The Virginia Gazette

BOSTON, September 24.

In our last we mentioned the ravages of the enemy upon the south shore, since which we have received the following particulars of their hellish transactions at Martha's Vineyard, viz.

The enemy's fleet began to sail westward from the Vineyard the morning of the 15th, to the number of twenty six ships, besides small craft, and by the morning of the 16th were out of sight of the highlands of Wood's Hole. A boat from the Vineyard returned to Barnstable the morning of the 16th, with intelligence that they demanded ten thousand sheep, four hundred head of horned cattle, all the arms, ammunition, and accoutrements on the island, and confined the head Whigs as hostages for performance. They eat and carried off better than nine thousand sheep, and about three hundred and fifty cattle; four hundred stand of arms, &c. were delivered up. They burnt a brig that took some up that were up in four fathoms of water, and destroyed them. They carried off and destroyed all the corn and roots two miles round Holmes Hole harbour, and dug up the ground to search for goods the people had concealed; nay so curious were they in searching, as to disturb the ashes of the dead! Many houses had all rifled, and their windows broke. They told the inhabitants they wanted to visit Falmouth, but we were (as they termed it) a pack of damned rebels, and had 5000 strong, with plenty of artillery; that the rebels fought well at Bedford, and had given them a good trimming; that they could have done more there, but the rebels were as thick as bees. They seized the rate bills, and all the publick money in the hands of the collectors. (Thus does a nation, while they hold out terms of negotiation, conciliation, and peace, in one hand, carry destruction, robbery, and devastation, in the other.)

It is said the above plundering fleet has since arrived at New York, with their booty.