USA > New Jersey > Documents relating to the revolutionary history of the state of New Jersey, Vol. I > Part 20
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1 Thomas Procter was Colonel of the Pennsylvania State Regiment of Artillery. He was with his regiment at Brandywine, Germantown and Monmouth. In February, 1777, his regiment was placed on the Continental Establishment and he resigned April 9th, 1781. He died at Philadelphia, March 16th, 1806.
2 Alexander McDougall was born in Scotland in 1731. He was a leader of the New York liberty party before 1776 ; was Colonel of the First New York Regiment ; Brigadier-General in the Continental Army, August 9th, 1776; and Major-General, October 20th, 1777, and served as such until the close of the war. He died in New York, June 8th, 1786.
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Newark, with three Continental regiments, and Jersey militia, altogether two thousand. Gen. Heath1 has crossed the North river with three brigades. General Putnam2 is to come up with all the troops he can muster." -The Pennsylvania Evening Post, January 16, 1777.
Philadelphia, January 17.
Tuesday se'nnight Capt. Basset's troop of light horse, under command of Lieutenant Chew, arrived here from Dover, in the Delaware State, and we hear they have since joined General Washington in New-Jersey, and
On Monday and Wednesday se'nnight the Ninth Virginia Regiment, Colonel Fleming, arrived in this city, which also yesterday marched for New-Jersey.
Since the action at Trenton on the 26th ult. our army have had several engagements with the enemy at Tren- ton and Princeton, the particulars of which we have not yet come at .- This much we can assure the public, that within these ten days past between two and three hun- dred prisoners have been brought to town, consisting of Hessians, Waldeckers, Highlanders, and some British light horse .- Our army is now advantageously posted at Morris-Town, and are daily receiving reinforcements ; and the enemy at Brunswick .- In our next we expect to have particulars of their proceedings since their departure from Trenton.
Last Sunday evening died near Princeton, of the wounds he received in the engagement at that place on the 3d instant, HUGH MERCER, Esq ; Brigadier General in the Continental Army. On Wednesday his body was brought to this city, and yesterday buried in Christ
1 William Heath, see note, p. 256.
2 Israel Putnam was one of the four Major-Generals of the Continental Army, ap- pointed in June, 1775. He took part in the battle of Bunker Hill, in the disastrous defeat on Long Island, and was then placed in command of Philadelphia. He retired from the army on the 3d of June, 1783, and died in Brooklyn, Connecticut, May 19th, 1790.
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Church yard with military honors, attended by the Gen- tlemen of the army now here and a number of the most respectable inhabitants of this city .- The uniform char- acter and exalted abilities and virtues of this illustrious officer, will render his name equally dear to America with the liberty for which she is now contending to the latest posterity .- The Pennsylvania Packet, January 17, 1777.
Yesterday the remains of Capt. William Shippen,1 who was killed at Princeton the third instant, gloriously fight- ing for the liberty of his country, were interred in St. Peter's churchyard. His funeral was attended by the Council of Safety, the Members of Assembly, officers of the army, a troop of Virginia lighthorse, and a great number of inhabitants. This brave and unfortunate man was in his twenty-seventh year, and has left a widow and three young children to lament the death of an affectionate husband and tender parent, his servants a kind master, and his neighbours a sincere and obliging friend .- The Pennsylvania Evening Post, January 18, 1777.
New-York, January 20. On Monday last Mr. CHARLES LEE was brought to this City from Brunswick, and put into the Custody of a strong Guard.
On Friday the 10th Instant, the House of Mr. Brook Farmer, at Brunswick, was accidentally set on fire and burnt down, with the House adjoining. Scarce any of the Furniture was saved. The Officers quartered in it lost most of their Baggage.
A Party of about 3 or 400 Rebels, who had quitted
1 William Shippen was a merchant in Philadelphia before the war and engaged in the coasting trade.' In December, 1776, he commanded a company of marines in the American fleet on the Delaware river; left the fleet with Colonel Cadwalader's force ; took part in the battle of the Assunpink, January 2d, 1777 ; was killed in the beginning of the fight at Princeton ; buried at the Stony Brook Friends' burial-ground, and afterwards in St. Peter's churchyard in Philadelphia.
