. ▁ ▁Oper ations ▁The ▁n avy ▁saw ▁action ▁on ▁May ▁ 6 , ▁ 1 7 7 6 , ▁when ▁they ▁engaged ▁the ▁British ▁ships ▁Ro eb uck ▁ 4 4 ▁and ▁Liverpool ▁ 2 8 . ▁The ▁British ▁were ▁forced ▁to ▁withdraw ▁to ▁New castle , ▁Del aware . ▁ ▁The ▁fleet ▁was ▁also ▁active ▁in ▁keeping ▁British ▁troops ▁away ▁from ▁the ▁river ' s ▁eastern ▁shore ▁when ▁General ▁George ▁Washington ▁retre ated ▁across ▁New ▁Jersey ▁following ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁New ▁York ▁City . ▁ ▁Haz el wood ▁was ▁instrument al ▁in ▁prevent ing ▁German ▁troops ▁from ▁quarter ing ▁in ▁Bur ling ton , ▁New ▁Jersey , ▁a ▁town ▁sympath etic ▁to ▁the ▁Lo yal ist ▁cause , ▁by ▁bomb arding ▁it ▁when ▁troops ▁were ▁sp otted ▁there . ▁ ▁This ▁forced ▁their ▁commander , ▁Carl ▁von ▁Don op , ▁to ▁quarter ▁his ▁troops ▁much ▁more ▁widely , ▁and ▁may ▁have ▁contributed ▁to ▁Washington ' s ▁successful ▁battle ▁at ▁Tr ent on ▁on ▁December ▁ 2 6 , ▁ 1 7 7 6 . ▁▁ ▁The ▁Pennsylvania ▁State ▁Navy ▁was ▁responsible ▁for ▁defense ▁of ▁the ▁river ▁when ▁Philadelphia ▁was ▁occupied ▁by ▁British ▁General ▁Sir ▁William ▁How e , ▁and ▁the ▁Royal ▁Navy ▁wanted ▁to ▁res upp ly ▁How e ' s ▁army . ▁ ▁At ▁first ▁the ▁combined ▁Pennsylvania ▁and ▁Cont inental ▁fleet ▁was ▁successful , ▁rep ul sing ▁one ▁attempt ▁by ▁the ▁British ▁to ▁pass ▁the ▁def enses ▁of ▁Fort s ▁Mer cer ▁and ▁M if fl in ▁on ▁October