Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1905-07-20
THE FRIGATE AUGUSTA.
ITS Action in the Attack on the Amer
lean Fleet at the Battle of
Red Bank

fBy Wallace McGeorge, NJ. D., Camden, N u
In the year of our Lord 1868, at Rother-
hithe, London, England, His Majesty Ship
Augusta, frigate of 1881 tons burthen,
was launched. She had been built by
Messrs. Wells q Co., and was classed third
rate, carrying 81 guns. OF this armament
2624 Founders were on Lower Deck
26--18 Founders were on Upper Deck
To- 8 Founders were on Quarter Deck
29 FOUNDERS were on the Forcast1e (a)
Total weight Of broadside from all her
gaas. 1890 lbs
She formed part of the fleet which sailed
from England for America in 1776. after
the Declaration of Independence. and
cruised in the waters round New York and
the Jersey coast ia the fall of 1776 and
spring and summer of 1777. The fleet was
in command Of Admiral Richard Howe, a
brother of Sir William Howe, the British
General. The records Of the British Ad-
miralty Office at Whitehead, London, show
that the Augusta was commanded by
Captain Francis Reynolds, who afterwards
became the Earl of Ducie, that the Angus
ta was one Of the largest vessels in the
British fleet sin the operations on the Della
ware, during the Revolutionary war, and
had not been in any engagements prior to
1777u (a)
To have a correct idea Of the part taken
by the Augusta in the attacks on Fort Mer-
Ger and Fort Miffiin, and Of the American
naval and military defense Of the Delaware
river below Philadelphia, we must remem
Der that the American army, under
General Washington, after the battle of the
Brandywine, Sept, II, 1777, returned to
Philadelphia, and being closely pursued by
the British army under Sir Willism Howe.
fell back beyond the Schuylkill river, leav-
ing Philadelphia in the occupation Of the
kzs3Fitish. But, although the British held
Philadelphia, they did not control the Del
aware river, and were unable to receive
supplies for their army by water, as their
ships could not safely pass the distractions
which had been placed in the river. (6)
Commodore Hazelwood, of the Pennsyl-
vania navy, had established two sets Of
chesaur-de. .frise in the river, the lower set
composed Of two rows in the ship channel
between what was then called Billings
Island later called Maiden's Island, now
called Little Tinicum Island and the main
land, near Billingsport; the upper one, COM
posed of four rows, near Mud Island on the
Pennsylvania side. Fort Mif1in was erected
on Mud Island, which lies below League
Island, and therefore below the mouth of
the schuylkill river. Mud Island was then
what its name implies. As we see it to-day
it is entirely different. Within the memory
Of many of the inhabitants of Red Bank,
the low and swampy ground has been filed
IN; the American Dredging Company hay-
ing placed fifty seven thousand cubic yards
Of sand dredged from the river at Fort
Miflin.
Commodore Hazelwood's feet consisted
Of about twenty vessels of all kinds,
sehooners. sloops galleys, half-galleys,
floating batteries, and fourteen old vessels,
loaded with tar barrels, and fitted up as fire
ships, to aid in the defense Of the river;
armed with about one hundred cannon. (e)
Admiral Howe's feet consisted Of eight
Or nine war vessels, and several transports.
His vessels were fully manned, and be had
Two hundred and eighty-fye guns on his
war vessels alone On the two vessels Of
his 'reet which were stranded, he had more
officers and men than Commodore Hazel
wood had in his entire fleet.
The English feet under Admiral Howe
sailed down the Chesapeake. and came up
the Delaware nearly to Chester and was
ready to cooperate with General Howe's
forces in opening navigation to Philadel-
phia, If he could pass the distractions
which had been placed in the river. ~
10 remove or destroy these obstructions
II was necessary to capture or destroy all
three Notifications, the one at Billingsport,
Fort Mercer at Red Bank and Fort Mifiin
on Mud Island above Hog Island.
General Howe sent Lieutenant Colonel
Stirling with two regiments to capture the
unfinished forti6eations at Billingsport,
Count Dunop with twenty-five hundred
Hessians to capture Fort Mercer at Red
Bank, and relied upon the British fleet to
s;5ezsas Fort Mifffin
The troops under Lieutenant Colonel
gtirling this wal not the Colonel Stirling
Mem Jersey was 20 proud Of marched
down from Chester, and crossed the river
il boats below Billings Island. There we're
only few Americans in the unfinished
works. When they saw the British adganc-
ing, they spiked their guns, set fire 70 their
bafraeks, and 6ed up the river 10 The fort