftilities were begun at Lexington in April 1775, evacuated that town in March 1776. "Providence, March 10. Our folks have now poffeffion of Dorchefter-hill. I returned hither from the camp yefterday afternoon, where I went on purpose to fee the fituation of our troops. They have now poffeffion of all the hills that are round Bofton, except Noodle's ifland; and as foon as they take that, they can drive the troops of butchers into the fea. We have now at our camp 30,000 men ready for action: 5000 men are drawn off, and headed by Gen. Putnam, befides volunteers, to enter Bofton at a moment's warning, and boats are readymade for that purpofe. You may depend that Boston will be delivered up to us, or elfe taken by force, in fourteen days. The bets are five to one for it. Our forts will look over them on every fide; and their having poffeffion of the boafted Bunker's hill is rather an injury to the British troops, as they are obliged to keep a large force there to defend it. I have been within three fixteenths of a mile of Bofton: they find that our troops get faft toward them: they are now moving off from Boston, as they know they muft fall victims to the rage of an injured people. An hour before I left the camp, they fent out a flag of truce, figned by the felectmen, that if our army would ceafe hoftilities, they would leave Bofton in four days. Gen. Washington returned them no answer, and last night cannon were heard the moft of the night, and it is thought our troops had taken the Point of Dorchefter; if fo, it is impossible they fhould live in Bofton three days. They want to carry off their artillery and ftores; and our people would rather facrifice a thoufand lives than they fhould: I think they will give them the decifive blow in two or three days. When our troops threw their bombs into Boston there was a general consternation in the town, and they could not get their men out to battle. They are in a bad box. The hill was taken in a curious manner: 500 bundles of screwed hay fecured their pafs to the hill; and, on their getting there, they erected the timber already framed for the intrenchments, and provided themselves with barrels and hogfheads of fand, headed up, in order to be rolled down the hill, and break their regularity if they should come out. Every thing was conducted to the astonishment of our people, as well as the regulars, who must know, that in one night our troops had made an almoft impregnable fortress. We go on gloriously." "New York, March 13. To-day an express arrived from the eastward, -tonight the poft. My advices are, that on the night of the 2d inft. (Saturday), we threw three bombs into Boston from Litchmore's Point,-the enemy returned a number. Two feven-inch, one teninch mortar, and the Congress, burft; the latter after firing twice or thrice. Two or three bombs thrown in from Roxbury, and two twenty-four pounders fired-nothing in return. Monday 4th, at night, took poffeffion of Dorchefter with 2000 men, under General Thomas, and 300 carts; before morning had an aftonishing work completed on the top of each of the two greatest heights; fome of the carts made three trips, others two, without interruption; the night amazingly favourable. Three of our men killed;-firing on both fides. -The two hills we have taken poffeffion of command the front of Bofton, and fouth fide of the harbour. At noon, the 5th, the enemy made a weak ineffectual fire for two hours. In the evening they imbarked about 2000 men in five transports, and and fent them down towards the caftle; a floating battery was also towed down: before they reached the caftle, the wind blew up fresh at fouth, and forced three of the tranfports afhore on Governor's ifland, where they lay all night.-The 6th all quiet. In the evening many foldiers were landed from the transports in front of the town. The felectmen of Bofton, or fome of the principal inhabitants, apprehending Howe was about to imbark, defired him not to deftroy the town upon his leaving it. He told them, he would not if Gen. Washington would not disturb them in their imbarkation. They defired leave to go out with a flag to tell him fo;-granted. Don't hear that he made any promife; and I do not fuppofe he will, for it is undoubtedly a trick of Howe's, in order to get away his cannon and ftores as well as men. A letter to our congrefs, I am informed, intimates, that Gen. Washington apprehends the enemy will decamp, and fteer for this city:-our works are going on; and if they come, hope we shall be ready for them.' - "Whitehall, May 3. Gen. Howe, commander in chief of his Majefty's forces in North America, having taken a refolution, on the 7th of March, to remove from Boston to Halifax, with the troops under his command, and such of the inhabitants, with their effects, as were defirous to continue under the protection of his Majefty's forces; the imbarkation was effected on the 17th of that month, with the greateft order and regularity, and without the leaft interruption from the rebels. When the packet came away, the firft divifion of the transports was under fail, and the remainder were preparing to follow in a few days; the Admiral leaving behind as many of the fhips of war as could be fpared from the convoy, for the fecurity and protection of fuch veffels as might be bound to Bofton." Lond. gaz. Gen. Washington gave an account to Brig. Gen. Lord Sterling, then at New York, in a letter, viz. "My Lord, Cambridge, Mar. 19.1776. I am now to acknowledge the receipt of your favour of the 11th inftant, to give you my congratulations upon your appointment by the Honourable Congrefs. If the