chaffeurs engaged on the Weft road, I dispatched Col. Fanning's corps of provincials to join Gen. Lof. berg, who obliged the rebels to quit two redoubts made to cover their retreat, drove them before him, and took poffeffion of Turkey-Hill. Towards evening, an attempt being made by the rebels to furround and cut off the chaffeurs, who were advanced on the left, the regiments of Fanning and Huin were ordered up to their fupport, and, after a smart engagement with the enemy, obliged them to retreat to their main body on Windmill Hill. After thefe actions the enemy took poft in great numbers on Windmill-Hill, and employed themselves in ftrengthening that advantageous fituation. "This night the troops lay on their arms on the ground they had gained, and directions were given for bringing up the camp equipage. Artillery was likewife fent for, and preparations made to remove the rebels from the redoubts; but by means of the great number of boats, they retreated in the night of the 30th over Bristol and Howland's Ferry; thus relinquifhing every hold on the island, and refigning to us its entire poffeffion." The expedition of General Grey against Martha's Vineyard, to wage war with fheep and oxen, fhews that our generals were at a great lofs how to proceed, and that they could now carry on no enterprize which had the leaft profpect of being decifive, or was worthy of the expence that was now bestowed in carrying it on. Notwithstanding the bravery of Gen. Grey, and the conduct with which he managed his expedition, yet it is plain from his own account, that it was only a temporary excurfion, which could not be be fupported much longer than the moment of the execution. The General's account of his expedition is dated on board the Carysfort, Whiteftone, Sept. 18, 1778, and is as follows: "IN the evening of the 4th instant. the fleets with the detachment under my command, failed from New London, and ftood to the Eastward with a favourable wind. We were only retarded in the run from thence to Buzzard's Bay, by the altering our course for fome hours in the night, in confequence of the difcovery of a strange fleet, which was not known 10 be Lord Howe's until morning. By five o'clock in the afternoon of the 5th, the fhips were at anchor in Clark's Cove, and the boats having been previously hoifted out, the debarkation of the troops took place immediately. I proceeded without lofs of time to deftroy the veffels and ftores, in the whole extent of Accufhnet River, (about fix miles) particularly at Bedford and Fair Haven, and having difmantled and burnt a fort on the Eaft-fide of the river, mounting i pieces of heavy cannon, with a magazine and barracks, completed the re-embarkation before noon the next day. I refer your Excellency to the next return for the enemy's loffes, as far as we are able to afcertain them, and for our own casualties. "The wind did not admit of any further movement of the fleet the 6th and 7th, than hauling a little distance from the fhore. Advantage was taken of this circumftance to burn a large privateer fhip on the Stocks, and to fend a fmall armament of boats, with two gallies, to deftroy two or three veffels, which being in the ftream, the troops had not been able to fet fire to. "From .4 "From the difficulties in paffing out of Buzzard's Bay into the Vineyard Sound, through Quickfet's Hole, and from Headwinds, the fleet did not reach Holmes's Hole harbour, in the island of Martha's Vineyard, until the 10th. The tranfports, with the light infantry, grenadiers, and 33d regiment, were anchored without the harbour, as I had at that time a service in view for those corps, whilst the business for collecting cattle fhould be carried on upon the island. I was obliged by contrary winds to relinquish my defigns. On our arrival off the harbour, the inhabitants fent perfons on board to afk my intentions with refpect to them, to whom a requifition was made of the arms of the militia, the public money, 300 oxen, and fo,ooo fheep. They promifed each of thefe articles fhould be delivered without delay. I afterwards found it neceffary to send small detachments into the ifland, and detain the deputed inhabitants for a time, in order to accelerate their compliance with the demand. The 12th I was able to embark on board the veffels, which arrived that day from Rhode-Ifland, 6000 fheep, and 130 oxen.: The 13th and 14th were employed in embarking cattle and sheep on board our own fleet; in defroying fome falt-works; in burning or taking in the inlets what veffels and boats could be found, and in receiving the arms of the militia. I here again refer your Excellency to returns. "On the 15th the fleet left Martha's Vineyard; and after fuftaining the next day a fevere gale, of wind, arrived the 17th at Whiteftone, without any material damage: 4 B "I hold myself much obliged to the commanding officers of corps, and to the troops in general, for the alacrity with which every fervice was performed." The whole progrefs of our army in America began to be exceedingly flow, and the feveral exertions in the various excurfions and expeditions, were carried on with a degree of timidity, which plainly indicated an apprehenfion that they had to deal with an enemy whofe importance was rather to be dreaded than defpifed. In all motions for fupplies of forage, the principal care was first to obferve the motions of the enemy, and to guard againft an attack of the militia or provincial forces, who generally made fuch furious attacks upon the foraging parties, as made them purchafe dearly the fmall fupplies they obtained. The loffes on thefe occafions were generally as much concealed as poffible, to keep up the fpirits of the troops, and to deceive the public at home; but in fpite of all fecrefy, as much tranfpired, as fully declared that our power, influence, and hopes were very much upon the decline. It has been one of the misfortunes of this war, that it began in injuftice, and has been carried on with lies and diffimulation. The expedition to Eggharbour, the attack of the village of Taapan, are reprefented as fuccefsful expeditions, where only one or two are faid to be killed; whereas, fome who were engaged in thefe excurfions, and have come home fince, give a very different account of them. Gen. Cornwallis's expedition referred to in Sir Henry Clinton's letter of October 8, is set forth as a moft fuccessful one, though it was attended with both lofs and danger. The only fuccefsful part of it was that which was conducted by General Grey, who, who, indeed, was the foul of every action where he was prefent, yet that general is far from giving fuch windy accounts of the fuccefs of our army, as our Gazettes have done after manufacturing the letters, which the miniftry received from the British commanders. The miniftry have indeed been fometimes deceived by ignorant felf-interested perfons, who, deftitute of all knowledge of what was tranfacted, have affirmed the groffeft falfehoods, through the influence of corrupt prejudices. Even fome who never were ten miles from New York, and who were unacquainted with the whole tranfactions on either fide, have had the vain effrontery to affirm that the Ame ricans never fought, never could fight, and never would fight. The teftimony of General Grey, a character of the first rank in every view, whether as a gentleman, a citizen, or officer, is contradicted, with regard to the very objects of his own sense, by perfons that were never acquainted in the fmallest degree, with any tranfactions of the American war. * The *A pedantic school-master, who, He ought, however, out of good like the good Mr Galloway, was manners to his English reader, before obliged to leave America for con- he had fat down to write a pamfcience-fake, has lately published a phlet, firft confidered whether he pamphlet, wherein he pofitively could write English, and not have affirms, That the Americans never expofed himself and wearied his fought, nor could fight; and that reader with illiterate and ungramall thofe that have been killed on matical falfehoods. If he intended our fide, have killed themfelves or to write a romance, he ought to one another: for it is certain that done it genteelly, and not difmany thousands have been fain, and gas his order, by murdering his if the Americans never fought, it is owa language, of which he is faid to manifeft they could never kill our be a teacher. It is fomewhat furmen. This Mr Robinfon confefics prifing that men fhould pay fo little that he was never twelve miles out regard to truth and confiftency, as to of New York, fo of confequens, as affirin what thousands can, from the he had nothing to do but récelin fulleft certainty, contradict. With telligence, he met be undoubtedy a defign of throwing the mifcarthe beit authority to depend upon. tiages of the miniftry, upon the of |