Lord Howe, upon learning these successes, judged it proper to move his fleet and the transports, to concur in any future operations, and to give the supplies of which the Army stood in need, by means of the river Delaware. The progress of such a number of shipping through so dangerous a navigation, was highly difficult, but it was carried on under his Lordship's immediate auspices, and with superior ability as well as skill. Owing to the numerous batteries constructed by the rebels, the passage to Philadelphia could not be attempted, which obliged the whole fleet to anchor from Reedy Island to Newcastle, along the Pennsylvania shore. Independent of the most formidable works, they had sunk within the reach of their guns, machines of the strongest kind, similar to _chevaux de frize_, as pointing in every direction, and those headed with iron. No attempt, however, could be made to remove them, until their batteries were gained on both shores of the river. At the urgency of Captain, now Sir Andrew Snape Hammond, who had reached the Delaware before Lord Howe, the Provincials were driven from Billing's Fort, where they were raising works, and preparing obstacles against the passage of the squadron. Captain Hammond was peculiarly active in removing every hindrance, though opposed by the enemy's Marine force. As the supplies of the Army depended upon an intercourse with the fleet, it became incumbent to carry Mud Fort Island, properly so called, from its having been an accumulated mass of mud and sand, a flat marshy spot, near to the junction of the river Schuylkill. It was necessary also to attack Red Bank, on the opposite shore of New Jersey, where the enemy had constructed a very strong redoubt, filled with heavy artillery. In co-operation with a powerful fire against Mud Fort, from some guns planted on the Western, or Pennsylvania side, an attack upon it and the rebel craft was resolved on. For this service, the Augusta, of 64 guns, and Merlin sloop were allotted. Owing to the navigation of the Channel being altered by the sunken obstacles which every where presented in deep water, both ran aground, as the bed of the river was also affected by them. This did not restrain Captain Reynolds, now Lord Ducie, from maintaining a heavy cannonade against the American works and vessels, or from successfully combating the effects of some fire-ships that approached for his destruction. The Augusta, either from a red hot shot, or her own wadding, was, after a warm contest, in flames, which suspended every hostile effort, and turned the attention of most to their own preservation.