GEN. JOHN GLOVER 
 
 AND HIS 
 
 JVIaS^. 
 
 MABBLBHEAI) BEQIMENT 
 
iU.Ai.<Jr-A,.sJf SiA^f --.?.-,^ x..-L^: _-..-,.■ .-.v-: : 
 
 From painting in possession of Mrs. Henry E. Waitc. 
 
GEN. JOHN GLOVER 
 
 AND HIS 
 
 MARBLEHEAD REGIMENT 
 
 IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR 
 
 A PAPER READ BEFORE THE 
 
 MARBLEHEAD HISTORICAL SOCIETY 
 
 MAY 14, 1903 
 
 NATHAN P.^^ SANBORN ^'f* /m mT 
 
 PRKSIDRNT OF THK «;OrTRTV i ITS » «JS| M / f^ ' 
 
 0d' 
 
 PRESIDENT OF THE SOCIETY 
 
 PUBLISHED BY THE SOCIETY tj) // 
 
 1903 ^ ^ 
 
,^^1 
 
 
 S 
 
 <5^ 
 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 In Marblehead for thirty years, and more, 
 after the Revolutionary War, the familiar 
 forms of the veterans of that hard and long 
 continued struggle were seen walking back 
 and forth at the heads of the wharves, on 
 Irving 's Hill, or at the street corners, and 
 the story they told of battles fought, of 
 marches and of camp life was as familiar, 
 throughout the town, to old and young, as 
 any household words. But it was so evenly 
 matched with the scenes of every day life, 
 the hazards and storms at sea, of spars carried 
 away and anchors lost and the vessel on 
 beam-ends, of sailing to the Banks and never 
 returning, that the two stories blended into 
 one, and each life as a whole was a life of 
 adventure, toil and danger; and rarely was 
 a careful record made of passing events ; so 
 that many a story of real life, more thrilling 
 than that of any fiction, has been forgotten 
 
4 GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 
 
 and lost. When, about two years ago the 
 Bronx Chapter of The Daughters of the 
 American Revolution of Mount Vernon, 
 N. Y., placed a bronze tablet on "Glover's 
 Rock," many asked: "Where is Glover's 
 Rock? and what does it mean? ' ' and were sur- 
 prised to learn that it marked the spot where 
 General Glover met the enemy, more than 
 five times his number, and fought one of the 
 most skilful and successful battles of the war. 
 This aroused a long cherished wish of the 
 author to follow General Glover and his 
 regiment through the war of the Revolu- 
 tion. Under that inspiration the following 
 paper was prepared and presented to the 
 Marblehead Historical Society, May 14, 1903. 
 "Glover's Rock," which in its vicinity 
 has been known by that name since the days 
 of the Revolution, is a great rock or boulder 
 by the side of the road from Pelham to Pell's 
 Point. City Island is off the Point. The 
 city of New York has recently acquired this 
 whole territory of twenty-three hundred 
 acres, in the midst of which is "Glover's 
 Rock," and set it apart as a public park to 
 be known as Pelham Bay Park. 
 
GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 5 
 
 The road over which the British troops 
 marched and in which Glover met them and 
 fought the battle of Pell's Point is still the 
 highway from Pelham to the Point; and 
 the stone wall, behind which he placed Read, 
 Shepard and Baldwin, remained until a few 
 years ago, when the road was macadamized. 
 The stones were taken, broken and crushed 
 to make the " macadam," and when the street 
 railway was built several cannon balls were 
 dug from the earth near Glover's Rock. 
 
 June, 1903. 
 
Gen. John Glover and his Marblehead 
 Regiment in the Revolutionary War. 
 
 Charles Glover came from England to 
 Salem in 1630. John Glover, who was born 
 in Salem, and married Mary Guppy of Salem, 
 January 2, 1660, is supposed to be the son 
 of the immigrant Charles. 
 
 Jonathan, son of John, was born April, 
 1677, and married Abigail Henderson, March 
 31, 1697. 
 
 Jonathan, Jr., son of Jonathan, was born 
 December 4, 1702, and married Tabitha 
 Bacon, February 23, 1727. 
 
 The children of Jonathan, Jr., were: 
 
 Jonathan, born June 13, 1731, married 
 Abigail Burnham of Marblehead, October 10, 
 1748, and was a hatter by trade. 
 
 Samuel, born June 13, 1731, married Mary 
 Andrews of Marblehead, August 20, 1751, 
 and was a goldsmith by trade. 
 
 John, born November 5, 1732, married 
 
GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 7 
 
 first, Hannah Gale, October 30, 1754, second, 
 Mrs. Frances Fosdick, both of Marblehead, 
 and was by trade a shoemaker. (Hannah 
 Gale was born in Marblehead, June, 1733, 
 died November 13, 1778.) 
 
 Daniel, was born January, 1734, married 
 Hannah Jillings of Newbury, Decemiber i, 
 1757, and was a blockmaker by trade. 
 
 The following were the eleven children 
 of John and Hannah Glover, all born in 
 Marblehead : 
 I St. John, born March 23, 1756. Married 
 
 Fanny Lee, one child, Fanny. 
 2d. Hannah, born May 15, 1757. Died in 
 
 infancy. 
 3d. Daniel, born April 8, 1759. Died in 
 
 infancy. 
 4th. Hannah, born April 19, 1761. Married 
 
 Richard Co well, seven children. 
 5th. Samuel, born December 19, 1762. 
 Married ist, Martha Bowden, 2d, 
 Betsy Skillins, three children. 
 6th. Jonas, born April i, 1764. Married 
 
 Sally Pierce, two children. 
 7th. Tabitha, born December 8, 1765. 
 Married William Brooks of Exeter. 
 
8 GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 
 
 8th. Susannah, born March 28, 1767. Mar- 
 ried Capt. Nicholas Broughton, 
 five children. 
 9th. Mary, born January 8, 1769. Mar- 
 ried December 11, 1788, Robert 
 Hooper, born February 3, 1766, 
 thirteen children, 
 loth. Sarah, born February 10, 1771. Mar- 
 ried Samuel Lewis, one child, 
 nth. Jonathan, born May 9, 1773. Died 
 unmarried. 
 General John Glover with his three broth- 
 ers, Jonathan, Samuel and Daniel, removed 
 from Salem to Marblehead when young and 
 soon became engaged in the various trades 
 that they had previously learned. 
 
 John did not find the shoemaker's bench 
 and the last quite to his taste, while the 
 fish-flakes, the warehouse and the wharf 
 presented stronger attractions, promised 
 larger returns and more nearly met his am- 
 bition . 
 
 He soon entered the fishing business, and 
 pursued it with tact and energy. His mar- 
 ket was largely in France, Spain and the 
 West Indies, and this led him to engage in 
 
GENERAL JOHN GLOVER 9 
 
 other mercantile pursuits. He was saga- 
 cious, energetic and successful. 
 
 At the outbreak of the Revolution he was 
 forty-three years old, and for the times in 
 which he lived he had accumulated quite a 
 fortune. 
 
 Stryker, page 134, says :" Glover owned 
 a number of vessels, and before the war was 
 extensively engaged in the fishing trade. He 
 was an active and good soldier." 
 
 Dr. lyoring before the Columbian Society, 
 January 8, 1856, said: "He was active, 
 modest and industrious, the friend of Wash- 
 ington, the truest friend of freedom, the 
 hero of Trenton." For many years he had 
 been elected to offices of honor and trust and 
 had served his fellow citizens in many ways. 
 
 The military spirit had always been strong 
 in Marblehead. As early as 1758 a full 
 militia regiment of a thousand men was 
 maintained in this town, then the second in 
 the colony of Massachusetts in point of 
 wealth and importance. 
 
 When John Glover was elected Colonel of 
 the Marblehead Regiment, he was not a 
 novice in the military service, for he had held 
 
lo GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 
 
 the following commissions, the originals 
 of which are said to be still in possession of 
 his descendants : ' ' Ensign in the third mili- 
 tary foot company in the town of Marble- 
 head, under the command of Richard Reed, 
 Esq. ; in the fifth regiment of militia in the 
 County of Essex, whereof Jacob Fowle, Esq., 
 is Colonel," and is dated March 12, 1759, and 
 signed Thomas Pownall, Governor. 
 
