HMS Augusta
Ship Of The Line · Great Britain · Lost 1777 · The New Jersey Coast
A 64-gun British warship ran aground and exploded on the Delaware River while trying to force past American defenses during the Battle of Red Bank.
The Vessel and Her Loss
HMS Augusta, a 64-gun Royal Navy ship of the line, sailed up the Delaware River with other warships on 22 October 1777 to support British troops attacking Fort Mercer. She grounded on a shoal near river obstructions, came under heavy fire, caught fire, and exploded on 23 October. Her hull was raised roughly a century later, and relics from her wreck are held by New Jersey historical collections.
Vessel
- 1763
- Wells and Stanton
- Rotherhithe, London
- Wood
- 159 ft
- 44.6 ft
- 1381
- Sail, full-rigged ship
- Royal Navy
Loss
- October 23, 1777
- Grounding
- Delaware River, off Fort Mercer, National Park, New Jersey
- Delaware River
- Philadelphia (attempting to resupply British forces)
- Not established
- Not established
- Casualty figures from the explosion are not established in the sources reviewed.
- Francis Reynolds
The Wreck Today
- Not established
- Hull raised and dismantled in the 19th century; scattered timbers and artifacts recovered onshore
- Not established
- Raised circa 1870s-1900s
- Not established
Position
- 39.87° N 75.19° W
- Approximate position
- National Park, New Jersey
Approximate position near Fort Mercer earthworks, National Park, New Jersey.
Evidence
Overall confidence: Documented (85/100)
Precise crew casualty figures from the explosion are not established in the sources reviewed.
Naval History and Heritage Command
Loss date, location, and cause.
