n near where she was sitting.

"At that she gathered up her work and went down to the cellar.

"At the close of the battle the wounded and dying were brought into her
house and she left her work to wait upon them and do all in her power to
relieve their sufferings.

"She attended to all, friend and foe, with equal kindness, but scolded
the Hessians for coming to America to butcher the people."

"I am sure she must have been a good woman," remarked Grace; "but, oh, I
don't know how she could dare to stay in the house while those dreadful
balls were flying about it."

"No doubt she felt that she was in the way of her duty," replied the
captain, "and the path of duty is the safe one. She seems to have been a
good Christian woman."

"Yes, indeed!" said Evelyn. "Captain, did not the British attack Fort
Mifflin at the same time that the fight was in progress at Fort
Mercer?"

"Yes; the firing of the first gun from the Hessian battery was the
signal for the British vessels in the river to begin the assault upon
the other fort on its opposite side.

"The _Augusta_ and several smaller vessels had made their way through
the passage in the _chevaux de frise_ which Hammond had opened, and were
now anchored above it, waiting for flood tide.

"The _Augusta_ was a sixty-four gun ship; besides there were the
_Merlin_, of eighteen guns; the _Roebuck_, of forty-four; two frigates,
and a galley. All these came up with the purpose to attack the fort, but
were kept at bay by the American galleys and floating batteries, which
also did good service by flanking the enemy in their attack upon Fort
Mercer.

"The British deferred their attack upon Fort Mifflin until the next
morning, when, the Hessians having been driven off from Fort Mercer, the
American flotilla was able to turn its attention entirely upon the
British fleet, which now opened a heavy cannonade upon Fort Mifflin,
attempting also to get floating batteries into the channel back of the
island.

"But Lieutenant-Colonel Smith, a gallant officer in command of the fort,
very vigilant and brave, thwarted all their efforts and greatly assisted
the flotilla in repulsing them.

"The fire of the Americans was so fierce and incessant that the British
vessels presently tried to fall down the stream to get beyond its reach.
But a hot shot struck the _Augusta_ and set her on fire. She also got
aground on a mud bank near the Jersey shore and at noon blew up.

"The fight between t