E 30Z X,<\ Vfe^ n THE Reed Controversy. ' ' ,' , -r~W ■ . "--.^-^'''- ' V- ~— ' iisfl ^^Sw^H^ra^H^K : «a ^; %i^r ^ : | fegy ^ j ! &ft& J^^^l /J^v, i K ; I mm ^^^^ LU t^Si^^S E8? ; > \ \va ^ iI^a^ Qass_ £-30 ?* Book„ 7?3^ THE REED CONTROVERSY. FURTHER FACTS WITH REFERENCE TO THE CHARACTER OF Joseph Reed, ADJUTANT GENERAL ON THE STAFF OF GENERAL WASHINGTON. ne of the battalions to be formed was to consist of three companies from the county of Middlesex, two companies from the county of Monmouth, and three companies from the county of Burlington. For this battalion Charles Read, the Colonel of the Second Battalion of Burlington Militia, was detailed as Colonel to command. The records of this office show that Charles Read was in com- mission as Colonel, and Thomas Seabrook, of First Battalion, Monmouth Militia, as Lieutenant Colonel of said Battalion of State Troops, and it does not appear that the battalion ever did any service under these officers, for Lieutenant Colonel Sea- brook "refused taking the oaths to the State," and Colonel Read took protection from the enemy. During the " Confusion of the Times," the Legislature adjourned December 2d, 1776, from Burlington to Trenton. But on the 22(1 of January. 1777, they met in Pittston, and on the 29th we find them in session at Haddonfield, sixteen miles from Mount Holly. During the month of February the Legis- lature was busily employed in organizing the Second Establish- ment, Continental Line. These matters undoubtedly delayed the reorganization of the Militia and State Troops, and the con- THE REED CONTROVERSY. 7 duct of Colonel Read did not become officially public. But on the 15th day of March, 1777, Governor Livingston, in special message, reported : " Colonel Charles Read, of one of the Burlington Battalions, is in such a situation with Respect to his having submitted to the Enemy, that it is not probable he will act any longer in that office." I take it for granted that Colonel Donop thought the force in front of him was commanded by General Mifflin, who cer- tainly was on his way to Lancaster, Perm., at that time, and that he referred to a conversation held by a Colonel Reed with Colonel Samuel Griffin, a name sounding not unlike Mifflin, who was at that time doing all in his power to harass the British troops. Without entering into the discussion as to the whereabouts of Colonel Joseph Reed between the 14th of December, when the Hessian advance entered the Black Horse, and the 21st of December, when the entry was made in the diary, it certainly does appear to me that he could not have taken protection during that time, have had this interview with the commander of the American troops opposing the Hessian column, been entrusted by letter of Washington, dated December 23d, with the secret of the intended surprise at Trenton, and then fail to communicate the same to Donop, only six miles away. I ask your candid opinion, is it not altogether probable that Colonel Charles Read, who had large landed interests in Bur- lington county, while on his way from Mount Holly to his home in the southern part of the county, might have been the Read who, having " lately received protection," told Griffin " that he was not disposed to serve any longer." I am, very truly, yours, William S. Stryker, Adjutant General of New Jersey. 8 THE REED CONTROVERSY. STATE OF NEW JERSEY, Office of Adjutant Generai , TRENTON, February 9th, 1S76. Dr. Georgt H. Moore, New York Historical Society, New York City : My Dear Sir : I desire to add another fact bearing on the subject concerning which I addressed yon in my letter of January 26th. Since writing you I have seen an extract from the official report of Colonel Donop, from his headquarters at Bordentoun, to Major-General Grant at New Brunswick. The passage I quote is of the same date, December 21st, 1776, as the entry in his diary before alluded to. " Ce qui est bien sur, c'est que le meme pres midi Gen. Mifflin est avance avec un corps Rebelle sur la route de Moorstown, jusqu'au Pont de trois miles eloignees de Mont-holly, mais qu'il n'a rien enterpris que de miner entierement ce pont apres qu'il est retourne a Moorstown. Le Col. Reed, qui dernierement a ' recu une protection a