** See engraving, page 302. Watson has the following notice of the personal appearance of some of the British officers: "Sir William Howe was a fine figure, full six feet high, and well proportioned, not unlike in his appearance to General Washington. His manners were graceful, and he was much beloved by his officers and soldiers for his generosity and affability. Sir Henry Clinton, his successor, was short and fat, with a full face and prominent nose. In his intercourse he was reserved, and not so popular as Howe. Lord Cornwallis was short and thick-set, his hair somewhat gray, his face well formed and agreeable, his manners remarkably easy and affable. He was much beloved by his men. General Knyp-hausen was much of the German in his appearance; not tall, but slender and straight. His features were sharp; in manners he was very polite. He was gentle, and much esteemed. He spread his butter upon his bread with his thumb! Colonel Tarleton was rather below the middle size, stout, strong, heavily made, large muscular legs, dark complexion, and his eyes small, black, and piercing. He was very active. General Howe, while in Philadelphia, seized and kept for his own use Mary Pemberton's coach and horses, in which he used to ride about town."--Annals, ii., 287.
[[[Loss of the Delaware Frigate.--Torpedoes sent down the River from Bordentown.--"Battle of the Kegs."]]]
{ 310}Howe, resided in Chestnut Street, in the building occupied by the Farmers and Mechanics Bank; General Knyphausen lived in South Second, opposite Little Dock Street; Cornwallis's quarters were in Second, above Spruce Street; and Major André dwelt in Dr. Franklin's mansion in a court back from High Street.
As soon as the British had taken possession of Philadelphia, they erected three batteries near the river, to protect the city against the American shipping. ** Before the batteries were finished, Commodore Hazlewood ordered the Delaware and Montgomery frigates, each of twenty-four guns, and the sloop Fly, some galleys and gondolas, to move near and attack them. On the morning of the 27th of September, they opened a cannonade upon [[1777]] the works. The Delaware grounded, at the falling of the tide, near the present Upper Ferry to Camden from Kensington, and, before she could be got off, the guns of the British batteries compelled her colors to be struck. A schooner was driven ashore, and the remainder of the vessels escaped down the river. The affair was badly managed, and disaster followed. These batteries, as well as the lines of fortifications from the Delaware to the Schuylkill, have long since passed away.