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Mr. Washington's Service on the Expiration of their stipulated Time, and were returning to New-England from Morris-Town, took Capt. Kennedy's House in their way at Newark, and plundered it of every Thing that was valuable .- New York Gazette and Weekly Mercury, January 20, 1777.
The late success of General Washington, in the Jersies, must afford the most heart felt pleasure to every Ameri- can Whig.
It was but the other day that the British and foreign troops made a rapid progress through that state, little or no opposition having been made to them-scarce an enemy to be seen-the remains of our little army being obliged to retreat before them, and take shelter on this side the Delaware.
General Howe,1 in all that careless security which un- interrupted success usually creates, cantons his army up and down the country in parties. Full of their own prowess, and entertaining a contempt for their enemies, they thought of nothing but getting rich in plunder, and are thrown entirely off their guard. Gen. Washington, perceiving this favourable opportunity, on a sudden resolves to take advantage of it. In one of those dark and dismal nights, which the greatest masters in the art of war recommend for an enterprise of this kind, he passes over the Delaware with only twenty-four hundred men and quick as lightning falls on the astonished and sur- prised enemy. He wins an almost bloodless victory, takes one thousand of the enemy prisoners, their baggage, can- non and colours-he afterwards returns-mean while a general panic seizes the whole. General Washington again lands on the other side ; and, having been joined by some other troops, the enemy recollect themselves, and prepare for the attack. He avoids it, and at mid-
1 General William Howe, see note, p. 240.
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night, decamping, marches round about, and leaving the enemy behind him at Trenton, comes upon a party by sur- prize at Princeton, routs them, takes three hundred prisoners, and three pieces of brass ordnance. This un- looked for manœuvre perplexes and amazes those who were left behind. They, hearing the battle, march on to Princeton to succour their brethren, but all is over there. They proceed in all haste to Brunswick, whilst our army turns off to the left, to meet a reinforcement, which will enable them to fall upon the enemy, and force them out of all their territories in the Jersey state.
They will now, I hope, be brought to confess that there is either some little courage left among our troops, or that they have lost their own.
I wonder what is become of the late Lieut. Governor Skinner1-he has had but a short reign of it-so very short that I much doubt whether he will even be men- . tioned in the list of Governors, in poor Richard's alma- nack-I have some curiosity to be informed by what act of state he was authenticated, or in what manner he was announced to the body of the people.
I know very well the nature and merits of his services ; but my noble Lord and Knight, was it prudent or politic in you to make a Governor of a vendor of noli prose- quies ?- Neither the Whigs who have purchased them of him, whilst he was Attorney General, nor those who have only heard of it, will be so ready to come in as if another had been appointed, who was free from this infirmity. They know him, and are sensible there is no danger from the law while there is a shilling of hard money in the Jersies.
But nevertheless, he has had virtue and merit enough
1 Cortlandt Skinner was born of Scotch parentage in 1728. He was Speaker of the Colonial Legislature of New Jersey after 1765, and the last Attorney-General of the King for that Province. He was a lawyer of marked ability and integrity. In July, 1776, he organized a brigade of New Jersey Volunteers, Loyalists, and died at Bristol, England, March 15th, 1799.
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in the eyes of the Commissioners, to entitle him to a government; and affords to this much insulted and abused country a bright sample of the rulers to be set over us, after they should have completed the conquest of it.
Since he is now obliged to quit his government of the Jersies, suppose the Commissioners were to apply to his Majesty, to appoint him to be first Governor of Long Island-it would be still adding to the honor of the Knighthood, which was the reward of that important conquest. I humbly ask pardon for the freedom I have taken, but as I know it is a principle of the Ministry to endeavour to keep what small possessions they have in this country, they would choose by all means to adapt the government to the people, or where he is to govern, and so keep them quiet by suiting them mutually to each other.
The conquest of Rhode-Island too will no doubt be the occasion of some new honors to the officer commanding that part of the army.
But, my Lord and Knight, after all what substantial advantages have your fleet and army gained for your employers ? Staten and Long-Islands, the city and island of New York, and Rhode Island-but a few miles of ground in the whole, and as much implies the reduction of America as subduing the islands of Guernsey and Jersey would that of Great Britain.
