322 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1777. 



scour the country between the Schuylkill and Chester to prevent 

 supplies reaching the enemy, exhibited considerable daring in 

 the performance of his duties. In a letter to Council dated on 

 the 27th of October, he speaks of having in one day, in com- 

 pany with a few horsemen, visited the upper, middle and Gray's 

 Ferries, Tinicum Island and Carpenter's Island, where he viewed 

 the enemy's works, and saw what he calls an Abess work thrown 

 up in Guyer's orchard. After this visit to the meadows, he 

 learned that a small breast-work had been thrown up at Boon's dam 

 and mounted with one gun. On the next day, in company with 

 Generals Reed and Cadwalader, he visited Darby and Chester. 

 At and below the latter place, sixty of the enemy's ships were 

 lying. He informs the Council that he had put a stop to the 

 transportation of marketing to the enemy, and had removed all 

 the beef cattle and flour from this part of the country.^ 



The garrison at Fort Mifflin had been subjected to very severe 

 duty, expecting at any moment to be attacked by the troops in 

 the intrenchments on the Pennsylvania shore, and from the 

 enemy's ships in the river. Washington had determined not to 

 divide his army so as to be unprepared for another general en- 

 gagement, in case Howe should afford him an opportunity, until 

 the troops should arrive from the North, which, since the sur- 

 render of Burgoyne, were confidently expected. He did, how- 

 ever, parsimoniously divide three hundred Pennsylvania militia 

 between this fort and Red Bank. Gen. Varnum was also 

 stationed with his brigade near Woodbury, with instructions 

 "to relieve and reinforce the garrisons of both forts as far as 

 his strength would permit." 



After the repulse at Red Bank, and the loss of the two war 

 vessels. Gen. Howe became more careful in his movements. 

 While he still persisted in his plan of opening a communication 

 with the fleet by the Delaware, his preparations were such as 

 would secure that object without any unnecessary exposure of 

 his troops. Having completed his preparations, the large bat- 

 teries on Province Island and on the margin of the river below, 

 now well supplied with heavy guns, opened on Fort Mifflin early 

 in the morning of the 10th of November, and kept up a constant 

 fire during five successive days. " The block houses were re- 

 duced to a heap of ruins, the palisades were beaten down, and 

 most of the guns were dismounted and otherwise disabled." The 

 barracks were so much injured that the troops, when an interval 

 of firing afforded them an opportunity to take a few moments 

 repose, were obliged to lie on the earth, now rendered muddy 

 by having been intentionally, but unadvisedly, flooded by 

 opening the sluices. At night a large force was required to 



1 Penna. Archives, v. 718. 



