EXCHANGE 
 
Princeton Historical Association 
 
 EXTRA PUBLICATIONS fj$ 
 
 NUMBER ONE 
 
 A Brief Narrative of the Ravages of the 
 
 British and Hessians at Princeton 
 
 1776-1777 
 
 -PRINCETON, N. J. 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 
 
 1906 
 
EXCHANGE 
 
THE PRINCETON HISTORICAL 
 ASSOCIATION 
 
 EXTRA PUBLICATIONS 
 NUMBER I 
 
BRIEF NARRATIVE 
 
 OF THE 
 
 Ravages of the British and Hessians 
 
 AT PRINCETON IN 1776-77 
 
 A CONTEMPORARY ACCOUNT OF THE BATTLES 
 OF TRENTON AND PRINCETON 
 
 VARNUM LANSING COLLINS 
 
 Reference Librarian of Princeton University 
 
 PRINCETON, N. J. 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 
 
 1906 
 
Copyright, 1906, by 
 THE PRINCETON UNIVERSITY LIBRAE 
 
 EXCHANGE 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 PAGE 
 
 INTRODUCTION vii-x 
 
 A BRIEF NARRATIVE 1-51 
 
 INDEX 53 
 
 89283 
 
INTRODUCTION 
 
 T^HE manuscript which is here printed for the first time 
 ** was purchased in 1901 by the Library of Princeton Uni 
 versity at the sale of the late General William Scudder Stryker s 
 collection. It had been given to General Stryker by Gover 
 nor Charles S. Olden of New Jersey who believed it to have 
 been handed down in his family from the day of its composi 
 tion a hundred and thirty years ago. It consists of twenty- 
 four folio numbered pages, the final paragraph of which was 
 written on April 18, 1777. The manuscript is brown with age 
 and has suffered severely from exposure and careless handling. 
 It has been folded in the middle and the outer leaves have 
 crumbled along the fold, while the upper right-hand quarters 
 of the first and last leaves are wanting altogether, causing 
 gaps in the first two and last two pages. The handwriting 
 is well formed and regular, and is evidently that of an old 
 man. The document is unsigned. 
 
 General Stryker, who in his History of the Battles of 
 Trenton and Princeton was the first to note in print the exist 
 ence of the manuscript, followed the Olden family tradition 
 by referring to it as the " diary of Thomas Olden of Princeton." 
 Mr. Olden lived in the little frame house which is locally well 
 known as the lodge of "Drumthwacket, " the residence to 
 day of M. Taylor Pyne, Esq., and formerly of Governor 
 Olden. 
 
 It is not pleasant to destroy family tradition ; but the fact 
 is that the first page of the Narrative it is not a diary 
 
vili INTRODUCTION 
 
 contains the proof that Thomas Olden did not write it. For 
 there the author plainly states that in the winter of 1776-77 
 he was in his eighty-fifth year; and according to indisputable 
 family records Thomas Olden was born in 1735, and therefore 
 could not have been more than forty-one or forty-two at the 
 time in question. This of itself is sufficient to put him out 
 of court as the author. But a second bit of internal evidence 
 also discredits the traditional view. It will be noticed that 
 although a large part of the Narrative is devoted to an ac 
 count of the damage done to property in and around Prince 
 ton, the author does not mention any losses he himself sus 
 tained. Now Thomas Olden did suffer at the hands of the 
 British and Hessians and his claim is duly filed in the Middle 
 sex County Book of Damages preserved in the State Library 
 at Trenton, N. J. If he were the author of the Narrative his 
 omission to mention his own losses would be inexplicable. 
 
 The impossibility of admitting Mr. Olden s authorship is 
 the more regrettable to me because every effort to supply his 
 place has proved unavailing. The author s allusions to him 
 self are so vague that no clue has been found satisfactory, and 
 I fear that until some well authenticated manuscript turns 
 up in the handwriting of the present document the latter s 
 authorship must remain a mystery. 
 
 The Narrative throws no specially new light on the bat 
 tles of Trenton and Princeton. Its author was not present 
 at the former and witnessed but the beginning of the latter. 
 His account of the Trenton affair is made up from second 
 hand information. He watched the Princeton fight from 
 his own door until the ubiquitous shot compelled him to take 
 refuge in his cellar. It may be noted that he was not living 
 in the same house when he wrote his story. (Cf. pp. 4, 15, 17 
 and 21 of his MS.) The Narrative is valuable chiefly as a 
 
INTRODUCTION IX 
 
 firsthand account of the conditions prevailing in Princeton 
 and its vicinity during the twenty-six days tyranny 
 of British and Hessian occupation; and its comments on the 
 causes leading to the Revolution and on the methods adopted 
 by Great Britain for suppressing it represent very accurately 
 the views entertained by the majority of the intelligent 
 agricultural population of New Jersey. The author was a 
 man of very fair education and probably was a farmer; he 
 knew his Bible well; he read the newspapers and at least 
 some of the pamphlet literature of the day ; and his knowledge 
 of American colonial history was accurate. He was a man 
 of high ideals, honest thinking, grim humor and rugged 
 speech; and he had many friends. His style shows the faults 
 of that of any old man whose profession has not been the 
 scribe s; his thoughts often run away with his pen. But 
 after all he waxes rhetorical only once or twice and in the 
 main his story is told simply and in homely language. That 
 it is a severe arraignment of the conduct of the British and 
 their mercenaries is not surprising, but considering how 
 warmly its author felt its tone is remarkably calm. He has 
 made no effort at fine writing but scattered through his pages 
 are unconscious touches of striking power. For instance, his 
 very casual allusion to the scene at his cottage after the bat 
 tle is one that sticks in the mind the house filled and sur 
 rounded by American soldiers, some laughing outright, 
 others in their weariness only smiling, all of them hungry and 
 thirsty, Washington himself "on horseback at the door," 
 
 " and not a man among them but showed Joy in his 
 
 countenance. No wonder the old blood tingled in his 
 veins. 
 
 The manuscript is printed as written, spelling and punc 
 tuation or rather the lack of it being carefully observed. 
 
X INTRODUCTION 
 
 I have endeavored to be as conservative as possible in my 
 attempted restorations of the missing portions, and all words 
 or parts of words supplied are italicized. Where I have 
 failed to fill gaps the approximate number of lines or parts 
 of lines unfilled is stated. The pagination of the original 
 has been preserved in brackets throughout the text. 
 
 I am indebted to Mr. Walter Hart Olden of Princeton and 
 to Dr. Charles C. Abbott of Trenton for many interesting 
 suggestions and much real help in my unsuccessful effort to 
 track down the authorship of the Narrative. Their pains 
 deserved a better result. My notes are based chiefly on W. 
 S. Stryker s History of the Battles of Trenton and Princeton 
 (Boston 1898), John F. Hageman s History of Princeton 
 (Philadelphia 1879) and on the New Jersey Archives, 2d 
 Series, Vol. I (Trenton 1901). I have also used John W. 
 Barber and Henry Howe s Historical Collections of New- 
 Jersey (New York 1847), Thomas F. Gordon s History of 
 New Jersey (Trenton 1834), Richard H. Lee s Memoir of the 
 life of R. H. Lee (Philadelphia 1825), William A. Whitehead s 
 East Jersey under the proprietary governments, 26. edition 
 (Newark 1875), and one or two other works to which credit 
 is given in the footnotes, where corroborative manuscript 
 material will also be found fully indicated. 
 
 VARNUM LANSING COLLINS. 
 
 Library of Princeton University, 
 April 12, 1906. 
 
A BRIEF NARRATIVE 
 
A BRIEF NARRATIVE 
 
 A BREIF NARRATIVE OF THE Ravages committed by THE REG 
 ULAR AND HESSIAN SOLDIERS at Trenton & Princeton 
 AND ALSO OF these BATTLES WITH SOME REMARKS AND 
 
 I have Often Read and heard of the horror of war but was 
 never near it Until I was in the Eighty fifth Xear of my age 
 and I was born the 25th of September 1691* Old Stile. The 
 regular army left Brunswick on the 7th of December 1776. 
 The Remainder of our men left Princeton and Marcht to Tren 
 ton (for the most of them had gone on before) and Were followed 
 by Gen? How with his army in the afternoon of the same day 
 Within a Short time after Passing Stony Brook, our men delay 
 ing their Pursuit by Pulling up Stoney Broo& Bridge. But 
 they finding the ford past Over one of their light horsemen 
 was shot on his horse from over the brook, and the man who 
 shot him being on rising Ground beyond him, escaped. . . . [half 
 line] 
 
 The next Morning, having crossed the Delaware in the 
 night, when the Regulars came to the River our men saw them 
 and fired at the Regulars Which we heard at Princetown the 
 Same morning, Which Prevented their crossing the River 
 (and it is said) Killed and Wounded Several of their men. 
 
 Most of the Inhabitants of Prince Town a Day or two 
 before that and some on that day others after left their 
 Dwelling Houses and went where they Could go with their 
 
 1 1692 ? The last figure in the date is practically illegible. 
 
 3 
 
4 A BRIEF NARRATIVE 
 
 Familys to Escape 1 From the Regular Army and left a Great 
 Part of their goods behind them in their Houses for want of 
 Carriages to take them away, Great part of Which fell into 
 the regulars hands, and They not only Burnt up all the fire 
 wood that the Inhabitants had Provided for Winter, but 
 Stript Shops, out Houses and Some Dwelling houses of the 
 boards that Covered them, and all the loose boards and Tim 
 ber That the Joiners and Carpenters had in Store to work up, 
 they Burnt with all their Fences and Garden Inclosures 
 with in the Town & After sent their Carriages and Drew away 
 the Farmers Fences adjoining within a mile, and laid all in 
 Common. They also cut down Apple trees and other fruit 
 bearing trees and burnt them, And Either by Accident or 
 Wilfully burnt a Large House lately finisht belonging to 
 Jonathan Seargant 2 Esq r in Prince town. 
 
 -For example cf. the story of Mrs. Jonathan D. Sergeant s mid 
 night flight from Princeton at this time in Miller s Life of Dr. Samuel 
 Miller, I, 147, etc. Dr. Witherspoon in a letter to his son (Christian 
 Advocate, II, 443) tells how he left Princeton on his sorrel mare, Mrs. 
 Witherspoon riding in the old family chair with young Benjamin 
 Hawkins of North Carolina at the reins. The hurried disbandment 
 of the College of New Jersey is described in the journal of an anony 
 mous undergraduate, published in the Princeton Standard for May i, 
 8 & 15, 1863 and quoted in part by Hageman (I, 124). Dr. Benjamin 
 Rush describes Princeton at this time as "a deserted village ; you 
 would think, he says, it had been desolated with the plague and an 
 earthquake, as well as with the calamities of war. (Lee s Life of 
 R. H. Lee, II, 164.) 
 
 2 i.e., the noted lawyer and patriot, Jonathan Dickinson Sergeant 
 grandson of President Dickinson, and son of Jonathan Sergeant of 
 Princeton, the treasurer of the College of New Jersey. The house 
 referred to stood on the lot at the junction of the modern Stockton 
 and Mercer Streets, subsequently owned by the Rev. Dr. Samuel 
 Miller and now by the Nassau Club. Mr. Sergeant s brilliant but brief 
 
A BRIEF NARRATIVE 5 
 
 And at new New Market l about two short miles from 
 thence they burnt the best Gristmill in these Parts, with a 
 Quantity of Wheat and flower in it, and with it a Fulling mill 
 with a large Quaintity of Cloth in it. The fuller told those 
 Soldiers that set it on fire that he might be Accountable to 
 
 career he died in 1793 at the age of 47 is given in the various 
 American biographical dictionaries, in Hageman I. 67 (with portrait) 
 and in the Princeton Press for March 30, 1901. His portrait by Peale 
 is in possession of his grandson Jonathan D. Sergeant of Philadelphia, 
 who in 1901 presented a modern copy to Princeton University. On 
 page 278 of the MS. "Damages done by the British" in Middlesex 
 County, preserved in the State Library at Trenton, N. J., is the follow 
 ing claim: 
 
 Jonathan D. Sergeant. 
 
 To i Large Dweling house New i large Kitchen > 
 
 > 600. o. o 
 
 new Smoak house & Necessary house J 
 
 A Large Garden with new seder palings 6s per do. . . 10. o. o 
 To 75 Panel of Post & Rail Fence mostly 5 Rails 
 
 almost new 8. 2. 6 
 
 To ioo wl of Flax in Bundles undress d i. 19. 2 
 
 620. i. 8 
 
 Jonathan Baldwin being sworn saith he verily believes & by Good 
 information that the above said building &c. was burned and Dis- 
 troyed by the British Troops and there adherents and that he further 
 believes there has not any Satisfaction been made. 
 
 Sworn by Joseph Olden. JONATHAN BALDWIN. 
 
 Benjamin Plum being Sworn Saith he was present in Princetown 
 and saw the Building of Jonathan D. Sergeant Esq r . burning and that 
 he has Sufficient Reason to believe the British Troops was the Cause 
 of the said building being burnt. 
 
 BENJN PLUM. 
 
 Sworn before me Jos. Olden 2ist Octr 1782. 
 
 *I have not been able to identify "new New Market." New 
 Market itself is in Amwell township fully five miles from Princeton. 
 