 His second commission was as "Captain 
 Lieutenant in the military company of foot 
 in Marblehead, under the command of Azor 
 Orne, Esq., in the regiment of militia in the 
 County of Essex, whereof Jacob Fowle, Esq., 
 is Colonel." Dated February 12, 1762, 
 vSigned by Francis Bernard, Governor. 
 
 Third, as "Captain of a military company 
 of foot in the town of Marblehead in the 
 regiment of militia in the County of Essex, 
 whereof John Gallison, Esq., is Colonel." 
 Dated February 8, 1773, signed by Thomas 
 Hutchinson, Governor. 
 
 About May 22, 1775, the Marblehead Regi- 
 ment was transferred from the militia which 
 was in the service of King George, to the con- 
 tinental service, and at that time officered as 
 follows : 
 
GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. ^'^ ^^" 
 
 Colonel — John Glover. M^ LIBRARY 
 
 Lieutenant-Colonel — John GerrJ^ _^ ^ 
 
 Major — Gabriel Johonnot. ^^!S*/I*6T0H ^' ^ 
 
 Adjutant — William Gibbs. 
 
 Captains — William R. Lee, William Cour- 
 tis, William Bacon, Thomas Grant, Joel 
 Smith, Nicholson Br ought on, William Black- 
 ler, John Merritt, John Selman, Francis 
 Symonds. 
 
 Lieutenants — John Glover, Robert Harris, 
 WiUiam Mills, William Bubier, John Bray, 
 John Stacy, Nathaniel Clark, Joshua Pren- 
 tice, Isaac Collyer, William Russell. 
 
 Ensigns — Edward Archbold, Thomas Cour- 
 tis, Seward Lee, Ebenezer Graves, Joshua 
 Orne, J. Deveraux, Jr., Nathaniel Pearce, 
 Robert Nimblett, Edward Holman, George 
 Ligngrass. 
 
 These excepting W. R. Lee, John Glover, 
 Jr., and Edward Archbold were all com- 
 missioned by the Provincial Congress, June 
 
 23, 1775. 
 
 William R. Lee soon after became Major, 
 John Glover, Captain, and Edward Arch- 
 bold, Adjutant, in the same regim^ent. 
 
 The uniform of the regiment consisted of a 
 
12 GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 
 
 blue round jacket and trousers, trimmed with 
 leather buttons. 
 
 February 26, 1775. When Colonel Leslie 
 landed his troops at Roman's Beach and 
 Lovis Cove, the Marblehead regiment, com- 
 posed as it was of industrious citizens, were 
 scattered from Newtown to Peach's Point, 
 but they were hastily mustered by their 
 colonel, John Glover, and were soon ready 
 for any exigency that might arise. 
 
 When lycslie's troops returned from Salem, 
 Glover's Regiment was drawn up in line as 
 they passed to the beach. 
 
 From this time on, the daily drill became 
 longer and more exacting. The men who 
 had previously been under the command of 
 Colonel Azor Orne, Colonel Jacob Fowle and 
 Colonel Jeremiah Lee, were now, ( having 
 seen the enemy ) being drilled by Colonel 
 John Glover, not for a holiday parade but 
 to face a stubborn enemy in an open field ; to 
 stand a charge or to execute one ; to take a for- 
 tification or to defend and hold one. They 
 learned readily, and tenaciously retained what 
 they learned. They had already learned and 
 needed no lessons in the handling of oars and 
 sails. 
 
GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 13 
 
 June 21, 1775. Colonel John Glover with 
 his regiment was ordered to join the army at 
 Cambridge. 
 
 The next day, June 22, Colonel Glover 
 marched his regiment from Marblehead to 
 Cambridge and joined the Continental Army. 
 
 July 3, Washington took command and 
 organized the American army. 
 
 The first order given was to Colonel Glover 
 to be ready at a moment's notice to support 
 General Folsom of New Hampshire, or, if 
 Colonel Prescott should be attacked, to move 
 to his support.* 
 
 In the early autumn. Glover's Regiment 
 was encamped in an enclosed pasture north 
 of the colleges. While in this camp came that 
 half -dramatic scrimmage between the Marble- 
 head fishermen and the Virginia riflemen. It 
 began by their bantering each other about 
 their uniforms, for the fishermen wore reef- 
 ing jackets and the riflemen were clothed 
 in half Indian costume. From words they 
 proceeded to blows. Washington hearing 
 of the disturbance rushed into the midst of 
 them, taking two riflem.en, one in each hand, 
 
 *See Appendix F. 
 
14 GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 
 
 holding them out at arm's length, and shaking 
 them, and ordered them to cease wasting their 
 strength on their friends, and reserve it for 
 their enemies. The disturbance was quelled. 
 
 September 2, 1775. Captain Nicholson 
 Brought on, a captain in Glover's Regiment 
 was commiissioned captain of the armed 
 schooner Hannah by General Washington, 
 the first vessel in the American navy and 
 the first captain's commission issued. Sep- 
 tember 5, Captain Brought on sailed from 
 Beverly in the Hannah on his first cruise. 
 Two days later he captured his first prize, 
 the ship Unity, loaded with military stores 
 and ammunition, which he carried into Cape 
 Ann. 
 
 October 4, Colonel Glover with his regi- 
 ment was ordered from Cambridge to Bever- 
 ly (and marched that day,) that he might 
 procure and superintend the fitting out of 
 vessels for the navy. 
 
 October 15. Two vessels, the Lynch and 
 the Franklin, were ready to be manned for 
 service. 
 
 October 16. Captain Brought on received 
 a commodore's commission and Captain 
 
GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 15 
 
 John Selman and John Manly each a captain's 
 commission and were ordered to the river 
 Saint Lawrence to capture two British trans- 
 ports that were expected with munitions of 
 war for Quebec. They sailed October 21, 
 Captain Broughton in the Lynch and Selman 
 in the Franklin. 
 
 It is said that Captains Broughton and Sel- 
 man each drew his company up into line for 
 inspection. The expedition was to be a peril- 
 ous one. Neither of the captains wished to take 
 with him a single man who had not in him 
 the timber of which heroes are made. They 
 passed up and down in front of the lines. 
 The lines marched around them like the rim 
 of a wheel around the hub. After a careful 
 inspection, not one m.an was barred out. 
 Each was both a sailor and a soldier. Cap- 
 tain Broughton mustered seventy men, 
 Captain Selman sixty-five men. 
 
 October 21. The little fleet put to sea, 
 to run the gauntlet of the British navy. It 
 was like kingbirds among the vultures. 
 The expedition was a success, but not in the 
 way Washington had hoped. Broughton 
 was three years ahead of the times. Four 
 
i6 GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 
 
 days after Brought on had sailed, Congress 
 appointed a committee to devise means for 
 capturing the two British transports. 
 
 October 28. The schooner Lee was 
 ready to sail. Captain Manly had shipped 
 his crew largely from Glover's Regiment, and 
 that accounts in part for the daring and suc- 
 cessful cruise in Massachusetts Bay, which 
 was only a prelude to what followed. Manly 
 was afterward in command of the frigates 
 Hancock and Hague. He died in Boston, 
 
 1793- 
 
 November 25. Congress authorized priva- 
 teering. 
 
 November 28. Congress adopted rules 
 for the navy. 
 
 December 13. Congress resolved to build 
 thirteen ships for the navy. 
 
 December 19. At the approach of British 
 frigates Colonel Glover with his regiment 
 was ordered to Marblehead, and then back 
 again to Beverly to protect that place, 
 which was thought to be in danger. 
 
 Previous to December 22, 1775, when the 
 first action was taken by the Continental 
 Congress towards appointing officers for the 
 
GENERAL JOHN GLOVER 17 
 
 navy, Colonel John Glover had charge of 
 the equipment and manning of the armed 
 vessels and cruisers, that did such signal 
 service at that time. He was practically 
 "Secretary of the Navy" under Washington, 
 until Congress took the matter in hand. 
 
 January i, 1776. The old Marblehead 
 Regiment by reorganization was made the 
 Fourteenth Continental Regiment under 
 Colonel John Glover; but the regiment was 
 always better known as Glover's or the Mar- 
 blehead Regiment. 
 
