USA > New Jersey > Documents relating to the revolutionary history of the state of New Jersey, Vol. I > Part 13
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Resolved further, That all persons between the ages of sixteen and fifty years directed to be enrolled as aforesaid, who shall neglect to attend when called upon at the time of an alarm, or when ordered to meet in consequence of a requisition of the deputies, Commander in Chief, or any of the Brigadier-Generals of this State, for the pur- pose of raising levies for the army, or detaching part of the militia for the defence of the States, or who shall refuse to march when detached in their proper turns, or to provide persons to march in their stead, do pay if a Colonel twenty pounds, a Lieutenant Colonel fifteen pounds, a Major twelve pounds, a Captain eight pounds, a Lieutenant and Ensign six pounds, a non-commissioned officer and private, three pounds for every such neglect, to be recovered in manner aforesaid, and to be applied as follows : The fines of Field Officers, to be equally divided among the non-commissioned officers and privates of the detachment, which march from the battalion; and the fines of Captains, subalterns, non-commissioned officers, and privates, of the detachment, which marches from the company to which the delinquents respectively belong.
Extract from the Minutes
WILLIAM PATERSON, Secretary.1
1 See note, p. 41.
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Notwithstanding the great numbers of troops which have for some time passed thro' this city for the Camp opposite Statten Island, the town is continually full, not being able to get them off as fast as they arrive .- The Pennsylvania Packet, August 13th, 1776.
To the FREEHOLDERS and other ELECTORS for the County of Cumberland, New-Jersey.
GENTLEMEN,
As the Time is near at Hand for electing a Sheriff in said County for the ensuing Year, I beg the favor of not being set up as a Candidate for said Office, as I intirely decline standing any longer, even were I sure of every Vote in said County : it being so very disagreeable to me to distress poor People in these times of public Calamity ; therefore please to elect some other Person to serve, in- stead of, Gentlemen,
Your Friend and humble Servant
DAVID BOWEN, present Sheriff. -The Pennsylvania Gazette, August 14, 1776.
FOUR DOLLARS Reward.
Run-away from the subscriber, living in Upper Penns Neck, Salem county, West Jersey, on Monday the 12th of August, a Scotch servant man, named JAMES DICK, a thick well-set fellow, about 5 feet 9 or 10 inches high, of a sandy complexion, his beard almost red when long, had on when he went away, tow shirt and trowsers, an old twilled cloth jacket, and an old beaver hat. Whoever takes up and secures the said'servant, so that his master may get him again, shall receive the above reward, and reasonable charges, paid by
THOMAS CARNEY, jun.
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N. B. It is supposed that he has his first indenture, as his old time was ended the first of June last, but has been judged to serve three years for expence and runaway time. -The Pennsylvania Gazette, August 14, 1776.
Philadelphia, August 14. Extract of a letter from an officer in the Second Battalion of Philadelphia, dated Amboy, August 12, 9 o'Clock, A. M.
" We have now in sight upwards of 60 sail of top-sail vessels coming into Sandy-Hook ;- I suppose many more will appear, for every quarter of an hour they make their appearance round the Highlands. I suppose this their grand fleet .- Our Battalion is ordered for New- York .- Saturday Col. Miles's1 two battalions, and this morning, Col. Atlee's2 battalion, and part of the Jersey militia, marched for New-York ; and in a few days most of the troops that are here will march for the same place, where they are in a great want of men.
P. S. Half after ten o'clock, 90 sail in sight"-Penn- sylvania Journal and Weekly Advertiser, August 14, 1776.
Extract of a letter from Elizabeth-Town Point, (New- Jersey)
August 7.
"I was ordered by Col. Chevalier to wait on two gentle- men (Messrs. Maddison and Johnson) one of whom a is
1 Samuel Miles was the Colonel of the Pennsylvania Rifle Regiment, Continental Line .. His regiment fought bravely at the battle of Long Island, August 27th, 1776, and was entirely broken up by the large number of men who were killed, wounded or captured. Colonel Miles was made a prisoner, and was exchanged April 20th, 1778. Afterwards he was made a Deputy Quartermaster-General of Pennsylvania. In 1783 he was a Judge of the Court of Errors and Appeals, and in 1790 Mayor of Philadelphia. He died in 1805.
