The Virginia Gazette

Extract of a letter from Freehold, June 24, 1777.

I laid a bait last Saturday to break up the plundering Col. George Taylor; it so far succeeded that I was within an ace of taking the whole; we took one white man and one Negro. While the rest were swimming towards a boat that was coming to take them off, we fired upon them, and killed one, and wounded another, who were both hauled into the boat.

Last Sunday we discovered the enemy ferrying over from Amboy to Staten-Island, and this morning we took four Tories, who were coming over to throw themselves upon the mercy of their countrymen. They relate that they went as waggoners with the British army from Brunswick to Somerset, and expected they were coming to Philadelphia; that they retreated with them to Brunswick, from thence to Amboy, and thence to Staten-Island; that so far as they could learn, General Howe retreated because he did not think proper to attack General Washington, or to leave him in his rear while he should attempt a march towards Philadelphia; that some said in the army, that they were going to England; others, that they were going up the North river; others, up the East river; but that they were all in great confusion. They have pitched their tents upon Staten-Island.