Newspaper Page Text
NEW.YORK, September 19.
A* Account of Brigadier General Arnold*t Expedition to
New London.
S t R, September 16, 1781.
YOU art defird te publilh the Wloftd. letter from
Brigadier General Arnold to hi* Excellency the
: Commander in Chief* I am* Sir, your moft obedient
fervent, ‘• * O; DELANCEY, Adj. Gen.
To- Mr. Jatnet Phtington.
SIR, Sound of Plumb IJland, %tb Sept. 1781.
I HAVE the honour to inform your Excellency, that
the transports with the detachment of troop* under my
order* anchored on the Long Island Ihore on the sth in
stant, at two o’clock P. M. about ten league* from New
London, and having made fome neeaflary arrangements,
weighed anchor at seven o’clock P. M. and stood for New
London with a fair wind. At one o’clock the next mor
ning we arrived off the harbour, when the wind suddenly
fhifted to the northward, and it wa* nine o’clock before
the transports could beat in. At ten o’clock the troop*
la two divifion*, and in four debarkation*, were landed,
one on etch fid* the harbour, about three miles from New
London; that on the Groton fide, confiding of the 40th
•nd 54th regiment*, and the 3d battalion of New Jersey
Volunteer*, with a detachment of jager* and artillery,
were under the command of Lieut. Col. Eyre. The divi
sion on the New London fide confined of the 38th regi
ment, the Loyal Americans, the American Legion, Re
fugees, and a detachment of 60 jagers, who were imme
"diately on their landing put in motion, and at 11 o'clock,
being within half a mile of Fort Trumbull, which com
mand* New Loudon harbour, l detached Capt. Millet,
with four companie* of the jlth regiment, to attack the
fort, who was joined on his march by Capt. Frink, with
one company of the American Legion. At the fame time
I advanced with the remainder of the division, weft of Fort
Trumbull, on the road to the town, to attack a redoubt
which had kept up a briflt fire upon u* for fome time, but
which the enemy evacuated on, crur approach. In this
Work we found-fix piece* of earmon mounted, and two
, tlifmounted ; soon after I had the pleasure to fee Capt*
1 Millet march into Fort Trumbull under a (bower of grapa
flot from a number of cannon, which the enemy had
turned upon him j and I have the pleasure to inform your
Excellency, that, by the sudden attack and determined
bravery of the troops, the tort wa* carried with the ldf* of •
only four or five men killed and wounded. Capt. Millet
had orders to leave one company in Fort Trumbull, to de
tach one to the .redoubt we had taken, and to join me
with the other two companie*. H* timtf on my pat t wa*
loft In gaining the town of New London. We were ©p
foltd by’ a fma*l body of the enemy with one field
who were-so hard preffeJ that they were obliged to leave
the piece, jrhich being ir n was spiked and left*
As soon as the enemy were alarmed.ih the morning w
Could perceive they were busily employed in bending fails,
and endeavouring-to get their privateers and other (hips up
Harwich river, out of our reach ; but the wind being small,
nd the tide against them, they were obliged to anchor a
gain. From information I received before and after my
landing, I had reason to believe that Fort Griswold, on
Croton fide, was very incomplete ; and I was assured (by
friend* to Gnvermnent) after my landing, that there weie
only *0 or 30 men in the fort, the inhabitant* in general
being on board their (htpa, end busy in saving their pro
perty. On taking poffeHton of Fort Trumbull I found the
enemy’s (hip* would efcapc unless we could possess ourfolvea
of Fort Griswold; I therefore dispatched an officer to
Lieut. Col. Eyre with the intelligence I had icceived,
land requeued him to make an attack upon the fott as soon
aa p ffible ; at which tid& I expelled the bowltxer was up
•nd would have been made use of. On my gaining a
height of ground in the rear of N*w London, from which
X had a good profpelt of Fort Griswold, I found it much
Wore formidable than I expelled, or than I had formed an
idea of from the information I had before received; I ob
served at the fame time that the men who had escaped from
Fort Tiumbull hadcroffed in boats and thrown themselves
Into Fort Griswold, and a favourable wind springing up a
bout this time, the enemy’* ships were cfcapiug np the r
•er, notwithstanding the fire from Fort Trumbull, and a
fix pounder which I had with me. I immediately dis
patched a boat with an officer to Lieut. Col. Eyre, to
