1776.

The MONTHLY CHRONOLOGER.

dard, Efq; one of the reprefentatives for the county of Wilts, to Mifs Williams, of Wales. -15. At Gosford Catle, in the county of Armagh, Ireland, Thomas St. George, Efq; member of Parliament for Clogher, to the Hon. Mifs Achelon, daughter of Lord Gofford.-22. Capt. Lutwyche, of the guards, to Mifs Thomas, only daughter of Sir Noah Thomas-25. Lady Blackifton, relict of the late alderman, Sir Matthew Blackifton, to Hugh Cane, Efq, Lieutenant Colonel of the fifth regiment of dragoon Guards.

DEATHS.

July T Bath, Dr. Wall, Phyfician, of
A
4.
Worcester-5. Mr. Cox, door-
keeper and meffenger to the House of Peers.

7. Mr. James Ashley, of the London punch houfe, Ludgate-Hill.-10. In the King's Bench Prilon, Sir John Powell, Bart. of New Town Hall, in the county of Montgomery-11. Mr. Bullock, one of his Ma

jefty's meflengers in ordinary--At Douglafs in Scotland, Sir John Hall, Bart.-17. At Bath, the Hon. Mr. Somerville, of Dinder,

near Wells, in Somersetshire -20. Ser John Gibbons, Bart, and Knight of the Bath--28. The Duchefs Dowager of Newcale, at Twickenham Park. At Bath, the Right Hon. James Lord Doune, eldest fon of the Earl of Moray---Aug.15. Sir Richard Bampfylde, Bart.-At his houfe in Norfolk-Street, May-Fair, the Right Hon. William Maxwell, Earl of Nithfdale-7. At his feat at Newport, in Ireland, John Earl of Altamont-12. The Reverend Edward Bentham, D. D. fenior Canon of Chrift Church, and regius profeffor of divinity in that university

17. Lady Catherine Hay, wife of Captain William Hay, daughter of John, late Marquis of Tweedale--21. The Right Hon. Charles Shaw Cathcart, Lord Cathcart, Lord High Commiffioner to the general affembly of the Church of Scotland, one of the fixteen Peers, &c.---23. Mr. Damer, fon of Lord Milton, at his houfe in Tilney-Street, May Fair-25. At Shiffnall, aged 128, Mary Yates. She was hearty and ftrong at 120 years, and married a third husband at 92. At Terregles, in Scotland, the Right Hon. Mary Vifcounters Dowager of Kenmure.

445

Hook, where I arrived four days fooner in the Greyhound frigate. I met with governor Tryon on board of fhip at the Hook, and many gentlemen, faft friends to government, attending him, from whom I have had the fulleft information of the state of the rebels, who are numerous, and very advantageously, pofted with ftrong intrenchments both upon Long Island and that of New York, with more than 100 pieces of cannon for the defence of the town towards the fea, and to obftruct the paffage of the fleet up the North river, befides a confiderable field train of ar tillery.

We paffed the narrows with three ships of war and the first divifion of tranfports; landed the grenadiers and light infantry, as the fhips came up, on this ifland, to the great joy of a most loyal people, long suffering on that account under the oppreffion of the rebels ftationed among them, who precipitately filed on the approach of the shipping. The remainder of the troops landed during the next day and night, and are now diftributed in cantonments, where they have the best refreshment. In juftice to captain Reynar, of his majefty's fhip Chatham, who was directed by the admiral to make the difpofition of boats for landing the troops, and to captain Curtis, commanding the Senegal floop of war, who was to fuperintend the execution, I must exprefs my intire fatisfaction in the conduct of thofe gentlemen, and the dependence to be placed upon their future fervices

in this line.

I propofe waiting here for the English fleet, or for the arrival of Lieutenant General Clinton, in readiness to proceed, unless by fome unexpected change of circumftances, in the mean time, it should be found expedient to act with the prefent force.

Vice admiral Shuldham was joined on his voyage by fix tranfports belonging to the Highland corps, having three companies of the 42d and three of the 71st on board. There is no other intelligence of this embarkation, excepting an account published in the New-York papers, that two transports of the fleet were taken by the enemy's privateers, and carried into Bofton; that major Menzies was killed in the engagement, and lieutenant colonel Campbell of the 71ft made prifoner, with 15 other officers, and about 450 men.

Governor Franklyn, who for a long time maintained his ground in Jerfey, has been lately taken into cuftody at Amboy, and is at this time detained a prifoner in Connecticut: and the mayor of New York was confined a few days ago upon a frivolous complaint of fending intelligence to Governor Tryon, brought to trial, and condemned to fuffer death; but by the laft intelligence the fentence was not carried into execution.

