USA > New Jersey > Documents relating to the revolutionary history of the state of New Jersey, Vol. I > Part 18
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JAMES MOORE, Colonel
Nov. 6. JOSEPH PARK, Lieut. Colonel. -The Pennsylvania Journal, November 20, 1776.
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New-Jersey, Roxbury, Morris County. To be SOLD on reasonable Terms.
Two Hundred and Twenty Acres of good LAND, lying within half a mile of a village, called Flanders, in said town, and within three miles of two Presbyterian Meet- ing-Houses,1 one mile from two good grist-mills, and half a mile from a good saw-mill; on the land is a good framed house, two log-houses, one barn, a young bearing orchard, consisting of 160 grafted trees, a meadow off which may be mown 14 tons of good English hay, much more may be made; about 70 acres of upland cleared, the whole under fence, the remainder well timbered. For further particulars, apply to the subscriber, living on the premises. A good title will be given by
KENNEDY DALZELL.
-The Pennsylvania Gazette, November 20, 1776.
Whereas ANN CARSLACK, wife of David Carslack, of Nottingham, in the county of Burlington, West-New- Jersey, hath some time past gone away from me, her husband, without any reasonable cause whatsoever for so doing, and carried with her sundry of my effects, some of which were under execution some time before. I do hereby give public notice to her, if she returns to me she shall have the best of usage, and all former difference shall be buried in utter oblivion ; if not, I do hereby forewarn all persons from trusting her on my account, or to entertain or harbour her, or conceal any of the goods she took from me; for such as do, may expect to be prosecuted to the utmost extent of the law, by
August 2, 1776. DAVID CARSLACK. -The Pennsylvania Gazette, November 20, 1776.
1 One of these churches was doubtless at Chester or Roxbury, as it was then called, in Morris county. The location of the other is doubtful, but probably German Valley is meant .- E. D. H.
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TO BE SOLD.
A Valuable Tract of Land containing near 300 Acres, situate in West-New-Jersey, near Trenton ; bounded by Sunpink' Creek, Land of Mr. John Coleman, and others ; and known by the Name of the Bear Swamp ; above 100 Acres of good Meadow may be made; the greatest Part of said Tract is well timbered. For further Particulars, enquire of Mr. RICHARD HALL, in Elfrith's-Alley, Philadelphia ; Mr. WILLIAM THOMAS, in Southwark ; . or of ANDREW EDGE, at the Yellow-Springs, Chester County, who will give an indisputable Title to the Pur- chaser .- The Pennsylvania Gazette, November 20, 1776.
Philadelphia, November 27. Extract of a letter from Fort Lee, Nov. 17.
" The enemy have been busy all day, in removing the stores at Fort Washington, and have burnt several houses, for what reason we cannot conjecture. As this post, which was intended to keep the communication open, has now become useless it will probably be abandoned as soon as the stores can be removed. Whether the army will move higher up the river or westward into the country, I imagine is not yet agreed on."
From New-Jersey we learn, that immediately after the surrender of Fort Washington it was determined to evacuate Fort Lee, which was nearly accomplished, when the enemy, on Thursday morning last, sent a body of men across the North-River, 3 or 4 miles above it, which the guard at Fort Lee having notice of, retreated to Hackinsack, and from thence to Acquaconack2 Bridge, when the enemy took possession of the Fort, and, we are
1 Assunpink.
2 Now Passaic.
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told, have since sent a party to Hackinsack, where they remained when the last accounts came away.
Extract of a letter from Newark, Nov. 23.
" You have no doubt heard all the particulars of our retreat from Fort Lee to Hackinsack, from Hackinsack to Aquaconack, and from thence to this place. Nothing material has happened in the fighting way : We lost some of our large mortars, part of our cannon and stores at Fort Lee, as well as at Hackinsack. I believe the Generals intend to make a stand at this place. I hope these losses, will rouse the virtue of America; if she does not exert herself now, she deserves not the indepen- dence she has declared. I have still hopes of success-I heard a great man say many months ago, that America would not purchase her freedom at so cheap a rate as was imagined-nor is it proper she should, what costs us a little, we do not value enough."-Pennsylvania Journal and Weekly Advertiser, November 27, 1776.
