bly of the states, for promoting piety and good motion, well qualified in point of capacity, and of unrals among the people at large. But, especially, we suspected attachment to the liberties of America. desire that you may give attention to this circum- We need not urge the reasons for calling your stance in the government of the army, taking care attention to this object, they are daily before your that such of the articles of war as forbid profane- eyes.

ness, riot and debauchery, be observed and enforc- 5. We recommend the immediate completing of

ed with all due strictness and severity. This, we the establishment for wounded and disabled solapprehend, is absolutely necessary for the encou-diers and seamen, by extending it to the militia in ragement and maintenance of good discipline, and the continental service, and making some provision will be a means of recruiting the army with men of for the widows and children of those who fall in credit and principle-an object ardently to be battle, or die in the service, whether in the regu wished, but not to be expected, if the warmest lar or militia troops. The necessity of a law, in this friends of their country should be deterred from as well as the several states in the union, grounded sending their sons and connections into the service, upon such establishment, requires that it be attendlest they should be tainted with impious and im-ed to as speedily as possible. moral notions, and contract vicious habits.

6. You are to take the earliest opportunity of hav2. We have no doubt that, as guardians of the ing some effectual mode adopted for negociating state of New-Jersey, you will be particularly atten- the exchange of citizens and civil prisoners, no ade tive to its interests; but we also expect you will quate provisions being, as we conceive, made for be watchful to guard against every thing which will this end in the cartel now subsisting. Numbers of be hurtful to the general union, or injurious to the civil officers, inhabitants and subjects of this state, common interests of the United States. Extinguish, in captivity, and, we doubt not, the case is similar by all means in your power, the least appearance in other states, where the operations of war have of jealousy in its earliest rise. Discountenance all local and partial reflections in every instance, and reprove, by your example, and suppress, as far as your authority extends, party feuds and factions, be the offenders who they may.

extended, not being taken in arms, and, therefore, not within the description of prisoners of war, are languishing in gaols and chains, under the power of the enemy, without the means or hope of relief. As their sufferings are in consequence of their zeal and activity in the common cause, they are entitled to the most vigorous exertions of their country in their behalf.

3. Let the wants of the soldiery be amply supplied and due provision made for their health and comfort; and, as we think this can be done, so we wish it always may, in such manner as to guard the civil 7. The great irregularities and abuses which have rights of the people against military encroachment, been, and continue to be, committed in this state, and the arbitrary oppression of officers of the army, and, probably, in others where the army hath been, or of persons employed in the commissary's, quar- or now is, by the impressing horses, teams and carter-master's or hospital departments. We contem-riages, and taking provisions, forage and fuel for plate with concern, the slighest appearance of the troops on march or in camp, and in delaying, such an evil, and wish you to take proper pains to neglecting, or totally refusing, upon the application prevent it. This state is forwardedly disposed to of the inhabitants, with their receipts or certifi use every exertion in behalf of their troops, and, as cates, to those whose duty it is to make satisfacfar as can reasonably be expected, of the army in tion, have given rise to such universal uneasiness general; but we desire, when a requisition for this and complaint, that it cannot have escaped your effect is necessary, it may be seasonably made, notice. The ill consequences of such a grievance, without waiting till the very hour of necessity, not only to individuals, but to the cause in general, when it is impossible to take due and legal means are so obvious, we need only remind you of it, and of complying with it so as to answer any good pur-desire you would use your endeavors to procure a pose. speedy remedy.

4. We desire you may be cautious of multiplying 8. We wish you to consider whether it may not be offices, or the number of the officers in the several advisable, and even necessary, that congress digest continental departments, and thereby unnecessarily and recommend to the several states, some general increasing the public expense. Especially, you will plan for a treason law, lest inconveniences and difuse your utmost influence that the departments be ficulties should arise from such laws being drawn filled with men of probity, principle, and discre-in different forms and settled on different princi

ples, either as to the crimes or penalty, in the dif. him, into the hands of the inhabitants well affected, ferent states; and particularly that treason against called tories, and will attack all such of the milithe union may be properly described, and the pub tia as remain in arms; burn and destroy their houses nishment thereof suitably defined. Such a general and other property, and reduce them, their unforfoundation being once laid, the law can be varied tunate wives and children to beggary and distress. and accommodated, if necessary, to the local and -And, to convince them that these are not vain special circumstances of each state, without sub-threats, he has subjoined a list of the names of such stantially departing from it. as will be the first objects to feel the vengeance of the Brtish nation.

