Number 43.

Sir,

The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty will be informed by my last Letter of the 28^th: of August,¹ of the Arrival of the Fleet at the Head of Chesepeak-Bay, and Debarkation of the Army the 25^th: in the River Elk.

The Provision, Military Stores and Baggage required, having been landed under the Direction of Captain Duncan by the 7^th. of the next Month, the Army advanced towards the Rebel Forces assembled near Wilmington on the Side of the Delaware.

The Enemy confiding in the Strength of their Situation, and waiting the Ap­proach of the Army, were charged the 11^th. in the Evening—with so much Spirit, that notwithstanding the Advantages of their post, they were quickly forced on every part; and retreated in great Confusion towards the Town of Philadelphia.

When this Account was forwarded, the Loss in either Army was not ascertained. But twelve pieces of Cannon had been taken in the Field; And the Victory would have probably been complete, but for the great Fatigue of the King's Forces in a long and difficult March round by the Forks of the Brandywine, to arrive in the destined po­sition for the Commencement of the Attack.

Upon Intelligence of this Event received the 13^th:, Preparation was made for tak­ing the first favorable Opportunity to move the Fleet round to a proper Anchorage for preserving a free Communication with the Army in this River.

The Progress down the Bay was considerably retarded by the State of the Weather and Intricacy of the Navigation, which did not admit of continuing under Sail dur­ing the Night. Wherefore, tho' quitting the Elk the 14^th:. the Fleet could not put to Sea from the Capes of Virginia until the 23^d: of the same Month. I then proceeded forward in the Eagle with the Vigilant and Isis, and a small Division of the Transports in which some Articles of Provisions and Military Stores likely to be soonest wanted for the Army, had been for that purpose embarked And left the Body of the Fleet to be conducted by Captain Griffith, with the rest of the Ships of War.

Having had very tempestuous Weather, of some Duration, to the Northward, in the passage down Chesepeak Bay, the prospect was favorable for the speedy Arrival of the Fleet in the Delaware.

But when the two Divisions (little separated) were advanced within a few Leagues of the Entrance of the River, the wind changed, in a sudden Squall from the South­ward in the Evening of the 25^th:; And having continued between the North West and North East with a Degree of Force much too great for the Transports to make any way against it, I was unable to get into the River (followed a few days after by the first Convoy, which I had left in the Care of Captain Cornwallis when the Weather be­came more settled.) until the Evening of the 4^th: Instant.

The larger Convoy with Captain Griffith, tho' much more dispersed, arrived be­ tween the 6^th: and 8^th: of the Month: with no other material Accident except the Loss of the Transport named the Father's Good-Will, which having sprung a Leak when no As­sistance could be given—during the bad Weather, sunk at Sea. But the Crew were saved.

The Ships of War and Transports were anchored in the most convenient Situa­tions on the Western Shore from Newcastle down towards Reedy Island.

On my Arrival off of Chester on the 6^th. Instant I learnt that the Rebel Army, since the 11^th. of last Month, had always been retiring with precipitation to avoid a general Action. Sometimes attempting Advantages by Surprize; But the King's Forces maintaining their usual Ascendancy on every Occasion.

The General was in possession of Philadelphia and a Frigate of thirty-two Guns, named the Delaware, attempted to be passed above the Town, had been taken by the Troops which were first posted there.² 

Captain Hamond (who was returned here in the Roebuck) had moved up the River with the Pearl, Camilla and Liverpool, as the Army advanced.

When I came to this Station, he was lying with those Frigates off of Billingport, where the Rebels had nearly completed a very extensive Work, for defending the Ap­proach to the first double Line of sunk Frames, or Chevaux de Frize, which crossed the Navigable Channel in that part of the River.

The General having a few Days before appointed a strong Corps of Infantry to be landed on the Jersey Shore, to dislodge the Enemy from that post, they aban­doned it at his Approach. The Front to the River had thereupon been destroyed, and the Troops that Evening withdrawn.

A Trial had in the mean time been begun for opening a passage through that first Obstruction, which the Enemy with their Fire-Rafts, Gallies and other Armed Craft, repeatedly endeavored to prevent under Cover of the Night; But without any material Injury to the Frigates. And a sufficient Channel was at length (tho' not with­out much Difficulty) made for the larger Ships, by the advanced Squadron; the Con­duct of which was on every Occasion to be much approved.

The remaining Obstructions to an uninterrupted Communication with the Town of Philadelphia, consisted of an enclosed Work erected on a flat, muddy Is­land, named Fort Island, a little Distance below the Entrance of the Schuylkill, strengthened by four Block-Houses; with two floating Batteries of nine Guns each, and twelve or fourteen Gallies mounting heavy Cannon: Besides many other Armed Craft of lesser Force, and several Fire Ships. Opposite thereto on the Eastern Shore, at Red Bank above Manto Creek, a Redoubt was constructed, under which their mov­able Water Force could find protection occasionally.

