USA > New Jersey > Morris County > Annals of Morris County > Part 13
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In March, 1797, Washington, in his reply to the Address of " the Clergy of different De- nominations residing in and near the city of Philadelphia," uttered the following senti- ment : "Believing, as I do, that Religion aud Morality are the essential pillars of society, I view, with nospeakable pleasure, that barmony and brotherly love which characterize the Clergy of different denonnations, as well in this, as in other parts of the United States ; exhititing to the world a new and interesting spectable, at once the pride of our Country and the snrest basis of nmversal harmony,"-Dr. Green's Autobiography, 615.
Doctor Johnes bas handed down another anecdote connected with the place already alluded to, which illustrates Washington's gennine politeness. Que Sabbath he was in attendance on the Doctor's service, hekt in the open air, and a chair had been brought in for his use. Just before the service began, a woman with a child in her arms came in ; and, as the seats were all occupied, Washington immediately rose from his and placing her in it, remained standing the entire service.
The other anecdote I received from P. G. MacCullongh, Esq., who received it from the late General Donghty, of Morristown, who saw the incident which he related. The scope of
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the anecdote, General Donghty fixed as having occured a few rods South of the ruins of the New Jersey Hotel, and where a carpenter's shop now stands. Washington bad purebased a young horse of great spirit, activity and power, but not broken to the saddle. A man in the Army, noted for his braggadocio glorification of his own horsemanship, solicited the privi- lege of the General to break his horse to ride. Permission was given ; and the General, with some of his friends, went ont to the place already mentioned, to see the horse take his first lesson. Atter considerable preparation the man leaped on the back of his mettlesome pupil, who, unaccustomed to that sort of in- cumbrance, began a series of frautie efforts to unhorse him ; and, in a very few seconds, by a judicious planting of his fore feet and a skilful nphfting of his hind feet, he succeeded in send- ing his rider clean over his head. As the dis- comfited brag was landed so unceremoniously, but unhurt, Wasunngton throw back his head and laughed boisterously, until the tears fairly ran down his face. General Doughty was wont to say that he never met a person who had ever heard Washington laugh loud, during the two Winters he spent in Morris County, except on this single occasion ! As such, the incident is worthy of memory.
As a picture of the times, and a fact with which to compare the present and the past, let me state that during the Spring ot 1780, whilst Washington was in Morristown, Jacob Johnson, father of the venerabie Mabloa Jobusoo, who still survives, died on Morris Plains, three miles North of Morristown. He was a fine horseman, and belonging to Arnold's troop of Light Horse, in which service he caught the cold of which he finally died. His son, Mahlou, remembers distinctly, that a large concourse of people attended his lather's funeral, and that there was only one conveyance. on wheels, among them all, this being used to carry the corpse to the Morristown grave-yard. But there was a great cavalcade on horseback. Doctor John's, the minister, and the physician, cach with a hnen scarf on, and on horseback, led the pro- cession : and many a horse, that day, carried a mau in the saddle, and, bebind hun, was seated on a "riding cloth," his wife, or mother. or sister, or daughter. This was the funeral pro- cession which attended to the grave the re- mains of a man of property and position, in the Parish of Morristown, in 1780. Certainly, mamuer and customs have undergove very considerable change. since that time ; but, whether the change has been for the better, tach one must decide for himself-probaldy, that plain, unostentations procession contained as many warm. sympatbazing, nud unselfish hearts as the more courtis and better-bred
processions which now visit the same "God's acre," in coaches and according to the rules of good society.
I have not spoken of the main encampment of that Winter, preferring to give a description of that and things connected with it, by theni- selves. To this part of the work, let us now address ourselves. On the thirtieth of Novem- ber, 1779, General Greene, the Quarter-master- general, wrote from Morristown to one of the Quarter-masters of New Jersey, that "we are yet like the wandering Jews in search of a Jerusalem, not having Ast upon a position for hutting the Army ;" and he says that he his described two favorable positions to the Com- mar der in-chef, "the one near Equacanock. the other near Mr. Kemble's, four miles from this place." The next day. he writes to the same gentleman, that "the General has fixed npon a place for hutting the Army near Mr. Kimball's, within abont four miles of this Town. His reasons for this choice are nn- necessary to be explained, but whatever they are they will prove very distressing to the Quarter- * master's Department. * * I beg yon will set every Wheel in motion that will give dispatelr to business." From this, i: may be inferred that General Greene preferred the position near Aquackanock, as one more accessible, and also nearer to the more thickly settled Counties along the Hudson. His pr .- dictions, concerning the Commissary, Were fulfilled more literally than he himself dreamed oľ.
