PUBLISHED WEDNESDAYS AND SATURDAYS BY JOHN FENNO, No. 69rJUGH-STREET, BETWEEN SECOND AND THIRD STREETS, PHILADELPHIA
[No. 75, of Vol. ll.]
CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES:
At the third session,
Begun and held at the City of Philadelphia, on Monday the sixth
of December, one thousand seven hundred and ninety.
-An ACT to provide for the unlading of Ships or
Veflels, in cases of Obftrudtion by Ice.
WHEREAS it fomteffrries happens, that {hips or vcflfch are
obilru&ed by ice in their paflage to the ports of their des
tination, and it is neceflary that prOvision should be made tor un
lading such ihips or vessels :
Be it enaEled by the Senate and House of Reprefntatives of the United
States of America, in Congrtfs affcmbled, That in all cases where a
ship or vessel shall be prevented by ice from getting to the port £t
-which her cargo is intended to be delivered, it shall be lawful for
the collector of the diftritt, in which such (hip or vessel may be f>
obftru&ed, to receive the report and entry of any fucli Pnip or ves
sel, and with the consent of the naval-officer (where there is one)
to grant a permit or permits for unlading or landing the goods,
wares or merchandize imported in such (hip or vessel, at any
place within his diftrift, which shall appear to him to be molt
convenient and proper.
And be it further £naßed % That the report and entry of such ship
or vefTel, and of her cargo, or any part thereof, and all persons
concerned therein, shall be under and fubjeft to the fame rules, re
gulations, reftri&ions, penalties and provisions, as if the said ship
or vefTel had arrived at the port of her deflination, and had there
proceeded to the delivery of her cargo.
FREDERICK AUGUSTUS MUHLENBERG,
Speaker of the House of Representatives.
JOHN ADAMS, Vice-President of the United States %
and President of the Senate.
Approved, January the'seventh, 1791.
GEORGE WASHINGTON, President oftheUnitcd States.
•(True copy.J
THOMAS JEFFERSON, Secretary of State.
n tin tie ail Ast, intituled, " an Atfi
v .ie aflent of Congress to certain Atfts
of the states of Maryland, Georgia, and Rhode
liland and Providence Plantations," so far as
the fame refpet r ts the (tates of Georgia, and
Rhode Island and Providence Plantations.
BE it enaded by the Senate and House of Rcprcjentativet of the United
States of America in Congress ajfemhte J, That the ast passed the
Jail session of Congress intituled, " an ast declaring the assent of
Congress to certain acts of the dates of Maryland, Georgia, and
Rhode-I/land and Providence Plantations," shall be continued,
and is hereby declared to be in full force, so far as the fame refpefts
the states of Georgia, and Rhode-Island, and Providence Planta
tions, for the farther term of one year, and from thence to the end
• f the then next feflion of Congress, and no longer.
FREDERICK AUGUSTUS MUHLENBERG,
Speaker of the 1.1 oaf e of Representatives.
JOHN ADAMS, Vice-President ojtheUnited States,
and President of the Senate.
Approved, January tenth, 1791.
GEORGE WASHINGTON, President of the United States.
(True Cory)
THOMAS JEFFERSON, Secretary of State.
Extradls from Brigadier-General Harmar's let-
ter to the Secretary of War :
" Head-Quarters, For t-Washi ncton,
November 23, 1790.
ON Thursday, the 30th Sept. I took the field, with such of
the Federal Troops as were then aflembled at Fort-Wafli
ington, confiftingol two battalions,commanded by Majors Wyllvs
and Doughty, with three brass pieces of ordnance, viz. a fix pound
er, a ihiee pounder, and a five and one half inch howitz ; together
with Capt. Fergufon's company of artillery ; making in the whole
,3to men, including non-commiHioned officers. With this force
I immediately proceeded to join the militia under the command
of Col. Hardin, whom I had put in motion the 26th, and order
ed to advance along what is called, " Clarke's Old Trace," for
ab"iut 25 rrvles, there to halt till further orders. The militia had
been draughted from Kentucky and Pennsylvania, and both to
gether amounted to 1133 men. Many of the former were fubfti.
tutes, and by no means equal, either in spirit or appcarance, to the
generality of their countrymen. My whole force then was 1453
(including two troops of cavalry) but from this number we may
lafelv deduct 200 of the militia as good for nothing.
14 Oft. 14th, I detached Col. Hardin with 600 men, composed
of 5° troops, and mi litis, 100 of whom were mounted.
