e Chesapeake until satisfied that
his brother no longer needed him. On the 14th of September he started
down the Bay with the squadron and convoy, sending ahead to the
Delaware a small division, to aid the army, if necessary. The winds
holding southerly, ten days were required to get to sea; and outside
further delay was caused by very heavy weather. The Admiral there
quitted the convoy and hastened up river. On the 6th of October he was
off Chester, ten miles below Philadelphia. The navy had already been
at work for a week, clearing away obstructions, of which there were
two lines; both commanded by batteries on the farther, or Jersey,
shore of the Delaware. The lower battery had been carried by troops;
and when Howe arrived, the ships, though meeting lively opposition
from the American galleys and fire-rafts, had freed the channel for
large vessels to approach the upper obstructions. These were defended
not only by a work at Red Bank on the Jersey shore, but also, on
the other side of the stream, by a fort called Fort Mifflin, on Mud
Island.[18] As the channel at this point, for a distance of half a
mile, was only two hundred yards wide, and troops could not reach the
island, the position was very strong, and it detained the British for
six weeks. Fort Mifflin was supported by two floating batteries and
a number of galleys. The latter not only fought, offensively and
defensively, but maintained the supplies and ammunition of the
garrison.

On the 22d of October, a concerted attack, by the army on the works at
Red Bank, and by the Navy on Fort Mifflin, resulted disastrously. The
former was repulsed with considerable loss, the officer commanding
being killed. The squadron, consisting of a 64, three frigates, and
a sloop, went into action with Mud Island at the same time; but,
the channel having shifted, owing possibly to the obstructions, the
sixty-four and the sloop grounded, and could not be floated that day.
On the 23d the Americans concentrated their batteries, galleys, and
fire-rafts upon the two; and the larger ship took fire and blew up in
the midst of the preparations for lightening her. The sloop was then
set on fire and abandoned.

So long as this obstacle remained, all supplies for the British
army in Philadelphia had to be carried by boats to the shore, and
transported considerable distances by land. As direct attacks had
proved unavailing, more deliberate measures were adopted. The army
built batteries,