Extract of a letter from New-Ark, dated November 25. " I have just time enough to inform you, that there is very good intelligence that the enemy intend to make a push for PHILADELPHIA. We hear part of their force is embarked, either to go up the Delaware, and make their attacks on both sides at once, or else to amuse the Southern States, and prevent their sending any assistance to Phila- delphia ; we have not force enough to oppose their march by land : We look to New-Jersey and Pennsylvania for their militia, and on their spirit depends the preservation of America-If in this hour of adversity they shrink from danger, they deserve to be slaves indeed ! If the freedom that success will ensure us, if the misery that awaits our subjection, will not rouse them, why let them sleep on till they awake in bondage."
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To BE SOLD OR LET.
MTHE STEEL-FURNACE at Trentown,1 being a substantial
T stone building, and may be entered upon at New- Year's day. For terms apply to STEPHEN SEWELL, or JOHN PEMBERTON.
Philadelphia, 11th month, 27th day, 1776.
-Pennsylvania Journal and Weekly Advertiser, November 27, 1776.
Stolen out of the stable of the subscriber, at the Northi Branch, Somerset county, and province of New-Jersey, on Sunday night the 17th of this instant November, a dark bay MARE, somewhat inclined to brown, full 15 hands high, a natural trotter, will go a slow travelling pace, her off hind foot white between fetlock and hoof, 6 years old past, with no other mark or brand except her main mostly inclining to hang on the near side of her neck ; the mare when stolen with foal. Whoever takes up said mare and thief and secures the thief in any goal, so that he may be brought to justice, shall be paid a reward of Fifteen Pounds proc. and for mare alone Five Pounds proc. with all reasonable charges when
1 Stacy Potts, grandson of Mahlon Stacy, built this steel-works in 1776, just back of the barracks, on Petty's run, near Warren street. Steel was made in this estab- lishment during the Revolution, but the enterprise declined soon after. It is said that steel was made in New Jersey as early as 1750, but the statement is somewhat doubtful. Peter Hasenclever, the great ironmaster of northern New Jersey, claimed to have made steel directly from the ore, about 1765-67. At that period crucible steel had not been invented, the iron being usually if not always made into pig then into bars, and then into steel, known as blister steel. The steel furnace at Trenton, was probably the first considerable building erected in New Jersey, for the purpose. No steel was made in New York until 1776. In 1810 the steel product of the entire United States was but 917 tons; so late as 1831 there were only fourteen blister steel furnaces in the country, with a capacity of 1,600 tons, which was half the annual consumption .- W. N.
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delivered to the subscriber, or any other person duly authorized to receive her
Nov. 19, 1776. ANDRIS TEN EICK, Tertius1 -The Pennsylvania Gazette, November 27, 1776.
North Branch, November 21, 1776.
Stolen out of the stable of the subscriber, near Old Bromly Mill, in Somerset county, province of New-Jersey, on Sunday night the 17th instant, a dark sorrel HORSE, 3 years old past, without brand, his natural marks a bald face down to his nose, his hind feet white, a natural trotter, about 14 hands 3 inches high, when stolen was shod. Whoever takes up · said horse and thief, and secures the thief in any goal, so that he may be brought to justice, shall be paid a reward of Fifteen Pounds proc. and for horse alone, Five Pounds proc. with all reasonable charges when delivered to the subscriber, or any other person duly authorized to receive him.
PETER WORTMAN. -The Pennsylvania Gazette, November 27, 1776.
Came to the plantation, in the upper part of Trenton, on the 3d of August last, a black HORSE, near 15 hands high, with a star in his forehead, three white feet, branded on the near thigh but cannot distinguish what letter, shod all round, a natural pacer. The owner coming for him, proving his property, and paying charges, may have him again.
BENJAMIN CLARK. -The Pennsylvania Gazette, November 27, 1776.
1 Andries Ten Eick, Tertius, was a great-grandson of Derick Ten Eyck (son of Coenraed), who was baptized January 26th, 1653, in New Amsterdam ; married Aefje Boelen, from Amsterdam, March 14th, 1675. Among his children was Andries, first, baptized May 4th, 1681, and was among the early settlers on the North Branch of the Raritan. Andries, tertius or third, enlisted, June 23d, 1775, in the company of Capt. Jacob Ten Eyck, in Bridgewater township, Somerset county, New Jersey, Militia .- W. N.
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Copy of a letter sent by Governor Livingston, of New Jersey, to the Colonels of militia in that province.
Burlington, Nov. - , 1776.