 March 17. Boston was evacuated by the 
 British. Carrington, page 154, says: "The 
 troops embarked in one hundred and tw^enty 
 crowded transports for Halifax; were wind 
 bound at Nantasket Roads for ten days. 
 General Ward, with five thousand men, en- 
 tered Boston followed on the 20th by Wash- 
 ington and his whole army. 
 
 April 4. Washington left for New York, 
 leaving five regiments in Boston and vicinity. 
 
 May 17. Captain Mugford captured the 
 powder ship Hope. Of his crew, twenty 
 were volunteers from Glover's Regiment. 
 Mugford was killed May 19, 1776. 
 
i8 GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 
 
 July 20. Colonel Glover and his regiment 
 commenced their march from Beverly to 
 New York. They arrived in New York, 
 August 9, and joined General Sullivan's 
 brigade. There were no public conveyances 
 at that time. When troops moved from one 
 place to another it was on foot and usually 
 with as much baggage as they could carry. 
 
 August 16. Captain Fosdick, Adjutant of 
 Glover's Regiment, and Captain Thomas took 
 command of two fireships in the Hudson. 
 Though they did not succeed in burning the 
 two British war vessels, as they sought to do, 
 they caused them to move down the river to 
 their fleet, leaving the Hudson clear. 
 
 August 27, 1776. The battle of Long 
 Island, took place. It was an unequal con- 
 test. Washington was hard pressed. He was 
 outnumbered two to one. The coming on 
 of night and a storm, brought him tempo- 
 rary relief. The British loss had been five 
 officers killed, twenty-one wounded; fifty- 
 eight non-commissioned officers and men 
 killed, three hundred and sixteen wounded. 
 The American loss according to British re- 
 turns, in killed, wounded and prisoners, was 
 
GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 19 
 
 one thousand ninety-seven of whom one hun- 
 dred and twenty-seven were Long Island mili- 
 tia. 
 
 August 28. Glover with his regiment 
 was ordered to join Washington and crossed 
 over to Long Island, arriving before noon, 
 and took post at Wallabout Bay, on the left 
 of the American army. 
 
 August 29. After a conference with Colonel 
 Glover, Washington wrote General Heath: 
 '' We have many battalions from New Jersey 
 which are coming over this evening to relieve 
 those here. Order every flat bottomed boat 
 and other craft fit for the transportation of 
 troops down to New York as soon as possi- 
 ble." 
 
 Quartermaster Hughes was instructed "to 
 impress every kind of craft on either side 
 of New York that could be kept afloat that 
 had oars or sails or could be furnished with 
 them, and have them in East River by dark. 
 Washington then called a council of war and 
 laid before it his plan of retreat. It had 
 rained in torrents and the wind had blown a 
 gale from the northeast, all day long. 
 Heath and Hughes acted promptly so that 
 
20 GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 
 
 crafts of every kind arrived at Brooklyn 
 just before dark. Colonel Glover's Regiment, 
 which had already been detailed to that duty, 
 took possession of the boats to act as seamen. 
 The evacuation of Long Island immediately 
 commenced. The wind and the tide were so 
 violent that even they could not set a single 
 close-reefed sail. Thole-pins were put in 
 place, improvised or otherwise. Silently, 
 with muffled oars, with long pulls and strong 
 pulls, for more than three hours, back and 
 forth they urged their boats. There was 
 haste and speed but no confusion. At mid- 
 night, the wind changed to the south, the 
 tide had turned, the water became smooth, 
 sails were set, the boats were loaded to the 
 ''gunnels," no moment of time was lost. 
 Everything that could be moved by sail or 
 oar was in motion. The work progressed 
 rapidly. The men and munitions were all 
 safely landed in New York. A thick fog 
 hung over Long Island and the bay while it 
 was clear on the New York side. 
 
 The perfect success of the evacuation of 
 Long Island by the Continental Army on 
 the morning of the 30th of August, 1776, 
 
GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 2t 
 
 was due to the sailor-soldiers of Glover's 
 Regiment. There was no pulling and hauling 
 for precedence, but the pulling and hauling 
 was all for the main chance, the successful 
 evacuation. Under their skilful manage- 
 ment the whole was accomplished in less 
 than thirteen hours. The American army 
 was saved. The ten British frigates and 
 twice as many gunboats and sloops-of-war, 
 that moved up the bay that day, would have 
 made the evacuation impossible, and Wash- 
 ington and his army would have been lost to 
 the Revolution. 
 
 September 4, 1776. Colonel Glover was 
 put in command of Clinton's Brigade and 
 William R. Lee was appointed Brigadier 
 Major. 
 
 September 13. Colonel Glover superin- 
 tended the evacuation of New York City, 
 and with his brigade between 9 o'clock in 
 the evening and sunrise the next morning 
 removed five hundred sick to improvised 
 hospitals on the Jersey shore. The tents 
 and light baggage he sent by wagons to 
 Kingsb ridge, but the heavy baggage was 
 taken to the wharf and carried up the river 
 
22 GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 
 
 by boat. Here again Glover's Regiment 
 found and performed a special service. 
 
 September 14. At 9 o'clock in the even- 
 ing, after thirty-six hours of hard and con- 
 tinuous labor and the evacuation nearly 
 completed, Colonel Glover received orders to 
 march his brigade to Harlem, eight miles 
 distant and join General McDougall. Before 
 reaching Harlem, he received orders to con- 
 tinue his march to Kingsbridge, seven miles 
 farther on. Arriving there on the morning of 
 the 15th they began to unstrap their knap- 
 sacks; while thus engaged, Glover received 
 express orders to return to Harlem and with- 
 out stopping for rest or refreshments they 
 took up the line of march to return to Har- 
 lem. General Howe had moved up East 
 River and landed near Kip's Bay. 
 
 The Americans under Washington at the 
 approach of the British were panic stricken, 
 broke ranks and fled. No efforts of Wash- 
 ington could bring them into line or stay 
 their flight. A drawn sword or pistol pre- 
 sented to the head was unavailing. They 
 continued their flight toward Kingsbridge, 
 until they met Glover and his brigade; 
 
GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 23 
 
 their fearless, orderly and soldierly march 
 reassured them. They halted, they fell 
 into the ranks and marched back with him. 
 General Glover brought them all into line on 
 a hill ready to meet the British. Washing- 
 ton would not trust men so recently in panic 
 to face the enemy that day, and ordered them 
 to fall back. 
 
 The show of strength made a delay on 
 the part of the British that Putnam im- 
 proved by removing his thirty-five hundred 
 men from New York City, thus completing 
 the evacuation. He had been left there 
 when Glover was ordered to Harlem. 
 
 Glover's Brigade had marched twenty- 
 three miles that day without rest or refresh- 
 ment after two days and two nights of con- 
 tinuous labor. Glover wrote: "We fell back 
 about three miles towards Dobbs Ferry 
 without food or drink, and camped for the 
 night with nothing but the earth under us 
 and nothing but the heavens over us." 
 
 September 28. General Lee ordered his 
 division to move to White Plains by the way 
 of Dobbs Ferry. By his urgent advice New 
 York Island had been evacuated bv the 
 
24 GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 
 
 Americans and the troops moved up the 
 river to retard the movements of the British. 
 October i6. Glover's brigade ( in Lee's 
 division ) was on the East Chester Road 
 near Pelham to watch the enemy. 
 
 PELIv'S POINT. 
 
 Early in the morning of October i8th, 
 General Glover with his spy-glass went out 
 upon a hill-top near Hutchinson River 
 to scan Long Island Sound and the coast, 
 to know if the enemy was in sight. To his 
 surprise he saw a fleet of British ships 
 off Pell's Point disembarking troops and 
 moving towards the Point. Glover was 
 alone in command of his brigade with no 
 reenforcements or support to fall back upon. 
 Glover, in a letter written soon after this 
 said : " I would have given a thousand worlds 
 to have had some experienced general at 
 hand to tell me what to do. He immediately 
 sent William R. Lee to General Samuel Lee, 
 three miles distant, for orders. But there 
 was no time to be lost. He quickly made his 
 plans and prepared to meet the enemy. 
 Glover's Brigade at this time consisted of 
 
GENERAL JOHN GLOVER 25 
 
 four redments: the Fourteenth Continen- 
 tal (the Marblehead Regiment of which he 
 was Colonel ) one hundred and seventy-nine 
 men fit for duty; Thirteenth Regiment, 
 Colonel Joseph Read, two hundred and 
 twenty-six men, ( Read was born in Uxbridge, 
 March 6, 1731); Third Regiment, Colonel 
 William Shepard, two hundred and four 
 men, (Shepard was born in Westfield, De- 
 cember I, 1737. Died, November 16, 1817); 
 Twenty-Sixth Regiment, Colonel Loammi 
 Baldwin, two hundred and thirty-four men. 
 (Baldwin, born in Woburn, January 21, 
 1745. Died, October 20, 1807. He was the 
 propagator of the Baldwin apple.) 
 
