The Pictorial Field-Book of the Revolution, Vol. 2 (of 2): or, Illustrations, by Pen And Pencil, of the History, Biography, Scenery, Relics, and Traditions of the War for IndependenceLossing, Benson John
History
The Pictorial Field-Book of the Revolution, Vol. 2 (of 2): or, Illustrations, by Pen And Pencil, of the History, Biography, Scenery, Relics, and Traditions of the War for Independence
Lossing, Benson John
United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783
The sites of many scenes of the Revolution are covered up and forgotten
forever. I tried in vain to find some living person who could point ont
the localities of the intrenchments which Howe caused to be thrown
up across the isthmus at Philadelphia, between the Delaware and the
Schuylkill, and the place of the encampment of the British army when
they first occupied the city. I am enabled, however, to point out those
localities through the aid of a more reliable cicerone than tradition, a
rare and valuable map of Philadelphia, (v) published in London in 1779,
the year following the evacuation of that city by the British. It was
drawn by competent engineers in the king's service. It is upon the same
scale as the plan of Philadelphia published in Tanner's Atlas in 1843.
By a careful comparison
* A picture of this building may be found in another part of this work.
** This is a mistake. Mr. Morris was never governor of Vermont. He was
clerk of the lower branch of the Legislature of that state in 1790, and
a member of Congress from 1797 to 1803.
*** Manhattan Bank.
**** Annals, i., 423.
* (v) This map is entitled, "A Plan of the City and Environs of
Philadelphia, with the works and encampments of his majesty's forces,
under the command of Lieutenant-general Sir William Howe, K.B."
[[[British Fortifications in Philadelphia.--The British
Encampment.--Personal Appearance of the British Officers.]]]
{309}of the two I have obtained the following result, which I am
satisfied is quite correct: The line of intrenchments from the Delaware
to the Schuylkill extended from the mouth of Conoquonoque Creek, just
above Willow Street, to the "Upper Ferry" on the Schuylkill, then
nearly on a line with Callowhill Street. They consisted of ten redoubts,
connected by strong palisades. The first redoubt, which was garrisoned
by the Queen's Rangers, under Simcoe, was near the junction of Green and
Oak Streets, and then near the forks of the roads leading to Frankford
and Kensington. The second redoubt was a little west of North Second and
Noble Streets; the third, between North Fifth and Sixth, and Noble and
Buttonwood Streets; the fourth, on Eighth Street, between Noble and
Buttonwood; the fifth, on Tenth, between Buttonwood and Pleasant; the
sixth, on Buttonwood, between Thirteenth and North Broad; the seventh,
on North Schuylkill Eighth, between Pennsylvania Avenue and Hamilton
Street; the eighth, on North Schuylkill Fifth and Pennsylvania Avenue;
the ninth, on North Schuylkill Second, near Callowhill Street; and the
tenth, on the bank of the Schuylkill, at the "Upper Ferry."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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