tremely well conducted in the outfet, but which failed wretchedly in the execution, was undertaken against Paulus Hook, which lies almoft oppofite to the city of New York on the Jerfey fide. It feems that the ftrength of the poft had induced fuch a remiffness on the fide of the garrifon, that the enemy completely furprized the place at three o'clock in the morning, and carried a blockhouse and two redoubts almost without any refiftance. In that critical moment of exigency, Major Sutherland, the commander, threw himself haftily, with forty Heffians, into another redoubt, from which they kept fo warm and inceffant a fire, that the Americans fcandaloufly deferted their new posts with as much expedition, and as little difficulty, as they had been attained; thus, by a retreat as disgraceful as the attempt had been apparently bold and well conducted, they abandoned a conqueft already evidently in their hands, without having had courage even to fpike the artillery, or to fet fire to the barracks. The commandant had the fortune to redeem his character by the gallantry with which he retrieved the confequences of his negligence.

But at the heel of thefe tranfactions, intelligence of an alarming nature was received from the eaftward, which fuddenly called Sir George Collier, with the greater part of his naval force, away from New York. This neceffity originated from an expedition undertaken in the fummer from Halifax by Colonel Macleane, with a view of eftablishing a ftrong poft on the river Penobscot, in the eaftern confines of New England, where that colony borders on Nova

Scotia, and amidst those new and weak fettlements, which the Maffachufets people have established in that quarter fince the last war, and formed into a county under the name of Lincoln. The force with which he arrived in the Penobfcot, about the middle of June, confifted of a detachment of 450 rank and file of the 74th regiment, and 200 of the 82d; which were convoyed by three floops of war. Here Colonel Macleane began to conftruct a fort in a fituation perfectly well chofen for annoying the enemy.

This tranfaction occafioned an unufual alarm at Bofton, and the most vigorous mea fures were adopted by that government to prevent its completion. Orders were immediately given for an expedition to the Penobscot; and, in order to fecure armed veffels and tranfports, as well as failors, an embargo of forty days was laid on all their fhipping. As a further encouragement, the ftate gave up its fhare in all prizes that were taken to the captors. A very confiderable naval armament, (for fo new a state) under the conduct of Commodore Saltonftall, was accordingly fitted out with extraordinary expedition; and a body of troops embarked under the conduct of a General Lovel.

On the other fide, the works of the new fort, notwithstanding that the utmost diligence was used in their conftruction, were yet so far from being finished, as to afford but very imperfect means of defence against any great fuperiority of force. Colonel Macleane had, however, the fortune to receive intelligence of the armament preparing at Bofton a few days [*N] 2

before

but, although the cannonade from both was very brifk and well fupported, the works were carried on in the fort with the fame fpirit and induftry as before. Thus the befieged exhibited the fingular phænomenon, of acquiring a daily acceffion of internal ftrength and fecurity under the immediate affaults of the enemy.

In the mean time, the Americans having erected a battery on an island at the entrance of the harbour, the frigates and fhipping thought it neceffary, upon a confultation between the land and naval force, to retire farther within the bay or creek; and having alfo landed guns to cover their own battery, the commander was there by enabled to withdraw the four twelve pounders for the defence of the fort. For about a fortnight the cannonade was fupported with great fpirit on both fides; at the end of which time, the commander received intelligence from a deferter, that a general ftorm was fixed upon, it being intended to attack the fhips and the fort at the fame inftant. Upon this information, he immediately threw up a fmall work, covered with light artillery, at about 150 yards diftance, in the front of the fort; thus adding a further fecurity and cover to the body of the place.

Whilft the commanders, garri fon, and feamen, were in impatient expectation of the attack, and without the smallest apprehenfion as to the event, an unusual quiet being obferved on the enemy's Aug. 14th. fide, very early in the morning, it induced a clofer infpection; in confequence of which it was soon, to their inexpreffible aftonishment, difcovered

that the rebels had totally abandoned their camp and works in the night, and had re-embarked both, their forces and artillery. Nor were they left long in the dark as to the caufe of this myfterious event; for, while they were endeavouring to profit, in fome degree, of the confufion which they faw in the enemy's fleet, Sir George Collier, with his fquadron, appeared full to their view in the river,

That commander had failed from Sandy Hook, in the Raisonnable man of war, on the 3d of Auguft, and arrived in the Penobscot, accompanied by the Greyhound, Blonde, Virginia, Camilla, and Galatea frigates. The Americans, at first, feemed to make fome fhew of intended refiftance, by drawing up in a crefcent across the river, as if they determined to difpute the paffage; but their refolution foon failed, and a moft ignomi. nious flight took place. Perhaps they intended no more by that fhew of refiftance than to afford time for the transports to make fome way up the river, and to gain thereby an opportunity of landing the troops. However that was, a general chacé and unrefifted deftruction took place; in both of which the three floops of war, which had been fo long cooped up with the garrifon, now took an eager part. The fugitives themfelves, finding there was no poffbility of efcape, fhortened the bufinefs, by fetting fire to and blowing up their own veffels. No deftruction could be more complete, for nothing efcaped. One frigate of 20 guns, and another of 18, were, however, taken.

Few fingle towns have ever experienced fuch a blow to their ma[*N] 3

rine,

rine, as Boston now fuffered. The Warren, a fine new frigate, of 32 eighteen and twelve pounders, with five others, from 20 to 24 guns, one of 16, and one of 18, were all blown up. Six armed brigs or floops, from 14 to 16 guns each, with one of 12, met the fame fate; the whole number of armed veffels deftroyed or taken, including two, which the fquadron took on their paffage, amounting to nineteen. A force, little, if at all inferior, whether with refpect to fhips or guns, to the navy royal of England, for feveral years after the acceffion of Queen Elizabeth.

Twenty-four fail of tranfports were likewife deftroyed, and fome provifion veffels taken. As no thing could be more defpicable than the conduct of Saltonftall, fono man could be more execrated than he was by his countrymen. It is even

faid, that the indignation and rage of the land forces rofe fo high upon the common difgrace which they were obliged to share in, that they could not refrain from coming to blows with the feamen, in the course of their fubfequent return by land. It must, however, be acknowledged, that the Americans were not able to cope with the royal fquadron, in an open and regular fea fight; and that the fuperior force and weight of metal of the Raifonnable afforded fufficient caufe of terror to frigates. But the paffes, windings, and fhallows of the river, might have ferved much to leffen that fuperiority; and at any rate, except. ing the effufion of blood, the most defperate refiftance could not have been attended with more fatal confequences than their ignominious flight.

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