tym MfcW "^TLL-nswick in the Critic/il >:^^ ■■■¥.i Glass L Zh^ Pnnk . J/5V^^£ Nj^ui IruuBiuirk in tl|r (Eritiral 3lni|n f / Mall Reprinted from the Minutes of the New Brunswick Historical Club, Meeting of February 27, 1908. THE TIMES PUBLISHING COMPANY J908 Gift Author (Person) 7 G"03 New Brunswick in the Critical Period of the Revolution." After the fall of Fort Washington the Aiiiorican army pommeueed Its retreat a- cToss Xew Jersey, from Newark to Eliza- beth and from therce on to Bruns- wick where Washington expected to make a stand, circumstances were such that he found it impossible to do so, and he ret rented to Trenton. I'nder date of I>eccuH)er 1, 1770, Wash- ingington wrote to Governor Livingston saying: "That the enemy's advance parties were seen last night at Uonum.that they were impressing wagons and houes, and collect- ing cattle and sheep, which he took to mean that they were preparing to march a considerable distance At 7.;i() p. m., the same date, he wrote to the I'resideut of Congress, that t!:e ene- my appeared in several parties on the heights opposite Brunsvvick, and were ad- vancing in a large body towards the crossing place. A smart cannonade took place while Washingtons' troops were on parade, l)ut with little loss on either side. Washington's army at this time, includ- ing al)Out one thousand men under General Williamson, who, by the way, Washing- ton did not liave .. high opinion of as he stated in his letter th.i. L^ did not think Williamson had the confidence of the peo- ple, and for that reason the militia from the counties of Morris and Sussex turn- ed out slowl.v and reluctantly. General Greene writes from Trenton to Governor Cook, "when we left Brunswick we had not three thous;ind men — A very pitiful army to trust the lii)eities of Amer- ica tipon. We are endeavoring to collect a sufficient force to give the enemy bat- tle, or at least to stop their progress." We have had another proof of the folly of short enlistments. The time for the five months men expired at this critical per- iod. Two brigades i«»ft us at Brunswick, notwithstanding the enemy were within two hours march and coming on. The loss of these troops at this time reduced his excellency to the. necessity to order anoth- er retreat, Here we are endeavoring to draw our forces together. The Philadel- phia and Pennsylvania militia turns out with great spirit, but the Jersey militia l)ehaves scun'ily, and I fear are not de- serving of the freedom we are contending for." Things were very dark on the side of the p.itriots, and looking at (hem as they an- peared at that time; one can appreciate the feelings of WasMngton when he wrote to his brother, "I am wearied almost to death with the retograde motion of things, and I solemnly protest that a pecuniary reward of twenty thousand pounds a year would not induce me to undergo what I do; and after all, perhaps, lose uiy char- acter, as it is impossible, under such a variety of distres.sing circumstances to conduct matters agreeably to public ex- pectation, or even the expectations of those who employ me, as they will not make proper allowance for the difficulties their own errors have occasioned." What Washington thought was the most pronounced cause of these errors, is plain- ly stated in the following letter to the President of Congress, dated at Trenton, December 5th, 1776. "Sorry am I to observe that the frequent calls upon the militia of this State, the want of exertion in the principal gentle- men of the country, or a fatal supineness and insensibility of d&ngei, till it is too late to prevent an evil thf. t was not only forseen, but foretold, have been the cause of our late disgraces. "If the militia tf this state had stepped forth In season— and timely notice they had — we might ha^e prevented the ene- my's crossing the Hackensack, although without some previcrs notice of the time and place it was impossible to have done this at the North Rivi^r. "We might with eq\al probability of success have made a stnud at Brunswick, on the Rarltan, but as both of these rlv- ers were fordable in a vrriety of places, (knee deep only,) it required many men to defend the passes; and tliose we had not. "At Ilackensack our force was insuf- ficient, because a part was at Kllzabeth- town, Amboy and Brunswick, gurrding a coast which I thought most exposed to danger; and at Brunswick, because 1 'vas most disappointed in my expectation of militia, and because on the day of :he enemy's approach — and probably the cause of it — the term of the Jersey and Maryland brigades expired; neither of which would consent to stay an hour longer. "These among ten thousand other in- stances might be adduced to show the dis- advantage of short enlistments, and the little dependence upou militia in times of real danger. But as yesterday cannot be recalled, I will not dwell upon a suD- ject which has no doubt given much un- easiness