Sir,
General Howe,1 after having been presented with the fairest opportunity to come to a general engagement with the brave troops of the United States, at the White Plains, thought proper to decline a battle, and suddenly retreated towards New York. In his return thither he invested, with a numerous army, Fort Washington, and, by the mere dint of numbers, possessed himself of that garrison with considerable slaughter on his side, reported to be equal to the number of prisoners he took in the fortress. This being the only thing of consequence of- fected by the British arms, during a whole summer's campaign (the Americans having had the advantage in almost every skirmish) the enemy, despairing of conquest, seem determined to plunder ; and, reduced to the greatest straights for want of forage and provisions, will, as there is reason to apprehend, endeavor to make an incursion into this state, to supply those necessaries. To check their progress, General Washington (whose fame is deservedly above applause) has transported a considerable body of Continental troops to the eastern parts of this state, who, with the assistance of our militia, will doubt- less, be able to give them such a reception as their rash- ness deserves.
As the war, in which we are engaged, is founded on the principles of self defence and self preservation, and
1 William Howe, for three years the British Commander in America, was born in England August 10th, 1729. He commanded the British forces at the battle of Bunker Hill and after the defeat of the American Army at the battle of Long Island, took possession of the city of New York. He defeated the American Army at the battle of Brandywine, occupied the city of Philadelphia, repulsed the attack of General Washington 'at Germantown, and spent the winter of 1777-78 in idleness, and was superseded in May, 1778 by Sir Henry Clinton. He died in Plymouth, England, July 12th, 1814.
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to save ourselves and posterity from the most ignominious slavery, and is therefore, on the part of America, the most just and glorious, and warranted by the immutable law of God-As we have pledged our words and honor to support the cause with our lives and fortunes, and have now an opportunity to evince to the world, that such assurances were not the inconsiderate effusions of the boasting bravo, but the cool declarations of the determined hero, now glorying in being called out to manifest his valour, and avenge the indignities offered to his injured country-As the eyes of all Europe are fixed on the brave Americans, as a people resolved, at all hazards, to main- tain that Independance, which British injustice, and British cruelty compelled them to adopt-As we ought not to be unwilling to do for our descendants what our ancestors have done for us ; nor can be so base as to sur- render, without a struggle, that inestimable jewel, liberty, to a ruffian band of mercenaries hired for our destruction, which may be so easily preserved by those vigorous efforts, which it is in our power to make-It is expected that the militia of New-Jersey will not forfeit, by any unworthy conduct, the favorable sentiments entertained of their prowess ; but that, ambitious of emulating the fortitude of their gallant brethren of South-Carolina, who have acquired immortal honor by repelling the enemy's attack on Charlestown, they will shew, on this important occa- sion, a spirit becoming a people disdaining slavery, and ready to risk their lives in the cause of freedom, of virtue and posterity. In full confidence of not being disap- pointed in those expectations, you are hereby directed to have the battalion, under your command, ready to march on the shortest notice .- The Pennsylvania Evening Post, November 28, 1776.
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Philadelphia, December 7. We hear from good au- thority that the main body of our army is at Princeton, to which place Gen. Washington has returned from Trenton. And that the detachment from Gen. Howe's army, under the command of Lord Cornwallis and Gen. Vaughn, still continues at Brunswick.
The English soldiers, it seems, were so jealous of the plunder the Hessians got, that they likewise insisted upon the same privilege, which Gen. Howe was obliged to allow, in order to pacify them, and prevent a mutiny. And now the devastation they make, wherever they come, is not to be equaled in history. They make no distinc- tion, Whig or Tory is all one to them .- The Pennsylvania Evening Post, December 7, 1776.
PHILADELPHIA, DEC. 19.
The main body of the enemy's forces are yet at Tren- ton, from which place they send out parties of infantry and cavalry to harrass the country, and procure provisions. Last week five hundred Hessians, and a party of light horse, took possession of the city of Burlington, but the rowgallies, belonging to this state, obliged them to abandon it in a few hours. A large body of them was since seen at Coryell's ferry, about five miles above Trenton, and smaller parties in different parts of the Jersies. How- ever, as a line of communication is formed on this side Delaware, for more than forty miles, the armies under Generals Gates,1 Sullivan,2 and Arnold,3 having certainly
1 General Horatio Gates, see p. 80.
2 General John Sullivan, see p. 156.
3 Benedict Arnold was born in Norwich, Connecticut, January 14th, 1741. When a `boy he enlisted in the Connecticut force to resist invasion, but deserted. He was wounded in the assault on Quebec December 31st, 1775. In the battle of Stillwater, October 7th, 1777, he gained great credit and was again wounded. In June, 1778, General Washington placed him in command of Philadelphia. In 1780 he en- deavored to surrender West Point to the enemy, but his plan was frustrated by the capture of Major Andre, and he fled to the British at New York. He died in Lon- don, England, June 14th, 1801. See Arnold's Life of Benedict Arnold, his Patriotism and his Treason.
