Extracts from the Log of Dependence, Galley,
Lieutenant James Clark, Commander
Oct. 7 - Oct 25, 1777. In the Hudson River[1]
| 1777 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Oct. [2] | Bearings | Remarks &c |
| Tuesday 7 | Fort Mont- gomery N. by E. | Fresh breezes and Clear Weathr. these 24 Hours. At P. M. Anchd. here H. Majesty's Ship Preston Commodore Hotham with the Mercury, Tartar, and a number of Transports. at 3 p. m. Weigh'd per Signal in Compy with the Diligent Brig Spitfire, Hotham Tender and Crane Galley Kept standg. off and on until 4 p. m. |
| Fort Clinton N. by W. | Do. made Sail at ½ past the Forts Montgomery & Clinton begun a Cannonading on us at 5 begun the action per signal at ¾ past 5 the Cannonading Ceased the Forts being both Stormed by our Troops We fired during the Action 95 twenty four pound Shot four lbrs | |
| ½ a Cables Length | round shot at the Forts and Reble Frigates at 6pm. the Reble Frigates seeing our Troops in Possession of their Forts they Cut their Cables and run on shore and set fire to them at 7 p. m. Anchd. per Signal in Compy. as before. | |
| Wednesday 8 | Do. | Mod. and fair Weathr p.m. received from his Majesties Ship Preston 2 Barrels of Powder & 2 half Barrels of Do & 100 twenty four lb. round Shot & 100 24 lb. Cartridges at 3 p. m. sent the Master to try for a Passage over the chain at 5 retd not findg Water enough over for the Galley at 9 a. m. Anchd. here His Majesties Ship Mercury at 11 a. m. the Artificers cut the Chain. |
| Thursday 9 | Robertsons Landg. South | Light Airs Inclinable to Calm for the first part middle & latter Mod. Breezes at 1 p. m. Weigh'd and Row'd up the River in Compy H. Majt's Galleys Spitfire & Crane & 22 Flat Boats with Troops on Board at 5 p. m. the Troops landed at Fort Constitution with't any |
| Sugar Loaf Hill SSW | Oposition the Rebels havg. Evacquated it at 8 p. m. Anch'd with the best Bower in 9 Fm Water Butter Hill N. 1 mile Martoons Rock S. b E ½ a mile in Compy as before at 9 a. m. Weigh'd and Came to sail with Do Comy at 10 a.m. Anchd. with the best Bower in 9 | |
| Off Shore 1 Cable's length | Fm. Water Robertsons Landg. South Sugar Loaf Hill SSW. Dist off Shore 1 Cables Length in Compy. the Vidgelent Brig [3] Spitfire and Crane Gallies. | |
| Friday 10th | Anthony's Nose SSW Fort Vaughan West Off Shore ½ a mile | First Part Fresh Breezes with heavy Rain Middle and latter Mod. and Clear Weathr at 11 a. m. came on Board a Compy. of Coll. Robertsons Battalion at 11 a.m. Weigh'd in Compy. as before at Noon Anthony's Nose SSW Fort Vaughan[4] West, Off shore 1½ mile. |
| Saturday 11 | Conshook Ild. NNE ½ a Mile | Mod. Breezes and hazy Weathr. these 24 Hours at 3 p. m. Anch'd per Signal in Compy. as before in 13 Fm. Water Veer'd to 1-3 of a Cable Fort Montgomery NNW Anthony's Nose SSE Off shore 1 Cables Length. Empld. puttg. the Troops on shore at 9 weigh'd and Came to sail in Compy as before At 11 Anch'd with the best Bower in 13 Fm. Water in Compy the Brig and 2 Gallies Conshook Isld NNE ½ a Mile. |
| Sunday 12 | Dunsomer Pt. W b S 5 or 6 miles | Do Weather these 24 Hours at 3 p. m. Weigh'd and Came to sail in Compy H. Majesties Brigg Diligent, Spitfire and Crane Galleys at 5 p. m. pass'd the Chivoux de frize Polepers Isld E b S ¼ of a Mile at 4 p. m. Anch'd with the best Bower in 12 Fm. Water Poughkeepsee N b E 2 Miles at 6 a. m. Weigh'd and Came to sail at 8 a. m. sent the Boats on shore Man'd and Arm'd to burn 2 Reble Vessels and some store Houses fired 2 twenty four lb. Shot and 1 four lb. Do. to cover the Boats at 10 they retd havg. compleeted what they were sent for at Noon Dounscomer Point W. b S. 5 or 6 Miles. |
