On the 7th of September I left the city of Brotherly Love, on my way to
this town.
After sailing down the Delaware about two hours, in the water stage, our
skipper run us on a sand bank. As there was no remedy but to wait
patiently for the flow of tide, a party of us borrowed a boat, and went a
shooting on the islands with which this part of the Delaware abounds. We
landed at Fort Miflin, which was the principal obstruction to general
Howe's progress up the river, in his way to Philadelphia, and obliged him
to go several hundred miles round; this fort also kept the whole british
fleet at bay, for some time after the army had taken possession of that
city.
Fort Miflin, or Mud Fort (so called from it's low situation) is on an
island in the Delaware, about one third nearer the Pennsylvania, than the
Jersey shore.
During the first general attack of the british fleet the fort set fire to
the Augusta, of 64 guns, and she shortly after blew up; and the Merlin
sloop was so roughly handled, that she was hastily evacuated. The british
admiral then procured a pilot, who carried two men of war, cut down for
that purpose, on the Pennsylvania side of the island; a manoeuvre the
Americans deemed impracticable. The works of the fort were now completely
enfiladed, and on the 15th of November, the British began; a desperate
attack, both from their ships on each side the island, and from a battery
on the Pennsylvania shore.
The fort was supported by a battery on, the opposite side, and some
row-gallies.
The british fire was heavy and well directed: they are supposed to have
fired 1030 shots, weighing from 12 to 32 pounds, every 20 minutes, which,
by the middle of the day, nearly levelled the works with the mud. This was
the moment to storm the fort, which being lost by the British, the remains
of the brave garrison made their retreat good to the Jersey shore the same
night.
The British now having the complete command of the Delaware, totally
dismantled this fort: in which state it remained till last year, when a
french engineer was engaged to put it again into a state of defence. The
works are already in great forwardness: the parapets are, according to the
new french improvements, without embrasures, and the guns mounted on false
carriages.
We also landed on several of, the other islands, and had tolerable sport.
At high water we proceeded on our voyage, and about twelve the next day
arrived at Newcastle; whence I walked to Glasgow, a small village within a
few miles of the river Elk, where general Howe landed his troops, after
sailing two hundred and fifty miles up the bay of Chesapeak. His head
quarters were at the house where I slept; the landlord also informed me,
that I lay on the same bed general Washington occupied four times a year,
in his way to his seat at Mount Vernon; an honour I did not _exactly_ know
the _value_ of till the next morning, when he brought in _his bill_; after
satisfying my conscientious landlord, I walked to French Town, which
consists of _two houses_. This _town_ is about 17 miles from the Delaware,
and has a communication with the Chesapeak by means of the river Elk. But
there is a nearer approximation of the Chesapeak to the Delaware, from a
creek running into the latter at Apoquiminick, where the distance is only
7 miles: over this neck of land, all the trade between Philadelphia and
Baltimore is conveyed in waggons. How soon would a canal be cut in such a
situation in England!
I embarked in the Baltimore pacquet; had a pleasant sail down the Elk; in
four hours entered the bay, and arrived here the same evening.
_September 12th._
The yellow fever is certainly in town. Is it not astonishing the example
of Philadelphia last year did not teach the inhabitants of Baltimore the
necessity of building a lazaretto, and establishing a strict quarantine on
all vessels from the infected islands in the West Indies? The first was
not even attempted, and the last so carelessly performed, that I am
mistaken if the fever has not been imported into more than _one_ part
of the town.
_Sept. 29th_.--The theatre closed at the request of the committee of
health, the fever gaining ground rapidly, and the inhabitants quitting the
town as fast as possible.
_October the 2d_.
The committee of health published their list of deaths, which they mean to
continue every 24 hours. Died since the 1st of August 344 persons. The
next day a violent cold and penetrating N.W. wind set in, with uncommon
severity, which has entirely stopped the infection.
_Oct. 14th_.--The late cold weather has completely destroyed the
yellow fever. The inhabitants are returned, and trade is restored to its
usual course.
Yours, sincerely, &c.
* * * * *
Baltimore and the Point[Footnote: Or Fell's Point, the name given to a
small but well-situated town about a mile lower down the bay.] may be
considered but as one town, as the interval that parts them is already
laid out for building.
There is not perhaps on the face of the earth so many excellent situations
for a sea-port as in this vicinity; and yet they have fixed on the very
spot where the town should _not_ be.
Baltimore, by being built so far from the bay of Chesapeak, has not depth
of water for a vessel of two hundred tons, nearer than the Point. The
lower part of the town is a dead flat, intersected with canals and docks,
filled with stagnated water from the Basin: owing to this circumstance the
town is unhealthy at certain seasons, and subject, in the fall, to
musquitoes: these inconveniences might have been avoided by building the
town a mile lower, on either side the bay.
But there is a much better situation for a town and port on an inlet from
the Patapsico, west of the town, round a point, which runs about W.N.W.
where I have marked No. 10.
On this spot is water for a vessel of eight hundred tons burden,
sufficiently fresh to exclude the worms, and at the same time a current
strong enough to prevent stagnation. A bay perfectly secure from the N.W.
and other dangerous winds, a gradual rise of ground consisting of a fine
dry gravel to build upon; in short, every natural advantage. This was the
original situation designed for the town; but the proprietor was concerned
in a wharf in this neighbourhood, and fearing the new town would injure
his business, positively refused his consent to the proposals made him on
this occasion, and by that means, lost one of the first estates perhaps
ever offered to an individual.
I was in this bay, on a fishing party, a few days ago, with one of his
descendants, who was lamenting the infatuation of his ancestor. This
gentleman was so kind as to point out and explain the foregoing
particulars.
You will naturally inquire how the town came to be built in it's present
situation? The governor of the province was proprietor of most of the
land. Is not _that_ a sufficient reason.
About forty years ago the two towns of Baltimore, and the Point, contained
only _two_ brick houses, and a few wooden ones: in a late edition of
Salmon's Geography, I find Baltimore described as consisting of a few
straggling houses, scarcely deserving the _name_ of a _town_. Within these
fifteen years it has increased in size and population beyond all
precedent. It now contains nearly twenty thousand inhabitants; and, in
point of trade, Baltimore is the fourth town in America.
The following anecdote will give you some idea of the growth of the town,
and amazing increase in the value of land:--
An english gentleman, who emigrated to this country some years ago, built
a small _country seat_ on the side of the race ground; this house is
now in the possession of a colonel Rogers, and in the _centre street of
Baltimore_. The colonel has sold the wings for two thousand guineas to
build upon, and still retains the house.
But the improvements have not advanced in proportion to the buildings;
there is scarcely a dozen lamps in the whole town, which is badly paved,
&c.
All the inhabitants agree as to the necessity of establishing a powerful,
and energetic government, for the regulation of the town, _somewhere_; but
though frequent town meetings have been called, they cannot agree about
the _means_.
Something must soon be done, as the nuisances are every day increasing.
Yours sincerely, &c.
Since writing the above, the general assembly has ordered fifty thousand
dollars be raised by lottery, which are laid out in paving the town, and
clearing the Basin. Two enormous machines have been constructed on the
dutch plan, to work with oxen, which make such progress in clearing the
channel, that it is expected in a few years it will be sufficiently deep,
to admit the largest merchantmen to come up to the wharfs of the town. And
since my landing in England, my brother informs me, Baltimore is at last
incorporated; a vigorous police established; and improvements are going on
with spirit.
* * * * *
_Baltimore, November 27th, 1794._