USA > New Jersey > Middlesex County > Perth Amboy > Contributions to the early history of Perth Amboy and adjoining country : with sketches of men and events in New Jersey during the provincial era > Part 32
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Chapter X .- Ebents during the Revolution.
Importing change of times and states."
As the seat of government of the Province, and the resi- dence of the principal royal officers, Perth Amboy at the com- mencement of the War of Independence became a place of some interest to both of the conflicting parties. Its commanding position also gave to it in a military point of view an impor- tance which neither were disposed to overlook.
Previous to November, 1771, the 29th Regiment of Foot had been garrisoned at Amboy, New Brunswick and other towns, for a considerable period.1 In that month, however, it was withdrawn, and the next regular garrison was composed of a part of the 60th Regiment, under Colonel Prevost, which sailed in November, 1772, for Jamaica, and was succeeded in a few months by the 47th Regiment. These troops were called to New York in July, 1774, and remained there until the May following, when they proceeded to the eastward and partook of the dangers of Bunker Hill and Saratoga.2 As
1 There were some troops came into the province from Albany, in Oc- tober, 1758, and in December, 1759, the Battalion of Royal Scotch took up their quarters at New Brunswick for the winter, whence 400 of them left, the May following, for Quebec. But the first regular garrison, as noticed on a preceding page, was probably composed of the troops returning from Havana in 1762. The 29th Regiment appears to have made itself very popu-
lar in the Province. On its with- drawal, James Parker, the Mayor of Amboy, returned the thanks of the Corporation; to Lieutenant Maurice
Carr for the peace, good order and harmony which had characterized the intercourse of the regiment with the inhabitants, and tells him it was the first time the compliment had ever been paid. Capt. French, who com- manded the three companies stationed at New Brunswick,received the thanks of that Corporation, and, subsequently, with the other officers, was invited by the gentlemen of the place to a public dinner at the Whitehall tavern.
? On the 25th July the Corporation of Elizabethtown published a card of thanks to Capt. Richard England for the good behavior of his command
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after this no garrison was established at Amboy, on the organ- ization of the two Jersey Provincial Regiments in 1775 Cap- tain Conway's Company marched down from New Brunswick, and took possession of the Barracks.3 This was about the 12th of December. Captain Longstreet's regiment soon fol- lowed, and on the 19th, Colonel Lord Stirling ordered Capt. Howell, at Elizabethtown, to march his company the next morning also to Amboy, there to quarter them with such other troops as he might find there, or that might be sent ; and being the senior officer he was to assume the chief command. The troops were to be kept at the Barracks, to be exercised frequently, and kept ready for duty.4
The Governor and other Colonial officers still continued nominally in the possession of their respective posts, and for some months no act of open hostility occurred to mar the gen- eral harmony which outwardly prevailed.
As was the case in almost all the towns of note in the province, the inhabitants held a meeting to discuss the mea- sures in contemplation for the relief of the country. It was held on Friday, April 28th, and it was then
" Resolved, unanimously, that James Parker, Stephen Skinner and Jonathan Deare, Esqrs., or any two of them be a standing Committee of Correspondence for the north ward " of this city."
" A copy of a letter from the Committee of Correspondence of Prince- ton, signed by Jonathan Sergeant, Esqr., Clerk to said Committee of Cor-
stationed there. On the 19th May preceding, the whole regiment was re- viewed at Amboy.
Among the officers of this regiment were Colonel Nesbit-afterwards no- torious at Boston for tarring and fea- thering a country lad who had asked a soldier the price of his musket- Major Smelt, Captains Mar-afterwards knighted-Craig, of Light Infantry- afterward Sir James Craig and Gov- ernor of Canada-Alcock, Irving and Richard England-afterwards General; Lieutenants Hilliard, Gould, Story, and Poole England, who married subse- quently and lived in Amboy : those in italics were wounded at Bunker Hill, and Hilliard and Gould died in conse- quence.
3 Lord Stirling ordered Capt. Con- way to retain a picket-guard at Am- boy, and send the remainder of his company back to New Brunswick ; but before these orders were received, on the 17th, Capt. C.'s men had applied for leave to return thither, until their services were more imperatively re- quired ; expressing their opinion that the Barracks were unsafe without arms and ammunition, the market for provisions high, and as many of their homes were in New Brunswick they could be better accommodated there.
