having gained the high hill of Compo, several attempts were made to dislodge them, but without effect. The enemy landed a number of fresh troops to cover their embarkation, which they effected a little before sunset; weighed anchor immediately, and stood across the Sound for Huntington, on Long Island. "Our loss cannot be exactly ascertained, no return being made. Extract of a letter from Gen. Parsons to Governor Trumbull, dated New Haven, May 30th, 1777. "I sincerely congratulate your Honor on the success of our arms on Long Island. Col. Meigs left Sachem's Head on Friday, at 1 o'clock, P. M., with a detachment of 160 men, officers included, and landed within three miles of Sag Harbor, about one at night; and having made the proper arrangement for attack. ing the enemy in five different places, proceeded in the greatest order and silence within twenty rods of the enemy, when they rushed on with fixed bayonets, upon the different barracks, guards, and quarters of the enemy; while Capt. Troop, with a party under his command, at the same time, took possession of the wharves and vessels lying there. The alarm soon became general, and an incessant fire of grape and round shot was kept up from an armed schooner of twelve guns, which lay within 150 yards of the wharves, for near an hour; notwithstanding which, the party burnt all the vessels at the wharf, killed and captured all the men who belonged to them, destroyed about one hundred tons of hay, large quantities of grain, ten hogsheads of rum, and other West India goods, and secured all the soldiers who were stationed there; the prisoners are about ninety, among whom are Mr. Chew and Mr. Bell. I have the satisfaction of being informed that the officers and men, without exception, behaved with the greatest order and bravery, and not a man on our side either killed or wounded. "Eleven vessels, great and small, were destroyed in the above affair, and the prisoners taken were about one.third seamen, the others generally American recruits, and sent to Hartford." Last Tuesday, one brig, two schooners, and four sloops went up the sound past New London. Thursday se'nnight, Capt. Conklin, in a privateer sloop from New London, arrived at Bedford, from a cruise with a prize schooner, laden with 7,000 gallons of rum. Capt. Conklin had before taken another schooner loaded with fish, which he sold in Guadaloupe. June 6, 1777. Tuesday last, two ships and a sloop went up the sound,' passed New London. A sloop, Daniel Rice, master, owned in New London, was taken last week off Fairfield, by Capt. Hawley's privateer, and carried into Fairfield, on the presumption she was bound to New York, as the sloop had taken in a cargo at Derby, and in the sound was standing for New York, with several tory passen. gers on board. Rice and his passengers were committed to Fairfield gaol. Three other small vessels were taken about the same time and sent in at Black Rock, with thirteen absconding tories on board. Among the It is judged to be about sixty, killed and wounded. former, there are-one Lieut. Colonel, one Captain, four subalterns, and Dr. David Atwater, of New Haven, whose death is greatly lamented by his acquaintance. Among the number wounded, are Col. John Lamb, (of artillery,) Anan Bradley, and Timothy Gorham, (volunteers from New Haven,) though not mortally. June 20, 1777. Last Tuesday, a party of men from three British ships landed at Sachem's Head, in Guilford, three or four miles from the town, and burned a large dwelling house owned by Mr. Lecte, and two barns; carried off several cattle, calves, and sheep ; the inhabitants being alarmed, the enemy made a short larry. The next morning the three ships were seen to pass New London harbor. 1 July 4, 1777. Last Wednesday, Capt. E. Rogers, in a small sloop, returned from Huntington, on Long Island, who went with a flag from New London, and delivered a British prisoner on board the ship Swan, on his return his vessel was boarded by a small sloop, a tender of the British sloop Halifax; the com. mander put Capt. Rogers and his men into the vessel's hold, and proceeded to Huntington, Long Island, when in sight of the Swan, they released him after plundering him of $6, a pair of silver buckles, and two pair of breeches. New Haven, July 9th, 1777. Last Sunday night, a number of the British landed four miles west of Norwalk, and took off over forty head of cattle; and the next night attempted to land east of said town, but were prevented by the militia. July 18, 1777. Capt Bigelow, of Connecticut, was taken in the West Indies. Capt. Palmer, in a small privateer sloop from Stonington, was taken and carried into Newport. Last Saturday, a prize brig was sent into New London by the sloop Trumbull, Capt. Henry Billings, with 5 or 6,000 