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Washim o s- mi in Washington Park, Newark, N. J. 
Erected to commemorate Washington's Retreat through Newark 



THE BATTLES IN 
THE JERSEYS 

AM) 

THE SIGNIFK VNCE OF EACH 



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\\ II I I \M ( . ARMSTRONG 

ax ••( the N< ■»» J- r-. -. -.1. u i\ of the Son* 
ni the \Mii a ic .tii Revolution 



PnhUahed l-v 

I In- • n-t\ of the 

I ...Intl. >n 

\|..% 16th, 1916 






cult 

Author 

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THE BATTLES IN THE JERSEYS 

AND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF EACH 

K characteristic of the American 

/^-«*'^y Involution is that the question at 
* '«* v > I * 88Ue touched the bedrock of human 

■ iSt^ffil 1 "'r> r ' 1,> :ls atlVct.-il by civil ^ovi-nmu-nt. 

It was not a uar for trade, or for an- 
aexai ion, or for race dominance ; it was for inalien- 
able rights belonging to all peoples, in all lands, 
throughout .-ill times. 

Our Revolution stands pre-eminent also in the 
magnitude and permanency of it- results both here 
and abroad. It established a world-power here; 
abroad it was a Btrong factor in the French 
Revolution, it reacted favorably on the govern- 
ment of Great Britain, and it involved the separa- 
tion of Smith America from European control. 

And what is more the influences Btarted in 177fi 
are -till at work; they have brought blessings on 
the human race in tin- past, they will bring even 
greater blessings in the future. 

The war opened with Bplendid outbursts at 
ogton and Bunker Hill; hut both sides 
entrenched at Boston and the result was a long 
deadlock ending in a compromise, the British being 
allowed to Bail away to Halifax unmolested 
provided they left the city of Boston unhan 

It is the way of the Anglo-Saxon to get into a 
first and then make his preparation after- 
wards. From Apia' I. 1775, to the following 
August, both parties were mustering their 
resources and planning military and financial 



measures on a large scale. These were months of 
earnest preparation, but as the hour for decisive 
conflict drew near, the superiority of our foes was 
very evident in men, ships, arms, ammunition, and 
other military supplies. It was King George's 
aim and hope to stamp out the rebellion in the fall 
of 1776. 

The opposing commanders were William Howe 
and George Washington. They had faced each 
other at Boston ; they were now to face each other 
in New York and New Jersey. Howe had 31,000 
men, and Washington had 27,000 ; New York City 
and Philadelphia were the prizes fought for. 

The campaign opened with the landing of Howe 
on Staten Island in July, 1776, and closed with 
the arrival of Washington at Morristown in the 
following January; the military movements and 
battles during that interval, approximately five 
months, should always be viewed as one campaign, 
as a single series of operations. The surprise at 
Trenton was not an isolated exploit, neither was 
the dash on Princeton, and never should they be 
so treated ; they were the master strokes of victory 
at the end of a long succession of heartbreaking 
defeats. 

What a list of disastrous events for the Ameri- 
can cause was crowded into the interval from 
August 27th to December 25th, a period of one 
hundred and twenty days! The leader of the 
Americans was becoming known as a man of 
defeats and retreats. Oh, the danger of it, the 
danger of it, that the psychology of a new-born 
nation in the agony of its despair might demand 
a change of leaders. 



THE CONTEST IN NEW YORK 

Washington bad 8,000 men at Brooklyn. Howe, 
having transferred 20,000 troops to Long [sland, 
turned the American left flank and inflicted a loss 
of 2,000 men. Lord Stirling of New Jersey was 
one of the American officers who won Laurels on 
thai Ql-8tarred field. The Continental army was 
withdrawn secretly to the Lower end of Manhattan, 
tinder cover of darkness and a morning's fog. 

Again Howe turned the American Left by land- 
ing at Kipp's Hay. throwing Washington's vet- 
erans into panic and flighl and causing a retreat 
to II irlem Heights. Repeating the same strategy, 
Howe threatened to turn the American left by 
extending his lints northward along the Bronx 
river, bis aim being t<> entrap the Americans on 
.Manhattan island. This movement forced Wash- 
ington to make a rapid retreat to White Plains. 
IT iv again 1 1 < >\s <■ struck the Lefl wing of tin: 
Americans and drove it from Chatterton Hill at 
the point of tin- bayonet. Returning to Manhat- 
. Howe dealt the American cause another stag- 
gering blow by capturing Fori Washington. 