The object was, to reconnoitre the country, and feel, at their towns
the enemy's pulse, while thcarmv advanced.
" A dispatch auived on the 16th from Col. Hardin, informing
me that the savages, and the traders, (who are, perhaps, the word
savages ot the two) had evacuatrd their towns, with appearances
of precipitation, and burnt the principal village, caHed the Omee
town, togeth'ri with all the traders' houses.
" On Sunday the 17th entered on the ruins of the Omee town,
or French village, at part of it is called. Appearances confirmed
accounts I have received of the conftemation into which the lava
ges and their trading allies had been thrown by the approach of
the army. Many valuables of the traders were dellroyed in the
confulion, and vast quantities of corn and other grain jud vegeta
bles, were fecrcted in holes dug in the earth, and other
places. Col. Hardin rejoined the army.
" BeGdcs the town of Omee, there were several other villages
fttuate upoa the banks of three rivcrt. One ps them belonging
Saturday, January 15, 1791.
to the Omee Indians, railed was (landing, and con
tained 30 houses, on the bank oppofit ; the principal village. Two
others, confiding together of about houses, lay a few miles up
the St. Mary, and were inhabited by Delaware*. Thirty-fix
houses occupied by other savages of this tribe formed another, but
Icattercd town, on the east bank of th- St. Jofcph, 2 or 3 miles N.
from the French village. And about the fame distance c'owu the
Omee river, lay the Shawance town of Chillakothe, confiding of
58 houses; oppohte which, on thr >'her fide bank of the river,
were i6htbit t on inoff, 'do; ■ savages of the fame nation.
All these I ordered to be burnt ftaythere, together with
great quantities of corn and vegetable- » hidden (as at the principal
village) in the earth and other" placc?, by the favagfes, who had
abandoned them. It is computed th.re were not less than 20,b00
buiheis of corn in the ear, which the army destroyed,
44 On the 18th two Indians were fulled and scalped by the ca
valry ; and another was killed at nignt. We loft a great number
of horses at this time, occaftoued by the negligence of the militia
guards, and their disobedience of orders.
On the 19th, Col. Hardin was e'etached with 180 men, taken
from the Pennsylvania and Kentuckey militia, and 3° federal
troops commanded by Lieut. Arrn&rqng. Part of the detachment
proceeded about 10 miles westerly of the main body of the army,
now polled at Chillakothc, (the Peni;fylvanians, who formed the
left column, having fallen foirie milei. in the rear) when a body of
Indians appeared, and advanced to the attack ; and tho the enemy'
did not, as it is believed, exceed a hundred and thirty, yet the
militia made no refinance, but fled, leaving the handful of feder
al troops to their fate ; seven only or whom escaped. The mili
tia loft but few men ; among these, 1:11, lamented by his acquain
tance, Capt. Scott of the militia, son to Gen. Scott of Kentucky.
I am not informed of thelofs fudainwd by the favarges; but I con
ceive it could not be great.
*• Incensed at the difWaccful conduit of the militia, and deter-,
mined to prevent,it poftiblc, a repetition of it upon any future oc
casion, I reprehended it in my next orders with great fevdiity.
This measure, tho harsh, will have been necefiary. It
operated as a stimulus to wipe off the foul stain, which the repu
tation ot the militia had incurred.
" *he great obje& of the expedition being now completely ef
fected, that is, the deftruflion of the v)mee towns, and the provi-
Hons laid up for their fuMTftence ; cn the 21ft the army began
to return towards Fort Walhington I y the route they came.
" It was originally my intention, ,0 have returned by the way
of the Ouiattanon (commonly callet the Weeah) towns on the
Wabafli ; and break them up also. M jor Hamtramck, command
ing at Fort-Kno;:, (Vincennes) had -oeei* previously ordered to
make a movement towards them wit!: the troops under hiscom
rnand ; 300 militia from Kentucky w te ordered to reinforce him.
Ihe movement was intended as well or a diversion to prevent an
union rf. tlv jL> J-. * £ v j*. j purnoff of *Kefb\ricT a
junffcion with our whole force, in cafe I should have judged it ad
vil'eableto enter the country of the Ouiattons. Circumftanccs
however rendered it impracticable tor me to attempt it, at this
time, with any tolerable profpe6t of success. The horses of the
army were now, by various caufts, reduced to two thirds of their
original number, and the remainder so worn down w?th hard fer
yice, as to preclude the poflibility of reaping much farther benefit
Irom them. I have not yet received any communication from
Major Hamtramck, notwithstanding the long lapse of time fmce
he was ordered to march.