 General Glover, with his brigade of four 
 Massachusetts regiments, in all, eight hundred 
 and forty-three men, fit for service, met 
 General Howe and his army of over four 
 thousand British regulars at Glover's 
 Rock, Pell's Point. The road leading from 
 Pelham to Pdl's Point had, for a fence, on 
 each side, at this place, a heavy stone wall. 
 General Glover, with great skill, placed his 
 men where they would do the best service, 
 taking every advantage offered of position 
 
2 6 GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 
 
 and defense. He placed Colonel Read on 
 the right of the road, near the great rock, 
 (since known as Glover's Rock,) with the 
 stone wall for breast- works. A little farther 
 back, on the left of the road, he placed 
 Colonel Shepard, and still farther back on 
 the right. Colonel Baldwin, each behind the 
 stone wall. On the hill in the rear, where 
 he had planted his three guns, he posted the 
 Marblehead Regiment. Then Glover with 
 forty men moved down the road to meet the 
 British. After a little skirmish with their 
 advance guard, which was quickly reen- 
 forced, he fell slowly back until the enemy 
 were within the range of Read's guns; when 
 he and his men each rose from behind the 
 wall, took aim and poured a terrible rak- 
 ing fire into the ranks of the advancing 
 enemy, from which, after a few rounds, they 
 recoiled and fell back. Being reenforced, 
 the enemy again moved forward but to meet 
 Read's guns as before. Read held them until 
 he had fired four rounds, then it was his 
 turn to retreat and he fell back. The Brit- 
 ish pushed forward, but only to meet the 
 raking fire from Shepard 's Regiment on the 
 
GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 27 
 
 left. Shepard held them for an hour and 
 then retreated. The British thought they 
 then had a free field and moved forward with 
 a quickened step, but were soon brought to 
 a halt by the guns of Baldwin's Regiment 
 on the right that had been reenforced by 
 Read. A severe battle followed, night was 
 coming on. Glover fell slowly back to the 
 hill where his guns were stationed. The 
 British fell back to the road to New Rochelle, 
 went into camp and waited until the 26th 
 instance for reenforcements. 
 
 General Carrington, in his account of this 
 battle, page 235, said: "On the 17th instant, 
 the First, Second and Sixth Brigades and the 
 Third Hessian Battalion, with General Howe, 
 were transferred from Flushing to Pell's 
 Point at the mouth of Hutchinson River. 
 When they advanced toward New Rochelle, 
 Colonel Glover with his regiment made so 
 persistent a resistance with a force of seven 
 hundred and fifty men behind a stone wall 
 as to check the advance guard until it was 
 strongly reenforced, and earned for himself 
 honorable mention in orders." 
 
 General Glover in a letter to his mother, 
 
28 GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 
 
 written the next day after the battle, said: 
 ''Our loss yesterday was seven killed and 
 thirteen wounded, the enemy's loss, as near 
 as I can learn was between two hundred 
 and three hundred. *Abbatt of Pelham, who 
 has made a special study of this battle, and 
 of the Enghsh and German records (the 
 Hessians reported to their home govern- 
 ment ) said: "The British loss at Pell's Point 
 was over eight hundred men; Glover's loss 
 was eight killed and thirteen wounded." 
 October 19. Glover and his brigade re- 
 ceived in General Orders thanks from Gen- 
 eral I^ee; and on the)2ist, in General Orders 
 thanks from General Washington, as follows : 
 
 \.^;-M M11.E Square, October 19, 1776. f 
 General Lee returns his warmest thanks 
 to Colonel Glover and the brigade under his 
 command, not only for their gallant behav- 
 ior yesterday, but for their prudent, cool, 
 orderly and soldierlike conduct in all respects. 
 He assures these brave men that he shall 
 omit no opportunity of showing his gratitude. 
 All of the wounded to be immediately carried 
 to Volantine's Hill, at the second liberty 
 pole, where surgeons should repair to dress 
 
 *See Appendix A and B. 
 
GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 29 
 
 them ; they are afterwards to be forwarded to 
 Fort Washington." 
 
 Headquarters, October 21, 1776. 
 The hurried situation of the Gen. the 
 two last days having prevented him from 
 paying that attention to Colonel Glover and 
 the officers and soldiers who were with him 
 in the skirmish on Friday last that their 
 merit and good behavior deserved, he 
 flatters himself that his thanks, though de- 
 layed will nevertheless be acceptable to them, 
 as they are offered with great sincerity and 
 cordiality; at the same time, he hopes that 
 every other part of the army will do their 
 duty with bravery and zeal whenever called 
 upon, and neither dangers nor difficulties 
 nor hardships will discourage soldiers en- 
 gaged in the cause of Liberty and while we 
 are contending for all that freemen hold 
 dear and valuable. 
 
 October 20, 1776. General Glover im- 
 pressed fifteen wagons into the service and 
 sent his brigade from Mile Square to East 
 Chester and brought away two hundred 
 barrels of pork and flour from so near the 
 British camp that they could hear music 
 and talking within. 
 
 October 23. Glover attacked a party of 
 
30 GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 
 
 Hessians of whom twelve were killed and 
 three taken prisioners. 
 
 October 25. Lee's divisions marched 
 from Kingsbridge to White Plains. The 
 baggage and military stores were entrusted 
 to Glover's Brigade. All arrived safely. 
 
 October 28. General Glover and his 
 brigade were in the battle of White Plains. 
 When the British moved on him they out- 
 numbered him four to one. 
 
 McDougall's Division was posted on Chat- 
 terton's Hill to cover the march. The Brit- 
 ish attacked and pressed him so hard he was 
 obliged to withdraw. 
 
 Glover had been posted on a hill nearby, 
 covering the road to Albany and New Eng- 
 land. The British then moved on Glover. 
 He had three brass guns, one twenty-four, - 
 one six- and one three-pounder, and three 
 iron twelve-pounders. 
 
 The British approached in four columns. 
 Glover reserved his fire until they were in 
 the valley, and then poured into them his 
 well-aimed shot which threw them into such 
 confusion that they were compelled to re- 
 treat. They withdrew and went into camp. 
 
GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 31 
 
 The British loss was twenty-eight killed and 
 one hundred and twenty-seven wounded; 
 Glover's loss, none. 
 
 Another account: "Glover's Brigade was 
 stationed on a hill near McDougall, the Brit- 
 ish with twelve thousand men marched to 
 the hill where Glover v/as awaiting them. 
 Twice Glover repulsed them, then they re- 
 treated." 
 
 October 29. Glover was then stationed at 
 North Castle with Lee's Division, and there 
 remained until the last of November when 
 Lee's Division, including Glover's Brigade, 
 was ordered to join Washington, who was 
 then retreating across New Jersey. 
 
 December 10. Lee's Division under Mc- 
 Dougall, ( Lee having been captured five days 
 before ) consisting of three thousand men, 
 moved to join Washington at the Delaware. 
 They joined him about the 15th instance. 
 