THE RETREAT THROUGH THE JERSEYS 

Washington crossed the Hudson at Peekskill 
with 5,000 men and hurried to Hackensack. 
Howe, having secured New York City, struck at 
once for Philadelphia by throwing 6,000 men 
across the Hudson near Yonkers. Then began 
the famous retreat across the Jerseys. "These 
are the times that tried men's souls." Washington 
abandoned Fort Lee, reached Newark on Novem- 
ber 23rd, passed through Elizabethtown on the 
28th and reached New Brunswick on the 29th, 
with 4,334 men, of whom over 1,000 were sick. 
Lord Stirling, whose division of 1,200 men formed 
the American rearguard, left Princeton December 
7th and crossed from Trenton to the west bank 
of the Delaware on December 8, 1776. Headquar- 
ters were established at Newtown, Pa. 

The retreat through the Jerseys was not a 
flight; the movement was deliberate and orderly. 
The various retreats on Manhattan and in its 
vicinity were punctuated by five or six battles ; 
but the retreat across New Jersey from Jersey 
City to Trenton was attended by no battles. Why 
was this? New Jersey, it is true, has no moun- 
tains lying across this path and therefore no 
strong line of forts could be built to resist the 
invaders ; but rivers present excellent lines of 
defense and New Jersey had two good rivers for 
that purpose, the Passaic and the Raritan. Why 
did not Washington make a stand at each of 
these? Why did he let slip such good opportuni- 
ties? He might, at least, have interposed long 
delays and exacted heavy tolls. 



Washington bad 5,000 troops. He had ordered 
Charles Lee to bring b,000 Continentals from 
Peekskill and join him at once. Lee deliberately 
loitered on bis way and kepi bis thereabouts con- 
cealed, paying not the slightesi attention to Wash- 
ington's repeated commands. He was prompted 
by an unholv ambition to supplant Washington as 
commander-in-chief. No stand could be made at 
the Jersey rivers because the two sections of the 
American army were do1 united; Washington was 
in front <>f the British, thai is, on tin- west; and 
L<f was on their right Sank, thai is, on the north. 

It was tragedy then bui it makes one smile now 
to think bow it all ended, bow this schemer Blept 
one night at a tavern outside his own lines and 
was taken prisoner the next morning by a troop 
of light dragoons and hurried away half-dp 
to the British headquarters at New Brunswick. 
John Sullivan, who was next in command, made 
a swift march to Phillipsburg and joined Washing- 
ton with Lee's troops at Newtown. 

Charles Lee was utterly without principle. Let 
it be clearly understood concerning this man that 

there was Dot an hour during any day or night 
after be put on tin- Continental uniform when he 
[lot a potential traitor, when he would not 
have -old out to the British for gold. 



THE BATTLE OF TRENTON 

Washington showed skill and forethought in his 
arrangements to prevent the British from gaining 
a foothold in Pennsylvania ; he divided the western 
bank of the river into sections and placed an 
officer with a detachment of troops in charge of 
each section; he collected all the river craft and 
kept them under careful guard concealed in the 
mouths of creeks and behind islands. Those boats 
and those detachments, originally intended for 
defense, were the very best means possible for 
coming back to New Jersey when Washington 
seized the initiative. He had the boats to come 
in, and the various regiments were already sta- 
tioned at the proper crossing-places. 

The British troops had been placed in winter 
quarters at widely separated points ; Grant was at 
New Brunswick, Rail at Trenton, and Donop at 
Bordentown ; moreover these officers seem to have 
assumed that the war was over and hence became 
very careless. Washington was quick to perceive 
and grasp the opportunity. 

It must not be forgotten that Washington's 
plan was a large one; he expected to have his 
officers attack Lawrenceville and Black Horse and 
Bordentown on the very same morning that he 
surprised Rail at Trenton. Cadwallader crossed 
the river, but was compelled to return by the 
violence of the storm; Ewing failed even to cross. 

