The Virginia Gazette

NEW YORK, July 15.

Last Friday morning it was reported in town that Lord Howe was arrived at Sandy Hook, with a large fleet from England. Between 1 and 2 o'clock P. M. two ships hove in sight, and joined the fleet at the Watering Place; and about an hour after, a ship, supposed to be the Phoenix of 44 guns, a frigate of 28, and three tenders, got under way at Staten Island, and stood up for this city. The army soon took the alarm, and in a few minutes every man was at his station, well provided with all necessaries for a vigorous defence; but as soon as the ships came near Bedlow's Island they inclined towards the Jersey shore, to avoid our batteries, that then began to play upon them from every quarter, on both sides of the river, and notwithstanding they must have received considerable damage, they stood their course up Hudson's river, firing several broadsides as they went along, without either killing or wounding any of our people, who on the occasion behaved with uncommon bravery. A strong southerly wind, and the tide of flood, facilitated the ships getting above the batteries near the town; but we hear they were roughly handled about 12 miles up the river, from whence they have not yet attempted to return, but we hear lay at Tarry Town, about 30 miles up the river, on Saturday evening. Several shot went through different houses in the town; two into the house of Mr. Verdice Elworth, at Powlis Hook; three into Capt. Clarke's house, at Greenwich; one of them went through the front, and lodged in a brick wall at the head of Miss Clarke's bed, in her bed-chamber; a second went through the house, and a third destroyed several trees before the door, and took its course into the woods. A ball also struck the house of Mr. Daniel Phoenix, and from that took its course to the new dwelling of Mr. Christopher Smith, in the opposite side of the street. Soon after these ships passed the town, a great number of salutation guns were heard in the fleet below, which we are since told was on the arrival of Lord Howe, with a few more ships. On Sunday afternoon a barge from the fleet appeared in our bay, with a white flag, which was there met by the general's barge, with several gentlemen of the army on board. The flag was sent by Lord Howe, with a letter to his excellency General Washington; but as the letter was improperly directed, it was not received, though much solicited by the officer, who we hear said it contained nothing of a hostile nature; for that Lord Howe came over possessed of unlimited power, and was much concerned he had not arrived a few days sooner, which would have effected a reconciliation, etc. However, it seems his unlimited power did not extend to the necessary preliminaries of a negotiation—an acknowledgment of the right of the persons, to whom he came, to treat with him. Indeed the idea of coming over to propose a plan of reconciliation is, in every view, absurd and ridiculous; for as the colonies never invaded the rights of Britain, and only defended their own, there was no occasion at all for negotiation. The moment Great Britain receded from her unjust claims, the war was at an end. The very proposition, therefore, of a negotiation, was a proof that Great Britain persisted in her encroachments on the rights of the colonies, and was in itself an act of a hostile nature. On Tuesday another flag from the fleet appeared, and was met as before; when a letter was again offered, but, for the same reason as the former, rejected.