vice, under Hartfinck and Zoutman; a guard. ship of 70 at Helvoetfluys. Vice-Adm. Parker's commiflion is dated March 15. 1781. Parker, in a letter to Stephens, May 17. propoles the Buoy of the Gunfleet as the renderrous for his fhips, and north-fea pilots. -Stephens, June 2. 1781, to Parker, in the Downs, fends him intelligence from Hull, dated May 31. that the Dutch fleet are out to intercept our East-country fleet then in Leith roads; and that there was a neceflity for his proceeding to fea, without the leaft lofs of time.

Parker, June 3. to Stephens. Had with him four of the line, one of 50, one of 44, with the Alert brig: wants frigates, thofe with him being appropriated to particular services. Stephens to Parker, July 13. Their Lordships had received, by the Surprise cutter, intelligence that the Dutch were to fail from the Terel the first fair wind after the 15th; that they had failed the 18th or 19th; that he was to cruise to intercept them, fending a frigate home with the Baltic trade as foon as he paffed the Texel; that on the 2d orders had been fent to Com. Stewart to join him; that if he had not joined already, Parker was to lofe no time in forming a junction with him; that the Sampfon, Apollo, and Myrmidon, were ordered to the Gunfleet, and were directed to join him without a moment's delay, on his fixing on any rendezVous where they would have a fair profpect of meeting with him. Parker, July 31. to Stephens, dated off fore. Thinks he fhould bave a better profpect of intercepting the Dutch, if his orders were to leave the convoy before he paffed the Texcl. He had feat the Surprife and Sprightly cutters to cuile off the Texel for intelligence. He had, by the Bufy cutter, which is to carry this letter, fent orders for the Sampfon, Apollo, and Myrmidon, to join him without a moment's lofs of time. Parker to Stephens, dated Aug. 6. Contains an account of the bat tle fought the day before.

Intelligence of the French armament at Breft under Guichen and Vaudreuil, received from Sept. 11. to Kempenfelt's failing, Dec. 2. 1781, with the intelligence continued to Dec. 4.

Sept. 11. Combined fleets to cruife 80 to 100 leagues weft of the fouth of Ireland, in the stream of the English Channel, till the end of September. 08. 4. Two fquadrons preparing at Breft; one of to fail, under Vaudreuil, for Cadiz, to join the Spaniards; the other under Piquet, as a fleet of obfervation. 08. 5. Vaudreuil to command in the Weft Indies; Belcombe to be general and commander in chief. Oct. 8. Six of the line arrived at Breft. Transports provided to carry 14,000 men to New England. Com. bined fleets to feparate foon. The Spanish hips are to be at Cadiz before Sept. 12. the VOL. XLIV.

Breft fleet under Guichen, when reinforced, will fail again by Oct. 9. to convoy 10,000 troops to a certain latitude; 100 cannon, from 48 to 24 pounders, &c. &c. to be fhipped with the troops. This formidable armament destined for America and the East Indies. 08. 16. The Couronne is masted and coppered; Piquet is to command her. More than a month before the fleet will be ready. All the operations tend to enable the convoy for America to fail as foon as poffible. 08. 19. The number of ships of the line to be nineteen. Guichen will fail with Vaudreuil to a certain latitude, and then go for Cadiz. The fquadron for the islands will not be ready before the end of November. 08. 28. Guichen's fleet to be 19 fail. Pegasus launched the 15th. Oct. 31. All the artillery is fhipped. Nov 3. Vaudreuil wants feamen; orders given to prefs the vintagers round Nantz and Bourdeaux: his fleet to be 10 fail, 4 of them en flute. Nov. 12. Five fhips are added to the fquadron intended to attack Jamaica, to fail the 15th; every thing embarked the beginning of November; 18 of the line, with 2 en flute. Nov. 17. Guichen was to be ready the 15th or 20th; his fleet 18 large ships and 6 frigates; Vaudreuil to feparate off Madeira with fix fhips, and to escort the convoy of 200 fail to the West Indies. Nov. 21. To touch at Martinique, then to join De Graffe on the coaft of America; to confift of 8 of the line, with 3000 land-forces; will be ready about Christmas. Νου. 22. Vaudreuil going to the weftward, probably to act in conjunction with the Spanish force going from Europe against Jamaica. Nov. 27. The fleet of 19 fhips and an immenfe convoy were to fail Nov. 20. or 25. Guichen with 7 for Cadiz, Vaudreuil with 6 for Martinique, Piquet with 6 on a particular fervice; the troops are embarking. Dec. 3. Will put to fea the end of November or beginning of December; deftination the West Indies; first object Jamaica, in conjunction with the Spaniards; 12,000 men ready to embark. Dec. 4. Vaudreuil and Piquet's fhips are allotted; Vaudreuil will have 10 or 12 fail. Piquet is to affift Spain if the British fleet fail to