eountermaad my firft order to attack the fort, but the of
ficer arrived a'few minutes too late—Lieut. Col. Eyre had
sent Capt. Beckwith with a flag to demand the surrender
of the fort, which waa peremptorily refilled, and the at
tack bad commenced. After a moft obftinatc defence of
rear 40 minutes the fort was carried by the superior bra
very and perfevcrance of the affailanti. The attack was
judicious and spirited, and refleds the highest honour on
the officers and tro p$ engaged, who feemtd to vie with
•ach other in* bring firft in danger. The troops approached
en three (ides of the work, which waa a (quart, with
flank*, made a lodgment in tht ditch, and under a heavy
fire, which they kept >. 5 on the work*, cfte&ed a second
lodgment upon the frwx> r, which waa attended with great
difficulty, as only a few picket* could be forced out or
broke in 1 pi ice, and was so high that the foldlen could
wot ascend without afhfting each other. Here the coolncf*
and bravery of. the troops were very cnnfpiruuus, as the
firft who afeended the fraise Were obliged to fitancu a nine
pounder, which infiladed the place on which they stood,
until a fufficicnt body had colle&ed to enter the works,
which waa done with fixed bayonet*, through the embra
sure*, where they were opposed with great obftinaey by
the garrison with long fpeart. On thia occasion I have to
regret the loft of Major Montgomery, who waa killed by
a spear in entering the enemy’* works; also of Ensign
Whillock, of the 40th regiment, who was killed ia the
attack. Three other officers of the fame regiment were
wounded; Lieut. Cbl. Eyre, and three other officers of
the 54th regiment, were *lfo wounded, but J have the fa
tisfa&ion to inform-your Excellency that they are all in a
fair way to recover.
Lieut. Col. Eyre, who behaved with great gallantry,
having received hit wound near the work*, and Major
Montgomery being killed immediately after, the command
devolved on Major Bromfield, whole behaviour on this
occasion does him great honour.
Lieut. Col. Bufkirk, with the New Jersey Volunteer*
•nd artillery, being the second debarkation, came up soon
after the work waa tarried, having been retarded by the
roughness of the country { I am reach obliged to this gen
tleman for hi* exertions, although the artillery did not ar
tive in time.
1 have ifiriofed • return of the killed and wounded, by
which your Excellency will observe that out Lx** though
very considerable, is very fliort of the enemy’s, who loft
rnoft of their officers, among whom was their Commander
Col. Ledyard. Eighty five men were found dead in Fort
Griswold, and 60 wounded, moft of them mortally; theif
loss on the opposite fide must have blen 'Confiderable* but
cannot be afeertained. I believe we have about 70 prifon
rs, besides the wounded, who were left paroled.
Ten or t of the enemy’s-ftiips were burned, among
them three or four armed veffel£ and one loaded With
naval (lores; an immense quantity ©LEuropian and Weft
India gnndt were found in the ftojes; among the former
the cargo of the Hannah, Capt. watfon, from London,
lately captured by the enemy ; the whole of which wi*
burnt with the (lores, which proved to contain a large
quantity of powder, unknown to us. Thocxplofion of the
powder, and change of wind, soon after the (lores were,
fired, communicated the flames to part of the town, which
was, notwithdandiftg every effort to prevent it, unfortun
ately deflroyed.
Upwards of 50 pieces of iron ennnon were destroyed in
the different works, (exclusive of the guns of the (hipi)
a particular account of which 1 cannot do myfrif the hon
our to transmit to your Excellency at this time.
Avery considerable mag.uine of powder, and barracks
to contain 300 men, were found in Fort Griswold, which
Capt. Lemoine of the royal artillery had my positive direc
tions to destroy; an attempt was made by him, but un
fortunately failed; he had my orders to make a f-corid at
tempt; the rcafon why it was not done Capt. Lemoine
will have the houour to explaix to your Excellency.
I (hould be wanting in justice to the gentlemen of the
navy, did I ©mit to acknowledge, that, upon this expedi
tion, I have received every possible aid from them. Capt.
Beasley has made every exertion to assist our operations,
and not only gave up his cabin to the Tick and wounded
officers, but furni/hed them with every assistance and re
frelhment that his (hip afforded.