O A BRIEF NARRATIVE 
 
 the owners of the Cloth and Intreated them to let him take 
 it out, Which they [p. 2] refused to do and burnt all together. 
 They also Burnt the grist mill and a Framed dwelling House 
 that had Six rooms in it and which Belonged to Major Wil 
 liam Scudder 1 and his fulling mill they burnd. These are 
 
 1 William Scudder (b. April 6, 1739, d. Oct. 31, 1793) had succeed 
 ed his father Jacob Scudder as manager of the mills in question, his 
 older brother Nathaniel, a graduate of Princeton (1751), having gone 
 into medicine. Jacob Scudder, son of Benjamin, grandson of Thomas 
 and great-grandson of Thomas, a descendant of William Scooder of 
 Darenthe, Kent, whose will was dated July 27, 1607. and probated 
 Nov. 4 of that year, was born at Huntington, L. I., Nov. 29, 1707, and 
 married Aug. 5, 1731, Abia Rowe of Huntington (b. May 23, 1708, d. 
 May 5, 1791). In 1749 he sold his Huntington property and came to 
 Princeton with his wife and 6 children (Nathaniel b. May 10, 1733, 
 Phoebe b. Aug. 2, 1734, Lucretia b. Mar. 19, 1737, William b. April 6, 
 1739, Lemuel b. Sept. 10, 1741, Ruth b. Oct. 17, 1743). On Nov. 25, 
 1749, he bought for 1400 the farm and mills of Josiah Davison at 
 Mapleton, near Princeton. The property, subsequently increased by 
 further purchase from Davison s son John, then consisted of 100 acres, 
 two grist mills, a saw mill and a fulling mill, situated at the juncture of 
 Stony Brook and the Millstone River. It is known now as the Aqueduct 
 Mills. William Scudder received a commission as First Major of the 3d 
 Middlesex Regiment of militia Aug. 9, 1776, and was promoted to a lieu 
 tenant-colonelcy of the same regiment on Sept. 6, 1777. His mills were 
 destroyed on Dec. 31, 1776. In July, 1782, he was elected a member 
 of the committee of the Princeton Association to prevent trade and 
 intercourse with the enemy. (Hageman, I, 55-56, 156, 180; Stryker s 
 New Jersey -in the Revolution and Hannah L. Cooley, Genealogy of Early 
 Settlers of Trenton and Ewing (Trenton, 1883), 249 et seq. The unfor 
 tunate inaccuracy of the last named work necessitates the use of cor 
 roborative data whenever possible. For the unpublished genealogical 
 data of this note I am indebted to the courtesy of Col. William Scud- 
 der s great-granddaughter, Miss Mary C. Scudder of Princeton. 
 
 On page 235 of the MS. volume of Damages done by the British" 
 in Middlesex County is the following affidavit: 
 
A BRIEF NARRATIVE 7 
 
 said to be Burnt by the Regular army who took from the 
 Neighbouring Farmhouse not only the wood but also Straw, 
 Part of it the soldiers slept on and used in various ways to 
 defend them from the cold and the rest they took and burnt 
 and the wheat lost These are some of the ruins made by fire 
 in and near Princetow contrary to that Justice which is due to 
 
 William Scudder of Windsor 
 Dec 31 1776 
 To i Grist Mill in good Repair with 2 P r Stones, & 
 
 all the Apparatus for Carrying on the Business 
 
 in the most Extensive manner 900. o. o 
 
 i Fullery House & Mill, Press, House and all the 
 
 Aparatus for finishing Cloth 200. o. o 
 
 90 Bushels Wheat @ 5/. 120 do. Ind 1 } Corn 40. 10. o 
 
 5 Tons Hay i Load Flax in Sheaf 1 1. 5. 
 
 65 Pannels Post & 4 Rails fence, new 8. 2. 6 
 
 18 Ditto pal d Garden Ditto, old i. 16. 
 
 i Set Waggon Gears, Traces Iron 3. 
 
 1 Suit New Superfine Regimentals 9. 
 
 2 Shirts Froks & over Halls fring d 3. 
 
 115 Pannels Post & 3 Rail fence old 8. 12. 6 
 
 A number of Weaving Utensils 80 /- 3. 
 
 1188. 6. o 
 
 Col. William Scudder being Sworn saith that the above Inventory 
 is Just & true to the best of his knowledge And that he has just Reason 
 to believe that the British Troops has taking & Destroyed all the 
 above Articles. And that he has not received any Satisfaction for 
 any of the above Sd Articles contained. 
 
 Sworn Oct r 19: 1782, before Nath. Hunt. WM. SCUDDER. 
 
 Benjamin Oppie being Sworn Saith that he knew the Mills of 
 Col n W m Scudder As Mentioned in this Inventory, And that he does 
 adjude the said Mills was Worth 1100, to the best of his Knowledge. 
 
 Sworn Oct 19 1782 by N 1 Hunt BENJ. OPPIE. 
 
8 A BRIEF NARRATIVE 
 
 all men. It is said that at a house a little out of the Western 
 end of the Town where were a number of .Regulars, for Gen^ 
 Sterling s 1 Brigade belonged to the British, part of them one 
 very cold night before the battle stripped both Wheat fields 
 and upland Meadows setting fire not only to firewood and Car 
 riages but to all sorts of timber and specially fences, So that 
 if they were Refenced this spring to guard their /oder and feed, 
 
 that that they will cost them (?).... [half line] and much 
 
 more than this in labor and time [one line] 
 
 / am informed that they went to tanners and robbed them 
 both of their Tanned, as well as their untanned Leader taken 
 from their Vats. What use the latter may be to them I 
 Know not, Unless it be to make leather Scarce in the Country 
 and impoverish the owners. 2 I am Also Inform d That they 
 have taken great Quantitys of Unbroken Flax Whether 
 
 1 The allusion here seems to be to Lieut. Col. Thomas Sterling of 
 the 42d British regiment (Royal Highland Watch). He was at this 
 time commanding a temporary brigade consisting of the 42d and 7ist 
 regiments. The author has I think wished to distinguish him from 
 General Lord Stirling of the American army. 
 
 3 Quartermaster Robert Stockton of Princeton swore to the loss 
 of 146 hides, 5 dozen calf skins and 35 cords of tanning bark. His 
 claim is in the MS. Somerset County volume of "Damages" in the 
 State Library at Trenton. The same volume contains the claim of 
 Capt. James Moore of Princeton whose chief losses were 275 hides 
 "near Tan d ," 142^ hides "part tan d , " 10 dozen calf skins "Tan d ," 
 5 dozen calf skins part Tan 4 , 4 dozen sheep skins, 17 cords of bark, 
 10 sides of curried leather, i dozen curried calf skins valued in all at 
 628. ii. o. Besides this stock in trade Captain Moore lost 126 
 worth of other goods. We can easily imagine with what grim 
 energy he led the charge on Nassau Hall, at the close of the battle 
 of January 3, 1777, and bursting open the door demanded the surren 
 der of the British soldiers still within the walls. 
 
A BRIEF NARRATIVE g 
 
 Rotted or not, To use in makeing Fortify cations and that 
 from several they have taken all they had. 1 
 
 On the same day the 8 th of December there followed 
 the Regular Army a Parcel of Hessians and took away four 
 Horses from the People to the westard of the town, One of 
 them was said to be valued at a 100 pound, and commited 
 Several other Outrages the same day In pulling of mens hats 
 from their heads, Though the Regular Officers had given 
 them Protections as they went before, In these Words or 
 near it, Viz. Let no Man Presume to Injure A; B. In his 
 Person or Property. 2 Yet these men had no Regard to it 
 But Directly to the Contrary Injured the Protected Men 
 both in their Persons and Propertys, by Insulting their Per 
 sons and by Robing them of their Propertys. Two of these 
 men came to David Oldens 3 (where I then was) Mounted on 
 Poor horses, and in an Insolent maner Demanded his Horses: 
 
 1 Among the claims in the MS. Middlesex and Somerset Counties 
 "Damages" are those of Jonathan D. Sergeant for a hundredweight 
 of undressed flax in bundles, Robert Stockton 200 bundles, Thomas 
 Olden 20 bundles, Thomas Stockton a hundredweight, and Col. Wil 
 liam Scudder a load. 
 
 * A Protection bearing Col. Rail s signature in Stryker (24) reads: 
 
 Tis his Excellency General Howe s Express orders that no person 
 
 presumes to molist or injure John Harcourt in his person or property. 
 
 By order of his Excellincy 
 
 Headquarters RALL 
 
 Dec mbr th l6 I77<5 
 
 3 David Olden was son of John Olden and grandson of William 
 Olden the first settler in Princeton by that name. He married Eliza 
 beth Laurence. He was doorkeeper of the N. J. Assembly at Prince 
 ton in August 1776, and a member of the committee of the Princeton 
 Association to prevent trade and intercourse with the enemy, in July 
 1782. His name does not occur in the volumes of Damages. 
 
10 A BRIEF NARRATIVE 
 
 But as it hapened he had sent them away, before the Regular 
 Army came with all his Household goods and provisions 
 Except what was absolutely Necessary for present use, and 
 [p. 3] many of his Neighbours In and about Princetown had 
 done the like and by that means Saved a good part of their 
 Property. This Method was the very best (if not all) the 
 Safe Protections that could be obtained so much better it is 
 for any Man to be Protected by himself or his friends then to 
 trust his Enemys, Yet this Method did not allways avail as 
 I design to to show hereafter. 
 
 There went four of these Hessians to a Gentleman s House 
 (who is called a Quaker) And after they had treated him and 
 his Family in an Insolent Manner a Stout fellow among them 
 laid hold of his Hat on his head and puled it of And he (though 
 but a Smal man and between Fifty and Sixty Years of age) 
 laid hold of their Champion and Struck up his heels and 
 threw him on the Ground and clapt his foot on his Sword and 
 Prevented his drawing it, And took his Hat again from him 
 Upon that the three Other Paltroons Drew their Swords, and 
 he was oblidged to Yield up a very good Hat Though he had 
 a Protection several days before, which was of so little Effect 
 that Afterwards the Regulars Robed him of a fine mare, and 
 broke the door of his Stable to get her out, They also Robed 
 his four Store Hogs 1 being all he had before his face, And (as 
 
 1 This may have been Joseph Olden whose losses are listed on 
 page 256 of the Middlesex County volume of "Damages": 
 
 To i Mare 14 hands high 12 y r8 Old 12. o. o 
 
 5 Hogs 6 monts Old 3. 15. 
 
 i| of 4 Horse Loads Corn tops 3. 
 
 i Ton Hay 50 /. i p r blind bridle & lines 1 2 / 6 .... 3. 2. 6 
 
 i p r Quilers with Chains & neck yoke i. 5. 
 
 i Cut Saw & i handsaw 2. 7. 6 
 
A BRIEF NARRATIVE II 
 
 it is said) Three of their Generals were Present Cornwallice, 1 
 Grant, 3 & Leshly 3 looking on to see how the Regular Soldiers 
 ran After the Hogs about the Pen to Catch them. This is 
 
 i Bushel Hardsalt 3 /- 10 D Potatoes 15 /- 18. o 
 
 1 50 Rails 22/6 i Coopers Adze 5 / 6 i. 8. 
 
 i P r Woomans new Cotton Stock 6. 
 
 i New Beaverrett Hat i. 15. 
 
 1 Quart 1 Beef Wg* 7sft> @ 3 d 18. n 
 
 2 Cords of Sapplen Wood i. 
 
 31- i5- ii 
 
 1 The Earl of Cornwallis (1738-1805) General Howe s subordinate. 
 See Dictionary of National Biography for a long sketch of his career 
 as a soldier, as Governor General of India and as Lord Lieutenant of 
 Ireland. His Princeton headquarters were at Morven, the Stockton 
 homestead. 
 
 2 Lieutenant Colonel Sir James Grant (1720-1806) of the S5th 
 foot. For a sketch of him see Dictionary of National Biography. 
 His portrait is published by Stryker (p. 49). 
 
 3 Brigadier General Alexander Leslie of the 2d Brigade. He is 
 not in the Dictionary of National Biography. He seems to have been 
 the "general officer" named in Burke s Peerage as son of Alexander 
 Leslie 7th earl of Leven and 4th earl of Melville by his second wife. 
 He was thus an uncle of the Hon. William Leslie mortally wounded 
 at the battle of Princeton. According to W. C. Ford, British officers 
 serving in the American Revolution, 109, he was commissioned Lieut. 
 Colonel January 30, 1762, Lieut. Col. of the 64th, Aug. 28, 1766, 
 Colonel Oct. 19, 1775, Major General Feb. 19, 1779, and Colonel of the 
 63d foot Jan. 2, 1782. With the 26. Brigade he was posted on January 
 2, 1777, at Maidenhead (Lawrenceville) and according to orders fram 
 headquarters was to be joined the next morning by Mawhood and to 
 proceed to Trenton to assist in the capture of Washington. On the 
 morning of the 3d, hearing the heavy firing at Princeton he hurried 
 back to aid Col. Mawhood, but arrived too late. (Unpublished Journal 
 of Ensign Glyn of the British army, Library of Princeton University.) 
 
12 A BRIEF NARRATIVE 
 
 one Instance among many to show the Power of their Pro 
 tections And Wether they are given to Protect, Or to Allure 
 People to depend on them that they may be Plundered the 
 Easier I shal leave to Others to Determin. 
 
 The Regulars and Hessians together Robed and Plundered 
 two wealthy Farmers (that were brothers) of the Greatest 
 part of their moveable Estates About four or five miles from 
 Princetown, and not only took away their Cretures but robed 
 their Houses and ript open their Beds and turned out the 
 feathers and took away the Ticken and left the owners but 
 very little to cover them, or even to live on. 
 