4 Stirling papers in the N. Y. Hist. Soc. Library.
5 South Amboy was the South ward.
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respondence, transmitted to the Committee of Woodbridge, and by them directed to the inhabitants of this city, was read; wherein, after mention- ing the very alarming intelligence lately received, a Provincial Congress for this Province is proposed to be held on the 5th day of May next; and a meeting of the inhabitants being now called, that their sense might be taken in the necessity and propriety of choosing deputies to attend the said Congress. The question was therefore put whether deputies shall be sent or not, and carried in the affirmative unanimously."
"James Parker, Stephen Skinner and Jonathan Deare, Esqrs., were then nominated as deputies to attend the said Congress to represent this city, and were unanimously chosen ; and it is requested that they or any one or more of them do attend the said Congress accordingly."
"It is also agreed by the inhabitants now assembled, that the expenses of the deputies who shall attend the said Congress be defrayed by this city."
"It is also requested that Mr. Deare acquaint the committee of Prince- ton and Woodbridge of the proceedings of this meeting."
"By order of the Committee,
JOHN THOMPSON, Clerk."
Mr. Deare attended the Congress accordingly, but took his seat as a member from Middlesex County, and not especially from Amboy.
From a paper in my possession it appears that some idea was entertained of obtaining a pledge from those liable to militia duty, to arm and equip themselves for service under the royal banner " to maintain and support their just rights, and the constitution of the Province against any power and all persons who shall attempt to alter or infringe the same, * * * and use their best endeavors to restore peace and harmony between the colonies and the parent state upon principles of equity and justice." No signatures are appended, and it is doubted if the plan succeeded.
As a set-off, probably, to this scheme, the officers of a militia company, attached to the first Regiment of the County, which had been formed some years, signed the follow- ing pledge in February, 1776.
" We the subscribers, officers in the 1st Regiment of Militia in the County of Middlesex, and colony of New Jersey, do hereby promise and engage, under all the ties of religion, honor and regard to our country, that we respectively will duly observe and carry into execution to the utmost of our power all and every the orders, resolves and recommendations made, or to be made, by the Provincial Congress of this Colony for defend- ing our constitution, and preserving the same inviolate; and that we will
" N. J. Journal, May 8th, 1775.
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also render due obedience to such officers, who either by rank or superi- ority are regularly placed above us.
JONA. DEARE, 1st Major, HEATHCOTE JOHNSTON, Capt.7 THOS. BRUEN, 1st Lieut. JOHN THOMSON, 2d. Lieut.
Perth Amboy, Feb'y 24th, 1776,
During the early part of 1776 the boys of the ancient city seem to have imbibed-but certainly not generally from their parents-many of the liberal sentiments becoming prevalent in the Province, and from hearing of, and seeing, the warlike demonstrations which the spirit of resistance had produced, they endeavored to copy the example set them by their elders, formed themselves into a company for military parades, and with their wooden guns and other similar paraphernalia, they became of prominent interest to the citizens generally.
It is rather singular that although most of the youngsters were the sons of those directly or indirectly connected in sus- taining the royal domination, they were permitted to assume the character of young rebels by placing on their caps the motto : "Liberty or death." They called their corps, how- ever, " the Governor's Guards," and not long before Governor Franklin was taken prisoner they went through their evolu- tions before him, and were entertained in the government house with a collation specially prepared for them. The Cap- tain of this redoubtable company was Lambert Barberrie, the Lieutenant, John Skinner, and the Ensign, Andrew Smyth, who are elsewhere mentioned in these pages.8
At a later period many of these boys proved serviceable auxiliaries to the American officers, by watching the sentinels and guards, and reporting any observed failure in duty or dis- cipline.
On the 2d April, Capt. Bloomfield's company of the 3d Regiment of Jersey troops arrived, crossing the Raritan from
7 This document is from the original in my possession. Captain Johnston (as mentioned on a preceding page) soon after left the " rebellious " com- pany with which he was here associ- ated.
8 Messrs. Joseph Marsh and Wil-
liam Dunlap were members of this corps, and retained many vivid recol- lections of their performances. From both of these gentlemen I received much interesting information relating to this period.
