History of Delaware : 1609-1888, Part 54

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia : L. J. Richards
Number of Pages: 776

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for the purpose of traning a bit I finbad, theja to be carin ! to de I have sentmed on my wearis's to see them, but kiew not lls the Comme il wall . roles the me to the to the . i & d ; have to il in lol that the spirit of the trengs is lazu, and hope their ation in the got salad with arms, which there is the pretul city of what being able to pro- che in this pli e

" The commanding officer at Lewes has sent up to headquarters the Third Lieutenant of the Manof war and three solaris, who were jut on board the . Alui pober drie, by them tolun and httpdout a. t Triler On Wolne olay, the 5th ultima, cruising to the southwardent the tape, they sent all their menon load a . Flymonth ' shop they ha I made jaize uf, except the lerutrhant and thire others, About 4 miloch next morning, the belmaman falling asleep, Provahace stor ied the host ashore and they we presion after taken. The Lontruant if its us that the ' Howback ' lett finalen last september loading to Halifax, where she wantried, commanded by tapt Hammond Sheer- rics forty -four eighteen and muy pounders mounted, andcan manit fen mote. I propres to keep the others and men here noder gaard till the Congress is pleased to direct in what manner they shall be disposed of."

Colonel Hlaslet wrote from Dover, April 10th, to President Hancock, inclosing the report of the officer commanding the detachment of the Dela- ware battalion at Lewes upon the engagement with the " Roebuck's" tender. The report said:

"on Sutulay, 7th April, an express came from the laght House Guard to lewis, with intelligence that Capt. Field, who commandelas hoover sent by the Council of that County to Eu-tatia for powder, had just ar- rived and demanded assistance to unload ber. I gave orders for the troops to march as soon as the boat- could be had to ferry the atre the creek, which the inhalatants pour need with amazing despatch. We then marched with the utmost expedition to reinforce our guard, which had taken post by the schooner to assist in dist harging her car zo-mefly course linens, She then lay seven or eight miles to the southwand of our Cape. At the time of our arrival the tender, making sul. Ing. lowu ujuin the s hooner ; on observing this the men immediately tan her on shote. Our troops were outgone by the tender, though they marched at the late of seven unies per hour. Just before omur arrival the tender gave our gnard a broadside with swivels and musketry, which they returned. On our junction a constant fire was kept up for some time, until we perceived the di-tame tro girat. We then Jeft of fame and unloaded the schooner, though several hundred shots were fired at us to prevent it Our people picked up many of their balls rolling in the sand. The tender dispatched one of the langes to the ship for as- sistance, who made sail immediately, but was soon obliged to copie to anchor for fear of running on the len and Chickens. About the time the ship turned the Cape, the to ader anchored within musket alot of the si hooner and kept up a continual fire with her swivels. We had by this time got the swivels in the schooner loaded with grape-shot, and a colt- stant fire for two hours was kept up on both soles. We undoubtedly wounded their men, for we peterived some to fall and others rith to then assistance. They made several efforts to purchase their ancher, winch were prevented by our fire, but at last they succeeded. Fortun- ately, however, one of our swivels cut their halsates and down canie their mainsail, which compelled them to anchor one more. At last, the wind sinfting, they had a boat to tow them off. We then turned our fire on the boat, where two men were seen to fall ; the lange, returning from the ship, jotted to tow them out. Our men escaped unhurt. The militis officers at Lewes actel with a spinat which does honour to their Country."

This spirited little skirmish was most efficacious in removing from the minds of the patriots the exaggerated impression of' the invincibility of the British ships and sailors, and they tlocked to the shores of the bay in readiness for another en- counter. The schooner spoken of in the above re- port was owned by Nehemiah Fiehl, of Lewes. Dr. James Tilton, writing from Lewes, April 17th, to a Philadelphia friend, said:

" Lewistown isat this time made up uf officers and soldiers, and the pen- plo altogether sem determined to defend our little place. Sa for Torres. there are to be stal among us. Il at infamous name is quite lone AW WY since dithgde atte so near na. The ' Rochanek' still remains m our rogi all alone, and has, I believe, bet het tener; a few days am some is thereare a steptake her to the southwark of our Cipe. We have Butthen "wand bewegen od gaard at the helt-hotter, Arnold's and the trek's Month and arech to thunot to watch them closely. They munda application to thetour beach. We would not let them, but fleshed them to go to Newforpliand for that ganguse. If they should att ruft to hsh on the beach, we are determined to show them Yankee pay,