2 Samuel J. Atlee was in the Forbes campaign of 1758 as a Lieutenant. On March 21st, 1776, he was commissioned Colonel of a musketry battalion called by his name. He fought his battalion at the battle of Long Island, August 27th, 1776, was taken prisoner by the British and not exchanged until August 6th, 1778. He was afterwards a member of the Continental Congress, and died in Philadelphia in November, 1786,
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clergyman, and both natives of Augusta county, Virginia, who arrived in the Lord Hyde Packet, from Falmouth, at Staten-Island, the 29th of July, and have brought papers from London to the 23d of May, which are now here, and kept for the use of General Washington, who, it is said, will be in town to-morrow. The above-men- tioned gentlemen left the island this morning, with Lord Howe's approbation, and inform, that Lord Cornwallis and General Clinton, with all the troops, arrived there on Thursday last from Carolina, as a reinforcement pre- paratory to the attack on New-York, which these gentle- men say would, in their opinion be made in less than a week, without waiting for the remainder of the foreigners, who were hourly looked for, having sailed three days before this ship .- That the troops now on the island amount to about 12,000, and those expected will make the enemy 20,000 strong."-Pennsylvania Journal and Weekly Advertiser, August 14, 1776.
In CONVENTION of the State of New-Jersey. Brunswick, August 16, 1776.
Ordered, That the Committee of the several counties, towns, and districts in this State do make out lists of the prisoners of war, which now are or have been resident within their districts, and transmit the same to this Con- vention, or the future legislature of this State, without delay.
Extract from the Minutes.
WILLIAM PATERSON,1 Secretary.
1 See note, p. 41.
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A LL persons indebted to SAMUEL SHAW,1 Attorney at Law, late of the town of Woodbury, in the county of Gloucester, for Costs of Suit, are requested to make immediate payment to
JOSEPH ELLIS, Esquire. -Pennsylvania Journal and Weekly Advertiser, August 21, 1776.
WANTED.
A JOURNEYMAN FULLER and CLOTHIER that under- stands his business well, such a person, by applying to the subscriber living in Cumber- land County, New-Jersey, will meet with good encourge- ment, by
EPHRAIM SEELEY
-Pennsylvania Journal and Weekly Advertiser, August 21, 1776.
STRAYED or STOLEN, on Thursday night, the 9th of August instant, from Ezekiel Rose's pasture at Bel- mont, in Hunterdon county, West-New-Jersey, near Cory- ell's Ferry, a chestnut sorrel MARE, about 14 hands high, trots and gallops but paces none, one of her hind hoofs white on the inside of the leg, shod before, shoes are steel corked, and branded with the Letters M. L. she is in good order, and about nine years old. Whoever takes the above mare and thief, and brings them to the subscriber, shall have SIX POUNDS reward, or for the mare only THREE Pounds, and all reasonable charges, paid by
EZEKIEL ROSE.
-The Pennsylvania Gazette, August 21, 1776.
1 Samuel L. Shaw was admitted to the New Jersey bar as an attorney, May 12th, 1773.
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Trenton August 12, 1776.
Four Dollars Reward.
Deserted this day, from Capt. Swink's company a young man, named Edward Roberts, aged 20 or 21 years, about five feet five or six inches high. Whoever takes up said deserter and brings him to the camp at Amboy, and delivers him to the Captain, or to any other Captain in the service, so as I may have him again, shall be en- titled to the above reward, and all reasonable charges, paid by
CAPTAIN MARTIN SWINK. -The Pennsylvania Gazette, August 21, 1776.
Eighth-Month 19, 1776.
FOUR DOLLARS Reward.
Strayed from out of the pasture of the subscriber, living in Deptford township, Gloucester county, West- New-Jersey, on the 8th instant, a BAY HORSE, near 15 hands high, 7 years old, paces and trots, a low carriage, dark mane and tail. Whoever takes up the said horse, and brings him to the owner shall be entitled to the above reward, paid by
SAMUEL LADD.
-The Pennsylvania Gazette, August 21, 1776.
In CONVENTION of the State of New-Jersey, Bruns- wick, August 10, 1776.
Resolved, That to prevent Desertion, no person or persons belonging to, or coming from, the army in the State of New-Jersey, be permitted to go over any of the ferries in, or travel through said State, without a pass,
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signed either by General Mercer,1 General Dickinson,2 General Livingston,3 Colonel Griffin ' or Colonel Biddle5 : And all persons in general, and in particular the members of Committees, Militia officers, and owners or keepers of ferries, are strictly enjoined to carry this resolution into effect, by apprehending and securing every person belong- ing to, or coming from, said army, who shall not have a pass signed as above directed, until he can be conducted to the army aforesaid.