 December 25. Washington with his 
 troops and military stores was on the banks 
 of the Delaware; his boats were ready for 
 crossing. But to cross seemed impossible. 
 The river was full to the brink. Great 
 masses of floating ice were constantly rush- 
 
32 GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 
 
 ing by. The case was urgent. Washington 
 called for volunteers to man the boats for 
 crossing, and Glover's Regiment, and they 
 alone, stepped to the front. The boats were 
 put in their charge. Carrington said: 
 "Glover, the man of Marblehead, a hero 
 of the Long Island Retreat, was there." An 
 army of eight thousand men, with the muni- 
 tions of war were to be placed on the opposite 
 bank of the river. That night Washington 
 and his entire army were ferried safely 
 across. It was effected before daybreak, 
 in the darkness, through snow, sleet and 
 floating ice. *Stryker, page 134, said: " Had 
 not Colonel John Glover's splendid regiment 
 of seafaring men from Marblehead, Mass., 
 lent willing and skilful hand, as he had prom- 
 ised they would, the expedition would no 
 doubt have failed." 
 
 December 26. In the Battle of Trenton, 
 Glover's Brigade was with General Sullivan's 
 right wing. His regiment at that time con- 
 sisted of thirty commissioned officers, one 
 hundred and forty- seven enlisted men, with 
 two hundred and nineteen sick or on extra 
 
 *See Appendix C. 
 
GENERAL JOHN GLOVER 33 
 
 duty. *Glover was frequently called upon 
 for men for special service. 
 
 January i, 1777. William R. Lee was 
 commissioned Colonel and returned to Massa- 
 chusetts to organize the Twenty-First Con- 
 tinental Regiment. Many of the officers 
 and men of this new regiment were from 
 Marblehead. 
 
 February 23. Congress appointed Colonel 
 John Glover Brigadier General. He joined 
 Washington at Peekskill and took command 
 of his brigade. On receipt of Washington's 
 letter urging him so to do, on April 26, he 
 accepted the Brigadier's Commission and 
 June 15th took command under Putnam. 
 
 June. Generals McDougall, Parsons and 
 Glover were sent from near Kingsbridge to 
 Middlebrook. 
 
 June 15. General Glover and his brigade 
 are at Peekskill and camped there until the 
 2ist instance. (His troops " without coats, 
 breeches, stockings or shoes.") 
 
 July 27. General Glover with his brigade 
 sailed from Peekskill to Saratoga. 
 
 August 3. They marched to Stillwater. 
 
 *See Appendix D. 
 
34 GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 
 
 August 19. The army retreated to Van 
 Schaick's Island. General Gates then took 
 command of the army, including Glover's 
 Brigade, and moved up the river to Bemis 
 Heights. 
 
 The following extract from a letter written 
 at this time to Jonathan Glover and Azor 
 Orne will help us to know Glover as a man 
 as well as a soldier: 
 Van Schaick's Island, September 5, 1777. 
 
 Dear Sirs: — Our 
 
 troops are healthy and in good spirits, but 
 poorly shod and clothed and many without 
 blankets. The Honorable Brigadier General 
 Palmer and Doctor Taylor are witnesses of 
 this, as they have had an opportunity of 
 seeing for themselves. 
 
 I should have been happy to see more of 
 my friends with them, particularly Messrs. 
 Glover, Orne and Gerry, who, (if I mistake 
 not,) gave me some encouragement when I 
 left them, but being engaged in the Public 
 Service has prevented. I have too much 
 charity to suppose private interest, or the 
 fear of a little fatigue has kept them back. 
 When matters look gloomy it has a fine effect, 
 (it gives a spring and animates our spirits,) 
 to have our friends to look at, and consult 
 with; at the same time they would have an 
 
GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 35 
 
 Opportunity of seeing for themselves as well 
 as seeing the pleasure we enjoy in camp 
 life; but more of this the next Tuesday night's 
 club, at a meeting when all of the members 
 are present, a good fire, pipes, tobacco, wine 
 and good punch — that's the place to talk 
 matters over, not in this house made of 
 hemp, ( I have quitted my log house men- 
 tioned in my last ) the walls and roof of which 
 are so thin they need no windows, nor do 
 they obstruct the rays of light, or the rain 
 passing through in the least. 
 
 I acknowledge the receipt of Colonel 
 Glover's letter from Wells the only one re- 
 ceived since I left Peekskill, notwithstanding 
 a weekly Post comes from Boston to this 
 place. The Phaeton therein mentioned I 
 beg he would make use of as freely as if it 
 was his own; at present, don't incline to sell 
 it, but should he not see me again, my desire 
 is that he may have it, paying the value to 
 my wife, for her and the children's support. 
 
 My compliments to your good ladies and 
 families, and my old friends, the Tuesday's 
 club, including Reverend Messrs. Whit well 
 and Story, one of whom I expected and 
 should have been happy to have had as a 
 Chaplain to my brigade, for want of which 
 must do my own preaching. They possibly 
 can do more good at home. I'm sure they will 
 not be so much exposed and will live better. 
 
36 GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 
 
 Adieu, my Dear Sir, and believe me to be 
 sincerely your friend and most Obe'd Servt. 
 
 John Glover. 
 
 To Messrs. Jonathan Glover and Azor 
 Orne, Esqrs. 
 
 September 19, 1777. General Glover's 
 Brigade was in the left wing of the army 
 when a severe battle took place, under the 
 immediate command of General Gates, the 
 Americans holding their ground against the 
 British under Burgoyne when night closed 
 the fierce struggle. 
 
 September 29, 1777. Glover wrote: "I 
 ordered one hundred men from my brigade 
 to take off a pickett of about sixty of the 
 enemy, who were posted about half a mile 
 from me, at the same time ordered a covering 
 party of two hundred to support them. 
 This being the first enterprise of this kind, 
 and as it was proposed by me, I was very 
 anxious for its success. I therefore went 
 myself. . . . When I made the proper 
 disposition for the attack, they w^ent on like 
 so many tigers, bidding defiance to musket 
 balls and bayonets. Drove the enemy, killed 
 three, and wounded a great number more. 
 
GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 37 
 
 took one prisoner, eight packs, eight blankets, 
 two guns, one sword and many other articles 
 of plunder without any loss on our side." 
 
 October 7. Another general engagement 
 took place. A part of Glover's brigade was 
 held in reserve, but the Marblehead Regiment 
 was under Arnold, and in the thickest of the 
 fight. The camp was attacked and captured. 
 It was one of the hardest fought battles of 
 the war. General Glover had three horses 
 shot from under him during the engagement. 
 Burgoyne was compelled to retreat towards 
 Fort Edward. 
 
 October 11, 1777. General Gates ordered 
 an attack on Burgoyne 's works, while, ( as 
 he had been led by rumors to believe) he 
 was weakened by the absence of a part of 
 his army. Burgoyne knowing of this mis- 
 take, prepared to make the most of it. At 
 daybreak the troops began to move. Nixon 
 had already crossed the Creek, Glover close 
 behind, had entered the water, when he saw 
 a British soldier, who claimed to be a de- 
 serter. Glover arrested and examined him. 
 On questioning him in regard to Burgoyne 's 
 army, his ansv/ers were not satisfactory. 
 
38 GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 
 
 Glover told him, " If you are found attempt- 
 ing to deceive me, you shall be hung in half 
 an hour, but if you speak nothing but the 
 truth you shall have good usage." Then 
 he said Burgoyne's full force was with him, 
 well entrenched and in good position. Glov- 
 er, though the junior officer to Nixon, sent 
 off to him to re-cross the creek; and at the 
 same time sent his aid-de-camp on horse- 
 back with the deserter behind him to Gen- 
 eral Gates, who examined the soldier and 
 immediately countermanded his orders of 
 attack, and began to make his plans to pre- 
 vent the escape of Burgoyne. By Glover's 
 timely discovery of the true condition of the 
 enemy, the American army was saved from 
 disaster, and the enemy caught in a trap. 
 
 October 13, 1777. Burgoyne, with five 
 thousand seven hundred and sixty-three 
 men, surrendered — a bloodless victory ! 
 Glover,* with his brigade, was appointed to 
 escort the prisoners of war to Boston. 
 
 November 7. Burgoyne's army under 
 Glover's escort arrived in Cambridge. Col- 
 onel William R. Lee, with his new regiment, 
 
 *See Appendix E. 
 
GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 39 
 
 was ordered to form a part of the guard. 
 
 November 9. Hamilton writes from New 
 Jersey: "Glover and Patterson are on their 
 way down." 
 
 December. General Glover was president 
 and Colonel William R. Lee a member of the 
 court martial for the trial of Colonel Henley 
 at Cambridge. 
 
