The Newport Gazette

Extract of a Letter from Amboy, Feb. 24.

Yesterday a foraging party, with an escort of troops, commanded by Colonel Mahood, of the 17th, went out to a place called Rah-Swamp, on the road to Morris-Town, our party were first fired upon by the enemy's guards at Wood-bridges, to no effect: they had three men killed, and the rest were pursued to Spank-Town, where about 1500 or 2600 of their rebellious brethren were posted in the entrance of a thick wood; our troops rushed on them with the bayonet, as usual, and forced them from their covers. After pursuing them about 15 miles our party was ordered to return, which the rebels observing, endeavoured to prevent, by keeping up a constant fire on our van-guard, while a large body was ordered into a swamp, covered by a wood in our front, intending thereby to get us between two fires; in this they were, as before, unfortunate; for being observed, our men advanced briskly on with a heavy fire, and forced them again to fly with the loss of 30 of their men killed.

During the whole day we had four officers wounded, and about fifty men killed and wounded. The loss of the rebels, cannot with certainty be ascertained, though much greater than ours.

The waggons all returned well loaded, and a fine drove of cattle, sheep, hogs, &c. were brought in.