Extracts from the Journal of H.M.S. Rose,
Captain James Wallace¹

July 1776
Friday 12th	The Watering Place  SWBW, and the East Point of Staten Island SBE Little Winds and Clear Wr    came in HM Sloop Kings Fisher, at ½ past 1 the Ph[o]enix made sigl to Unmoor    Do Unmoor'd & hove Short   at ½ past 2 Weigh'd and came to Sail as did the Phenix Tryal Schooner and 2 Tenders, Steering for the No River    at ¼ past 3 the Rebels began to fire upon us and the Phenix from Red Hook, Governers Island and the Town as we pass'd and Continued their firing from 6 more different Battery's on the Et. Shore for 11 Miles as high as Margets Hook.    Return'd a Constant fire to all the Battery's as we pasd, they Shot away our Starbd fore Shroud, Fore Tackle Pendant, Fore Lift, fore topsail Clewlines, Spirtsail & Main Top Sail Braces, one 18 Pound Shot in the Head of our fore Mast one through the Pinnace, several through the Sails and some in the Hull.    at ½ past 5 pas'd the last Battery    No of Guns not known, weight of Mettal from 12 to 32 Pounder    at 8 Anch'd in Topsand Bay, 28 Miles above [New] York 6 ½ fm Terry Town E½N    the Bluff Head on the Western Shore SBW½W Do Anch'd the Phenix &c.
Wedsday 17th	Anchor'd in Hav[er]Straw Bay -- North River A M fir'd 3 Shot at some Arm'd Rebels Fresh breezes and Clear Wr    at Noon weigh'd and came to Sail, Steering up the river as did the Phoenix Tryal and Tenders.
Thursday 18th	Light Breezes and Cloudy with Thunder, Lightning and rain    P M sent our Tenders into Harvest Straw creek to cut out a Sloop   She run on shore on the flats, Steering along shore we was fir'd at by a Number of Rebels arm'd, fir'd several shot at them,    at ½ past 1 Anchor'd off Thunder Hill Point NNNE   at 4 Weigh'd and back'd and fil'd down the river, at 7 Anch'd in Do Creek as did the Tryall and Charlotte Tender.
August 1776
Friday 2d	In Hudsons River New York AM Recv'd from the Ph[o]enix fresh Beef, at 11 weigh'd the Stream Anchor and hove short on the best Br    First and Mide part little wind and clear Wr latter Calm PM at ½ past Mer[i]d[ian] weighd and came to Sail Steering down the river as did the Phenix, Tryal & 2 Tenders, at ½ past 2 the Phenix Run on shore on the Flats off Terry Town, Anchor'd in 4 ½ fm as did the Tryal and Tenders Weigh'd and dropt a Mile below the Phenix P[er] Order [of] Capt [Hyde] Parker [Jr.], saw 7 Sail of Arm'd Vessels down the River, at 10 the Phenix got off
Saturday 3d	In Hudsons River New York AM at 9 saw the Galleys under way turning up the River, clear'd Ship for Action at Noon Calm, 6 Galleys and 12 Launches about 3 Miles below us rowing up to board us. At ½ past Mer[i]d[ian] weigh'd and drop't near the Phenix, came too 6 ½ fm Cheaton-Hook-head N½Wt   Tarry Town EBN½N carried out the Stream Anchor and Cable to the Westwd for a Spring a[t] ¼ before 1 the Galleys began a smart fire on us   brot our broad side to bear and kept a Constant fire, at 3 the Gally's much disabled row'd off it being calm we could not follow them.   Thos Mayet Marine Kild 1 Do Wounded & 3 Seamen: The Starbd Quarter Gallery Shot away, some of the Rigging hurt & several Shot in the Hull, the small Br Stranded 5 fm from the Clinch  at 4 light Airs   at 5 Weigh'd the Best Br and hove to 1/3 on the Stream, at 6 weigh'd the Stream and let go the best Bow'r the Gally's 6 miles below us.
Tuesday 13th	In Hudsons River   New York A M    at ½ pass 11 Weigh'd and came to sail as did the Phenix Tryal and 2 Tenders, Steering down the river.    First and Mide part lights Airs and Clear, latter Do with rain   P M at ½ past 2 Anchd off Philliphs farm, 8 miles from the Rebel Fort, Do Anch'd the Phenix, Tryal & Tenders, saw several Vessels sunk in the Channel Abrest of the Fort, with 4 Brig's ready to sink.
Friday 16th	In Hudsons River    New York AM [light breezes] and Cloudy, dry'd Sails, to all Appearance the Channell abrest of the Fort quite Block'd up.    First part light breezes and Cloudy,   Mide light airs and hazy with Calms    latter little Wind and Cloudy   PM at ½ past 11 saw some Vessels close on board of us, took them to be Rebel Gallys two of which prov'd to be fire vessels, our Tender being on Larbd Quarter ½ a Cable distance, one of them fell Athwart her on fire, which set the Tender Instantly in a Blaze, & hindered her from faling on board the Ship, we veer'd away but finding we could not get clear of her cut the Cable    at the ½ she driving clear of us fell Athwart the Phenix's Bow; which had near set her on fire,    they got Clear by Cutting their Cable and Towing her Off, let go our small Bow'r Do came too the Phenix & Tryal, Our People from the Tender all got safe on board.
Saturdy 17th	In Hudsons River    New York AM at ½ past 4 saw 4 Rebel Galleys about 3 Miles below us, they Row'd off and kept close to the Fort on the Eastern Shore, which we suppos'd to be the Channell.   First part light breezes and Clear, Middle little Wind with Rain
Sunday 18th	AM at 5 weigh'd and came to Sail as did the Phenix Tryal Schooner, and Shuldham Tender, steering down the River, at ¾ past 5 past the Chiverd'friezes, within a Musquet Shot of the Rebel Battery on the Eastern Shore, they began firing upon us from High Hills on the Eastern and Western Shores, and a heavy fire of Musquetry from a Breastwork under the Battery, Returned the fire    when we came Abrest of New York we Recv'd a heavy fire from 11 Battery's, Do return'd a Constant fire, had 2 Men Wounded, at 8 came too off Staten Island in 6 fm the Watering place WBS and Wt point of the Narrows So   Do    Anchor'd the Phenix, Tryal and Shuldham Tender; found Riding here Lord Howe Vice of the White in the Eagle, Adml Shuldham, Vice of the Blue in the Chatham, Commodore Sir Peter Parker in the Bristol, and Commo Hotham in the Preston with several Men of War and a large Fleet of Transports.

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 51/805.