pounds of coffee, &c. Also by the Trumbull, a prize brig with 98 hogsheads of rum, sent into Marblehead. Capt. S. Champlin, in the sloop American Revenue, of New London, in com. pany with a small privateer, took a large ship with 439 hogsheads of sugar, and arrived safe in port. Last Tuesday, Gen. Prescott, taken prisoner in Rhode Island, was taken to Lebanon under guard. Capt. Stillman, of Connecticut, was taken and carried into New York. July 25th, 1777. Last Sabbath about 6 o'clock in the afternoon, twentythree sail of British ships appeared off New London harbor, bound eastward under a fair breeze, which alarmed the inhabitants at New London. Alarm guns were fired, and the troops got under arms, but the ships passed New Lon. don about sun set. Capt. Niles in the armed schooner Spy, who had been watching the above fleet from the time they came through Hurlgate, arrived at the mouth of the "The enemy's loss is judged to be double our number, and about twenty prisoners. The enemy, on this occasion, behaved with their usual barbarity-wantonly and cruelly murdering the wounded prisoners, who fell into their hands, and plundering the inhabitants, burning and destroying every thing in their way.The enemy, before they left Fairfield, were joined by ten sail, - harbor as the fleet passed by; they fired several shots at the Spy, when near Goshen Reef, without injury. The ships were a fleet of victuallers, bound to England, under the Niger frigate, with many invalids on board. On Friday last, a flag returned to New London from Newport with several prisoners, sick by ill usage. August 1st, 1777. On Saturday, seven sail of British ships under convoy from Newport, passed New London. On Sunday, Capt. Niles, in the Spy, brought into New London an empty sloop of 80 tons; in company with the above fleet, after wood on Long Island, and took another loaded with wood, taken by Capt's. Niles and Conklin. Capt. Jason Chester, in a small armed boat from Middletown, in one week, took five sail of small coasting vessels, chiefly empty, and sent them into Con. necticut river. Capt. Champlin, of New London, took and sent into Boston, a brig laden with rum, also a large schooner, part of a fleet of one hundred and sixty sail which had left St. Kitts. The prisoners who had arrived at New London from Newport, their whole clothing was not of the value of one farthing, and they were covered with lice, and nearly rotten with scurvy and putrid fever. They left a number of Amer. icans on board the prison ship, confined promiscuously in the hold, officers, privates, negroes, &c., and by turns were allowed to breathe God's free air upon deck, (occasionally in the day time,) but the hot rays of the sun beat upon the decks all day, which rendered the hold as hot as an oven; and at evening were drove into the hold with gratings laid over them, and in this hot bath to remain until morning, twelve only were left there by the aforesaid prisoners from Connecticut; (Palmer and his crew were taken in armed vessels and could be exchanged only for such as had been so taken.) Prisoners allowance at Newport, viz.: for six men, twenty-four hours-Mon. day, 1 qt. of oat meal, 23 lbs. of bread. Tuesday, 2 lbs. of beef, and 3 lbs. of flour. Wednesday, 2 lbs. of pork, and 1 qt. of pease. Thursday, 1 qt. of oat meal, and 3 lbs. of bread. Friday, 2 lbs. of beef, and 3 lbs. of flour. Saturday, 2 lbs. of pork, and 1 qt. of pease, (14 ounces to the pound.) New London, August 8, 1777. Last Saturday, a flag returned to New London with a number of poor, emaciated prisoners from Newport, Rhode Island; their appearance was enough to excite the commiseration of the most barbarous savages; but the hearts of the British appear callous to every sentiment of humanity. The brutal policy of the enemy, is to debilitate the bodies and ruin chiefly small vessels. Since the enemy went off, a number of disaffected persons, who, it is supposed, intended to join them, have been taken into custody." Gen. Wooster, who died of the wound which he received on the 27th of April, (in the affair of Danbury,) was one of the oldest and most experienced officers in the American service. He the constitutions of their prisoners, leaving only life enough to answer an exchange; though many have died in the operation, performed by starvation. Capt. Moses Arnold, of Cape Ann, died in two hours after taken on board the flag, and was buried at Stonington. Samuel Kilby, Nathan Solly, and Francis Irons, lay sick in New London, the others, feeble as they were, crawled from town to town towards their homes. Their meagre countenances confirm the scanty pittance which had reduced them. Just before the arrival of the flag along side of the prison ship, Samuel Thompson, and the gunner of Captain Palmer's