Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-12-14
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TFrom the Philadelphia Post. Nov. I4.l
A Revolutionary Relic.


The Fate ofa British Fligate-!S !Shefs RAISED
From her Tatery Bed after lapse Of
Niaey.fes Years-A Sketch Of Her
History,
Previous to the Goth of October, 1T77, the
! British vessels Roebuck, of ferty -four guns /;
Merlin, of eighteen guns, aud galley of
three guns, were blocSading the Delaware
river and gradually approaching Philadelphia.
At that time the Americans bad but two vesS
sels-the Wasp and the Lexington-in that
vicinity. and both were below the British
ships and we're of too inferior an order to
make an attack upon their a6verssrics. To
prevent the British ships reaching the city,
fort was erected on the Jersey shore just
above Woodbury. creek, and cherGur 6s
f-iSe was so constructed that the vessels could
not pass beyond it. 1t extended ont from
Hog Island, and a large number of hulks
were sunk as a sort of protection to this
barrier.
On the Goth OF October tie British made
an attack upon the fortifcations, both by land
and water, the land forces being commandsdy
by General Danupe. The commander of the
colonial forces in Philadelphia let loose twelve
fire ships, and by this means succeeded in
driving the attacking party back,Idown the
river On the 22d of October the British
were reinforced 10y the arrival Of the Augusta,
carrying sixty four guns. They made sec.
ond attack. They met resistance from the
,,uns II ;,,1 :, -. :. and also from The AmeEcan
galley Chatham, Commander Hssl6Wood, and
twelve other gallcys. After long fight, the
Americans succeeded in driving off-the Bri-
tish vessels The Augusta. being of an uu-
weldv nature. grounded. No sooner had the
! Tsl,s H.. 81.
fire on her with hot shot, the result being
that she was set on fire in several places SO
rapidly did the flames spread, that of her
crew Of ,hree hundred men, one hundred and
iay were either drowned or burned. The
remainder were picked up by the tenders of
the Colonial feet The Augusta not only
carried her own armament, but had on board
n number Of guns and large number of balls,
which were intended for vessels fitting out on
this side Of the ocean. She was a new yes-
sell and that trip her FIRST and last.
She has lain imbedded in the mud until
within two years back. when party of five
men determined to attempt the raising OF the
wreck, being stimulated thereto by the sup
position of there being in the hold n quantity
of specie. Their names are james Powell,
Joseph Moore, George Murphy, Gabriel
Shapely and Charles Myers Since tIlat timo
they nave iaDOrcu continually, ana now ulter
expending over 81 900 aud their time, their
eff rts have been rewarded, aud the wreck
has been moved up as far as Gloucester, where
the greater portion can be seen any day at
low tide. Within the past few days number
of relics have been recovered, among them n
lot of sterling silver Spoons marked III w,
174S," with coat Of arms consisting of an
ancient shaped cross an old English bulls
eye watch seven guinea pieces, bearing Wig
ucrtc uf George II, aud with dates ranging
from 1860 to l7TO; some Spanish silver dol
lars three guns Of heavy cuiibre, which now
lie on the beach at Rcd Bank about sixty
tons weight Of balls, and about hundred
tons Of Kentlidge iron. which bad evidently
been used as bgIlast The iron is in square
pigs. and bears the old English brand-an
arrow head Three human skulls have also
been found, one Of which is remarkable for
its thickness There has also been found a
small piece or strip Of copper, about three
inches in length and one inch in thickness,
upon which is stamped the Lords Prayer,
with the words. David Pyeth, Delt & Cult,
Edinburgh, March, IVA, " The lettering being
all in capitals Tho vessel had been con-
structed of Irish oak, aud Joined together
with trunnels Of the same material, not sin-
Gle metal bolt being used The timber Is
to day pronounced as good as when put to-
gethcr.