That no troops in service of the United States, or of any of them, nor their baggage, ammunition, or their other waggons or carriages, shall pay for passing any of the ferries within this State, more than one third part of
1 Hugh Mercer, a physician and soldier, was born in Scotland, and was an Assistant Surgeon in the army of Prince Charles Edward in 1745. He came to America and was severely wounded at the battle of Monongahela. In 1775 he raised and was made Colonel of the Third Virginia Regiment, Continental Line, and in June, 1776, was made a Brigadier-General. At the battle of Princeton, January 3d, 1777, he was repeatedly bayonetted and died January 12th.
2 Philemon Dickinson was the commanding officer of the militia of New Jersey, during the entire War of the Revolution. He was born in Maryland in 1739, was made a Brigadier-General October 19th, 1775, a member of the Provincial Congress of New Jersey in 1776, and a member of the committee which drafted the patriotic Constitution of July 2d, 1776. He was promoted Major-General June 6th, 1777. He distingushed himself in many of the battles of the war, and was specially men- tioned by General Washington in his report to Congress for good service at the battle of Monmouth. He was a U. S. Senator from 1790-3. He died at his country seat, "The Hermitage," near Trenton, N. J., February 4th, 1809.
3 William Livingston was born in Albany, N. Y., November 30th, 1723, graduated at Yale College in 1741, and was admitted to the bar in 1748. In 1760 he settled in Elizabeth-Town, N. J., was elected a member of the First Continental Congress in 1774, in June, 1776, commissioned a Brigadier-General of the New Jersey Militia, and in August elected the first Governor of New Jersey under the Constitution of July 2d, 1776. He was fourteen times elected Governor, and died in office, July 25th, 1790. He was a keen writer and an ardent patriot.
4 Samuel Griffin was Adjutant-General of the militia in and around the city of Philadelphia during the fall and winter of 1776. He took charge of an expedition in December, 1776, to make a diversion in favor of Washington's attack on Rall at Trenton, by marching up with about 600 militia from Philadelphia, and feigning an attack on Colonel von Donop at Mount Holly and Bordentown. He succeeded in. his object.
5 Clement Biddle, a Quaker, who lived in Philadelphia, and who signed the non- importation resolution and joined the army in 1775. He was, in June, 1776, made Colonel and Deputy Quartermaster of the Flying Camp. He was at the battles of Princeton, Germantown, Brandywine and Monmouth. After the war Washington made him U. S. Marshal for Pennsylvania. He died in Philadelphia, July 14th, 1814.
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the ferriage paid by such as are not in said service, and to prevent a misconstruction of this Resolve, it is hereby declared that Commissaries and other persons supplying the army with provisions, stores, &c. are not intended to be included in said Resolve, so as to receive any private benefit from the same.
August 20.
Resolved, That all persons who have received any pub- lic money of, or are indebted to this Convention, or any Congress, or Committee of Safety of this State, do account for the same to the future Legislature of said State, or such person or persons as they shall nominate and appoint.
August 21.
Whereas some doubts have arisen, whether the several Committees in this State will not expire on the meeting of the Legislative Council and Assembly ; Be it therefore resolved, That the said Committees shall continue to execute the duty of their offices as heretofore, until other- wise ordered by the future Legislature of this State.
Whereas the late ordinance of this Convention, direct- ing, That all able-bodied men, without exception, between the ages of sixteen and fifty, should be forthwith enrolled, and deemed to be the Militia of this State, one half of which were ordered into immediate service, hath not pointed out either the mode of levying the fines paying by such as do not go out in their proper turn, or the use to which the same, when levied shall be appropriated.
Resolved therefore, That the said fines shall be recovered by the Captains of the Companies in which the delinquents are enrolled, in the manner directed by an ordinance of the late Congress, bearing date the 28th day of October, 1775.
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Resolved, That the fines payable by those who have been or shall be enrolled in consequence of the late or- dinance of this Convention, passed the 11th of this in- stant, be appropriated to such public use, as the future Legislature of this State shall direct ; and that the fines payable by those formerly enrolled be appropriated, as is directed by the Resolves of this Convention, bearing date the 3d of this instant.