Lord Dalrymple will have the honour to deliver my dif
patyhes; 1 beg leave to re Per your Excellency to his Lord.*
(hip for the particulars of our operations on the New Lon
don fide. 1 feel mylelf under great obligations to him for
his exertions upon the occasion.
Capt. Beckwith, who was extremely ferticeable to me,
returns with his Lord (hip.- Hi, spirited conduit in the
attack of Fort Griswold does him great honour, being*one
,of the firft officers who entered the works. I beg leave to
refer your Excellency to him for the particulars of our op
erations on that fide, arid to fay-I-have-*the-higbeft-opinion *
of his abiliticsis a'n officer.. . -
, I am greatly indebted- to’ Capt. Stapleton (who ailed as
Major ot Brigade) for his spirited conduit and assistance;
in particular.iu the attack upon Fort Trumbull, and his
endeavours to prevent plundering (when the puhlick (lorea
were burnt) and the deftrullion of private buildings.
The “officers and troops in general behaved with the
greatest intiepidity.and firmnefs. 1 have the honour to
be, with (he greatest respell, your Excellency’s moft obe
dient and moft humble servant, B. ARNOLD.
[T&o Rtiumt were publijhed in our Paper of the 18 tb y/f.J
CENERAL ORDERS.
head S>ua’ters i AWrTW, .f ~tk Sep*, if&i,
Brigadier General Arnold having reported to the Com
manuer in Chief the success of the expedition under his
dire&ion, on the Gtn infant, his Excellency has the plea
sure of figoitjiny to the army the high fenfehe entertains
of the very diftingtiifhed merit of the, corps employed upon
that service : But whilst he draws the greatest fatisfullion
from the ardour of the troops, which enabled them to
carry by assault a place of such strength as Fort Griswold is
‘represented to be, he cannot but lament, with the deepest
concern, the heavy loss in officers and men fullained by
the 40th and 54th regiments, who had the hon ur of that
attack ; an! as no words can do proper justice to he dif
ripline and spirit which th-y (hewed on that occasion, hi*
Excellency can only rrqueft they will accept his thanks,
with afiurances that he will not fail to represent their con
dull to their Sovereign in the m ft honourable terms.
The Commander in Chief begs leave to express his obli
gations to Brigadier General Arnold, for his very spirited
conduit on the occasion ; and he assures that General Offi
cer that he ia convinced he took every precaution to pre
vent the deftrullion of the town, which it 4 misfortune
that gives him much concern.
His Excellency also feel* himfelf greatly indebted to all
the officers of the regular andprovincial corps who accom
panied him on that service, but more particularly so to
Lieutenant Colbnel Eyre, Major Bromfield, and Captain
Millet, who commanded the attacks, and to Lord DaL
ryraple, Captains Beckwith and Stapleton, of whose very
able assistance and diflinguifticd gallantry the Brigadier
makes the moft honourable mention.
The Commander in Chief Has iikewife the greatest
pleasure in taking this pi*blick occasion of fignifying-to the
army how much they art indebted to the great humanity
and benevolence of Captain Beasley, <>f his Majesty’s (hip
Amphion, to whose very friendly and generous assistance
many of the wounded officers and men are moft probably
Indebted for their lives. ’ n A
FRED. MACKENZIE, D. A. G.
*.. —-..-J”'"* .
——__— -• - _— . \ .■ * * , •
On Tuesday the zoth Novembgknext, will be fold
at pubiick vendue, in Savannfth, pursuant to the
will of the Hon. James Read, Esq. deceased,
The LOT on the Bay,
belonging the Estate of the said deceased, at
present occupied by George Baillie, Esq. the
buildings whereon are exceedingly commodious,
and at a small expence may be made as convenient
as any in town.
Also, Two Wharf Lots,
one opposite the abovementioned lot, on which is
a good wharf; the other a little lower down. ,
The conditions will be easy, and will be declared
on the day of sale.
REBECCA READ, Executrix.
GEO. HOUSTOUN, Executor.
Savannah, Oft. 15, 1781.
JUST imported, and to be Ibid at slow ad ran*
for ca(h, by the fubfevibera, *
White and Coloured PLAINS
HOUSTOUN and SiORR
Nov. 1, 1781. • \T
Forty Guineas Reward.
