On the twenty-second of October 1777, Count Donop, a German officer, with twelve hundred men, assailed the works at Red Bank, which were de fended with the usual vigour of American troops— even the freshest militia—when covered by a slight intrenchment. At the same time, five British vessels sailed up the river, and in concert with their land batteries, opened a heavy fire on Fort Mifflin. The Hessians fought xvith great gallantry, but were repulsed by Colonel Greene, with the loss of Count Donop and one third of their number. The cannonade from the shipping continued with out intermission until night interrupted the conflict and concealed from the Americans the dangerous si tuation of theline of battle ship Augusta and sloop of war Merlin, which had grounded within the range of the guns of the fort. The next morning the action re-commenced; but at length the British withdrew, after setting fire to the I?lerlin, and abandoning the Augusta, which shortly afterwards blew up.
Notwithstanding this brilliant success, the posi tion of Fort Mifflin was extremely critical. It was known to be a rude fortification, strongly intrenched in front, hut defended in the rear by only a ditch and palisade. Sir William Howe was, therefore, by no means discouraged by these disasters, from the prosecution of his purpose, which, as it involved the secure possession of Philadelphia, was too im portant to be abandoned except at the last extremity. He now proceeded with great circumspection, withdrawing all his outposts, uniting his whole force in the city, and prosecuting his measures so as to insure a slow but ultimate success. Matters were in this situation, when news came of the Bri tish disasters in the north, and of the sudden ter mination of the war in that quarter. The im portant change thus effected in the posture of American affairs, altered also the relations of the two armies. It was now of extreme consequence to Sir William Ilowe, to anticipate the arrival of the re-inforccments to his adversary, which might be expected from the victorious army of the North: while, on the other hand, it was the policy of Washington to preserve if possible, his present strong-holds, and to avoid an action until joined by the new troops.
On the tenth of November, the attack was re newed on Fort Mifflin, from a heavy battery on Province Island, within the distance of five hundred yards. The cannonade was continued almost incessantly for several days, and produced con siderable impression. The American guns were nearly all dismounted, the block-houses and pali sades beaten down, and the small garrison wearied out by the necessity for unremitting exertion. Washington sent relief to the officers of the fort; but his instructions were positive that the place should be maintained to the last extremity, and they were strictly and literally obeyed. The be
siegers, finding that all their means would be re quired to attain success, called in the assistance of their fleet. It was ascertained that in consequence of the obstructions thrown into other parts of the river, the current had deepened the inner channel between Mud and Province Islands, so as to admit of safe navigation for vessels of considerable bur then. The frigate Vigilant and a sloop of war were brought up this channel and anchored within a hundred yards of the rear of the fort, from which position they were enabled to pour a destructive fire of cannon, musketry and grenades. It was now evident that the post was no longer tenable; and on the sixteenth, after some unsuccessful attempts to dislodge the vessels, the garrison was withdrawn under cover of the night, leaving Sir William Howe in possession of the whole line from the Schuylkill to the Delaware.
The next effort of the British general was directed against the post at Red Bank, called Fort Mercer. The arrival of a strong reinforcement from New York, enabled him to detach a sufficient force upon that enterprise, without any hazard to his own position from a coup-de-main. The fort was evacuated on the approach of Lord Cornwallis, whose strength was such as to render resistance hopeless. General Greene had been ordered by Washington to follow this movement, for the double purpose of assisting in the defence of fort Mercer, and of giving battle to the British commander at the first favourable opportunity; but as none such presented itself, this judicious officer came to no engagement, and returned with his forces to the commander-in-chief. The results of these opera tions fully secured Sir William Howe in his con quest of Philadelphia, and in the possession of an uninterrupted communication between his army and the fleet.
While these operations were fully employing the armies of Washington and Sir William Howe, events had transpired in the north of great and varied importance. After a series of battles and sieges, the plan which had been formed by the British to penetrate from Canada to the Hudson was com pletely frustrated; and General Burgoyne found himself obliged, at Saratoga, to surrender his whole army as prisoners of war to the American forces under General Gates. Sir Henry Clinton attempted a diversion on the Hudson for the purpose of extri cating his colleague; but the movement was under taken too late, and produced no result beyond the capture of several posts which guarded the passes and prevented the navigation of the river.