intelligence is true, and to be depended on, which was brought by the gentleman to New York, I think, with you, that we fhall have an oppor tunity of fecuring, and putting the continent in a tolerable pofture of defence; and that the operations of the fummer's campaign will not be fo terrible as we were taught to expect, from the accounts and denunciations which the ministry have held forth to the public. I have the pleafure to inform you, that, on the morning of the 17th inftant, Gen. Howe, with his army, abandoned Bofton without deftroying it; an event of much importance, which muft be heard with great fatisfaction; and that we are now in full poffeffion. Their imbarkation and retreat were hurried and precipitate; and they have left behind them ftores, of one thing and another, to a pretty confiderable amount, among which are several pieces of heavy cannon, and one or two mortars, which are fpiked. The town is in a much better fituation, and less injured, than I expected, from the reports I have received; though, to be fure, it is much damaged, and many houfes defpoiled of their valuable furniture. The fleet is ftill in King and Nantasket roads: and where they intend to make a defcent next, is altogether unknown; but, fuppofing New York to be an ob ject of great importance, and to be in their view, I muft recommend your moft ftrenuous and active exertions in preparing, to prevent any defigns or attempts they may have formed, or make againft it. I have detached the riflemen and five battalions from hence to your affiftance, which will be followed by others, as circumstances will allow. Thefe, with what forces you have, and can affemble, if there fhould be any occafion, I truft, will be fufficient to hinder the enemy from poffeffing the city, or making a lodgement, till the main body of this army can arrive. I am, my Lord, with great esteem, GEORGE WASHINGTON." Bofton harbour, March 22. The General had a meeting on the roth inftant of all the general and field officers, when it was unanimoufly agreed to leave Bofton, as we had not provifion to laft three weeks. We were a week employed in getting our artillery, fores, &c. on board the different fhips, and making the neceflary preparations for our retreat. On the 17th inftant we all imbarked on board our fhips, without the leaft moleflation. Gen. Howe covered our retreat with the grenadiers grenadiers and light infantry. Several the movements of the provincial army, methods were tried to bring the rebels that they were taking ftations upon Hog to an engagement before we left Bofton, and Noddle iflands, and preparing to but all to no purpofe. We are inclined attack Caftle William. If they had fucto think the reafon of their not obftruct ceeded in this, they would have had ing us in our retreat, was for fear of our the command of Boston harbour, and burning the town; which, had they fired deftroyed the fleet. Gen. Howe, therea fingle fhot, would have been done. - fore, difmantled and blew up Castle Several inhabitants have fitted up veffels, William, and then fell down with the and are going with us. We have blown whole fleet into Nantafket road, which up Castle William, which commands the is an open and exposed station. The entrance into the harbour. tranfports were moftly fmall schooners, under the protection of three men of war. They were without provifions; and Halifax, to which they were deftined, had been threatened with an infurrection from the scarcity that prevailed there. The terms of agreement between the two Generals were fecret; but it is fuppofed that nothing was to have been deftroyed, and that this breach of it determined the provincials to form the town." "London, May 7. A paffenger from Bofton gives the following account of the tranfactions there, previous to the evacuation of it by General Howe. "On the 2d of March the provincials began to bombard the town from a place called Phipps's Farm, and on the 3d they opened a twenty-four pound battery on Dorchefter Neck, which annoyed the army exceedingly. On the 5th, Gen. Howe imbarked fix regiments to attack this battery; but a ftrong eafterly wind preventing the men of war from covering and fupporting them, it was thought advifeable to defift. The next day he renewed the attempt; but found the work fo ftrong, that he returned without effecting any thing. In the mean time the provincials had thrown near a hundred bombs into the town, and fired with confiderable execution from their battery. Gen. Howe therefore got fome of the felectmen to go out to Gen. Wafhington, to inform him, that if the firing continued, he muft fet fire to the town to cover his retreat. Two of the selectmen returned; and having communed with Gen. Howe, went back, and the firing immediately ceafed. Gen. Howe then began his imbarkation. The refugee inhabitants went first, not being fuffered to carry any thing but neceffaries. The mortars and heavy artillery could not be imbarked: these therefore they endeavoured to burft, by charging them full with powder, and firing it off; but this did not anfwer their wifhes. They attempted also to deftroy all the fmall arms belonging to the town. While this work was going on, a deferter from the provincial camp informed Gen. Howe on the 16th, that Gen. Washington was preparing for a general ftorm. Upon this intelligence, the General, and all the troops immediately imbarked, leaving the artillery, ftores, &c. damaged only as the hurry and confufion would permit. It now appeared by which was "From an officer on board the Pacific Indiaman, in Boston harbour, dated March 25. to his friend in Edinburgh. About three weeks