It appears that one, Anderson, had proposed a scheme to the Continental Congress for destroying the British fleet, then lying in the harbor of New York, with fire-ships ; and he had been ofiiciaily recommended to General Washington, by the President of the Congress, with a request that the experiment should be made.' The General had, accordingly, employed Anderson in constructing two fire-vessels; and, on the eiglitli of August, they were sent up the river,* for the purpo.se of destroying a portion, at least, of the squadron which seems to have continued to occupy its anchorage, off Tarrytown, although, by some, it is said to have dropped down the river, to the vicinity of the Lower Yonkers. One of these vessels was commanded by Captain Fosdick, the other by
-The Pviinsylrauifi Jounial ; and the Wcehht Adi'ertiaer, No. 1757, PHii.AnEi,i"iiiA, Wednesday, August 7, 1771).
For other accounts of this early naval action, see an Extract uf a letter from New Yorh, dated August 4, 1770, in Force's American Ai-chit't-s.Tifth Series, i. 751 ; General Woshimjtim to the President of ( 'ongress, " New-York, 5 "August, 177G The VenmyUania Evening Po«<, Volume II., No. 241, Phil- AUEi.riiiA, Tuesday, August li, 1776; The Coniiecticnt Oazelte and Uninrsal liitfllitjenerr. Vol. II., No. 666, New-London, Friday, .August 16, 177U; [Ilall'sJ Uvitonj of the Civil War in America^ i., 186, who said " most of till; galleys were ran on shore, and taken ; " Memoirs of General H' uth, .M ; Ramsay's 7/i/</or// of the Americm lievohttion. Edit. London, 17iU, i., '2'J8, a mere mention ; Allen's Ui&torij of the American Revolution, Edit. Baltimore, 1S22, i., 429 ; Wilson's Hiulvry of llu- American HevoUition, lOd. Baltimore, lS4:i, 157; Force's American Archives, V., i., 751 ; Irving's Life of WuMnglon, Edit. New Y'ork, 1856, ii., 299.