May 8, 1776

It is rare to see minute-by-minute accounts in newspapers from 1776 because of the time it took for news to travel. The exception is situations where alarms quickly communicated impending trouble. One example took place during the week of May 6, 1776. The account in the Pennsylvania Journal begins with a message received from Cape Henlopen, Delaware, “on Monday last, at 8 o’clock, A.M.” which had been written on Sunday “20 minutes after 11.” The writer warned about British ships, including HMS Roebuck, moving “up the bay” in the direction of Philadelphia. Then, on “Monday night, 10 o’clock,” another message reached Philadelphia from Port Penn, written earlier that day at “half past eleven o’clock.” This described “two ships of war, one top-sail schooner, and three smaller, supposed to be tenders,” in sight. Finally, a letter which arrived on Tuesday evening “at 5 o’clock,” express from Wilmington and dated that same day at two o’clock in the afternoon, described the same ships. The message across these hasty communications was clear: prepare to defend Philadelphia.

The Pennsylvania Journal; and the Weekly Advertiser
Printed by William and Thomas Bradford

The following was received by express on Monday last, at 8 o’clock, A.M.

Lewes-Town, Cape-Henlopen, May 5, (20 minutes after 11.)

“Yesterday one of the British pirates, with two tenders, stood out to sea and took a schooner and sent in here this morning with her two tenders.—At ten o’clock this morning the Roebuck and the other ship, with the two tenders and prize schooner, all got under sail with the wind, E.S.E. and went out of the road, and are making up the bay. They have got the sloop tender, Dawson’s boat and prize schooner, all a head of them, with intent, I believe, to sound the channel. The wind is fresh, therefore the whaleboats from here can be of no use; I have therefore sent off expresses to the different alarm posts.”

On Monday night, 10 o’clock, came to hand the following:

Port Penn, Monday, half past eleven o’clock.

“There are now in sight, two ships of war, one top-sail schooner, and three smaller, supposed to be tenders. We have heard above forty guns fired, but know not from which vessel.”

Yesterday evening, at 5 o’clock, arrived an express from Wilmington, (on Christiana creek) who brought the following:

Wilmington, Tuesday, May 7th, 2 o’clock, P.M.

“Mr. Bridges brigantine is just got into our creek, escorted by the Wasp.

The twenty gun ship is at the creek’s mouth, and has fired a gun, but the vessels are out of reach. We are preparing to defend them.—The Roebuck at Newcastle, and tenders.”