 They had yet some other ways to Plunder and Distress 
 the People besides these two that I have Already Mentioned 
 of fire and sword. They go out late in the night and Steal 
 and Kill Sheep and cattle Even Milch Cows and skin them, 
 leave their skins and hides and take away the meat. Another 
 method is this their Officers Bargains with the Inhabitants 
 for forage and [p. 4] other Necessarys and upon the Delivery 
 gives the owners Receipts of the sorts and Quantitys with 
 the Prices, 1 but pays no money thus many Farmers -are 
 served. Others are ser vd in a different manner the Regular 
 Officers with their Soldiers Are by Orders boarded out at the 
 
 1 The official British list of prices for supplies obtained from in 
 habitants is given by Stryker (p. 343). Some further idea of prevail 
 ing prices is gained from the closing paragraph of the first letter in the 
 anonymous Historical Anecdotes Civil and Military in a series of letters 
 written from America in 1777 & 1778 (Lond. 1779, 85 pp., 8vo). After 
 describing the battle of Princeton the author concludes in philosophical 
 strain: " It is now near one o clock, Feb. 10, 1777. My fire is out, 
 and wood very scarce. It has been 5 the cord. Beef is from 12 to 
 1 8 pence the pound ; mutton the same ; veal from 18 to 24 pence ; a 
 couple of fowls 10 shillings ; trade entirely ruined, and my purse almost 
 empty : And so God save great George our King ! " 
 
A BRIEF NARRATIVE 13 
 
 Farmers Houses, and they take their Horses with them and 
 take the Farmers Indian corn, Oats, and the very best of his 
 fodder to feed them on. 
 
 At a Gentleman Farmers house the next to that where I 
 now live There was with Officers and all one hundred and 
 Seventy of those Genteel Unwelcome Guests. His best 
 Rooms and beds in his House were taken up by the Officers 
 who was fed upon the best Diet that the House afforded. 
 In the mean time The Soldiers took and wasted what they 
 Pleasd of his stalk tops and Oats in the sheif in Makeing 
 slieds to keep them from the Cold when they Stood on Gaurd, 
 besides what their Horses Devoured, 1 And at their Departure 
 he Desired the Officers to give him Receipts for what they had 
 and damage done Which they Refused and only paid him 
 twenty shillings for fifty Pounds Damage as he Computed it. 
 
 Another officer went to another Farmers House And 
 Imperiously Demanded two of the first Rooms in his house 
 each with a good bed in it for him to lodge in and another to 
 Receive in which he accordly took and the owner with his 
 family was Oblidged to live in his Kitchen, While their horses 
 were Eating and Destroying the very best of his Provender 
 and hay for Which the owner never was paid a farthing. 
 
 To give a Particular Account of Every Robery and out 
 rage comited by the Hessians and Regulars In and within 
 five miles of Princetown (which is the Extent of these Ob 
 servations of villanys done) would fill a Vollum therefore I 
 have only Mentioned a few particulars out of a Multitude 
 and most of those that I have given an Account of are Quakers 
 
 1 The executor for Joseph Skelton of Princeton affirmed that 
 the Dragoons i Night fed hay & Corn till Morning. Skelton lost 
 5 stacks of hay and 500 sheaves of wheat, besides 4 sheep, 24 horses, 
 3 team horses, 2 cows and a wagon. (Middlesex "Damages," 279.) 
 
14 A BRIEF NARRATIVE 
 
 a People that nver bore Arms against them which they Knew 
 well and therefore had some right to their favour and Yet 
 used them in that manner. It cannot Reasonably be Ex 
 pected that they would use those that had bore Arms against 
 them in a more favourable maner. There was a Wicked 
 company of talebearers that Informed the Regular Officers 
 of their names that had born arms against them, and also 
 of their names that was chosen Officers by the People This 
 gave them an Advantage to call them Rebels and to say that 
 their Estates were Forfeited to the King and that those that 
 were missing (as many of them was) was gone to the Rebel 
 Army. Whereupon Orders were sent by their chief Officers 
 to those that [p. 5] those Wretched Informers had found out 
 had the Keeping of the absent Mens goods or Cretures to De 
 liver them up so that they lost most (if not all) their Cattle, 
 horses, sheep, swine, and Poultry Besides ravageing their 
 Houses that had left For after they had had got what was 
 needful to them they Broke Destroyed and burnt Tables 
 chairs looking glases and Picture Frames that they Could 
 find, hiding will not protect where there is wicked Informers. 
 The Damages Done by these Plunderings and Desolations 
 must amout very high and Occasion much Trouble to the 
 Sufferers. Yet they are Vastly short of Another Horrid Out 
 rage that I had not yet mentioned I mean the Ravishing of 
 Women (Which by a Great Defect in Human Nature that is 
 against both Justice and Reason) We Despise these poor 
 Innocent Sufferers in this Brutal Crime Even as long as they 
 live, In time of Peace to avoid so miserable and lasting Re 
 proach I am of the Opinien That many honest virtuous women 
 have suffered in this Manner and kept it Secret for fear of 
 making their lives misserable and so many of those Capital 
 Crimes escape Punishment In time of War When those Un- 
 
A BRIEF NARRATIVE 1$ 
 
 natural Miscreants are sure of Geting of with Impunity they 
 commit them the more frequently. Many of them has been 
 Already mentioned in the Friendly Post. 
 
 Taken from an Extract of a Letter Wrote by a Worthy 
 Officer in the Continental army Wherein he gives an Account 
 of some Crimes of that Kind being commited within five 
 miles of Princetown To which I shall only ad Another Tretch- 
 erous Villany There was two of Gen* Hows 1 light Horsemen 
 Quartered at Pensneck about two miles from Princetown 
 Who Pretended to a Young Woman That they was Searching 
 for Rebels, and had been Informed that some of them were 
 Secreeted in the Barn and desired her to go with them and 
 Show them the most Secret Places there, and She (Knowing 
 that no body was there) to convince them, Went to the Barn 
 with them to show them that no body was there And when 
 they had got her there, one of them Laid hold on her Strangled 
 her to Prevent her crying out while the other Villain Ravisht 
 her, and when he had done, he Strangled her Again While the 
 Other Brute Repeated the horrid crime Upon her again She 
 is a Farmers Daughter but her name with her Fathers must 
 be kept Secreet to Avoid the Reproach above Mentioned. 
 This is far Worse in this Respect then an Indian War for I 
 Never heard nor read of their Ravishing of Women Not 
 withstanding their cruelty to their captives In the above 
 mentioned case These Death deserveing men as well as many 
 others that are guilty of the like Crimes Escape with Impunity 
 as I before Observed. 2 
 
 1 Sir William Howe, commander in chief of the British forces. 
 
 2 Parallels to this incident may be found in the letter published 
 by the Council of Safety in the Pennsylvania Evening Post, Dec. 28, 
 1776 (N. J. Archives, 2 series, I, 245) and in the affidavits of the 
 women abused, collected by the Congressional committee on British 
 
l6 A BRIEF NARRATIVE 
 
 [p. 6.] There was a Farmer that dwels about a mile from 
 Princetown at the Place where the Battle was fought, Whose 
 Mother is a widow and lived with him, and had half the Rooms 
 in the House for her own use But was Oblidged to leave them, 
 for a captain of the Regulars and his company of Soldiers 
 to come in that was Quartered there. And soon After that 
 they had got in, There came another Captain of the Regulars 
 of an Overgrown Size and Terrifying Countenance and with 
 Insolence equal if not Superior to the huge bulk of his body 
 Demanded a Room with a bed and fire Place in it for him to 
 lodge in. (The man of the House not being Within) the 
 Woman 1 told him that they had none but that her husband 
 and She lodged in, and that they could not Spare, upon that 
 he swore and curst that he must and would have it, and this 
 Monstrous Destroyer of human race before they are born 
 Went on so Horribly with his, Threats oaths and curses That 
 he so Affrighted the poor Woman that she fell into a violent 
 disorder and soon after Miscarryed. She was so poorly the 
 day that the Battle was fought in the field and about that 
 house that she could not stand, and after a Shot came in the 
 window where she lay her husband and her nurse were Oblidg 
 ed to take her in her bed, down cellar to keep her from the 
 Shot. And as soon as the Battle was over they brought her 
 up again in her bed. And towards night 2 When a part of 
 the Regular Army was come from Trenton some of them 
 
 and Hessian atrocities, and now contained in vol. 53 of the MS. Papers 
 of the Continental Congress, in the Library of Congress, pp. 29, 31, 
 33, 35, 37, 39, etc. Dr. Witherspoon was a member of this committee 
 and some of the testimony gathered is in his handwriting. 
 
 1 i.e., the farmer s wife. 
 
 2 The vanguard of Cornwallis army, Alexander Leslie s 2d Bri 
 gade, reached Princeton about noon (Stryker, 291). 
 
A BRIEF NARRATIVE IJ 
 
 came into the field where the Battle was fought, and sent 
 for the man out of his House to ask him some Impertinent 
 Questions, and others of them in the Mean time were Insult 
 ing of his sick and feeble wife and Robed her of the Cloak 
 that she wore over her shoulders in bed, She asked them if 
 they Robed Women of their Cloaths and one of them swore 
 that if the Dam d Rebel Bitch said a word more he Would 
 run his bayonet threw her heart and they Plundered the 
 House of Most of the Valuable goods, and then Drew their 
 Bayonets and Run them threw the feather Bed that the sick 
 woman lay on and swore that there was Rebels that was hid 
 under it, but damn them they w T ould fetch them out. This 
 they Continued to do untill they Spoilt the Bed. And all the 
 While there lay above Twenty wounded men upon Straw 
 in the Next Room, 1 That were carried in by GenJ Washintons 
 Men Imediately after the battle most of them were Regulars 
 all Groaning with the Pains of their Wounds and some of them 
 in the very Agony of Death for two of them Dyed Either at 
 that time or very soon after. Thus those Hardened wretches 
 Went on without having the [p. 7] least Compassion Either on 
 their Wounded fellow Soldiers or the helpless woman That 
 they made the Object of their Brutal Sport, whereby they 
 have Shown themselves to be a Pack of Insolent Poltroons 
 Rather then then valient English Soldiers. 
 
 Another of their Pranks was this The same day that the 
 battle was fought, one of their Captains in the morning com 
 pelled a man that lived near Princetown to go with him and 
 his company to show them the way to Trenton The Man was 
 very loth to go and went Slowly, Upon that the Captain bid 
 him Step a long nimbly, for if he did not he swore he would run 
 
 1 This seems to identify the house as William Clark s, cf. p. 38. 
 
l8 A BRIEF NARRATIVE 
 
 him threw with the drawn Sword that he had in his hand, 
 and the Sergant swore that if he did not lead them right he 
 would shoot him. They went on about a mile & Genl. 
 Washingtons Army being Discovered put them into a Con 
 sternation and he got from them. This captain was found 
 in the field of battle Dead, and carried into the mans house 
 that he had Insulted in y e morning 
 
 On that same day towards night When that part of the 
 Regular Army that wa.s at Trenton was Return d, four or 
 five of the Soldiers went to an old Blacksmiths Shop (about 
 59 years of age) and Perceiving that he had a good pair of 
 new shoes on his feet, they took him Prissoner and conveyed 
 him about a mile back to the Rest of their company. There 
 they confiscated his shoes, being more fit for one of their own 
 Men to wear then for him (Whether it was the sentance of a 
 Court Martial or not I have not heard) The Sentence was 
 Immediately put in Execution, His Shoes was pulled of and 
 one of their own men put them on his feet and Compel d the 
 poor Old captive to march with them without shoes in his 
 stockings all the way from Princetown to Brunswick (no 
 matter whether his feet froze or not) There they kept him a 
 Day and a night, And no Other crime Appearing against him 
 but only that of wearing good new Shoes of his own Which 
 he had done Severe Pennance for They Dismist him with the 
 loss of his shoes, and very sore feet, and he by the help of a 
 friend procured another pair of shoes, and came limping home 
 again, and left them to Triumph on that Days Victory the 
 noted third day of January 1777 when they took two men 
 and a Woman that could not stand Prisoners one of the men 
 being much younger then the other & haveing shoes on made 
 his Escape The Woman being unable to march they left her 
 so they had in truth none from Princetown to Crown their 
 
A BRIEF NARRATIVE 19 
 
 Conquest with but the poor Old Captive without shoes. 
 This is the Renowned Victory Obtained that day near Prince- 
 town Which (it is said) is amply set forth in one of the New 
 York news papers 1 to be a Compleat victory obtained by the 
 Regulars over the Continental Army so far as I have Related 
 is true according to best Information that I can get, And so 
 far I agree with that news Paper that the Regulars gained a 
 Victory over two men and one [p. 8] woman But no further, 
 And that they gained by that part of the Army that came 
 from Trenton After the Other part had Received a very 
 Severe Drubing and total Defeat with the loss of all their 
 Cannon in the fore part of the day. How far a news Paper 
 is to be Credited that tells but part of the Truth and leaves 
 the most material out is Easily decided, And taken by many 
 to be the most Pernicious way of Lying and if it is so Then how 
 much more is that vast Deviation from the truth in saying 
 that the Regulars on that day 2 Prisoners when in truth 
 they took but three at or near Princetown, and they were 
 taken in the Ignominous manner as I have set forth and not 
 
 1 Hugh Gaine s New York Gazette and Weekly Mercury for Jan. 
 J 3. J 777. where is told a wonderful tale of the victory obtained by the 
 1 7th Regiment, numbering less than 300 men, over the rebel army of 
 between five and six thousand. The British losses are placed at about 
 20 killed and 80 wounded, the American at more than 400 killed and 
 wounded. The story is quoted in Stryker (p. 471), in the N. J. Archives, 
 2 ser. I, 253, and by Paul L. Ford in his Life of Hugh Gaine, I, 59. 
 Fables like this gave plausibility, as Ford remarks, to the 
 Pennsylvania Journal s New Catechism question and answer : 
 "Who is the greatest liar upon earth? Hugh Gaine of New York, 
 printer. 
 
