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1779. of Ireland, from which they mean not to depart.

The prevailing unanimity in political fentiments among the Irish, has been greatly forwarded by their parliament's having before followed the humane example of the British legislature in relaxing the penal restrictions of the laws against the English Roman catholics. The addreffes were carried up to the lord lieutenant, with great parade, amid the acclamations of the people. The duke of Leinster, who commanded the Dublin volunteers, escorted the speaker in perfon upon the occasion, while the streets were lined on both fides from the parliament house to the castle, by that corps drawn up in their arms and uniforms. That nobleman had before moved for the thanks of the lords to the volunteer companies through the kingdom, which was carried with only one diffenting voice.

The present letter closes with mentioning, that the Spaniards have, for fome months back, invested Gibraltar both by land and fea; but the garrifon feems to be under no apprehenfions.

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BEFORE we enter upon a relation of the expedi

tions against Penobscot and the Mohawks, let me

mention, that in the beginning of Auguft, gen. Wash

ington, to fecure himself the more effectually from an 1779 attack by the enemy, while weakened through the abfence of the detachment under gen. Sullivan, gave to a double fpy, in order to be communicated, the following exaggerated account of his ftrength" Fit for duty 17,010, exclufive of the troops under Sullivan, gen. Gates to the eastward, and col. Hazens-the total number much greater-befide thefe, the new levies, 2000 from Maffachusetts--thofe from Connecticut and other states coming in daily-a plan fixed, by which the whole ftrength can be drawn together in a few hours upon any great emergency.'

166

Colonel Francis M'Lean was fent from Halifax to establish a post at Penobscot, in the easternmost part of the Maffachusetts ftate. His arrival gave an alarm to June the government at Bofton, and vigorous meafures were agreed upon for preventing its eftablishment. The state was to have the whole honor of the expected fuccefs; and therefore Gates, who was at Providence, was neither confulted nor applied to for continental troops. Gen. Lovel was to command the militia, with a small number of ftate regulars, deftined for the fervice; while capt. Saltonftall, who commanded the Warren continental frigate, acted as commodore to the whole fleet, confifting of near 20 fail, including armed ftate veffels and privateers, befide 24 tranfports. An embargo for 40 days was laid by the general court on all shipping, that a full fupply of feamen might be the more easily procured. When the armament was ready for failing, it lay wind bound in Nantasket road for fome days. By July the 25th of July, it appeared off Penobscot. Colonel 25% M'Lean had gained information of its failing from Boston

28.

1779. four days before. His intended fort was incapable of affording any good defence. Two of the baftions were untouched; the remaining two with the curtains, were in no part above 4 or 5 feet high and 12 thick; the ditch in most parts not more than 3 feet deep: there was no platform laid, nor any artillery mounted. When July the troops had landed, instead of being put upon vigo rous fervice, the general contented himfelf with fummoning the colonel to furrender, which being refused, they were employed two days in erecting a battery at about 750 yards distant from the fort. The colonel improved this opportunity, and what followed during an ineffectual cannonading, for finishing and strengthening his works, till he was out of all apprehenfion from being ftormed; which he was informed by a deferter, on the Aug. 12th of Auguft, was to be in a day or two. Colonel 14. M'Lean, with his garrifon, to their astonishment, difcovered that the Americans had totally abandoned their camp and works in the night, and had reimbarked. The cause of this myfterious event was foon evident by the appearance of Sir George Collier in the Raisonable, attended with five frigates. While Sir George lay at Sandy Hook, he gained information, on or before the 28th of July, from a Boston paper, as it is confidently afferted, of the expedition against Penobscot. He failed for the relief of the place on the 3d of Auguft. It was not the intention of the Massachusetts government, that gen. Lovel should spend much time against it; on the contrary, the speedy reduction of the place was expected. The business being lengthened out, application was made to gen. Gates for a continental regiment; but before it could reach half way to Penobscot, Sir G.

Collier entered and proceeded up the bay. By eleven 17794o'clock in the morning, the American fleet presented themselves to his view, drawn up feemingly with the defign of difputing the paffage; their refolution however foon failed, and an ignominious flight took place. Sir George destroyed and took, including two which were captured on his paffage, 19 armed veffels; befide the tranfports, and fome provifion veffels: The expedition against the fort was fo wretchedly conducted, as to do no credit either to the general or commodore. The army and failors had to explore a great part of their way back by land, through thick woods and defert waftes.

4

The Oneidas, and a few others of the fix confederated Indian nations, frequently called the Mohawks, were friendly to the Americans: the reft, through the power of presents, with the influence of Sir John Johnson and fome others, who had intereft among them, departed from the neutrality they had engaged to obferve, and diftinguished themselves in that cruel and deftructive war, which was carried on against the back fettlements. Their conduct gave rife to that plan of an expedition into their country, which has been already mentioned p. 235. When it was to be carried into execution, there were to be only two divifions, the main one under gen. Sullivan, and the other under gen. James Clinton, which was to go by the Mohawk river. When Sullivan was preparing to proceed, he prefented to congrefs a most expensive and extravagant lift of enumerated articles, in which was a large number of eggs. He made his detachment equal to 7000 rations per day. Congress were fo difgufted with the great demand, and fome of

79.

July

22.

the specified articles, that for fome time they would not order him any. The quantity of rifle powder required, was more than could, on any calculation, be neceffary. The commander in chief inculcated it upon him, that the fuccefs and efficacy of the expedition, depended abfolutely on the celerity of his movements, and might be defeated, if he did not proceed as light as poffible. The quarter mafter general fupplied him with 1400 horfes. When he reached Wyoming, he wrote-" Of the falted meat on hand, there is not a fingle pound fit to be eaten." The next day, the return of the troops, rank and file, was 2312. Here he waited feveral weeks, for more men, and for provisions to fupply the lofs of what had been fpoiled through the villainy or careleffnefs of the commiffaries. When gen. Clinton, who came by the Mohawk river without meeting with any oppofition, joined him on the 21ft of Auguft with about 1600 men of every kind, the whole army with its attendants, battoemen, waggoners, &c. amounted to 5000. Clinton's divifion would of itself have been fufficient for the expedition, as the Indians against whom they marched were only 550, accompanied by about 250 tories, making no more than 800 in all, headed by col. Johnfon, major Butler and Brandt. They were greatly worn down by their long waiting for Sullivan's approach at Newtown, where they had conftructed ftrong breast works. The general lived well as he marched, having taken a number of cafks of tongues with him, beside live cattle to fupply him with fresh provifion. He kept a moft extravagant table, and entertained all the officers upon the plea of fecuring his influence among them, while he was making extremely free in their prefence,

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