USA > New Jersey > Morris County > Annals of Morris County > Part 6
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"Molly," said Gen. Winds, " you ought to have known better than to come about with such an annoyance when you saw me out of humor !"
"Yes, yes," replied the woman, "perhaps so ; but mad or uot, you ought to have known bet- ter than to knock a lady down with your fist !"
This retort raised a hearty langh, in which the offender joined, and so the difficulty ter- minated.
Uncommonly prompt and energetic in all his own movements, laziness was a crime which he punished nusparingly. A man, who was cooper by trade, had moved into the neighbor- hood, and one day Winda, entering his shop, said : "Next week I am going to kill my hogs, and I want so many meat casks by Friday night; will you make them?" "Yes, I guess 80," drawled out the lazy fellow. At the appointed time the General was at the shop, but his casks were not done. He demanded the reason, and getting an answer which showed that laziness was the cause, he seized a hickory whip, and gave him a sound threshing, all the time roar- ing out, "I'll teach yon to lie, and be lazy tool!" He then ordered hum sharply to work, or he w(mild administer some more wholesome cor- ruetion. It is needless to say that the cooper did not run further risks, but executed the order to the letter.
But whilst these anredotes present the man as imperious and harsh, yet there is munch evidence to show that he had a kind heart. When he was killing a sheep or a beef, a part
of it was sent to his minister ; and if he knew of any poor family in want, choice bits were sent to them also. On one occasion al poor man tried to buy a cow, but was met with the disheartening reply _"A cow indeed ! what do you want of a cow ?" "To keep my family from starving." " Have you got anything to pay for a cow ?" "No sir, but I hope to have, some. he these times." "You can't have a cow of mit, for you will never see the time when you can pay for her!"
He was annoyed at the time with a thousand things which he was arranging in order to get in readiness for the army. His horse was then at the door, but a mile's ride had dissipated his anger, and he rode back to give his man orders to drive a certain new milch cow, with the calf at her side, to the poor man, with the message that he need give himself no trouble about the pay!
All the survivors of that generation with whom I have conversed, testify to his great generosity to the poor and distressed. He had a rough manner, but a kind heart. Imperious and petulant, yet a little time would displacet. these unamiable traits with gentleness and gel, - crosity. The man 18 before us as he appeared i ¿ the prime of his manhood, at the commence- ment of the Revolutionary war. Physically he was a giant, with a giant's strength and a Sten- tor's voice ; as a citizen, he was a kind neigh- bor and a warm friend ; as a magistrate, he re- garded equity and not technicalities, and dix- pensed justice in modes more consonant with martial than civil law; as a Christian, hu shrunk from no pecuniary obligation to relig- iou, and was as punctilious as a Pharisee ju all religions duties ; as an employer, he suffered no interference with his plans, and those who obeyed him most closely enlisted his kindest regards ; as a military officer, he was always ready for duty, and his soldiers were devoted to him as a father-his very eccentricities endear - ing him to them, for even these were employed in their behalf.
We have already seen that the masses of the Morris County people warmly espoused the cause of American Independence, and led on by such men as William Winds, they practically pledged their honor, their lives and their for- tunes to the enforcement of the Great Declara - tion of July 4th, 1776. Whilst the towns of this county were not harassed like those nearer New York and Philadelphia, yet they sent me to defend their suffering brethren. What the were not obliged to suffer from the hostilo d predations of the British army, their fields an granaries made up in supples to the America army. Almost the entire male population over eighteen years of age, bore arms either ou specialoccasions or in the regular army. Some
ANNALS OF MORRIS COUNTY.
of her sons assisted in capturing Burgoyne, and others in capturing Cornwallis. The pulse of liberty beat full and strong in the hearts of the Morris yeomen. Among these there was no warmer-hearted patriot than the subject of this paper.