| Monday 13 | Dunsomer Pt. NE 3 miles | Fresh Breezes with shouts of Rain at times Empld turng. to Windd. at 2 p. m. sent our Boats Man'd & Arm'd to Destroy the Reble Vessels that Lay haul'd up in a Creek fired 10 four lbrs with round shot and 2 with round and Grape to Cover the Boats retd havg Compleeted what they were sent for at 4 p. m. Anch'd in 9 Fm Water with the best Bower Dounscomer point N. E. 3 miles |
| Tuesday 14 | Anthony's Nose SSE ¾ of a mile. Fort Montgomery WNW 1 Cables length | Fresh Breezes and fair Weathr these 24 Hours at 1 P. M. Weigh'd in Compy His Majests Brig Spitfire and Crane at ½ past 2 p. m. the Rebles open'd a Battery on the Heights of New Windsor fired 3 twenty four lbrs. and 18 four Do with round shot which pass'd the Battery in passg the above battery they Wounded our Main Yard and Cut away the MainTSl Halliards and Larboard Fe sheet and several of the running Rigging and the after Leach of the Main sail at 5 p. m. Anch'd with the best Bower in 26 Fm Water Anthony's SSE ¾ of a Mile Fort Montgomery WNW 1 cables Length. At 9 a. m. the Commodore made the signal to Weigh Endeavouring to Weigh parted the best Bower in the Hause by which means the Anchor was lost with 26 Fm of Cable and the Bouy Rope Row'd in shore and lash'd alongside of a hulk Compleeted our Water Anch'd here several Transports. |
| Wednesday 15 | Pokeepsey Landg NNE 3 or 4 miles | Mod. and Hazy Weather these 24 Hours at 4 p. m. Cast off from the Hulk and made Sail in Compy 13 Transports at 10 p. m. Anch'd with the small Bower in 6 Fm. Water in Compy His Majesties Brig Diligent Spitfire and Crane Galley and 13 Transports Poleppers Isld NW Butter hill south 1 mile at 9 a. m. Weigh'd per signal in Compy as before at ½ past Passed the Chiveoux de frize brought too to wait for the Transports at 11 made sail at Pokeepsy Landg NNE 3 or 4 miles in Compy the Fleet. |
| Thursday 16 | Esopas Creek W. b S. 1 Mile | Mod. Breezes and fair Weather these 24 Hours in Compy the Fleet at 4 p. m. burnt 3 Reble sloops at 8 p. m. Anchor'd per signal in 16 Fm Water Esopas Meaddow North 2 miles at 9 a. m. Weigh'd per Signal in Company the Fleet at ½ past 10 a. m. the Rebles begun to Cannonade us from their Battery at the Mouth of Esopas Creek fired 9 twenty four lbrs round shot at the Battery and Reble Galley that were playing on us at 11 Pass'd the Enemies Batterys brought too for the Transports at Noon the Enemies Batteries at the Entrance of Esopas Creek W. b S. 1 Mile Fir'd 24 four pounders with Round and Grape to scouer the Woods. |
| Friday 17 | Contin's Isld N. ½ a mile | First Light Breezes and fair Middle and latter Calm at 1 p. m. Stood close in shore at ½ past 1 p. m. Anchr'd with the small Bower in 5 Fms Water Contins Isld south off shore 50 yards in Compy with the Diligent Brig and Spitfire Galley at 2 the signal was made for Landg. Do. fired 13 twenty four lbrs with round and Canister and 28 four lbrs. with Round and Grape at 3 p. m. the Troops were all Landed and met with very little opposition at ½ past 3 Weigh'd and Row'd down to the Mouth of Esopas Creek. Anch'd with the small Bower in 2 Fm Water Contins Isld N ½ a mile at 4 the Commodore made the signal for all Boats man'd and Arm'd to go on shore to Destroy the Reble stores and Magazine at 6 the Boats retd. havg. compleeted what they were sent for with the Lieut. and Master and 3 Men very badly Wounded at 11 p. m. the Troops all Embark'd havg. burnt the Town of Kingston and several Magazines of Proviss. A. M. Empld. Occasy. |
| Saturday 18 | Sleepskine Isld. N. b E. 1 mile. | Light Breezes and Vble at 9 a. m. Weigh'd and came to sail in Compy with the Fleet at 11 Anchor'd with the small Bower in 4 Fm. Water Sleepskine Isld N. by E. 1 mile in Compy as before at Noon a Detachmt. of the Army Landed to Destroy some stores Fired 3 twenty four lbrs to Cover their Landg. |
