DEFENCES OF PHILADELPHIA, 1777-1778.
Sketched from a large MS. map by John Montresor in the library of Congress, dedicated to Sir William Howe, and called Plan of the City of Philadelphia and its environs, shewing the defences during the years 1777-1778, together with the Siege of Mud Island. A similar map by Montresor is among the King's maps in the British Museum (Catal., ii. 176).
VICINITY OF PHILADELPHIA.
Sketched from a part of a MS. Hessian map in the library of Congress, called Plan générale des opérations de l'Armée Britannique contre les Rebelles, etc. The lines (·—·—) are roads. Key: "59, Attaque de mudden island le 15 Novembre. 60, Position du général Howe le 4 Dec. pour forcer le général Washington à quitter sa position sur les hauteurs de White Marsh. 61, Marche du général Howe pour fourages entre Derby et Chester. 62, Camp de l'armée près de Philadelphia. 63, Camp de l'armée après avoir evacué Philadelphia le 26me Juin, 1778. 64, Corps detaché à Gloucester. 65, Marche du général Knyphausen le 18me Juin et son camp à Haddenfield. 66, Marche et camp du général Cornwallis le 18me Juin. 67, Marche du général Knyphausen le 20me Juin et son camp à Moorfield."
The published maps of Philadelphia and its vicinity at this time are the following: N. Scull and G. Heap's, originally in 1750 (cf. Vol. V. 240), and reproduced by Faden in 1777, and reduced in the Gent. Mag., Dec., 1777. Kitchin's Philadelphia and Environs, in London Mag., Dec., 1777, and reproduced in the Penna. Archives, 2d series, vol. iii. A map surveyed by Eastburn in 1776, Philad., 1777; one surveyed by Hill, Philadelphia, 1777. Plan of Philadelphia in the Atlantic Neptune (1777), vol. i. Plan in the American Atlas (1777). Gegend und Stadt von Philadelphia, in Geschichte der Kriege in und ausser Europa, Nürnberg, 1778, Zehnter Theil. There was published by John Reed, in 1774, An Explanation of the Map of the City and Liberties of Philadelphia. A folding plan showing the British works is in Scharf and Westcott's Philadelphia, i. 360. Various MS. plans of Philadelphia and its neighborhood, with the river defences, are among the Faden maps (nos. 82-86) in the library of Congress. Among the Penn papers in the Hist. Soc. of Penna. is a MS. map showing the positions of the British at Germantown before the battle.
In January an attempt by the Americans to destroy the shipping at Philadelphia, by floating combustibles down the river from above, failed; but it gave rise to Hopkinson's humorous verses on the "Battle of the Kegs."[943]
In March Congress was urging young men of spirit and property to raise light cavalry troops (Journals, ii. 463), for Simcoe's British horsemen were raiding about the country for forage, meeting, however, now and then with resistance, as at Quintin's Bridge (March 18th) and Hancock's Bridge (March 21st).[944] At the beginning of May there was another conflict at Crooked Billet.[945] Three weeks later (May 20th) Lafayette skilfully extricated himself from an advanced position at Barren Hill, whither Washington had sent him towards the enemy, and Where the British commander sought to cut him off.[946]