Supplement, No. 37, Friday, October 13, 1775

[Supplement to the Virginia Gazette, No. 37, Friday, October 13, 1775}

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SUPPLEMENT. {No. 37. FRIDAY,
October 13, 1775}

PHILADELPHIA, September 28.
The following letters are published by order of the
Honourable Continental Congress.
HEAD-QUARTERS, CAMBRIDGE, August 11, 1775.
SIR,
I UNDERSTAND that the officers engaged in the
cause of liberty and their country, who by the
fortune of war have fallen into your hands, have
been thrown indiscriminately into a common jail
appropriated for felons; that no consideration has
been had for those of the most respectable rank;
when languishing with wounds and sickness; that
some of them have been even amputated in this
unworthy situation.

Let your opinion, sir, of the principle which
actuates them be what it may, they suppose they
act from the noblest of all principles, a love of free-
dom and their country. But political opinions, I
conceive are foreign to this point. The obligati-
ons arising from the rights of humanity, and claims
of rank, are universally binding and extensive, ex-
cept in case of retaliation. These, I should have
hoped, would have dictated a more tender treat-
ment of those individuals, whom chance of war had
put in your power. Nor can I forbear suggesting
its fatal tendency to widen that unhappy breach,
which you, and those ministers under whom you
act, have repeatedly declared you wish to see for ever
closed.

"My duty now makes it necessary to apprise
you, that for the future I shall regulate my conduct
towards those gentlemen who are, or may be, in
our possession, exactly by the rule you shall observe
towards those of ours now in your custody.

"If severity and hardship mark the line of your
conduct (painful as it may be to me) your prisoners
will feel its effects; but if kindness and humanity
are shewn to ours, I shall with pleasure consider
those in our hands only as unfortunate, and they
shall receive from me that treatment to which the
unfortunate are ever entitled.

"I beg to be favoured with an answer as soon as
possible, and am, sir, your very humble servant,
GEORGE WASHINGTON."

His excellency general GAGE.
SIR, Boston, August 13, 1775.
TO the glory of civilized nations, humanity and
war have been compatible; and compassion to the
subdued is become almost a general system.

Britons, ever pre eminent in mercy, have outgone
common examples, and overlook the criminal in the
captive. Upon these principles, your prisoners, whose
lives, by the laws of the land, are destined to the cord,
have hitherto been treated with care and kindness,
and more comfortably lodge than the king's troops in
the hospitals; indiscriminately it is true, for I acknow-
ledge no rank that is not derived from the king.

My intelligence from your army would justify
severe recrimination. I understand there are of the
king's faithful subjects, taken some time since by the
rebels, labouring like negro slaves to gain their daily
subsistence, or reduced to the wretched alternative to
perish by famine or take arms against their king and
country. Those who have made the treatment of the
prisoners in my hands, or of your other friends in Bos-
ton, a pretence for such measures, found barbarity
upon falsehood.

I would willingly hope, sir, that the sentiments
of liberality, which I have always believed you to
posess, will be exerted to correct these misdoings. Be

meet all events with becoming fortitude. They will
court victory with the spirit their cause inspires, and
from the same motive will find the patience of martyrs
under misfortune.

Till I read your insinuations in regard to minis-
ters, I conceived that I had acted under the king,
whose wishes, it is true, as well as those of his minis-
ters, and of every honest man, have been to see this
unhappy breach for ever closed; but, unfortunately for
both countries, those who long since projected the pre_
sent crisis, adn influence the councils of America, have
views very distant from accomodation.
I am, sir, your most obedient humble servant,
THOMAS GAGE.

GEORGE WASHINGTON, esq;
HEAD QUARTERS, CAMBRIDGE, August 19, 1775.
I ADDRESSED you on the 11th instant, in terms
which gave the fairest scope for the exercise of
that humanity and politeness which were supposed
to form a part of your character. I remonstrated
with you on the unworthy treatment shews to the
officers and citizens of America, whom the fortune
of war, chance, or a mistaken confidence, had
thrown into your hands.

"Whether British or American mercy, fortitude,
and patience, are most pre-eminent; whether our
virtuous citizens, whom the hand of tyranny has
forced into arms, to defend their wives, their chil-
dren, and their property, or the mercenary instru-
ments of lawless domination, avarice, and revenge,
best deserve the appellation of rebels, and the pu-
nishment of that cord which your affected clemency
has forborn to inflict; whether the authority under
which I act is usurped, or founded upon the genuine
principles of liberty, were altogether foreign to the
subject. I purposely avoided all political disquisi-
tion: Nor shall I now avail myself of those advan-
tages which the sacred cause of my country, of li-
berty, and human nature, give me over you; much
less shall I stoop to retort and invective. But the
intelligence you say you have received from our
army requires a reply. I have taken time, sir, to
make a strict inquiry, and find it has not the least
foundation in truth. Not only your officers and
soldiers have been treated with a tenderness due to
fellow-citizens and brethren, but even those exe-
crable parricides, whose councils and aid have deluged
their country with blood, have been protected
from the fury of a justly enraged people. Far from
compelling or permitting their assistance, I am em-
barrassed with the numbers who crowd to our camp,
animated with the purest principles of virtue, and
love of their country. You advise me to give free
operation to truth, to punish misrepresentation and
falsehood. If experience stamps value upon coun-
sel, yours must have a weight which few can
claim. You best can tell how far the convulsion
which has brought such ruin on both countries, and
shaken the mighty empire of Britains to ist founda-
tion, may be traced to these malignant causes.

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"You affect, sir, to despise all rank not derived
from the same source with your own. I cannot
conceive one more honourable that that which
flows from the uncorrupted choice of a brave and
free people, the purest source, and original foun-
tain, of all power. Far from making it a plea for
cruelty, a mind of true magnanimity, and enlarged
ideas, would comprehend and respect it.

