The Virginia Gazette

BALTIMORE, January 21.

CONGRESS has received the following intelligence from the army at Pluckemin, in the State of New Jersey, January 5, 1777.

On the second instant the enemy began to advance upon us at Trenton; and, after some skirmishing, the head of their column reached that place about four o'clock, while their rear was as far back as Maidenhead. They attempted to pass Sanpinck creek, which runs through Trenton, at different places; but finding the fords guarded, they halted and kindled their fires. We were drawn up on the outside of the creek. In this situation we remained till dark, cannonading the enemy, and receiving the fire of their field pieces, which did but little damage.

At 12 o'clock, after renewing our fires, and leaving guards at the bridge in Trenton, and other passes, on the same stream above, we marched by a round about road to Princeton.

We found Princeton, about sunrise, with only three regiments, and three troops of light-horse in it, two of which were on their march to Trenton. These three regiments, especially the two first, made a gallant resistance; and, in killed, wounded, and prisoners, must have lost five hundred men. Upwards of one hundred of them were left dead on the field; and with those carried on by the army, and such as were taken in the pursuit, and carried across the Delaware, there are near three hundred prisoners, fourteen of whom are officers, all British.

Colonels Hazlet and Potter, Captain Neal, of the artillery, Captain Fleming, who commanded the first Virginia regiment, and four or five other valuable officers, with about twenty-five or thirty privates, were slain in the field. Our whole loss cannot be ascertained, as many who were in pursuit of the enemy, whom they chased three or four miles, are not yet come in. We burnt the enemy's hay, and destroyed such other things as the occasion would admit.

From the best intelligence we have been able to get, the enemy were so much alarmed at the apprehension of losing their stores at Brunswick, that they marched immediately thither from Trenton, without halting, and got there before day.

Morristown, January 7, 1777.

The enemy have totally evacuated Trenton and Princeton, and are now at Brunswick, and the several posts on the communication between that and Hudson's river, but chiefly at Brunswick.

Their numbers and movements are variously reported; but all agree their force to be great.

There have been two or three little skirmishes between their parties and some detachments of militia, in which the latter have been successful, and made a few prisoners; the most considerable was on Sunday morning, near Springfield, when 8 or 10 Waldeckers were killed and wounded and the remainder of the party, 39 or 40, made prisoners, with 2 officers, by a force not superior in number, and without receiving the least damage.

Published by order of Congress.

Charles Thomson, Sec'ry.