Displaying 1 - 20 of 55
This Morning, the Sun shining bright, we had a beautiful Prospect of the Coast of New Jersey at about 5 or 6 Miles Distance. The Land was cleared in many Places, and the Woods were interspersed with Houses, which being covered with white Shingles appeared very plainly all along the Shore. We passed Sandy Hook in the Afternoon, and about 6 o'Clock arrived safe off the East Side of Staten Island....
Date: 12 July 1776
Volume: Volume 5
This Morning the Captains of the Fleet waited on the Admiral [Howe], and received his Lordship's Orders. They acquainted us, that General Burgoyne is coming down to Albany with the Army under his Command, together with 1000 Indians; and that they had overtaken the Rebels, who had penetrated into Canada, driven them into a Swamp, and put above 500 of them to the Sword. The Troops hold them very...
Date: 13 July 1776
Volume: Volume 5
An excessive hard Rain, prevented going on Shore this Day, and we had no divine Service on board. Mr. [Samuel] Reeve, our first Lieutenant, returned from Amboy this Afternoon, whither he had been sent yesterday by the Admiral [Howe] with Dispatches, addressed to the several Governors in North America, notifying his Arrival and the Objects of his Commission, and inclosing a Declaration to be...
Date: 14 July 1776
Volume: Volume 5
After a most tedious Passage of nine Weeks, we safely arrived on the 12th instant off Staten Island in the Harbor of New York. We had contrary Winds for the much greater Part of the Way; and, from a Belief that the Army continued at Halifax, we went round thither as to the Place of Rendezvous. Near Newfoundland we fell in with the Tartar Frigate and her Convoy, bound to Quebec; and off Halifax we...
Date: 25 July 1776
Volume: Volume 5
This Morning between 40 and 50 Sail appeared in Sight, which proved to be Sir Peter Parker's Fleet, with Generals Clinton & Lord Cornwallis, and the Troops under their Command, on board. They have had an unsuccessful Attack upon Charles Town, and lost near 200 Men, in Killed & Wounded, belonging to the Ships. Three Frigates, who led the Charge, run aground in going up, through Ignorance...
Date: 1 August 1776
Volume: Volume 6
Govr. Tryon came on board this Morning to communicate the Information he had just recd. that Hopkins, the Rebel Commodore, with the Vessels under his Command, had stolen out of Rhode Island Harbor, and intended to pass down the Sound, and through the East River by New York, in order to assist the Rebels to destroy the two Ships that passed some time since up the North River. It is not to be...
Date: 2 August 1776
Volume: Volume 6
In the Afternoon the Renown of 50 Guns and the Flora of 32 Guns, with 22 Sail of Convoy, came into the Harbor. We have had so many Arrivals of late, that the Rebel Commanders, we learn, give out to their People, that we send Ships down in the Night, which come up in the Course of the next Day, as a manoeuvre to intimidate them.
The Structures, which we supposed yesterday to be Fire Stages, were...
Date: 4 August 1776
Volume: Volume 6
Nothing material occured this Day. In the Evening, it was intended to send up the Solebay Frigate of 28 Guns to assist the other Ships above the Town; but the Wind falling, rendered the Design too dangerous to be prosecuted.
Date: 6 August 1776
Volume: Volume 6
A Rifleman, who got off from Long Island last night, was brought on board this Morning, and his Gun with him. It was of a handsome Construction, and entirely manufactured in America. As there are no Flints in this Country, they have smuggled them in from Holland & France.
The Orpheus & Greyhound, two Frigates sent out upon a Cruize, returned without seeing any thing of the Fleet, which...
Date: 7 August 1776
Volume: Volume 6
This Morning, as soon as it was light, wk were gladdened with the Sight of the grand Flight [sic fleet] in the offing. The Joy of the Navy & Army was almost like that of a Victory.
The Fleet came up this Evening to the, number of 107 Sail. What is very extraordinary, they have lost but 8 men in the whole Passage of 14 Weeks; and just before they came to the mouth of the Harbour they fell in...
