▁ 2 2 ▁and ▁ 2 3 , ▁ 1 7 7 7 ▁with ▁the ▁destruction ▁of ▁two ▁British ▁ships . ▁ ▁The ▁two ▁for ts ▁were ▁taken ▁by ▁land ▁forces ▁in ▁November , ▁and ▁the ▁n avy ▁was ▁then ▁forced ▁to ▁withdraw ▁up river . ▁ ▁Un f avor able ▁wind s ▁slow ed ▁their ▁progress , ▁and ▁four ▁ships ▁( Mont gom ery , ▁Del aware , ▁Arnold , ▁and ▁Put nam ) ▁were ▁burn ed ▁to ▁prevent ▁their ▁capture . ▁ ▁In ▁April ▁ 1 7 7 8 ▁most ▁of ▁the ▁fleet ▁was ▁destroyed ▁in ▁advance ▁of ▁expected ▁British ▁operations ▁against ▁it . ▁ ▁However , ▁news ▁that ▁the ▁British ▁were ▁going ▁to ▁withdraw ▁from ▁Philadelphia ▁led ▁to ▁its ▁res urre ction , ▁and ▁in ▁July ▁Captain ▁Haz el wood ▁reported ▁that ▁the ▁brig ▁Convention ▁was ▁ready ▁for ▁action . ▁ ▁Its ▁existence ▁as ▁a ▁significant ▁force ▁was ▁limited ▁by ▁the ▁arrival ▁of ▁a ▁French ▁fleet ▁on ▁the ▁North ▁American ▁coast , ▁and ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 7 7 8 ▁the ▁state ' s ▁assembly ▁voted ▁to ▁sell ▁off ▁most ▁of ▁its ▁remaining ▁ships , ▁keeping ▁only ▁the ▁Convention ▁and ▁a ▁few ▁smaller ▁ships . ▁ ▁The ▁smaller ▁ships ▁proved ▁in ade qu ate ▁protection ▁for ▁the ▁trade ▁ships ▁of ▁Pennsylvania ' s ▁mer ch ants . ▁ ▁In ▁response ▁to ▁their ▁pet itions , ▁the ▁state ▁author ized ▁the ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁General ▁Gre ene ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 7 7 9 . ▁ ▁Under ▁her ▁captain , ▁James