"Given under my hand at head-quarters, Salem, 21st day of March, 1778.

CS. MAWHOOD, Col."

Answer of the colonel of militia.

"SIR-I have been favored with what you say hu

9. That your attendance on the duties of your appointment may be the more easy and convenient, and that you may have leisure and opportunity occasionally to attend to your domestic concerns, from which, otherwise, you must have been totally ab. stracted, we have made the representation to consist of five, some three to be constantly present in manity has induced you to propose. It would congress, unless when precluded by unavoidable have given me much pleasure to have found accident. And that the state may not be put to that humanity had been the line of conduct to unnecessary expense, not more than three are to our troops since you have come to Salem. Not attend at the same time.

By order of the joint-meeting,

JOHN STEVENS, Chairman. Princeton, December 4, 1777.

FROM THE SALEM (N. J.) MESSENGER, AUG. 15th.

The following correspondence, which passed between the commanding officers of the British troops and American militia, at this place, in the time that "tried mens souls," in the revolutionary struggle, was handed us by a venerable old man; who bore the fatigues and privation of a soldier in those days. It was presented for publication, for the purpose of reviving and keeping alive our gratitude to those who so nobly contended for liberty,

and adoration to the supreme ruler of the universe, for causing the seemingly just, though apparently weaker power, to prevail. The proposal of the British commander is cruel and insulting: the answer ingenious and bold. They are as follows:

"Colonel Mawhood, commanding a detachment of the British army at Salem, induced by motives of humanity, proposes to the militia at Quinton's Bridge and the neighborhood, as well officers as private men, to lay down their arms and depart, each man to his own home; on that condition he solemnly promises to re-embark his troops without delay, doing no further damage to the country, and he will cause his commissaries to pay for the cattle, hay and corn, that have been taken, in sterling

only denying quarters, but butchering our men who surrendered themselves prisoners in the ski mish at Quinton's Bridge last Thursday: and bayoneting yesterday morning, at Hancock's Bridge, in the most cruel manner, in cold blood, men, who were taken by surprise, in a situation in which they neither could nor did attempt to make any resistance; and some of whom were not fighting me, are instances too shocking for me to relate, and I hope for you to hear. The brave are ever generous and humane! After expressing your sentiments of humanity, you proceed to make a request which I think you would despise us if we complied with. Your proposal that we should lay down our arms, we absolutely reject. We have taken them up to maintain rights, which are dearer to us than our lives, and will not lay them down, till either success has crowned our cause with victory, or like many ancient worthies contending for liberty, we meet with an honorable death.-You mention, that if we reject your proposal, you will put arms into the hands of the tories against us. We have no objections to the measure, for it would be a very good one to fill our arsenals with arms. Your threat to

wantonly burn and destroy our houses and other property, and reduce wives and children to beggary and distress, is a sentiment which my humanity almost forbids me only to recite! and induces me to imagine that I am reading the cruel order of a barbarous Attila, and not of a gentlemen, brave, gene. tion.-To wantonly destroy will injure your cause rous and polished with a genteel European educamore than ours. It will increase your enemies and "If, on the contrary, the militia should be delu our army. To destine to destruction the property ded and blind to their true interest and happiness, of our most distinguished men, as you have done in he will pat the arms which he has brought with your proposal, is, in my opinion, unworthy a gener.

money.