 2 Marginal note in MS. : " One of their Batalions broke threw some 
 three or four thousand of the Rebels and took a great nuraber^of 
 Prisoners." 
 
20 A BRIEF NARRATIVE 
 
 in the battle. How many more they took on that day from 
 other Places in the like Shameful manner I Know not, but 
 this I Know that they did not take one Prisoner that day in 
 the battle. But on the Contrary all the Prissoners they had 
 in Princetown were set at liberty by their total Defeat 
 
 Amounting to the namber of 1 . In takeing these three 
 
 Prisoners they violated three of their Officers Protections for 
 the two men had Each of them one, and the Womans Husband 
 had another Besides they are all Reputed Quakers, and never 
 bore arms against them. I hope that this will be Sufficient 
 Warning to the New York Printer of that News Paper not 
 to suffer his Press to be again Polluted by the Regular Of 
 ficers falsehoods for a Printers News Press Ought to be as an 
 Oracle for the Readers to Enquire the truth by. But when 
 in Expectation of the Truth the People find that the Press 
 has Degenerated into the most Glareing Contradicting fals- 
 hoods Then the Oracle has ceast and men may search for 
 truth where they can find it. 
 
 On the first day of January 1777 from the door of our 
 house we saw a skirmish on the other side of Stoney brook. 
 The light Horsmen Rideing backwards and forwards heard 
 the fireing of their guns and saw the Smoke and two men 
 was found Dead there That as it is supposed were Murdered 
 in a barbarous manner. I shall Relate the matter as it was 
 told to me, Some of the Regular Officers boarded at a house 
 near Princetown. An Old Gentle Woman being in y e Kitchin 
 with the Adjutants Servant, The Regular Soldiers came in 
 from the Gaurd and she heard one of them tell the Servant 
 That he could not do as Brown Did to day The Servant askt 
 him what that was, and he said there was a wounded man that 
 could not Stand and Prayed Brown not to Kill him, upon that 
 
 8 l Blank in MS. 
 
A BRIEF NARRATIVE 21 
 
 Brown clapt the Muzzle of his gun to his breast and shot him 
 Dead the Servant said it was murder and so they all said that 
 was Present except one and [p. 9] he said he would have done 
 the same. This is verifyed by two Dead men being found 
 near Stoney brook, one of them was shot in his groin and again 
 threw his breast very probable the man that Brown murdered. 
 The other was shot in his hip and again threw his head and 
 the Palm of his hand and the wrist band of his shirt on the 
 other arm very much burnt with Gun Powder. It is very 
 Probable that this man seeing his murderer point his gun at 
 his head clapt up both his hands to defend it as it natural to 
 us to defend against a blow The bullet entered his head a 
 little above his eye brow and dasht out his brains so that 
 some of them lay on his face. This concerning these men was 
 told to me by a very Reputable Gentleman who saw their 
 Dead bodys, took notice of their wounds, and helpt to bury 
 them. 
 
 It is very Probable that these two murders were Com 
 mitted either in obedience too or at least were Protected by 
 two Cruel Bloody Orders made by Gen^ How, one of them I 
 take from the America Crisis 1 page 17. wherin it is thus 
 Writen. His Excellency the Commander in Chief orders 
 that all Inhabitants Which shall be found with Arms not 
 haveing an Officer with them shall be Immediately taken 
 and hung up. The Other Order I take from a book of their 
 own that they left in the field when they fled from the Battle 
 near Princetown Which is thus. Head Quarters Trenton 
 1 2th December 1776 
 
 1 Thomas Paine s The American Crisis, Number II, Philadelphia 
 (Styner & Cist), 1777. The quotation on page 17 of this number and 
 given above in the text is from a folio general order book belonging to 
 Col. Rail s battalion taken at Trenton. 
 
22 A BRIEF NARRATIVE 
 
 f Parole BRIDGEN 
 G -(C:$:BURFORO 
 
 Smal Stragling Partys not drest like Soldiers and without 
 officers not being admissable in war Who Presumes to Molest 
 or fire upon Soldiers or Peaceable Inhabitants of the Country 
 will be Immediately hanged Without Tryal or as Asasings. 1 
 
 In the abovesaid case GenJ How Did not see so far as his 
 bloody Ruffians did that Murdered the two men, for they not 
 haveing hanging Matterials with them found that if they left 
 the Wounded men to go and get them the men might be 
 carryed of Secreetly or themselves attackt When they came 
 back, And if they took them with them which was very 
 Difficut having no carriage and the danger of an Attack the 
 greater. Therefore shooting must of necessity be done In 
 stead of hanging being much the safest as well as quicker and 
 Easier done, and no matter which way so that Innocent men 
 are but put to death as these two men was by Ruffians much 
 below the dignity of a Common hang man for he Executes none 
 but what has had a tryal and and found Guilty and even for 
 doing that is Detested by Mankind, then how much more do 
 these Wretches deserve their Abhorrence who by these 
 abominable Orders put men to death without any tryal And 
 the Wretches that performs [p.io] the bloody Drudgery to 
 be both Judge and Executioners such a horrid task that no 
 
 1 These orders form part of the proofs and illustrations pub 
 lished by the Congressional Committee as an appendix to their report 
 of April 18, 1777. A copy of them in Dr. Witherspoon s autograph 
 and better spelled is in the MS. Papers of the Continental Congress 
 (Vol. 53, p. 45). They are quoted by Stryker (p. 484) and with the 
 full report and other documents are found also in N. J. Archives, 2 
 ser., I, 347-353, 362, as extracts from the Pennsylvania Evening Post 
 of April 24, 26 and May 10, 1777. 
 
A BRIEF NARRATIVE 23 
 
 man can undertake unless he is Stript of Humanity. The 
 Objects of Cruelty by the first Order were to be found with 
 arms And it may be that Gen? How finding the Defect in 
 this order, that but few (if any) would be found with Arms, 
 and so the Inhabitants would Escape his wrath, made the 
 latter to Supply that defect which Enlarged the power of 
 the former to that degre, That I can compare it to nothing 
 better then to where we read that Hell Opened her mouth 
 without measure, 1 for by the latter it is no matter whether 
 they have arms or not (no mention of arms is in it so as to 
 make them the objects of Death) If they do but molest or 
 even Affront a Tory Or mollest the Soldiers when they come 
 to Plunder it is Enough they are Immediately to be taken 
 and hanged without any trial Gen? How Knows very well by 
 the Numbers of Prisoners that he has taken that but few (if 
 any) of the Millitia are cloathed like soldiers. 
 
 What a Deplorable State was a Great part of New Jersey 
 in when by these bloody cruel Orders the vilest of men were 
 made Judges of the lives of the Inhabitants and they Knew 
 nothing of it, For Gen? How all the while Kept Allureing them 
 into the Danger of their lives by his Proclamations Protections 
 and Kind Admonitions to his Officers in Respect to the In 
 habitants to use them Kindly. By this Serpentine Method 
 he drew the People into the most Dangerous Security, while 
 his Officers and Soldiers were Spiting his venom upon them 
 by their Insults, Roberys, Plunderings, and even Murdering 
 some of them. And their Danger Perhaps would never have 
 been Discovered had it not been for the Success of two Bat 
 tles in takeing two of their books of Orders. 
 
 On the first day of January 1777 some Regular Soldiers 
 came along the main road from over Stoney brook One of 
 
 1 Isaiah v. 14. 
 
24 A BRIEF NARRATIVE 
 
 them was very Strangely Wounded for he was shot with an 
 Iron Gun rammer in Stead of a bullet, Which entered under 
 his chin and came out again at his nose near his eyes one end 
 of it, and the other end lapt round his thigh (as it is said) 
 Whether he was a Horsman or not I Know not, but it is very 
 likely he was, and rideing up to his Eenemy before he done 
 charging, and perceing that he was like to be shot with the 
 Rammer, lean d back on his horse to avoid it, and so received 
 his wound in that manner, as to the Other end laping round 
 his thigh, one end being Stopt, and the other end being heavy 
 would continue its force until it met with something to stop 
 it, and happened to meet with his thigh [p. 1 1] He Languished 
 a few days and Dyed. I Remember when we first had the 
 news which was the same day it was said That the Regulars 
 said that the Rebels were so Damd cowardly that they shot 
 their gun Sticks at them, and run away. It is generally 
 thought that this was done in the skirmish where the two 
 men were murdered as abovsaid. 
 
 There was four Gentlemen Farmers that lost considerably 
 by the Regular Army for they took from one of them two 
 Wagons three Horses and a Negro man that he gave a hundred 
 pound for some years agoe. From another of them they 
 took one wagon one horse, and a Negro man, from another, 
 they took, one Wagon, two horses, and a negro man and from 
 the other they took one Wagon one horse and one Negro lad, 
 Besides their Plundering of them as they did their other 
 Neighbours. 
 
 Under all these Treacherous Dangers and losses we have 
 been and Still are Defending our Just Rights and lybertys 
 against the Arbitary Power of Great Britain Who in the last 
 war against France and Spain Used us as Brethren and 
 Requested us to assist them in that war Which we Read- 
 
A BRIEF NARRATIVE 25 
 
 ially and Willingly Did to the Utmost of our Power, (for which 
 the State of New Jersey is Still in Debt) and in Return from 
 them we Received a handsome Gratuity, 1 This brotherly 
 Kindness seemed to Continue Untill Great Britain Received 
 a new Administration of Government and they Degenerate- 
 ing into an Arbitary power Prevail d with the King and 
 Parliment to Declare that they had a Right not only to tax 
 (but to) Bind us, in all cases Whatsoever, For they Alledge 
 That they are our Parent Kingdom, and we are Derived from 
 them and therefore we ought to do even to them as an Obedi 
 ent child ought to its Parent. 
 
 We being thus made a Political child, in the most humble 
 manner only Claimed an Equal Right with our other Brethren 
 To be taxt by our selves or by our own Representatives Ex 
 clusive of any other and this we clame as our Natural Birth 
 right, And if I am not very much Mistaken the Inhabitants 
 of Great Britain claim the same Right. Our Just claim so 
 Offended the King and his Parliment that they declare that 
 we have no Right to the Priviledge that our other brothers has 
 But on the contrary they have a right to make us pay to them 
 as much money (and as often) as they Pleas, was ever such 
 an Unnatural Parent heard of When a child desires no more 
 then to be Equal with his other brethren, to Declare him 
 Illegetimate and therefore has no Right to their birthright, 
 is not this Enough to Convince any child that he is Disown d 
 by his Parent made a Bastard and thereby he is fully dis- 
 charg d from his filial duty by his Unnatural Parent, and has 
 
 1 Evidently referring to the 9166 which seems to have been 
 New Jersey s share of the appropriation voted by Parliament in 1760 
 for distribution among the northern and middle provinces. (See 
 Acts of the General Assembly of the Province of New Jersey, edited by 
 Samuel Allinson (Burlington, N. J., 1776), p. 237 note.) 
 
26 A BRIEF NARRATIVE 
 
 a good right being thus discharg d to break of all Connections 
 with his lordly brothers and set up for himself as we have 
 done, and Should be very well contented if they would Permit 
 us to Enjoy the like Privilege that Generally Bastards have 
 that is to shift for themselves and to be Independent of all 
 the family that we are said to belong too. But they will not 
 alow us Neither a lawful Childs Right nor a Bastards Inde- 
 pendance What Kind of Progeny They would have us to be I 
 Know not. For we are Neither allowed to be a Lawful Child 
 nor a Bastard and yet must be Derived from the same Parent 
 with the Lawful [p. 12] Children. What Mungrel Relation 
 they would have us to be I cannot find out for I Know of no 
 word or Term in the English Language to distinguish it by 
 (and I Know no Other) Therefore I must leave it to them that 
 are more learned. 
 
 I have Already set down Gen^ Hows Cruel Orders, and if 
 I do not mention his Kind ones in Respect to the Inhabitants 
 I expect to be Charged with Partiallity, therefore I shal set 
 them down as follows viz: The Commander in Cheif calls on 
 the Commanding Officers of Corps to exert themselves in 
 Preserveing the greatest Regularity and Strictest discipline 
 in their Respective Quarters particularly attending to the 
 Protection of the Inhabitants and their Property in their 
 several Districts. 
 
 It is Strongly Recommended to Officers to Preserve good 
 Orders in the several Farm houses to Prevent the men doing 
 any damage to the Inhabitants not only for their sakes but 
 in Complyance with the General Order given out Yesterday. 
 
 Soldiers are Possitively forbid to Molest or Stop the In 
 habitants who have Protections given them. Much less are 
 they to Injure them in their Propertys. 
 