It was shrewd to let the stroke fall on the 
Hessians at a moment when their enjoyment of 
Christmas night had unfitted them for fighting. 
The crossing was made at McConkey's ferry, nine 



miles above Trenton. The work of transportation 

llow and difficult, and it W&B follT o'clock in 

th<- morning when Washington took up bis march 
for Trenton with 2,400 men. The right was led 
h\ Stark and St. Clair; the left was led by Wash- 
ington himself, and with him were Greene, .Mercer, 
James Monroe and Lord Stirling. 

A storm of Bleel beat upon them and wet their 
muskets. "Tell your General," said Washington 
to Sullivan's messenger, "to use the bayonet and 
penetrate into the town. The town must be taken. 
I am resolved to take it." Both columns struck 
the enemy's pickets at eighl o'clock; entering the 
town from opposite directions, the Americans had 
their foemen between two fires. Rail was mortally 
wounded. Anspach's regiment was driven into an 
orchard, where they threw down their arms. 

Knyphausen's regiment endeavored to make a 
stand on the other side of the orchard, but when 
Lord Stirling Led his brigade against them, they 
indicated their desire to surrender by hoisting 
their hats on their bayonets, and Lieutenant- 
Colon. 1 Francis Scheffer, then senior officer, sur- 
render, d his sword to Lord Stirling. 

And now, what were the results of the battle of 
Trent., n.- 
It is the merest commonplace to say thai it was 
the turn of the tide. Hope Bprang uj> in hearts 

that long had ached with the anguish of despair. 

The picturesque features of the movement have 
become Ingrained in the world's imagination; we 
Bee the quiel preparation, the crisp frost, the 
crowd..! boats, the high wind, the Bwift current, 
the floating ice, the exhausted boatmen, the ill-clad 



soldiers with their faces bent to the storm, and the 
silent night march. We see the sentinels driven in, 
the Continentals advancing at quick step through 
the empty streets, the confusion of the bewildered 
Hessians and the fall of their ill-starred com- 
mander. 

The value of this victory was not limited to the 
capture of a thousand Hessian prisoners and to 
the shattering of the popular superstition of their 
supposed invincibility. This victory wrought a 
marvelous effect on the heart of every patriot 
throughout the entire country. 

And after all is said, the greatest significance 
of the surprise at Trenton I count to be this, that 
it saved George Washington to the Continental 
army and to the American people. The most 
decisive event in Washington's public career was 
his crossing of the Delaware. It convinced the 
American people that he was the right man. 




'■'V^'^^T^-WS^ • 



Monument of Cannon Balls 
Collected and Erected on Battlefield of Princeton 



in 



THE BATTLE OF ASSANPINK 

On December 29th, L776, Washington cro 
from the Pennsylvania shore to Trenton with a 

portion of his troops. Having ordered others to 
cross at points Lower on the river, he Boon colli 
his whole army together and on .January 2nd laid 
out an entrenched camp on the south hank of 
Assanpink creek, facing north, with his left touch- 
ing the Delaware. II»- had 5,000 men; the banks 
of the stream were steep and wooded; and he 
secured the bridge and fords with earthworks and 
artillery. He learned that Cornwallis had concen- 
trated the British divisions at Princeton and was 
then approaching Trenton determined to crush 
the audacious r< bels who had dared to re-enter the 
\ s. 

\V kshington was anxious to avoid a fight that 

so he posted guards at three different points 

on the road leading from Princeton; he himself 

visited these outposts on a tour of inspection and 

d Greene In command, with orders to delay 

the British as much as possible. As Greene's men 

retired under pressure, Washington stood at the 

ge over the Assanpink, assigned them to their 

place within his ramp and took personal charge 

of the d< fense. The situation was critical. 

The British column approached the bridge at 
four o'clock: only a Bhori period <>f daylight 
remained, which Cornwallis used to test tin- various 
fords, but lie found his way blocked. II'- then 
mad.- three Btrong assaults on the bridge, but was 
repulsed each time. Hi- loss was estimated at 150 
killed and wound- d. Withdrawing about a mile. 



he encamped for the night, the pickets of the two 
armies being within hailing distance of each other. 
Cornwallis was wise in not continuing his attack 
that night, but he was very foolish in not station- 
ing strong guards on every road leading out of the 
American camp. 

