Extracts from the Journal of H.M.S. Phoenix,
Captain Hyde Parker, Jr.¹

July 1776
Friday 12th	Moor'd off Staten Island. Distance from Shore about Quarter of a Mile.-- AM the Admiral made our Signal for an Officer.-- Modt Breezes and fair Wr   at 2 P M Fir'd a Gun & made the Signal to Unmoor, Unmoor'd & hove into 1/3 of a Cable on the Best Bower   at 3 made the Signal to Weigh, Weigh'd & Came to Sail in Co with his Majesty's Ship Rose, the Tryal Schooner with the Shuldham and Charlotta Tenders   at ¾ past 3 the Battery at Red Hook upon Long Island began Firing, on our standing near Governors Island & Powlos Hook, they commenced a heavy Firing from their Batteries.   At 5 past 4 being then between the last mention'd Batteries, we began Firing upon them.    at ½ past 5 we passed the Batteries near the Town & at 7 Anchord in Tapan Bay abreast of Tarry Town in 7 Fam Water   Distance off Shore about a mile and a Quarter;   Moor'd Ship wth the Stream Anchor   Tarry Town NEbE    Dreadfull Hook NbW & Sneadings Ferry SbW½W    In passing the Batteries Recd two Shot in our Hull & One is the Bowsprit & several through the Topsails, the Netting &ca in the Waste was Shot away which Occasioned the Loss of 3 Cotts, One Seaman and Two Marines were Wounded.--
Wednesday 17th	Moor'd in Haverstraw Bay. At 8 AM Sail'd the Shuldham up the River, to Sound.-- Light Winds and Cloudy   at 6 P M Anchor'd here the Shuldham.
Thursday 18th	AM Sail'd up the River his Majesty's Ship Rose and Tryal in order to destroy some Vessels the Rebels had at Peeks Kill; Captain Wallace found a large Body of Rebels intrenched upon heights directly over them   he therefore thought proper to desist from any Attempt.--
Saturday 20th	Anchored in Haverstarw Bay. AM Light Breezes and fair Wear   at 9 Unmoor'd Weigh'd and Came to Sail   Run further up the River, at Noon came too with the Small Bower in 5 Fam Water    Veer'd and Moor'd with the Stream Anchor;    Fired a Shott at a Party of Rebels on the Shore.--
Thursday 25th	Moor'd in Haverstarw Bay. at 9 AM Unmoor'd Weigh'd & drop'd down the River at 12 Came too wth the Small Bower in 5 Fam Water off Singsing Town    Tallows Point   NEt   Veer'd to ½ a Cable and Moor'd Ship with the Stream, Distance from the shore 2 Miles; Fir'd two Guns at a Party of Rebels. In Co as before.-- Light Breezes and fair with Lightning in the NWt   PM the Master empd Sounding about the River, upon the Boat approaching the Shore the Rebels Fir'd upon her and [s]lightley wounded Mr James Clark,
Saturday 27th	Moor'd off Singsing. Light Breezes and fair Weather. P M at 4 sent our Boats Mann'd and Arm'd after a Sloop that was Standing across the River,    made the Signl for the Rose's Boats' to follow them, at 6 Fir'd two Eighteen Pounders at a Party of Rebels on Shore   at 8 the Boats return'd not being able to come up with the Chace.
Sunday 28th	Moor'd off Singsing. Fresh Breezes & Cloudy Wr   at P M 10 sent a Boat up the River to take off some Cattle in Company with the Tryal Schooner.
Monday 29th	At 4 A M made the Signal for the Tryal to quit her Station and Join.    At 7 Receiv'd onbd 5 Head of Cattle
Tuesday 30th	First and latter parts Fresh Breezes & Cloudy Wear    Midl Squally with Thunder Lightning and Rain. A M Clear'd Hawse. Modt and fair Wr    P M Loos'd Sails to Dry.    Fir'd several shot at some Rebels on the Shore.
August 1776.
