324 HISTORY OF DELAWARE COUNTY. [1777. 



number of brave fellows," at the same time calling the site of 

 the fort, " a cursed little mud island."^ 



The loss on board of the galleys and other craft, constituting the 

 American fleet, on the 15th, was thirty-eight killed and wounded. 

 It cannot be denied that this fleet rendered much more effective 

 service in defence of the chevaux-de-frize, and against the pas- 

 sage of the enemy's vessels, than all the forts put together. 

 The vessels chiefly belonged to Pennsylvania, and were in the 

 service of the State. From that cause, or some other, a mis- 

 understanding existed between the officers of the fort and those 

 of the fleet, which probably led Gen. Washington to underrate 

 the importance of the latter in defending the obstructions 

 placed in the river. The vessels were at no time fully manned, 

 and on the last day's engagement several were not brought into 

 action, partly from the want of men to work them, although the 

 commander, from time to time, had implored Washington to 

 furnish him with the necessary reinforcement.^ 



After the evacuation of Fort Miflflin, it was decided by a con- 

 ference of land ofiicers, that the upper chevaux-de-frize could 

 still be defended by holding Red Bank and the Jersey shore, 

 notwithstanding a council of naval officers had concluded that 

 the galleys could not be very serviceable with the fort in the 

 hands of the enemy. It was determined by Washington to 

 make the eff'ort, and accordingly General Greene was detached 

 with a considerable body of troops to reinforce Fort Mercer, and 

 to conduct military affairs in that neighborhood. 



Gen. Howe having completed a line of defence from the 

 Schuylkill to the Delaware, and a reinforcement of troops from 

 New York having arrived at Chester, he felt strong enough to 

 place an army in New Jersey sufficient to reduce Fort Mercer 

 without jeoparding his troops in Philadelphia. Accordingly, 

 at noon on the 17th, Lord Cornwallis crossed the Middle Ferry 

 with 3000 men, and taking the Darby road, proceeded to 

 Chester. At the Blue Bell they came upon a guard of Gen. 

 Potter's scouts, and captured about thirty-three men, with a loss 

 of one Captain, one Sergeant-Major, and three privates, killed, 

 and several wounded. Being joined at Chester by the reinforce- 

 ment from New York, his Lordship, with the united force, em- 

 barked on board of transports the next day, and on the 19th 

 disembarked at Billingsport. Some little skirmishing occurred ; 

 but General Greene learning how greatly the force of the enemy 

 exceeded his, recrossed the Delaware, and Fort Mercer was 

 evacuated without an effort to defend it ; while the fleet, waiting 



• Penna. Archives, vi. 23. 



'^ As a means of defence, the banks of all the Tinicum meadows were cut, and 

 the tides permitted to enter, but the exact time when this was done is not known. 