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South Amboy in the afternoon, but the barracks being already occupied by Colonel Heard's Militia, they were obliged to pro- ceed to Woodbridge and thence the next day to Elizabeth- town. On the 10th the company returned, and from that time to the 28th-when they again marched to Elizabethtown -they were engaged in throwing up intrenchments under the direction of Major F. Barber of the First Battalion.9
The circumstances connected with the arrest of Governor Franklin and his removal from the place, have been already narrated. 10 Abut the time of his departure several others of the adherents to the royal cause sought refuge in New York, and thereafter so long as Amboy was in the possession of the Colonial forces there was a more active display of organized resistance to British rule and influences.
Towards the close of June, soon after the departure of the Governor, Sir William Howe arrived at Staten Island, with a large body of troops from Massachusetts,11 for the pur- pose of preventing the intercourse between the Eastern and Middle States, thinking thereby to frustrate any common plan of operations. The Island was taken possession of between the 2d and 4th of July, and it became expedient, therefore, to form a camp immediately in this region, and from the pecu- liar feelings of the people, Amboy was selected for its location and General Hugh Mercer placed in command.
General Washington thus communicated the fact to Con- gress under date of July 4th, 1776, from New York :
" The camp will be in the neighborhood of Amboy. *
* * The dis- affection of the people of that place and others not far distant, is exceedingly great, and unless it be checked and overawed it may become more gene- ral and very alarming. The arrival of the enemy will encourage it. They, or at least a part of them, are already landed on Staten Island, which is quite contiguous; and about 4,000 were marching about it yesterday, as I have been advised, and are leaving no arts unassayed to gain the inhabi- tants to their side, who seem but too favorably disposed. It is not un- likely that in a little time they may attempt to cross to the Jersey side, and induce many to join them, either from motives of interest or fear, un- less there is a force to oppose them.
Proceedings, Vol. II. pp. 100-101.
9 Elwers' Journal N. J. Hist. Soc. vincial Congress on 29th June that 19 sail of the Enemy's fleet were at the 10 See page 193, &c. Hook and 45 in sight .- Original Min- 11 Colonel Taylor informed the Pro- utes of Congress.
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Troops were in consequence immediately marched towards Amboy, about a thousand men being brought together there and at Blazing Star, in a few days, to aid in these preventive measures. Among the first were 450 of the Middlesex Militia, under command of Major Duyckink, who arrived on the 5th July, 12 and two armed vessels and several armed whale- boats were stationed there during the month.13 One of these lay at anchor for some time immediately in front of the town.
It was about this period that a British brig of war, mounting 12 guns, entered the harbor and anchored off' St. Peter's Church, about midway between the two shores. The Americans at night procured from Woodbridge an eighteen-pound gun, placed it behind the breastwork by the church, and, when morning dawned, opened a fire upon the
12 Major Duyckink and his troops .Dr. Lawrence might be permitted to were somewhat alarmed by rumors remain there, " apprehending fatal and melancholy consequences to them- selves, their families and the inhabi- tants in general if they should be de- prived of the assistance of Dr. L."- and the following courteous reply was ordered to be sent to Mrs. Franklin, one of the petitioners, signed by the President. the same day, that they were to be at- tacked by an overwhelming force from Staten Island, that night, and in pursuance of orders from General Heard, sought a safe retreat outside of the town; but their fears were groundless. They returned to their quarters the next day, and the Major reports to Gen. Livingston the arrest " Madam,-I am ordered by Con- gress to acquaint you, and through you the other ladies of Amboy, that their petition in favor of Dr. John Lawrence has been received and considered. of John Smyth, Philip Kearny, Michael Kearny, William Hicks, Thomas Skin- ner, Dr. John Lawrence, Captain Turnbull, Johnston Fairholme and Isaac Bunnell, whom he sent to Eliza- bethtown. The General did not know exactly what to do with the prisoners, and applied to Gen. Washington for directions, vouching for the great in- tegrity of Mr. Smyth. They were subsequently sent to the Convention with the exception of Mr. S. who was released on his parole. The persons named were on the 13th July allowed by a vote of the Convention to re- turn home for a limited time upon their parole, and were then assigned " Madam, yours, &c." Original Minutes. various places of residence and cer- tain limits beyond which they were not to go. On the question of their being allowed the privilege of return- ing home for a limited period, the Convention stood Ayes 12, Noes 10. The ladies of Amboy petitioned that
"Could any application have pro- cured a greater indulgence to Dr. Lawrence, you may be assured yours could not have failed of success. But unhappily, Madam, we are placed in such a situation that motives of com- miseration to individuals must give place to the safety of the public.