rencontre le Gen. Mifflin, aupres de ce Pont, et lui a declare qu'il avoit quitte le parti Rebelle, sur quoi Mifflin l'a traite tres durement, le nommant a dam Raskel, et aparamment il l'a emmene comme prisonnier avec lui, puisque depuis on ne l'a plus vu a Blai khorse." While Donop's diary is in German, his report to his British commanding officer is in French, and French of a very indiffer- ent quality. However, the meaning is clear, that General Miff- lin (referring to Colonel Gsiffin,) had advanced his rebel corps 10 the bridge on the Moorestown road three miles from Mount Holly. That Colonel Reed had met him near this bridge and had the conversation before referred to. and that Mifflin had as it appeared taken him off as a prisoner, as he had not since been een ■ Black Horse. 1 desire to call your attention to the fact that the bridge ken oi here, is on the road which Colonel Charles Read, of THE REED CONTROVERSY. rj the Burlington Militia, would have taken whenever he travelled between Mount Holly and his home. It is apparent also, that Colonel Griffin did carry off Colonel Charles Read as Colonel Donop reported. In the Memorandum Book of the Council of Safety, of Pennsylvania, which may be found in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, at Harrisburg, we find just one month later Colonel Read of New Jersey in Philadelphia, and in the custody of Colonel Richard Humpton, then commanding nth Pennsylvania Regiment, Continental Line. The following is the extract : "January 21st, 1777. — The following Prisoners, taken in New Jersey, were sent by Col. Humpton to the Council. Col. Charles Reed, discharged on giving his word not to quit Phil., without leave." This memorandum is noted in Pennsylvania Archives, Second Series, Vol. I, Page 496. I think this is additional proof that Donop refers in his diary and in his report of the same date, to Colonel Read, 2d Bur- lington Battalion, New Jersey Militia, who received a Protec- tion, was taken prisoner and then gave his parole, and not to Colonel Reed, the Adjutant General of the Army. I am yours, very sincerely, William S. Stryker, Adjutant General of New Jersey. Washington, D. C, 1,623 H St., | February 10, 1876. ) My Dear Sir : My friend, Mr. Moore, has allowed me to read the letter which you addressed to him on the 26th January last. I have immediately perceived the bearing of your discoveries and have profited by them. I0 THE REED CONTROVERSY May I ask of you the favor to permit me to be the first to announce them to the public? If you will do so, you may be sure that I shall give all the honor to you, to whom is due the clearing up of what before was indistinct and perplexing. I remain, my dear General, Very sincerely your obliged, Geo. Bancroft. Adjutant Genoa I II'. S. Stryker. STATE OF NEW JERSEY, < ii i H f. in-- Adjutant General, TRENTON, February 15th, 1876. My Dear Sir : Your kind favor of the 10th was received to-day. I am pleased that my communication of January 26th to Mr. Moore was sent you by him, and am gratified to find, as I infer from your note, that you agree with me as to the bearing of my dis- coveries. I do not propose to give further publicity to the result of my investigations, but should you deem them of sufficient import- ance to be more widely made known, I shall feel highly gratified to have them reach the public through so illustrious a channel. I have the honor 10 lie yours, very truly, William S. Stryker, Adjutant General of New Jei sey. It, m. George Bancroft, Washington, D. C. In the Centenary edition of Bancroft's History of the United State-,, Vol. V, Chap. xiii. page 479, the following note appears THE A 1 /-:/:/' CONTROVERSY. ,, in reference to the entry of December 21st, 1776, in Donop's official- report to General Grant : " From discoveries recently made in the New Jersey archives by Adjutant General William S. Stryker, I think there can be no doubt that the Colonel Reed referred to in this passage, and in the corresponding words of the Donop German diary, was Colonel Charles Read of New Jersey, who is known to have 'submitted to the enemy.' " ~ BRA RY OF CONGRESS II II 011 839 095 33rtf! 7 « ^h '>■ « — / « v- -< : Ce . '. \ ; S v \ d^S <*iyx iMkl**&y.