The date of bis commission as Lieutenant Colonel in the First New Jersey Battalion was Tuesday, November 7, 1775; and by appoint- ment of the Continental Congress. Previous to this, on October 28th, 1775, the First Bat- talion of New Jersey had elected the very offi- vers who were afterward commissioned by Congress. From a letter bearing date "Mend- ham, Dec. 7th, 1775," we ascertain that Winds was searching the country vigorously for the purchase of arms. The letter is a curiosity, and may be in part transcribed literally, to show the education and temper of tho man :
"SIR-I received yours of Nov. 30th, and am much obliged to your Honor for your cear (care) in send- lug my commission. I have had some success in purchasing arms, but cannot send the number at this time, they being in different places purchased by men implied (employed) by me, but will send the number sune. * * * *
Sir, I have heard that you have been desired to recommend Jonathan T. Morris for an ensign. I beg leave to inform the Colonel that it would hurt the Company much if he is commissioned.
From your very humble servant,
WM. WINDS.
"N. B. When I came from Burlington I found Capt. Howell's Company had only twenty-eight, and Capt. Morris's abont nineteen guns only."*
On December 10th, 1775, Major DeHart wrote to Lord Stirling that some complaints had been made of "the price and quality of some of the arms purchased by Col. Winds." Among the same manuscripts I find an order under date of November 21st, 1775, from Stirling to Winds to lead three Companies, of which Capt. Mor- ris's and Capt. Howell's were two, to the High- lands, but the order was probably counter- manded.
During the contest between Governor Frank- lin and the Assembly, we fiod Winds at Perth Amboy, the seat of Government, in command of a detachment of troops, subject to the order of his Colonel, Lord Stirling. Under date of January 10th, 1776, Stirling writes to the Pres- ident of the Continental Congress that he has ordered Lieutenant Colonel Winds to seenre the person of Governor Franklin, and remove him to Elizabethtown, where he had "provided good and genteei lodgings" for him. Two days previous to this, Winds wrote the follow- ing letter to the Governor .
"BARRACKS AT PERTH AMBOY, Jan. 8th, 1776.
SIR-I have had hints that you intend to leave the
Province in case the letters that were interce should be sent to the Continental Congress. 2 have particular orders concerning the matter, therefore desire you will give me your word an honor that you will not depart this Province until I know the will and pleasure of the Continenta Congress concerning the matter. I am, &c."
Franklin replies the same day : "I have no. the least intention to quit the Province; ncz shall I, unless compelled by violence." But meanwhile, as the required pledge had not been given, the zealous Winds had stationed his sen- tinels at the Goveror's gate to assist him in keep- ing his resolution. This calls out an indignant letter the next day, January 2th, and it is eon- eluded with this signifieant sentence : "How- ever, let the anthority or let the pretence be what it may, I do hereby require of you, if these men are sent by your orders, that you do immediately remove them from hence, as you will answer the contrary at your peril."
To this letter Winds replied the same day in a strain which shows the stuff he was made of : JANUARY 9th, 1776.
"SIR-As you in a former letter say you wrote nothing but what was your duty to do as a faithful officer of the Crown ; so I say, touching the senti- nels placed at your gate, I have done nothing but what was my duty to do as a faithful officer of tlie Congress. I am, &c."
The situation of Franklin was uncomfortable enough, since on the 10th of January Lord Stirling sent a message to him by the outspok- en Winds, "which kindly invited him to dine with me at this place," (Elizabethtown,) and such was the decision of the messenger, that "he at last ordered up his coach to proceed to this place." The intervention of Chief Justice Smyth, who prevailed on him to make the promise which Winds demanded, saved the Governor from a disagreeable ride. under a guard to Elizabethtown."*
From Franklin's second letter to Winds it comes to light incidentally that he was not only a Lieutenant Colonel, but an elected repre- sentative of the people of Morris in the Assem- bly
The journal of Timothy Tuttle also shows that from December 21st, 1775, to January 14th, 1776, Winds's troops were on duty around Perth Amboy and Elizabethtown ; on the 14th of that month they searched Staten Island for tories ; and on the 18th they marched from Bergentown to New York city, thence to Hell gate, Newtown, Jamaica and Rockaway, on Long Island, in pursuit of tories. On the 22d, at Elizabethtown, he stood sentry over a ship lately taken from the enemy.