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crossed it, and joined General Washington, and the militia from the counties in this state are following the noble example of the city militia, who have some time joined the main body, there is no doubt but the enemy will be repulsed with great slaughter, if they should attempt to cross the river .- The Pennsylvania Evening Post, December 19, 1776.
Philadelphia, December 24. We hear from good authority, that on Sunday last, betwixt Slab Town1 and the Black Horse,2 in the Jersies, a party of our army, under the command of Col. Griffin, had a skirmish with the Hessians, and that the enemy were forced to retreat with precipitation, having some killed, and leaving be- hind them many knapsacks and other necessaries, amongst which was a hat shot through the crown. But the next morning, the enemy advancing with a consider- able reinforcement, supposed to be about two thousand men with seven or eight field-pieces, our little army was obliged to retreat (which they performed with great regularity) to prevent their being outflanked by superior numbers ; and in the evening they had another skirmish at Mountholly, in which the enemy, as an intelligent person informs, had several killed and wounded. In both skirmishes our people had only two killed, and seven or eight wounded. Our army is at Moorestown, and that of the enemy is at Mountholly .- The Pennsylvania Even- ing Post, December 24, 1776.
1 A hamlet in Burlington county, on the road from Mount Holly to Bordentown four miles north of the former.
2 Now known as Columbus, Burlington county.
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Princeton, N. Jersey, Dec. 5, 1776.
STOP THE ROBBERS !
ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS REWARD.
Last Tuesday three villains came to the house of Mr. Nowel Furman, near Princeton, and after abusing the family in a barbarous manner, took with them goods to the amount of between one and two hundred pounds, consisting chiefly of Germantown woollen stockings milled, of several colours, large pocket handkerchiefs of several kinds of red and blue stripes, kenting ditto, pins of the small kind, four dozen razors, one pair of four thread fine black worsted hose, black leather pocket books, pocket almanacks, a few pieces of chil- drens garters, and many other goods unknown.
One of the above rogues is an Irishman, a middle sized man, well set, has bushy sandy hair, and supposed to be marked with the small pox; had on a blue coat ; his name is said to be WATSON, and I have been informed he be- longs to Capt. Brown's company of Pennsylvania riflemen, under Col. Broadhead.1 The second person I cannot describe. The third is a tall slim man, with light coloured clothes. It is said they have already changed their clothes. They have with them two rifles and three long swords, without
scabbards. They put the goods in bags or knapsacks. They were seen near the Baptist meeting-house at Hopewell, on Wednesday evening, but could not be taken for want of men
1 Daniel Brodhead was born in 1725, probably in Albany, New York. In July, 1775, he was a delegate from Berks county, Pennsylvania, to the Provincial Convention of that State. In March, 1776, he was commissioned Lieutenant-Colonel com- mandant of Miles' Regiment, Pennsylvania Rifle Regiment, and after Colonel Miles was captured at the battle of Long Island, he had charge of the regiment. He was afterwards made Colonel of the Eighth Pennsylvania Continental Regiment. He received the thanks of the Continental Congress for his good conduct in the ex- pedition against the Mingo and Munsey Indians in 1779. On the 17th of January, 1781, he was transferred to the First Regiment of Pennsylvania and served until the close of the war. He was brevetted Brigadier-General September 30th, 1783. In 1789, we find him as Surveyor-General of Pennsylvania, and he died November 15th, 1809.
This soldier was named John Watson, of Captain Richard Brown's company of Lieutenant-Colonel Brodhead's Pennsylvania Rifle Regiment.
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of resolution. It is supposed they are bound for Delaware, and so on to Shamokin: Whoever secures said goods, and the men, so that they be convicted, shall have ONE HUN- DRED DOLLARS reward, or FIFTY DOLLARS for the men, or in proportion for any of the men or part of the goods, by applying to Mr. STACY POTTS1 at Trenton, or Mr. WILLIAM WOODHOUSE, in Front-street, Phila- delphia, or the subscriber at Princeton.
JOHN DENTON -The Pennsylvania Evening Post, December 28, 1776.