It is true you marched down to Burlington. But how much of New-Jersey do you now hold ? If you turn to the map, it is a mere shred, a mathematical point. You cannot now but be convinced how dangerous it is to leave the protection of your ships. If ever you lose a battle at a distance from them, you are undone. Only suppose a party of your rear to stop the road by which your army penetrated, and your troops must in their
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flight be bewildered and lost-your baggage and artillery, of course, will fall into our hands.
America has been repeatedly assured by the friends of the Commissioners that they are men of very fair private characters. They may be so for aught I know, but America cannot be mistaken with respect to their public characters. They came out to this country, the one at the head of the fleet, the other with the command of the army ; the sword in one hand, the declaration, other acts, and manifesto's enjoining unconditional submission, in the other-In the case of Mr. Wilkes the ministerial lan- guage was that a good or a bad private character had a public one answerable to it ; but they have a salvo here -they assert the Commissioners act a consistent part, for they are right in their political principles-It may possibly appear so to some people, those particularly who have the art of making themselves believe what they please ; but it is very certain that all we asked of Great- Britain was only to do us justice-She refused at last even to hear us, and at no time ever considered our claims-we insisted, she threatened-we persisted, she sent out a fleet and an army against us, and we have opposed with arms on this principle, "Bellum justum quibus necessarium, et quibus nisi in armis justitia non sit." That war is just which is founded in necessity, and without which justice cannot be obtained.
AN AMERICAN WHIG.1 -The Pennsylvania Evening Post, January 21, 1777.
Philadelphia, January 8, 1777.
Was taken from the door of the provision store near Trenton, on the evening of the second instant, a little BLACK HORSE, marked on the buttock C. A. belonging to the states, with bridle, and saddle bags. Stephen
1 This paper was undoubtedly written by Governor Livingston. It certainly is in his sarcastic style.
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[1777
Lowrey,1 A. D. Commissary Gen .- The Pennsylvania Even- ing Post, January 21, 1777.
ANECDOTE .- After the battle at Princeton on the 3d of this instant, General Washington perceiving a wounded soldier belonging to the enemy laying on the field, came up to him, and after enquiring into the nature of his wound, commended him for his gallant behaviour, and assured him that he should want for nothing that his camp could furnish him .- After the General left him an American soldier who thought he was dead, came up in order to strip him ; the General see [ing] it, bid the soldier begone, and ordered a sentry to stand over the wounded prisoner till he was carried to a convenient house to be dressed .- The Pennsylvania Packet, January 22, 1777.
Within these three or four days there have been several skirmishes in the East-Jersies, in which our troops have always beat the enemy. About three miles up the Rariton, from Brunswick, a party of our army attacked a large body of the enemy, and took near six hundred head of cattle, upwards of fifty waggons, and a number of English horses, of the dray breed, which were so excessively emaciated that they were scarce able to walk .- The Penn- sylvania Evening Post, January 23, 1777.
Congress has received the following intelligence from the army at Pluckemin, in the State of New-Jersey, January 5, 1777.
"On the second instant the enemy began to advance upon us at Trenton ; and, after some skirmishing, the head of their column reached that place about four o'clock, whilst their rear was as far back as Maidenhead.2
1 Stephen Lowrey was a Commissary of Issues during the Revolutionary War, and was stationed during most of that period at Princeton, New Jersey.
2 Now Lawrenceville, Mercer County, New Jersey.
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They attempted to pass Sanpinck1 creek, which runs through Trenton, at different places, but finding the fords guarded, they halted and kindled their fires. We were drawn up on the south side of the creek. In this situa- tion we remained till dark, cannonading the enemy, and receiving the fire of their field pieces, which did but little damage.
"At twelve o'clock, after renewing our fires and leaving guards at the bridge in Trenton, and other passes on the same stream above, we marched by a round about road to Princeton. We found Princeton, about sunrise, with only three regiments, and three troops of lighthorse in it, two of which were on their march to Trenton .- These three regiments, especially the two first made a gallant resistance ; and in killed, wounded, and prisoners, must have lost five hundred men. Upwards of one hundred of them were left dead on the field, and with those carried on by the army, and such as were taken in the pursuit, and carried across the Delaware, there are near three hundred prisoners, fourteen of whom are officers-all British.