In February of this year, Winds informed Congress that he was stationed at Perth Am- boy with a part of the Eastern Battalion of the
* MSS. in possession of N. J. Historical Soci- ety.
* Life Lord Stirling, pp. 119-122.
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ANNALS OF MORRIS COUNTY.
tinental forces; that he was destitute of munition, and that he stood in need of a apply. Congress, by their President, request- ed the Committee of Somerset county to fur- nisb him with four quarter-casks of powder, and the Committee of Middlesex county to zur- ush him with 150 pounds of lead.
The journals of Congress show that on "Thursday, March 7th, 1776, it was ordered that William Winds, Esq., be promoted to be Col- onel of the New Jersey Battalion, and Matthias Ogden, Esq., be appointed Lieutenant Colonel of the same."* The news of his promotion was accompanied with the following letter from the President of Congress :
PHILADELPHIA, March, 7th, 1776,
"SIR-The promotion of my Lord Stirling to the rank of Brigadier General in the Continental Army, having orcasioned a vacancy, the Congress, in con- sideration of your merit and attachment to the American cause, have appointed you to succeed him. I do myself the honor to enclose your commission ; and am, Sir, your humble servant,
JOHN HANCOCK, President.
"To Col. Wm. Winds, New York."t
In a letter to Congress, dated a week after Hancock's, Winds acknowledges the honor con- ferred on himself, but protests in behalf of the Regunent against the appointment of Mr. Og- den as Lieutenant Colonel, and hopes that "this young gentleman's merits might be re- warded in some other way ; and from "Stillwa- ter, May 1>th, 1776," he writes to President Hancock, stating the extortion and the negli- gence of "Doctor Burnett," and requesting that "Congress will appoint some other person to serve in that department."# This letter was evidently written on the march northward, to which service Winds's Regiment had been or- dered.
From the despositions of several soldiers ap- plying for pensions, we gather the fact that early in May, 1776, Col. Winds's Regiment set out to join the expedition against Canada, in which Montgomery lost his life the previous year. The Regiment proceeded as far as the town of Sorell, if not to Three Rivers.
The inhabitants of the several towns in the New Hampshire grants wrote to General Sulli- van, asking protection in view of "the retreat of the American army from Canada, and the news of the savages killing several of our men on the west side of Lake Champlain." They pe- tition that a guard be sent to Onion river, or some other place judged to be most advanta- geous to the army and the inhabitants. Under
date of July 2d. 1776, Sullivan writes to General Washington : "I have ordered Col. Winds, with a hundred and fifty inen, to take post on the Onion river, to guard there until I could have your Excellency's and General Schuyler's opinion."* That he actually took this post, is evident from a letter which he wrote to Gener- al Gates from-
"SHERBOURNE, July 15th, 1776. "SIR-I am here, by leave of Gen. Sullivan, with 26 men, and have built a stockaded fort for the safe- ty of my men and the inhabitants. I this day heard that my Regiment is ordered down to Ticon! deroga ; and if so would be glad to receive some or. ders whether to stay here or to go after them. } have sent a batteau for provisions, as we are just out. Beg the favor that the Commissary may be ordered to send some by the brave Sergeant Ed- wards. WILLIAM WINDS, Colonel.
"To the Commander at Crown Foint."t
A general order issued by General Sullivar on November 5th, 1776, at Ticonderoga, is as follows : "Col. Winds is ordered to prepare to embark to-morrow morning for Skeensborough with such officers, non-commissioned officers. and soldiers of said New Jersey Regiment, whose terms of enlistment are out, who are de- sirous of being immediately discharged. They will embark at 5 o'clock, five in a boat." The same orders contain a request that these offi- cers and soldiers remain until the 13th iust.) when "they will be permitted to depart with honor, and shall be allowed pay for their return home." The general order of the 7th instaut expresses the heartv thanks of the General te the officers and soldiers of the 1st Jersey Bat- talion who remain with the army, "for the bon- or and public spirit they shew in disdaining to follow the infamous example of their Colonel and the delnded soldiers who followed him. The General would inform them that the drums were beat by his order in derision of the tew who had the basenesss to quite their posts in this time of danger."+
An unpublished journal kept by Timothy Tut- tle, of Whippany, who was with Winds during this entire campaign, confirms tho statements already made, and gives additional light on the movements of the brigade.
