L’Orient 6th. September 1779
The Schooner Grand Tyger Cap: Blackwell arrived here
yesterday from Fredericksbourg in Virginia with a Cargo of
Tobacco. She left them Capes the 5th. of last month.
The following few lines is extract of a letter to us from
thence, dated 25th. July last and annexed, you will find another
extract of a letter to us dated the 20th. of the same
month. “We have just now accts. from Charles Town of a Capital
Action between our Troops & the Enemy. Our noted General
Lincoln, gave them a severe beating, drove them from
their entrenchments & took possession of their ground.—
Our noble General & Commander in Chief is Idle, Sir Henry
Clinton not yet presuming to get out of his Den, tho’ the
season is far advanced, I apprehend it must grow warm, but
he knows the Country to be still more so, as he woud meet
with incessant fire from all quarters.”
The few arrivals from America make us imagine that this
intelligence will not be disagreeable to you.— This Vessel we
mean to dispatch in fifteen days, she sails remarkably fast for
your government.
We have the honor to be respectfully Hond. sir Your most
obt. hbl. sts.
Extract of a Letter from Frederick’sbourg Virginia Dated 20th.
of July 1779
We have nothing in the political Line worthy communicating
but that some plans have very lately been adopted by some of
the states to give some permanency to our Courrency, by reducing
the prices of Imported Goods regularly each month, in
the same proportion as they have rose. They have also Limitted
the prices of the produce of our Country & the Committee
of Philadelphia have addressed the Honnble the Congress that
they would not emit any more Money for the service of the
public but that the people generally should subscribe sums of
money, as their Ability wd. admit wch. sums should be Carried
to their Cte. in payment of their annuel Taxes; how far
these Plans may answer so desirable purpose as the appreciating
our Currency time alone must Discover.
Our Latest Accts. from the soward, where the principal
scene of Action has been this Campaign, say the ennemy have
abandoned the Design of taking Charles-town, nor do they
appear very formidable on any part of the Continent, their
Want of Reinforcements must soon Compel them to Relinquish
every hope of effecting what they have so long aimed
at, the subjugating America.
Since writing the foregoing another prize loaded with fish oyl
arrived from Cap. Jones’s fleet./.