The Virginia Gazette

Extract of a letter from Cambridge, Nov. 9.

"We had an account of the regulars landing at Lechmere's point, about a mile and a half from Cambridge. About 300 of the regulars landed, from Boston, on the above-mentioned point, under cover of a very heavy and continual fire from their batteries on Bunker's, Breed's, Cop's, and Beacon hills, as also from a frigate which lay within 300 yards of the point on which they landed. They had possession of the hill for near an hour before they could be obstructed, owing to a very high tide, which prevented our people crossing a causeway, which was overflowed, and the only way to get at the enemy. During this time they were shooting horses and cows, with an intent of taking them off; but a battalion of riflemen, under command of col. Thompson, disregarding danger and difficulty, took the water, which was then up to their middles, and a quarter of a mile over, and notwithstanding the regulars had lodged themselves behind stone walls, and in an orchard, where they might have done our people much damage, yet, on col. Thompson's approach, they fled to their boats in great confusion, but not without a warm fire from the riflemen, who fired at a great distance, when they found them retreating, and ran up with all speed, in hopes of bringing them to an engagement before they reached their boats. All this time an unceasing warm fire was kept up from the before-mentioned forts and the ships, and from the soldiers and their boats. Our loss is one killed, and three wounded: their loss uncertain, but have since heard three of their men were found dead on the field. One of the enemy's boats was sunk from our fort on Prospect hill, by a 24 pounder; and the enemy was beat off the ground about 2 o'clock, and landed at Charlestown. During the engagement 22 large ships hove in sight, with troops from England and Ireland."

By a deserter from Boston, the day after the above skirmish, we hear that the enemy had 17 killed and wounded.