. " ii ia- .it m t T'lJ.J - 4wf nf til in'' kJ
3 Am viv. y ' T .. 7 O f
fc. vmm'K V
2 ' 1
. tj- ' . r..u.uanc 1 f;rfranfs- H rank and file.
Wounded. 2 lieuienanc colonels, I caprain, 3 lubalterns
13 fergeants, 113 rank ar.d file.
Missing. 2 fergeants, 42 rank and file. . -(
' m m . jm . V T
Puklifbcd by order or ongrejs,
rv
mod of the day, it was not thought adrifeable, efpecially as their
pofition was exceedingly ftrong, and their numbers fully equal,
if not fuperior, to oars. Not more than 1 500 of my troops have
ever been in aftion before. I (hould before have taken pofleffion
of the hill they occupied, and fortified it, but it is no defence a -gainft
an enemy coming from the fouth part of the ifland, though
exceedingly good agairft an enemy advancing from the north end
towards the town, and had been fortified by the enemy for that
I'have the pleafure to inform Congrefs', that no troops could
-oofiibly fhew more Ipirit than thefe of ours which were engaged.
Colonel Livinzfton, and all the officers of the UghtooiW, behav
ed with great gallantry. The brigades of the firft line Varnum
GWr'f Cornell's, and Green' behaved with great fvmnefs.--Major
General Green, who commanded in the attack on the
right, did himfelf the higheft honour by the judgment andraye
ry exhibited in the action. One biigade only ot the fecend line
was brought to aclion, commanded by Bug. Gen. Lovel; he and
his brigade of militia, behaved with great refolution. Colonel
Cram, and the officers of artillery, deferve the higheft praife.
cnclofe Congref, a return of rhe killed, wounded, and m.ifing on
our fide, and beg leave to aflure them, that, from my own ob
fervation, ihe enemy's iofi mult be much greater. Our array re
tired to ca:np after the action ; the enemy employed iheraielves
in fortifying their camp through the night. In the morning of
the to:h I received a letter from his Excellency General Wajbing
ton, giving me notice that Lord Hozve had again failed with tne
fleet? and receiving intelligence, at the fame time, that a fleet
was off Block Itland, and alfo a letter from Bojlon, informing us
that the Count D'Ertaing could not cimc round fo foon as I ex
pected, a council was called, and as we could have no profpect
V operating againlt Nrufrrt, with fuccefs, vithout the afliftanca
of a fleet, it was unanimoufly agreed to quit the ifland antithe
return of the French fquadrcn. To make a retreat in the face of
an enemy, equal, if not fuperior in number, and I croft a river
without lofs, I knew was an arduous tafk, and feldom accom
Plilhed, if attempted. As our fentries were within 200 yards of
iach other, 1 knew it would require the greateil ca.e and attentt
on To cover my defign from the enemy, I ordered a numner
of tents to be brought forward and pitched in fight ot the enemy,
and draoft the whole army to employ themielves 11 fortifyii e
TK h .1 v. hacruaoe ana liores were facing ba; and
tkmnoli the dav : at dark, the tsnts wee roctc, t.ic
Coffins throogh the cay , ar ob K I" L k L. September IO, I77.
J l.gi g rrrrr; k ' rZ i.r ;fi were informed that the encmy'swhole.a,
the mam army naa cru t m,rrh fmm New-York to Kingfbndge, as if the
R n S T O N. September 1778.
THE Count D'Eftaing has ere&ed very formidable works on
; n , r, r! n whirh we near ne nss mounreu near a nun
j ar.nH himfelf aoainfl anv invauon from oq
Ul.lV.1 lli H"""' - - " L. ? 1. . . !
enemies, while .his fleet are repairing tne carnage ucy juaainea
in the late flbrm. , .
La!l Vednefday evening the Hon. Major General Hancocid
with his fuite came to town, and on datura ay morning mcivur
j i ,;rk Vi5c fnir alffi "survived from the camD ai
GUIS UC I 1 rtjtiiv Tin ' jW w J
Rn .de Ifland, up6n public bufmefs: rIe Marquis at the requefl
of General Hancock, relided at nis leac in iqwu. x us iviui
r.. . Uir Q.inHiv nn hit; return to the camp.
1CI III. VMUV.'.. ' , . J
A fleet'of 70 fail of lhipping was feen ftanding off Rhode-Ifl
land lalt Sunday and Monday, fuppoted Douna into iNewport.
