The Revolutionary Struggle to the Battle of Brandywine

Wayne, related to the defense of Philadelphia from a threatened attack by British vessels of war; hence a brief account of those defenses, so far as they refer to the history of Delaware County, should not be omitted from this work.

The obstructing of the Delaware River by vaisseaux-de-frise was the suggestion of Dr. Franklin, who also strongly urged the building of galleys, -- vessels of considerable size, propelled by oars, and intended to be armed with heavy guns, besides carrying a number of marines, -- as well as locating fortifications at certain places on the banks. The chevaux-de-frise, as the obstructions were popularly termed, consisted of large frames of timber, filled in with stones to cause them to sink, and from these frames huge beams shod with iron extended to the surface of the water. So energetically did Franklin labor, that although be had returned, May 5, 1775, after many years' absence in Europe, in four months he had three rows of these obstructions laid, the fort at Red Bank completed, and seven of the galleys afloat. One of the rows of vaisseaux-de-frise was sunk within the territory now of Delaware County, and extended across the main channel of the Delaware, opposite the upper end of Hog Island, and a mile and a quarter below Red Bank. Subsequently a row was laid to Billingsport, N.J. On Sept. 13, 1775, Richard Riley, from Marcus Hook, wrote to George Gray,¹ of the Committee of Safety, arguing that, as the provincial galleys would soon be finished, the entire fleet, in his opinion, should be stationed at the boundary of the province on the river, below the "shiver de fress's," and then, if they -- the boats -- "are any Protection, every Person above them will Receive a Benefit;" that as there was a large island opposite Marcus Hook, it would afford a harbor to the galleys; while if the fleet was stationed above the obstructions at the forts, "Chester and Marcushook may be reduced to ashes before any Relief can be obtained, which would be a Considerable Loss, as all the Records & other public papers of the county is their." This matter of the defenses at Marcus Hook seems to have been presented to Council; for on Nov. 16, 1775, it was resolved "that two tier of Chivaux de Frize be sunk, for the further Security of this province, in the Channel opposite or near to Marcus Hook."² That this resolution as to locating obstructions at Marcus Hook was never carried into effect is apparent. for the proceedings of the Committee of Safety show that on Jan. 18, 1776, Col. Wayne states to the committee that as large vessels must come within musket-shot of the shore at and near Marcus Hook, in his opinion "a Line or two of Chevaux de Frize placed there would be of considerable Service. The Shore near this narrow channel is nearly as high as Red Bank, and a battery of Cannon there would greatly annoy an Enemy."³ On Feb. 15, 1776, Richard Riley again wrote to George Gray,⁴ calling attention to the exposed condition of Marcus Hook, where, should the enemy come up the river, they would certainly land. He therefore urged erection of a battery on the shore, or the stationing of a floating one there, together with one or two companies of riflemen, to protect that part of the province, "now Intirely exposed, without the least defence or the least means for defence, being without Battery, arms, or ammunition, & of course, if left to continue, will be obliged to abandon their Habitations." In addition, as confirmatory proof that the obstructions did not extend below Chester, as late as July 24, 1777, Council ordered that before a master of a vessel could obtain an order for a "Chevax De Frize Pilot" he was compelled to swear that he would not permit such pilot to remain on the vessel from "the time she leaves the town of Chester."⁵ The purpose of this order was to prevent any person knowing the unobstructed channel from getting access to British vessels, and for a reward imparting that knowledge to the enemy.

⁵ Ib., 501. Nearly two years before the order, Nov. 7, 1775, the Committee of Safety had ordered that five of the ten licensed pilots should be in readiness at Philadelphia to carry vessels down to Chester, and, having performed that service, were immediately to return by land or in skifts to the city. The other five were to be at Chester to bring vessels up the river, and are, immediately after piloting the vessel, to return to Chester by skift or land. In Chester the pilots were directed to be at the house of Mrs. Withy, to receive applications from owners or masters of vessels, every day from 10 to 1 o'clock, and none are to be absent except when on duty. -- Colonial Records vol.x. p. 396.

Early in the fall of the year the galleys were ready, as already stated, and, on Sept. 22, 1775, the Committee of Safety appointed Capt. John Moulder, of Marcus Hook, commander of the armed boat "Hancock;" but the latter, on the 10th of October following, notified the committee that he declined to act in that capacity.

The Committee of Chester County seems to have had no meetings during the summer, but in pursuance of a notice of the chairman, Wayne, they met on Monday morning, September 25th, at the Turk's Head Tavern, -- now West Chester, -- at which time the board of commissioners and assessors of the county were present. At this meeting the following disclaimer of all treasonable intentions on the part of the colonies was adopted and published in the Philadelphia newspapers of that day. The ignorance displayed in that resolution of the tendency of public affairs might be pardoned in Wayne, who was an admirable soldier but a wretched politician; but the committee certainly had among its members some men who could read the signs of the times better than to have issued such a document as that, particularly when it was known that statesmen like John Adams were openly advocating the independency of the colonies. The disclaimer was as follows:

"Whereas some persons, evidently inimical to the liberty of America, have industriously propagated a report, that the military associators of this County, in conjunction with the military associators in general, in