| Sunday 19 | Slipskine Isld. SSE 2 miles | Do Weather these 24 Hours at 1 p. m. the Troops Embark'd at ½ past weigh'd per signal in Compy as before at 3 p. m. anchd per signal in 9 Fms Water Slipskine Isld SSE 2 miles at 4 p. m. sent the Boats Mann'd and Arm'd to Destroy some Reble Store on Livingstons Manner a. m. Lower'd Down the Main Yard to mend the Main Sail. |
| Monday 20 | Do. | Do Weather these 24 Hours sailmakers Empld repairg. the Main sail sent the Boats on shore Man'd and Arm'd per Signal to burn 2 Reble Vessels at 5 p. m. fired 5 four lbrs round and Grape to Cover our Boats whilst Destroying the Reble Vessels at 6 p. m. the Boats retd. havg. Compleeted what they were sent A. M. sail makers empld on the Main sail. |
| Tuesday 21 | Do. | Fresh Gales and Cloudy Weather these 24 hours Sailmakers Empld as before A. M. sailmakers finished the Main Sail Do bent it & sway'd up the Yard. |
| Wednesday 22 | Slipskin Isld N. 1 mile. | Fresh Gales and hazy Weathr. these 24 hours p. m. Empld. makg. Wadds at 10 a. m. Weigh'd per Signal in Compy with the Fleet at noon Slipskin Isld N 1 mile. |
| Thursday 23 | Esopas N 2 cables length. | Light Breezes and hazy at 6 p. m. Anch'd per signal in 9 Fm Water Slipskin Isld N. b E. 5 or 6 Miles in Compy with the Fleet at 9 a. m. Weigh'd per Signal in Compy as before at 11 a. m. saw the Rebel Army posting themselves Advantageously behind the Heights of Pokeepsy brought too to scour the Narrow Pass between Esopas Meadow and the heights that the enemy were posted upon fired 14 four lbrs. with round and Grape at them whilst the Transports were passg. at Noon Esopas N. 2 cables Lengths. |
| Friday 24 | New Windsor NNW Pelopars Isld. N. b E. ½ mile | Light breezes and hazy Weather these 24 hours at 1 p. m. the Enemy open'd a 5 Gun Battery on the Transports Do brought too with the Spitfire and Crane Galleys and Cannonaded the battery whilst the Transports were passing fired 14 twenty four lbrs at the Reble Battery at 2 p. m. the Fleet pass'd made sail at 11 p. m. Anch'd per Signal with the small Bower in 9 Fm water Pelopers Isld SSE 4 or 5 miles in Comp with the Fleet at 10 p. m. His Majesties Brig Diligent Run foul on us and Carrd away our Mizen Mast and Mizen Yard Empld Clearg the Wreck and gettg the Mizen unbent from the Yard by which we lost the Mizen Mast being broke in 5 Pieces A. M. sailmakers Empld Repairing the Mizen where it was tore at 7 a. m. Weigh'd per Signal in Compy as before at 10 a. m. Anch'd per Signal with the small Bower in 8 Fm Water New Windsor NNW Pelopers Isld N. b E. ½ a mile found riding there His Majesties Ship Mercury in Compy with the Fleet. |
| Saturday 25 | Fort Constitution SSE. 2 Miles. | Fresh Breezes and hazy Weathr. at 2 p. m. Weighd per signal at 3 p. m. brought too whilst the Transports were passing Butter hill fired 17 four lbrs. with round and Grape and 2 twenty four lbrs with Do at a Party of Rebles who had posted themselves on the above hill at 4 p. m. made sail at 5 p. m. parted Compy with the Fleet at 6 p. m. Anchd with the small Bower in 15 Fm Water Fort Constitution SSE 2 Miles in Compy His Majesties Brig Diligent. |
1. Taken from "Events on Hudson's River in 1777 as recorded by British Officers In Contemporary Reports," Year Book, Dutchess County Historical Society, Volume 20(1935), pp. 96-102.
2. These entries are dated by "sea time." The ship's day begins at noon, with the reading of the sun with navigational instruments, so an entry dated Tuesday 7 October, begins with noon on the 6th and continues through noon on the 7th.
3. Diligent Brig
4. The British renamed Fort Montgomery to Fort Vaughan apparently before noon on the 10th [Clinton's letter of the 9th is datelined Fort Montgomery and this log is the first use of the Fort Vaughan title].