The Virginia Gazette

Extract of a letter from Philadelphia, dated August 20, 1776.

"We have been in hourly expectation of the great decision at New York, but it has not yet happened. About three nights ago an attempt was made to burn the two ships which had gone up the river. One of the two fire rafts prepared for that purpose grappled the Phoenix ten minutes, but was cleared away at last. A tender, however, was burnt. Two ships came down on Sunday evening, and passed all our batteries again unhurt.---Lord Dunmore is at Staten Island; his sick he sent to Halifax. Of the men he carried to Staten Island, all the blacks he shipped off to the West Indies, as a recompense for their services. Two gentlemen, who had been taken prisoners by the enemy, have made their escape. They say they are now 20,000, and that another division of 8000 foreigners is still expected. They think that Lord Howe will not attack these ten days, but that he does not wait for his last division, being confident of victory without. One of these informants was captain of a continental vessel going for ammunition, whose mate and crew rose and took her: and, falling in with the division of the Hessians which accompanied their general, were brought to. The general, learning from the dethroned captain what had happened, immediately threw the piratical mate in irons, and had the captain to dine with him every day till they got to Halifax, where he delivered him, vessel, &c. over to the English."