 Here is all of them that I can find in Respect to the In- 
 
A BRIEF NARRATIVE 2J 
 
 habitants, in two of their books of General Orders and it 
 seems very likely that these were some of the old Standing 
 orders that was made and Observed by the British Army in 
 Europe when they had the Character of being the best Soldiers 
 in that part of the world but let that be as it may be, Gen^ 
 Flow has made no other use of these good and kind orders, 
 but only to serve us as Joab served Amasa 1 when he took him 
 fast by his beard with his right hand to Kiss him, while with 
 the Other hand he Smote him in the nth Rib and shed out his 
 bowels to the ground, so here Gen! How had fast hold of us 
 by the beard of conquest with one hand to kiss us with his 
 good orders while, with his Cruel bad orders he gave us a 
 Mortal Blow and shed out our bowels to y e ground by their 
 Insults Roberys & Plunderings These good orders was so 
 little Observed, that I defy them to show one Instance where 
 they was obeyed with in five mile of Princetown. 
 
 [p. 13] I shall Venture to give a brief Account of three 
 Battles and of some things that Preceded them Though I can 
 do it but very Imperfectly for want of proper Inteligence 
 both from the State of the Army and Matters of fact There 
 fore I shall leave it to others that are more Knowing to Sup 
 ply my defects 
 
 On the 8th day of December 1776 The Regulars towards 
 Night 2 came to Trenton and were fired upon by Gen* Wash- 
 
 1 2 Sam. xx. 10. 
 
 "Towards noon" would be more accurate. December 8, 1776, 
 was a Sunday, and the American army took the entire afternoon and 
 night of the ;th and up to daylight on the 8th to cross to the Pennsyl 
 vania side of the river. The British and Hessian advance guard 
 reached Trenton early in the morning of the 8th. When the rest of the 
 Hessian battalion arrived at about u and marched down to the river 
 bank they were welcomed with American grapeshot from the opposite 
 bank. Cf. Stryker, 27, 28. 
 
28 A BRIEF NARRATIVE 
 
 intons Army that had but Just got all of them over the River 
 Delaware. The firing of Cannon was heard from thence to 
 Princetown Every day more or less untill fryday Evening 
 when the Guns was heard untill it was almost dark This was 
 the i3th day of December, 1776. Here the Regulars Despair 
 ing of geting over the River Designed to put an End to the 
 Campaign As appears by their Books that was found among 
 their Bagage that they left in the field, when they fled from 
 the Battle The words in one of their Books is thus viz. Head 
 Quarters at Trenton the i4th of December 1776. G: O: 
 The Campaign being Closed with the Pursuit of the Enemys 
 Army near ninty miles by Leif 1 General Lord Cornwallaces 
 Corps much to the Honour of his Lordship and to the Officers 
 and Soldiers under his Command The approach of Winter 
 puting a Stop to any further Progress the troops will Immedi 
 ately retire into Quarters and hold themselves in readiness 
 to Assemble on the shortest notice. 1 There is another of their 
 books found in the field of battle In which it is thus Entered 
 viz. Brigade After orders 9 at night 13 th of December 1776 
 The Bagage of the Brigade to be sent of at 7 in the Morning. 
 The gaurd ordered for the Rear Gaurd to Escort the Baggage 
 to Princetown The captain to send in the morning for the 
 Prisoners Confined in the town gaurd and March them with 
 the Baggage. 
 
 Head Quarters Trenton 14 th of December 1776 Here in 
 this book is set down the same words as in the other book 
 that I have before set down with this addition, after the last 
 word notice is aded. The Comander in chief calls on the 
 
 1 Gens. Howe and Cornwallis left Trenton on December ijth, the 
 former to return to his comfortable quarters at New York, the latter 
 to sail for England to tell the king how he had driven the rebels out 
 of New Jersey. The order in the text is quoted by Stryker (48). 
 
A BRIEF NARRATIVE 39 
 
 Commanding officers of corps to Exert themselves in Pre 
 serving the greatest Regularity and Strictest Discipline in 
 their Respective Quarters Particularly attending to the Pro 
 tection of the Inhabitants and their Property in their Several 
 Districts 1 In what manner these good orders was obeyed 
 appears by the foregoing Relation. 
 
 On the 25 th of December 1776 In the night Gen? Washing 
 ton with a great deal of Difficulty by Reason of the Ice Got 
 over the Delaware River from Pensilvania with a Considerable 
 part of his Army, and the next morning Attackt the Hessian 
 Troops that was at Trenton and gave them a Total Defeat 
 and took between 8 and 9 hundred prissoners with six field 
 peices of Cannon Mortally Wounded their Chief Commander 
 that they had there the number of Slain and wounded I have 
 not heard, there was Some of them that came to Princetown 
 the night after the Battle very much Affrighted having Es 
 caped upe assanpink brook Threw very muddy Swamps and 
 Water. 2 
 
 [p. 14] They had before sent Party s of their men down 
 this side of the River to Crosswecks, Bordentown, Burlinton, 
 Blackhorse, and Mount Holly, (As I suppose) to be Quartered 
 out dureing the Winter. How er the Remaing part of the 
 
 1 Both of these orders are quoted by Stryker (48) . 
 
 2 Starting as soon as it was dark on the evening of the 25th, it 
 was after three in the morning of the 2 6th before Washington got his 
 army over the river. He reached Trenton at about 8 A.M. Accord 
 ing to official German returns quoted by Stryker (195) the Hessian 
 losses were 106 (5 officers and 17 men killed, 6 officers and 78 men 
 wounded). Washington reported to Congress that he had taken 918 
 prisoners, and Gen. Howe sent the same figures to the king. Wash 
 ington also reported the capture of six brass field pieces. The Hessian 
 commander, Colonel Johann Gottlieb Rail, died at Trenton on the 27th 
 in the house of Stacy Potts, his own headquarters. 
 
30 A BRIEF NARRATIVE 
 
 Army and some part of Pensilvania Millitia found means at 
 Several places to get over the River that then was full of Ice 
 and all those parts was Soon cleared of those devouring 
 Guests but in what manner I can give no Accounts for want 
 of Particular Information. 
 
 A few days before the Battle at Princetown a Commisary 
 with nine men for his Gaurd was Provideing Indian Corn for 
 their Horses at a farmers house on the south side of Stoney 
 brook. The Commisary and the Farmer were together in 
 the Barn measureing the Corn When five of Gen! Washin- 
 tons light horse men came up and took the Commisary 
 Prissoner and then went to the Farmers House and took 
 Eight of his Gaurd by Rideing up to the door and Ordering 
 them to ground their arms and come out, which they all did 
 Except one and he Escaped at a back door (It is said) that 
 these Soldiers in Stead of being on guard to Defend the Com 
 misary and themselves were imployed in a much Pleasanter 
 business, that was, in attacking and Conquering a Parcel of 
 Mince Pyes 1 yet many of them (if not some of these) do fre 
 quently say (and Often Swear to it) In their way of Insult 
 ing the People That they would hang any Rebel let him be 
 who he would for a mug of sider. 
 
 A farmer about five miles from Princetown took two 
 Armed Hessians ^rissoners with no other Arms then his 
 Pitchfork and Dog In the following manner. They were dis 
 covered in his Stable among his horses by his boy who told his 
 master and he ran to the Stable before it was light in the 
 morning and got his Pitch fork and commanded them to 
 yield themselves Prisoners which one of them obeyed, and 
 while he was Secureing of him, the other ran away, and the 
 
 footnote in MS.: "This shows That they fared well among 
 the farmer?,. The story of the capture is given in Stryker (250). 
 
A BRIEF NARRATIVE 31 
 
 farmer set his dog after him, and he Catcht him by his coat 
 and held him fast until he was Secured, and both of them 
 sent away Prissoners They said that they had fled from the 
 Battle at Trenton. 
 
 The Regulars Advanced gaurds were frequently fired 
 uppon about the first of January in the night ; which Alarmed 
 them to that degre that they Increast their Gaurd upon Alen- 
 town Road with one hundred men, and lay on their Arms 
 three nights Successively before the Battle, on the first day 
 of January at night they made many fires on the side of the 
 Main Road that Extended from the turning at Clarks corner 
 down to the bridge, or near it and so up on the other side on 
 the riseing ground as far as we could see it and how much 
 farther I Know not. The next morning early the Second of 
 the month they left their fires and marched towards Trenton 
 and some where in their [p. 15] way threw Maidenhead came 
 upon a Parcel of GenJ Washintons men who iought them on a 
 Retreat and more men being sent to cover their Retreat until 
 they got to Trenton and had past over the bridge when the 
 Regulars and Hessians appeared and the latter being very 
 Eager to follow the Persuit as they called it Receiv d a Smart 
 Rebuke from one of our Generals field Pieces, which kild and 
 wounded Ten or twelve of their men and at the same time 
 Received a Volly of smal arms they only stood another fire 
 and then Retreated, what number of the Enemy was Kild 
 and Wounded I have not heard, though it is said that many 
 of them was kild by the Retreating Partys geting behind 
 trees and fences and fireing upon them as they advanced 
 along the road. 1 
 
 1 On January ist Washington had detached Brig. Gen. de Fer- 
 moy s brigade, Col. Edward Hand s Pennsylvania Riflemen, Col. 
 Hausegger s German battalion, Col. Charles Scott s Virginia Con- 
 
3 2 A BRIEF NARRATIVE 
 
 It being near night 1 Gen? Washinton with his Army marht 
 up the Mill pond and the South side of Assanpink brook, and 
 when they came to the woods he ordered many large fires to 
 be made on the sides of the road, and marcht on with his 
 army up the brook to the bridge Rozels mill and past over 
 there and came to Stoney Brook near Isaac Clarks about 
 a mile and half below the bridge on the main road, Where they 
 were hindered some time in making a bridge over the brook 
 for the Army to pas with the Artillery 2 This was done Unex 
 pected to the Regular Army who to Annoy Washintons men 
 as they thought now and then all night from over the brook 3 
 fired a Cannon sho* at the fires that was left, this bring us to 
 the third day of January 1777. 
 
 When as soon as it was well light we saw the Regulars* 
 that was left at Princetown Marching towards Trenton, and 
 in about half a hours time we saw them comeing back faster 
 then they went, a Party of them came into our Field, and 
 
 tinental Regiment and two guns of Capt. Thomas Forrest s battery 
 to dispute the advance of the British on their way to Trenton. The 
 Americans posted themselves at Five Mile Run just outside of Maiden 
 head (Lawrenceville) . So ably did they do their duty that it took 
 the British advance guard from 10 A.M. until 4 P.M. on January 2 to 
 make Trenton. The narrative of the day s skirmishing is told by 
 Stryker (258 et seq.). The British official reports make no mention of 
 losses on that day. Lowell s Hessians (301) gives the Hessian losses 
 at 4 killed and n wounded. Stryker (265) makes the American losses 
 i killed and 6 wounded. 
 
 1 Washington started his march at about i A.M. 
 
 2 Other accounts make no mention of any delay here to repair 
 the bridge. 
 
 3 i.e., Assanpink brook. 
 
 4 The iyth and 55th regiments of the British line. The 4oth had 
 been left at Princeton to guard the stores. 
 
A BRIEF NARRATIVE 33 
 
 laid down their Packs there and formed at the corner of our 
 Garden about 60 Yards from the door and then marcht away 
 Immediately to the field of Battle Which was in William 
 Clarks wheat field and Orchard Round about his house and 
 how much further to the westard I Know not It was plain 
 within sight of our door at about 400 Yards distance I can 
 give no Account how the battle was ordered on Either side 
 for want of Proper Information only this 
 
 Gen? Washintons army was so hindered in makeing and 
 passing the bridge that the Battle was begun before their 
 field Pieces could be brought up, where upon they Retreated 
 and Rallyed again with their Artillery towards the last of 
 the battle seven Regulars was seen from our door to fall at 
 once and in about three quarters of an hour from the begining 
 of the battle the Regulars were put to flight with the loss of 
 two brass field Pieces took from them in the field. The 
 Exact Number of their men that was Slain wounded and took 
 prisoners [p. 16] I Know not there was thirty Six dead men 
 the next day buryed in a Stone Quarry among whom there 
 was 15 of Gen? Washintons men, the Other 21 were Regulars 
 besides three of them that lay dead in and near the main 
 Road which Gen? Washinton seeing Ordered them to be put 
 in the Waggons and carryed to town. And desired the 
 Country People to bury the dead, besides these there was 
 several others found Dead near the field of Battle and buryed 
 in other places, Which side they belonged to I do not Know, 
 But it is said that most of them was Regulars 1 Gen? Washintons 
 
 1 The losses on each side cannot be accurately given. Hageman 
 (I, 141, 142) following Barber and Howe (271, 272) vaguely says the 
 American loss was not exceeding thirty, twenty of whom (6 officers and 
 14 privates) he admits were killed. There were certainly more than 
 10 wounded. The British losses he places at 200 killed and wounded 
 
34 A BRIEF NARRATIVE 
 
 army took all the Regulars in town Prissoners, 1 and discharged 
 their Continental Prissoners that they had Confined in the 
 
 Colledge to the number of 2 among whom (as it said) 
 
 was about 30 of our Countrypeople that were Accused Either 
 of being Rebels or aiding and Assisting them They took their 
 Stores in which (it is said) was a very large number of new 
 blankets 3 They took all the Enemys Cannon in town and 
 
 and 230 prisoners. Washington s report gives his estimated loss at 
 8 or 9 officers and 25 to 30 privates killed, the British loss at over too 
 killed, about 300 prisoners, making with the wounded a total of about 
 500. Dr. Jonathan Potts, surgeon in the American army, writing 
 from the field of battle January sth says that the American killed 
 were 16 and the British 23 (Stryker, 445). The author of the anony 
 mous letter, wrongly attributed by Stryker to someone in the British 
 army, gives the British killed at about 100 and the American at about 
 14 (Stryker, 470). Gen. Howe s report of January 5 placed his loss 
 at 17 killed and nearly 200 wounded and missing; but later advices 
 led him to increase his figures to 18 killed, 58 wounded and 200 missing. 
 This return omits 10 other killed, so that the total British loss would 
 seem to be 286 (Stryker, 293, 458). Stryker s own estimate that the 
 British loss was about 400 killed, wounded and prisoners, "one-fourth 
 of whom were left dead upon the field" (p. 292) seems to lack confirma 
 tion. His estimate that the American loss was about 40 killed and 
 wounded is more conservative. 
 