RAN AWAY from the fubferiber** plantation
Thunderbolt, V
I'wo Negro Men,
Purfchafed at the sale of the Estate of the late Ms
John Greene, deceased, both country btarn, blacii
complexions, and speak good Knglifb ; one named
Roger, neat 50 years old, a little knock knee’d
fl-in made, round ihouldered, about 5 feet 8
high, has a wide mouth, speaks fall, (hewing hit
teeth,” which are remarkably long ; the other named
CotDELio, about 20 years old, very likely, fljqj
made, a little bow legged, about 5 feet 5
high, speaks flow, of a pleasing couutenance, ants
whose mother in Savannah at M s Farquhar’t,
Any person who delivers them, without being
maimed, orotheiwife rendered incapable oflabour
at this place, to the fubfcr.ber, within fix weeks of
this date, (hall be paid ten guineas for Roger,
for Cordelio, if delivered in the fame manner
twenty guineas; or if any person will give infor!
mation of their being harbomed, emploved, oi
sent oft the province, to conviction of the offendei*
if he or (he be a free white person, (hali be pad
the lum of five guineas for each ; therefore all
mailers o f vefiVls, and othe s whom it may concern,
are hereby requelted to forbear giving the troubk
and expence of a rigorous prosecution.
JOHN MULLRYNE,
Bonaventure, Oftobcr 25, 1781.
. JL I.G IPFTI p-R si’
\ LL aftive your.g men, fit Tor ‘Light Horst.
men,’ and willing to feffve his Majesty King
GEORGE, for the ip. ce of two year', or during
the present rebellion, have now a fair and honour*
able opportunity of revenging themlelve* on th|
authors of the many cruelties and horrid mu den
committed on their relations, friends, and fellow
fubjefts ; of teftifying their loyalty to the befl 0(
Kings, and manifelting their abhorrence and aver,
fion to this unnatural and unprovoked rebellion;
by applying to Lieut. Col. George Campbell,
comffiandihg the King's own A rrincan Regiment,
now quartered in this town, who has power to
raise a body of lighf horse, to be attached to and
serve conilantly with the said regiment. Each loyal
and smart young recruit (hall receive five guinea!
bounty, and a crown to drink his Majesty’s health,
be provided with free quarters, a good horse, pay,
cloathing, arms, accoutrements, and every other
requiiite, fit for a light drngoon, such as a cap and
helmet, a brace of good pistols before him, a keel
edged sword by his fide, and good boots and spun,
‘I hus equipped as a Gentleman Dragoon, he must
carry lure and certain viflory, acquire honour to
himfelf, and render service to his Sovereign aid
injured Country^ —
Savannah, sth June, 1781.
GOD SAVE THE KING.
N. B. Any person who brings a recruit (hall rf*
ceive a reward of half a guinea. Such.fervicraWe,
aftive, able, and young dragoon horses, as are to
be fold, will be purchased, and a generous prid
given, by applying at the Colonel’s quarters, tbfl
yellow house near the weft gate.-’
GEORGE CAMPBELL,
: i Lr. Col. and Commanding.
Twenty Guineas Reward.
AN AWAY, or was carried off from Satan*
aX- nah in Georgia* fome time in August last,
and supposed to be taiccn to Jamaica or New Pro*
vidence,
A Negro Boy, named “SCRURp
about 4 feet 6 or 7 inches high, of a yellowifll
(complexion, round and pretty full visaged, fpcakl
good Engbfh, has a mild countenance, and hil
country marks (confiding of 2 or % scratches) dowl
his cheeks, and is rather inclined to be fat. Any
ptrlon delivering said negro to Alexander Wright,
Esq. in Charleftown, or to the fubferiber in Sa
vannah, or giving information so that the bovinaf
be recovered, (lull receive a reward-of five guineas*
and upon conviction of the offender or offendeO
who harbour or carried him off twenty guineas.
NATHANIEL HALL*
Savannah, in Georgia, 2d Nov. 1781.
A HE fubferiber intending to leave the provincf
by the 25 th of January next begs the fav
our of thole indebted to him to fettle their accounts*
and those who have any demands against him art
desired to call for payment.
JOHN NICOLSOft
Savannah, 51st Oft. 1781.
