Day of prayer appointed at Boston on account of the critical state of the military operations

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Boston, September 12, 1776.

Notice is hereby given that the Lecture this day is turned into a Day of Prayer, more especially on account of the critical state of our military operations.

Captain Gill, in a small privateer schooner, Independency, from this port, has taken and sent into Plymouth a brigantine, from Antigua, bound to Europe, laden with rum and sugars. She was first taken by a Connecticut privateer, but the people rose and retook her, and had her in possession three days before Captain Gill came up with her.

We hear a privateer from Salem has taken a brigantine from Cork, loaded with provisions for New-York, and sent her into some port at the eastward.

We hear from New-York that the Roebuck, of forty-four guns, Captain Parker, in attempting to get up East River, through Hell-Gate, got very roughly handled, being hulled fifteen times.

Captain James Tracey, and Lieutenant Mains, of the Yankey Hero brig, were sent from Halifax to Staten — Island, the last of July, on board the Mercury Pirate frigate,

James Montague.

Captain Procter, of Philadelphia, who is now a prisoner in Halifax gaol, was eleven weeks in irons on board the above frigate, during which time he was treated in the most barbarous manner by the above Montague, who several times threatened to hang him, and offered one of his sailors forty shillings to swear his life against him. Mr˙ Carpenter, of this town, is closely confined in irons in Halifax gaol, by order of General Massey, who commands there.

We learn from undoubted authority that the schooner Sally, Captain Roach, which lately went from Piscataqua to Halifax, as a flag of truce, with prisoners, was, on her arrival there, made a prize of, (by that petty, paltry Jack-tar, Commodore Arbuthnot,) and the hands put on board a man-of-war.

One day last week were sent into Providence seven vessels, prizes, with supplies for those unrelenting, barbarous, tyrannical, blood-thirsty butchers, the Royal savage of Britain' s troops, now on Staten-Island. They were taken by the Captains Biddle and Whipple, in two vessels-of-war belonging to the United and Confederated States of America.

Particulars of their cargoes have not yet come to had.

Last Sunday was taken and carried into Gouldsborough, by two small boats, a brig from Ireland, bound for Halifax, laden with beef, butter, &c˙ She parted company with twelve other provision vessels the day on which she was taken, all bound for the above port.

By the Hartford Post we are informed that the Royal pirate frigate Rose, commanded by the infamous Wallace, in attempting to get up the Sound, at New-York, was hulled several times, and obliged to put back to the Ministerial fleet.