" Colonels Haselet2 and Potter,3 Capt. Neal4 of the artil- lery, Capt. Flemming,5 who commanded the first Virginia
1 Assunpink creek in Trenton.
2 John Haslet commanded the regiment of Delaware State Troops. For many years before the war he practiced medicine in Dover, Delaware. He commanded an exceptionally well-drilled and disciplined regiment. He was killed by a bullet passing through his head, and died on the afternoon of the fight. He was buried in Dover, Delaware.
3 James Potter was Colonel of the Second Battalion of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Militia ; he was wounded in the battle of Princeton ; taken prisoner, and reported by General Washington as having been killed in the fight. A few days after the battle, he engaged in a raid on the enemy at Brunswick He was made a Brigadier-General of the Pennsylvania Militia, April 5th, 1777, and a Major- General, and served until the close of the war. He died in November, 1789.
4 Daniel Neil was Captain-Lieutenant of the Eastern Company of Artillery, New Jersey State Troops, February 13th, 1776. On May 9th, 1776, he was promoted Cap -. tain, and was killed at the battle of Princeton while in command of his company.
" John Fleming was the ranking officer of the First Regiment, Virginia Conti- nental Infantry, in the battle of Princeton, and commanded the regiment. He was only twenty-one years of age at that time, and was considered one of the bravest young men in the army.
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regiment, and four or five other valuable officers, with about twenty-five or thirty privates, were slain in the field. Our whole loss cannot be ascertained, as many who were in pursuit of the enemy, whom they chased three or four miles ; are not yet come in. We burnt the enemy's hay and destroyed such other things as the occa- sion would admit.
"From the best intelligence we have been able to get, the enemy were so much alarmed at the apprehension of losing their stores at Brunswick, that they marched im- mediately thither from Trenton, without halting, and got there before day.
"The militia of the Jersies are taking spirit, and we hear coming in fast."
Morris-Town, January 7, 1777.
"The enemy have totally evacuated Trenton and Princeton, and are now at Brunswick, and the several posts on the communication between that and Hudson's river, but chiefly at Brunswick. Their numbers and movements are variously reported ; but all agree their force to be great. There have been two or three little skirmishes between their parties and some detachments of militia, in which the latter have been successful, and made a few prisoners ; the most considerable was on Sun- day morning, near Springfield, when eight or ten Wal- deckers were killed and wounded, and the remainder of the party, thirty-nine or forty, made prisoners with two officers, by a force not superior in number, and without receiving the least damage."
Published by order of Congress, CHARLES THOMSON,1 Secretary.
-The Pennsylvania Evening Post, January 23, 1777.
1 Charles Thomson was a patriot of great ability and integrity. He was chosen Secretary of the First Continental Congress, and remained in office until 1789. He was a versatile writer on religious topics, and in 1808 published the first original translation (made by himself) of the Bible, from the Septuagint.
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New-York, January 27. Mr. Washington is now at Morris-Town, with three Battalions of Pennsylvania Militia Men, and some Troops from other Provinces ; in the whole, about 5000 Men.
Mr. William Livingston, the titular Governor of New- Jersey, was at Morris-Town, and had summoned his as- sembly to meet at Pitt's Town, in Hunterdon County.
The Militia of Bergen County, in New-Jersey, amount to about 1,600 Men : They was called out the other Day, in Order to be draughted, when no more than 200 ap- peared ; and 'tis imagined no Ten of them will enter the Service, as the People in general begin to see through the Designs of their Leaders, and to perceive, that they don't mean the Settlement of the Country, but the Sacrifice of it to their own Ambition and Interests.
On Thursday the 16th Instant, General Vaughan nar- rowly escaped being killed on the Road near Brunswick, by a Rebel, who had concealed himself behind a Fence. One of the Light Horsemen leaped the Fence after him, and immediately cut him down.
A Party of about 200 Rebels attacked the Piquet- Guard on Friday Night, the 17th Instant, at New-Bruns- wick, but were presently beat off with the Loss of some killed and about 30 taken Prisoners.