"May 28th, 1776-Started from Crown Point down Dake Champlain. 31st-To St. John's by water, fifteen miles. June 4th-Reached the town of Sorell, thirty miles down the river, and forty-five below Champlain. Gth-Sick of ta. tigue, working at a battery under Capt. Miller two Pennsylvania regiments started for Three
*Vol. i, p. 280.
t American Archives, 4th Series, vol. 5th, p. 99.
* Amer. Arch., 4th Seres, vol. vi. p. 1219.
¿Ib. vol. i, p. 359.
#Journal of Lient. Elmer, in Proceedings of
# American Archives, 4th Series, vol. 6, p. |New Jersey Historical Society, vol. iii, pp. 40, 503.
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ANNALS OF MORRIS COUNTY.
Rivers ; various tidings of the strength of the Quemy, 3,000 regulars and 1,700 Hanoverians. "th -New England troops embarked for Three Rivers; cannon firing heard. 8th-Embarked for Three Rivers; rowed over the lake ; heard heavy firing, and soon came in sight of the contest, but could give no assistance, the enemy's cannon preventing ; Capt. Morris and a party sent out in a battean were nearly captured, and only waved themselves by hard efforts with their vars. 9th-Passed off in batteaux tor Sorell : when in the lake could see the enemy firing from their ships ; reached Sorell at noon ; heard our army had been destroyed. Remained four days at Sorell. Hurried off to St. John's ; small pox among the men. 24th-Reached Crown Point, when many men began to sicken with the small pox ; lost several men by it ; re- mained at Crown Point some time. July 14th -Left Crown Point, ard reached Ticonderoga on the 15th. Sept. 1st- Col. Winds returned from Jersey, having been absent about a month. Oct. 10th-Col. Winds applied to the General for leave to go home. 13th-Bad news ; our fleet destroyed down the lake ; expect to be at- tacked. 28th-Euemy in sight ; gave them a few cannon shot. Nov. 5th-Col. Winds and men have permission to return home .. 6th --- Left Ticonderoga for home."
The entry in Mr. Tuttle's journal under Oct. 28th, shows the reason of Gen. Sullivan's car- nestness for Col. Winds's regiment to remain, but there seems no proof that there was ans danger of an attack, for in that case Col. Winds would not have imitated Sir John Falstaff, "fight and run away."
That this was the cause for this severe ex- pression iu these general orders I have no doubt, but it is very ptain that no good ground can be assigned for it. Between Col. Dayton, who lived on Suecasunny Plams, in Morris county, and Col. Winds, there was a bad state of feeling, and this may have had its effect on Gen. Sullivan's mind, but that he was not real- ly guilty of an "intamons example" is evident from the fact that he simply complied with his duty in conducting his soldiers home as he had promised them. And that nis conduet was ap- proved by his fellow-citizens at home is plain from his promotion on the succeeding year. Cho journals of the Provincial Legislature show hat on "Feb. 3d, 1777, William Winds, Esq .. was, by the joint meeting elected Colonci of the Western Battalion of Militia in the county of Morris, lately commanded by Col. Jacob Drake," and that on "March 4th, 1777, Col. Wm. Winds was elected by ballot a Brigadier- General of the Militia of this State." This all goes to prove ;bat Winds had not lost the con- idence of the soldiers or people of New Jer- ex.