It was currently reported yefterday, that the above fleet ha
irriir.J rVfrp uith a vei ii f r ce men t. ' .;
A fl er of fbips, fjppofed to be Lord flawed from the H00W
ha. been uifcovered Handing orr tn:s naroour iur icvcrn uy r
but difappears this day. i he fleet, it is conjectureu, tonmic
of upwards of twenty iail, iome very capi.ai mips.
4 rtrnfl of treneral orders for the ft of AuPuff.
u Xhe General congratulates his army upon their retreat frod
an ifland in the face of an enemy, wnicn, oy comparing uic(
numbers with Ms laft returns, were fuperior to him, and had U
f-.is the command of the water. Under thefe circamflances, t
ifh fo much li'pularitv, without any confufioi
P." ' " ' , j- 1 r t I ' V
lea ft lofs of ftores or lives in the rd
t ear, muft reilt the higheft honour on the brave troops he haj
t ie hjRcur to cemm una.
Marauii ds la Fayette arrived about eleven in the
iviarquu fit V nf .h ..iil ffir - o
Bflo where ne naa occau) siH ' ,L ,
foljcit the fpeedy re-urn of the fleet. He was f.nlibly mor J
that he was out of action ; and that he might net be out ot he
way in cafe of aclion, he rode frojj hence to Boftun in 7 hours,
and returned in fix and a half, the diflance near feventy miles.
He returned time enough to bring off the piquets and other par
do which covered the retreat of the army, which he did 10 ex
cellent crder ; not a man was left behind, nor the fmalleft article
left I hope my condud through this expedition may merit the
anproba:ion of Coi.grcfs. Major Morrh, one of my aids, will
have the honour of delivering this ro your Excellency. 1 mufl
be? leave to recommend him to Congrefs, as an officer, who, in
the laft as wo'i as feveral other adions, has behaved with great
fpi.it and good conduft, and doubt not Congrefs will take fuch
notice of him as his long fervice aed fpjrited condua deferve. I
have the honour to be, dear Sir, with much efteem,
Tour Excelhnrv's mrf ebeJitnt, and very bumble fervant,
' J JOHN SULLIVAN.
, 1 iif-tl ' -"'..
P S. The event has proved how timely my retreat took
place, as one hundred fail of the enemy's fhips arrived in the har
bour the morning after the retreat. I fhould do the higheft in
jeftice if I neglcfted to mention that Brig. Gen. CornsWt indefa
tigable indoftry in preparing for the expedition, and his gocd
conduft through the whole, merits particular notice. Maj. TaU
Sot, who affifted in preparing the boats, afterwards ferved in Col.
Laurens's corps, dtferves great praife.
-meant bv this move to eive General Wafhington battle. Shool
-1 1 - ,.:,k n.ouon't uA fKfu uil reoent their rain at
tfn . nr I" , -j .
r r .nr.i..akl niimher rnmff rnt to our cam
ivcicricrs, w v vvhuxvi " ..,
ihridir- from dav to day. Jt is laid Ddancey s cap
...... - -- j,- m. I --
Accounts from New-York, by deferters, as tell as perfon
r-rc r,t th rta 1'n pvrhante. That the enemy by appearan-
ces, a e preparing to leave the city, their heavy baggage and ar-
tillery being embarked. l ney are ieuing oir mc nrewu,
Sec. which was ftored for public ufe. AH their flour is delivered
. l - 1--1 . u -,) :ntn W'frnxtL Governor Trvon was re-
turnedjvich ft me thoufan'd head of cattle from the eaft endff
Long Ifland, and they were fcng and laiting tnem up.
Tr ;r o rmorL-aKl nmp nf health in our army in this quarter.
The hofpitais are not crowded as in former; campaigns, .and very
few deaths take place in our grand army, j
TJ A T T 1 M O R R. September IC. J"7S.
Extrail c"a letter from the camp at White Plains, dated Aug, p.
THE difpotition of the enemy fleet, in the Sound, and al
New-York, and other places, indicates a general movement oi l
their army." ... . .. ,
The enemy now freely acknowledge that the tables are cornea,
- and they are put on the defenfive, and have nothing to do but to
provide for thir own fafery at every qarter. in mc uc.i -
they can.