1777.] HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. 317 



vessels entered the river. Among them was the Roebuck, whose 

 commander, Capt. Hammond, was rather familiar with our waters 

 and their defences. Upon his suggestion, Gen. Howe sent a 

 detachment from Chester across the river under Col. Stirling to 

 attack the fort at Billingsport in the rear. This was accom- 

 plished on the 2d of October without resistance ; the small party 

 in charge having first spiked the guns and destroyed the bar- 

 racks. The site of this fort was regarded by an engineer as 

 the best on the river ; much money had been expen<led in recon- 

 structing it so as to accord with his views ; a tier of chevaux-de- 

 frize had been laid across the channel opposite to it, and yet it 

 is left without even an apology for a garrison for its defence. 

 The capture of this fort placed it in the power of the enemy to 

 make a passage through the obstruction in the channel, and to 

 bring their vessels within striking distance of Fort MifHin. 



While a division of the British army was over the river, en- 

 gaged in the capture of Billingsport, Washington regarded it as 

 a favorable opportunity to make an attack on the troops sta- 

 tioned at Germantown. This happened on the 4th of October. 

 On the same day Billingsport was abandoned by the British, 

 having, it is probable, received news of the attack made on their 

 troops at Germantown. Before evacuating the fort they de- 

 stroyed every destructible thing left by their predecessors, and 

 so injured the works as to render them almost useless for mili- 

 tary purposes. As yet, however, they had not succeeded in float- 

 ing any considerable part of the chevaux-de-frize, nor in making 

 an avaihible passage through them, being foiled in their efforts, 

 both by the strength of the obstruction and the spirited attacks 

 that were made by the water craft from above. On the evening 

 of the 6th the enemy's vessels, nine in number, fell down to 

 Chester, where they remained till the appearance of the main 

 body of the fleet, which anchored below New Castle on the 8th. 



The defence of this obstruction might have been still more 

 successful, but for the great defection that occurred among the 

 seamen by whom the galleys, floating batteries, and other craft 

 were manned. After the loss of Billingsport and the frigate 

 Delaware, a despondency ensued, that induced large numbers, 

 both oflBcers and men, to desert ; some of whom went over to the 

 enemy. Desertions also occurred from Fort Miftlin, and Red 

 Bank was nearly forsaken by the militia, to whom its defence 

 had been entrusted. " This desponding temper in the troops 

 was checked by the battle of Germantown, and by throwing a 

 garrison of Continental troops into the fort at Red Bank, now 

 called fort Mercer." The militia of New Jersey were relied on 

 to reinforce the garrison, but were not forthcoming with the ex- 

 pedition required at this critical time ; Lieut. Col. Smith in a 