Resolved, That the Captains shall respectively be ac- countable for the amount of the fines levied in pursuance of the ordinance aforesaid, of the 11th instant, to the future Legislature, or to such person or persons as they shall nominate and appoint.
And whereas this Convention have been given to understand, that divers persons have been extremely aggrieved by excessive distresses for fines incurred by breach of the several Militia Ordinances, goods to a great value having been seized for small fines; therefore resolved, That all persons, who shall hereafter be aggrieved by such excessive distresses, be entitled to recover damages in like manner as for excessive distresses at Common Law.
Extracts from the Minutes,
WILLIAM PATERSON,1 Secretary. -The Pennsylvania Packet, August 27, 1776.
Philadelphia, August 28. On Wednesday the 7th instant, the Committee of Inspection for the county of Cumberland, in the State of New-Jersey ; the officers of the militia, & a great number of other inhabitants, having met at Bridge-Town, went into procession to the Court House, where the Declaration of Independency, the Constitution of New-Jersey, and Treason Ordinance, were publicly read, and unanimously approved of : These were
1 See note, p. 41.
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followed with a spirited address by Dr. ELMER1 Chairman of the Committee, after which the peace officers staves, on which were depicted the King's coats of arms, with other ensigns of royalty, were burnt in the street. The whole was conducted with the greatest decency and regu- larity.
The following being the substance of the before-men- tioned address is published at the particular request of the committee and all present.
Gentlemen of the Committee, Officers of the Militia, and Gentlemen Spectators.
From what has now been read you see, the long wished for, but much dreaded period has arrived : in which the connexion between Great-Britain and America is totally dissolved, and these colonies declared free and inde- pendent states. As this is an event of the greatest im- portance, it must afford satisfaction to every intelligent person, to reflect, that it was brought about by unavoid- able necessity on our part, and has been conducted with a prudence and moderation, becoming the wisest and best of men.
With the independency of the American states, a new era in politics has commenced. Every consideration respecting propriety or impropriety of a separation from Britain, is now entirely out of the question ; and we have now no more to do with the King and people of England, than we have with the King and people of France or Spain. No people under Heaven, were ever favored with
1 Ebenezer Elmer was a native of Cumberland county, N. J. He studied medi- cine, but at the breaking out of the Revolutionary War he was commissioned an Ensign in the Third Battalion of the New Jersey Continentals. In the Second Establishment of the Line he was made a Surgeon's Mate, and afterwards Surgeon of the Second Regiment, in which office he served with distinguished ability to the close of the war. He was Adjutant-General of the State in 1804, and during the . War of 1812, as Brigadier-General, commanded a brigade of militia. He was Vice President of the Council of the State, and for six years a member of Congress. He died October 18th, 1843. See Bateman's History of Medical Men of Cumberland County, Elmer's Biography of Elmer Family.
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a fairer opportunity, of laying a sure foundation for future grandeur and happiness than we. The plan of government established in most states and kingdoms of the world, has been the effect of chance or necessity, ours of sober reason and cool deliberation, our future happiness or misery therefore, as a people, will depend entirely upon ourselves. If actuated by principles of virtue and genuine patriotism, we make the welfare of our country the sole aim of all our actions ; If we entrust none but per- sons of abilities and integrity, with the management of our public affairs ; If we carefully guard against corrup- tion and undue influence, in the several departments of government ; If we are steady and zealous in putting the laws in strict execution ; the spirit and principles of our new constitution, which we have just now heard read, may be preserved for a long time; but if faction and party spirit, the destruction of popular governments, take place, anarchy and confusion will soon ensue, and we shall either fall an easy prey to a foreign enemy, or some fac- tious and aspiring Demagogue, possessed of popular talents and shining qualities, a Julius Caesar, or an Oliver Crom- well, will spring up among ourselves, who, taking advan- tage of our political animosities, will lay violent hands on the government, and sacrifice the liberties of his country to his own ambitious and domineering humour. God grant that neither of these may ever be the unhappy fate of this or any of the united states ! To prevent which, while we are striving to defend ourselves, against the unjust encroachments of a foreign and unnatural enemy, let us not neglect, to keep a strict and jealous eye, over our own internal police and constitution. Let the fate of Greece, Rome, Carthage and Great-Britain, warn us of our danger; and the loss of liberty in all those states, for want of timely guarding against the introduction of tyr- anny and usurpation, be a standing admonition to us, to avoid the rock on which they have all shipwrecked.
