Siege of Fort Mifflin
Siege of Fort Mifflin | |||||||
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Part of the Mifflin and Red Bank | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Great Britain | United States | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Sir William Howe | John Hazelwood | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
2,000 troops, naval squadron |
450 & reinforcements river flotilla | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
58 captured, over 62 killed HMS Augusta (64) sunk HMS Merlin (18) sunk |
250 killed and wounded entire river flotilla scuttled |
The siege of Fort Mifflin or the siege of Mud Island Fort, which took place from September 26 to November 16, 1777, saw British land batteries commanded by
Owing to a shift of the river, Fort Mifflin is currently located on the north bank of the Delaware adjacent to Philadelphia International Airport.
After General
General George Washington reinforced Fort Mifflin throughout the siege, but the garrison never numbered more than 500 men. After a few setbacks, the British finally assembled enough artillery and warships to bring Fort Mifflin under an intense bombardment beginning on November 10. No longer able to reply to the British bombardment, Thayer ordered the survivors to row across to New Jersey in the night and left the flag flying. Fort Mercer was abandoned soon afterward, opening the Delaware and permitting the British to hold Philadelphia until June 1778.
Background
After the British defeated the American army at the
During the summer of 1777,
Siege
Preparations
Colonel Lewis Nicola held Fort Mifflin with a party of Pennsylvania militia, mostly men untrained for field service.[8] Among the approximately 60 militiamen present for duty, not a single one knew how to operate the cannons. On September 23, with Philadelphia about to be captured, Washington sent Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Smith of the 4th Maryland Regiment with a detachment of Continentals into the fort on Mud Island.[9] Smith's force numbered 200 soldiers plus Major Robert Ballard of Virginia, Major Simeon Thayer of Rhode Island, and Captain Samuel Treat[10] of the Continental Artillery.[8] However, another account stated that Thayer did not reach Fort Mifflin until October 19.[11] With the British army closing in on Philadelphia, the small force had to reach Fort Mifflin by a circuitous route. On the last leg of their journey, reinforcements for Mud Island had to be ferried across the Delaware from Red Bank, New Jersey under the protection of the Pennsylvania Navy river flotilla commanded by John Hazelwood.[8] Washington ordered Colonel the Baron Henry Leonard d'Arendt, a six-foot tall Prussian to take charge of Fort Mifflin. Since the baron was too sick to assume his post, Smith became the effective commander.[12] To further complicate matters, Lieutenant Colonel John Green of the 7th Virginia Regiment, who outranked Smith, arrived with reinforcements on October 18.[13][14] Smith developed an uneasy relationship with Hazelwood and their differences soon became obvious.[15] On October 4, Washington marched against Howe's army at the Battle of Germantown but was defeated.[3]
To deny the British the use of Province and Carpenter's Islands, the Americans broke the riverside dikes. This act forced their enemies to build their batteries on top of the dikes and to labor in knee-deep water. As an example of the difficulties involved, the British lost an 8-inch howitzer and a soldier drowned when the craft carrying the gun sank in the Schuylkill. On the night of October 10, Captain
On October 14, French engineer Major
October 22–23
A Hessian force under Colonel Carl von Donop attacked Fort Mercer on October 22 in the Battle of Red Bank.[21] The 1st Rhode Island Regiment under Colonel Christopher Greene had arrived at the fort only on October 11 after leaving Peekskill, New York on September 29. This was the first black unit in the Continental Army. Colonel Israel Angell's 2nd Rhode Island Regiment reached Red Bank a week later[22] and Major Thayer was sent with 150 soldiers to help garrison Fort Mifflin. When it became clear that the fort was about to be attacked, Thayer and his men recrossed the river to help in Fort Mercer's defense.[11] After Donop summoned the fort to surrender twice and each time received a negative response, he resolved to storm the place. The Rhode Islanders waited until their Hessian adversaries reached the abatis and then opened fire. The result was a one-sided slaughter. Greene's garrison lost 14 killed, 21 wounded, and one captured while inflicting 90 killed, 227 wounded, and 69 captured on their foes. The Hessians lost a high proportion of officers, including Donop who was mortally wounded.[23]
The following day saw another stunning disaster for the British. In support of the assault on Fort Mercer, a squadron from Admiral Howe's fleet moved upriver under the command of Captain Francis Reynolds in the ship of the line HMS Augusta (64). Accompanying Augusta was the sloop HMS Merlin (18) under Commander Samuel Reeve and the frigates HMS Roebuck (44), Captain Andrew Snape Hamond, HMS Pearl (32), Captain Wilkinson, and HMS Liverpool (28), Captain Henry Bellew.[24] A force of 200 British Grenadiers waited to make an amphibious assault on Mud Island when the fort's artillery fire was suppressed.[25]