" As Dr. Lawrence has fallen under the suspicion of our generals we are under the necessity of abiding by the steps which are taken,-and are
The Committee of Newark on 17th July requested Congress to order four gondolas or row galleys to be built and mounted with cannon to ply between the mouth of the Passaic and Perth Amboy .- Original Minutes.
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vessel. It was returned, but being so near the shore she was obliged to consult her safety by retiring ; she would otherwise have been sunk. Probably it was at this time that the tomb- stone of Captain William Bryant, in the rear of the church, was broken off by a ball ; which was the case, so says tradi- tion, some time during the Revolution.
The ball, which left its mark in the east end of the old church, was fired from a vessel lying the other side of Billop's Point. The English kept a vessel almost constantly there for the convenience of traders ; and it is said some of the ances- tors of the present population derived considerable profit by trafficking with this vessel in a neutral character.
The resolutions of Independence by the Continental Con- gress were received by the New Jersey Convention on 17th July. The letter containing them was referred to Messrs. Mehelm, Ellis and Paterson, who subsequently brought in the following preamble and resolution, which were adopted :-
" Whereas, the Honorable Continental Congress have de- clared the United Colonies free and independent States, we, deputies of New Jersey in Provincial Congress assembled, re- resolve and declare, that we will support the freedom and in- dependence of said States, with our lives and fortunes, and with the whole force of New Jersey." Nobly did they and their successors redeem the pledge thus given.
The Virginia Gazette of August 10th, 1776, contains the following extract from a letter wrtiten by an officer in the 2d Battalion of Philadelphia, dated Amboy, July 22d.
" We arrived here on Saturday morning from Woodbridge with our Battalion, except Captain Wilcox's company, who are stationed at Smith's farm on Woodbridge neck. We are now in full view of the enemy only separated by the sound; our men are in high spirits and longing for an opportunity to have a skirmish."
" Yesterday Col. Atlee's battalion came in and marched along the beach, they made a good appearance, and I think alarmed the enemy not a little. We could distinctly see a number of officers observing with spy-glasses, and their men drawn up in line, appeared greatly surprised.14 We have
14 Our officer must have been pos- dinary manner, to have observed this sessed of peculiar vision, unless their with an intervening space of a quarter "surprise " showed itself in an extraor- of a mile.
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in all about 1,500 men. It is supposed the enemy have about 1.000 men opposite us.
"When our numbers are a little more augmented it is expected we shall do something.
" To-day our encampment will be marked out and to-morrow the bat- talion will pitch their tents."> 15
It was the intention of General Washington to have done "something " as the officer expected. In a letter to Con- gress of August, "76, he says :-
"In my letter of the 27th July, I informed Congress of my views and wishes to attempt something against Staten Island. I am now to acquaint them that by the advice of General Mercer and other officers at Amboy, it will be impracticable to do any thing upon a large scale for want of craft, and the enemy have the entire command of the army all round the isl- and."
"The Pennsylvania Gazette of July 29 contains an extract from a New York paper, stating that " on Thursday preceding (24th), several cannon were fired from our battery at Amboy at a number of boats from Staten Island bound to Sandy Hook, supposed to join part of the ministerial fleet ly- ing there. This brought on a cannonade from the encampment near Billop's Point, on the Island. Firing on both sides was very hot for near an hour. The boats got clear, but many of the Regulars were seen to fall, and several were carried off, supposed wounded. On our side a soldier in the Phila- delphia line was killed, one wounded, a horse in a carriage had his head shot off in the street, and some damage done to the houses."
" Our battery," referred to in this article was on the hill over what is now the steamboat wharf and in front of Mr. Parker's residence. It was merely a breastwork with 4 guns. The firing from the opposite side was from two guns brought down for the occasion and posted under some trees near " Billop's House."
