[Haverstraw] 27 Do [July]
Since my laste Note the Ships came so high up that I discovred them by the Inscriptions on their Sterns to be the Phoenix of 44 Guns & the Rose of 20 ー They are attended by a Schooner two Shallops and a Pettiauger ー One of the Shallops peeped round the Point of the Donderberg & got a two & thirty Pounder in her Stern from Fort Montgomerie ー It was the only Shot fired. 2 . . . The Day after the Rose & Schooner went as high as Peaks Kill &burnt the Dwelling House of one Halstead under the Donderberg ー After laying 8 Days before my House they fell clown the 25 to Singsing alittle below Teller's Point I frequently eyed them with my Telluscope and believe hut Few could find Means to resort to those Ships. The strong Guards being kept up on both Sides of the River & the Ships being weak handed — A Deserter who swam on Shore at Stoney Point says they have not 400 in allthe Vessels.
1. Sabine, ed., Memoirs of William Smith, II, I.
2. Ibid., in a marginal note, Smith wrote: "When Mr [Charles] Inglis came up in the Flag in Decr. one Mr. Hand Lt. of the Marines of the Phoenix said what is in the Passage scored was not true. Yet it was published at the Day & universally believed on the Tale of the Deserter who swam ashore who had listed in the Phoenix. He was taken in a Prize."