 1 The anonymous letter quoted by Stryker (470) gives the number 
 who surrendered in Nassau Hall as 86; others being brought in in 
 creased it to 200. Stryker himself (290) gives the number as 194 
 "including several wounded dragoons." The rest of the two British 
 regiments (the 55th and 4oth) about 200 in all had fled toward New 
 Brunswick, losing 50 on the way. Col. Mawhood with the remnant of 
 the 1 7th escaped to Maidenhead, joining Gen. Leslie there, and later was 
 conducted to New Brunswick by Joseph Stockton, a well-to-do Princeton 
 loyalist. (Ontario Bureau of Archives. 2dRept. (Toronto, 1905,) I. in). 
 
 2 Blank in MS. 
 
 3 Washington s official report to Congress says "we took some 
 blankets, shoes and a few other trifling articles. Stryker (298) says 
 
A BRIEF NARRATIVE 35 
 
 was oblidged to leave two of them for Want of Carriage to 
 take them of one gun they threw into a well, and then they 
 Marcht on with their Prissoners and plunder to Sommerset 
 Court House that day, and left some of the prissoners, and of 
 their own men to care of the sick and wounded men on both sides 
 Gen.^ Washinton as soon as the battle was over Ordered 
 some of his men to be plced near the 6n dge over Stoney brook 
 on the Main Road to hinder the Regulars passing over and to 
 pull up the bridge which was Scarcely done 1 when the Regu 
 lars Apeared Which caused a Second fireing about three 
 quarters of an hour appart from the first in which there was 
 no Execution done that I heard of. In a little time our men 
 Retreated, and the Regulars were Oblidged to Cross the 
 brook at the ford with their artillery almost middle deep in 
 water (the back water of the mill being then up) and form d 
 on this side the brook and towards night" (when they Knew 
 
 the Americans "also secured two brass six pounders, a large amount 
 of ammunition, a quantity of military stores, and some clothing, and 
 camp equipage, loaded in wagons." Gen. Knox makes a similar 
 statement in a letter to his wife (Stryker, 451); an anonymous writer 
 to the Maryland Journal under date of January 7, 1777, near Prince 
 ton, and presumed to be Dr. Benjamin Rush, says that a quantity 
 of ammunition and several wagons of baggage fell into American 
 hands (Stryker, 467), and the anonymous letter already alluded to 
 elsewhere states that "several Baggage Waggons, and some Ammuni 
 tion & Stores" were captured at Princeton. These references and 
 others of similar trend would seem to indicate that Washington s 
 official report on the booty was unduly modest if not inaccurate. 
 
 1 Major John Kelly of Col. James Potter s battalion of Northum 
 berland County, Pa., Militia was in command of this detachment, 
 and his reckless bravery in delaying escape until he had sawed through 
 the last plank of the bridge almost led to his capture by the British 
 reinforcements. (Stryker, 287, 289, and Hageman, I, 141). 
 
 1 More correctly "towards noon." Stryker, 291, 470, and 
 Hageman, I, 138. 
 
A BRIEF NARRATIVE 
 
 that the other Army was gone) marcht into Princetown 
 Thus that poor and almost Wholly Desolate town of al its 
 late Inhabitants had change of Masters two if not three times 
 on that day, for they had the Regulars in the Morning The 
 Continentals at noon the regulars again at night who left 
 them to the Continentals that night again and have not yet 
 returned to Assume their Conquest. So Unconstant is the 
 State of War and so Certain and sure the mischiefs and 
 miserys attending it That it is a Wonder that Wise men 
 should ever depend on it 
 
 In the beginning of the forementioned Battle a Womans 
 leg was shot of at her ancle by a Cannon ball she was in one 
 of the houses 1 near the bridge on the main road in the hollow 
 on this side Stoney brook it was thought to [p. 17] be done by 
 one of Gen* Washintons field Pieces. The battle was Plainly 
 Seen from our door Before any Gun was heard a man was seen 
 to fall and Immediately the Report and Smoke of a Gun was 
 Seen and heard, And the guns went of so quick and many 
 together that they could not be numbered, we Presently 
 went down into the Cellar to keep out of the Way of the Shot. 
 There was a Neighbour woman down in the Cellar with us 
 that was so Affrighted that she Imagined that the field was 
 covered with Blood, and When we came out of the Cellar 
 She called Earnestly to us to look out and see how all the 
 field was quit red with blood. When none was to be seen at 
 that Distance. This I mention only to show into What 
 Strange mistakes Sudden frights with the fear of Death may 
 put us into. Almost as soon as the firing was over our house 
 was filled and surrounded with Gen* Washington s Men, and 
 himself on horseback at the door. They brought in with 
 
 1 Still standing. 
 
A BRIEF NARRATIVE 37 
 
 them on their Shoulders two Wounded Regulars, one of 
 them was shot in at his hip and the bullet lodged in his groin, 
 and the other was shot through his body Just below his short 
 ribs he was in very great pain and bled much out of both sides, 
 and often desired to be removed from one place to another, 
 which was done Accordingly and he dyed about three o clock 
 in the afternoon They was both Used very tenderly by the 
 Rebels (as they call them) The other also bled much and they 
 put a Cloth dipt in vinegar to the wound to Stop it and three 
 of them Stay d with the wounded men near an hour after 
 the Others were gone, the man that lived was left at our house 
 above two days and one night With his Wound not drest, 
 before the Regulars that was left to take care of the sick and 
 wounded would take him away, though they had notice that 
 day after the battle. 
 
 Gen* Washington as he came from the field of Battle saw 
 their packs lying in y e field Where they had left them, and set 
 a guard over them with orders that no body should meddle 
 with them until further Orders the guard stood by them until 
 the Regulars that came from Trenton had formed and then 
 left them Where they lay until near Sun set and then When 
 all the men that left them there were Either slain Wounded 
 taken Prissoners or fled from the battle the Other Regulasr 
 and .Hessians from Trenton Begun to Plunder their fellow 
 Soldiers Packs takeing out what they Pleased and leaving 
 the rest in the dirt, the next day the Plunderers Increast 
 and continued from day to day until all was gone but What 
 they refused to take some old Blankets they gave to the 
 Wounded Man. It is Observable that in Plundering they 
 Keep no Order, for one Plunderer will Rob another as Ap 
 pears by [p. 1 8] an instance before our door Some of the Men 
 that left their Packs to Secure them the better threw them 
 
38 A BRIEF NARRATIVE 
 
 over the Garden boarded fence into it, and a Hessian seeing 
 the Packs lying in the garden went in and threw them over 
 the fence into the field Opened one of them and took out some 
 things that a Regular had a mind too, and the other Refused 
 to give him and then the Regular laid hold on him and took" 
 them from him by force and Kickt his breech when he had 
 done, one or two more Scuffles of the like Nature we saw 
 but at a far greater distance 
 
 As soon as the battle was over GenJ Mercer (who had his 
 horse shot down under him, and then received several wounds 
 by which in some days after he dyed) was carryed into Thomas 
 Clarks house with several other wounded men, And above 
 Twenty was carried into William Clarks house two of them 
 dyed soon after they was brought in Sixty was carryed to 
 Princetown but how many of them were regulars I know not. 
 By an Account that a Neighbour Gentleman sent to me there 
 was thirty one Regulars found dead In about the field of 
 tattle and nineteen Provincials, and one hundred and Seventy 
 five taken Prissonerj of the Regulars and Hessians. 1 This 
 account of the Prissoners is confirm d by what a Captain of 
 the Millitia told me who was in the Battle and marcht with 
 GenJ Washington to Morristown with the Addition that they 
 were all Privates Besides Officers and how many of them he 
 did not know. 
 
 Immediately after the Battle (as I said before) GenJ 
 Washingtons Men came into our house Though they were 
 both hungry and thirsty some of them laughing out right, 
 others smileing, and not a man among them but showed Joy 
 in his Countenance. It Really Animated my old blood with 
 Love to those men that but a few minutes before had been 
 
 1 See note p. 33 
 
A BRIEF NARRATIVE 39 
 
 Couragiously looking Death in the face in Releiveing a part 
 of their Country from the Barbarous Insults and Ravages 
 of a bold and Dareing Enemy. By the Joy that I felt myself 
 I cannot help but be of the Opinion that the most Strict of 
 them all against bearing Arms in our own defence (if they 
 have any love for their bleeding Country) but must in some 
 degree or other Rejoice with the rest of their Neighbours and 
 others for that days happy Relief that it Pleased God to bless 
 us with 
 
 Since my Writing so far, I saw a Gentleman Farmer one 
 of our Neighbours Who Informs me that on the ninth day of 
 last December (the next day after the regulars had got to 
 Trenton) he was taken Prissoner in his own house by a Party 
 of them and conveyed to Trenton and kept there, for some 
 time and [p. 19] then marcht him with other Prissoners through 
 Princetown to Brunswick and so on from Place to Place till 
 they got him into New York, he says that they was Cruelly 
 used at one Place for they Crouded so many Prisoners into 
 one Room that they could not lye down, And it being very 
 cold that night They was some of them striking fire Which 
 the Officers hearing, forced in with clubs and Knockt three 
 or four of them down, They allowed one Parcel of their Prison 
 ers but four pound and a half of bread, and a pound of Pork 
 for Six men a Week, another company of them that they 
 said were Prissoners of war fared a little better but not much, 
 but he himself fared well Enough for he happened to have 
 some hard money and Suplyed himself he was a Prissoner 
 with them a little above three months and made his Escape 
 with two others of Staten Island, They Plundered him Suf 
 ficiently at home, for besides plundering his house they took 
 from him a wagon four horses, and the most part of his geers, 
 with Several of his Cattle. 
 
4O A BRIEF NARRATIVE 
 
 There was one Drake that the next day after the Battle 
 saw four regulars standing together in a field between two 
 and three mile from Princetown and went Boldly up to them 
 (with a Stick under his great Coat which showed as if it was a 
 gun) and ordered them to yield themselves his Prissoners 
 which they did, and did not try for to Resist two of them had 
 Guns but the other two being fugitives the day before had 
 none, He haveing the four secured by y e Neighbours went out 
 again with his stick as he did before and found another regu 
 lar and took him in the like manner It is said that Several 
 more of their fugitives were taken Prissoners by the Country 
 People in Sommorset County and other places where they 
 Stragled about in Search for their Army and got lost. 
 
 There was a farmer that dwelt about * miles from 
 
 Princetown that was said to be a Tory, and had a brother 
 that was a Schoolmaster in the Neighbourhood last Spring 
 and left his School and got the Regular army where he said 
 he was made an Officer and appeared as Such while he was 
 here dureing their twenty six days tyranny, (and is Since 
 taken prissoner by our People near Brunswick) and in that 
 time it is thought he Prevailed with his brother the farmer 
 to Join with the Regulars which he did, and not being at 
 home, Some over Zealous Whigs abused his wife and Plunder 
 ed his house to a great degree The particulars I have not 
 heard Though I have many times been Informed of it in 
 General (as I here set it down.) This woman is said to be a 
 Strong Whig, but let that be as it may, her Father was [p. 20] 
 one and suffered very Severely by being Plundered by the 
 Regulars to that degree that he had not bed cloaths enough 
 to keep him warm the night after he was rob d and so got 
 cold, fell sick and dyed. 
 
 1 Blank in MS. 
 
A BRIEF NARRATIVE 41 
 
 If it is a Provocation and grief to us to be Plundered by the 
 Regulars our Profesed enemys. Then how much more must 
 it be so to the Sufferers that are Plundered by their Pretended 
 Friends. These blind Zealots (a zeal without Knowledge) 
 that Plundered the Woman did not consider that they were 
 commiting that very crime of Oppression That the other 
 Whigs have drawn their Swords against, and by that have 
 Transformed themselves into Torys and did not know it. For 
 the word Tory as it now is Understood among us Signifys 
 Oppression or at least an accessary to oppression: and when 
 any person is Oppresst the accessary in aiding or assisting is 
 as guilty as he that does it, and therefore these Plunderers 
 may properly be called Torys. What a Mallancholly sight 
 it is to see our own People guilty of the crime that we are 
 Opposing with the hazard of some of our lives. 
 
 No mans property ought to be taken from him without 
 a Law first made and then a hearing, or at least an Opper- 
 tunity of being heard to know Whether he is guilty of a breach 
 of that law or not, and if he is found guilty, and all or part of 
 his goods are forfeited, they are to be token by the proper 
 Officer, and not by Private men, for they do not belong to 
 them but to the Public. Therefore these whigs that Plundered 
 the Woman (whoever they be) if the farmer deserves to be 
 punished They have been Plundering the Publick, for if the 
 goods that they Plundered was forfeited, they belonged to 
 the People in General, and not to private Individuals. 
 