 January to May, 1778. Glover's Regiment 
 was at Valley Forge and suffered all of the 
 hardships of that camp. 
 
 May 7. Came the welcome news of the 
 French alliance. A grand jubilee was held 
 at Valley Forge. 
 
 June 28. General Glover again joined 
 the army, having finished the business as- 
 signed him by General Gates, and was placed 
 in command of Fort Arnold near West Point. 
 The Marblehead Regiment, with others, was 
 sent under Lafayette to Providence to re- 
 enforce General Sullivan. General Glover 
 joined his brigade while on their way. On 
 his arrival. General Sullivan sent Glover 
 to recruit two hundred sailors for fifteen 
 days' service. 
 
 August ID. Glover having secured in 
 
40 GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 
 
 Boston, Salem and Marblehead, the two hun- 
 dred sailors, returned to Providence. Colo- 
 nel William R. Lee, having resigned, re- 
 linquished his command to attend to private 
 affairs that demanded attention. 
 
 August 14. Sullivan moved to Quaker 
 Hill near Newport. Though disappointed 
 in the French fleet that had promised their 
 support, and, instead, had sailed away, he 
 prepared to move on the city, then occu- 
 pied by the British. 
 
 August 15. Glover's Brigade was on the 
 left of the line under Bigelow, and Glover 
 was on Sullivan's staff. 
 
 August 20. The time of enlistment of 
 many men having expired, they were urged 
 by Sullivan to continue their service a few 
 days longer. Many left, but the Marblehead 
 and Salem men remained. 
 
 Glover, with the other generals, remon- 
 strated against the action of the French. 
 
 August 28, 1778. The American forces 
 removed from Quaker Hill to Bitt's Hill and 
 were there attacked by the British. In the 
 advance skirmishing, the American left was 
 reenforced by Glover's Brigade. The fight 
 
GENERAL JOHN GLOVER 41 
 
 was severe. The loss was considerable on 
 each side. The British were repulsed. 
 
 August 29. A retreat was determined 
 upon by a council of war. "The experience 
 and good judgment of General Glover was 
 conspicuous on this occasion, as on the re- 
 treat from Long Island in 1776." "At Qua- 
 ker Hill, * General Glover had distinguished 
 himself by a valiant defense." 
 
 As night came on. Glover's Regiment took 
 command of the fiat-boats, and before day- 
 light the next morning, had safely ferried 
 across the Narragansett to the main land, the 
 entire army, Sullivan, Greene and Lafayette, 
 their divisions and munitions of war. Not 
 a man or an article was left behind. 
 
 On the morning of the 30th, one hundred 
 sail of British vessels appeared in sight, 
 bringing General Clinton's army to the rescue 
 of the garrison. 
 
 February, 1779. Glover was granted a 
 furlough and returned to Marblehead. 
 
 June 20. Glover, with his brigade, 
 marched from Providence to join the main 
 army, then in the Hudson valley. 
 
 ''Carrington, Page 455. 
 
42 GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 
 
 July 23. Glover was ordered to Ridge- 
 field to watch and communicate the move- 
 ments of the enemy. 
 
 November 25. Glover was at "Camp 
 Peeks Kill" with his brigade in the field; 
 "eight hundred men without shoes or stock- 
 ings." The whole army, except Glover's 
 and Nixon's Brigades, had gone into winter 
 camp, but "they were enjoying the sweets 
 of a winter campaign. ' ' 
 
 Summer, 1780. Glover and his brigade 
 were at West Point. 
 
 September 29. Glover was a member of 
 the court that sentenced Major Andre. 
 
 October 2. When Major Andre was exe- 
 cuted, Glover was officer of the day. 
 
 Winter, 1 780-1. Glover and his brigade 
 were at West Point, and was left with other 
 troops to protect the Hudson Highlands, 
 when Washington and the main army went 
 to Virginia. 
 
 October 19, 1781. Lord Cornwallis sur- 
 rendered. Great rejoicing. 
 
 We cannot fully appreciate or understand 
 the feeling of the men and women of America 
 on the receipt of the news of the surrender of 
 
GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 43 
 
 Cornwallis. The feeling of anxiety and sus- 
 pense, long continued, had been strained to 
 the utmost. Strong men cried like children 
 for joy, and wives and mothers walked about 
 dazed, because the strain of suspense was 
 ended. A single instance will serve to illus- 
 trate it : 
 
 On the Sunday after October 19, 1781, in 
 the southern part of this state, a congrega- 
 tion had gathered in the village church for 
 public worship. The good old parson was 
 in the midst of his sermon when the sound 
 of a galloping horse was heard rapidly ap- 
 proaching the meeting-house. The tithing- 
 man started for the door to investigate its 
 meaning. As he reached the door, a horse, 
 all flecked with foam, was drawn in before 
 him, and the tall, lithe horseman brushed 
 by him and walked hurriedly up the aisle, 
 and up the pulpit stairs. After a short con- 
 ference with the minister, he turned, walked 
 rapidly out again, leaped into his saddle and 
 galloped away. 
 
 The minister, through the open window, 
 watched him till he disappeared and the 
 sound of his horse's hoofs had died away in 
 
44 GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 
 
 the distance. The good man then turned 
 to his audience, composed of women, old men 
 and children, and said: "My friends, this 
 courier brings the grand, the glorious tidings 
 that Lord Cornwallis, on the 19th instant, 
 surrendered to General Washington and the 
 Continentals. Now, if we were not in the 
 Lord's house, on the Lord's day, I would 
 call for three rousing cheers for Washington 
 and the Continental army. But we are in 
 the Lord's house, and it is the Lord's day." 
 He hesitated a moment. His patriotism 
 began to boil, and raising himself to his full 
 height, he said : " Brethren and sisters, though 
 we are in the Lord's house and on the Lord's 
 day, what would be the harm in just going 
 through the motions?" He grasped his 
 manuscript, raised it above his head, and 
 three times waved it in the air. His congre- 
 gation was already on its feet, and three 
 times a wave of white handkerchiefs and red 
 bandannas rolled across the meeting-house. 
 And then all was quiet. They expected the 
 minister to go on with his sermon. But he 
 could not. He did not know where he left 
 off, and said, '' Now let us sing, Traise God 
 
GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 45 
 
 from whom all blessings flow. ' ' ' When that 
 was sung, he pronounced the benediction. 
 There were many who could not leave their 
 seats; they sat and cried for joy. 
 
 The British were in possession of New 
 York City, and Washington, as he always 
 had done, saw the importance of holding 
 the Hudson valley, and carefully guarded 
 every strategic point, from Harlem to Lake 
 Champlain. Glover and his brigade were 
 still in the Highlands near West Point. 
 
 November 12, 1781. Glover was in com- 
 mand of a foraging expedition, and with 
 his brigade, received the thanks of General 
 Heath. 
 
 Spring of 1782. Glover was ordered to 
 Massachusetts to take charge of mustering 
 and forwarding recruits. 
 
 July, 1782. General Glover reluctantly 
 retired from the army on account of failing 
 health and was placed on half-pay by Con- 
 gress. Congress would gladly have been 
 just, if not generous, to all of the patriot 
 army, but the poverty of the treasury pre- 
 vented. 
 
 Glover had put himself and his fortune 
 
46 GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 
 
 into the Revolution. His vitality was near- 
 ly exhausted. His fortune was absorbed. 
 At the close of the war, he returned to his 
 home broken in health but uncomplaining. 
 He partitioned off a corner of his sitting- 
 room for a workshop, and cobbled shoes for 
 a livelihood. 
 
 Five children were still dependent upon 
 him. His oldest son had been a captain in 
 his regiment, and, though young, had proved 
 himself worthy of the trust. His youngest 
 son was nine years old. Glover's wife had 
 died November 13, 1778, while his brigade 
 was in Rhode Island, after the battle of New- 
 port. 
 
 He was elected Representative to the 
 Massachusetts Legislature in 1788 and in 
 1789; a Selectman in 1787, 1788, 1789, 1790, 
 1791 and 1792. 
 
 January 30, 1797. General John Glover 
 died in Marblehead, and was buried in the 
 Old Burial Ground, aged 64 years, 2 months, 
 25 days. 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 The two following letters from American Archives, 
 Fifth Series, Volume II. 
 