ous foe, and more like a rancorous feud between frustrate the designs of God, and render vain the two contending barons, than a war carried on by bounties which his gracious hand pours indiscrimi one of the greatest powers on earth against a peo. nately upon his creatures. By these the miserable ple nobly struggling for liberty. A line of honor slaves in Turkey, Persia, and many other extensive would mark out that these men should share the countries, are rendered truly wretched, though fate of their conntry. If your arms should be crown- their air is salubrious, and their soil luxuriously fered with victory, which God forbid, they and their tile. By these France and Spain, though blessed by property will be entirely at the disposal of your nature with all that administers to the convenience power, will only make them desparate, and, as I of life, bave been reduced to that contemptible state said before, increase your foes and our army; and in which they now appear; and by these BRITAIN retaliation upon tories and their property is not en tirely out of our power. Be assured that these are the humble sentiments and determined resolution not only of myself, but of all the officers and privates under me.

-!!! but ifI was possessed of the gift of prophecy, I dare not, except by Divine command, unfold the leaves on which the destiny of that once powerful kingdom is inscribed."

At that time there were no British troops in Bos

"My prayer is, sir, that this answer may reach ton; four regiments, however, shortly after arrived, you in good health and happiness.

"Given at head-quartes, at Quinton's Bridge, March 22d, 1778.

ELIJAH HAND, Colonel. "To Cs. Mawhood, Colonel.".

FROM THE BOSTON CENTINEL.

the officers of which expressed the most decided detestation of the above inserted quotation, and as Mr. Knapp says, "threatened vengeance on any ora. tor, who should dare to repeat such sentiments." When Warren delivered his Oration the following year, in defiance of those threats, the British army had been reinforced to nearly ten thousand men, and more than an hundred of the officers attended se

Mr. Russell.-On reading in your last Wednes-cretly armed, for the purpose of taking revenge, on day's Centinel, an extract from Mr. Knapp's biogra. the utterance of any sentiment, which should be phy of Warren, it reminded me of some circum- obnoxious to them.

stances, not mentioned by him, which occurred at The writer of this article was standing in the broad the "Old South" on the 5th of March, 1775, which was the anniversary of the massacre of several inhabitants of the town of Boston by the British troops, in 1770.

aisle, near the upper end, and saw Capt. Chapman, of the Royal Welch Fusileers, on the lowest step of the pulpit stairs, playing with three pistol bullets in his right hand, and occasionally casting looks of William Cooper, esq. the town clerk, who was seatcontempt on the orator, but more particularly on ed near him, directly under the pulpit. Mr. Cooper maintained a firm and undaunted countenance, and

Mr. Hancock had delivered an oration the preceding year on the same occasion, in the course of of which he had made the following observations: "Standing armies are sometimes (I would by no returned his looks with disdain. I never look back means say generally, much less universally) com- upon that scene without horror, in the contemplation posed of persons who have rendered themselves un- of the danger we were then in of a much more hor. fit to live in civil society; who have no other motives rid massacre than the one we were then commemoof conduct than those which a desire of the present rating. A trifle, lighter than air, would have de gratification of their passions suggests; who have no luged that church, in the minds of both parties, it property in any country; men who have lost or given has always been a wonder to me that the war did up their own liberties, and envy those who enjoy not commence on that day.

liberty; who are equally indifferent to the glory of The 47th regiment, (it was supposed by design), a George or a Louis; who for the addition of one passed the church at this time, the drums beating penny a day to their wages, would desert from the with redoubled force. This regiment was com Christian cross, and fight under the crescent of the manded by the infamous colonel Nesbit, who, a few Turkish sultan. From such men as these what has days after, caused an innocent man to be tarred and not a state to fear?—With such as these usurping feathered, and carted through the principal streets Cæsar passed the Rubicon; with such as these he in open day, and headed the party HIMSELF!!! folhumbled mighty Rome, and forced the mistress of lowed by some grenadiers and the whole band of the world to own a master in a traitor. These are the regiment, in defiance of that law which he was the men whom sceptered robbers now employ to ostensibly sent to protect.

After the orator had made some remarks on the accurately inspected; to reject such as are not fit massacre of the 5th March, 1770, he said- for use, and report the corps that offer them. 13-Two Hessian deserters came in; every thing favorable.

