Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1905-07-20

and Isis, or CORVALLIS Galley to the attack
on Fort Mitfiin on Got 23d
Commodore Hazelwood reported as fol-
sOn board the Chatham Galley,
October 20, l777
ssSir:
1850 = = Il now shall give You the
particulars Of those two days action on the
22d and 23d-on the 22d about 4 O'Clock
the attack was made on the Fort at Red
Bank, in which part of our Galleys was
engaged in thanking the enemy round the
works, and was of great use there; the rest
of the Galleys and floating Batterys was
engaged with their Ships who had raised
the two cHeeaa1-de.frise at Billingsport
sometime before The Ships that came up
was the Augusta, new GA, the Roebuck,
A. two Frlgates, the Merlin, 18 guns, and
one Galley of a 80 FOUNDER. all which we
drove down, & in going down the Augusta
and Merlin run aground below our upper
CheuaHx-de Frize, which we discovered
early in the morning of the Esd. / imme-
diately hoisted the signal to engage them,
and soon after the engagement became gem
eral. We bad engaged our II Galleys and
the two floating Battery's, q all behaved
extremely well the rest of our fleet could
not be brought timely to act with US. We
had against US the Augusta Of 81 who had
her broadside below and aloft constantly
playing on us. with the Roebuck and two
Frigates, and their Galley, and had the
Roebuck laid fast, she would have shared
the same fate but she was drove from
her station before the Augusta got on fire.
= Your most obedient &
very H'ble Seryt
Directed John Hazelwood
ITO His Excellency, Thomas Wharton,
Esq, Lancaster. ca
Thomas Hartley who was in the Amerl-
can camp, writes
Camp, Oct %, 1777.
.sOn the evening of the 22d, six Of the
enemy's best ships came up the river. past
the first set of fries. aud cannonaded our
forts and vessels, exceedingly warmly in-
deed 4 our people on proper occas-
ions returned the fire. He reports the
blowing up Of the Augusta in this wise:
About eleven o'Clockwe heard monstrOus
explosion which shook the neighboring
country, and prodigious column Of smoak
rose towards the heavens. We feared that
it might be the magazine at the fort; better
fortune awaited Ameriea-there were few
shots fred afterward.
"Our people at the tide Of Ebb sent
down few fire RATS or vessels among the
enemy, one of which proved successful, the
Augusta of 81 guns caught fire, and was
blown up; the rest of the feet retreated-
our vessels pursued-some other fire vessels
were sent after, and another frigate shared
the same fate with the Augusta. May they
meet with the like success in all future at
temps" 90
The following letter from Adam Hubley
has many interesting sentences, and is the
first published reference to the mosquito
feet:
Camp, October Oath, 1777.
ssAll is well on and about Delaware. /
wrote you yesterday, giving you an account
lasted upwards of seven hours snccessiyely,
without intermisslon.
by express just arrived, we have the
following particulars. That early on the
morning of yesterday, the Augusta man of
war of 81 guns, with sundry frigates, and
a number of smaller vessels, came up the
Delaware in order to make an attack, when
they were received by our war gallies be-
low the forts; at the same time the fort on
red bank was attacked by about 1000 troops
Chiefly Hessians) under the command Of
Count DANUBE. A most severe engagement
ensued both by land and water, and whilst
thus engaged our Commodore dropt down
a number of our fire RATS amongst the Cal
lifts fleet whilst our brave troops nobly
defended their ground at the bank, and
about II O'Clock thro' the intrepidity of
our land forces and good effects of the RATS,
with the assistance of the gallies produced,
put an end to that ever memorable days
work. Our loss on this occasion is incon-
siderable. The enemies loss is as follows,
viz, on the water, the Augusta of 81 guns,
and the Dantrige frigate Of 80 guns blown
up by the RATS, three boat loads only Of
both crews being saved Also one frigate
run aground, which our people are endeav-
oring to get off but if they find it impos-
sible, they undoubtedly viii destroy it.
s'By land,
Count DeNaupe was mortally wounded
and fell in our hands, considerable num-
Der killed mot yet ascertained) and $50
prisoners taken, with II pieces of brass ar
iillery.
1--WE are just informed another expedi-
ton is forming by Howe against red-Dank
to consist of British troops; the remainders
of Danupe's party returned with infamy
TO Phiada this day, and their feet dropt
down the river with the same credit, be-
moaning their loss. Whilst our brave
miskeetoe fleet, as the caitiff's chuse to call
it, are returning to their respective stations,
and with their land brethren celebrate the
ever memorable 23d day of October (m)
1t is TO Friend, Elizabeth Drinker, of
Philadelphia we are indebted for knowl-
edge of the day of the week, as we'll as the
exact hour the Augusta blew up. In her
Diary she writes:
s.0ct. %. This day will be remembered
BY many. - Z Ye firing this morning
seemed to be incessant from ye Battery, We
GondoIows and We Augusta man Of war Of
81 guns She took fire; and after burning
near 2 hours, blew up. Ye loss of this fine
vessel l. accounted for in different ways.
Some say she took Ere by accident; Others
that it was oecasioned by red hot Bullets
from Mud Island Battery Another English