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DELAWARE DURING THE REVOLUTION

as we did on Easter Sunday, when we were unloading rapt. Field. I do weare you that if you were here you would be pleased with the sjarit of the people. "1

In the first week of May the " Roebuck" was joined in the bay by the sloop-of war" Liverpool," twenty-eight guns, commanded by Captain Bellew, and the two vessels moved to and fro between Chester and the mouth of Christiana Creek Or- ders were given for an attack upon them by the armed boats, which then numbered thirteen, and were under the command of a young Philadelphis sailor named Houston,' although he was subordi. nate to Captain Barry. On May 8th these open boats advanced to the perilous assault. A Phila- delphia paper of May 15th contained a readable story of the engagement :

"On Wednesday, about 2 Welock in the afternoon, the gall. vs hove in sight of the Men-of-war, and ahunt Ao'chak bes in the attack, which brought on a very heavy camionadias on both sides that listed theen or four hours, when the .Rophuck ' ran agromal and the . Liverpool' came to anchor to cover her. It being then dark, firing ceased on both sides, and in the course of the night the ' Rowbuch' cut off During the ergagement the 'Waspy' schooner, of atx guns, commanard by Charh, Alexander, came out of Christiana Creek, into which she hnd bren chased the day before, and took a brig in the employ of the pirates, having on board a great number of water casks belonging to the . King- fisher' to fill. On Thursday afternoon at 5 o'clock the armed boats ir- newed the attack on them with so much spirit and skill that they obliged the ships to make the best of their way down the river, when the boats pursted them, keeping up a constant fire until they got below New Castle, six miles from the place of action, where the boats minored for that night. The ships have since gutte further down the river. We are well assured, by a gentioman who has since been alongside the ships, that our cannon did great execution to their hulls, and that they were obliged to keep their carpenters patching and mending for two days after. Several of uur armed boats were shzhily damaged. One man was killed in the first and two wounded in the second engagement. The greatest praises were given to the courage and spirit of our officers and men by the many thousand spectators who lived the shore on both sides of the river.

"The ships of war hul chased a small schooner bound to the West In- dies, which ran ashore near Christiana, and plundered her of some goods ; but left her behind, and a tow line which they had carried on board to leave her off They took and burued a shallop, or small sloop, near Cohansy, which the crew had abandoned.

" We are told that the ' R mlek' is one of the handsomest ships of war belonging to the King of Britain, and was built last summer under the partienlar patronage of Lord sandwich, whose favorite she is. The Captain is also of las particular appointment. Quere-what must his Loniship say of his ship when he hears that she was heat by the ' cowardly Americans,' who have nothing but rusty guns, broomsticks, &c?"

John Adams wrote to Mrs Adams from Phila- delphia, May 12th : " There has been a gallant battle in Delaware River between the galleys and two men-of-war, the . Roebuck' and . Liverpool,' in which the men-of-war came off' second best, which has diminished in the people on both sides of the river the terror of a man-of-war."

On June 11th, William Barry, a seaman eap- tured by the British in the Delaware, made a very interesting deposition before Justice Sammuel Pat- terson at New Castle regarding the cruise of the British ship and the fight with the American boats.

1 The intention of the British government to make a determined effort for the sulgngation of the Sontheen Colonies was shown in a -per h of Colonel Win. Iunes in the House of Commons, November \, 174, in which he said : "I think there can be little doubt that the force intetelul (2, 3%) men) is sufficient to sublue the colonies to the southwind of the Delaware River, and that sloot-of-war mity erity aletiget the passage of an army from the Northern Provinces should an attempt be moule to cross that extensive raver to jom the thenrzeuts on the other stile " American At hive-, 4th zeries, vol. vi., p 14'1.

" George Read's letter to Rodney and MeKean, dated Wilmington, May 10th.

He had been first mate of the Philadelphia ship " Grace," Captain Erwin, which on March 13th left Cape Howtopes bound for York River, Vir- ginia. On March 17th they encountered a sloop carrying a distr -- signal in her shrouds. Sup- posing the stranger to be an American, Captain Erwin made no effort to keep away, but soon found that he was under the guns of an enemy who had a ruse to bring him within cannon-shot distance. From this point Barry's narrative pro- ceeis to say:

"The stomp then Seed several shots at them. as they apprehended with an intent to kill them, upon which the Captain of the shop hanied down the nuts and went on board thetn; that this deponent then up with the stil' again ta try to get off; Imt they fired, so he prt wounded in the ler aid was forced to come to; atul as they had no boat belonging to the shop there came a number of meg back in their (the "Grande" but, which the Captain had taken, and took them all printers on I and the shop, which was called the . Lord Howe.' "onmandel by a certain -- Ded a second lieutenant be- longing to the . Roet nick.' who- tender the -loop was. They took the ship and called her their prize. The crew were all, except the Captain, jmt in irons, though this deponent's leg was very sore ; after which they were All put on board the ' Reetmek.' comminded by Co.pt. Ht mmon 1. which was then Ivins in Hampton Roads, and who Bor digly urged them to enter the British service) freely, which this Gepement would not do, nor the capiem and some of the men. though some of our men did. rather than he kept in irons and ill-used. low. ver, atter some time they were taken out of irons and made to do ship's dnty (which all prisoners must do) with omny insults and very lad usage. Ahont three days after hir went on board the . Rop- back ' she came to Henlopen and cruising ont aod in there took sev- eral vessels said to belong to the Rebels in America, which they san were by their orders to be lawful prizes, though when their sailors a-ked when they would get their shares they were abused by the atheory and told they must go to Englund first. Almut three weeks after they came to Cipe llenlopen there came three men one night in a small boat from Lewe-town shote on board sand vessel and stayed on board until ahont lo o'clock at night. The next night when they came alongside they reachel up a small bag, which one of the men belonging to the slup toll the depoodeut were letters, &c. Said three men were kindly received and entertained by the captain and officers, but no prisoners permitted to speak to them. Said three men informed the people on board that they had. or that there were, cattle, stock, &c .. for them at Indian River, which the tenders endeavoured to get, but were prevent-d by Barry's brie, and a small schooner . but he was not in the tenders. When the three men went off in their brat they rowed as far as the back of the Light-house, as he could see, and were convoyed by one of the man-of-war's tenders. One of the people that came on board as af restid had a mark hke a half moon on (he thinks) his left check and looked like a cut- well-coloured man, and had on. he thinks. a brown coat and buckskin or other leather breeches ; which man he would know again.

" About the first week in May the . Rochain k' and . Liverpool ' friz- ates. tenders, &r., came up Delaware Hiver a piece and sent some boats on the Jersey shore to try to get fresh provisions, of which there was great want on board (viz: of flesh, fowls. &c.) and where they brought on board several cattle. which were very poor, but were greetlily eaten : after which they propose to go up the river for fresh water, of which they were in great want, and then nfirr- wards, as he understood from the Inwer officers, they designed to co to Philadelphia and take it if they could pass the chevaux-de-tust; but if they could not pass them, then to return and lay at Chester awhile. As they came up the river they fired several shorts at vissely that were before them, and opposite New Castle they fired two or three shots ont of the bow guns at n small sail-lmit; that, knowing the cruel dispositum and therats of the men of war, he was in great pain for some acquaintance he had in New Castle, but with the spy- glass perceived the doors and windows shut and no smoke in the chiinneys, and rering many cart- carrying off goods, was in hopes they had tted.

" On or about the 8th of sad month (Max) the row-galleys attacked the mon of war, which the otherrs looked on with distan, as apple- hending they e mld do little damage to them. However, the . Bor- back ' had a deal of her rigging damaged and's ine shot in her cules ; And H. she was endeavorifto get hear the row pulleys to sink or destray them -he got into shallow water. so that she could not steer. and ran on the ground near the Jersey shore, above or near theistina Creek's mouth. At night they expected the turnslags and parleys down upon them; atins she may and took such & hoel they co.ld not bring her suns to bear and could uof make any resis ance to bear in the . Bowlnick ' but with small arms. There were therefore an auchor and two stream-cables carried out to endeavour to get her

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HISTORY OF DELAWARE.