The position actually chosen is one of the finest localities in Morris County, aud can be reached by two roads. The oue principally traveled, that Winter. is the oll road to Mend- ham, over " Kimbal's "Hitl," as it is called, to this day. The camping-ground is about four miles South-west from Morristown. Following the Basaingridge road, fom miles, through a region famous for its excellent soil and tim scenery, with the monatain on your right, Jon come to the Kimbal property, now owned by H. A. Hoyt, E-q. Here you turn to the right. and ascend the highlands, for a mile, and yon are on the ground which must be considered as consecrated by the unparalleled hardships of the American Army. The different camp where were quartere I the troops from New England, the Mid He and the Southern States. were on the landIs which then belonged to Mr. Kimbal and Mr. Wieke, including some one thousand acres. The house on the Wicke prop- erty, is still standing, very much as it was in that Winter ; and it is worthy of a brief de - cription. It is on the crown of the bill, whose you descend, westward, to Mendham. aud east- ward to Morristown. In front of the house was an old black locust - em down in 1870 pat
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least two feet and a half in diameter; and at the East end is the largest red cedar I have ever seen. Both these trees were standing in 1780. In the immediate vicinity of the house, are several immense black cherry-trees, which belong to the same period. The house itself is nearly square, and is built in the old style of New England houses. with a famous large chimney-stack, in the centre. The very door which swung then is there still, hanging on the same substantial strap-hinges, and ornamented with the same old lion-headed knocker. Pass- ing through this door, which fronts southward, you come into a hall some four feet deep and eight feet wide, its width being just the same as the thickness of the chimney. Turning to the right, vou pass from the hall into the ordi- bary family-room, and to the left, into the parlor. A door from the family-room and the parlor leads you into the kitchen, which is about two-thirds the length of the honse. The fire-places of these three rooms ali belong to the one huge stone stack in the centre ; and every- thing about them remains as it then was. They would alarm modern economists, by their capacity to take iu wood by the eord. The spaces above the old mantle-trees are filled up with panel-work, and in the parlor, especially, evidently were oner quite fine, especially for that day. Ou the North side of the parlor, is a door leading into the spare bed-room, with which is connected an amusing incident. Great difficulty was experienced, in the Spring of 1780, in procuring teams to remove the army stores, and horses for Cavalry. Mr. Wicke's danguter. Tempe, owned a beautiful youu : horse, which she frequently rode, and always with skill. She was an admirable and a bold rider. One day, as the preparations for removing the Army were prog essing, Miss Wicke rode ber favorite horse to the house of her brother-in-law, Mr. Leddel, on the road to Mendham; and, on her return, was accosted by some soldiers, who commanded her to dis- mount and let them take the horse. One ot them had seized the bridal-reins. Perfectly self-possesssed, she appeared to submit to her fate, but not without a vain eutreaty not to take her favorite from her. She then told them she was sorry to part with the auimal, but as she must, she would ask twofavors of them, the one was to return him to her it possible ; and the other was, whether they freturned him or not, to treat him well. The soldiers were com- pletely thrown off their guard, and the reins were released, they spuposing she was about to dismount, than which nothing was farther from her intentions, for no soonor was the man's hand loose from the bridle than she touched her spirited horse with the whip, aud he sped from among them like an arrow. As
sne was riding away, at full speed, they fired after her, but probably without intending to hit her ; at any rate, she was unharmed. She urged her horse up the hill, at his highest speed, and coming round to the kitchen-door, on the North side of the house, she sprang off aud led him into the kitchen, thence into the parlor, and thence into the spare bed-room, which had but one window, and that ou the West side. This was secured with a stutter. The soldiers, shortly after, came up, searched the barn and the woods in vain. Miss Wieke saved her horse by keeping him in that bed- room three weeks, until the last troop was fairly off. The incident, which is authentic, shows the adroitness and courage of the young lady, who, afterwards became the wife of William Tuttie, an officer in the Jersey Brigade, during the entire War.