The Rebels have lately plundered the Store of Captain Drummond at Aquakinac Bridge, to the value of above 10001. They carried off the Effects to Newark Moun- tains, sold them at public Vendue, and divided the Amount among those who seized the Booty. About the same Time, these, or some others of the Fraternity robbed the House of Capt. John Richards of Second-River,1 and carried off seven young Slaves, with his Sheep, Oxen, Cows, Horses, &c. to a very considerable Value. Daily Accounts are received of their Ravages in the back
1 Now Belleville.
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Country, where they fancy themselves out of Reach, upon the poor miserable Inhabitants, who either do not counte- nance or concur in their Proceedings. And such is the System of Liberty, established in those Colonies, not under the Influence of His Majestys Arms, that no Man dares to express his Opinion relative to this Mob-Govern- ment, without incurring the Forfeiture of all his Property, and the Confinement of his Person in a Prison. Thus, whole Families, once in Affluence, are reduced to Wretchedness and Beggary without even the usual Con- solation of the common Pity ; for such is the brutal Fury of these Rebels, that no Extremity of Vengeance is thought severe enough for those, whom they know or sus- pect to have any Attachment to the King and Constitu- tion.
A Skirmish has happened in the Jersies between a foraging Party of the King's Troops, and a large Body of the Rebels, in which it is reported, we have lost several waggons ; but no authentic Particulars are come to hand. -New York Gazette and Weekly Mercury, January 27, 1777.
Philadelphia, January 29. This Paper having been necessarily discontinued for some time past, we presume it will not be disagreeable to our readers, to look a little back and give a brief relation of the principal events of the war since the reduction of Fort Washington.
FORT WASHINGTON being obliged to surrender, by a violent attack made by the whole British army, on Saturday the 16th of November, the Generals determined to evacuate Fort Lee, which being principally intended to preserve the communication with Fort Washington, was become in a manner useless. The stores were ordered to be removed, and great part of them was immediately sent off. The enemy knowing the divided state of our army, and that the terms of the soldiers inlistments
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would soon expire, conceived the design of penetrating. into the Jersies, and hoped, by pushing their successes, to be completely victorious. Accordingly, on Wednesday morning, the 20th November, it was discovered, that a large body of British and Hessian troops had crossed the North river and landed about six miles above the fort. As our force was inferior to that of the enemy, the fort unfinished, and on a narrow neck of land, the garrison was ordered to march to Hackinsack, which, tho' much nearer the enemy than the fort, they quietly suffered our troops to take possession of. The principal loss suffered at Fort Lee was that of the heavy cannon, the greatest part of which was left behind. Our troops continued at Hackinsack bridge and town that day and half of the next, when the inclemency of the weather, the want of quarters and approach of the enemy obliged them to pro- ceed to Aquaconack, and from thence to Newark ; a party being left at Aquaconack to observe the motions of the enemy. At Newark our little army was reinforced by Lord Sterling's and Col. Hand's brigades, which had been stationed at Brunswick. Three days after our troops left Hackinsack, a body of the enemy crossed the Passaic above Aquaconack, made their approaches slowly towards Newark, and seemed extremely desirous that we should leave the town without their being put to the trouble of fighting for it. The distance from Newark to Aquaco- nack is nine miles, and they were three days in march- ing that distance. From Newark our retreat was to Brunswick, and it was hoped the assistance of the Jersey Militia would enable General Washington to make the Banks of the Rariton the bounds of the enemy's progress ; but on the 1st of December the army was greatly weakened by the expiration of the terms of the enlist- ments of the Maryland and Jersey Flying Camp ; and the militia not coming in so soon as was expected, another
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retreat was the necessary consequence. Our army reached Trenton on the 4th December, continued there till the 7th, and then, on the approach of the enemy, it was thought proper to pass the Delaware.
This retreat was censured by some as pusillanimous and disgraceful, but did they know that our army was at one time less than a thousand effective men, and never more than 4000,-that the number of the enemy was at least 8000, exclusive of their artillery and light horse,- that this handful of Americans retreated slowly above 80 miles without losing a dozen men-and that suffering themselves to be forced to an action would have been their intire destruction-did they know this, they would never have censured it at all-they would have called it prudent-posterity will call it glorious-and the names of Washington and Fabius will run parallel to eternity.
The enemy, intoxicated with success, resolved to enjoy the fruits of their conquest. Fearless of an attack from this side the river, they cantoned in parties at a distance from each other, and spread misery and desolation where- ever they went. Their rage and lust, their avarice and cruelty, knew no bounds; and murder, ravishment, plunder, and the most brutal treatment of every sex and age, were the first acts that signalized their conquest. And if such were their outrages on the partial subjection of a few villages-good God ! what consumate wretched- ness is in store for that state over which their power shall be fully established.
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