to Congress, as well as extreme pain and anxiety to myself. My first wish is, that Congress may be convinced of the impropriety of levying upon the militia, and of the necessity of raising a larger standing army than what tliey have voted." Washington in his letter makes the state. meut that Congress should not bave anything to do with the militia* unless in cases of extraordinary exigtucy, but in- stead should have an army of forty thous- and men, well officered, who would be daily improving instead of continuing o destructive, expensive and disorderly mo'j. Samuel Cleaveland, brigadier general of royal artillery, makes the following re- turn or ordnance and stores taken by his Majesty's troops from the 12th of October to the 20th of November, 1776. At Fort Washington and batteries de- pending; lorn ordnance, four 32 pounders, two 18 do., seven 12 do., 5 9 do., 15 6 do. 8 do., and two five -and-half-inch brass howitzers. Fort Independence: lorn ordinance: 12 four pounders. Fort Valentine: lorn ordnance: 4 twelve pounders, 10 nine do. 10 six do. 37 four do. Fort Lee; Batteries in the Jerseys and surrondings: lorn ordnance: 5 thirty- two pounders, 3 twenty-four do. 2 six do. 2 three do., one thirteen-inch and one ten inch brass mortar. Two thirteen inch, one ten and one eight inch lorn mortar, thirteen inch,l 10-inch and one eight-inch, iorn mortars. On the road leading to Hackensack, two twenty-four, two eighteen, and four twelve pound cannon, mounted on travelling car- riages, also four six pounders, unmount- ed. Total — Torn ordinance : 9 thirty-two, 5 twenty-four, 4 eighteen, 15 twelve, 15 nine, 31 six, 49 four, and 10 three pounders, 2 five-and-half-inch brass howitzers, one 13 inch brass mortar and 1 10-iuch; also thirteen-inch, and one eight-inch, iorn mortars. Shot: Round, loose: 1087 thirty-two pounders, 272 eightnen pounders, 2037 12 pounders, 300 six pounders,700 four pound ers, 870 three pounders. Case; 30 thirty-two pounders, 40 eight- een pounders, 340 t-^eive pounders, 290 nine pounders, 74 six pounders, 39 three pounders, 1159 double-headed of sorts, and 42 boxes for grape. Shells: 176 thirteen-inch, 511 ten-inch, 1140 eight-inch, 1170 five-and-half-inch, 1200 four-two-fifths-inch. Powder, barrels 15 Muskets, 2800 Musket Cartridges 400000 lorn. Tons 25 IntrencJiing tools of sor,-! 500 Armours' tools, sets 6 Hand-barrows, 200 Gin, Complete, 1 Sling-Carts 2 Also a large quautity of other stores that the American troops were very much in need of at that critical period. How confident the British were of crush- ing out the last hope of American liberty, is shown by the folk. ,ving extract of a letter received in London from a field of- ficer in the King's army, aated New York. December 2, 1776. Just the day the Brit- ish entered New Brunswick. "The troops under General Lord Corn- wallis, after driving tlie rebels from Fort Lee, or Fort Constitution, in New Jersey, proceeded from Hackensack to Newark, and from Newark to Elizabethtown, where they found great quantities of stores, among which are twenty tons of musket bullets. "The rebels continued flying before our army. Lord Cornwallis took the fort oppo- site Brunswick, plunged into the Raritan river, and seized the town. Mr. Washing- ton had orders from the Congress to rally and defend that post, but he sent word that he could not. "He was seen retreating with two bri- gades to Trenton, where they talk of re- sisting; but such a panic has seized the rebels, that no part of the Jerseys will hold them, and I doubt whether I'hiladel- pliia itself will stop them. "The Congress have lost their authority, they ordered all the militia of Pennsyl- vania to be drawn out, they refused to march. '"Their second order was for two comiianies of every regiment to be imbodied and repaired to Washington, but they refused to do so. The Congress consists now of only seven members at l»hiladelphia. and they are in such consentration that they know not what to do." The horrid warfare the tories of New Jersey countenanced in which they par- ticipated was disgusting. Governor Liv- ingston in his speech to the Assembly, in 1777, said '"That the Uoyalists plundered friends and foes; effects, capaole of divis- ion were divided ; sucli as were not they destroyed. They warred upon decrepit old age, warred upon defenceless youth, com- mitted hostilities against the professors of literature, and the ministers of religion, against public records and private monu- ments, . books of improvement and papers of curiosity, and against the arts and sciences. They butchered the wound- ed, asking for quarter, mangled the dead, weltering in their blood, reftised the dead the right of sepulchre and suffered prison- ers to perish for want of substenance." I>eeds far worse than these, deeds of savage brutality, were the works, partially or wholly, of the Americans who adhered to the royal cause. Not only did the