It is worthy of remark here, that in Nove ber and December of 1776, Gen. Washingt wrote several letters to Gov. Livingston. New Jersey, Gov. Trumbull, of Connectie John Augustine Washington, and to the Pre dent of Congress, in which he employed the. severe terms : "In short, the conduct of th. Jerseys has been most intamons. Instead of turning out to defend their country, and af- fording aid to our army, they are making their submissions as fast as possible."* He speaks also of his having been "cruelly disappointed', by the New Jersey militia. That he spoke hastily, and that he condemned the Jerseys too severely, is manifest from his subsequent ad- missions, that "hope was beginuing to revive in the breasts of the New Jersey militia," and "the militia are taking spirits. and I am tokl are coming in fast from this State."t "The. mud rounds," as they were named by the sol- diers, were accomplished during these memor- able dark months. The roads were intolera- ble, and when frozen, the soldiers might be traced by the blood pressed on the ruts from their badly protected feet. The enemy was tri- mmphant, and yet no state outdid New Jersey in its devotion to the sinking fortunes of free- dom under such appalling difficulties. Several regiments had been sent north of Albany, and the New Jersey militia at home turned out in as large numbers as could be expected, to check the common enemy. Whole companies, as har been testified by witnesses who are recently deceased, followed Washington in his bloody retreat through the Jerseys, although their terms of enlistment had expired. Let posterity honor their memory.
We have seen that Col. Winds left Ticonder- oga on the 6th of November, 1776, and some of the revolutionary soldiers say that he was with Gen. Washington during his retreat. If so be- must have joined the army immediately on his return from the north. Although I have no proof of the fact beyond that just given, from the character of the mian, I consider it not al alt unlikely. However dilatory others might be, he was ever ready to march to his country's aid at an instant's notice. Be this as it may. we know that he was on duty that winter. The British lay at New Brunswick, and Winds com- manded the troops which guarded the lines. He had several skirmisbes with the enemy dur- ing the winter. His headquarters were at Van Malinen's, and from thence he made frequent excursions to Bound Brook, Elizabethtown. and the neighboring region, to hold in check the foraging parties of the enemy, which great- ly distressed the people that season. James
* Sparks's Washington, vol. iv. p. 230.
t Ib. pp. 258-261.
ANNALS OF MORRIS COUNTY.
chel, of Rockaway, a very reliable witucss, posed that early in 1777, "he was three this under Winds at Woodbridge, Van Mn- en's, and that frontier, and that not a week sed without a brush from the enemy. The gagement at Strawberry Hill was during this me." William Cook, of Hanover, deposes to se same facts, and specifies the Strawberry Hill affair. In addition, he says a sharp en- gagement took place at Woodbridge, in which Winds commanded. Job Love, another revo- Intionary veteran, speaks of a skirmish near Quibbletown, that spring. N. Wittaker says the whole country was in a state of alarm, and that Winds's troops had several fights with the enemy.
An amusing anecdote is told of a trick played on him during this spring campaign, by two young soldiers named Heniman and Camp. They were really short of provisions, but thought to try the General's sympathy, for they knew he would be around shortly. So they got a sinooth stone, and placed it in their camp kettle, and set it to boiling. Bye and bye Winds came.
"Well, men, anything to eat ?" he inquired.
"Not much, General," they replied, with unch gravity.
"What have you got in the kettle ?" said he, coming up to the fire.
"A stone, General, for they say there is some strength in stones, if you can only get it out !"
"There ain't a bit of strength in it. Throw it out. You must have something besides that to cat."
With this he left the house, and rode rapidly to the farm-house of a Quaker in the neigh- borhood. The good man's wife had just baked a batch of bread.
"My friend," said Winds, "my soldiers are starving, and I want that bread."
"Thee cannot have it to help men to fight."
"I don't care a fiz about THEE and THOU, but I want the bread. Here's the money."
"I cannot taku thy money for such purposes."
"Very well," said Winds, "it will be left to buy something else with, but the broad I will have, money or no money !"
With that he placed the loaves of bread in a bag, and throwing it across his horse, carried it back to the camp, where ho distributed the bread, not forgetting onr wags, who were mak- ing the stone sonp I
A number of veteran soldiers unite in the testimony that Col. Winds did his duty in rep- pressing the enemy with the greatest activity. One night a musket-ball struck near his tent, as if some traitor in the vicinity had intended to shoot him.