the Mediterranean. Vaudreuil's destination ftrongly confirmed for the Weft Indies: 6 of the line and 5000 troops are probably to act against Jamaica. Vaudreuil will be ready about Nov. 30. Certain that Vaudreuil is de ftined for the Weft-Indies, as well as the money hipped: cannot be ready by the 30th: is to wait for the Bourdeaux fhips; cannot fail before the end of the year. Kempenfelt's cruife to intercept the Brest fleet uader Guichen and Vaudreuil.

Kempenfelt's orders to command are dated Nov. 14. 1781. The hips, 14 of the line, one 5, and 6 frigates. Nov. 15. Ordered to Portsmouth, and to use the utmost dispatch

D

ia

AMERICA. [vol. 43. p. 707.]

The following letter, fent by Lord Stirling to Gen. Heath, and by him tranfmitted to Congrefs, was published, by their authority, at Philadelphia, Nov. 25. Col. Willet to Maj. Gen. Lord Stirling, dated Fort Rouffelaer, Nʊv. 2. 1781.

"My Lord, Having juft returned from purfuing the enemy, my first bufinefs is to acquaint your Lordship of the particular tranfactions that have taken place in this quarter from the time of their appearance.

Eight o'clock, P. M. of the 24th ult. I received advice that a confiderable body of the enemy were discovered in the upper part of the Mohawk diftrict. Every means was inftantly taken to collect the force of the country, in order to oppose them without lofs of time; fo that by one o'clock the following day, I was within two miles of Fort Hunter, with between 400 and 500 levies and militia: there I learnt that the enemy, having burnt feveral houfes and barns at Warrenbufh, had croffed the river at a ford some distance below, and were marching to Johnftown. This obliged me to cross the river as foon as poffible, and march by the fhorteft route to the place whither they were directing their courfe. When with in two miles of Johnftown, I was informed they were already there, had halted, and vere bufy in killing cattle belonging to the inhabitants. Thus fituated, I was determined to attack them as foon as poffible; and ordered the left wing of the few troops I had to perform a circuit through the woods, and fall on their right flank, while the right wing advanced in front.

A few minutes brought us in view of them. The troops of this wing were pushed on to a field adjoining to the one poffeffed by the enemy, where they difplayed to the right, and advanced in a liae towards them, who retired with precipitation to a neighbouring wood, clofely prefied by our advance, who began to fkirmish with them, while the remainder of the wing was advancing brifkly in two columns. In this pleafing fituation, without any apparent caufe, the whole of this wing turned about and fied, nor was it poffible to rally them. A field-piece, which was left upon a height at a small distance from the wood,

to secure a retreat, was abandoned, and fell into the hands of the enemy. At this critical period, our left wing, commanded by Maj. Rowley, of the Maffachuffet's ftate, and compofed of the militia of this country, except about 60 of the levies of the above ftate, made their appearance in the rear.

They foon regained every thing our right wing had loft, and more. Night came on, and the enemy retired into the wood, leaving a great number of their packs behind them. After marching fix miles, they encamped on the top of a mountain. By information from prisoners who made their escape from them in the night, it appeared to be their intention to ftrike at the frontiers of Stone Arabia, in order to furnish themselves with provifions. This induced me to march to that place the next morning, where we remained all that day and night, without hearing any thing further from them, than that they were pointing their route further into the wilderness. It was now fure they were unable to make any fudden ftroke below the Little Falls; and in confequence, on the morning of the 27th, I removed to the German Flats, in order to be between the enemy and their boats, which they had left at Oneida Creek. On my way, I learnt that the party which I had detached to destroy them, had returned without doing their duty. The 28th was paffed in furnishing the choiceft of the troops with five days provifions, and 60 Oneida Indians, who had this day joined me. It now appeared clearly, that the enemy had given up the hope of returning to their boats, were directing their march to Buck's ifland, or to Offwagawehu. The troops intended to purfue them, to the amount of 400, befides Indians, croffed the Mohawk at Fort Herkimer, and incamped in the woods. The day following we marched upwards of twenty miles north, into the woods, through a fnow-ftorm; and about eight o'clock of the morning of the 30th, we fell in with the enemy, between their rearguard and a detachment of 40 men, with fome Indians. Thefe, it was intended, fhould procure a fresh fupply of provifions, and follow after their troops, who were to continue their route. Some of this party were taken, fome killed, and the reft difperfed. Their main body fet out on a trot in Indian file, and were purfued as warmly and clofe as poffible,

