During the Revolutionary War, Rebecca Stillwell lived at her fathers' Ferry House in Cape May County, New Jersey. All men and boys of 15 years or older had been ordered into the Army and the women were alone. Privateers had captured British supplies which they stored nearby for the Continental Army. Tories learned about the supplies, and that they were unguarded and had notified the British. The British decided to raid this storehouse.
Rebecca saw the British ship approaching. It anchored and lowered a boat filled with sailors who began to row toward the Ferry House. A cannon was standing in the front yard, loaded and ready for action. When the British boat was within range, she fired the cannon and the load of grapeshot went its way just above the heads of the Redcoats. The sailors stopped rowing. They turned around, rowed back to their ship and sailed away. The storehouse was saved!