Date: 12 August 1776
Volume: Volume 6
This morning early, Sir Peter Parker in the Bristol, with the Experiment & Roebuck, and several Transports, appeared in the offing; and a little after Noon came up & saluted the Admiral [Howe]. The Bristol has lost her main & mizen Masts in the affair at Charles Town, and is much shattered about the Stern. We have now a gallant Fleet here, consisting of the following Ships:
Guns...
Date: 14 August 1776
Volume: Volume 6
This Morning, the Wind being strong at N E and the Weather hazy, the Phoenix and the Rose, with two Tenders, came down the River, in Defiance of all the Efforts of the Rebels from Batteries, Cheveaux de Frize, &c. Not one of all their Shots struck the Phoenix, and but one or two the Rose, and those did but little Damage. One man only was wounded by a Splinter in the Leg. The Rebels kept up an...
Date: 18 August 1776
Volume: Volume 6
Lord H[owe] sent up a Flag of Truce this Morning, relative to an Exchange of Prisoners, which Washington had desired, & to wch his Lordship agreed. I mentioned to Lord H[owe]. the Case of Mr. Henry Stanhope, Son of my Friend Edwin Francis Stanhope Esq. and late acting Lieutenant in the Glasgow, but his Lordship could do nothing in the matter, as Mr. Henry Stanhope had unfortunately broke his...
Date: 20 August 1776
Volume: Volume 6
[John] Sullivan was allowed to go up to the Town this morning under a Flag of Truce, to confer with Washington & to procure himself some Necessaries.
Soon afterwards, we were most agreeably surprized to find, that the Rebels had entirely abandoned Long Island, and left every thing of Bulk and Weight behind them; soon after which our People began to fire from Red Hook upon Nutting Island....
Date: 30 August 1776
Volume: Volume 6
A great Firing was heard last night from the Town upon the Rose & the Boats, which were ordered to sail up the East River. One Shot passed through the Rose, and another beat off one of her anchors, without doing any other Damage. The Rebels fired two Pieces of Ordnance upon her today from a Battery opposite Bushwyck; and wounded two or three Men. The Boats got safe into Newtown Creek, and, as...
Date: 3 September 1776
Volume: Volume 6
In my last Letter I acquainted Your Lordship with the safe Arrival of the Hessians and Guards, and of the Troops under General Clinton from the South. By all together, on Sea and Land, we have a very respectable Force; and the Object of this Letter is to inform Your Lordship, how it has been employed. But I will take the Liberty to mention a few Circumstances, previous to the important Events,...
Date: 5 September 1776
Volume: Volume 6
This Morning, the Fowey, Capt. G[eorge] Montagu, came into the Harbor from North Carolina.
Great Preparations have been making all this Day; and about 80 Flat-bottomed Boats were made ready for a further Debarkation of Troops, and for a further attack upon the Rebels.
A slight alarm happened to-night from the Enemy's Boats approaching too near; they were soon driven back by the Musketry in our...
Date: 7 September 1776
Volume: Volume 6
A severe Canonade was heard on board this Morning, supposed to be Horn's Hook, where our People are dislodging the Rebels, and are already in Possession of two Islands [Montresor's and Buchanan's] near the Isle of York Shore. We have lost one Sailor, who was killed as he lay sleeping on the Grass by a Cannon Ball. An Engineer lost an Arm; and two or three other slight Accidents occurred.
This...
Date: 12 September 1776
Volume: Volume 6
In the Afternoon, the Phoenix, Capt [Hyde] Parker, of 44 Guns, the Orpheus of 32 Guns, Capt. [Charles] Hudson, the Carysfort, of 28 Guns, Capt. [Robert] Fanshaw, and the Roebuck of 44 Guns, Capt. Hammond, sailed up the East River up to Bushwyck Bay. The Fort fired 4 or 5 Guns faintly. upon them, as also a Battery upon a red Bank of high Land just above the Town; and were retorted upon very warmly...
Date: 13 September 1776
Volume: Volume 6
Late last Night arrived Capt [Thomas] Jordan in the Galatea of 20 Guns from Plymouth, which Place she left on the 10th. of July. He brought us Advices, that the Hessians were only sailing from England, when he left it, and that, being in heavy-sailing Dutch Transports, we cannot expect their Arrival here for a great while to come, and especially if they come into the Course of the equinoctial...
Date: 14 September 1776
Volume: Volume 6