Washington was too prudent to await a pitched 
battle on the next day. It was impossible to cross 
back into Pennsylvania; moreover, such a move- 
ment would have destroyed all the moral results 
of his victory at Trenton. He might have 
retreated down the Jersey side of the Delaware, 
but he had in mind a far better plan. He resolved 
to decamp in the night and, slipping around behind 
Cornwallis, to threaten the British quarters at 
Princeton and New Brunswick. 

Providence favored his plan by sending the cold 
to make the roads hard and firm. He ordered 
some of the guards to keep throwing up breast- 
works, he ordered others to keep the fires burning. 
He started his baggage train southward to Bur- 
lington. 

By daylight he was approaching Princeton. 
This masterpiece of strategy was a fit companion 
to the surprise of the Hessians at Trenton. 



12 



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THE BATTLE OF PRINCETON 

Three regiments of British infantry Bpent the 
night of January 2nd al Princeton, with orders 
i on to Trenton I he neri morning. 

There were two bridges over Stony Brook, one 
Bouth of Friends' Meeting-house and the other 
north of it al Worth's mill. The 17th fool was 
leaving Princeton along the upper road; the Con- 
tinental army was approaching Princeton along 
the lower road; each crossed the brook at its own 
bridge at aboul the same moment; neither knew 
of t he other's pre-. nee. 

Washington halted his troops, reformed his 
lines and gave final words of advice to his officers. 
II thoughtfulness led him to believe that the 
British would Boon be using the upper bridge 
either when pursuing him from Trenton or when 
escaping from him oui of Princeton. There was 
id, called the Quaker mad. from one bridge 
to the other, ninning along the eastern bank of 
the stream. He could have taken his whole army 
up this Quak< r road and then have entered Prince- 
ton by the upper road, hut he decided to Bave time 
by marching straight forward to Nassau Hall, 
following a private road across the fields. 

he Bent Hugh Mercer with about 875 men 
up-stream to destroy the bridge at the mill. As 
the regulars under Mawhood, after crossing the 
bridge, came to the top of Millette's hill, they 
saw Mercer and Mercer saw them, across the 

Bl n mi from each other. 

Mawhood hurried back across the bridge and 

turned to inert Merci r, hut did not keep in the 






Quaker road; he crowded up into a field to gain 
higher ground and thus keep Mercer near the 
water's edge below him. But Mercer, too, sought 
the same high ground and reached it first. The 
Americans knelt at the rail fence and fired. The 
British returned the volley, charged with the 
bayonet and drove Mercer's men in headlong flight. 
Here fell Mercer and here fell Neil and Fleming 
and Haslet, while trying to rally their men. 

Washington, out of sight on the lower road, 
heard the firing and led the Continentals to the 
rescue, hurrying forward William Moulder's bat- 
tery, with the Pennsylvania militia to support it, 
and directing Hitchcock to keep off any possible 
aid from Princeton. 

The regulars, elated by their success over 
Mercer and not yet seeing that they had entered 
the lists against the whole American army, made 
several magnificent charges under a withering fire. 
Here occurred the noted incident of Washington's 
riding between the two lines and receiving a volley 
from each at the same moment ; he was reckless 
that day, with him it was win or die. It was now 
Mawhood's turn to give ground; his regulars 
broke and ran, some through the brook, others 
across the bridge; some were captured, some 
escaped. 

This finished the first fight at the Battle of 
Princeton. The action had lasted about thirty 
minutes ; it was unlooked for, spectacular, fast and 
hard, and very fatal to American officers. It was 
a swift and dramatic climax to their cold, lonely 
march during that winter night. Washington had 



14 



d the initiative and was holding it trium- 
phantly. It thrilled the Continental army then 
and it baa thrilled the American people ever since. 

The victory was assured bui do! yet completed. 
The rictora must hurry forward to attack the 
other two regiments of foot; these had taken a 
strong position behind a deep ravine jusl Bouth of 
the college. The Americans were drawn up in 
line on the Bouth cA^- of the ravine, cannons were 
brought up and Borne companies were pushed 
around on the enemy's Sank, but before the circle 
could be drawn they fled toward New Brunswick, 
the 55th by way of Rocky Hill and the loth by 
>f Kingston. 

This, the second fighl at the Battle of Prince- 
ton, left Washington undisputed master of the 
town, but there w&s still a little firing to he done 

and a few prisoners to be taken. This third and 

last action was picturesque. Some of the Hessians 
had taken refuge in old Nassau and barricaded the 
doors, hut Captain -lanits Moore obtained a 
cannon and Boon caused them to capitulate. Here 

it Was that a cannon hall cut King George's head 
out of his framed picture. 

