in the city and among the enemy's ships. Greene had
recently been promoted to the rank of major-general, and now had
command of all the troops in the Jerseys. He had liberty to shift his
quarters to Baskingridge or Bergen, as circumstances might require;
but was enjoined to keep up a communication with the main army, east
of the Hudson, so as to secure a retreat in case of necessity.

The security of the Hudson was at this time an object of great
solicitude with Congress, and much reliance was placed on Putnam's
obstructions at Fort Washington. Four galleys, mounted with heavy guns
and swivels, were stationed at the chevaux-de-frise, and two new ships
were at hand, which, filled with stones, were to be sunk where they
would block up the channel. A sloop was also at anchor, having on
board a machine, invented by a Mr. Bushnell, for submarine explosion,
with which to blow up the men-of-war; a favorite scheme with General
Putnam. The obstructions were so commanded by batteries on each shore,
that it was thought no hostile ship would be able to pass. On the 9th
of October, however, the Roebuck and Phoenix, each of forty-four guns,
and the Tartar of twenty guns, which had been lying for some time
opposite Bloomingdale, got under way with their three tenders, at
eight o'clock in the morning, and came standing up the river with an
easy southern breeze. At their approach, the galleys and the two ships
intended to be sunk, got under way with all haste, as did a schooner
laden with rum, sugar and other supplies for the American army, and
the sloop with Bushnell's submarine machine.

The Roebuck, Phoenix and Tartar broke through the vaunted barriers as
through a cobweb. Seven batteries kept up a constant fire upon them,
yet a gentleman was observed walking the deck of the second ship as
coolly as if nothing were the matter. The hostile ships kept on their
course, the American vessels scudding before them. The schooner was
overhauled and captured; a well-aimed shot sent the sloop and
Bushnell's submarine engine to the bottom of the river. The two new
ships would have taken refuge in Spyt den Duivel Creek, but fearing
there might not be water enough, they kept on and drove ashore at
Philips' Mills at Yonkers. Two of the galleys got into a place of
safety, where they were protected from the shore; the other two
trusted to outsail their pursuers. The breeze freshened, and the
frigates gained on them fast; at eleven o'clock began to