Roy- alists plunder his neighbor. But we find Mr. Hampton, one of the Continental quartermasters, complaining tiiat the militia of Essex were plundering in Middlesex. It would surprise and shock some of the citizens of Middlesex were they aware of the fact, that many of the most j>rominent inhabitants of the county wero under the watchful eyes of John Dennis and hSs: assocfates, least they should stray from the fold. How close a watch this committer kept, and how well they discharged the duties imposed upon them is a matter of history. They had several hundred under constant, but see- ret guard. They made charges against John Hortwick, and the same were taken under consideration by the committee of safety, who reported that "John Hortwick has always been esteemed a good citizen and a hearty friend of this country; that he is a military associator, and as such has turned out on all occasions when re- quired" Mr. Hortwick was charged with getting supplies and sending them to the captain of the ship "Asia. "The evidence proved that he and his sons were prisoners, and that he traded with the captain to fulfil an oath that had been exacted from him to regain their liberty of himself and his sons. The committee recommend- ed that he be forgiven, received into favor, and restored to good opinion of his coun- trymen. John Brown and Jacob Neifies, persons employed by Mr. Hortwick, were also charged with disloyalty, they were tried and acquitted. William Halfpenny was a New Bruns- wick huckster who took the protection of the King. He was .in old man that sold vegetables to the armies, and was charged with giving information to the British. He was arrested with Teter Overt, Francis Letts and a Mr. Lake by Major John Tay- lor on special orders of General Putman. Halfpenny's case was considered of such importance that Washington made a re- port of it to the Continental Congress, an abstract of which is printed in the min- utes of that body. James Wells and Rich- ard Churchward, of Paritan Landing ack- nowledged that they were in New York with the enemy, but said that they were obliged to do so when the vjritish troops left Brunswick. Thpy were discharged on taking the oath of abjuration and al- legiance. Jonathan Clawson, of PIscataway, was brought before the board and on being ex- amined said that he was threatened and frightened by the provincials to such a degree that he fled r, the other on Bennett's Island, two miles lielow the city. Many of I lie officers were quartered upon the inhah- itaiits and on the property of William Van Deursen, below New street, there was an encampment with a redoubt thrown up fur their protection. Many of the citizens were compelled to aliaiidon their residences, all business was suspended, public worship broken up. and the whole town under the control of th" enemy. The British jirniy immediately ap- jn-ojiriated to their o"-n use all the pub- lic buildings of the city. The pews wei'e taken out of the Dutch Ueformed church, on Neilson street, and it was converted first into a hospital, and afterward into a stable. The Presbyterian church was l)urned. Hessians and Tories were let loos? under orders from General Ilowe directing that: ".VU salted and meal provisions which may bo Judged to exceed the quantity necessary for the subsistence of an ordi- ii.iry family shall be considered a mas- azine of the enemy and seized for the Kill?:, and jriven to the troops as a saving for the pnl)lic." Tnder such orders the pickling barrels and granaries of every .Terse.v farmer be- came a lawful prize, the captor in each case lieing the .iurige of the quantity nec- essary to he left for the subsistence of each family. The farmers throughout this whole sec- tion of country were 'compelled to deliver over their stores into the hands of the British. At Three Mile Run the buildings were plundered, and frequently, fireil. Barns were torn down to supply timber for the construction of a temporary bridire over the Raritan and some of the most w.-ii'ton cri'elties were inflicted. But they were not allowed to remain in tlie i!iidisturl)ed possession of the town. Colonels Neilson and Taylor gave them constant trouble; Captain Guest was on the watch for a favoral)le opportunity to pounce upon th? Hessians; James Schure- man, who had learned something of war at the battle of Long Island, gave them no rest, while Captain Ilylor, whose adven- tures with his whaleboats around Staten Island seemed almost romantic, and who could fight on land as well as on water, keiit them in constant apprehension. These officers watched every movement of the enemy, drove liack their foraging par- ties into the city, and often skirmished witli their outposts. Deede of persona! valor were of frequent occurence, and tra- illtiiins are preserved In the families of the toivn of heroism unsurpassed in the whole history of the conflict. Colonel •Neilson organized a secret expedition against the outpost of the British on Ben- wetfs Island, near Weston's Mills. With .