"On the 2ill O&ober, the army decamped from Chillakothe,
returning on the rout we had come about 8 miles. Here we re
mained till the morning of the 23d. Finding, in the mean time,
that the enemy studiously avoided coming to a general afition ; and
conceiving it improper to leave them in the quiet enjoyment of
their late success, I rcfolved to make an effort to bring on another
partial engagement. For this purpose I detached, on the 21ft,
late at night, Col. Hardin, and Major Wyllys, with 360 men, 60
ot whom were federal infantry—the reft being militia,from Penn
sylvania and Kentucky. I had sometime before, mounted a com
pany of militia, and annexed it to the two troops of Kentucky
cavalry, giving the command ot the whole to Major Fontaine, a
brayeanddefervingofficer,at that time fcrving as my Aid-de-Camp.
1 his corps made a part of the present command.
I gave orders to find out and fight the enemy at all events,
and to be fparingof no means that might tend to lessen the num
ber of the savages.—Knowing of what importance the life of eve
ry warrior is held among them. The detachment reached the
confluence of the Omee and St. Mary, early next morning, and
filed oft in three columns. The left, under Col. Hardin and
Major Hall, eroded at Kegiiogue, and proceeded along the welt
bank or the S-t. Joseph. The centre, confiding of the federal
tioops, under Major Wyllys, having passed the Qmee at the
French village, moved up the eail bank of the S:. Joseph, at some
distance from the river, while Major M'Millan led the right co
lumn over some heights on Wyllys's right. The enemy now ap
peared in different quarters, and the columns were loon and i'e
yera 11 v engaged with various success. A body of the lavage* hav
ing appeared in Wyllys's front, and ch er idled the idea of an at
tackthere, suddenly gained the un cupied heights on the right,
and turned his flank. At this crisis fell Major Wyllys, an officer
who.e long and meritorious ferv:ces claim the grateful rcmcm
lance of his country. With the talents of a cultivated mind, he
united the beftvirtuesof the heart. The little party, unfupportcd,
and overpowered by numbers, now gave way, leaving c.) out of
60 dead upon the held. Free use was made of the bayonet,
which tne lavages experienced to their colt. Lieut. Frothincham.
°r rY l ff ,rncnt » Was k'Medin the a&ion. I have loft in him an
utetul omcer, and a worthy man. While this part of the buliaefs
was atting, the militia were not idle : they behaved with the
pint of veterans, and flew numbers of the enemy ; who met their
\z:: l VxT mo ? br o vcry - in iw > " ch f ' de <!">"-
oustoeflabhlha tJuMfter over the other.—The militia every
ere gave linking proofs ot determined courage. The lavages
were in no instances behind them,and the (laughter was reciprocal
Jiotn the heft information the enemy loft in the course of
this affair, upwards ot ,oo of their prime warriors,—mcA who
appeared to lear no danger. Not a squaw or a child was fee,,
this day to swell the number ot the flam. The enemy's loss can.
Cr i CP k iC Ours,too, was heavy. Maj. Fontaine who co.n-
L thc ." va,r y> W" a young gentleman ot the mod amiable
manners, with a foul formed for cnterDrize. Years only were
wanting to moderate hisardour in the field, and unite, in the ac.
compliihed gentleman, thecharaaer ot a good soldier. He fell
covered with wounds, in singly charging with his sword about 40
of the enemy. Some other officer, of the militia were killed,
and some few wounded Our whole loss in killed, wounded and
miffing, amounted to ,80, including officers. Upwaids of ;o
01 the wounded were brought off.
705
[Whole No. 179.]
, Among the officers who survived the (lighter, and difti
guifned thenifelves mors particularly on this day, 1 memmnwii.
, pleafuie the name, of Major M'Milkn, of Fayette, Major Hall
Jou.bon, and Brigade M«jor Ormlby, of Netfon county, ,n K \,
tuckey; together with Capt. Games, of the cavalry. The cor
dutt and peifonal courage of the rtrft demand my warmed ack
nowledgmcms. He flew with his own hand three of
and the column he led, made impreflive exertions, wherever 1
° F r°'? , T he recond wos 0,1 aU occasions obedient , nd br , v ."
and displayed great personal courage. The third
[ . a manner tnat does him honor, b r judrciotrfl r r a ]K-;,,» ,
broken body of militia, which, in conference, did great exefu
tion, under the tmmcaiate command of this gallant younn- officer"
Capt. Gaines is defervii.g of great praise, for his foldleily conduct
during the whole expedition, and particularly for the intrepidity
hedifplaycd in a personal combat of some duration, with a mount
ed lavage, whom he at lafl overcame, bringing oif the arms of his
antagoiuit as trophies of the victory.
