May 9, 1776

Following up on the previous day’s report in the Pennsylvania Journal, on May 9, Benjamin Towne’s Pennsylvania Evening Post notified Philadelphians that British ships, the Roebuck and Liverpool, “in attempting to come up our river, were yesterday attacked by the gondolas,” or row boats tasked with defending the Delaware River. A “heavy cannonade ensued on both sides, which lasted three hours,” and then the Roebuck ran aground. 

Towne noted that “various reports have been circulated” concerning the conflict in the Delaware River. He claimed that “the most authentic intelligence” suggested that the Americans had sustained “little damage.” Towne also explained that his evening newspaper went to press at five o’clock in the afternoon, and no express messengers had arrived in Philadelphia since seven o’clock on the evening of May 8. This was an important reminder that the situation may have changed, and Philadelphians would need to continue to be on alert.

The Pennsylvania Evening Post
Printed by Benjamin Towne

The Roebuck and Liverpoole men of war, in attempting to come up our river, were yesterday attacked by the gondolas off Christiana, and a heavy cannonade ensued on both sides, which lasted for three hours. While the ships were retiring with the ebb tide, the Roebuck ran aground, and continued in that situation when the last accounts came away. Various reports have been circulated concerning the above affair, but from the most authentic intelligence we have received, it appears little damage has been sustained on our side. The attack was to be renewed in the night, the issue of which we are unacquainted with, as no express has arrived since last night at seven o’clock, and this paper went to press at five.