 The Charactar of British Solders formerly was their Keep 
 ing of faith with and showing mercy to their conquered 
 Enemys was Equal to their Valour, This brave Character hath 
 very much Deceived some of the Torys as well as many others 
 for they Imagined That if we should be conquered, that faith 
 
42 A BRIEF NARRATIVE 
 
 would be kept with them and mercy shown to them by the 
 Conquerers. But when that unhappy time came Alas they 
 found directly to the Contrary, for to their Sorrow they found 
 the saying in the Scripture true where it says, The mercys 
 of the wicked are Cruelty. 1 This Puts me upon Enquireing 
 What is become of these Noble Virtues Faith and Mercy for 
 they are not to be found in the British nor Hessian Army 
 here, Have they fled from, or are they Stifiled [p. 21] under 
 that vast Pile of Bribery and Corruption under which the 
 In/zafo tants of Great Britain now Groans. It is Certain that 
 as soon as these Vices got into the Army they left it, for they 
 never had nor never will have the least connexion with 
 Treachery Cruelty or Oppression Then where must they be 
 gone, have they left the world. I Answer no they have not 
 for I saw them Exercised in their full Lustre by the Continental 
 Army in the day of the Battle near Princetown, When they 
 brought into the House where I then was Immediately after 
 the Battle two wounded men of their Enimys on their shoul 
 ders and their Cloaths much besmeared with their blood. 
 While their fellow Soldiers was doing the like with their 
 wounded Enemys and caryed them in large numbers into 
 Other houses that was near; not regarding the Spoiling of 
 their cloaths Which they had rather bear then to leave their 
 wounded Enemys that could not Stand by wallowing in their 
 blood in the field 
 
 How very different is this from that barbarous Cruel 
 Usage of the Regular Army when in the same Battle. Gen? 
 Mercer having his horse shot down under him 2 they Insulted 
 
 1 Prov. xii. 10. 
 
 2 Footnote in MS.: "and they gathered thick round him "while 
 he defended himself with his Sword, he received a blow behind him 
 with the but end of a gun which Stunded him and as he lay on the 
 
A BRIEF NARRATIVE 43 
 
 him and repeatedly wounded him so that in a few days after 
 he dyed. In the like manner they served Lieutenant Yeates (a 
 very worthy Young Gentleman as it is said by them that 
 knew him} 1 who when he was so wounded that he could not 
 
 ground Stunded," The sentence originally read: "Gen^ Mercer 
 having received several very bad wounds and his horse shot down 
 under him he intreated his Enemys to give him Quarter which instead 
 of granting, They insulted him," etc., as in text. But on learning 
 that Mercer did not ask for quarter, but fought on until so sorely 
 wounded that he was left for dead, the honest author struck out his 
 mistaken words and added the footnote given above. Hugh 
 Mercer was born in Scotland in 1720. He died in the Thomas Clark 
 house on the Princeton battlefield January 12, 1777, and was buried 
 in Philadelphia at Christ Church January 16. In 1840 his remains 
 were removed to Laurel Hill cemetery, Philadelphia. Sketches of 
 him appear in the Dictionary of National Biography and in Stryker, 
 296, 459. Cf. also W. B. Reed s Oration on. . . .Hugh Mercer, Phila. 
 1840, and Dr. Benjamin Rush s letters in Lee s Memoir of R. H. 
 Lee, II, 163-165. His portrait is published in Hageman I, facing 
 143, and also appears in the group in C. W. Peale s portrait of Wash 
 ington owned by Princeton University. 
 
 1 A brief sketch of Bartholomew Yeates is in Stryker, 455. Dr. 
 Benjamin Rush in Lee s Memoir of R. H. Lee, II, 165, writing Janu 
 ary i4th, 1777, informs Col. Lee of Lieut. Yeates death on the loth, 
 and describes the brutal treatment he had received after begging for 
 quarter. The lieutenant s affidavit made the day before he died is in 
 the Papers of the Continental Congress, Vol. 53, p. 47; a copy was 
 sent by Washington to Gen. Howe on Jan. 13, 1777 (Hist. MSS. Com. 
 Report on Amer. MSS in the R. I. of Great Britain, 82) and it also 
 forms part of the proofs and illustrations of the Congressional 
 Committee s report on British and Hessian atrocities. (N. J. Archives, 
 2 ser., I, 363.) The affidavit is as follows: 
 
 PRINCETON, Jany 9, 1777. 
 
 Lieut Yates of Col" Reads Regim* of Virginia forces, being 
 sworn upon the Hoi) Evangelists, declares That after he was wound- 
 
44 A B R I E F N A R R A T I V E 
 
 stand beged for Quarter but the Barbarous Wretches would 
 not allow it, But gave him new Wounds and one of them 
 continued Insulting of him, and comeing to him to see Whether 
 he was dead or not, was shot down dead himself as it is said 
 and fell very near the wounded young Officer who languished 
 with his wounds some days and dyed but first told how Cruelly 
 he had been used by the Regular Soldiers and took his oath 
 of it. How many more wounded men have been denyed 
 quarter and murdered is not known. 
 
 Though these Regulars boasts that they are the best 
 Soldiers in the World, Yet Experience hath Suficiently 
 Proved them to be no more then the Instuments of Cruelty 
 and Oppression and are Strangly Degenerated from what 
 their Predecessors were thirty Years agoe for they Crost the 
 Atlantick Ocean & came here to do one of the oddest mes 
 suages that ever was heard of. That was Either to put us 
 to the sword, or make us submit to a Thraldom, much worse 
 then we impose upon our Labouring Beasts for without the 
 labour and care of Men those Beasts could have no Existence 
 here For though we use the Strength of the Horses and oxen 
 in bearing and drawing of Burthens and also in tiling our 
 
 ed in the battle of 3* Jany 1777 near Princeton, a British Soldier came 
 up to him, & said to him Oh damn you are you there and Snap d 
 his Muskett at him : Upon which M r Yates begged for quarters : The 
 Soldier loaded his Muskett deliberately, & Shot him thro the breast, 
 & afterwards Stab d him in 13 places with his Bayonett. Sometime 
 after this, either the Same or another Soldier came up to him, who, 
 perceiving some Signs of Life in him, Struck him with the Club of his 
 Muskett." 
 
 Attested by BENJ* RUSH. ANTH Y W. WHITE. 
 
 A true Copy of the Original in the hands of his Excell y 
 
 G. JOHNSTON A. D. C. 
 
A BRIEF NARRATIVE 45 
 
 lands for our own food, Yet they can do us no service without 
 our guiding and attending them while they labour. And 
 they in return for their labour Receive of us their Provender 
 which we labour for as much [p. 22] if not more then they in 
 Providing Stables and feeding of them with which they are 
 contented food being all that a beast desires 
 
 Thus it hath Pleased God in his Infinite Wisdom to put as it 
 were Recipocral dutys bet ween men and their Labouring Beasts, 
 But hath not Put any such dutys between The Regular Army 
 and us, For are they to help and guide us in our labour, No, 
 are they to Provide us food and feed us, No. Have they given 
 us content as we do to our beasts of labour, very far on the 
 Contrary. Did they Ever do us any Maner of good No. 
 Then how can we be under any dutys or Obligations to them, 
 or Even to them that sent them. 
 
 Great Britain Refused to hear our humle Supplications 
 unless we would first give up our cause and Acknowledge that 
 they had an Absolute Power over us. Their Parliment to 
 Represent us though they know but little if anything of our 
 Circumstances and therefore we Refuse to chuse them, For 
 Which they (without hearing) have declared us to be in Re 
 bellion and Denounced War against us and sent an Army 
 over the ocean against us, and for fear that we should be to 
 Strong they have at a great expence (which no doubt but they 
 Expect that we shal pay} hired another army of Forreigners 
 and attackt us with both Armys at once in order to Reduce 
 us the sooner into the most abject Slavery that they Please 
 to Impose upon us. This is the Recompence that poor New 
 Jersey Receives from Great Britain for all the Services that 
 our Ancestors and we have done for them. If it is askt what 
 them Services be I shal give a brief Account as folows, 
 
 New Jersey was first settled in the Year 1664 under a 
 
46 A BRIEF NARRATIVE 
 
 Proprietary Government, being then a Wilderness overun 
 with Wolves Panthers Bears and other beasts of Prey besides 
 Plenty of Venomous Serpents though the first Inhabitants 
 sustained great damage by the beasts of Prey Destroying 
 their Young Cattle, colts, sheep, and swine, and some times in 
 Danger of their lives by the Poisonous biteings of the Rattle 
 snakes Yet their greatest Danger was from Treacherous 
 Indians That not Many years before had made war with the 
 duch Settlers in the very next Collony of New York, and they 
 often Assembled in great Numbers so that the Inhabitants 
 to Secure themselves built smal wooden fortications. 1 
 
 Surrounded with all those Dimcultys and Terrifying 
 Dangers acompanyed with many other hardships Our 
 Couragious Ancestors went on in Clearing and subduing the 
 Wilderness And buying their Land both [p. 23] of the Pro 
 prietors and of the natives. Supporting themselves by farming 
 hunting and fishing these first settlers with the Other settlers 
 
 1 The Royal Charter executed in favor of the Duke of York was 
 dated March 20, 1664. Proprietary government began three months 
 later when on June 24, 1664, he conveyed to Lord John Berkeley and 
 Sir George Carteret all that part of his territory which is now New 
 Jersey. Seventeenth century descriptions of the country, such as 
 William Edmundson s Journal, Mahlon Stacy s letters in Barber & 
 Howe, the Brief Account of the Province of East New Jersey, Gabriel 
 Thomas Historical Description of the Province of West New Jersey 
 and George Scot s Model of the Government of the Province of East 
 Jersey, do not give the impression that the country was overrun with 
 wild beasts. The Indians too arc almost uniformly mentioned in 
 the early records as a benefit rather than an injury, and through their 
 humane treatment by the proprietors, New Jersey was actually pre 
 served from the collisions with the Indians which other colonies suf 
 fered. (Cf. Whitehead, 57, 58; Gordon, 63,) The quarrel with the 
 Dutch of New Amsterdam to which allusion is made was due entirely 
 to the misconduct of the colonists themselves. (Whitehead, 28-31.) 
 
A BRIEF NARRATIVE 47 
 
 that came From old England Scotland and north Ireland con 
 tinued buying Lands Until they extended the Boundaries and 
 
 confines of the Collony of New Jersey without an [half 
 
 line] .... this noble Extention of Dominion (which cost so many 
 of the lives of the first adventurers) was not made by conquest 
 but by an Honest Purchas from the Natives and proprietors 
 and not with the Blood of the Conquered People. How is it 
 England maintains title to our Lands must be given to her 
 (and not kept by us) for our Title was Neither gained by in 
 vasion nor held by oppression and nothing Appears to the 
 Contrary, but is held according to the liberty that God gave to 
 
 Men When the mos [half line] as for instance, 
 
 When he Separated the sons [half line] title 
 
 cannot be shown to Lands in Old England Scot 
 land & Ireland Besides this Extension of dominion the 
 population is Increast in Proportion. 1 New Jersey as early 
 as in King Williams reign was Requested to Assist Old Eng- 
 land in their wars against France which we complyed with to 
 the Utmost of our Abillity, And in Queen Anne s Reign New 
 Jersey was called upon to help Great Britain in their war 
 against France Several times Which was very readily and 
 Willingly complyed with And in their last wars with France 
 New Jersey was for Several Years Runing Requested by the 
 Crown to Assist Which we did Yearly Willinly and Readily 
 
 1 In 1702 the Province was supposed to contain 20,000 inhabitants. 
 In 1726 the official census showed a population of 29,861 whites and 
 2581 negroes; in 1738,43,388 whites and 3981 "negroes & other 
 slaves"; in 1745, 56,777 whites and 4606 "slaves"; in 1755, 75,000 
 whites, the negroes not being given; in 1772, 67,710 whites and 3313 
 negroes, with no returns from the five counties of Bergen, Essex, 
 Middlesex, Monmouth and Somerset. (Barber & Howe, 29, N. J. 
 Archives, i ser., V. 164; VI, 242; VIII, 132; X, 452.) 
 