ago the rebels opened a heavy cannonade and bombardment on the town of Boston, from the neighbouring heights, which they continued for feveral fucceffive nights. On the 6th instant Gen. Howe held a council of war, wherein it was determined, that next morn.. ing the enemy should be attacked on Dorchefter neck; and a large detachment from our army were imbarked on board of tranfports and flat-bottomed boats for that purpose. But when they were about to land, the wind blew fo hard as rendered the difimbarkation impoffible. When the day dawned, it was perceived that the enemy were so numerous, and fo ftrongly fortified and intrenched, even beyond belief, that it was judged prudent to defift from the attempt. Had we proceeded, the affair muft have been very bloody: no less than 12,000 of the rebels were ready prepared to defend their redoubts. However, our difpofition was fuch as would, in all human probability, have insured victory. The grenadiers were to have attacked in columns, with fixed bayonets, and had strict orders not to fire a fhot: The light infantry were to have covered the flanks of the grenadiers columns, who were to have been fupported by several regiments. On this day fe'ennight the General was pleafed to order a retreat; effected with the utmost re gularity, gularity. Nor did the rebels enter the town for above an hour after it was evacuated. We have brought off all our cannon, all our artillery-ftores, all our provifions, and every thing else which could be of advantage to the rebels. Our army, together with the women and children, and almost all the friends of government who were in town, are now on board of transports. Our deftination is not yet made known." "Bofton harbour, March 18. The General iffued a proclamation, addreffed to all the inhabitants, affuring thofe that chofe to leave the town with him, that he would provide them veffels to carry them off, with their goods. My family accordingly went on board the Richmond, Capt. Rogers, which is to fail to-morrow morning, under convoy of his Majefty's fhip Fowey, for Halifax. No fcheme could have been better thought of than carrying off the troops. -We are told that there is not one month's provifions here, and that the troops are to go directly to the fouthward. Their removal gives new life to the rebels, and will much encourage their leaders, as they will affirm that the troops, fo far from getting into the country, could not keep the town of Boston. The General has brought off all the linens, checks, woollens, and whatever he judged would be serviceable to the rebel-army." From on beard one of the transports off Nantucket, March 25. We were cannonaded fourteen days by the provincial army, and at last, after many loffes, imbarked on board feveral veffels, and are got thus far. The provincials fired eighteen pounders, and threw an innumerable quantity of fhells into the town. We do not know where we are going, but are in great diftrefs. The fpectacle is truly terrible. I wish I was with you. The provincials, after we left Bofton, marched into it with drums beating, and colours flying." "Cambridge, March 27. We have got the orderly book belonging to the garrifon at Bolton: by which it appears, that Gen. Howe had 7575 effective men, exclufive of the staff; fo that, with the marines and failors, he might be confidered as 10,000 ftrong. The number of cannon he left behind him amounts to more than 200. About thirty of them are good." By his Excellency GEORGE WASHINGTON, Efq; General and Commander in Chief of the forces of the Thirteen United Colonies. WHEREAS the Minifterial army has abandoned the town of Boston, and the forces of the United Colonies under my command are in poffeffion of the fame, I have therefore thought it neceffary, for the prefervation of peace, good or der, and difcipline, to publish the following orders, that no perfon, offending therein, may plead ignorance as an excufe of their misconduct. All officers and foldiers are Kereby ordered to live in the ftricteft peace and amity with the inhabitants; and no inhabitant, or other perfon, employed in his lawful bufinefs in the town, is to be mo lefted in his perfon or property, on any pretence whatever. If any officer or foldier fhall prefume to ftrike, imprison, or otherwife ill-treat any of the inhabitants, they may depend on being punished with the utmoft feve rity; and if any officer or foldier shall receive any infult from any of the inhabitants, he is to feek redress in a legal way, and no other. Any non-commiffioned officer or foldier, or others under my command, who thall be guilty of robbing or plundering in the town, are to be immediately confined, and will be most rigidly punished. All officers are therefore ordered to be very vigilant in the difcovery of fuch offenders, and report their names and crimes to the commanding officer in the town, as foon as may be. The inhabitants, and others, are called upon, to make known to the quartermafter-general, or any of his deputies, all ftores belonging to the Miniterial army, that may be remaining or fecreted in the town. Any perfon or perfons whatever that shall be known to conceal any of the faid ftores, or appropriate them to his or their own ufe, will be confidered as an enemy to America, and treated accordingly. The felectmen and other magiftrates of the town, are defired to return to the Commander in Chief the names of all or any perfon or perfons they may fufpect of being employed as fpies upon the Continental army, that they may be dealt with accordingly. All officers of the Continental army are injoined to affift the civil magiftrates |