Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-08-12
The Defense of Philadelphia.


wonder, says James Parton, in til
Ledger, if the people Of Philadelphia
in these centennial times, recall the stil
ring scenes which took place on thei
river Delaware a hundred years ago
when DR.. Franklin, civilian as he was
was experimenting the river defenses 0
the city. The old man was then in hi
seventieth year, but the youngest sol
dier in Philadelphia was not more zeal
GUS and alert than he in the active ser
vice of the country.
Nor was this the first time that he hat
taken the lead in fortifying Philadel
phia. Twenty-eight years before, wAel
England was at war with France, ant
the Quakers of Pennsylvania were disin
clined to take any measures toward tn,
defense of the province, it was the prin
ter Franklin who reused the people to
sense of their danger; reminding then
that single privateer, armed with ter
guns, could anchor opposite the city
and levy n contribution upon the In
habitants.
Five miles below Philadelphia, nea,
the junction of the Delaware and
Schuylkill, two islands obstruct the
channel and render the navigation, for a
milo or two, slow and difficult. Red
Bank is the name of the opposite New
Jersey shore. Franklin, who was real
water dog, the best swimmer in the
province, and always fond of river ex-
cursions, knew we'll the spot, and fixed
l.
mons were bought; earthworks were
thrown up; and, in short, the front door
of Philadelphia was closed against an
approaching robber. During one of
his visits to Boston few years before,
he had been invited to the castle in
Boston harbor to witness the exercise of
club of artillerymen (merchants and
mechanics of the town. who used to go
once week to the castle for days
practice with the great guns. He after
ward learned that the best engineers
and artillerymen at the taking of Louis
burg, in Cape Breton, were no other
than these same Boston shopkeepers
and tradesmen.
Such club he now formed in Phila-
delphia, and they went down the river
every week to Red Bank and Mud
island, where they learned to handle the
great guns, Franklin himself taking his
turn with the rest. During that war
Philadelphia was not molested, the mere
existence of the works at Red Bank suf-
ticing to deter the enemy's vessels from
the river.
But now the very mistress of the seas
,v,. orr,, 4, <,o l. -
extending along coast two thousand
miles in extent, with scarcely cannon
available against an approaching enemy.
1t was on the fifth of May, it's, that
franklin landed in PHILADELPHIA. after
m absence of ten wears in England.
chiefly spent in averting civil war. The
news that greeted him was that hostili
lies had begun. The battle of Licking.
ton was fought while he was crossing
tho sea. He felt that war was then un,
and he threw all the energies
If his mind into the great work of or.
yanizing measures for defense.
His Red Bank experiences OF 1748
we're ever fresh in his memory; and be-
ng now member of the committee of
safety, with the province of Pennsyl.
7ania almost unanimous for defense be-
lind him, he determined to make thor
,ugh work of closing the river. Besides
Fort Mifflin upon Mud island.
md strong works at Red Bank on the
Jersey shore, both commanding the
,hannel, he caused three rows of what
we're called vaisseaur de t,ise to be
unk in the channel. These were large
rames of timbe, filled with stones and
unk to the bottom of the r;ver 10
which large beams barbed with iron
we're fastened, which were designed to
,xtend above the surface. Preci.elv
low thev were arranged I have never
,een able to discover. for all these
were of course. carried IN in !
ecrecy. The private letters of the time
bonnd in allasions tn DR. Frankl;n,s
hepnur de f.ise. as thew we've a1so
allied. Int no one apnears to bava taken |
he trouble TO give an exact occonnt of
hem.
Tn addition to these means of defensa
rankin cansed the construction Of a
eet of ealleys." which were vessels
f considerable size. propelled bv oars
nd designed to carry cannon. and to he
lied with armed men, There were men
and General Washington annears 70
ave been one of tbem) who had little
nth in the Franklin palleys. but almost
yery one seems TO have attached much
Importance to the vaisseaux de fy;se.
n a letter to General WASHINGTON To.
iah Quincy saws. after describino a visit