Cheveaux-di-Frise

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The origins of the ship-stopping device trace back to the Dutch War of Independence—an eighty-year conflict between 1568 and 1648—where it was initially used on land to thwart cavalry charges. Modified in both name and function by colonial soldiers, the chevaux-de-frise became the primary choice for defending the Delaware River against British warships. Benjamin Whitall is credited as one of several local men who contributed “two hundred and ninety-six pine logs to be used in making the chevaux-de-frise,” a generous donation that likely did not sit well with his deeply devout Quaker mother.

Once a land-based defensive weapon, the chevaux-de-frise was reimagined for naval warfare in the late 18th century. Stone-filled wooden boxes were attached to its base, and the entire structure was submerged in the muddy banks of the Delaware River. The result was a formidable barrier between Philadelphia and the advancing British navy, with Red Bank serving as a critical link in this maritime fortification.

By 1775, at least 17 of these defensive devices had been constructed and sunk into the Delaware River. Their locations were kept secret, known only to a select few trusted individuals who were tasked with navigating friendly ships through the treacherous, unpredictable layout—resembling a modern-day minefield. What remains, though weathered and worn, reveal the massive size and scope of the chevaux-de-frise.

Over time, degradation has taken its toll, but the steel spear tips, an integral component of the device, remain. Reports from the time suggest the chevaux-de-frise were “more than adequate for penetrating a warship’s hull; running against the spears could halt a vessel, and several penetrations might even sink it.”

The iron tip would have been affixed to the end of each spear. This addition amplified the chevaux-de-frise’s penetrating force. The material was recovered during a dredging operation in the 1950s, and the shed housing the chevaux-de-frise is carefully designed to preserve its integrity and protect it from further decay.

There is ongoing debate over whether Dr. Benjamin Franklin was the mastermind behind the implementation of the chevaux-de-frise. However, research suggests that a committee was appointed to visit Red Bank to survey the river and its islands, and Franklin was tasked with procuring a model of a pike. This is believed to have directly led to the creation of the chevaux-de-frise, a defensive innovation often attributed to Franklin’s genius.