"What may have been the minsterial views
which have precipitated the present crisis, Lexing-
ton, Concord, and Charlestown, can best declare.
May that God, to whom you then appealed, judge
between America and you. Under his providence,
those who influence the councils of America, and
all the other inhabitants of the United Colonies,
at the hazard of their lives, are determined to hand
down to posterity those just and invaluable privileg-
es which they received from their ancestors.</P

"I shall now, sir, close my correspondence with
you, perhaps for ever. If your officers, our prisoners,
receive a treatment from me different from what I
wished to show them, they and you will remem-
ber the occasion of it.
I am, Sir, your most obedient humble Servatn
G. WASHINGTON."

General Gage.
September 30. The New YOrk post, which arrived
this afternoon, has brought the August packet, by
which we have received advices to the first of that
month. The London Chronicle of the 29th of July
contains general Gage's account of the battle at Bun-
ker's hill, in which he says he had 19 commissioned
officer's killed, and 70 wounded; 16 non-commissioned
officers killed, and 52 wounded; 191 privates killed,
and 706 wounded. Administration, in order to amuse
the people, has given out that the Americans had 5000
killed and taken. The following paragraphs are all
the printer has time to give his readers this evening.

LONDON, August 1.
IT is said that clothing for 3000 troops, Canadians,
was sent off yesterday, and that the same con-
tractor has orders for fittign up 7000 more, with
all possible despatch.

We are assured, that at subsidiary treaty has been
entered into, these six weeks past, with a Ger-
man prince, for 10,000 of his troops to be trans-
ported to New York and Boston, by the end of
August. Such transports as are already engaged
are ordered forthwith to be victualled, and to sail
immediately to Embden. Five frigates, destined
to reinforce the squadron on the coast of America,
are to take transports under their convoy. The
foreign troops are to be commanded by a general
of their own nation, well known for his good con-

Extract of a letter from Chatham, July 26.
"This morning early an express arrived here
from the hon. navy board to commissioner Proby
for the shipwrights and caulkers for this dockyard
to work two tides a day extra, in order to forward
the ships, with all expedition, that are now fitting
out at this port for America.

"His majesty's ship Centurion of 50 guns, Roe-
buck of 44 guns, and Liverpool of 28 guns, now
commissioned for America, are ordered to be sheath-
ed as soon as possible."

Extract of a letter from Portsmouth, July 28.
"A small ship came to Spithead last night. When
the custom-house boat was going on board, the
captain of the ship told them he would fire on them
if they did not keep off. A boat then went from
the admiral's ship, but they would not let the offi-
cer go on board. The captain and one gentleman
came on shore, and went in post-chaises and four
for London.

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"Arrived the Magdalen schooner from Virginia,
wieh despatches, and lady Dunmore and family;
this morning they set out for London. No intl-
ligence can be had from this vessel relative to Ame-
rican affairs, as the officers on board will not suffer
any boat to come near them.

"Came into harbour, to dock and refit, the
Worcester of 64 guns, Robinson, and the Weasel
sloop of war, Warren.

"Yesterday several parties of marines went into
the country on the recruiting service.

"We hear that orders are come down for all
the marines at this port to hold themselves in rea-
diness to embark for America, on the shortest notice."

Yesterday several promotions of military officers
were mad at St. James's, in the room of those killed
in America, and for the augmentation of troops
which are ordered to hold themselves in readiness
to embark for America, to reinforce the army under
general Gage.

A provy council is summoned to meet at St.
James's to-morrow, said to be on American affairs.

It is said general Gage is recalled at his own re-
quest, and that he will be succeeded by sir Jeffery
Amherst.

Yesterday orders were given at the cabinet coun-
cil for five more regiments to be got ready, with
all expedition, in order to embark for Boston.

Last night an express was sent off to Ireland,
with orders for two regiments to be in readiness
against the transports arrive there, who are to
carry them over to Boston.

Yesterday several more ships were taken up in
the transport service, to carry provisions, &c. to
the troops at Boston.

This morning four ships that are taken up in the
transport service came out of dock, and are ordered
to drop down to Deptford, to take on board there
stores, &c. in order to proceed to Boston.

Yesterday four houses of rendezvous were opened
at Rotherhithe, for the purpose of enlisting seamen
to man the ships now fitting out for America.

From the LONDON GAZETTE OF JULY 31.

At a court at St. James's, the 26th day of July,
1775, present the king's most excellent majesty in
council.

His majesty in council was this day pleased to
order, that the parliament, which stands pro-
rogued to thursday the 27th instant, should be
farther prorogued to thursday the 14th of Septem-
ber next.

WILLIAMSBURG, October 13.
WE hear it from the best authority, that major
CHARLES LYNCH, of Bedford, has just dis-
covered many rocks of GENUINE SALTPETRE
in that county; which will remove every obstacle
to that gentleman's furnishing the county with
GUNPOWDER, he having had a mill for the
manufactory thereof erected for some time, with
which he has already made considerable quantities.

We have intelligence that general SCHUYLER,
having taken possession of St. John's and Montreal,
is on his march to Quebeck, which there is little
doubt of his being able to make himself master of
likewise, he being daily joined by great numbers of
Canadians.

The CONSTITUTIONAL POST being
now established, all letters for the Northward, or
that are to be forwarded to teh different parts of this
colony, North or South Carolina, George, &c. must
be sent to my office, the Hon. BENJAMIN FRANKLIN,
esq; having been pleased to appoint me postmaster in
Williamsburg, under the authority of the GENERAL
CONGRESS. ALEXANDER PURDIE.

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