Declining to tempt fate further. Washington 
led his exhausted troops to Pluckemin and, after 

a n -t, on to Mo prist own. 

Trenton, Assanpink and Princeton form one 

of the most brilliant series of victories in American 
history. 






THE BATTLE OF FORT MERCER 

The Americans had built two forts to prevent 
the enemy's fleet from sailing up the Delaware 
river to Philadelphia. These forts were close 
together and opposite the mouth of the Schuylkill 
river, Mifflin being on an island and Mercer being 
on a reach of the Jersey shore known to sailors as 
Red Bank. Fort Mercer had a garrison of four 
hundred men under the command of Christopher 
Greene. 

The British had reached Philadelphia by 
marching overland from Chesapeake bay. Their 
army being at Philadelphia and their fleet being 
in Delaware bay, it was impossible for them to 
allow the Americans to retain control of the 
stretch of river intervening. 

Howe sent Colonel Donop with 1,200 Hessians 
to assault Fort Mercer, which they did on the 
morning of October 22nd, 1777, with great bold- 
ness and vigor. The Americans administered to 
their assailants a crushing defeat. The Hessians 
withdrew after suffering a loss of 400 men, Donop 
himself being mortally wounded. The American 
loss was only thirty-five. Howe subsequently 
captured Fort Mifflin and then sent such a heavy 
force against Fort Mercer that the Americans 
abandoned the fort and gave the British an open 
river to the sea. 



16 



THE BATTLE OF MONMOUTH 

I . - v\ one knows how the British tried to reach 
Philadelphia in the fall of 1776, but were turned 
back at Trenton, and how they tried the oext fall 
and irere successful, going In ships to Chesapeake 
bay and marching overland; how they won the 
battle of Brandywine and occupied the city all 
winter while the Continentals Buffered and starved 
at Valley Forge. 

It is not so generally known why the British 
abandoned Philadelphia and thai whole region 
permanently the aext Bummer; and this they did 
of their own accord, without a h'ght; for they 
were not driven oul by Washington. Why this 
radical change of policy? What Is the secret of 
it? The cause is not evident it' we keep our view 
fixed narrowly on Philadelphia and Valley Forge; 
we must look abroad, we must Burvey the whole 

tliei ter of the war. 

The fundamental fact was that the king was 
reaching the limit to the number of men whom 
he could persuade or hire to conic to America and 
fight for him. There were two reasons why the 
king's cabinet in London reversed its previous 
policy. In the first place, France and Spain were 
helping America, and therefore it was necessary 
to strengthen the British garrisons in Halifax. 
Florida, the Bermudas and the West Indies. In 
the second place, the cabinet thought it would be 
much easier to Bubdue the southern colonies by 

landing a force at Charleston. S. ('. This is why 

the king order* d Henry Clinton to evacuate 
Philadelphia and transfer those troops to New 

York City. 

17 



It was no longer Washington's problem how to 
capture Philadelphia ; his only problem was how to 
inflict the greatest damage possible on the retreat- 
ing troops. 

Crossing to New Jersey on June 18th, 1778, 
Clinton took up his march for Sandy Hook, where 
he was to be met by transports ; Washington left 
Valley Forge and started in pursuit. The two 
lines would intersect at Monmouth Court House, 
and this is why it came about that in 1778, during 
Sunday, June 28th, the longest day of the year, 
there was fought on the banks of Wenrock creek 
in Monmouth county the longest battle of the 
Revolutionary war. The marching began at five 
o'clock in the morning, the firing began soon after 
seven, and the contest closed only with the going 
down of the sun. 

The features of the day may be summarized 
thus: Four insignificant skirmishes; the retreat 
of Monmouth, by which is meant the needless and 
confused falling back of the Americans for two 
miles (caused solely by Lee's disobedience and 
neglect) ; Washington's formation of a temporary 
line of defense along the east bank of Wenrock 
brook; the incident of Molly Pitcher; the hand- 
to-hand struggle at the hedge-row for the body 
of Henry Monckton; the Americans driven from 
their temporary line and forced back across the 
brook; the formation of Washington's main line 
of defense on the west bank; the advance of the 
British across the brook ; the attack on the Amer- 
ican left flank repulsed by Lord Stirling, and the 
attack on the American right flank repulsed by 
Greene. 



i- 



Clinton withdrew about a mile, encamped and 
d his troops and then stole away under i 

of darkr. 