48 A BRIEF NARRATIVE 
 
 dureing the war, for Which we are yet in debt (as I said once 
 before) Great Britain in their wars against the the Spaniards 
 Requested New Jersey to assist them in the West Indies in an 
 Expedition aganst Carthargene which we willingly complyed 
 with, Where we lost many Brave Men and Great Britain 
 again in their war with both France and Spain together 
 Requested the Assistance of New Jersey against them both, 
 Which was as it always had been very Readily and Willingly 
 Comply with though part of it was in the West Indies Where 
 our Men Assisted in taking Havana. 1 
 
 1 In 1709 New Jersey entered reluctantly into the plan of the 
 Crown for an expedition against Canada and Newfoundland; but of 
 the separate little army of 1500 men to attack Montreal to be furnished 
 jointly by New York, Pennsylvania and New Jersey the latter State 
 supplied her quota of 200 men, and in June of that year the Assembly 
 passed a bill encouraging volunteers, another raising 3000 by bills 
 of credit and a third enforcing this paper s currency. In 1711 when 
 the colonies were again asked to co-operate New Jersey provided her 
 quota of 365 men and the Assembly raised 5000 for the expenses and 
 pay of the volunteers. In 1740 when a British fleet had been dis 
 patched against the Spanish West Indies and aid was asked of the 
 colonies the New Jersey Assembly levied 2000 for victualling and 
 transporting the State quota of troops. In June 1745 2000 was 
 raised for the assistance of Shirley s Louisburg expedition and a year 
 later when it became known that the conquest of Canada was to be 
 attempted the New Jersey Assembly raised 10,000 for the equipment 
 of 500 men and offered a 6 bounty. So popular was this enterprise 
 that 660 men enlisted; 5 companies being charged to this State and 
 one being transferred to New York s quota. In November, 1746, 
 850 more was raised for victualling the troops and in May, 1747, 
 an additional 1000. The State had already spent over 20,000 on 
 equipment and transportation. In March, 1755, 500 was voted for 
 the use of the royal army on its march through the province and its 
 baggage was furthermore transported at public expense. In April, 
 1755, the expedition to Crown Point being decided on New Jersey 
 
A BRIEF NARRATIVE 49 
 
 The Present Rulers of Great Britain like Men Intoxicated 
 with Power not Regarding Either Friendship or Services have 
 
 Denyedaboutfp. 24]thre- [half line] but have treated 
 
 us as malefactors that is to be punished [half line] this 
 
 that August Tri&unal Whose Sentences should act as laws to the 
 world, and often did as far as its former history is concerned, 
 Would it be to offer as a Law to the rest of the world and man 
 kind, that men should be denyed a hearing and a trial and 
 should be condemned to death or to punishment unheard f 
 
 Surely not. Surely future Ages will not be [half line] 
 
 Records do not show it there time of Ship Mony was 
 
 Ordered [half line] to be paid [half line] 
 
 ve of it might appear, and this only [half line] 
 
 surely it must be absolutely Necessary that the giving the 
 rights of Comon Malefactors to millions of men whose lives 
 and propertys are both ^Concered should be conceded and 
 
 raised 500 men and issued bills of credit to the amount of 15,000 for 
 their maintenance. In the following August 15,000 in addition was 
 raised; and for the campaign of 1756 17,500. In October, 1757, the 
 Assembly voted 30,000 for His Majesty s service and sent 1000 men 
 to the front besides holding 3000 more in readiness for a call. The 
 following spring, April, 1758, 1000 men were provided and 50,000 
 voted for their maintenance. The complement of 1000 men was kept 
 up for the next two years with appropriations of 50,000 and 45,000 
 respectively. In 1761 and 1764 the quota was 600 men and the ap 
 propriation 25,000 each year, in 1764 666 men and 30,000, and it 
 was in the latter year that Havana was captured. These figures show 
 that the cost to the State during the half century of colonial warfare 
 amounted to over 300,000 or an average annual cost of 6000. 
 No account is here taken of moneys or troops raised for State frontier 
 defence. The acts are best found in Allinson s Acts of New Jersey 
 Chapters 8 and 9 of Gordon should also be consulted, with the ist 
 series of N. J. Archives, Vols. i-io. 
 
50 A BRIEF NARRATIVE 
 
 they be given a hearing. If Great Britains Rulers could be 
 persuaded to grant this the American States no Doubt would 
 yield what is known to the World to be the Cause of the 
 present struggle which the British have called T^ebelion 
 
 It will brand that Tribunal with Infamy when it is 
 stated that them bloody Messengers that they sent to Enslave 
 us, should be as Impiously guilty as they was here In Chang 
 ing three Houses of Prayer into three dens of thieves That 
 was the Colledge and the Presbyterians and Quakers Meeting 
 Houses 1 From all these Places as well as many others they 
 
 1 In his warmth the author loses sight of the fact that the first 
 two of these edifices had suffered probably as much damage from 
 the American soldiery as from the British and Hessian. The church 
 had been used by both armies. Its pews had been burned as kindling 
 wood, and a fireplace had been built in it with a chimney running up 
 through the roof. In the , Middlesex County "Damages" (p. 328) is 
 the appraisers sworn statement of the^damages done by the enemy 
 alone : 
 
 Inventory of Damages done to the Meting House in Princeton 
 Middlesex County by the british troops & their Adherents in The Year 
 76 & 77 160-4-2. 
 
 John McCombs being sworn saith he was requested in Conjunction 
 with Thomas Stockton & Enos Kelsey to Vallu the Damages done to 
 the meting House In Prinston at S d one vewing & making A Calcula 
 tion of the S d Damages do Adjudg d it to i 60. "4. 2. 
 
 Sworn the 22 th Day of Oct r 1782 before me Robert Stockton. 
 
 JOHN McCoMBS. 
 
 Nassau Hall too had sheltered American as well as British troops. 
 The minutes of the Trustees of the College of New Jersey f or.September, 
 1776, record the fact that Dr. Witherspoon was to move in Congress 
 that troops shall not hereafter be quartered in the College. And 
 three months to a day after our unknown author penned his last para 
 graph, Dr. Witherspoon, Dr. Elihu Spencer and Richard Stockton, 
 Esq., a committee from the Board of Trustees of the College, presented 
 
A BRIEF NARRATIVE 51 
 
 made their Incursions upon the Inhabitants both here and 
 elsewhere and commited all the Roberys and Villanys before 
 Mentioned 
 
 The People in & about Prmcetown besides their Suffering 
 the Calamitys of war had a grevious Sicknes Among them, 
 Which begun about the middle of August 1776, with the 
 bloody flux, and other Mortal Distempers that carryed of 
 many People until late in the fall when the bloody flux was 
 not so frequent the Pleurisy and Other fevers followed (and 
 as far as I can hear) is not Yet abaited Aprill 18 1777 but 
 continues and carrys many people of. Besides the Smal 
 Pox hath got into the Neighbourhood the natural way and 
 proved very mortal both to the Inhabitants and Soldiers 
 there was fourteen of the soldiers that catcht it and was put 
 out at one house and Seven of them dyed Just one half, 
 There was Several familys and many Soldiers Innoculated 
 and I hear of only one Child among them all that dyed. 
 
 a petition to Congress praying that no Continental troops be allowed 
 hereafter to enter the College or to use it as barracks. The petition 
 recites that every party of provincials marching through Princeton 
 takes possession of the building, and partly through wantonness and 
 partly under pretence of not being supplied with firewood are daily 
 committing the greatest ravages upon the Building, in breaking up the 
 floors, and burning every piece of wood they can cut out of it. (MS. 
 Papers Cont. Cong., 41, Vol. 7, p. 6.) And elsewhere it was the same 
 story, as examination of Continental Army Order Books can prove. 
 Compare e.g., the following passage dated Pompton, July 25, 1777, 
 in an unpublished Order Book in the Library of Princeton University : 
 " how disagreeable to the Army is it that peaceable Inhabitants of our 
 Country Men and Fellow Citizens dread our halting among them, even 
 for one night, and are glad when they get rid of us, this can only pro 
 ceed from their distress at the plundering and wasting distraction of 
 their property." 
 
INDEX 
 
INDEX 
 
 ALLENTOWN, 31. 
 
 American Crisis, Paine s, 21. 
 
 Assanpink Brook, 29, 32. 
 
 BALDWIN, Jonathan, 5. 
 Blackhorse, 29. 
 Booty captured, 34, 35. 
 Bordentown, 29. 
 
 Brown, , kills wounded man, 
 
 21. 
 
 Brunswick, 3, 18, 29 
 Burlington, 29. 
 
 CANNON taken at Princeton, 19, 
 33, 34; at Trenton, 29. 
 
 Cattle killed, 12, 14. 
 
 Clarke, Isaac, 32; Thomas, 38; 
 William, 33, 38. 
 
 Clarke s Corner, 31. 
 
 College of New Jersey disbands, 
 4. See also Nassau Hall. 
 
 Commissary captured, 30. 
 
 Congressional committee on atroc 
 ities, 15, 22, 43. 
 
 Cornwallis, Earl of, n, 16, 28. 
 
 Crosswicks, 29. 
 
 DAVISON, John, 6; Josiah, 6. 
 Dickinson, Jonathan, 4. 
 Drake, , 40. 
 
 FERMOY, Brig. Gen. de, 31. 
 
 Five Mile Run, 32. 
 
 Farmers plundered, 10, 13, 14, 24, 
 
 40; taken prisoners, 39. 
 Forrest, Capt. Thomas, 32 
 Furniture destroyed, 14. 
 
 GAINE, HUGH, 19. 
 Grant, Sir James, n. 
 Grist mill burned, 5. 
 
 HAND, Col. Edward, 31 
 
 Harcourt, John, 9. 
 
 Hausegger, Col., 31. 
 
 Hawkins, Benjamin, 4. 
 
 Hessians steal horses, 9, 10; 
 insult inhabitants, 10; kill cat 
 tle, 12; at Trenton, 27, 29; 
 taken prisoners, 30; plunder 
 fellow-soldiers, 37. 
 
 Howe, Sir William, 3, 15, 21, 22, 
 23, 26, 27, 28, 34, 43. 
 
 Hunt, Nathaniel, 7. 
 
 Huntington, L. I., 6. 
 
 JOHNSTON, G., 44. 
 
 KELLY, Major John, 35. 
 Kelsey, Enos, 50. 
 
 LAURENCE, Elizabeth, 9. 
 
 Leslie, Gen. Alexander, n, 16, 34; 
 William, n. 
 
 Losses, American (Jan. 2, 1777), 
 32, (Jan. 3, 1777), 19, 33, 34, 
 38; British (Jan. 3, 1777), 33, 
 34, 38; British and Hessian, 
 (Jan. 2, 1777), 31; Hessian 
 (Jan. 2, 1777), 32, (Jan. 3, 
 
 1777). 38- 
 Loyalists, 14, 34, 40, 41. 
 
 McCoMBS, John, 50. 
 Maidenhead, n, 31, 34. 
 Mawhood, Col. Charles, n, 34. 
 Mercer, Hugh, 34, 42, 43. 
 Miller, Samuel, 4. 
 Mills at Princeton burned, 6. 
 Moore, Capt. James, 8. 
 Morristown, 38. 
 Morven, n. 
 Mount Holly, 29. 
 
 55 
 
5 6 
 
 NASSAU HALL, 8, 34, 50. 
 
 New Jersey, condition of, 23; in 
 colonial wars, 24, 25, 47, 48; 
 recompensed by Great Britain, 
 25; colonial history, 46; popu 
 lation, 47; Indians, 46. 
 
 New Market, 5. 
 
 New York, American prisoners at, 
 39- 
 
 OLDEN, David, 9; John, 9; Joseph, 
 5, 10 ; Thomas, 9; William, 9. 
 
 Oppie, Benjamin, 7. 
 
 Orders, British army, 14, 21, 22, 
 26, 27, 28. 
 
 PAINE, Thomas, 21. 
 
 Penn s Neck, 15. 
 
 Plum, Benjamin, 5. 
 
 Plundering by American troops, 
 51; by British and Hessians, 9, 
 10, 12, 23, 24, 37; by Whigs, 
 40, 41. 
 
 Potter, Col. James, 35. 
 
 Potts, Jonathan, 34. 
 
 Presbyterian Church damages, 50. 
 
 Prices, 12. 
 
 Princeton, deserted, 3,4, 10; mills 
 destroyed in, 6. 
 
 Princeton, Battle of, n, 16, 17, 
 21, 31, 33, 34, 35, 36; N. Y. 
 Gazette s fictitious account of, 
 19; prisoners taken, 18, 19, 20, 
 34, 38, 40. 
 
 Princeton Association, 6, 9. 
 
 Princeton University. See Col 
 lege of New Jersey. 
 
 Prisoners, American, at Prince 
 ton, liberated, 20, 34; at Battle 
 of Princeton, 18, 19; taken to 
 New York, 39; Hessian, 29, 30, 
 38; British, 34, 38, 40. 
 
 Protections, 9, 10, 20, 23. 
 
 QUAKER Meeting House, 50. 
 
 Quakers ill treated, 10, 13, 20. 
 Quartering of American troops, 
 50; British troops, 8, 12, 16, 29. 
 
 RALL, Col. Johann Gottlieb, 9, 29. 
 
 Read, Col. James, 43. 
 
 Rowe, Abia, 6. 
 
 Rozell s Mill, 32. 
 
 Rush, Benjamin, 4, 43, 44. 
 
 SCOTT, Col. Charles, 31. 
 Scudder, Col. William, 6, 7, 9. 
 Scudder family, 6. 
 Sergeant, Jonathan, 4; Jonathan 
 
 Dickinson, 4, 5, 9. 
 Sickness in Princeton, 51. 
 Skelton, Joseph, 13. 
 Somerset Court House, 35. 
 Spencer, Dr. Elihu, 50. 
 Staten Island, 39. 
 Sterling, Lieut. Col. Thomas, 8. 
 Stockton, Joseph, 34; Richard, 
 
 50; Robert, 8, 9, 50; Thomas, 
 
 9, 5- 
 Stony Brook, 3, 20, 21, 23, 32, 35. 
 
 TANNERIES robbed, 8. 
 Timber destroyed, 4, 5, 8. 
 Tories plundered by Americans, 
 
 40, 41. 
 Trenton, Battle of, 27, 29. 
 
 WASHINGTON, Gen. George, n, 
 i7 29,31,32,33,35,36, 37,38, 
 43- 
 
 White, Gen. Anthony W., 44. 
 
 Witherspoon, Dr. John, 4, 16, 22, 
 
 5- 
 Woman wounded in Battle of 
 
 Princeton, 36. 
 
 Women maltreated, 14, 15, 16, 17. 
 Wounded men killed, 20, 21, 22; 
 
 at Battle of Princeton, 17, 19, 
 
 42. 
 
 YATES, Lieut. Bartholomew, 43. 
 

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