Head-quarters, Oct. 13, 1781.

For to-morrow.

B. G. Wayne and
Gist's brigade.

"And could it have been conceived that we again should have seen a British army in our land, sent to enforce obedience to acts of parliament destructive of our liberty? But the royal ear, far distant from this western world, has been assaulted by the tongue of SLANDER; and VILLAINS, TRAITOROUS alike to KING and COUNTRY, have prevailed upon a gracious prince 14. This morning a deserter says the infantry to clothe his countenance with wrath, and to erect refuse doing duty. That Cornwallis promised them the bostile banner against a people ever affectionate they would be relieved from New-York, and give and loyal to him and his illustrious predecessors of each reg. a pipe of wine.

the house of Hanover. Our streets are again filled The marquis, at dark, stormed their river battewith armed men; our harbor is crowded with ry, and baron viscount Viomnel stormed another ships of war, but these cannot intimidate us; our on their extreme, to the left, with little loss. We liberty must be preserved; it is far dearer than life, run our second parallel complete.

we hold it even dear as our allegiance; we must defend it against the attacks of friends as well as enemies; we cannot suffer even Britons to ravish it from us."

While this sentence was repeating, captain Chapman exclaimed-Fre! FIE! It was at first supposed that FIRE was cried, which occasioned a momentary disturbance-when William Cooper rose from his chair, and, with a voice truly Stentorian, vociferated that "there was no fire, but the fire of envy, burning in the hearts of our enemies, which he hoped soon to see extinguished," looking with indignation on Chapman, Hawkes and other officers who where

near him.

I could enlarge on this subject, Mr. Russell, but as I have already extended my remarks beyond my original intentions, and 1 fear encroached on your patience, I will subscribe myself

AN OLD BOSTONIAN.

From the Village Record, Nov. 7, 1821. This week the Journal of capt. Davis is brought to a close. The event to which it particularly relates is the most important in our military annals. It is not recollected that the general orders, issued during the investment of Cornwallis, were ever before published.

Head-quarters, Oct. 14, 1781. For to-morrow.

M. G. Lincoln,

B. G. Clinton.

Maj. general Lincoln's division will mount the

trenches to-morrow.

The effects of the late col. Scammel will be dispos ed of at public sale, to-morrow at 3 o'clock, P. M. at maj. Rice's tent, in gen. Ilayne's Brigade.

15--This night the enemy made a sally and imposed themselves on the French for Americans; forced their works and made themslves masters of an American battery which they spiked. Imposi tion being found out, they retired, with eight men killed on the spot.

Head quarters, Oct. 15, 1781. For to-morrow.

M. G. M. La Fayette,

B. G. Muhlenburg and
Hayne's brigade.

Maj. gen. La Fayette's division will mount the trenches to-morrow.

The commander in chief congratulates the army on the success of the enterprize against the two im. portant works on the left of the enemy's lines. He requests the baron Viomnel, who commanded the French grenadiers and chasseurs, and marquis La Fayette, who commanded the American light infantry, to accept his warmest acknowledgments for the excellency of their dispositions and their own gallant conduct on the occasion; and he begs them to present his thanks to every individual offi. cer, and to the men of their respective commands, for the spirit and rapidity with which they advancThe Marquis' division will mount in the trenches ed to the attacks assigned them, and for the admito-morrow. The superintendant of the deposite of rable firmness with which they supported them, the trenches, is required to have the quality of sau- under the fire of the enemy, without returning a cisson, fascines and gabions brought to the deposite, shot.

JOURNAL OF CAPT. DAVIS.
Oct. 12.-A tremendous fire from both sides.
Head-quarters, Oct. 12, 1781.
For to-morrow.
M. G. M. La Fayette,

B. G. Muhlenburgh.

Lieut. col. Dehart being relieved from his arrest, the court martial, of which col. Cortland is presiThe general, upon this occasion, entreats his exdent, will proceed to the trial of the prisoners con-cellency, count Rochambeau, to acccept his most fined in the provost.