Rodney's Diary and Other Delaware Records
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V r Cornell University Library F 165 T94 Rodney's diary and other Delaware record 3 1924 028 865 298 olln DLlN LIBRARY - CIRCULATION DATE DLJE PHINTED IN U.S.A. The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://archive.org/details/cu31924028865298 RODNEY'S DIARY AND OTHER DELAWARE RECORDS COMPILED BY C. H. B. TURNER LEWES, DELAWARE PHILADELPHIA ALLEN, LANE & SCOTT 1911 PREFACE Through the courtesy of Richard S. Rodney I was permit- ted to copy the diary of his ancestor, the Hon. Daniel Rodney. The other "Delaware Records" are bits found scattered through New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland archives, together with a few Wills from the Will Books in Georgetown, Delaware. The marriages (Delaware) were recorded in Deed Books in Georgetown. C. H. B. T. — — DANIEL RODNEY'S DIARY. Mr Alex Stewart has reque"! from Mr Saunders and other Pilots inform" relative to the number of shales the alterat" if any in the shoals near the Cape &c—As the Pilots are so often in the City, an are not much in the habit of writg, some of the answers to the ques*"' prop'i could be obtained there In Lewes Creek there are 10 or 12 Coasters, most of them owned about Ind River, in the Shingle trade from Suffolk to Phil & N. York and abt the same number of River Shallops and Pilot Boat belongg to Lewes—The next Creek B Kill has abt 20 that trade to the City—Egg Harbor, &c The Survey of the Shears and adjacent Shoals made by Capt" Hewit some years ago, is thot to be correct, and no alteration is known to have taken place since Col. McClane, the Collector is supposed to have obtained a good survey of the Brandy^ where the Light is now established, and also of the Brown, Cross Ledge &c where Light Boats and Buoys have long been anchored I reed some time in Janv some of the memor'= in favor of the Breakwater near the Cape, which were promptly attend<i to and sent to Mr Johns our Rept at Washing" It is probable Congress will make an approp", sufficient at least to author* the commencement of the Work If they should, the great question for the Merchants and others to decide will be where to begin it—I have conversed with Pilots and others on that subject, who think the situat" in the Cove near the Pitch of the Cape will not answer, for several reasons—When the ice is making with the Wind at N. W & N. N. W as it generally does it lodges in the Cove and fills it entirely when the Road is clear and even the Shore above the Whale Boat landing 2nd Vessels in the night, in thick weather, or in Easterly Storms would not run on a lee shore, in the Breakers and risk getting in this harbour, where they could not anchor, nor fetch out to sea again There are other reasons that appeal to me to exclude this situation tho I would not set up my Opin" ags* that of others, who may be more interes"!, or better qualif^^ to form a correct Judgement—This harbour recove^ by Gen Bun<l &c would be but a half mile from the Bar in the Cove—I am persuaded it would fill up with mud—I remem- ber the British Sloop of War Brach* was upset inside the Cape, in a squall, the next year 1798, the Hind Frigate and a Schooner from Halifax attempted to raise her, but failed, I was on board the Frigate with C. Bennett, and they ascertained the fact as they told me that the Brig was filled with mud Another situation is that proposed by Capt° Hewit on the inside the Shears, this I should consider much preferable to the first, tho objections would be made to it, that it is too far off the Road, or Shore, * de Braak. — 4 DANIEL RODNEY S DIARY. and too bleak and exposed to Winds coming from the sea, as well as to N. W Winds ranging down from Mispillion, and would conseq'y loose the advantage of the natural Harbour, referred to by the En- gineer, in all Winds coming off the Land from S E. to N. W. If those two situat"^ should be aban^ the 3<i that has been suggested would be a little outside the Pilot Boats roadstead, so as to secure 4X or 5 fathom or so much as may be tho' sufficient for the largest ships of War to haul in occasionally This Scite would be ab* N. N. E. from Lewes, would be in the best