 A 
 Mile Square, October 22, 1776. 
 
 You no doubt heard the enemy landed all their 
 army on Frog's Point, the nth instant, leaving only 
 twelve hundred men in York, and there remained until 
 the 1 8th, which was Frida3^ I arose early in the 
 morning and went on the hill with my glass, and dis- 
 covered a number of ships in the Sotind, under way; 
 in a short time saw the boats, upwards of two hundred 
 sail, all manned and formed in four grand divisions. 
 I immediately sent off Major Lee express to General 
 Lee, who was about three miles distant, and without 
 waiting his orders, turned out the brigade I have 
 the honor to command, and very luckily for us I 
 did, as it turned ovLt afterwards, the enemy having 
 stole a march one and a half m.iles on us. I marched 
 down to oppose their landing, with about seven hun- 
 dred and fifty men. and three field pieces, but had 
 not gone more than half the distance, before I raet 
 their advance guard, about thirty men; upon which 
 I detached a captain's guard of forty men to meet 
 them, while I could dispose of the main body to advan- 
 tage. This plan succeeded very well as you wiU hereafter 
 see. The enemy had the advantage of us, being post- 
 ed on an eminence which commanded the ground we 
 had to march over. However, I did the best I could, 
 and disposed of my little party to the best of my judg- 
 ment; Colonel Reed's on the left of the road; Col- 
 onel Shepard's in the rear, and to the right of him, 
 
48 GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 
 
 Colonel Baldwin's in the rear and on the right of Shep- 
 ards, my own regiment, commanded by Captain 
 Courtis, (Col. Johonnot being sick and Major Lee 
 being Brigade Major), bringing up the rear with 
 three field-pieces of artillery. Thus disposed of, I 
 rode forward — (oh! the anxiety of mind I was then 
 in for the fate of the day, — the lives of seven hundred 
 and fifty men immediately at hazard, and under God 
 their preservation entirely depended on their being 
 well disposed of; besides this, my country, my honor, 
 my own life, and everything that was dear, appeared 
 at that critical moment to be at stake. I would have 
 given a thousand worlds to have had General Lee, or 
 some other experienced officer present to direct, or 
 at least to approve of what I had done — looking around, 
 but could see none, they all being three miles from me, 
 and the action came on so sudden it was out of their 
 power to be with me ) to the advance guard, and or- 
 dered them to advance, who did, within fifty yards, 
 and received their fire without the loss of a man; we 
 returned it, and fell four of them, and kept the ground 
 till we exchanged five rounds. 
 
 Their body being much larger than mine, and having 
 two men killed and several wounded, which weakened 
 my party, the enemy pushing forward, not more than 
 thirty yards distant, I ordered a retreat, which was 
 masterly well done by the captain who commanded 
 the party. 
 
 The enemy gave a shout and advanced. Colonel 
 Reed's laying under cover of a stone wall undiscovered 
 till they came within thirty yards, then rose up and 
 gave them the whole charge; the enemy broke and 
 retreated for the main body to come up. In this situa- 
 tion we remained about an hour and a half, when they 
 appeared about four thousand, with seven pieces of 
 artillery; we kept our post under cover of the stone 
 wall before mentioned, till they came within fifty 
 yards of us; rose up and gave the whole charge of the 
 battalion, they halted, and returned the fire with 
 showers of musketry and cannon balls. We exchanged 
 seven rounds at this post, retreated and formed in the 
 rear of Colonel Shepard and on his left; they then 
 
GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 49 
 
 shouted and pushed on till they came on Shepard, 
 posted behind a fine double stone wall; he rose up 
 and fired by grand divisions, by which he kept up a 
 constant fire, and maintained his post till he exchanged 
 seventeen rounds with them, and caused them to re- 
 treat several times, once in particular so far that a 
 soldier of Colonel Shepard's leaped over the wall 
 and took a hat and canteen off of a captain that lay 
 dead on the ground they retreated from. However, 
 their body being so much larger than ours, we were for 
 the preservation of the men forced to retreat, and 
 formed in the rear of Baldwin's Regiment; they then 
 came up to Baldwin's, but the ground being much in 
 their favour, and their heavy train of artillery, we 
 could do but little before we retreated to the bottom 
 of the hill, and had to pass through a run of water, ( the 
 bridge I had taken up before) and then marched up a 
 hill the opposite side of the creek, where I left my artil- 
 lery; the ground being rough and much broken, I 
 was afraid to risk it over. The enemy halted and 
 played away their artillery at us and we at them, till 
 night, without any damage on our side, and but very 
 little on their's. At dark we came off, and marched 
 to Dobb's Ferry, after fighting all day without victuals 
 or drink, laying as a picket all night, the heavens over 
 us, and the earth under us, which was all we had, 
 having left our baggage at the old encampment, we 
 left in the morning. The next morning marched over 
 to Mile Square. I had eight men killed and thirteen 
 wounded, among which was Colonel Shepard, a brave 
 officer. 
 
 Sunday, General Lee sent for and informed me 
 there were two hundred barrels of pork and flour at 
 East Chester, if the enemy had not taken it, would 
 be glad if I would think of some way to bring it off. I 
 sent out and pressed fifteen wagons, and at night turned 
 out the whole brigade, and went down so nigh the ene- 
 my, we heard their musick and talk very plain and 
 brought off the whole. 
 
 Wednesday, sent out a scouting party, principally 
 from my own regiment, who met with a party of Hes- 
 sians, and attacked them, killed twelve and took three 
 
50 GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 
 
 prisoners. One of the slain was an officer of rank, 
 on horseback; the horse was taken and brought off. 
 We had one man mortally wounded of Colonel Bald- 
 win's regiment. 
 
 "Sunday, the enemy struck their tents, and were 
 on a march in two columns, one to the right and the 
 other to the left, towards the North River. General 
 Lee immediately gave orders for his division, which 
 consisted of eight thousand men, to march for North 
 Castle, to take the ground to the eastward and north 
 of them, about fourteen miles distant. We had not 
 marched more than three miles, before we saw the 
 right column advancing in a cross road to cut us off, 
 not more than three-quarters of a mile distant; this 
 being our situation, eight thousand men on the road 
 with their baggage, artillery and one hundred and 
 fifty wagons filled the road for four miles. We then 
 turned off, and marched by Dobb's Ferry road, and 
 got into White Plains about ten o'clock Monday morn- 
 ing, after being out all night. We left General McDou- 
 gall's brigade posted on a height between the enemy 
 and us, to cover our march. About twelve o'clock 
 they attacked him with a heavy column, supported 
 with twelve pieces of artillery, who pressed him so 
 hard, he was obliged to retreat, having twenty men 
 killed and about forty wounded, and wholly from 
 their artillery. 
 
 " I am posted on a mountain, commanding the roads 
 to Albany and New England; the enemy on one oppo- 
 site, about one mile distant. We expect an attack 
 every moment. I don't care how soon, as I am very 
 certain, with the blessing of God, we shall give them 
 a drubbing. Where you will hear from me next is 
 very uncertain." 
 
 B 
 
 Extract of a letter from "Fort Lee" dated October 
 
 19. 1776. 
 
 Yesterday's affair was honourable to us. Three 
 regiments, Glover's, Reed's and Shepard's of Massa- 
 chusetts, under Colonel Glover who commanded the 
 brigade, were advanced under cover to receive the 
 enemy, marching out towards the country. Colonel 
 
GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 51 
 
 Shepard was well covered under a wall and at thirty 
 or forty yards gave their grenadiers and infantry an 
 unexpected heavy fire, then a second and third, which 
 broke the enemy so much that they ran away as fast 
 as they could in confusion. 
 
 They returned with field-pieces and outflanked 
 our party, which occasioned our people to retreat to a 
 short distance, where they rallied well and kept their 
 ground against their cannonade and numbers. Our 
 men behaved with remarkable spirit and coolness, 
 and, I think, are in a good way to do great things. 
 
 We lost a few, thirty or forty killed and wounded. 
 Two deserters from the enemy say they lost one thou- 
 sand, but really I have the best opinions to believe 
 they lost one hundred and fifty or upwards, as our 
 men fired with great coolness at a good distance. 
 They are trying to surround us. It won't be easy; 
 and I am mistaken if they don't meet some severe 
 rubbers. 
 
