Many Continental ships were trapped in the Delaware River watershed above Philadelphia following the capture of that city by the British Army in 1777. Prior to departing the city in 1778, the British staged a raid to destroy ships that Continental and state forces had secreted in various waterways on May 8.[3] A significant number of these were located in and around Bordentown, with two known to have been scuttled in Crosswicks Creek. These two wrecks were discovered by an historical archaeological survey in 1984.[4]