October 1776 Wednesday 9
Sailing up the North River Mode and Cloudy Tvr at 7 AM weighed and came to Sail in Co with his Majesty's Ships Phoenix Roebuck Tryal Schooner and two Tenders at 8 do Five Batterys on the York and two on the Jersey Shore began to fire on us likewise hove a number of Shells with a Continual Fireing till ½ past 9 after Hulling on [us] several times, wounded our Masts and cutting a great deal of the Riging and Sails a Shott went thro the Mizen Mast and afterwards killd a Midshipmn2 the Splinters of the Masts wounded the Captn Lieut of Marines & Pilot after pasing the Batterys the Enemy began to Fire Small Arms from the Woods, which they continued for several Miles up the River at 10 gave chace to the Enemys Galleys, at 11 drove on shore several of their Merchmn and the Independence Galley at Noon drove on Shore the Crane Galley and continued Chace Light Breezes and Cloudy, found that the rest of the Galleys had got out of Gun Shott, by the Assistance of their Oars at ½ pt 1 came too abreast of the Crane Galley sent a Lieut and some Men and took possession of her
1. PRO, Admiralty 51/972.
2. Ibid., Midshipman John Scott, buried the next day.