On July 5, 1776, one day after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the Congress of the United States of America made its first land purchase: a one hundred acre plot of land located in what is now the Billingsport section of Paulsboro. Fort Billingsport was constructed here in order to blockade the British fleet from reaching Philadelphia. [1]
"Defenses along the Delaware River were planned - to protect Philadelphia, the capital of the new republic, against a possible invading naval force. Aware of these defenses, the British entered the Chesapeake and took the capital by the land route.
"By late September 1777, the enemy was in the rear of these defenses and could bring up cannon along the Pennsylvania shore. The fort at Billingsport, on the New Jersey side of the river, was part of these defenses, but because all the breastworks faced down-river, the fort was unprepared to resist an assault from the rear. With an attack on Billingsport more than a possibility, General George Washington ordered the garrison evacuated to Fort Mifflin on 28 September, but it was already too late.
"That very night the British 10th and 42d (Black Watch) Regiments marched out of Germantown destined to take Billingsport. During the next two days they moved down to Chester, crossed the Delaware near Marcus Hook, and marched up the New Jersey side toward the fort. Along the way they twice routed New Jersey militia forces under Brigadier General Silas Newcomb.
"With news of the Jersey militia in retreat, Colonel William Bradford ordered the immediate evacuation of the 112-man Billingsport garrison to Fort Mifflin on the morning of 2 October. Guard boats officered by Continental Marine Lieutenants Dennis Leary and William Barney of the brig Andrew Doria worked feverishly until most of the ammunition and men were transferred to safety. A few Marines remained behind to spike the guns and set fire to the fort's buildings.
"By noon all had been completed and there were several exchanges of shot as the last of the evacuation force jumped into the one remaining guard boat and started rowing out to the Andrew Doria."
[2]
A small monument (shown below) pays tribute to Continental Marine Lieutenants Dennis Leary and William Barney.
