164 the SERVICES OE LIEUT.-COLONEL FRANCIS DOWNMAN, Ii.A. 
October 9th —-I was ordered to march to the ferry to relieve Captain 
Standish. I got there in the evening. He had not crossed the river. 
October 10th .—I continued in the battery at the entrance of the 
Schuylkill, the galleys now and then giving us a shot without effect. 
We are situated in full view of their whole fleet of 30 differently armed 
vessels at the distance of about a mile. A party of our men with en¬ 
gineers passed the ferry this afternoon, and during the night threw up 
a battery. 
October 11th .—About 1 o’clock this morning Captain Montresor 1 in¬ 
formed me that the battery on Province Island was ready to receive 
the howitzers and mortars, and desired me to march and cross the 
ferry directly. I got there about half past 2, and had got an 8 inch 
howitzer in the flat, but for want of some care the flat went to the 
bottom in an instant, with several men and horses, and one of 
each was drowned. This accident prevented our doing anything 
further for the night. In the fore part of the evening two 12 pounders 
had been taken over, and one of them dragged up to the battery through 
a mile of mud and water, for the whole island is a flat, and from rain, 
and the rebels cutting the embankment, the whole was nearly under 
the water. The battery is raised within 400 or 500 yards of the fort 
on Mud Island and open to all the rebel shipping, and their galleys 
can go within 150 yards of it. About 6 o’clock this morning the 
rebels discovered our work, and began and continued a constant fire 
from all their vessels and batteries upon it till about 4 in the afternoon. 
About 10 in the morning they landed some troops who marched up 
to the battery, attacked our people and for a little time were in 
possession of it. Our force on the island at this time was very small, 
not above 200 men; they were in great danger of being cut off and 
losing the two 12 pounders. A Major Y ... . commanded; he was 
hurrying off the island in boats as fast as he could, and had he not been 
prevented, the island would undoubtedly have been in the possession 
of the enemy. He was ordered back to support those that remained, 
and by the activity of Captain Moncrieffe the battery was re-taken, and 
some soldiers. As it was, the rebels carried off 50 prisoners of the 
grenadiers and 10tli regiment, who, I am sorry to say did not behave 
as they ought to have done. Four artillerymen were taken, and an 
ammunition waggon was blown up by a shot. I was relieved by Capt. 
Standish about 5 this afternoon. In the night one 12 pounder was 
drawn off the battery and brought near the ferry house. The howitzer 
that was sunk in the flat was got up again, and the two pieces with 
the mortars and ammunition waggons all crossed the ferry, and remain 
there till the battery is ready to receive them. 
October 12th .—This morning the rebels began again to fire and kept 
it up for some time. They have killed and wounded some of ours. 
They landed a party of men, but they were soon driven off again. 
The engineers are going to-night to strengthen the battery and raise 
some works. I rode from town this morning, crossed the ferry and 
Chief Engineer. 