 The following is an extract from a speech of General 
 Knox in the Massachusetts Legislature : 
 
 Sirs: I wish the members of this body knew the 
 people of Marblehead as well as I do, — I could wish 
 that they had stood on the banks of the Delaware 
 River in 1776 in that bitter night, when the commander 
 in chief had drawn tip his little army to cross it, and 
 had seen the powerful current bearing onward the 
 floating masses of ice, which threatened destruction 
 to whosoever should venture upon its bosom. I wish 
 that when this occurrence threatened to defeat the 
 enterprise, they could have heard that distinguished 
 warrior demand 'Who will lead us on?' and seen the 
 men of Marblehead, and Marblehead alone, stand 
 forward to lead the army along the perilous path to 
 unfading glories and honors in the achievements of 
 Trenton. There, sir, went the fishermen of Marble- 
 head, alike at home upon land or water, alike ardent, 
 patriotic and unflinching, whenever they unfurled 
 the flag of the country. 
 
52 GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 
 
 D 
 
 The following letter gives an example of the special 
 service to which the Marblehead regiment was called. 
 Peekskill, 23d July, 1777. 
 
 I this day received orders from his Excellency, 
 General Washington, to reenforce General Schuyler 
 with my brigade. You will therefore please release 
 the party I sent you the other day to man the ships, 
 which consists of 2 sub'ns, 2 serg'ts, 2 corp's and 34 
 men. Your compliance herewith will much oblige 
 yours, etc. 
 
 John Glover, B. Gen. 
 
 To Gen. Geo. Clinton. 
 
 Albany, 22 October, 1777. 
 
 Sir: This will inform your Honour, that I have 
 sent one division of the prisoners, consisting of two 
 thousand four hundred and forty-two British troops 
 by Northampton, the other by the way of Springfield, 
 consisting of two thousand one hundred and ninety- 
 eight foreign troops. I shall come on to-morrow with 
 General Burgoyne and expect to be in Worcester in ten 
 days, where I shall be happy to meet your Honour's 
 orders. I have endeavored to collect provisions to 
 serve them to Worcester; you will please to order on 
 some to meet me at that place. I am with respect. 
 Your Honour's Most Obed't. Set., 
 
 John Glover. 
 
 P. S. The number of prisoners, drivers of wagons 
 bat-horsemen and the guards are at least six thousand. 
 I am put to great difficulty to find provisions for them. 
 
 To the Hon'ble Jer'h Powell 
 
 F 
 
 Headquarters Cambridge, 
 July 3d, 1775. 
 By his Excellency, General Washington, dated 
 4 o'clock, P.M., it is ordered that Colonel Glover's 
 Regiment be ready this evening, with all their accoutre- 
 ments, to march at a minute's warning to support 
 
GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. S3 
 
 General Folsom of the New Hampshire forces, in case 
 his lines should be attacked. It is also ordered that 
 Colonel Prescott's Regiment equip themselves to march 
 this evening and take possession of the woods leading 
 to Lechmere's Point, and in case of an attack there. 
 Colonel Glover's Regiment to march immediately to 
 their support. 
 
 In the year 1772 the tonage of Marblehead vessels 
 was more than twelve thousand tons. In the year 
 1780, the tonage was only one thousand and nine. 
 
 In 1772 there were one thousand two hundred and 
 three voters in town, in 1780 there were only five hun- 
 dred and forty-four. 
 
 At the close of the war there were in Marblehead 
 four hundred and forty-eight widows and nine hundred 
 and sixty-six fatherless children. 
 
GLOVER'S ROCK. 
 
 In this time of historic reminiscence every Marble- 
 header will be glad to recall the heroic deeds that made 
 the nation's birthday a day to celebrate, and especially, 
 if those deeds were done by their own kith and kin. 
 And they have a kindly feeling towards any w^ho join 
 them in honoring those they love to honor. 
 
 The Bronx Chapter, Mount Vernon, New York, 
 Daughters of the American Revolution, on the one 
 hundred and twenty-fifth anniversary of the battle of 
 Pell's Point, unveiled a fine bronze tablet that they had 
 placed on the face of that great boulder to commem- 
 orate the heroic deeds of Glover and his little bri- 
 gade on that eventful October 1 8 , 1776. 
 
 The tablet is three feet six inches long by three 
 feet wide, and bears the following inscription in large 
 clear-cut letters: 
 
 GLOVER'S ROCK. 
 
 IN MEMORY OF THE 550 PATRIOTS WHO, 
 
 LED BY COL. JOHN GLOVER, HELD 
 
 GENERAL HOWE's ARMY IN 
 
 check at the 
 
 Battle of Pell's Point, 
 
 october 18, 1776, thus aiding washington 
 
 in his retreat to white plains 
 
 Fame is the perfume of heroic deeds. 
 
 ERECTED BY BRONX CHAPTER OF MOUNT 
 
 VERNON, N. Y., DAUGHTERS OF 
 
 THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION 
 
 OCTOBER 18, 19OI. 
 
GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 55 
 
 The local papers, in their report in relation to the 
 unveiling of the tablet, made the following statements: 
 
 "The occasion was the climax and crown of a year 
 and a half of preparation and effort on the part of the 
 chapter. Through their efforts and the generosity of 
 friends, the desire of the chapter to mark the spot of 
 this little known, but important battle, has at last been 
 happily fulfilled. 
 
 "It is a beautiful site in Pelham Bay Park. The 
 unveiling was in the afternoon, under glowing October 
 skies, and amid a large number of interested people. 
 Opposite the huge boulder, known as Glover's Rock, 
 a grand stand was erected for the chapter and guests 
 of honor. . 
 
 "The stand was beautifully draped with national 
 colors and surrounded as it was with numerous car- 
 riages filled with an interested audience, faced by a 
 chorus of fifty public school children, standing close 
 beside the historic boulder, made a picture long to be 
 remembered. 
 
 "The exercises opened with a chorus entitled Amer- 
 ica for Freedom," by the school children, followed by 
 prayer of dedication by Rev. O. R. Lovejoy. The 
 Regent then introduced the speaker of the day, Mr. 
 Edward Hageman Hall of New York City. 
 
 "Mr. Hall's address was an eloquent plea for me- 
 morials of the kind just erected by the Bronx Chapter. 
 He urged silent, but impressive effect upon observers, 
 both old and young, of such witnesses of glorious dcpds 
 of the past, and pleaded for a reverent and discrim- 
 inating memory of the annals of our country as one of 
 the best guides to future conduct. 
 
 "Mr. Hall was listened to with closest attention and 
 received hearty applause. The chorus then sang 
 "America," after which the Regent, Mrs. Sherman, 
 dedicated the tablet in a short address, glowing with 
 patriotism, and paying a graceful and appreciative 
 tribute to Mr. William Abbatt, the historian, to whom 
 the chapter owes so much. 
 
 "At the close of Mrs. Sherman's speech, the tablet 
 was unveiled by Marjorie Sherman and Donald R. 
 Baker. 
 
56 GENERAL JOHN GLOVER. 
 
 "Prolonged applause and murmurs of admiration 
 greeted the handsome bronze memorial, which is the 
 work of Paul Cabaret of New York. ( Master Donald 
 R. Baker is a descendant of Nathan Forbes, one of 
 Glover's men.) Then the entire audience joined the 
 children in singing "The Star Spangled Banner." The 
 benediction was pronounced by Rev. F. M. Taylor." 
 
 Thus Bronx Chapter commemorates the heroic deeds 
 of John Glover and his brigade, the first resistance 
 offered to British invaders after landing on the main- 
 land of Westchester County, the first tablet erected as a 
 Revolutionary memento in the eastern shore of the 
 county. 
 
 Every citizen of Marblehead is grateful to the ladies 
 of Bronx Chapter for this mark of appreciation of the 
 heroic character, noble patriotism and military genius 
 of Glover, so grandly supported by his fearless brigade, 
 and on that account will read "General John Glover 
 and his Marblehead regiment in the Revolutionary 
 War" with a deeper interest, if possible, than they 
 otherwise would. 
 
Ami