•1 picked command, numbering two liun- dred men, he stealthly approached the works on the morning of February 18, some time liefore day break. It was a clear, cold night iiud a fresh fall of snow rendered the un- dertaking extremely hazardous. But they reached the works without being discov- ered, and Colonel Neilson was the first man to leap the stockade. Captain Far- mer s:ued the life of his commander at this mnment by aiming a well-directed blow at the sentinel, who was in the act of discharging his musket into his breast. The short engagement lasted only a few minutes, when the works were surrenderer l)y Major Stockton, wlio was the Acting Commander of thie post in the absence of Colonel Skinner. One Captain, several subordinate officers and fifty-five privates were taken prisoners, and a quantity of munitions of war were captured. The Brit, ish knew nothing of this event, as on'y a few guns were fired, until some time dur- ing the morning, when the Americans, with their prisoners and booty, were ffir on their way toward Princeton, where (Jeneral Putman was stationed, into whose liands they delivered their spoils. Col- onel Neilson and his men received from General Washington a very high compli- ment for the wisdom with which he had planned and the secrecy with which ho had executed this most successful expedi- tion. When Howe held New Brunswick Wash- ington was kept well informed of what was going on in the city. Abram SMght re- Iiorted SOOO at or near New Brunswick, more between that and Elizabethtown, to the numl)er of 20,000, and that General •v^ ^ i^ i^/ Howe had arrived and would give the reb- les sixty days to make their submission. He also said that he had seen two field pieces on the George's Road. Christian Hutman reported Brunswick as full of British troops. William Hunt saw every horse full of Bed Coats. Nicholas Hopper made the same statement. Bettie Miller, wife of Jeremiah Miller, of Colonel Mile's second batalion, said, that the British were in Bruns^'ick, the Hessians on the other side of the Raritan and that their numbers were said by some to be six, and by others ten thonsaml ; and that their cannon were part at the barracks and part on the other side of the liridge, all of which w-as very discoui-- aging to Washington and his officers in their hour before dawn. Reports were con- tinually made by the friends of Washing- ton's little baud. Although New Bruns- wick sheltered many a Tory, it must be said of the citizens in general that through the whole course of the war they proved themselves firm and distinguished Whigs, and inflexiltly persevered in their attacli- ment to the American cause in its most I>eri!ous and gloomy days. The spirit and the pluck of the men of those days is well illustrated in the story that is told of William Lyons, a member of the Middlesex militia. On the march after the affair at Princeton, Washington noticed Lyons, as particularly large blothc- es of blood were left on the frozen snow behind him. The general seeking his con- dition, was moved to compasion and re- marked to him "My brave boy you de- serve a better fate." "It's all right, sir," said Lyons, "There is no danger of my feet freezing so long as the blood runs. I am perfectly satisfied, and thankful to know that I have tried to kill one Red Coat and hope to get the chance to do so again before long." While other cities of the State were arguing whether or not they should join the Patriot cause and cut the ties that bound them to the mother country the south ward of New Brunswick took vigor- ous action and on June 10, 177G sent a petition to the Council of Safety "praying that a new government be established, and that a speedy and absolute independ- ence upon Great Britain be proclamed The mighty stream of Revolutionar.y events rolled on to its end. The battles of Trenton, Princeton and Monmouth have taken their place In the history of the greatest revolution of modern times. The events which took place in and about New Brunswick contributed in no small degree to the independence of the United States. Had Washington failed in New Jersey, and in the vicinity of New Brunswick in particular, there would never have been a surrender at Yorktown. It was here within a radius of thirty miles of Rutgers College that American independence was won. It should not be forgotten that the losses to New Jersey in proportion to her population and wealth, were greater prob- ably, than to any other member of the Con- federacy. It was within her borders that Washington encountered his greatest dis- tresses and difficulties. It was here that the patriots fought, half starved, and almost naked, that the sun of freedom should shine for their posterity. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS w .■-■■■•■^ jt:'"i^^"^^ ^ mtm 5*jl^E^i .^*