During this year, the militia of New Jersey seem to have stood in better credit than when Gen. Washington condemned them so severely , since John Hancock writes to Gov. Livingston, Sept. 5th, 1777, that "by their late conduct against our cruel enemies, they have distin- gnished themselves in a manner that does them the greatest honor, and I am persuaded they will continue to merit on all occasions, when called upon, the reputation they have so just!y acquired."*
During this summer, Gen. Winds was sta . tioned somewhere on the North River, so tha. he did not participate in the capture of Bur- goyne's army, which took place Oct. 16th, 1777.+ William l'atterson writes from Morris town, Oct. 18th, to Gov. Livingston, "Glorious newsI glorious news! General Burgoyne has surrendered himself and his whole army priso- ners of war to Gen. Gates. *
* Enclos- * * ed are two letters for your Excellency and a newspaper. One of the letters is from General Winds, and being informed that it was on busi- ness of importance, I have dispatched the messenger sooner than I should have done. I believe our militia will not be wanted up the North River, if so, would it not be best to re- call them ? At all events it would not be im .. proper to order Gen. Winds, (unless he be al. ready ordered by Gen Dickenson, ) to return the instant the enemy sail down the river."#
The last expression of this quotation shovs us what duty Gen. Winds was engaged in on the Hudson. The plan of the British was to form a junction between Burgoyne's army !ron. the north, and that of wir Henry Clinton from New York. The latter began his share of the enterprise by surprising the garrison of Fort Montgomery, and his troops committed some shameful depredations along the river. Never- theless he did not effect his purpose, since the American troops holding the passes of the riv- er, prevented him. It was to aid in guarding the Hudson against Sir Henry Clinton, that Winds was dispatched thither, probably in Au- gust.§ After the Enghsh returned to New York, Gen. Winds was recalled. This fact is fully confirmed by the testimony of Luke Mil- ler, who was with Gen. Winds. I am unable to farther trace his movements during this year but he was probably engaged as in the spring in repressing the foraging parties of the enemy and protecting the State from the incursions o. the enemy.
In 1778, Gen. Winds was several months in activo service in the region of Elizabethtown
* N. J. Rev. Corres., p. 99.
+ 13th Miller's Eng., vol. iv, p. 204.
N. J. Rev. Corres. p. 109.
§ N. J. Rev. Corres. p. 80.
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ANNALS OF MORRIS COUNTY,
ind the Hackensack, and during the time sev- wral severe skirmishes were fought with the memy. The depositions of many revolution- ary pensioners give proof of this fact. This was an eventful year with him, since one mis- take on an important occasion reduced him to partial disgrace. During the spring and the car'y part of abe summer we find Gen. Winds commanding a detachment of militia in the reighborhood of Elizabethtown. Sir William Howe had been succeeded by Sir Henry Chin- tan, in the command of the British army. l'rance had sent assistance to our country, in consequence of which Clinton had been ordered to detach 5,000 of his troops to aid in a descent on the French possessions in the West Indies, and 3,000 men to Florida, with the remainder he was to march to New York. The American army was at Valley Forge, and as soon as the news of the evacuation of Philadelphia was known, Gen. Washington crossed into New Jer- sey with his whole army, to pursue the retreat- iug army. Clinton crossed the Delaware at Gloucester Point, and marched through Mount Holly with the intention of reaching the Rari- tan at New Brunswick. But finding that Gen. Washington was in force at Kingston, near Princeton, he changed his direction for Sandy Hook. On the 28th of June 1778, the British took a strong position at Monmouth Court House and awaited the attack, of the Ameri- rans, which Clinton saw to be inevitable. Alt the dispositions of Washington were admirable but in two of his plans he was foiled through the incompetency or cowardice of the officer sant to execute them. It was on this occasion that the cowardly retreat of Gen. Lee ex- cited the usually placid temper of Washington so the highest degree of wrath. This misera- ble conduct of Lee threw everything into such confusion that during the night the British ea- raped to their fleet at Sandy Hook. In the battle of that day the Americans were victors, and had Lee dore his part, they might have destroyed or greatly disabled the enemy.
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