While bombarding Fort Mifflin, Augusta and Merlin went aground. High tide came that evening, but contrary winds prevented sufficient depth for the ships to be freed. On October 23, the American forts concentrated their fire on the two stricken ships. HMS Isis (50) worked its way alongside the stranded Augusta in a rescue attempt. British accounts claimed that American gunnery did only slight damage but that flaming wads from the ships' guns caused Augusta to catch fire.[24] The Americans asserted that a lucky hit from one of Fort Mifflin's red-hot shot or a fire ship started the blaze. An American soldier in the fort wrote that the fire started at the stern of Augusta and that the flames spread rapidly. At mid-day, Augusta blew up in a tremendous blast that broke windows in Philadelphia. According to Captain Montresor, 60 sailors, a lieutenant, and the ship's chaplain died while struggling in the water.[26] The loud explosion was heard nearly 30 miles (48 km) away in Trappe, Pennsylvania. After the destruction of Augusta the crew of Merlin set their ship on fire and abandoned ship. At length Merlin blew up in a less spectacular explosion.[27]
Climax
Beginning on October 26 a
After a
On November 10, Montresor was finally prepared to batter down the fort. By that date he had ready for action two 32-pounder, six 24-pounder, and one 18-pounder cannon plus two 8-inch howitzers, two 8-inch mortars, and one 13-inch mortar. On the 10th, the two sides blazed away at each other at a range of 500 yards (457 m). No casualties were suffered by the Americans but large parts of the palisades on the western side of the island were wrecked.[34] On the 11th, Captain Treat was killed by the concussion of a near miss as he talked with Smith. Later that day as Smith was in the barracks, a cannonball smashed through the chimney and struck him in the left hip. Though covered in bricks from the collapsed chimney and suffering from a dislocated wrist, Smith survived because the round was spent.[35]
The wounded Smith was ferried across to Red Bank, leaving the garrison leaderless. Varnum reported that the troops would welcome a British infantry assault, but that the constant barrage was taking its toll on the men. Fleury wrote to Washington that all the guns were dismounted except two but that the soldiers of the garrison were able to repair the damage to the palisades every night. The only safe place in the fort was a ditch on the east side and Fleury would go there to round up men for work details, lashing out at the laggards with his cane.[36] The next in command after Smith was Lieutenant Colonel Giles Russell of Connecticut, but he declined and asked to be recalled. On November 12 Major Thayer accepted command of the fort.[37][38]
Sir William Howe began assembling a detachment of light infantry and Foot Guards on November 9, placing them under the command of Lieutenant Colonel
The British brought HMS Vigilant (20) upriver to attack the fort. Vigilant was originally the naval transport Empress of Russia. She had been converted in June 1777 into a vessel designed for shore bombardment. For this purpose, the ship carried 14 24-pounder cannon, two 9-pounders, and four 6-pounders.[41] Before the attack, the British strengthened the vessel's sides, added 24 sharpshooters and 50 gunners to the crew, and transferred two extra guns to her starboard side. To maintain the ship's stability, water casks were positioned on the port side. Lieutenant John Henry was the commanding officer.[42] Favored by a high tide, Vigilant worked its way into the shallow channel between Mud Island and the north bank at 8:00 AM on November 15. Accompanied by the sloop Fury with three 18-pounder guns, the converted transport hurled a barrage at Fort Mifflin from a distance of 20 yards (18 m).[43][44] Out in the main channel, HMS Somerset (70), Isis, Roebuck, and Pearl added the weight of their broadsides from a greater distance.[45]
Thayer ordered his 32-pounder cannon to be moved to the place of danger. Before Vigilant reached her station, the gun crew claimed to have fired 14 shots into her. After the floating battery came to anchor, the fort was subjected to a terrific point blank fire. A single shot killed five American gunners at one cannon. A defender wrote that men were, "split like fish to be broiled".[46] Thayer ordered a distress signal to be hoisted requesting help from Hazelwood, but to do so the fort's flag had to be lowered first. When the British gunners ceased fire and began to cheer in anticipation of victory, Thayer's officers demanded that the flag be immediately raised again. The bombardment resumed and the artillery sergeant detailed to haul the flag was the next casualty, cut in half by a cannonball. That afternoon, a chunk of wood from the smashed barracks struck down artillery Captain James Lee and knocked Fleury unconscious. When Hazelwood's ships tried to attack Vigilant and Fury, fire from the British naval squadron drove them back. By this time the interior of the fort was furrowed with the tracks of cannonballs and the barracks and blockhouses were wrecked.[47][48]
