On Tuesday last the schooner Little Hope, with part of her cargo consisting of rum, sugar, coffee, tea, and a number of blankets, drifted from Philadelphia with the ice above Point no Point. The day following Major Edwards,1 with eight more, boarded her, after having with much difficulty worked their way through the ice. Previous to their boarding her the Captain of the schooner, with five sailors, paraded as though they intended to dispute the matter; but their hearts failing them, they saved further trouble by a ready surrender.
The same day (several vessels drifting in the ice between Philadelphia and Gloucester-Point) Capt. Robert Quigley, with twenty-four of the militia, boarded & took the transport brigantine John, & the armed schooner Industry, with thirteen English seamen, among whom are two Captains. The brigantine had several hogsheads of rum, &c. on board and the schooner some tobacco. After taking out the valuable articles, and stripping them of their rigging, sails, &c they were burnt.2
Another party of our militia, on the same day, made prize of the transport brigantine Lord Howe, which was also stripped and destroyed; and the day following a sloop, on her way from Chester to Philadelphia, was taken with about twenty barrels of flour on board. In these little expeditions, thirty four British seamen and soldiers were taken; and on Friday last they passed through this city, on their way to a place of security.