Friday 2d	Moor'd off Singsing. A M Clear'd Hawse   The Master employed Sounding Modt and fair Wear P M ¼ pt Meridian Unmoor'd Weigh'd and Came to Sail, the Rose, Tryal & two Tenders in Company, in runing down the River, the Ship Grounded on a flat off Tarry Town, at 2 P M Carried the Stream Anchor out and Attempted to heave off, but without effect, got some of the Upper and lower Deck Guns forward to bring the Ship by the Head, Carried the best Bower Anchor out in the Stream and at 10 Hove the Ship Off    Veer'd to 2/3 of a Cable
Saturday 3d	At Single Anchor in Tapan-Bay A M Weighed the Best and let go the Small Bower   at Day light Five Sail of Vessels in Sight.-- Light Airs and fair Wr at ½ past Noon three Schooners and four Row Gallies, in sight working up the River; carried the Stream Anchor out for a Spring and hove the Ship broadside too; at 1 Six of the Rebels Schooners & Row Gallies attacked us; we began, & kept up a constant Fire at them for two Hours, at which time they Row'd away down the River & came to an Anchor in sight of us. Perceived one of the Gallies to have Recd considerable damage, by the Rebels being under the Necessity of hauling one on shore. At ½ past 3 hove short on the Stream & Weighed the Best Bower Anchor, in order to Run down to the Rebels vessels but the wind coming more to the Westwd The Pilot thought it to dangerous an Attempt, the Channell being so narrow as not to allow the Ship room to Cast, let go the Small Br Anchor & Veer'd to ½ a Cable. In this Action we Recd two Shots only in our Hull.
Tuesday 13th	At Single Anchor in Tapan Bay. Light Breezes and fair Weather. at ¼ past Noon Weigh'd & came to Sail in Company with his Majesty's Ship Rose, the Tryal Schooner & the Two Tenders    At 2 P M came too with the Small Bower in 6 ½ Fam abreast Col Philips.    The Rose in coming too, let go her Anchor foul of ours    Weigh'd the Small & let go the Best Bower, Veer'd to 1/3 of a Cable
Friday 16th	At Single Anchor, four Miles above the upper Fort on York Island. Cut up for Match Tubs Six Puncheons, several Gallies in sight down the River. Light Airs and Cloudy    at 11 P M discover'd a Vessel Standing up the River, she being near the Rose's Tender hail'd her and gave order's for her to Fire into the Vessel; In Five Seconds the Rebel Vessel Boarded the Tender and was set fire to.   By the light of this Vessel we discover'd another standing towards us a Cables length distance - Immediately Order'd the Cable to be Cut & Commenced Firing upon the Fire Ship; in Ten Minutes afterwards she Boarded us on the Starboard Bow at which time the Rebels set fire to the Train and left her, Set the Fore Topsail and Head Sails which fortunately cast the Ship and disengaged her from the Fire Ship, after having been Twenty Minutes with her Jibb Boom over our Gunwhale. The Rose's Tender was Totally consumed; the same fate must have Attended the Phoenix had not the Steadiness of the Officers & Ship's Company saved her.
Sunday 18th	At Single Anchor Off Staten Island. at 5 AM Weigh'd and came to Sail in Co with his Majestys Ship Rose, Tryal Schooner and the Shuldham, at 20 Minutes past 5 the Rebels Fir'd at us from a Battery on the Eastern Side of the River which we return'd.    at ½ past [5] passed through the Channell on the East side of the Vessels &ca Sunk by the Rebels to block up the Channell between Geffrey's Hook and Berdetts Mountain; several Shot was Fir'd [at] us from a Battery upon the Top of the Mountain, after we got through the Channell; At ½ past 6 Fir'd several Broad sides at some Gallies laying close into the Western Shore    at ¾ past 6 Commenced Firing at the Batteries upon York Island &ca    at half past 7 Anchor'd off Staten Island with the Best Bower in 6 ½ Fam    found riding here his Majesty's Ship Eagle Vice Adml Lord Howe, Chatham, Vice Adml Shuldham, Bristol, Comodore Sir Peter Parker and Preston Commodore Hotham with a very large Fleet of Men of War & Transports. In passing the Batteries Recd a Shot through the Longboat which sunk her, lost out of her the Stream Cable, a Hawser Oars &ca &ca

¹Taken from Naval Documents of The American Revolution, Volume 5: American Theatre: May 9, 1776 - July 31, 1776. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1970. And from Volume 6: American Theatre: Aug. 1, 1776-Oct. 31, 1776. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1972. Source document: PRO, Admiralty 51/694.