to make the city too hot for him, or make him abandon it, without running the risk of a general engagement in the open fields, Mud Island and Red: Bank, were left to be mortal thorns in the fides of the king's forces, where a few could do execution upon great numbers, and escape when they pleased with little injury to themfelves. It will appear in the history of this campaign, that the Americans had other designs in giving up Philadelphia, than because they were not able to keep it. It had been reported that the inhabitants of that city were determined to reduce it to afhes, rather than it should become a place of arms, and the centre of operation to British fleets and armies: but though this was proposed by some it was never agreed to. The Quakers at this time were very troublefome to the colonists: fome of their principal people were greatly attached to the royal cause, and would give no fecurity by word or writing for their behaviour. They would neither promise fubmiffion to the then government, nor engage to hold no correspondence with the king's forces. They even refused to confine themfelves to their refpective dwelling houfes, and boldly appealing to the laws for redress and security to their perfons, ftrongly reproached those who under the pretence of afferting and protecting the liber ties of the fubjects, had involved the whole continent in a civil war, and contention; and who at the fame time, in the most tyrannical manner, deprived them of their personal liberty, and of every fecurity which they derived from the laws. It was replied, that the laws themselves, and all other confiderations, muft give way to public fafety, in cafes of great and eminent danger; that there was no new or particular hard. hardship in the prefent measure, which was juftified by the practice of all ftates in fimilar circumftances that in England in its highest state of freedom, and under its happiest government, the habeas corpus law was fufpended in cafes of internal commotion, or the apprehenfion of foreign invafion, that there fufpicion only was a fufficient ground for fecuring the perfons of fubjects, without regard to rank, quality, or any fecurity they might propofe to give for their, peaceable behaviour; but that their fituation was much more favourable, if their incorrigible obftinacy, their dangerous defigns against the state, and their mortal enmity to the government, had not precluded them from its benefits. They were not retained in perfon merely upon fufpicion, bowever ftrong and well grounded that was, and however juftifiable the measures would be upon that ground only; it was immediately in their power to return in the most unreftrained liberty to their habita tions, only by complying with that very moderate teft of their principles, and conduct which was required, and fhewing that obedience to government, and good difpofition to the ftate, which every member of fociety owes to the community to which he belongs, as a return for the protection he receives. But that as they denied all allegiance to the ftate, they of course disclaimed its protection, and forfeited all the privileges of citizenship; whilft by refufing every fecurity for their peaceable demeanour, they could only be confidered as its most dangerous and determined enemies. As thefe gentlemen were un conquerable in their refolution not to fubmit to the proposed teft, they were all fent to Virginia as a place. of fecurity upon the approach of the royal army. When When Lord Howe received intelligence of the fuccefs at Brandywine, and the determined progrefs of the army to Philadelphia, he took the molt fpeedy and effectual meafures for conducting the fleet and tranfports round to the Delaware, not only to be at hand to concur in the active operations of the campaign, but to fupply the army with provifions and ftores, which he knew by this time would be indifpenfibly neceffary. The voyage was intricate tedious and dangerous, and nothing less than a skill and ability equal to that which was exerted in the conduct and managment of fo great a number of ships, could have prevented the lofs from being confiderable. The paffage to Philadelphia was yet impracticable, the fleet drew up and anchored along the western or Penfylvania fhore, from Ready-lfland to Newcafile. Atter the British troops had taken poffeffion of Philadelphia, their firft object was the erecting of batteries to command the river, both to prevent the intercourfe of the American veffels between their upper and lower pofts, and to protect the city from any infult by water. The neceffity and propriety of this measure became obvious as foon almoft as it was determined upon. The day immediately after the arrival of the forces, the American frigate, Delaware, of 32 guns, anchored within five hundred yards of the unfinished batteries, and being feconded by ano. ther frigate, with fome fmaller veffels, they began and fupported a very heavy cannonade for fome hours, upon the batteries and the town. They did not however discover the judgment which their knowledge might have been fuppofed to afford them for upon the falling back of the tide the Delaware grounded, grounded, fo that he could not be got off. This was foon perceived by the grenadiers, who brought their battalion field pieces to play upon her with fo true an aim, and full effect, that the Delaware was obliged to strike her colours, and was boarded by an officer and a detachment of the grenadiers. General Cleveland profited by the effect of the battalion guns, by directing the whole fire of the batteries against the other veffels which were compelled to retire, with the lofs of a fchooner which was driven afhore. The Americans had bestowed much labour and expence to render the Delaware unnavigable; they had conftructed great and numerous works to render the paffage to Philadelphia impracticable. In the profecution of this defign they had erected works and batteries, upon a flat low marshy island, or rather a bank of mud or fand, which had been raised and heaped up by the water near the junction of the Schuylkill and the Delaware, and which from its nature was called Mud Ifland.-On the fide oppofite to New Jersey, at a place called Red Bank, they had alfo conftructed a fort or redoubt, well planted with heavy cannon. In the deep navigable channel between and under the cover of these batteries, they had funk feveral ranges of frames, to which, from a fimilitude in the conftruction, they had given the French name of Chevaux de Frize, being composed of converfe beams, firmly joined pointing in various directions, and ftrongly headed with iron. Thefe were fo ponderous and heavy, and funk in fuch a depth of water, as rendered it equally difficult for them to be weighed or cut through, and deftructive to any one ship that should happen to strike upon them. It was, however, impoffible to attempt to remove thefe, or to open the channel till once the command of the fhores on both fides was fully obtained. About three miles farther down they had funk other ranges of these machines, and were constructing other extenfive works for their protection, which. though they were not yet finished, were in fuch forwardness as to be provided with artillery, and to cominand their obje&t. This fortification was erected on the Jersey fide, at a place called Bellings Point. Thefe works and machines were further fupported by several gallies mounting heavy connon, together with two floating batteries, a number of armed veffels and fmall craft of various kinds, and fome fire fhips. In fhort the Delaware feemed to teem with every defenfive preparation which could render the navigation of the river impracticable to the fleet, and exceedingly dangerous to all large veffels that fhould attempt to approach Philadelphia. The firt operation which was tried by the army was to diflodge the enemy from Billings Fort. This office was appointed to Colonel Stirling, who performed the fervice effectually. For the provincials retired as foon as they heard of his approach, fpiked up the cannon, fet fire to the barracks, and abandoned the place. Captain Hammond of the Roebuck, with great difficulty, and fome oppofition from the enemy, cut away, and weighed fo much of the Chevaux de Frize, as opened a narrow paffage for the fhips thro the lower barriers. After the detachment which was fent upon this firft exploit were returning from Jerfev another regiment was fent to meet them at Chefter, in order to form a fufficient efcort for a large convoy of provifions to the camp. The army was |