New-York, Nov. 18. Tuesday last about two hundred transports sailed from Sand-Hook, for Great-Britain, under convoy of his Majesty's ships Ferney and Active. In the former his Excellency Lord Dunmore took his passage for England .- The Pennsylvania Evening Post, December 28, 1776.
Philadelphia, December 28. Extract of a letter from an officer of distinction in the American army.
" Since I wrote you this morning, I have had an op- portunity of hearing a number of the particulars of the horrid depredations committed by that part of the British army, which was stationed at and near Pennytown, under the command of Lord Cornwallis. Besides the sixteen young women who had fled to the woods to avoid their brutality, and were there seized and carried off, one man had the cruel mortification to have his wife and only daughter (a child of ten years of age) ravished ; this he himself, almost choaked with grief, uttered in lamenta- tions to his friend, who told me of it, and also informed me that another girl of thirteen years of age was taken from her father's house, carried to a barn about a mile, there ravished, and afterwards made use of by five more
i stacy Potts, see p. 238.
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of these brutes. Numbers of instances of the same kind of behaviour I am assured of have happened, here their brutish lust were their stimulus; but wanton mischief was seen in every part of the country ; every thing port- able they plunder and carry off, neither age nor sex, Whig or Tory, is spared, an indiscriminate ruin attends. every person they meet with, infants, children, old men and women, are left in their shirts without a blanket to cover them in this inclement season, furniture of every kind destroyed or burnt, windows and doors broke to pieces ; in short, the houses left unhabitable, and the people left without provisions, for every horse, cow, ox, hogs and poultry, carried off, a blind old gentleman near Pennytown plundered of every thing, and on his door wrote, 'Capt. Wills of the Royal Irish did this.' As a notable proof of their regard and favour to their friends and well-wishers, they yesterday burnt the elegant house of Daniel Cox,1 Esq ; at Trenton ferry, who has been their constant advocate, and supporter of Toryism in that part of the country ; this behaviour of theirs has so exasperated the people of the country, that they are flying to arms, and forming themselves into parties to waylay them and cut them off wherever they can meet with them; this, and other efforts which are making, I hope will so freighten them that they will soon find their situation very disagreeable in New-Jersey. Another in- stance of their brutality happened near Woodbridge ; one of the most respectable gentlemen in that part of the country was alarmed by the cries and shrieks of a most lovely daughter ; he found an officer, a British officer, in the act of ravishing her, he instantly put him to death ; two other officers rushed in with fusees, and fired two balls into the father, who is now languishing under his
1 For a sketch of Daniel Coxe and of his ancestors, see 1 N. J. Archives, X., 225-7, note.
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wounds. I am tired of this horrid scene; Almighty justice cannot suffer it to go unpunished ; he will inspirit his people (who only claim that liberty which he has intitled them to) to do themselves justice, to rise univer- sally in arms, and drive these invading tyrants out of our country."
Published by order of the Council of Safety.
Geo. Bickham, Secretary, pro tem. -The Pennsylvania Evening Post, December 28, 1776.
Extract of a letter from an officer of distinction at Newtown, Bucks county, dated December 27, 1776.
" It was determined some days ago, that our army should pass over to Jersey, in three different places, and attack the enemy. Accordingly about two thousand five hundred men, and twenty brass fieldpieces, with his Excellency Gen. Washington at their head, and Major Gens. Sullivan and Greene, in command of two divisions passed over on the night of Christmas, and about three o'clock, A. M. were on their march, by two routs, towards Trenton. The night was sleety, and the roads so slippery that it was daybreak when we were two miles from Tren- ton. But happily the enemy were not apprised of our design, and our advanced party were on their guards at half a mile from the town, when Gen. Sullivan's and Gen. Greene's division soon came into the same road. Their guard gave our advanced party several smart fires, as we drove them; but we soon got two fieldpieces at play, and several others in a short time ; and one of our Colonels pushing down on the right, while the others advanced on the left, into the town. The enemy, consist- ing of about fifteen hundred Hessians, under Col. Rohl,! formed and made some smart fires from the musketry and six field pieces, but our people pressed from every
1 Rall.
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quarter, and drove them from their cannon. They re- treated towards a field behind a piece of wood up the creek, from Trenton, and formed in two bodies, which I expected would have brought on a smart engagement from the troops, who had formed very near them, but at that instant, as I came in full view of them, from the back of the wood, with his Excellency General Washing- ton, an officer informed him that the party had grounded their arms, and surrendered prisoners.
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