March 78 Sunday 9th. [Monday]
Employ'd working up the River Delaware AM at 7 Weighed the Convoy in Company. at 10 spoke the George Armed Sloop. She Came down the Rebles having fired at her & set fire to a Transport.1 at Noon abrest of Morris hook.2 Punished John Julian for Mutiny in Co: as above Employ'd working up the River Delaware Light Breezes and Hazy. PM saw a schooner and Ship within Reedy Island.3 at 2 the Brune Dispatch & York Sloop Stood into the East End of the Island. Sent our Lieut: on bd: the George to go ahead & prevent the schooner from going to the Westwd: the Brune & Dispatch fired Some Guns. the Rebles set fire to the Ship & the schooner made Sail out. we fired several Guns at her over the Island, and sevrl: Shot was fired from the shore at our Shiping. some Gun boats & a galley got over the Jersey shore.4 and the schooner Run aGround on the Penselvania Shore. 7 Miles below New Castle, we fired Several Guns at her & the Rebles set her on fire at 7 anchd: Close to the Schooner in 3½ fathoms Found the schooner full of Water5
D, UkLPR, Adm. 51/331, fols. 120-21.
1. Transport ship Kitty, J. Mallet, master, 180 tons burthen, built on the Thames River in 1752, underwent thorough repairs in 1772 and had new upper works in 1776. Lloyd's Register of Ships, 1777-1778.
2. Morris Hook on Morris Liston's Land at the mouth of Blackbird Creek, near Appoquinimink River, Del.
3. Armed schooner Alert, Daniel Moore, master, belonging to the Engineers Department of the Army, and transport Mermaid, J. Youart, master. For more on this action, see Captain James Ferguson, R.N., to Vice Admiral Viscount Howe, 27 Mar., below
4. Capt. John Barry and Lt. Luke Matthewman, commanding two barges from the Continental Navy frigate Effingham in company with three armed boats of the Pennsylvania Navy.
5. The next morning Dispatch's boat got Alert off the shore. UkLPR, Adm. 51/331, fol. 121.
