, 1794._

DEAR FRIEND,

On the 7th of September I left the city of Brotherly Love, on my way to
this town.

After sailing down the Delaware about two hours, in the water stage, our
skipper run us on a sand bank. As there was no remedy but to wait
patiently for the flow of tide, a party of us borrowed a boat, and went a
shooting on the islands with which this part of the Delaware abounds. We
landed at Fort Miflin, which was the principal obstruction to general
Howe's progress up the river, in his way to Philadelphia, and obliged him
to go several hundred miles round; this fort also kept the whole british
fleet at bay, for some time after the army had taken possession of that
city.

Fort Miflin, or Mud Fort (so called from it's low situation) is on an
island in the Delaware, about one third nearer the Pennsylvania, than the
Jersey shore.

During the first general attack of the british fleet the fort set fire to
the Augusta, of 64 guns, and she shortly after blew up; and the Merlin
sloop was so roughly handled, that she was hastily evacuated. The british
admiral then procured a pilot, who carried two men of war, cut down for
that purpose, on the Pennsylvania side of the island; a manoeuvre the
Americans deemed impracticable. The works of the fort were now completely
enfiladed, and on the 15th of November, the British began; a desperate
attack, both from their ships on each side the island, and from a battery
on the Pennsylvania shore.

The fort was supported by a battery on, the opposite side, and some
row-gallies.

The british fire was heavy and well directed: they are supposed to have
fired 1030 shots, weighing from 12 to 32 pounds, every 20 minutes, which,
by the middle of the day, nearly levelled the works with the mud. This was
the moment to storm the fort, which being lost by the British, the remains
of the brave garrison made their retreat good to the Jersey shore the same
night.

The British now having the complete command of the Delaware, totally
dismantled this fort: in which state it remained till last year, when a
french engineer was engaged to put it again into a state of defence. The
works are already in great forwardness: the parapets are, according to the
new french improvements, without embrasures, and the guns mounted on false
carriages.

We also landed on several of, the other islands, and had tolerable sport.

At high water we proceeded on our voyage, and about twelve the next day
arrived