Sunday night last Admiral Esek Hopkins, in the A lfr'ed Man of War, with six others of the Continental Fleet, very deeply laden with Cannon and warlike Stores from New-Providence, arrived at New-London. On Thursday the 4th instant they fell in with and took the Bomb Brig, Capt. Steeds [Edward Sneyd], one of the piratical Fleet that has long infested our Bay; she mounted 8 Carriage Guns, 2 Howitz, and had on board a considerable
Quantity of Stores. The next day they took another of the Pirates, an armed Schooner, mounting 6 Carriage Guns, commanded by one Wallace, a Nephew to the Villain who has the chi,ef Command on this Station. And on Saturday morning, the 6th instant, at Four o'Clock off Point Judah, the Admiral, Capt. John Hopkins in the Cabot, and Capt. [Abraham] Whipple in the Columbus, fell in with the Glasgow Ship of War, of 24 Guns, and her Tender, the latter of which was taken; the Glasgow, after an Engagement of three Hours, in which she was much damaged, bore away for the Harbour of Newport to join Capt. [James] Wallace, and our Fleet being so heavy laden with their valuable Cargoes, she unhappily escaped. On board the Admiral's ship 6 Seaman and a Midshipman belonging to the Bomb Brig, who was in the cockpit, were killed, and 6 or 7 wounded; ー Capt. John Hopkins of the Cabot was wounded in the Head; the Master (Mr. [Sinclair] Seymour of Philadelphia), a Lieutenant of Marines and 2 Seamen killed, and 4 wounded-on board the Columbus one man was wounded. 'Tis not yet known what loss the Glasgow sustained, but it must have been great, as before she got off her Quarter Deck was observed . to be entirely [deserted]. The Continental Fleet the sarrie Day proceeded up the Sound for New-London, where we hear they are landing their Cargoes, and will soon be in a Condition to attack the ministerial Fleet. Besides the Prizes above mentioned, they carried in a Brig and Sloop from New-York, laden with Wheat and Flour, supposed to have been destind for the Supply of our Enemies. The Officers and Men on board the Continental Vessels behaved with the greatest Bravery, and had the Engagement happened a few Miles further distant from Newport, the Glasgow must have fallen into their Hands.
As soon as the Glasgow got in, the Rose, Capt. Wallace, the Nautilus, Capt. Collins, the Swan, Capt. 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 next 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, it is thought the Cannon did some Execution. ー The Wind shifting to the Northward about Noon, those Vessels ran 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!
A number of Negroes belonging to the Town of Newport were found on board the Vessels taken from the Enemy.
On Thursday last [April 11] Capt. Wallace, of the armed Schooner above mentioned arrived here from New-London, properly escorted, and is now safely secured in Gaol.
Sunday last [April 7], in the Forenoon, as a Company of American Regulars were getting up the Cable and Anchor the Glasgow had a little before left in her great Fright, a large Prize Sloop came in (Capt. [William] Wall, of this Place, from Maryland, loaded with Flour, &c.) 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 left, got close in with the Boat before they discovered her, when the Boat immediately laid her aboard, and brought her into Newport. She had on board 7 Men, and one Woman.
Thursday Evening the Scarborough Man of War of 20 Guns, from Georgia, a Snow of 16 Guns, and a Brig and Sloop, came to Anchor in the Harbour of Newport. ー The same Night the. two Row Gallies from this Town boarded and took .the Brig and Sloop, and attempted to board the Snow; but she having a great Number of Marines on board, they were obliged to quit her. ー 2 A Battery at the North End of Newport, and the Gallies, afterwards played so effectually on the Scarborough and Snow, as obliged them to slip their Cables, and run under Cananicut, where they remained Yesterday. ー Mr. Daniel Jenckes Tillinghast was wounded on board one of the Gallies. ー The Brig Taken is loaded with Bread and Flour, the Sloop with Salt.
The Anchors and Cables of the Scarborough and Snow, which they so hastily left, have been since taken up by our People, with one or two others belonging to the Pirates.
Tuesday last Capt. Packard arrived here from the West-Indies; he sailed from this Port the 12th of February last, and on the 11th ult. off St. Eustatia, was taken by the Pomona Frigate, of 22 Guns, and carried to St. Kitts. ー He informs that the Argo of 28 Guns cruizes off St. Eustatia with the Pomona; that an armed Pilot Boat is stationed between St. Eustatia and St. Martins, and that a Number of Frigates are cruizing among the Windward Islands.
Capt. Packard left St. Kitts in a Vessel bound to Barnstable, the 14th of March, at wich Time 9 Sail of Transports from England, with Troops, which had been blown off the Coast last Winter, lay there; 11 other Transports, and 5 Vessels laden with Rum and Sugar for the ministerial Army, were at Antigua; the whole were to sail in a few Days for Boston, under Convoy of the Experiment and Hind Frigates. ー The Transports had taken all the 4 Pounders out of the Fort at St. Kitts, to defend themselves against the American Cruizers. A Transport Snow, mounting 16 Guns, and two Brigs, laden with rum and Sugar, bound to Boston, sailed from St. Eustatia the 15th of March.
Between 20 and 30 Sail of American Vessels had been taken and carried to Antigua, 17 of which had been condemned the 13th of March. Among the latter were three Vessels from Virginia, which had on board Certificates signed by Lord Dunmore, setting forth that the Owners were Friends to Government, also another from New-York, having a like Certificate from Capt. [George] Vandeput, of the Asia Man of War. The Masters were told that the Colonies were in a state of Rebellion, and that no Distinction would be made between the Property of Whigs and Tories.