ott, and three boats were kept ont all night rowing arenud her and often going tough the gallega to watch their motions, as they were er- pected every nunute to cotre down on the ni. nul. pa tir as he i nld lenro. if they come ard hulled them, they had unders to fy on board the . Liverpool' dig de to save their lives for which purpose the 14 were ready, and then the 'Liverfont' was to jetr it. But abent 4 o'clock in the morning they got the ship off: alter which about 40 men were employed in filling and stating away fresh water (of which they were .careo th ngh they had stove many of their water caske, and also did not expect the gallery would attack them again, as they thought they were much dunggrd; but as they at. tacked the men of war the second day with neste courage and cut- dnct the . Rueburk ' received many shots betwist whirl and witer ; suffi# went quite through, somde to her enurter , and was much raked fore and aft; but the carpenters snow covered most of the holes with what some called a .plaster.' which prevented her from fre mr.ug in the water ; otherwise would scon bave alled Thuis the rue agrnie nt one man was killed by a shot, which took his arm almost off. Six were much hurt and burned by an eightrente and cartridge of powder taking hre, among whom was an acting heutenant, And several word hurt by splinters ; Iont night comin, oh, and it being difficult to sight her guns in the night, and the call excould not be wien, it w + judge! best to retreat, during which they ceased hring for awhile nod rwiry man got a drant : avon himat bis quarters, with directions for every man who was called by his name to be ready to go acher at Low Car-the uoder cover of the cannon to punder the town and afterwards to burn and destroy it that night, but they were presented to the un-guideys following so close. During the engagement the capt nu und lod several of the guns to be lo bled with wound and grape shot, which were fred at the Relele (as the captain called them) who stood on the -hope and banks. After the vessel had passed Now Candle they came to in the light below the town that night to repour the riggins. die .. and the next day the vessels went down to Nesly I-land, warte Caption Hammond hailed the . Liverpool' and ordered her to go in betwist the island and the minin and destroy the town of Piit Prin iwe heard drums heating ashore). Accordingly he went, and soon alter returund and informed there was not depth of water to get near enough and was afraid his vessel would get aground. Next day the vessels went to the Capes and came to anchor, the carpenters as yet still repairing the Wissels, living takeo, as he supgames, forty of the Low-galleys' bulls out of the ' Rue- buck,' and some cannot be come at.""

A few weeks after this disastrous business inthe Delaware the " Liverpool" sailed for Halifax and the " Roebuck" for Norfolk. Barry made his escape from the latter ship whileshe was off the Virginia coa-t and returned to Delaware. John Emmes, a Delaware pilot. knew a great deal about the expedition of the " Roebuck." On Sep- tember 9, 1775, he had left Philadelphia in the brigantine " Sea Nymph," bound for Jamaica. On the 17th the vessel was captured off' the Vir- ginia Capes by the British sloop-of-war " Mer- cury," and after imprisonment on various British ships his familarity with the navigation of the Delaware was discovered, and on May 3, 1776, he was put on board the " Roebuck" off Cape fenlo- pen. His narrative, made in an atlidavit at Phila- delphia on June 21st, relates the pas-age of the ships up the river and the engagement with the armed boats. Captain Hammond, he says, cleared his ship for fighting as soon as the galleys appeared. About one o'clock in the afternoon the galleys be- gan to fire upon the frigate, at first without reach of their -hot, whereupon the ships worked further up the stream and brought their broad-ides to bear upon the Americans. The battle continued for several hours before the " Roebuck" went aground, which was at full tide in the afternoon. The ship was practically helpless until the " Liverpool" pulled her off on the rise of the tide twelve hours later. She was listed so much that the lower deck ports were closed to keep out the water on the re-

clined -ide, and her guns could not have been pointed. Her officers were in expectation of an attack, and when it failed to come could only con- elude that the Americans were out of ammunition. Emime-says that during the first day's fight the " Roebuck" wasonly hulled once by the American shot and some slight damage done to the sails and rigging, but he has a different story to tell concern- ing the second day :

" The fight was renewil by the gillevs coming down the river. the ships mme diately on the approach of the gille y. lu ing got under sul. The wind being pretty tree at southwest the ships turned downwards, working to windward and firing upon the galleys till the shape had proceeded three miles below the town of New Castle, when, it being wear ten in the evening. the galleys ceased to fire and retired from the ship. In the second fight the galleys drew neater to the ships than in the first, the high seldom teater than threequarters of a mile of thereshunts: on the second day's action one shot of eighteen pound was lodged in the ' Restarek's' sade smut three streaks above the water's edge, and an ther like it on the opposite side neatly as low , one eighteen pound shot enterel an upper port. inimed the carriage, disminutil 4 tine ponti cannen. Killed one man and woufeled twoothers; fiveuthers were wounded, two of them considerably, by a cartilage taking fire. Another eight en ponud shot outered the stern and lodged on boar 1 the slip, and two other shots also struck the ship, or seven n. all, the rigging. sails and spous of the . Rophnek ' were often stinick, damagal and cut. putirularly one mizzen sbrind, one of the feetopmunst shionds, and two of the back stays were out of the main-tax cut as far as a strand and a halt and much runing nizzing broken ; the mitzzen yard twice wounded so that the lower end was obliged to be cut off. the man yard wommel yo that it could not be deguided upon the same queteed several times, not easy to be numbered; the long boat had been damaged in the first hght."