D 2

until quite night. Our purfuit they but once endeavoured to refift, which was at a very bad ford on Canada Creek, where they left Maj. Walter Butler, and feve ral more. (This is the fame Butler who commanded the maffacre at Cherry Valley in November 1778). We have loft but one man in the purfuit. Our Indians were very useful, and behaved with their ufual alertnefs on fuch occafions. Your Lordship knows they are the best cavalry for the fervice of the wildernefs. Strange as it may appear, it is true, that notwithstanding the enemy had been four days in the wilderness, with only half a pound of horse-flesh per man a-day, yet in this famished fituation, they trotted thirty miles before they ftopped. Many of them, indeed, fell a facrifice to fuch treatment. Their packs and blankets were ftrewed through the woods. All their horfes, except five, which were fent a confiderable diftance forward in their van, with their wounded, and a few prisoners, fell into our hands.

In this fituation I left the unfortunate Maj. Rofs: unfortunate I call him; for he was furely fo, in taking charge of fo fine a detachment of men, to execute fo dirty and trifling a piece of bufinefs as he was fent on, at fuch immenfe hazard and exquifite toil. To fatigue the brave troops longer appeared unneceflary. The enemy, who continued their flight the greateft part of the night, had got greatly the start of us, and almost certain deftruction appeared before them. A feven days march, rivers paflable but upon rafts, a barren wilderness, an inclement feafon of the year, to be encountered with before they can obtain any provifions: befides, our fituation, had we purfued them a day or two longer, might become little better than theirs; for our Indians, and many of the troops, in order to pursue them with greater vigour, had thrown afide their blankets and provifions, which were now twenty miles or more in our rear. In fine, we left them in a fituation, perhaps, more fuited to their demerit, than a mufket, a ball, a tomahawk, or captivity.

I fhall not attempt to give your Lordfhip an account of the whole of the enemy's lofs, from the beginning to the end of the affair. The fields of Johnstown, the brooks and rivers, the hills and mountains, the deep and gloomy marthes, through which they had to pafs;-thefe muft tell;-thefe only can tell; and per

haps the officer, whoever he is, that detached them on this paltry expedition. The defolate region they traverfed in their flight, while we were pursuing them, lies upwards of thirty miles north from Fort Schuyler.

It would be wrong in me to close this letter, without affuring your Lordship, that the troops in general who were with me on this fervice, fupported the great fatigues they had to encounter with a foldier-like fortitude. To Andrew Frink, Efq; formerly a captain in Col. Van Schalk's regiment, but at prefent a magiftrate in this county, who performed the fervice of a brigade-major, I am under great obligations, for his particular attention, great diligence, and manly deportment, through the whole of this expedition.

Inclofed is a particular return of the force of the enemy, taken from Walter Butler's pocket-book, amounting in all to 607. Returns of our killed and wounded, and such as fhall be proper to tranfmit to your Lordship, fhall be fent forward as foon as collected. I remain, with fentiments of the greateft efteem and refpect, your Lordship's very humble fervant,

MARINUS WILLET."

After the reduction of Lord Cornwallis Maj.-Gen. Leflie was fent from New York with a reinforcement of troops, to take upon him the command at Charlestown.

The Americans have likewife fent confiderable reinforcements to the army under Gen. Greene.

"New York, Dec. 8. The latest accounts from Charlestown mention, that Maj. Craig, with the troops, were arrived there from Wilmington; that all the out-posts were called in to reinforce the garrifon; and that Gen. Leslie now found himself at the head of fo refpectable an army, that he is under no apprehenfion from what the Americans can collect against him; that a chain of redoubts are run across the neck from Ashley to Cooper's river; within which there is a new canal cut, ftrengthened likewife with redoubts, which effectually fecure the town on the land-fide."

"Charlestown, Dec. 15. This day Gen. Leflie iffued the following proclamation:

"Whereas many of the inhabitants of this province, regardless of the allegiance to their Sovereign, of which they had fo lately made fuch folemn declarations,