The descriptions of the different eamps, which are to be given, are quite imperfect, but interesting ; and, such as they are, are derived from the late Captain William Tuttle, who was stationed with the Jersey Troops during that Winter. It cannot be sufficiently regretted that some friendly pen was not ready to record the conversations of this fine old soldier, au officer in the Third Jersey Regiment, and . per . feetly acquainted with all the localities of the encampment on Kimbal Hitl. He was twenty years old at the time; and, from the conclu- sion f the War until his death, in 1836, he resi- ded most of the time cither ou the Wicke Farm or in the immediate viemity. Very often would be go over the ground, especially with his young relatives, pointing out the precise spots occupied by the different troops, and tilling up hours with thrilling an edotes connected with that Winter: but thexe conversations no one was at the pains to record, and now they are hope- lessiy gone. He eulisted in the regular servico in 1777, and remained in it until Peace was de- clared. He suffered the exposures of Winter- quarters at Middle Brook, Valley Forge, and Kimbal Hill; was in the battles of Chad's Ford, Germantown, Brandywine. Monmouth, Springfield, and "others of less note" ; was with LaFayette, in his Virginia Campaign ; and was at the seige of York Town, and yet bis careless relatives, culpably, have suffered his history to be shrunk into the compass of his own meager but modest affidavit in the Pension Office.
As good fortune will have it, a former tenant on the Wieke farm occupied it several years before Captain Tuttle's death ; and, in com- pany with the old gentleman, frequently passed over the camp grounds. Under Mr. Mucklow's direction, a small party of us passed over the various points of interest. Taking the old Wicke house as the starting point, we crossed
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the road, and, following iu a South-west diree- tion, came into a traet of timber, on an easy slope, and extending to a living spring brook. In the upper end of the woods, near the brook, we found the ruins of several hnt-ebimneys. Following the side hill, in the same direction as the stream, that is, in a Sonth-east course, we found quite a large number of these stone chimneys ; and, in some of them, the stones seem to be just as the soldiers left them. At one point, we counted two rows containing forty chimneys ; some of them evidently be- fonging to double-huts. Just below these, we came into a fine level opening, almost bare of trees, and which may have been grubbed clean of stumps and roots for a parade ground. A few rods higher up the side of the hill, were other ruins, extending with some degree ot regularity around the face of the hill, in a curve; until the row was ternunated at a brook, on the East side, which puts into the stream already mentioned. On the crown of the hill is another row of ruins ; and Captain Tuttle in- formed our guide that the cleared field, on the hill, was once covered with similar remains. Thus far, we counted one hundred and ninety- six of these ; and had been over the ground occupied by the Jersey Brigade. Frequently did Captain Tuttle relate the fact that he had scen the paths, leading from the Jersey camp to the Wicke house, marked with blood from the feet of the soldiers without shoes !
On the same side of the road, and near to it, is a cleared field. In this field a spring-brook rises, around which the hill slopes in the form of a horse shoe. On the North side of this was a slaughter-house ; and a little lower down, on the same side, are the remains of the huts built tor the Commissary-department, and 'm the vicinity of a beautiful spring. On the opposite side of the brook, we found several ruins, whieb, with those just mentioned, amounted to twenty-three. On the ground of the slaughter-honse, Mr. Mueklow plonghed up an old bayonet.
Crossing the road, directly opposite this point we came into a a cleared field which is in the Southern slope of Fort-hill. Along the road fence, is a row of stones which were in the hut fire-places, and which were drawn off to clear the ground for plonghing ; but higher up in the woods are several remains. East of this lot, and lower down the hill, is an open field, in which we saw several rows, in regular order, containing sixty fire-places; and thence, follow- ing the curve of the hill, in a North-east course, in regular rows, we counted one hun- dred more. We were informed that the re- mains are to be seen around the entire bill ; but want of time forbade our pursuing the in- quiry farther.
We now ascended Fort-hill, around the sides of which we had been walking for some time. It is shaped like a sugar-loaf ; and, from the North-east to the South-east, its sides are very steep, making the ascent not a httle difficuit. I was on this point, in the Spring, before the leaves had put out ; and the view from it is surpassingly beautiful. Fort Hill is one of the most commanding points in Morris County. Westward, you can see the Schooley's Moun- tain range and, as I fancied, the mountains along the Delaware. Southward, is a fine range of highlands, in the midst of which is Baskingridge, (where General Lee was cap- tured) so distinct that, with a glass. you can tell what is doing in its streets, South-east of yon Long-hill and Plainfield Mountain stretch far in the distance, from the top of which, you may see from New York to New Brunswick, if not to the Delaware. Fast of you, are the Short-hills, so famons as the watch-tower of freedom, during the Revolutionary War, and on which, night and day, sentinels were ob- serving the country along the Hackensack, Passaic and Raritan, and even to New York and the Narrows. North-east, you can see the two twin mountain in the vicinity of Ringwood ; and, beyond that, the blue-tinged mountams, towards Newburgh. Between these prominent points are intervening landscapes, beautiful as the eye ever rested on. But of this, more in another place.