" I am under many obligations to all the field-officers, both of
the Kentuckey and Pennl'ylvania militia, who gave me uniform
proofs of the befl: disposition to second my endeavors durin" the
expedition. Col. Haidin, who commanded the Whole militTa i»
in a particular manner entitled to my acknowledgments, as well
for his cool and determined conduit in aaion, as for his attention
and petfeveiance in the execution of orders. A« to the officers of
the federal troops under my command, I mud, in ju'ftice to them,
observe, that their whole conduct was marked bv a ftriff attention
to discipline, a promptitude to obey orders, and alacrity in the
execution of ihem.
" Aftci the action of the 2<id, the detachment rejoined the ar
my in its erfcampnienl; a'ucT at 11 next mortmgt'M troops refuni
ed the route towards Fort which we Cached by eal'v
marches on the 3d of November. No interruption w+iaiever ViJ
offered by th* enemy on our return ; a convincing proof this of
their having received a blow whi<;h they felt. I flatter my felt
good corileque'nces will be the re tuft. We have riot, f ciilcelve,
loft much more than man for man with the savages. Our fofscan
be repaired : their's is irreparable.
" On my arrival at this fort, the pack-horses of the line did not
exceed one half of their original number. Many had been ihoc
and liolen on the expedition ; others we're loft id (he woods ; anti
others again, being worn out with fatigue, Were either killed or'
left behind. The advanced state of the season having deprived us'
in a great measure of forage, I ordered them, at times, to be tied,
up at night, and flour to be served out at the rate of three pound*
daily to every horfc; hence you will perceive an extraordinary
consumption arof; of that article.
I detained in confinement here the Shawanoe prifonerwe
had taken, till the ißih inft. when I difmi.ffed him back to h i
nation; but in a way, I tiuft, that lmprefled him with ideas of
our fknertor power hi* own lof-jnificance, and •>. r COfl'StSpt or"
his brethren. I ordered him a tew trinkets, and an'eiconeio led
him fafely advanced on the road 25 miles, left any of our hizntcrs
might fall in with hiiri, and ul'e him lefstmderly than I wifhed'.
He appeared to be thankful, and departed from the gam foil with
a mixture of foriow, gratitude and joy."
N E W-Y O R K,
ARRJVALS at this port from jan,
Jan. i, 1701.
Ships
Brigs'
Snows
ii-j
26c
i ■
21'
39 (
Total
088 of which were Anierlcai
2 8 »
*4 Spamfft
8 Portueueze
8 French
° Dutch
1 Dane
Schooners
Sloops
ioi 3
Extrail oj a litter from Boston, Die. 29.
" Farts have proved, that they were in the
right who advised people to keep their public se
curities. 1 hey have been constantly 011 the rife
for foine time part, and are now riling as fait as
ever to be upon a par with money. I have heard
and it may be depended upon as ttue, that our
fix per cent, fecurkies, now fell in Holland above
par, and are riling still higher, and they certain
ly ought to be as valuable in America as in Hol
land and 1 have therefore adviledall my friends,
podefied of itace or continental notes not to fell
them for less than twenty shillings inthepound.
- Certainly 110 estate is so good as the public
(ecurities of this country, and every one who now
Jells them below par, will repent when they are
gone from him. lam allured by a commiflioner
for fettling the accounts between this state and
the union, there will be a balance due to Malla
chufetts, which will take up and fund all the
remainder of her debc, by which means it will
all be funded by the United States."
ALBANY, Jan. 3.
011 Thursday next, the convention of the state
of Vermont meet in Bennington, for thepurpofe
of taking into consideration the constitution of
United States. His excellency Governor
Chitrenden, chief justice Chipnian, Stephen R.
Bradley, Esq. the Attorney-General, Thomas
1 oilman, Elq. Mr. Jacobs, the Speaker of the
Ailembly, Major-General Ira Allen, and many
other principal characters 111 that flare are re
turned members to this convention/
Jan. 8.
X, 179°> '«
1013