...I have given the necessary orders for the seizures of the estates, both real and personal, of those persons whose names are under mentioned...And I do hereby strictly prohibit all and every persons from attempting to conceal, remove, or in any way injure the said property on pain of being punished as aiding and abetting rebellion (signed) John Cruder [British Lieutenant Colonel John Harris Cruger] 

The Pennsylvania Packet, or the General Advertiser. Number 695. Philadelphia: Printed and sold by David C. Claypoole, 2 January 1781. 4pp, 10 x 16 in., bifolium. A Revolutionary War-era newspaper with extensive coverage of the ongoing conflict, most notably in the Southern Theater.

Pages 2 and 3 include news of the day including acts of the Pennsylvania government: "An act to revive and amend and act intitled, 'An act to suspend the operation for a limited time  of the several laws of this commonwealth for making the bills of credit of the United States a legal tender in the payment of debts, equal to gold and silver,'" and "An Act to settle and adjust the accounts of the troops of this State in the Service of the United States, and for other purposes...." Also noteworthy are Revolutionary War updates particularly related to the Southern colonies to which the ongoing conflict had largely shifted. Reprinted from Southern papers are a list South Carolina men taken aboard prison ships by the British in Charleston, and another list of Patriot men whose property was to be seized for their support of the American Revolution. Among those listed are notables John Rutledge, William Moultrie, Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, Pierce Butler, and the "Swamp Fox" Frances Marion. Additional news extracts from Boston, Providence, Norwich and Chatham ((New Jersey), including reports on British Navy, privateers, troop movements, and the arrival of Rochambeau to Rhode Island. Having endured fierce skirmishes, devastating defeats, and the betrayal of Benedict Arnold, one observation records the sentiment that the Americans knew all too well: "All accounts from our judicious friends in Europe, agree, that Britain is determined still to prosecute the war. She cannot, they say, bear the thought of giving independence to these States."

As typical of period newspapers large numbers of advertisements are included. Notable are the following: a notice of sale of "a likely Negroe Wench, about 25 years of age, well acquainted with all kinds of town and country work, and very handy: a "Four Hundred Dollar Reward" offered for "a Negroe Man, named Duke, about thirty five years of age, formerly belonging to Mr. Dollinion, now the property of the Minister of France"; and two notices for deserters, one offering reward for Edward Redgway, from Captain Henry Mathews Company of Artificers, and another for seven soldiers of "the Laboratory Company, under the command of Lieutenant Benjamin Hoey."

[Broadsides, Ephemera, Printing, Posters, Handbills, Documents, Newspapers] [Colonial America, 13 Colonies, Thirteen Colonies] [American Revolutionary War, American Revolution, Founding Fathers, Declaration of Independence, Colonial America]

Heavily and unevenly toned, disbound, small right edge margin loss, chipping to edge lines.