Notwithanding thefe violent proceedings, I have the fatisfaction to inform your lordfhip, that there is great reafon to expect a

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The MONTHLY CHRONOLOGER.

numerous body of the inhabitants to join the army from the provinces of York, the Jerfeys, and Connecticut; who, in this time of univerfal oppreffion, only wait for opportu nities to give proofs of their loyalty and zeal for government. Sixty men came over two days ago, with a few arms from the neighbourhood of Shrewsbury, in Jerfey, who are all defirous to ferve; and I understand there are 500 more in that quarter ready to follow their example. This difpofition among the people makes me impatient for the arrival of lord Howe, concluding the powers with which he is furnished will have the beft effect at this critical time.

A naval force is preparing to be fent up the North River, and orders are given for two of his majesty's fhips, the one of 40 guns, and the other of 20, to proceed upon that fervice. Several men have within these two days come over to this island, and to the ships, and lam informed that the Continental Congress have declared the United Colonies free and independent ftates.

1776.

The MONTHLY CHRONOLOGER.

gates aground. The Sphynx and Syren got off in a few hours, but the Acteon remained faft 'till the next morning, when the captain and officers thought proper to fcuttle and fet her on fire. I ordered a court martial on the captain, officers, and company, and they have been honourably acquitted. Captain Hope made his armed veffel as ufeful as he could on this occafion, and he merits every thing that can be faid in his favour. During the time of our being abreast of the fort, which was near ten hours, a brisk fire was kept up by the fhips, with intervals, and we had the fatisfaction, after being engaged two hours, to oblige the rebels to flacken their fire much. We drove large parties fevery veral times out of the fort, which were replaced by others from the main. About half an hour after three, a confiderable reinforcement from Mount Pleasant hung a man on a tree at the back of the fort, and we imagine that the fame party ran away about an hour after, for the fort was then totally filenced, and evacuated for near an hour and a half; but the rebels finding that our army could not take poffeffion, about fix o'clock a confiderable body of people re-entered the fort, and renewed the firing from two or three guns, the reft being, I fuppofe, difmounted. About nine o'clock, it being very dark, great part of our ammunition expended, our people fatigued, the tide of ebb almoft done, no profpect from the Eastward, and no poffibility of our being of any farther fervice, I ordered the fhips to withdraw to their former moorings. Their lordships will fee plainly by this account, that if the troops could have co-operated on this attack, his majefty would have been in poffeffion of Sullivan's Inland. But I must beg leave here to be fully understood, left it fhould be imagined that I mean to throw the moft diftant reflection on our army; I should not difcharge my confcience, were I not to acknowledge, that fuch was my opinion of his majeft'y troops, from the General down to the private foldier, that after I had been engaged fome hours, and perceived that the troops had not got a footing on the North end of Sullivan's Inland, I was perfectly fatisfied that the landing was impracticable, and that the attempt would have been the deftruction of many brave men without the leaft probability of fuccefs; and this, I am certain, will appear to be the cafe, when Gen. Clinton reprefents his fituation.

The Bristol had 40 men killed, and 71 wounded; the Experiment 23 killed, and 56 wounded, and both of them fuffered much in their hulls, mafts, and rigging; the Active had Lieutenant Pike killed, and fix men wounded; and the Solebay eight men wounded. Not one man who was quartered at the beginning of the action on the Briftol's quarter-deck efcaped being killed or wounded. Captain Morris loft his right arm, and received other wounds, and is fince dead; the mafter is wounded in his right

447

arm, but will recover the use of it: I received feveral contufions at different times, but as none of them are on any part where the leaft danger can be apprehended, they are Molloy, and Nugent, were the Lieutenants not worth mentioning. Lieutenants Caulfield, of the Bristol in the action; they behaved fo remarkably well that it is impoffible to say deed I may say of all the petty officers, fhip's to whom the preference is due; and fo incompany, and volunteers. At the head of the latter I muft place Lord William Campbell, who was fo condefcending as to accept of the direction of fome guns on the lower gun deck. His Lordship received a contufion on form their lordships that it has not proved of his left fide, but I have the happiness to inExperiment, loft his left arm, and is othermuch confequence. Captain Scott, of the wife much wounded, that I fear he will not recover. I cannot conclude this létter without remarking, that when it was known quarters, almoft all the feamen belonging to that we had many men too weak to come to the tranfports offered their fervice with a truly British spirit, and a just fenfe of the caufe we are engaged in. I accepted of upwards of 50 to fupply the place of our fick. The mafters of many of the tranfports attended with their boats, but particular thanks are Mercury. due to Mr. Chambers, the master of the

All the regiments will be embarked in a four regiments, will fail in a day or two, few days. The first brigade, confifting of under convoy, for New-York; and the Bristol and Experiment will, I hope, foon follow with the remainder.

