The tribune. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1874-1876, 1876-08-23

to the galleys:
81 have as much confidence in them
as you have"
Which is, I suppose, equivalent to
saying that neither of them had any
confidence at all. From the following
sentence, however, I conclude that
Quincy had much confidence in the
sunken vessels
"But the people here have made ma
chimes to be sunk in the channel of
Delaware river. Three rows of them
are placed in the river with timbers
barbed with iron. They are frames of
timber sunk with stone machines very
proper for our channel in the narrows
Cor Boston harbor)."
Franklin's energy was such, and he
was 80 vigorously seconded by the peo-
pie of Pennsylvania, that, in about four
months after his landing, the works near
Red Bank and several of the galleys
were 6t for service, and capable of pre-
senting an obstacle to nm ascending fleet.
AS soon as two or three of the galleys
were finished, crews were selected from
the hundreds of volunteers pressing
their services upon the committee, and
every cay they We're out on tho river
practicing, their evolutions witnessed by
eager crowds upon the shore.
1t is surprising how this philosopher
of three-score and ten worked that sum-
NOR. The committee of safety convened
at six o'clock every morning, and sat
till nearly nine. At nine Congress met,
OF which body he was the leading mem
ber, and it seldom adjourned for the
dNy until after four in the afternoon,
In the evening he was experimenting
with saltpeter, supply of which was
most sorely needed. Sometimes he was
con .idering the Lest form of pike at
another the utility of bows and arrows
or he would be devising financial plans,
corresponding with the friends of
Am ,rica in England, and doing the
th ,usand nameless things which q di-
rerting mind must attend to at such q
time.
On fine day in September, Its, the
committee of safety invited Congress
AMI the Legislature of Pennsylvania to
make an excursion upon the river in the
galleys, seven of which were then COM
plrted, the Washington, the Effingham,
tho Franklin, the Dickinson, the Otter,
the Bulldog, and another whose name
has not been RECORDED. The gentlemen
embarked about ten in the mornin ', and
appear to have had delightful sail
down the river, past the place where the
three rows of barbed beams were get
ting into position, conversing upon the
lie hter topics Which suggest themselves
when people are disposed to plea ure.
Their intention was to have gone down
as far rs Fort Miffiin, but wind and tide
being unfavorable, they turned about
and rowed past the city, up as far as the
projection which had then the singular
name of Point-no- Point.
During the latter part of the VOYAGE,
as John Adams records, the conversa-
tion took a more serious turn. Mr.. Ad.
ans went in the Bulldog, with Mr.. Rit-
tenhouse, DR.. Rush, and several other
persons of note, of whom he afterward
wrote:
"In the boat, on our return from
Point, no. Point, the principal topic of
conversation was independence. Nv
sentiments on this head were no secret
in Congress from May, 1775. An inter
cepted letter, early in ITS, had in
formed the world that I was for inde-
pendence. But l was left too much
alone. The company in the boat ap-
peared to me then and ever since to
have invited me to be of their party that
they might oil assure me, in that conf
dtntial manner, that they were of my
mind.
The works in the river, and those
u: on the rivers bank, went on as con-
tinuously as the season would permit
all that winter, and during the next year.
8, on after DIR. Franklin left for France
in 1776, there arrived from that country
famous military engineer, named Du
Condray, who had been engaged ard
sent over by the American agent in
Paris. He laid out the works in proper
military fashion, and rendered the forts
capable OF serious defense against the
enemy. But it was not, however, until
late in the following year, ]777, that the
strength OF the position was put to the
test. General Howe had taken posses
sion of Philadelphia; but as long as the
river was closed, he was cut off from his
supplies, and his capture of the city was
useless. The works kept q powerful
British haet and numerous British
army busy for two months. Count
Donop, at the head of force of twelve
hundred Hessians, summoned one of
the forts to surrender in the words once
familiar to all:
The King of England orders his
rebellious subjects to lay down their
arms; and they are warned that if they
stand the battle no quarters whatever
will be given"
We ask no quarters" replied Cen
eral Greene, "nor will we give any,"
The twelve hundred Hessians were
then hurled upon the fort, without the
means of crossing the moat, and with
out ladders to scale the walls. Six hun
dred Of them fell before the murderous
fire OF the garrison; and among them
was Count Donop, whose grave may still
be seen on that Jersey shore. Mean
While. a number Of British frigates we're
beaten off by Franklin's galleys. Re-
newing the attack next day, an English