Turtle Gut Inlet once separated the two islands that now make up the Wildwoods until it was filled in artificially in 1922 to create one large island. During the Revolutionary War, the waters around Cape May and the Wildwoods were important because they formed the opening of Delaware Bay, the only water route to Philadelphia, which served as the American capital in 1776. As the British Navy blockaded Delaware Bay to prevent war supplies from reaching Philadelphia, the brigantine Nancy sailed in early June carrying supplies including 386 barrels of gunpowder, 50 fire locks, 101 hogsheads of rum, and 62 hogsheads of sugar. Captain John Barry, later known as the "Father of the Navy," learned that Nancy would need protection against the British ships Orpheus and Kingfisher, and after receiving a flag signal from Nancy, he signaled Reprisal and Wasp to help. Longboats from all three American vessels went to assist. In the early hours of June 29, hidden by heavy fog and unable to enter Delaware Bay, Nancy headed for Turtle Gut Inlet, but when the fog lifted the British closed in. Nancy's captain, Hugh Montgomery, ran the ship onto the shoreline at Turtle Gut Inlet to gain distance from the British and allow supplies to be carried ashore. Under heavy British fire, the Americans unloaded two thirds of the cargo, but unable to withstand the cannon attack, Montgomery ordered the crew to abandon ship. He then made a fuse by wrapping gunpowder in a sail and leading it to the remaining gunpowder. After it was lit and the men left the vessel, British forces boarded without knowing the fuse had been set, and Nancy exploded, killing 30-40 men. The Americans lost one man, Lt. Richard Wickes, who is buried at Cold Spring Cemetery. The Battle of Turtle Gut Inlet took place fifteen months after the first battle of the Revolutionary War and was the only battle fought in Cape May County.