the following hips and veels, viz. Bristol Sir Peter Parker's fquadron confifted of of 50 guns, Sir Peter Parker, commander, Capt. John Morris; Experiment of 50, Williams; Solebay of 28, Thomas Symonds; Alexander Scott; Active of 28, William Acteon of 28, Chriftopher Atkins; Syren Anthony Hunt, commander; Friendship of 28, Tobias Furneaux; Sphynx of 20, Sloop of 8, Roger Wills; Thunder Bomb armed veffel of 22, Charles Hope; Ranger of 8, James Reid; Saint Laurence Schooner, Lieut. John Graves, commanders,

tenant-General Clinton's letter to Lord
Whiteball, Aug. 24. It appears by Lieu-
George Germain, dated July 8, 1776, from
Carolina, that Sir Peter Parker and the
the camp on Long Ifland, Province of South
general having received intelligence that the
fortrefs erected by the rebels on Sullivan's
Inland, (the key to Charles Town Harbour)
was in an imperfect and unfinished state,
refolved to attempt the reduction thereof by
army might co-operate with the flcet, the
a coup de main; and that, in order that the
general landed his troops on Long Island,
municating with Sulivan's island by a ford
which had been reprefented to him as com-
paffable at low water; but that he, to his very

great

448

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great mortification, found the channel, which was reported to have been 18 inches deep at low water, to be feven feet deep; which circumftance rendered it impoffible for the army to give that affiftance to the, feet in the attack made upon the fortrefs that the general intended, and which he, and the troops under his command, ardently wished to do.

(Thus far the London Gazette.)

The following is the fubftance of the declaration of Independency by the reprefentatives of the United States of America, in General Congrefs aflembled, July 4.

"When in the courfe of human events it becomes neceffary for one people to diffolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to affume among the powers of the earth the feparate and equal ftation to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent refpect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the caufes which impel them to the feparation.

"We hold thefe truths to be felf-evident; that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among thefe are life, liberty, and the purfuit of happiness. That to fecure thefe rights, Governments are inftituted among men, deriving their just powers from the content of the governed; and whenever any form of government becomes deftructive of thefe ends, it is the right of the people to alter, or to abolish it, and to inftitute new government, laying its foundation on fuch principles, and organizing its powers in fuch form, as to them thail feem most likely to ffect their fafety and happiness. Prudence indee will dictate, that government-long cftablished fhould not be changed for flight and tranfient caufes; and accordingly ali experience hath fhewn, that mankind are more difpofed to fuffer, while evils are fufferable, than to right themfelves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abufes and ufurpations, purfuing invariably the fame object, evinces a defign to reduce them under abfolute defpotiim, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off fuch government, and to provide new guards for their future fecurity. Such has been the patient fufferance of thefe colonies, and fuch is now the neceffity which conftrains them to alter their former fyftems of government. The hiftory of the prefent rulers is a hiftory of repeated injuries and ufurpations;

Aug.

all having in direct object the effablishment of an abfolute tyranny over thefe ftates."

The Congrefs next recite a number of proceedings detrimental to the colonies, most of which have been already mentioned, at different times, from the refolutions of their feveral affemblies, with this difference, that they now attribute the oppreffions to a great perfon, inftead of the miniftry and parlia liament, as at their former meetings. They then conclude thus:

"In every ftage of thefe oppreffions we have petitioned for redress in the most humble terms; our repeated petitions have been anfwered only by repeated injury.

Nor have we been wanting in attention to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature, to extend an unwarrantable jurifdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumftances of our emigration and fettlement here. We have appealed to their native juftice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to difavow thefe ufurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of juftice and of confanguinity. We muft, therefore, acquiefce in the neceffity which denounces our feparation, and hold them, as we hold the reft of mankind, enemies in war, in peace friends.

"We, therefore, the reprefentatives of the United States of America, in General Congrefs affumbled, appealing to the Supreme. Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name, and by the authority of the good people of thefe colonies, folemnly publish and ceclare, that these united colonies are, and of right ought to be, Free and Independent States, and that they are abfolved from allegiance to the British crown, and that all political connection between theme and the ftate of Great-Britain, is, and ought to be, totally diffolved; and that as free and independent flates, they have full power to levy war, conclude peace, contract alliances, eftablish commerce, and to do all other acts and things which independent flates may of right do. And for the fupport of this declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our lives, our fortunes, and our facred honour. Signed by order,

And in behalf of the Congress,
JOHN HANCOCK, Prefident".

To our CORRESPONDENTS. NSTANCES of Flattery-Remarks on Education-Improvements fuggefted in the late Convict A&t-Mechanicus-and jeveral Poctical favours, fhall appear in our next. J. H-'s remarks on S. Jenyns, and fome of the doctrinal articles of the Church, are too controverfial, and fevere; we shall be ready to infert them if corrected. They are left with the Publisher.

F. Y's lines intended for a Tombstone-Epigrams, with an Anecdote, &c. are received, We are obliged to J. S.-A Conftant Reader will fee that due attention bath been paid to bis defire, -W's Elay is inadnáljible.

Foreign Affairs

503

With the following Embellishments, viz.

1. An ELEGANT ENGRAVING of Lady ANNA MARIA STANHOPE;

AND

2. An accurate MAP of Col. ARNOLD'S Route from Boston to Quebec.

LONDON, printed for R. BALDWIN, at No. 47, in Puter-nefter-RownOf whom may be had complete Sets, from the Year 1732 to the present Time, ready bound. and stitched, or any fingle Volume to complete Sets.