In the Front of these Defences, to the Extent of half a Mile or more below the Is­land (being the part of the Channel where the Navigation was contracted in the Width to about one hundred Fathoms) several Rows of the Chevaux de Frize were sunk so as intirely to render the nearer Approach of the Ships impracticable. And no Attempt could be made for moving the sunk Frames or otherwise clearing the Channel, until the Command of the Shores on each Side of the River could be obtained.

For these purposes, the General ordered some Batteries to be erected on the Western Shore to dislodge the Enemy from the Island; And a Body of Troops to be landed for forcing the Redoubt on Red-Bank.

It was intended that the Vigilant should pass through a shallow and very con­fined Channel between Hog Island (next below Fort-Island) and the Pensylvania Shore: To arrive and act upon the Rear and less defensible part of the Work. And the Circumstances of the Navigation not admitting of a more serious Attack for the Rea­sons before-mentioned a Diversion was proposed to be made at the same time by the advanced Frigates, together with the Isis and Augusta, in the Eastern or main Chan­nel of the River: As well for engaging the Attention of the Enemy at Fort Island and the Redoubt, as to restrain the motions of the Gallies and other Armed Craft, which had retired under the Works at Red-Bank, when they discovered the Danger they would be exposed to in their former Stations near Fort Island, from our Batteries on the Western Shore.

The Wind continuing from the Northward several successive days, the Vigilant could not proceed according to her Destination, at the Time intended. The Augusta, Roebuck, Liverpool and Pearl, were nevertheless—ordered above the first Line of Chevaux de Frize the 22^d: Instant, to be in Readiness for such Service as they should be able to render when the Redoubt should be attacked. And Captain Reynolds, being the Senior Officer, succeeded to the Command of the advanced Squadron.

The Detachment of the Army, consisting of Hessian Troops under Colonel Donop appointed to attack the Redoubt, crossed the Delaware opposite to Philadel­phia the 21^st. Instant, in a Division of Flat Boats which Captain Clayton conducted in the Night by Fort-Island, along the Western Shore for that purpose.

The Attack of the Redoubt being observed to take place the Evening of the 22^d:, just upon the Close of Day, Captain Reynolds immediately slipped and advanced with the Squadron (to which the Merlin had been joined) as fast as he was able with the Flood; to second the Attempt of the Troops which were seen to be very warmly en­gaged. But the Change in the natural Course of the River caused by the Obstruc­tions, appearing to have altered the Channel, the Augusta and Merlin unfortunately grounded some distance below the second Line of Chevaux de Frize. And the fresh north wind which then prevailed greatly checking the Rising of the Tide, they could not be got afloat on the subsequent Flood.

The Diversion was endeavored to be continued by the Frigates at which the Fire from the Enemy's Gallies was chiefly pointed for some Time. But as the Night ad­vanced, the Hessian Detachment having been repulsed, the Firing ceased.

The Rebels discovering the State of the Augusta and Merlin in the Morning of the 23^d:, renewed the Fire from their Gallies, Works and floating Batteries. But their mov­able Force approaching little nearer than a Random-Shot, the Injury was inconsider­able to the Ships. And by the Alertness and Spirit of the Officers and Seamen (of the Transports as well as Ships of War) attached in the Boats of the Fleet on this Occa­sion, four Fire-Vessels directed against the Augusta, were sent without Effect.

The Isis was at this Time warping through between the lower Chevaux de Frize. Empty Transports had been ordered up from the Fleet and other preparations made for lightening the Augusta; when by some Accident, no otherway connected with the Circumstances of the Action but as it was probably caused by the Wads from her Guns, the Ship took Fire abaft. And it spread with such Rapidity, that all Endeavors to extinguish it were used in vain. The Men were thereupon taken out, except a very small Number not yet ascertained. The second Lieutenant Baldock, the Chaplain and Gunner appear to be of that Number.

In this State of the Proceeding it was necessary to withdraw the Frigates, for se­curing them from the Effect of the Blast. And as the Merlin could not be protected from the same Injury, I judged it requisite to give Order for the Sloop to be evacu­ated and destroyed. The other Ships dropped down nearer to Billingport.

Much Commendation is due to the several Captains, inferior Officers and Sea­men concerned in this Service: And particularly in their resolute Exertions to assist in saving the Crew of the Augusta.

The Packet being to sail immediately with the General's Dispatches, I have only to mention, that as the Appointment of the Ships for the Winter-Season must be reg­ulated by the Motions of the Army; I am not at this Time able to submit any partic­ular Ideas for their Lordship's Information thereon, in Addition to the enclosed Re­turn of their present Disposition.

A State of the Ships is sent herewith.³ And I have the Mortification of being obliged to observe, with respect to the Health of the Seamen that I fear it will be farther very much impaired on Account of the small Proportion of Slops which (as I collect from my last Letter of the 31^st: of May from the Commissioners of the  Navy) are arrived in the Buffalo. The Fatigues which the few Seamen capable of doing Duty in Boat Service necessarily undergo, gives great Cause to apprehend how much  it may operate in its Consequences, on the future Service of the Ships attending upon the Army. I am [&c.]