of a little Neptune, “I was not to go where I pleased, but that I should go where he pleased to carry me; and, (for he thinks no more of sending a man pell-mell to hell with curses and damnings, almost every word he speaks, than I did of praying to God to be relieved from such wretches’ hands,) damn me, if I asked him another question, he would knock me down, by God.” He then sent us to the Admiral’s, with an officer and a few sailors.

When we were before his bruteship, he asked me my name. I replied Edes. He said I looked like a dirty villain, and ordered his officer to carry us to the Provost, with orders for him to hang us immediately. But looking round, he saw a sailor with a firelock; upon which he asked the officer if it was found with us. Being informed that it was, he ordered the officer to carry us to General Gage, and he would know what to do with us. I then thought we were left to a fine judge, indeed. When we came before his Excellency, Harry Rooke (one of his Aids-de-Camp) asked me how many more firelocks I had in the house. I replied, five or six more, for aught I knew; for I was ignorant of that one being there. He told me, by way of cordial, that I would wish I had given it up. Another officer called a Sergeant of the Horse, and ordered him to draw his cutlass, and carry us back to the Admiral’s, but observed to him, if we offered to run, (and made a sign, though not a wonder, by drawing his hand across his throat.) We set off, but soon an officer overtook us, and gave orders to stop. A Sergeant commanded us to lay on the ground about a quarter of an hour, when another officer came, and acquainted us that we must go to the General’s, which we did, and tarried about half an hour; after which, they called a Corporal, gave him a billet, and ordered a file of men to take us to the Provost, where we remained till the 3d of October; and to fall into the hands of a more worthless, infamous fellow, do not wish my enemies.

The 17th, 18th, and 19th days of June, we were carried before a Court of Inquiry. The two first days, no questions were proposed to either of us. The third, Major Urquhart, (son-in-law to the late Secretary Flucker,) asked me when I was taken up, my crime, and by whose orders. After answering him, he Ordered us back to jail; and during the time of our confinement there, three-quarters of it was in a close prison. The treatment to us, as well as those taken at Bunker’s Hill, was of the most extreme kind. Cruelty and inhumanity is exercised to no prisoners-of-war in any European country, or by any people, but that of Englishmen to their brethren. The allowance of provisions from the execrable Gage, was bread and water for sixty days, and that dealt to us with the hand next to want; and we were deprived of candlelight seventeen nights. I have heard those prisoners mentioned ask for bread, and the Provost replied, (Heaven bless him, if it be agreeable to eternal purpose,) “damn them, let them eat the heads of the nails;” a speech which scarce ever escaped the lips of an unfeeling barbarian against the Christians. And at another time, a prisoner, who, from his wounds, and the mangled operations of the Surgeon who attended him, (but whether from ignorance or party rage, I cannot say,) just approaching the ascent to eternity, had a religious book lent him to peruse in that serious hour, at which time Harry Rooke, one of the Aids-de-diable, observed it, wrested it from him, and said “it was damned religion had ruined the country.” Thus they expect no peace themselves in death, and they even prevent such of us as happen to fall into their hands, of it likewise. “But for all these things, wilt thou not judge them, O Lord!”

PETER EDES.

N. B. One excessive, hot day, the Sergeant of the guard (having more humanity than the Provost) gave us the liberty of the yard. The Provost came home, and seeing us there, asked the Sergeant the reason of it. He told him we were suffering for want of air, and he had let us out. Upon which he replied, “Damn them, let them die and rot; you have no authority to let them out;” and he immediately confined him with a Corporal. Several officers came one day, and asked how many there were in the room. We told them. Upon which, one of them said, “I wish, instead of four, there were four hundred, and I had the hanging of them all.” A proper officer for such bloodthirsty villains. At another time, Ben Hallowell (one of the infamous Commissioners) came into the room where I was, and said (what the world is ready to say of him) I was a damned rascal, and ought to have been hanged long ago.

P. E.

EXTRACT OF A LETTER FROM A GENTLEMAN IN NORTH-CAROLINA TO HIS FRIEND IN PHILADELPHIA, DATED MARCH 10, 1776.

I have it in my power to give you a few lines by the express. Yesterday afternoon we received a letter from Colonel Caswell, giving an account, in a full manner, of a battle between his troops, Colonel Lillington’s, (of Cape-Fear,) and the Highlanders and Regulators, about twenty miles above Wilmington, at Moore’s Creek Bridge, which is between the Northwest and Northeast Rivers. The Insurgents had made many attempts to escape the vigilance of our troops, and get down to Governour Martin. Colonel Caswell was after them many days; at length they made an attempt to cross at this pass, about the break of day, on Tuesday, the 27th of last month.

Colonel Caswell had very wisely ordered the planks to be taken off the bridge, so that in passing it they met with many difficulties, and a very heavy firing came on. Our troops reserved their fire till within a small distance, which did great execution. Many passed the bridge. General McLeod and Captain Campbell were instantly shot dead. McLeod had nine bullets and twenty-four swan-shot through him and into his body. Twenty-eight more are killed and mortally wounded, and between twenty and thirty prisoners, amongst them his Excellency General Donald McDonald, who is on his way to us, and is expected here to-morrow. We had only two men wounded—one of them mortally. The Insurgents retreated with the greatest precipitation, leaving behind them some wagons, &c. They cut the horses out of the wagons, and mounted three upon a horse. Many of them fell into the creek, and were drowned. Tom Rutherford ran like a lusty fellow. He and Felix Kenan, of Duplin County, were in arms against us. They by this time are our prisoners, as is Lieutenant-Colonel Cotton, who ran the first fire. The battle lasted only three minutes. The Colonels Caswell and Lillington had under their command one thousand men. The Highlanders and Regulators sixteen hundred. The account is certain as to the number of the Insurgents; for Colonel Caswell had it from General McDonald himself. Colonel Moore sent off expresses to the main Army, consisting of between five and six hundred men, under the Colonels Martin, Polk, Thackston, and Long, in and about Cross-Creek, to secure the whole of the Highlanders and Regulators. Not a man of them has a probability of making his escape.

Governour Martin has threatened the destruction of Wilmington, if they do not supply him with provisions. The town has spiritedly refused to supply him with a single mouthful, notwithstanding the Cruiser and three armed vessels lay opposite it; and they have told the Governour he may do as he pleases, as they are determined to resist to the last.

They have a good battery there, and four hundred chosen men, under the command of a brave Irishman, (Colonel William Purviance,) who is determined to see it out with them. The women and children are sent out of town. The Tories are all secured in Wilmington Jail, to the number of twenty-five. Captain Parry, of the Cruiser, has meanly begged a few quarters of beef, which the town has refused him. And the vessels dare not begin the attack, though we daily expect to hear of an engagement, as they are starving.

It was humorous enough in the inhabitants of Wilmington, when the Governour haughtily demanded one thousand barrels of flour, after answering him fully on that head, that they went immediately into the insurrection. And what a hopeful situation he had reduced his friends to, that were surrounded by large, spirited, and powerful armies, who were determined to make short work with them.

The Negroes at Cape-Fear were never known to behave so well as they have lately.

Yesterday, two prisoners (a Midshipman and a common seaman) were sent out of this town to Halifax.

We have now in arms, to the southward of this town, nine thousand four hundred men. General Clinton, we expect