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Let us, as honest citizens and sincere lovers of our country exert ourselves in the defence of our state and in support of our new constitution ; but, while we strive to vindicate the glorious cause of liberty on the one hand, let us on the other hand, carefully guard against running into the contrary extreme, of disorder and licentiousness.
In our present situation, engaged in a bloody and dangerous war with the power of Great-Britain, for the defence of our lives, our liberties, our property, and every thing that is dear and valuable, every member of this state, who enjoys the benefits of its civil government, is absolutely bound, by the immutable law of self-pres- ervation, the laws of God and of society, to assist in protecting and defending it. This is so plain and self- evident a proposition, that I am persuaded, every person here present, makes it the rule of his conduct on all occasions ; and consequently, in a time of such imminent danger, will be extremely careful, at our ensuing election, not to entrust any one with the management of our pub- lic affairs, who has not, by his vigilance and activity in the cause of liberty, proved himself to be a true friend to his country. The success, gentlemen, of our present glorious struggle wholly depends upon this single circum- stance. For though the situation and extent of the united states of America, and our numberless internal resources, are sufficient to enable us to bid defiance to all Europe; yet, should we be so careless about our own safety, as to entrust the affairs of our state, while the bayonet is pointed at our breasts, to persons whose con- duct discovers them to be enemies to their country, or whose religious principles will not suffer them to lift a hand for our defence, our ruin will inevitably follow.
As it is impossible for any one, possessed of the spirit of a man who is a friend to the united states, and whose conscience does not furnish him with an excuse, to stand
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by, an idle spectator, while his country is struggling and bleeding in her own necessary defence ; all such inactive persons ought therefore to be shunned as enemies or despised as cowards. And as I have reason to believe that many who plead conscience as an excuse are sincere in their pretentions, and as every man's conscience ought to be free from compulsion, this single consideration should restrain us from forcing such into any of the de- partments of government. For to put such persons, at this time, in places of public trust, is actually to deprive them of liberty of conscience ; for we thereby compel them either to betray the trust reposed in them, or to act contrary to the dictates of their own consciences .- A dilemma in which, act as they will, their conduct must be criminal. Besides, if we consulted only our own safety, it is plain, that to entrust the affairs of our govern- ment, at this juncture, to such people, is as dangerous, as to entrust the management of a ship, in a violent storm, to an infant or an idiot.
As a friend to my country and a lover of liberty, I thought it my duty to address you on this occasion ; and having now, as a faithful member of society, discharged my duty I shall leave you to the exercise of your own judgment, and conclude with a request, that you would conduct yourselves this day, in such a manner, as to convince the public that your abhorrence of the cruel and bloody Nero of Britain, and his despicable minions of tyranny and oppression, arises, not from the mere impulse of blind passion and prejudice, but, from sober reason and reflexion ; and while we rejoice in being for- mally emancipated from our haughty and imperious Task masters, let us remember, that the final termination of this grand event is not likely to be brought about, without shedding the blood of many of our dear friends
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and countrymen .- Pennsylvania Journal and Weekly Ad- vertiser, August 28, 1776.
Extract of a letter from New-York, August 26.
"Our people at Elizabeth-town, and the enemy on Staten Island, cannonaded each other yesterday afternoon without doing any damage, except disturbing the con- gregation."-Pennsylvania Journal and Weekly Advertiser, August 28, 1776.
Head Quarters, Woodbridge 25th August, 1776. (Orders)
The battalions of Associators from the city of Phila- delphia, having compleated six weeks military service for the defence of the colony of New-Jersey, are hereby agreeable to orders of Convention, relieved from further duty on this station, and directed to proceed to Philadel- phia as soon as the necessary accommodations for their march can be procured. General Mercer takes this opportunity to return his hearty thanks to those gentle- men, for the readiness with which they have on every occasion executed such parts of military service as that station required.
H. MERCER,1 Brigadier General.
-Pennsylvania Journal and Weekly Advertiser, August 28, 1776.
Extract of a letter from New-York, dated August 22, 1776.
"This night we have reason to oxpect the grand attack from our barbarian enemies, the reason why, follow. The night before last, a lad went over to Staten Island, supped there with a friend, and got safe back again undiscovered, soon after he went to General Wash-
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