Colonel Frances Downman
Colonel Frances Downman was assigned to support Colonel von Donop's assault on Fort Mercer. He commanded two 5 1/2 inch howitzers for artillery support.
Excerpt from Colonel Downman's Journal
October 20th – This morning about 4 o’clock a firing of cannon and musketry was heard near Gloucester Point. We roused all hands up and went to our batteries in town along the shore. We heard a number
of boats rowing. We thought the galley’s were coming to fire on the Town, and just before daylight they came within hail of our sentry.
This morning Major Farrington came to me from Brigadier General Cleaveland to request that I would take command of two 5 1/2 inch howitzers ordered for immediate service. I was not ordered, he said, but the general hoped I would go as the service required a good officer. Ha! Ha! Ha! They were to be ready to embark at 4 o’clock in the morning. I had everything ready by 3 o’clock. The morning rainy and very cold at first, but cleared up as the day advanced.
October 21st – Three battalions of Hessian grenadiers, one ditto Minigerode, one ditto Mirbach, with 3 pounder guns, and myself with the two howtizers, began to embark in the flat-bottomed boats and other craft from the wharf at the upper end of the town, and crossed over to the Jersey side, landing without the least opposition. The whole were commanded by Colonel Donop. We began our march as soon as the last artillery were over, and about 8 o’clock at night we came to Haddonfield, where we remained till 4 o’clock the next morning.
October 22nd – We again set forward and only had a few popping shots Between this place and Red Bank where the rebels have raised a strong fort with cannon. It is absolutely necessary that we be in possession of
this fort for it not only protects their vessels, but also would annoy our shipping very much in passing whenever we are lucky enough to get over their chevaux-de-fries, and it likewise commands Mud Island, so that should we take Mud Island, unless we had this fort, also we should be very much disturbed by it. For these reasons General Howe ordered a detachment to storm it.
Colonel Donop asked to be employed for this service, which was granted him, and myself and men were the only English on this duty. We arrived before the place about 1 o’clock; at noon we examined it, and saw the
rebels at work which showed that the fort was not finished, or they were adding something to it on hearing we were near them. I think, therefore, we should have stormed it directly without the least loss of time as it was
to be done in daylight, but instead of an immediate attack, we did not begin until 5 o’clock in the afternoon.
The advancing of the troops was preceded by a brisk and close fire of all our artillery which continued some little time. Colonel Donop then ordered the whole to cease, and called to his troops to advance. They did so with a quantity of facines to fill up the ditch in front of the fort. Then began a very hot and close fire from the rebels, both of cannon and musketry which was kept up without intermission from the time our troops advanced till they retreated again.
It is hard to say what was the cause of this attempt failing, but so it did, and whether from inability of the troops to fill up the ditch and mount the breastwork, from the loss of Colonel Donop and the number of officers at the first onset, or from being flanked by the row galleys with grape shot, whether from being tired from the march, or from want of spirit and activity to push forward over those who were killed and wounded in the front, is what I shall not presume to determine. It is enough to say that we were obliged to retire, and that in much confusion for by this time it was quite dark.
We retired about a mile all in a bustle and disorder, then stopped about an hour or so to get the troops disposed into some order, and to collect the wounded and carry them in the best way we could, for not a wagon was thought of, and had it not been for the ammunition wagons a number must have been left behind.
of boats rowing. We thought the galley’s were coming to fire on the Town, and just before daylight they came within hail of our sentry.
This morning Major Farrington came to me from Brigadier General Cleaveland to request that I would take command of two 5 1/2 inch howitzers ordered for immediate service. I was not ordered, he said, but the general hoped I would go as the service required a good officer. Ha! Ha! Ha! They were to be ready to embark at 4 o’clock in the morning. I had everything ready by 3 o’clock. The morning rainy and very cold at first, but cleared up as the day advanced.
October 21st – Three battalions of Hessian grenadiers, one ditto Minigerode, one ditto Mirbach, with 3 pounder guns, and myself with the two howtizers, began to embark in the flat-bottomed boats and other craft from the wharf at the upper end of the town, and crossed over to the Jersey side, landing without the least opposition. The whole were commanded by Colonel Donop. We began our march as soon as the last artillery were over, and about 8 o’clock at night we came to Haddonfield, where we remained till 4 o’clock the next morning.
October 22nd – We again set forward and only had a few popping shots Between this place and Red Bank where the rebels have raised a strong fort with cannon. It is absolutely necessary that we be in possession of
this fort for it not only protects their vessels, but also would annoy our shipping very much in passing whenever we are lucky enough to get over their chevaux-de-fries, and it likewise commands Mud Island, so that should we take Mud Island, unless we had this fort, also we should be very much disturbed by it. For these reasons General Howe ordered a detachment to storm it.
Colonel Donop asked to be employed for this service, which was granted him, and myself and men were the only English on this duty. We arrived before the place about 1 o’clock; at noon we examined it, and saw the
rebels at work which showed that the fort was not finished, or they were adding something to it on hearing we were near them. I think, therefore, we should have stormed it directly without the least loss of time as it was
to be done in daylight, but instead of an immediate attack, we did not begin until 5 o’clock in the afternoon.
The advancing of the troops was preceded by a brisk and close fire of all our artillery which continued some little time. Colonel Donop then ordered the whole to cease, and called to his troops to advance. They did so with a quantity of facines to fill up the ditch in front of the fort. Then began a very hot and close fire from the rebels, both of cannon and musketry which was kept up without intermission from the time our troops advanced till they retreated again.
It is hard to say what was the cause of this attempt failing, but so it did, and whether from inability of the troops to fill up the ditch and mount the breastwork, from the loss of Colonel Donop and the number of officers at the first onset, or from being flanked by the row galleys with grape shot, whether from being tired from the march, or from want of spirit and activity to push forward over those who were killed and wounded in the front, is what I shall not presume to determine. It is enough to say that we were obliged to retire, and that in much confusion for by this time it was quite dark.
We retired about a mile all in a bustle and disorder, then stopped about an hour or so to get the troops disposed into some order, and to collect the wounded and carry them in the best way we could, for not a wagon was thought of, and had it not been for the ammunition wagons a number must have been left behind.