tinental regiments of those who were fitted for CHAP. IV. that service; and general Washington also 1777. requested that some unfinished frigates and other vessels which were lying up the river might be sunk. This would prevent their falling into the hands of the enemy, who might use them against the fort and fleet, and at the same time would liberate their crews, who might be employed in the American vessels which were in actual service. taken by Washington off supplies from These dispositions for the defence of the river being made, the next object was to render the situation of general Howe in Philadelphia as inconvenient and embarrassing as possible, by restraining his intercourse with the country, and cutting off the supplies designed for his army. With this view, the American general Measures detached about six hundred militia over the general Schuylkill, under general Potter, with orders for cutting to watch the country between that river and Philadelphia. Chester, so as to prevent the inhabitants from going with their provisions to the market of Philadelphia, and to cut off small foraging parties of the enemy, which might be sent out to obtain supplies for the relief of those wants which began to be felt by their army. He was also ordered to give notice of any large detachment which might cross the Schuylkill, and to inform himself of the numbers and position of the force stationed at Wilmington, against which post an enterprise was meditated. CHAP. IV. The militia of the counties on the Delaware 1777. above Philadelphia were also directed to watch the roads in that part of the country, so as to intercept those persons who were indifferent to whom their provisions were sold, provided payment was received in specie. To render more effectual the exertions of the army to stop those who were seduced by the hope of gold and silver to aid the enemy at this critical time, congress passed a resolution, subjecting to martial law, and to death, all those who should furnish them with provisions, or certain other aids enumerated in the resolution, and who should be taken within thirty miles of any city, town, or place in Jersey, Pennsylvania, or Delaware, which was in possession of the enemy. These arrangements being made to cut off as much as possible all supplies from the country, general Washington reoccupied the ground from which he had marched to fight the battle of Germantown, in the hope of restraining the operations of the enemy against the forts; or, if he should fail in that object, of being enabled either again to attack them, while weakened by parties detached on that service, or to fall in with such parties, as might be found most advisable. In the mean-time, general Howe was active in his preparations to attack fort Mifflin from the Pennsylvania shore. Some batteries were fort Mifflin erected at the mouth of the Schuylkill in order CHAP. IV. to command Webb's ferry, which were attacked 1777. by commodore Hazlewood, and silenced; but the next night, a detachment of the enemy crossed over Webb's ferry into Province island on which they erected a redoubt opposite fort Mifflin, within two musket shots of the blockhouse, from which, as no sufficient works had been erected for defence on that quarter, they were enabled to throw shot and shells directly Attack upon into the barracks. Daylight discovered this redoubt, and three gallies with a floating battery were immediately ordered by commodore Hazlewood who commanded the fleet to attack it. Their fire was so well supported that the garrison surrendered. While the boats were bringing the prisoners off the island, a large body of the enemy was seen marching into the redoubt. A fire was immediately commenced on them from fort Mifflin, during which, several of those who had surrendered, escaped and were received by their friends, who were now again in possession of the redoubt. The number of prisoners actually brought off in the boats were two subalterns, and fifty-six privates. The attack on the redoubt was renewed, but without success: and two attempts made by lieutenant colonel Smith from fort Mifflin to storm it, failed. The garrison of fort Mifflin being much annoyed by the fire from it, geneIral Washington directed new covers, in a 2 CHAP. IV. place of greater security, to be erected for 1777. the troops; and the meadow banks, from the mouth of the Schuylkill up to the mouth of Hollander's creek, to be cut in several places, so as to inundate the adjacent ground, and stop the progress of the works the enemy were raising. But the garrison was not sufficient to effect this service, and the commodore had too little confidence in the seamen to trust them on shore. In a few nights, the enemy constructed a long breastwork on the high ground of the island, which enfiladed the principal battery, and rendered it necessary to throw up some cover on the platform, to protect the men who worked the guns. The aids expected by the garrison from the Jersey militia were not received. "Assure yourself," said lieutenant colonel Smith in a letter pressing earnestly for a re-enforcement of continental troops, "that no dependence is to be put on the militia; whatever men your excellency determines on sending, no time is to be lost.". The garrison of fort Mifflin was now reduced to one hundred and fifty-six effectives, and that of Red Bank did not much exceed two hundred. In consequence of these representations, it was determined to send a re-enforcement of continental troops to both forts. Colonel Angel with his regiment from Rhode Island was ordered to Red Bank, and lieutenant colonel 1777. John Green of Virginia, with about two hun- CHAP. IV. dred men of his regiment, was ordered to fort Mifflin. The baron D'Arendt, whose service in Europe led to the opinion that he possessed some considerable skill in the art of defending fortified places, and who had now recovered his health, was directed to repair to the latter fort, and take command of it. The general appears to have felt some apprehension that this order might wound lieutenant colonel Smith, who had heretofore conducted the defence of the place. In his letter, communicating the intelligence of the re-enforcement sent under lieutenant colonel Green, and the arrangement relative to the commanding officer, he says 66 colonel D'Arendt having now recovered from his indisposition will, this day, proceed to fort Mifflin to take the command there, agreeably to my first intention. Your conduct since you have been vested with it, has been such as to merit my entire approbation; and I am assured it will continue to be such as will finally preserve to you an equal claim to it. Colonel D'Arendt's knowledge and experience in war fully entitle him to the confidence of every officer and man under his command." Lieutenant colonel Smith, however, desired leave to rejoin his regiment, but on receiving an answer to that request, in which the commander in chief, after stating the difficulty of sending the necessary re-enforcements without VOL. III. CC * |