On September 20 they advanced toward Philadelphia. The American General
Wayne had concealed himself in the woods with 1500 men, with the
intention of harassing the rear of the British army. News of this having
been obtained, Major General Grey was dispatched at once to surprise
him; he ordered his men not to load, but to rely wholly on the bayonet.
The success of the expedition was complete. General Wayne's outpost was
surprised and the British troops rushed into his encampment. Three
hundred of the Americans were killed or wounded and 100 taken prisoners.
The rest escaped through the woods. On the English side 1 officer was
killed and 7 privates killed and wounded.
The capture of Philadelphia was an important advantage to the British,
but it could not be thoroughly utilized until the fleet could come up
the river to the town. The American Congress, which had sat at
Philadelphia until General Howe approached the town, had taken extensive
measures for rendering the passage impracticable. Three rows of
chevaux-de-frise, composed of immense beams of timber bolted and
fastened together and stuck with iron spikes, were sunk across the
channel, and these lines were protected by batteries. At these forts
were fourteen large rowboats, each carrying a heavy cannon, two floating
batteries carrying nine guns each, and a number of fireships and rafts.
The forts commanding the chevaux-de-frise were abandoned on the
approach of the British, and Captain Hammond of the _Roebuck_
succeeded, in spite of the opposition of the enemy's boats and
batteries, in making an opening through the chevaux-de-frise
sufficiently wide for the fleet to pass.
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