privateer, Edgarton, of Norwich, died by starvation. It was well asked, how long shall the States pay British seamen their wages, while prison. ers, give them their private ventures, and lay them under no restraints; when should we retaliate, though "do good for evil" is a god-like virtue; if justice requires it, should it not be done? Dreadful thought! indeed dreadful! to an American to open something worse than an Inquisition, to torture the bodies of innocent men. A flag sailed from New London for Newport, with thirty British prisoners, on Monday last, and returned on Wednesday, with thirty American prisoners. Samuel Fish died soon after he arrived in New London; twenty-seven of them crawled towards their homes. As the flag left the prison ship, Edward Williams, lieutenant of Capt. Palmer's privateer, and the cooper, died. Capt. Champlin, sent into a safe port, a prize schooner with 220 hogsheads of rum. New London, August 22, 1777. On Saturday evening, Capt. Tinker, in a small privateer, from East Haddam; a small sloop, John Harris, Master, and a large boat of Peter Rogers', of New London, were all drove on shore at Narragansett Beach by a British ship. Near the same time, a sloop, John Keeny, master and owner, of New London, was taken by a boat of a British man-ofwar, but the men escaped in their small boat to Block Island. Three British ships appeared in the sound several days. Saturday last, a prize brig, taken by the ship Oliver Cromwell, was sent into a safe port, laden with beef, pork, butter, flour, &c., of 160) tons. The following is a letter sent by express to Gov. Trumbull, dated, "In Council of Safety, Bennington, August 16th, 1777. Brig. Gen. Stark, of New Hampshire, with his brigade, together with the militia, two companies of rangers, raised by this State, with part of Col. Simon's regiment of militia, are now in action with a number of the enemy's troops, assembled near this place, which for some time has been very severe. We have in possession, taken from commanded the Connecticut militia that were first marched to New York, in 1775, and had a subsequent command in Canada, in 1776. His loss was greatly lamented by his country. The following biographical notice has been published at a former period: "Gen. DAVID WOOSTER was a native of Stratford, and was the enemy this day, four brass field pieces, ordnance, stores, &c., and this minute five hundred prisoners have arrived. We have taken the ground, although fortified with intrenchments, &c., they were reinforced, made a second stand, and still continue the action. The loss on each side, is doubtless considerable-number not known. P. S. The second action took place about a mile from the first; many of the enemy were killed; took two hundred more prisoners, being in all seven hun. dred; and in all five field pieces." New Haven, August 27, 1777. Monday morning the British Swan, and three tenders, came too, off Milford Farms, where they landed about forty men, supposed with the intention to take cattle, but on their approach were drove off by the owners; they remained about 20 minutes on shore, in which time they broke the windows and doors, &c., of Mr. Merwin's house, destroyed his beds, and furniture, &c., but upon the people's assembling they departed with great precipitation, and took with them two hogs, and a few cheeses. A few shots were exchanged after they were in their boats, without injury. Sept. 12th, 1777. Capt. Niles, in the schooner Spy, sent into New London, a fine sloop of 80 tons, laden with wood, which he took at anchor under the Long Island shore. Last Friday, was taken into Connecticut river, by two armed whale boats, from Middletown, two sloops, one of 50 tons, taken in Cow Bay, near New York, the other taken in the sound. On Saturday, two men who were detected in conveying tories to Long Island from Killingworth, were committed to gaol in New London. Last Sabbath, eight sail of shipping under convoy, went down the sound. Near thirty sail of English shipping were seen last week, under Long Island shore, taking in wood. Tuesday last, a sloop of about 70 tons, was taken in the sound, by Captain Briggs, of Boston, and sent into New London. New London, Sept. 19th, 1777. Tuesday se'nnight the ship Oliver Cromwell, of Connecticut, took a prize ship into Boston; she mounted sixteen car. riage guns, with fifty men, and several passengers-one of them, a captain of a fifty gun ship, and had on board quite a quantity of dollars and wrought plate. Capt. Conklin, in the privateer Revenge, of New London, took an English brig with 30 hogsheads of rum, &c., on board, which arrived safe in port. The prize a few days before spoke the Snow, with 427 hogsheads of rum on board, a prize to Capt. Staples, in a privateer, from New Haven. |