Mr. Marsh, who recollected the day perfectly, did not think that any of the British were killed. The boats were two sloops that left the Island at the Mill Creek, opposite Grass or Ploughshare Point, and although the firing was first com- menced at them almost immediately, and continued while
15 The tents of the Pennsylvania troops were pitched in the fields on the east side of what have been termed of late years, "Harriott's woods." The 1st and 3d divisions of Philadelphia As- sociators "having served with cheer- fulness and alacrity" their six weeks, Col. Matlack's rifle battalion and Col. Ross' battalion of Lancaster, were all
honorably discharged duringthe latter part of August and first of September, and returned home. 16 Allen's Rev'n, 1, 423. General Mercer not long before had digested a plan for a simultaneous descent upon Staten Island from different quarters It may be found in the American Ar. chives, Vol. 1, 5th Series. Col. 433.
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they passed the town with a very light breeze, yet from want of skill in gunnery, no damage was sustained by them, except- ing a hole in one of their mainsails made by a passing ball. As they proceeded down the Bay our guns were removed to another small battery near St. Peter's Church, whence the firing was recommenced, but still ineffectually. The horse was killed in High street a short distance south of the Town- well. Mr. Marsh remembered that a man was killed while confined in the Court-house, by a shot from the Island en- tering the upper part of it, which was then used as a guard- room ; and probably it was the one alluded to in the forego- ing account.
Appearances at this time indicated an intended attack upon Amboy or an attempt to cross the Sound, and, as most of the troops there had been sent to New York early in August, when the city was menaced by the British fleet, the following notice was published :-
" WAR OFFICE, Philadelphia, August 28, 1776.
" As there is the most pressing necessity for all the troops, without exception, who are now in Philadelphia, or on their way to the camp, to march to Amboy in the State of New Jersey, it is hereby most earnestly requested that they do immediately proceed without waiting for further supplies of arms or any other matter or thing, as care will be taken to furnish them when they arrive at the camp."
"RICHARD PETERS, Secretary."
Fifteen hundred were to be stationed at Amboy, four hun- dred at Woodbridge, and five hundred at Elizabethtown.
It was just after the issuing of this order that the attention of the colonies was directed to the fruitless conference between the English Commissioners with the Committee of Congress, which was held in the Billop House opposite Amboy.
It was doubtless deemed by Lord Howe a most fitting time to open a correspondence with Congress, just after the disastrous result of the battle of Long Island, and a fortunate circumstance that a captured general could be sent as his en- voy. Their future, in whatever way viewed, seemed shrouded in gloom, and he could scarcely have anticipated other than a favorable consideration of his message, however unsatisfactory may have been the reception given to his previous advances.
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It was on the 2d September, 1776, that General Sullivan, under parole, presented himself before Congress with a verbal message, which he was desired to reduce to writing, to the effect that Lord Howe, although he could not recognize Con- gress as a legally constituted body, was desirous of conferring with some of its members in their private capacity, having in conjunction with his brother, General Howe, full powers to compromise the dispute between Great Britain and America upon terms advantageous to both ;- that many things which the colonies had not yet asked for might and ought to be granted, were Congress disposed to treat,-and, should the con- ference find any probable ground of accommodation, the autho- rity of Congress would be afterwards acknowledged, or the compact would not be complete. Congress two months previ- ously had approved of Washington's course in refusing to re- ceive from Lord Howe, a letter addressed simply to "George Washington, Esq.," and had directed all commanders to ob- serve the same propriety by declining to receive any commu- nication from the enemy not addressed to them in their respec- tive official capacities ;- they were therefore not disposed to accede to the Admiral's proposition as to the character of the Committee to be raised, and General Sullivan was on the 5th September made the bearer to him of the following resolu- tion :-
" Resolved, That General Sullivan be requested to inform Lord Howe, that this Congress, being the representatives of the free and independent States of America, cannot with propriety send any of its members to con- fer with his lordship in their private characters, but that, ever desirous of establishing peace on reasonable terms, they will send a committee of their body to know whether he has any authority to treat with persons authorized by Congress for that purpose in behalf of America, and what that authority is, and to hear such propositions as he shall think fit to make respecting the same."
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