690 HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OF WESTCHESTER. 



quelling the brave struggles of a people for their liberty, and contrasting 

 it with that in which the chivalrous youth by his bedside was engaged — 

 " I die," added he bitterly, " the victim of my ambition, and of the 

 avarice of my sovereign. " a He was but thirty-seven years of age at the 

 time of his death. 



According to the plan of the enemy, Fort Mifflin, opposite to Fort 

 Mercer, was to have been attacked at the same time by water. The 

 force employed was the Augusta of sixty-four guns, the Roebuck of 

 forty four, two frigates, the Merlin sloop of eighteen guns, and a galley. 

 They forced their way through the lower line of chevaax-de-frisc; but 

 the Augusta and Merlin ran aground below the second line, and every 

 effort to get them off proved fruitless. To divert attention from their 

 situation, the other vessels drew as near to Fort Mifflin as they could, 

 and opened a cannonade; but the obstructions in the river had so 

 altered the channel that they could not get within very effective distance 

 They kept up a fire upon the fort throughout the evening, and recom- 

 menced it early in the morning, as did likewise the British batteries on 

 the Pennsylvania shore; hoping that under cover of it, the ships might 

 be got off. A strong adverse wind, however, kept the tide from rising 

 sufficiently to float them. 



The Americans discovered their situation, and sent down four fire- 

 ships to destroy them, but without effect. A heavy fire was now 

 opened upon them from the galleys and floating batteries. It was 

 warmly returned. In the course of the action, a red hot shot set the 

 Augusta on fire. It was impossible to check the flames. All haste was 

 made with boats to save the crew, while the other ships drew off as fast 

 as possible to be out of reach of the explosion. She blew up, however, 

 while the second lieutenant, the chaplain, the gunner, and several of the 

 crew were yet on board, most of whom perished. The Merlin was now 

 set on fire and abandoned ; the Roebuck and the other vessels dropped 

 down the river, and had kept up a brave defence against batteries di- 

 rected by the enemy on the Pennsylvania shore. A reinforcement of 

 Virginia troops made the garrison between three and four hundred 

 strong. 



Floating batteries, galleys and fire-ships, commanded by Commodore 

 Hazlewood, were stationed under the forts and about the river. 



Fort Mercer had hitherto been garrisoned by militia, but Washington 

 now replaced them by four hundred of Gen. Varnum's Rhode Island 



a DeCuastellux, vol. i. p. 2f>r>. "Donop was terribly wounded and taken to t lie house of a 

 Quaker near by, where be expired three days afterwards. Be was burled within the fort. A 

 us ago his bonea were disinterred, and his skull was taken possession of by a New 

 physician. "— Lossing's Hist, of U. S. 



