Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

BOSTON, March i. t Last Monday morning, Royal Ty ler, Elq. arrived in town from the camp at Pittsfield, and brought the following intelligence: Feb. 27, 1787. Dear General, “ I received information this day, about eleven o’clock A. M. that a large body of the rebels had been plundering the town of Stockbridge, and were diteding their course this way ; the militia of this town were immediately collected, and as many as could be provided with arms, em bodied under lieut. Goodrich. The .militia trom Great- Barrington under the command of Capt. Ingersoll, joined us about one o’clock, when our number was about eighty $ with this number I conceived it not im prudent to engage -the enemy (with regard to whole numbers we had various accounts) and accordingly ordered the troops to move towards Great-Barrington, where they then were. Cn our route we were in formed that the rebels had moved westerly, towards the ffate of New> York, byway of Younglove’s tavern. • 1 conlequently ordeied the troops under my command to file ofFby Ja fpar Saxton’s towards bgremont, in order to get in their front, knowing that the militia from the northward were in the rear. Upon different in formations that they were bending their courle towards Sheffield, we immediately marched back and met them in Sheffield, near baxton’s— the rebels began the attack by a scat tering fire, from a considerable di llance—the troops under my com mand advanced rapidly towards them and a warm fire commenced, which continued about fix minutes, when the rebels fled in very great disorder and in different directions. The woods and morafles bordering upon the field of aCtion, rendered our pur luing them with success impractic able. Capt Hamlin, who command ed the rebels, is dangerously if not mortally wounded—two of the ene my were killed w'hom we have found, probably more are in the woods whom we have not diicovered —25 of them we have taken prisoners and three wounded. The loss on our fide was two killed, one of them a pri loncr with the rebels, and probably killed by our fire,.and one wounded, a worthy young gentleman, a son of Mr. Burghard of Great-Barrington. The spirit and firmnefs of the troops, many of whom difcliarged 6 rounds during the adtion, d.eferve commen dation. The northern militia arrived * soon after the adtion, and facilitated the capture of prisoners. I have the pleasure to felicitate you on this fortunate issue of so alarming an incursion of the rebels, and am, dear fir, with great esteem, your moil obedient humble servant, . JOHN ASHLEY, jun.” N. B. The prisoners are taken on by the militia under command of Gen. Patterson, who arrived soon af ter the adtion.” Major Tyler further informs, that sixty two of Hamlin’s men, among whom were a number who had tak en the oath of allegiance, were on Wednesday escorted by a party of light-horse to the Proved in Pitts • field } that half an hour previous to the time of adtion, the reoels had paroled part of their prisoners upon condition of their proceeding to Egre mont under a Small guard of four men, and that it was currently le ported that those gentlemen were re lieved a few hours after the adtion by a party of horse. General Ethan Allen, we are in formed, lately declared, in presence of several gentlemen of this date, that he never had any communications with Shays or his adherents, diredfly or indiredtly; but that he heartily despised both them and their cause. We are informed, that the rebels, in the adfion with Col. Ashley, placed the prisoners whom they took at Stockbridgc,, in their front; which adt of savage barbarity, we conclude, was the occasion of the death of Mr. Gleason, mentioned in Col. A Alley's letter. We hear that the celebrated Chap man, and one Jonathan Faucit, a re presentative to the aflembly of Pitts- ford, were lately upon an embahy < 0 Lord Dorchester, to ftek luppl ies Q V inen, money, &c, tor the rebels. As they reached St. John’s they themselves too low in pocket to pr o . • ceed lurther without assistance; but impressed with the great importance ot their million t 6 the Engliffi nation they had no doubt but, upon the firfl: intimation, the British command er at the polt would immediately ad vance guineas by handfuls—when alas l he laughed at them and their i cattle, and communicated their pro. found secret to the people. The young apprentices conllru&ed a wooden horse, and determined to ho nor thole rebels with a ride. Faucit etcaped without his laddle-bags— Chapman was miffing, and we do not know but he has taken an air ,'ing upon the British Rolinante. A larch 28. Major Cookfon, who arrived in town lall: Sunday night, from camp at Pittsfield, informs, that not less than seven thousand families inhabitants of the three weHern coun« ties of this Rate, have within about fix weeks past removed into the Rate of Vermont. HARTFORD, Feb. 12. The great increase of lawyers a mong us since the revolution begins to give serious concern to all good men, and I am -told a pamphlet of more than one hundred pa-ges is now in the press, or soon will be, pro posing an easy method to reduce their numbers in lels than fix months. Peter the Great, in his time, had but four lawyers in bis whole dominions, and two of thele he hanged. Forniy own part, I will read no tedious el fays on this fubjedt—Let individuals check the prelent prevalent ipirit of wrangling and litigation, and the number of attornies will soon be in confiderable.Ko man will follow any trade or profeffion longer than he can live by it. The people of Dorcefler, near Bo- Ron, are brewing a new (edition, by proposing an unconßitutional mode for the choice of Senators, and ap pointing delegates for a county con vention to effect it.