At the East and North-east, on the top of Fort-hill, are some remains not hke those we had previously examined. They evidently were not the ruins of breast-works, but seem to have been designed to prepare level places, for the free movements of arullery ; and a close inspection shows that cannon stationed at those two points, on the hill top, would sweep the entire face of the hill, in case of an attack. This, undoubtedly, was the design. . In the immediate vicinity, are the remains of quite a number of but-chimneys, probably occupied by a detachment of artillery-men.
1
Passing down the West side of Fort-hill, towards the old house. We came into what has always been called the Jockey Hollow-road, at. a place which tradition points out as the spot where Captain Billings was shot, when the Pennsylvania troops mutinied, on New Year's day, 1781. The aged mother of Mr. Robert K. Tuttle of Morristown, pointed out a black oak tree, by the roadside, as near the spot where the unfortunate man was shot down, and buried In the road where he was killed. Mrs. Tuttle was, at the time, hving on a part of the Wicke farm, so that the tradition is un- doubtedly true.
We now returned to the house in order to visit Hospital Field, as it is still called, and
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also the Maryland Field, so called because the Maryland troops were there encamped, during the Winter ot 1779-'80. These fields are about half a mile North from the house. Hospital Field is on the slope of a high hill, facing East and South-east ; and at the bottom, is a nine spring brock, in the vicinity of which were huts for the hospitals. Of these there are no remaius, as the plough has long since obliterated them; but, near by. is a most interesting place, marked by a grove of locust trees, plar ted to protect the graves from the plough. Here are two rows of graves where were buried those who died at the hospitals, that Winter. A granite monument ought to be built, imme- (liately, there, to commemorate those unnamed men, who died whilst in the service of their country. The length of space occupied by the graves, as far as can now be seen, is about one hundred and seventy feet, thus making a single row of graves about three hundred and forty feet long. The graves evidently are near to- gether, so that quite a large number must have died in the hospitals, that Winter. Whether there was any other burying-groung used, it is impossible now to determine; but it is very probable, that the hill-sides, in the vicinity, contain many graves which will remain un- known until the morning of the resurrection.
Directly East from Hospital Field, on a hill opposite, the Maryland troops and, perhaps, the Virgina were "butted ;" but we were assured that no remains are left, as the ground lias all been ploughed, so that we did not visit it. In all, we had counted three hundred and sixty-five chimney foundations, marking the sites of as many huts, besides many which, mn- advertently, we ommitted to count. We must have seen more than four hundred in all; and I am thus particular in describing their posi- tions, because a few years more may entirely obliterate all traces of the camps on Kimbal- Hill.
If we return to the top of Fort-bill, and cast the eye over the prominent points already men- tioned, we shall perceive how admirably they are adapted for the purpose of spreading alarm by means of beacon-fires. The ranges of the Short and Long-hills and Plainfield Mountain, on the South-east and East, Schooley's Moun- tain, on the West, the mountains near Ring- wood and along the new York line, on the North and North-east, all are as distinct as light.houses. Very early in the War, there was a beacon-station, on the Short-hills, near the country residence of the late Bishop Hobart ; but, in the Winter of 1778-'9, Washington com- muunicated to the Governor of New Jersey a plan for establishing these beacons throughout the State ; and, in accordance with his request on the ninth of April, 1779, General Philemon
Dickerson, one of the most able Militia offleers in the State, was instructed to carry the plan into effect. Hitherto, no traces of a written plan have been found, but there can be no doubt as to some of the locations. That on the Short-hills is remembered by persons still living-1854-from whom the Rev. Samuel L. Tuttle derived the account he gives of the matter. "On that commanding elevation," writes Mr. Tuttie, in bis Lecture on Bottle Hill during the Revolution, " the means were kept for alarming the inhabitants of the interior, in case of any threatening movement of the enemy, in any direction. A cannon, an cigh- teen-pounder-called in those times 'the old sow'-fired every half hour, answered this object in the daytime and in very stormy and dark nights ; while an immense fire or beacon- light answered the end at all other times. A log-house or two * *
* * were erected there for the use of the sentinels, who, by re- lieving one another, at definite intervals, kept careful watch, day and night, their eyes coutin- ually sweeping over the vast extent of country that lay stretched out like a map, before them. The beacon-light was constructed of dry wood, piled around a high pole ; this was filled with combustible materials ; and a tar-barrel was placed upon the top of the polc. When the sentinels discovered any movement of the enemy, of a threatening character, or such tidings were brought them by messengers, either the alam gun was fired or the beacon- fire kindled, so that the tidings were quickly spread over the whole region. There are several persons still living iu this place, who remember to have heard that dismal alarm- gun, and to have seen those beacon-lights sending out their baletul and terrific light from that high point of observation ; and who aiso remember to have seen the inhabi- tants, armed with their muskets, making all possible haste to Chatham-bridge and the Short-hills."
