220 THE SERVICES OE LIEUT.-COLONEL FRANCIS DOWNMAN, R.A. 
take the command of this army, and General Howe is soon going to 
England. A number of vessels arrived also, some of them from Eng¬ 
land with provisions and recruits. We are just informed by dis¬ 
patches from London that a French war was declared the 17th or 27th 
of March last. The French have entered into a treaty of amity and 
commerce with the rebel Americans. 
May 7th .—This night three of our row galleys, an armed brig, and 
a schooner went up the river with a detachment of the 2nd light in¬ 
fantry on each side, and set fire to the Washington and Effingham 
frigates, a large ship pierced for 24 guns, a privateer sloop, nine ships, 
and 16 or 18 small vessels, all of which were consumed, also a quan¬ 
tity of naval stores, and some thousands of tent poles, pegs, etc. The 
house of Mr. Borden at Borden town, Mr. Kirkbright’s and the ferry 
house were by some means set on fire and burnt to the ground. The 
troops and vessels returned on Sunday without losiug a single man. 
May 15th .—Our battering cannon is ordered on board ship im¬ 
mediately. Captain Farrington’s company is ordered to Halifax. 
May 19th .—This evening intelligence was received that the Marquis 
La Fayette with a large body of the rebel army had crossed the 
Schuylkill at the bridge lately built by them and was stealing a 
march to German town. A detachment of the British army was im¬ 
mediately ordered to meet them or to get between them and their 
bridge. This would have been effected, but, d-your buts, but the 
officer who had the honour to command this detachment of the finest 
part of our army, after making a further detour than was necessary, 
made also a halt. Now, sir, you can see why I d——d the buts. Gen¬ 
eral Grant made his halt very critically for it happened to be at the 
very time he ought to have advanced with all his speed. How fortun¬ 
ate is our most gracious sovereign to be blessed with such truly intrepid 
soldiers, and such consummate generals. D-the buts, I wish he 
were drowned in a butt of Yankee cider. 
The affair at Barren Hill is here referred to. 
General Washington had sent La Fayette with 3,000 men across 
the Schuylkill to a position at Barren Hill, seven miles from his encamp¬ 
ment at Valley Forge. Dispositions were made by General Howe to 
cut off this force. On the night of May 19th, General Grey with a 
strong detachment marched from Philadelphia along the western 
branch of the Schuylkill, and placed himself two or three miles in 
front of La Fayette’s right flank, while the remainder of the British 
army advanced to Chestnut Hill. Meanwhile General Grant with 5,000 
men had moved along the road close to the Delaware, and unperceived 
gained the rear of La Fayette’s position and a point nearer to Mat- 