June 11th the Lewi-town Committee sent to Congress a notification of the assembling of Tories, supposed to number one thousand, at a spot cigh- teen miles distant from the town. It was believed that they proposed some movement in co-operation with the British mien-of-war lying off Lewes, and the Committee asked Congress " forsuch immediate assistance as will enable us to take up the principals of this faction and quell this most dangerous insurrection." Captain Henry Fisher's letter from Lewes of the same date, to the Pennsylvania Com- mittee ofSafety, gave additional information of the situation at the Delaware entrance to the Bay :

"The . Liver; - )' remains in the Road. The ' high-her' is gone ont to -4. As to the restriction you have land njih m- hot to man the armed heat with pilots. I must long leave to acquaint you that nur pil its bear a different chatarter to what yours in, and as the boit is to be stattoned at our erick's month. I cannot sre there will be the least danger in letting six palats go in her, and the remainder land-men, is the pilots are acquainted with great guns and they always can see their danger before they can Be surprised. I think I can venture to may the palot- here have been, and ate, willing to do everything for the safety of your trade that lo - in their power. . . You must tintuk, gentlemen, that we have to view in this matter bur your interest, as we have no trade ut our own. . . I have further to add, that last evetnug the . King - fisher ' returned into our Red with a prize luigiutme. Captam Walker, of Wilmington ; but, Inckily for us, before the pirates boarded het our brave Captain Barry hal been on board of het and taken out some powder and arids. In sight of the . Kmgb-her' thisday, . lomt noon. came into war Band and ats hated another frigate, whose game I could bet learn . . You will be so kind as to jutott the Congress of the po- co dings of the Tories at the local of our country. as I think there will be mecustou for wange troops from upward to quiet them, as they are breiking out in n Aniuising manner, an1 In leve me that I shall do everything in my poset to give you the exlast accounts of the pro- ceediftgs of the pirate

June 13th. Thomas Me Kean wrote from New Castle, to President Hancock:

" The Assembly here have internation this moment by express that there are 10 Tories under army in Sussex County, that they asseln bled bear Cedar Croche about 18 miles on thissuje Lewes, and that

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their intention was to proceed there and join the British forces from un lward come men-of-war now in the Hot. kill Road, who were to land this night in order to cut . if there . mesures of the continental troops at that place, and that it is agg related of it they have been -applied with temps and amtitan by the birb-et war, and, pethuijs. may introoch. The silitis trott hebt thatshed yesterday, at last half a dozen cumprinp ., and the test went to b How as soon as they call be ready. The department of Cakered Haylet's battalion at Walangton are ordered down : the like ordets and be given to the pulita of this county. I should be ghol if a tan it powder and some lead could be sent down by land moredates as it somerton to what a height this mad athour may be ca und. The puliti and regulars are very ill-pro- vided with arms, but we expect soon to give a good account of these misguided people."

On the same night Mr. Me Kean wrote that the insurgents had dispersed after a conference between some of their leaders and members of the Council of Safety. They denied having had any communi- cation with the British chips or that they were disaffected to the American cause, but Mr. Mc- Kean professed his inability to understand what other motives could have prompted so large and apparently so hostile a gathering. It was deemed so alarming by the patriots that a thousand of the Sussex Whigs, an equal number of the Kent mil- itia, a couple of companies of the New Castle mil- itia, and Colonel Haslet's Continentals had been brought together at New Castle to fall in superior force upon the Tories, and were only awaiting orders from the House of Assembly, which had appointed a committee to quiet them by argument, and if that was not possible, to permit the troops to deal with them. However, their disper-al ob- viated any necessity of a resort to arms, and this "strange affair," as Mr. MeKean terms it, was submitted to the Civil Jurisdiction. The country far and near had been stirred up by their proceed- ings. George Evans, at Brandywine, had been ordered by Colonel Hla-let to provide wagons to follow the Continental battalion to Sussex with provisions and found himself without a dollar with which to execute his instructions. He wrote to Michael Hillegas, of Philadelphia, asking for $1000 or 1500 to meet the emergency, as being " the only gentleman I have any acquaintance with, or can make free with to request to great a favour of."

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History of Delaware : 1609-1888, Part 54

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Philadelphia : L. J. Richards Number of Pages: 776

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia : L. J. Richards
Number of Pages: 776