holding ground—would be generally free from ice, would not cost much if any thing more than Capt° Hewits estimate, unless it should be made more capacious, and what is of great importance, could be found, or approached in thick and Tempestuous weather with more safety than any other, by taking soundings round the Shears when the Light House could not be seen From my acquaitance with you, and knowing you to be interest"! in any measures that may improve the navigat" of the Delaware, I have taken the Liberty, of furnishing those hints some of which may be found useful in commencing a work of such importance—If it should not be too troublesome I shall thank you to mention to Mr Stuart what I have said in relation to inquiries of John Saunders Sen'' Pilot, I have also talked with W" Marshall Sen'' and Jas. West and some other Pilots on this subject—You will please to mention also to Mr Ralston what I have said in relation to the Memorial which he directed to my care Our Citizens are all anxious that this work should succeed and most of them signed it I presume the Chamber of Commerce have Capt" Hewits survey or it may be purchased in the City, it is certainly the best we have ever had of our Shore, and Road, the Shears &c up to Boyds Shoal, it was done from actual survey, by an able hand, and should be preserved I suppose Mr John Leamy the Merchant is still living, I recollect in the Winter of 83-4 He came from Cadiz in a Ship—Capt Cole it was a cold Winter and calm, this ship (with IS or 20 others driving in the ice) 3 miles to the S of the Cape drove ashore, landed her cargo in good Order, and the ice took her off again without injury—4 years before this was the hardest Winter we ever had since my memv and no ice was seen in the Bay, the Wind confi 5 weeks at W. N. W. and blew the ice to sea as it made, so that a ship could have laid in our road all Winter perfectly smooth and safe 1813. March 14. Sunday a British Ship of the Line came in and anchored opposite Lewes. Monday a Frigate and a Tender came in and all anchored below the Brown 7 or 8 mile from Lewes, this day they took a Ship, sent her out, a Schooner and two Sloops, also sent two Boats and ran a Shallop of Sam'. Paynters on shore at plumb point also one of Jn° Smiths, Cap. Robins, the last of which they burnt. The Town of Lewes was alarmed and the Whale Boat sent down, and near 100 men on the Cape to keep the boat of. Tuesday 16 March 1813 this morng. a Schooner from Charleston loaded with Cotton & Rice anchored close in with the bar. Pilots DANIEL RODNEY S DIARY. 5 went on board and carried her over the bar at Lewes Creek, flats were sent down and got out some Cotton, 2 four Pounders, there baggage &c upwards of 100 men from Lewes also went down to her. the British Ships sent 4 of thier boats, and after a sharp engagement with 1 four pounder and small arms, the British succeeded in burning the Schooner —for more than 3 Weeks there has been a Guard kept of 12 men and for the last 3 nights from 20 to 30. the Schooner that was burnt was the Fancy. Cap. Denton of Phila- delphia Wednesday 17' March 1813 on Monday last an Express was sent to the Governor Haslet requesting him to send a Detachment of Militia to Lewes, and last eveng another Express to send us some Powder, and Ball, which we hear had been procured in Milford—I sent for a Keg of Powder yesterday to Geo. Robinson—We have yet had no supply from our own or U. S. Goverm' except the musquets, and cartridges, that came last Sum'' all our preparations, and services performed here have been at the expence of the inhabitants who are now preparing to throw up some batt^ for defense of the Town—this eveng. 15 or 20 of the Militia from Millsborogh came in and Dav'^ Paynter, John Parker and afterwards Jn° West were app a committe to procure provisions, houses &c for the men, and to keep an ace' of their expences, and of building the batteries, the attend^ of the men &c Captn^ Davis, and Rodney app'i to Superintend builg the Bat- teries &c—G. McCrachen, and John Ware to have charge of the Magazine—the Express to the Gov'' ref^ with 4 kegs of Powder and a letter to Coll Hall that he had ord the whole of Sussex Militia out, part of Kent &:.