Last Tuesday as two freight boats were coming from Updike's Newtown, in this colony, to this town, with wood, cider, butter, eggs and towcloth, the ships of war stopped them, and took out 17 barrels of cider, and all the butter and eggs, and some potatoes, which tis said they paid for, and detained two passengers (who were bringing some of those.articles to market) several hours, on board the ships. The Tories here, ever ready at inventing excuses for every piece of treachery, or breach of faith o~r enemies are guilty of, say the ships did not break the truce with this town, because the two passengers belonged to Connecticut! l
Last Wednesday night 3 Negroes, from this town, went on board the men of war lying in our road. 'Tis supposed that all the Negroes fled on board those ships will be sold in the West Indies in a very short time.
Last Friday the ministerial fleet went a little without the mouth of our harbour, and in the evening they all returned and anchored between Gould-Island and Coddington's Point, except the Glasgow of 24 guns, a small tender, which kept out all night. ー As soon as it was light the next morning, a party of the troops stationed on this island got two of their 18 pounders upon the point, and played so well upon those worse than Algerine rovers, that they hulled the Rose 2 or 3 times, the Nautilus once or twice, and sent one shot through and through one of the armed tenders, upon which Capt. Wallace, of the Rose, sent off a boat to cut away the bouy of his anchor, then slipped his cable, and made off as fast as possible, and the rest of his fleet followed in the utmost hurry and confusion, having fired about 15 cannon upon ourpeople without the least effect, though they stood in considerable numbers as open as they could well be, without the least breast-work or other shelter.
For several hours.before, and during the above engagement, a vast number of cannon were heard from the S.E. and about sunrise, 8 or 10 sail of ships, brigs, &:c.were seen a little to the eastward of Block-Island, and indeed the flashes of the cannon were seen by some people about day break. These things caused much speculation; but In a few hours the mystery was somewhat cleared up, for away came the poor Glasgow, under all the sail she could set, yelping from the mouths of her cannon (like a broken leg'd dog) in token of her being sadly wounded: ー And tho' she settled away, and handed the most of her sails, just before she came into the harbour, it was plainly perceived by the holes in those she had standing, and by the hanging of her yards, that she had been treated in a very rough manner. ー The other vessels, seen off, stood up the western sound; and by very authentic intelligence, received on Saturday evening, we are fully convinced they were 12 sail of the Continental Navy, very deeply laden with cannon, mortars, cannon-shot, bombs, and other warlike stores, from the West-Indies; so that it is probable their precious cargoes were the sole cause of Mrs. Glasgow's making her escape; her tender 'tis supposed was taken; as also the bomb brig, and a schooner 1 which had been out near a week in search of prey.
As soon as the Glasgow got in, the Rose, Capt. Wallace, the Nautilus, Capt. [John] Collins, the Swan, Capt. [James] Ayscough, with several tenders and pirated prizes, stood out to sea, leaving the Glasgow, a large snow, and two small sloops, at anchor about three-quarters of a mile from Brenton's Point. ー The ensuing night, a party of troops carried one 18 pounder, one 9, one 6, and two 4 pounders on said point; and early yesterday morning saluted the Glasgow with such warmth that she slipped her cable, and pushed up the river without firing a gun, under all the sail she could make, and the others followed with great precipitation. By the terrible cracking on board the Glasgow, the noise and confusion among her men, 'tis thought the cannon did good execution. ー The wind shifted to the northward about noon, those vessels run down the back of Conanicut, and stood out to sea, supposed to have gone in quest of Capt. Wallace, to make a woeful complaint of the incivility of the Yankies!
Yesterday in the forenoon, as a company of American regulars were getting up the cables and anchor which the Glasgow had a little before left in her great fright, a large prize sloop came in, which Wallace had carried out with him the day before; and it being a very thick air, and she expecting to find the Glasgow lying where she was let, got close in with the boat before they discovered her, when the boat immediately laid her aboard, and brought her in here. She had on board 7 men and one woman. This sloop was loaded with flour, &c. and was, when taken by the pirates, bound from Virginia to Providence.
Last week 9 men deserted from the ministerial navy, on this station, and brought off 3 boats.