Province and Carpenter’s Islands

Beginning on October 7, 1777, Capt. John Montresor and his British troops began construction on a series of artillery batteries on Province and Carpenter’s Islands to attack Fort Mifflin.  The Americans attempted to stop the construction of the batteries by bombarding the British positions from Comm. John Hazelwood’s vessels in the Delaware River and land based attacks on October 11 and 12. Ultimately, the British were able to finish construction of the batteries and continue the siege of Fort Mifflin.

The activities during these seven days were crucial for the Americans in their quest to keep control of the Delaware River as long as possible. The British occupied Philadelphia on September 26, 1777, but without the river in their control, supplies could not be brought in to sustain the troops or the Loyalists in the city. Thus, they were there somewhat under siege. The longer the American troops could hold the Delaware River, the less strategic Philadelphia's capture was for the British. Success in construction of artillery batteries assured that the British would be able to wrest control of the fort, and thus the river, from the Americans.