\> we watch the movements of the American 
troops during thai memorable day, we recognize 
the invaluable service rendered to the Continental 
army by Banm Steuben while inspector-general at 

Yall.-y F< >] 

It has been said that the genius of Washington 
was of such a type as to make him a Bure winner 
in a l«>iiL, r campaign, that he was a trifle slow in 
comprehension and in the selection of the best 
measure out of several; but Monmouth hears 
ample evidence to the fact thai Washington rode 
on a strange field where confusion reigned supreme 
and wrought a marvelous change without any 
delay and without any mistake. And this was not 
due to any error on the pari <d bis opponent, for 
Clinton himself played the game that day like a 
master from early dawn to midnight. 

And now, who was the victor? Opinions differ 
because there are different rules f<>r judging the 
contest. When the struggle is for the possession 
of a field, he who keeps it wins; by this rule Wash- 
ington won. When one fights to get away and he 

gets away, that one wins; by this rule Clinton 

won. When two parties fight against each other 
in order to inflict- damage, he who inflicts the 
greater damage wins; this rule make- Monmouth a 
drawn battle, for the Losses were practically equal. 

Hut there is another rule and a better one, and 

it i- the true test for Monmouth. How did the 

rs and Boldiers who did the fighting regard 






the result ? The answer is unanimous ; the Amer- 
icans everywhere were jubilant; the moral effect 
on the army and on the public, at home and 
abroad, was strongly in favor of the Americans. 
In confirmation of this, history shows that Mon- 
mouth was the last great fight made in the north- 
ern states. 




MlNUTEMAN 




Springfield Presbyterian Church Showing Statui oi Mini rEMAN 



THE OPERATIONS I u:FORE SPRINGFIELD 

The possession of Morristown, with its camp 
and magazines, was essentia] to the American 
cause. During June, 1780, the British made two 
attempts to capture it, operating from Staten 
[aland. The tillages along the way are Elizabeth- 
port, Elizabethtown, Connecticut Farms, Spring- 
field and Vauxhall, and Chatham; the first half of 
the road is over level country, the Last half is 
among hills and mountains. The real objective 
of the British was Morristown. Springfield is at 
the edge of the foothills and constituted Morris- 
town's firs! line of defense. Both invasions broke 
down at thai point; each of the British command- 
ers, when brought face to face with his real task 
at Springfield, where the first serious resistance 
would be offered, changed his mind, turned about 
and marched homeward. 

The first invasion was on June 6th, 1780; the 
other on dun.' 28rd, seventeen day- later; the 
opposing generals in the first were Envphausen 
and Washington, in the second Clinton and 
Nathaniel Greene, a complete change in the per- 
sonnel of the commanders. 

To understand the significance of these events, 
it is necessary to answer three questions. What 
sudden hopes had Bprung up in the British breasl 
thai induced them to make these attempts at this 
exact time? Why were two expeditions made so 
close together, for the same purpose and over the 
same ground? How came it about that different 
generals were in command? 






THE BATTLE OF ELIZABETHTOWN 

Clinton, the British chief, was in South Caro- 
lina in the spring of 1780 ; during his absence he 
had left Knyphausen in command at New York 
City. 

Our troops at Morristown were starving, and 
a mutiny broke out on May 25th. Spies having 
carried the news immediately to New York, Knyp- 
hausen was quick to see the possibilities of the 
situation. He printed handbills encouraging 
treason and had them distributed within the 
American lines. He resolved to hurry toward 
Morristown with 5,000 men, being in high hopes 
that he would be welcomed by deserters and that 
whole companies would throw down their arms. 
But he reckoned without his host ; there was some- 
thing about the American soldier that a European 
mercenary never could understand. 

The expedition started from Staten Island and 
passed through Elizabethport at daybreak. 
Major-General Sterling (not to be confused with 
New Jersey's hero, Major-General Lord Stirling) 
was riding at the head of the British column 
through Elizabethtown when a minuteman fired 
a shot which struck Sterling in the thigh and 
inflicted a mortal wound. 

