Prisoners Taken near Philadelphia

While they held Philadelphia in the winter of 1777-1778, it became necessary for the British to open the Delaware River to their shipping. Over a period of weeks the large army garrisoned there became increasingly desperate for resupply. And so they set to work taking the mutually reinforcing fortifications on the river held by the Americans: Fort Mifflin (also called Mud Island, on the west bank) and Fort Mercer (also called Red Banks, on the east bank).

They laid siege to Fort Mifflin, beginning in early October. They built a large artillery battery on nearby Providence Island and launched an enormous bombardment November 10 that ended 5 days later when the Americans evacuated the fort.

Meanwhile, on October 10 they attempted to put a gun battery on Carpenter's Island, also nearby but closer, and easily fired on from Fort Mifflin and from the part of the river protected by the fort's guns. The British force charged with defending the new battery was quickly trapped, and forced to surrender the next morning. The captives were grenadiers from the 1st, 10th, 17th, 23rd, 27th, and 28th Regiments, and 4 men from the Royal Artillery: 300 to 400 men became prisoners. Including John O Dirlam?? Some prisoners were sent to Trenton.

At any rate, they surrendered to Lieut. Col. Samuel Smith of the 4th Maryland Regiment. The regiment fought at Brandywine in September, and Germantown in October 1777, and assigned to the 2nd Maryland Bridgade. Capt. Samuel Smith (1752-1839) had been promoted to major, Dec. 10, 1776; lieutenant colonel, Feb. 22, 1777; was wounded at Fort Mifflin on the Delaware River, Oct. 22, 1777 and presented with a sword by Congress, Nov. 4, 1777, for his gallant defense at that fort; resigned in May, 1779. He served in the Maryland State Legislature, 1790-1792; US House of Representatives, 1793-1803 and 1815-1822; US Senate, 1803-1815 and 1822-1833. He became a major general of Maryland Militia in the War of 1812, and served as mayor of Baltimore from 1835 to 1838.

Meanwhile, the British sent a largely Hessian force to attack Fort Mercer on October 22, 1777, and that attack failed badly. However, after Fort Mifflin was lost and 5000 British troops were sent to take Fort Mercer, the Americans abandoned it.

Providence Island and Carpenter Island both consisted of marshy land somewhat dried by dikes. They lay along the west bank of the Delaware River, south of the mouth of the Schuykill River. Hog Island and Mud Island lay in the river just to the east. All were eventually absorbed by Hog Island, and eventually by Philadelphia International Airport.