That there was a system of beacon-lights, there can be no doubt, although, unfortunately, the most of those are dead who could give us information about it, and there are no docu- ments describing the various points where these lights were kindled. Of one, we have some knowledge. Seven miles North of Mor- ristown, near the present Railroad Depot, at Denville, is a monutain which rises abrubtly to a considerable height, from which you can see the Short-hills. On this point, there was a beacon-light, managed by Captam Josiah Hall, whose descendants still reside in the vicinity. A fire from this point would be seen from the top of Green Pond Mountain, several miles farther North ; and a fire on that mountain would probably reach the portion of Susse
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county where the brave Colonel Seward, grand- | sufferings are great, they will be proportion- father of Senator Seward, resided. Tradition ably clamorous." The New England troops. on the ninth of that month, were at Pompton ; and Doctor Thacher, in his Military Journal. says, "On the fourteenth, we reached thix wilderness, about three miles from Morristown, where we are to build huts for Winter quar- ters " The severity of the Winter may be inferred from Doctor Tbacher's description). "The snow on the ground is abont two feet deep and the weather extremely eold ; the so - diers are destitute of both tents aud blankets. and some of them are actually bare-footed and almost naked. Our only defence against the inclemency of the weather consists of brush . wood, throwe together. Oor lodging, the last night, was on the frozen ground. Those ofhi- cers who have the privilege of a horse eau always have a blanket at hand. Having re- moved the snow, we wrapped ourselves it great ecats, spread our blankets on the ground and lay down by the side of each other, five or six together, with large fres at our feet, leav- ing orders with the waiters to keep it well supplied with fuel during the night. We could proeure neither shelter nor forage for our horses ; and the poor animals were tied to the trees, in the woods, for twenty-four hours. without food, except the bark which they peeled from the trees." "The whole Army, in this department, are to be engaged in building log-huts for Winter-quarters. The ground ix marked, and the soldiers have commenced cutting down the timber of oak and walont, of which we have great abundance. Our baggage has, at length, arrived ; the men find it very difficult to pitch their tents, in the froz u ground ; and. notwithstanding large fires, we can scarcely keep from freezing. In addition to other sufferings, the whole Army has been seven or eight days entirely destitute of the staff of lile ; onr only food is miserable fresh beef, without bread, satt, or vegetables." (Military Journal, 176, 177.) says, that such was the case ; and that, often, at night, the tongue of fire might be seen leapinginto the air on the Short-bills, soon to be followed by brilliant lights on Fort-bill, on the Denville mountain, the Green Pond Mountain, and on the range of Mountains on the Orange County line. To many, it has seemed inexplic- able, and it was so to the enemy, that they could not make a movement towards the hills of Morris, without meeting the yoemen of Morris, armed and ready to repel them. I have conversed with several old men who have seen the roads converging on Morristown and Chat- ham, lined with men who were hurrying off to the Short-bills, to drive back the invaders. The alarm-gun and the beacon-light explam the mystery ; and, as an illustration of scenes frequently witnessed, I may give an incident in the life of an old soldier, by the name of Bishop, who was living at Mendham. He was one morning engaged in stacking his wheat, with a hired man, when the alarm-gun pealed out its warning. "I must go," exclaimed Bishop. " You had better take care of your wheat," said his man. Again they heard the dull, heavy sound of the alarm-gun ; and instantly Bishop slid down from the stack, exclaiming, " I can't stand this. Get along with the grain the best way you can. I'm off to the rescue l" Hastily, he packed a small budget of provisions ; and, shouldering bis musket, in a few minutes, he was on the way to Morristown. He says that, ou his way there, he found men issuing from every road, equipped just as they left their fields and shops, so that, by the time he reached town, he was one of a large company. Here they were met by a messenger who said the enemy was retreating. It was by such alacrity that it came to be a boast of the Morris County people, that the enemy had never been able to gain a footing among these hills. They fre- quently made the attempt, but never suc- ceeded. Once, as it is said, for purpose of ex- changing prisoners, a detachment did reach Chatham-bridge, which was guarded by brave General Winds, to whom the braggart Captain sent word that he proposed to dine next day in Morristown. The message called ont the some- what expressive reply, that "if he dined in " Morristown, next day, he would sup in ---- 66
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