$777 commodore being at the distance of more than a mile. The British, after that unfuccefsful attack, applied themfelves to the ftrengthening of their batteries on fhore, and nightly fent up their boats with provifion to the city, by the paffage between Mud and Province iflands, while the commodore abfolutely refused attempting to prevent them, upon the plea that a fingle bomb from the enemy would deftroy any of his gallies. There came three or four days of uncommon high tides, which drowned fome of the British, and hindered their working any of their guns, except one howitzer. This opportunity of annoying them confiderably, was not duly improved by the gallies. On the decrease of the tides, the British renewed their fire with double vigor, and foon destroyed the American two gun battery, blew up the north-weft block-house and laboratory, and compelled the garrifon to feek cover in the fort. Col. Smith, after having defended it from the latter end of September, till the 11th of November, a few days excepted, was wounded by fpent cannon fhot, and greatly bruifed by the bricks it threw on him, which occafioned his removal to the main. His fatigues and dangers had been extreme; and he fupported them with uncommon patience and fortitude. Upon his removal the command devolved on lieut. col. Ruffel of the Connecticut line, but he being exhaufted with fatigue, and totally deftitute of health, requested to be recalled. Upon the 12th, the commander in chief fignified his orders to the commanding general on the Jerfey fide, who directed all the military operations below Philadelphia, "to defend Mud-ifland, as long as poffible, without facrificing the garrifon." The commanding general, for infuperable reafons, could not detach an officer in rotation. Major 1777. Thayer, of the Rhode Island line, prefented himself a volunteer, and was appointed. Nov. The British having every thing in readiness, the Ifis and Somerset men of war pass up the east channel to attack the works on Mud-island in front; feveral frigates draw up against an American fort newly erected on the Jersey fide, fituated fo as to flank the men of war in their station; and two armed veffels, the Vigilant, an Eaft Indiaman cut down to a battery of 20 twentyy-four pounders on one fide, and a hulk with 3 twenty-four pounders, fuccessfully make their way through a narrow channel on the western fide, a matter of the greatest importance, as these two veffels, in concert with the batteries on Province-island, enfilade the principal works on Mud-ifland. On the morning of the 15th, the whole 15. British fire is displayed from their land batteries, and their shipping in the river. The fmall garrifon of 300 men sustain and repel the shock with astonishing intre pidity, for several hours, affifted by the American gallies and the batteries on the Jersey shore. By the middle of the day their defences are levelled with the common mud, and the officers and men expect each other's fate, in the midft of carnage. During the day more than 1030 difcharges of cannon, from thirty-two to twelve pounders, are made in twenty minutes, from the batteries and shipping of both fides, Early in the evening, major Thayer fends all his garrifon afhore, excepting forty, with whom he remains, braving all danger, At twelve at night, many of the military ftores having been previously fent away, the barracks are fired, when 1777 the major and his few brave companions quit, and croft to Red-bank*. In this affair there were near two hundred and fifty of the garrifon killed and wounded. Three councils of war had been called upon the fubject of relieving Fort Mifflin; and in the laft, it was concluded to attempt it, though it was believed that a general engagement would be the confequence: this however the Americans did not regard, the ground being fuch as they wished, if called to fight the enemy. The night before the attempt could be made, the fort was of neceffity evacuated. The congrefs, before this event, had voted lieut. col. Smith an elegant fword for the gallant defence he had made on the 22d of October; but as they had voted at the fame time, the like to commodore Hazlewood, commander of the naval force in the Delaware, he did not think himself much honored by it, and declined the present. Men of courage and judgment pronounce the commodore a poltron; and fay that if all the officers in the marine department had behaved with equal bravery to what the land officers did, the fort would not have been taken. Several of them are reckoned to have acted a daftardly part. It was obferved of Hazlewood, that he was fond of long fhot, and was fhy of coming to close quarters. The reduction of the fort fecured to the Britifh the fafe opportunity of sending up their small craft, at the back of the island, to the Schuylkill with provifions and ftores, by day as well as by night. * See James M. Varnum's letter of August the second, 1786, in thẹ Providence Gazette, who was the commanding general on the Jersey fide. On the 18th at night, lord Cornwallis marched with a confiderable force, and the next day croffed the Delaware, in his way to Red-bank, which the Americans abandoned, leaving behind them their artillery and a confiderable quantity of cannon-ball. Some continental generals were appointed to give their opinion upon the spot to col. Greene. They favored an evacuation, and wifhed that he would join them. He answered, I 1777. fhall follow your direction either to evacuate or defend the fort. I know what we have done, when the works were not half completed. Now they are finished, and I am not afraid." But the direction was to evacuate, which was complied with, though with manifeft reluctance. The marquis de la Fayette accompanied gen. Greene into Jersey, though his wound was not yet healed; and Nov. on the 25th of November, with only a handful of 25. riflemen and militia, attacked a party of Heffians and British grenadiers, which he obliged to retreat. After this, congrefs refolved that he should take the command of a divifion in the army. The American fhipping having now loft all protection, several of the gallies and other armed veffels, took the advantage of a favorable night, kept close in with the Jersey fhore, paffed the batteries of Philadelphia, and escaped to places of fecurity higher up. The remaining seventeen finding an escape impracticable, were abandoned by the crews and fired. The British however confeffed, that the long and unexpected oppofition which they received from Red-bank and Mud-ifland, broke in upon their plans for the remainder of the campaign. 3777. Dec. 4. A detachment from the northern army, of fome of the New England brigades, was ordered down to join the American commander in chief. When arrived at Fish-kill a number of the New Hampshire troops, to the amount of near 200, mutinied at the barracks on the evening of November the 4th, paraded with their arms, and began to march off in order. The exertions of the officers fuppreffed them, but capt. Beall was fhot and mortally wounded; he killed however the foldier that fhot him. The cry was, "We have no money, por breeches, and will not cross the river till we have received these articles." It was feared that fome officers were at the bottom of the mutiny. As it was foon quel led without infecting the other troops, the whole marched on, till they joined gen. Washington; who being thus reinforced, advanced to White Marfh, within 14 miles of Philadelphia, and encamped in a strong pofition. Sir W. Howe, hoping that he meant to hazard a battle for the recovery of Philadelphia, or that some part of his camp was vulnerable, and would admit of a fuccessful impreffion, marched the army from the city on the night of the 4th of December. The day before, gen. Greene gave this diftreffing picture of the American army to the commander in chief" One half of our troops are without breeches, fhoes and ftockings; and fome thousands without blankets. Laft winter's campaign will confirm this truth, that unless men are well clothed, they muft fall a facrifice to the feverity of the weather, when expofed to the hardflips of a winter's campaign." Howe's further proceedings take in Washington's words, written on the 10th-" I had reafon to |