Osborn planned to send eight flatboats each with 35 soldiers in the first wave of his assault. Howe declined to give the order for the 400-man storming party to attack, waiting for a high tide and hoping that the garrison would evacuate the fort. That evening at around 11:30 PM, Thayer gave the order to abandon Fort Mifflin.[49] The 300 survivors and what equipment could be salvaged were rowed across to Red Bank. Thayer held back a detail of 40 men. These troops burned down the barracks at midnight and soon joined the others in New Jersey. Thayer was the last one to leave.[50]
Result
At 6:00 AM on the morning of November 16, HMS Vigilant launched a boat manned by British marines to haul down the American flag, which had been left flying. Two hours later, Osborn's troops landed amid snow flurries and took possession of the ruined fort. They were greeted by a lone American deserter who told them that Thayer's men suffered about 50 killed and 70 to 80 wounded.[51] Historian Mark M. Boatner III estimated total American casualties at 250 killed and wounded[7] from a garrison that counted 450 men plus reinforcements.[52] British losses in the last phase of the siege were seven killed and five wounded, nearly all of them were crewman on the Vigiliant.[21] The victors were appalled at the damage and at the blood and brains strewn about the fort's interior. While the needy enlisted men were busy looting the corpses for shoes and clothing, a few of the British officers admitted in their letters that the defenders had been brave.[53]
On November 17, Lieutenant General Lord Charles Cornwallis crossed the river with 2,000 men to prepare for an assault on Fort Mercer. In the face of this threat, Colonel Greene evacuated Fort Mercer and Cornwallis seized the place unopposed on November 20.[21] With the forts gone, Hazelwood set his ships on fire that night to prevent their capture by the British.[54] The Delaware was now open to the Royal Navy and the army of occupation in Philadelphia could be supplied.[21] The next action occurred at the Battle of Gloucester on November 25 as Cornwallis withdrew from New Jersey.[55]
See also
Notes
- ^ McGuire, 273
- ^ McGuire, 320–322
- ^ a b Dupuy & Dupuy, 715
- ^ McGuire, 282
- ^ McGuire, 182
- ^ a b McGuire, 183
- ^ a b Boatner, 384
- ^ a b c McGuire, 184
- ^ McGuire, 137
- ^ Sec. of Commonwealth, 37
- ^ a b Thayer & Stone, 75
- ^ a b McGuire, 185
- ^ McGuire, 186
- ^ Dorwart, 38
- ^ McGuire, 184–186
- ^ McGuire, 186–187
- ^ McGuire, 187–190
- ^ Dorwart, 37–38
- ^ McGuire, 191
- ^ a b Dorwart, 42
- ^ a b c d Eggenberger, 149
- ^ McGuire, 138–139
- ^ McGuire, 161–166
- ^ a b Phillips, Augusta
- ^ McGuire, 172
- ^ McGuire, 173
- ^ McGuire, 174
- ^ McGuire, 194
- ^ McGuire, 180
- ^ McGuire, 152–153
- ^ McGuire, 151
- ^ IHA, Valley Forge. Varnum's Brigade comprised the 1st and 2nd Rhode Island and the 4th and 8th Connecticut.
- ^ McGuire, 197
- ^ McGuire, 195–197
- ^ McGuire, 198
- ^ McGuire, 199–200
- ^ Thayer & Stone, 76
- ^ Heitman (1914), 477. This source gives Russell's full name and regiment (8th Connecticut).
- ^ McGuire, 200–201
- ^ McGuire, 202
- ^ Syrett (1978), 57–58
- ^ Syrett (1978), 58–59
- ^ McGuire, 201–203
- ^ Thayer & Stone, 76–77
- ^ McGuire, 205
- ^ McGuire, 204–205
- ^ McGuire, 206–207. According to McGuire's source, Lee was killed.
- ^ Heitman (1914), 345. This authority stated that Lee resigned from the army on 11 December 1779.
- ^ McGuire, 207–208
- ^ Thayer & Stone, 77
- ^ McGuire, 209–210
- ^ Boatner, 383
- ^ McGuire, 210–211
- ^ McGuire, 219
- ^ McGuire, 221
References
- ISBN 0-8117-0578-1.
- Dorwart, Jeffrey M. (1998). Fort Mifflin of Philadelphia. Philadelphia, Pa.: University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 0-8122-3430-8.
- Dupuy, R. Ernest; ISBN 0-06-011139-9.
- Eggenberger, David (1985). An Encyclopedia of Battles. New York: Dover Publications. ISBN 0-486-24913-1.
- Heitman, Francis Bernard (1914). Historical Register of Officers of the Continental Army during the War of the Revolution. Washington, D.C.: Rare Book Shop Publishing Company.
Jackson, John, Fort Mifflin: Valiant Defender of the Delaware James & Sons, Norristown, PA; 1986, 206 pages
Jackson, John, The Pennsylvania Navy, 1775-1781 Rutgers University Press
Martin, Joseph Plum, Private Yankee Doodle Western Acorn Press, 1962
- McGuire, Thomas J. (2007). The Philadelphia Campaign, Volume II. Mechanicsburg, Penn.: Stackpole Books. ISBN 978-0-8117-0206-5.
- Phillips, Michael. "AUGUSTA (64) 4th Rate". ageofnelson.org. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
- "Regiments at Valley Forge". Independence Hall Association (IHA). Retrieved 28 April 2012.
- Syrett, David (February 1978). "H.M. Armed Ship Vigilant". Mariner's Mirror. 64 (1). London: Society for Nautical Research: 57–62. ISSN 0025-3359.
- Thayer, Simeon (1867). Stone, Edwin Martin (ed.). The Invasion of Canada in 1775: Including the Journal of Captain Simeon Thayer, Describing the Perils and Sufferings of the Army Under Colonel Benedict Arnold, in Its March Through the Wilderness to Quebec. Providence, R.I.: Rhode Island Historical Society.
- Massachusetts, Secretary of the Commonwealth (1907). Massachusetts Soldiers and Sailors in the War of the Revolution. Boston, MA.: Boston, Wright and Potter Printing Co., Sate Printers.