The New York Journal, And Weekly Register

From the Daily Advertiser.
Mr. Childs,
The circumstances attending the assault made upon me last Saturday evening, being such as to render it interesting to the inhabitants of this city, I cheerfully comply with your request, and shall give them to you in as particular a manner as I can recollect.
About 11 o'clock, as I was descending the steps from Mrs. Sears's house, four or five men, who appeared like sailors, passed by towards Burling-slip. As I was going into Water-street, I walked by Mr. John Lawrence's house. Before I reached the corner, I was overtaken by a single person, who discharged a pistol at my head. The ball entered just over my left eye, and made a breach in the flesh of an inch and an half or two inches in length, as deep as the skull. This deprived me of my senses, so that I cannot tell what passed for a few seconds. The first clear and distinct recollection that I have, is, that I saw a person, in the habit of a sailor, at four or five steps distance, and that he had attempted to murder and rob me. I cried murder, and pursued him until he had got some way in Water-street, towards Burling-slip. As my wound bled very freely, and I saw nobody in Water-street to stop his progress, I gave over the pursuit and returned home. As I was returning I perceived I had something clenched fast in my right hand. This I concluded was the flint of the pistol, for I had some confused ideas of a struggle between the robber and myself. but when I came to examine I found it was the seal and key of my watch. From this I imagine he had attempted to take my watch, that to secure it I had seized the seal and key, and that his efforts to draw it from the fob, the string was broke.
After the cry of murder, several persons in Queen-street, heard a peculiar shrill whistle in Burling's slip. One person in the habit of a sailor, passed by my door just after the accident happened, very fast, towards Burling's-slip—on being asked what was the matter, he made no reply, but quickened his pace. As I saw no person coming towards me from Burling's slip, when I left the steps of Mrs. Sear's house, I have no doubt but it was one of the number before mentioned, that were passing the door who pursued and assaulted me.
I am informed, sir, that about a quarter of an hour after I was hurt, Sir John Temple's coachman passed by five or six persons of a very suspicious appearance in Water-street; and about an hour after seven or eight persons attempted to rob Capt. Ketchum's sloop, near Albany Pier.
These circumstances taken together, with a number of attacks that have lately been made, render it more than probable, that there are a number of villains associated, to rob and plunder the inhabitants of this city; and that there is a large detachment arrived, if not the whole body of the gang that have been so troublesome of late in Philadelphia.
I am, Sir, your humble servant,
JAMES COGSWELL.
New-York, Dec. 22.