The militia under Elias Dayton were very 
active, falling back but offering a resistance of 
increasing vigor. Knyphausen was bitterly disap- 
pointed ; he halted half a mile from Springfield and 
called a council of war. He saw William Max- 
well's brigade ready to dispute his passage over 
the Rahway river, and on the hills beyond he saw 



212 




*• 



the Continental army, This was something differ- 
ent from co-operating with mutineers, so he 
encamped and made no attempt to force the 
American Lines. It was a dark and rainy night, 
made ill-omened by the boom of alarm gum and 
by the blaze of signal fires on the distant hills. 

The British retreat began before daylight. The 
church and parsonage and other dwellings at 
Connecticut Farms were burned, and Hannah 
Ogden, the wife of Chaplain James Caldwell, was 
murderi d, 

Enyphausen had been alert and prudent; he was 
prompt to Beize the possibility of aid from the 
mutineers, and on reaching Springfield and seeing 
the situation, he was wise in not pushing matters 
to th«- Issue. 



- 



THE BATTLE OF SPRINGFIELD 

Henry Clinton, having won brilliant victories in 
the south, arrived at Staten Island on June 17th. 
He, too, looked longingly at Morristown ; he, too, 
cherished the hope of reaping some material 
advantage from the mutinous spirit that was 
smoldering among the American troops. 

But he was craftier than Knyphausen. Per- 
haps it was the presence of Washington that over- 
awed the mutineers, and perhaps the mutineers 
were held in check by the presence of certain loyal 
regiments. It would be a shrewd trick if he could 
in some way entice Washington with a portion of 
his troops away from Morristown ; under such con- 
ditions Clinton hoped that a second invasion might 
be more successful than the first. 

This is why a second invasion followed so 
quickly, and why the commanding officers were 
different. 

Clinton placed his men on ships and made believe 
he was going to sail up the Hudson to attack 
West Point. Washington, in his suspense and 
uncertainty, thought it best to take a part of his 
army and occupy some station further to the north 
so as to be in a position to defend West Point if 
that post should be threatened. He left Greene 
in charge and on June 21st marched eleven miles 
toward Pompton. This was a wise move provided 
Greene had troops enough to protect Morristown. 

Clinton immediately started his invasion, setting 
out from Staten Island with 5,000 men, accom- 
panied by cavalry and artillery. His plan of 
attack on Springfield was excellent; the left wing 



_'4 



advanced by the Springfield road and the right 
wing by tin- Vauxhall road. 

Bui Dayton's militia renewed their annoying 
tactics. When the t roopa n< ed< d wadding, Parson 
Caldwell gave hymn books to them, shouting, "Put 
Watts int.. them, DO} " 

The firs! bridge on the American right was 
defended by [srael Angell, the second bridge by 
I Shreve; the bridge on the Vauxhall road was 

defended by Henrj Lee and Ogden, The British, 
by bringing up their cannon and by flanking move- 
ments, forced their way over all tin- bridges. The 
American Loss was eighty-three, the British loss 
one hundred and fifty. 

Greene withdrew a Bhort distance to higher 
ground in the rear where the two roads came close 
together and where he could present a narrower 
front ; here, along tin- slopes of the only pass Lead- 
ing t<» Chatham and Morristown, he posted the 
brig tdea of William Maxwell and John Stark, with 
tin- militia on the flanks. 

Clinton. Looking in vain for any Bigns from the 
mutineers, halted his columns. He had been at 
Hunker Hill, and he had visited the burial tranches 
at Fori Mercer. He realized that his scheme had 

failed, and BO without making an assault he 

marched back to Blizabethpori and crossed to 
Staten [sland on his bridge of boats. 






CONCLUSION 

Here we must stop; we have spoken of the 
Retreat through the Jerseys, of Trenton, Assan- 
pink and Princeton, of Fort Mercer, Monmouth, 
Elizabethtown and Springfield; gladly would we 
tell of other battles, how Lord Stirling and Corn- 
wallis fought hard near Westfield; how Colonel 
Baylor was surprised in Bergen county and Count 
Pulaski near Little Egg Harbor, and how Joshua 
Huddy fought at Toms River block-house; but 
enough has been given to show how rich this state 
is in fields whereon men have died for their country, 
fields which will be sources of patriotic inspiration 
through all generations. 



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