USA > New Jersey > Documents relating to the revolutionary history of the state of New Jersey, Vol. II > Part 41
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Commissioners for goods bought at their sales, to make immediate payment, to prevent trouble.
JOSEPH HEDDEN, jun SAMUEL HAYES, and Commis- sioners. THOMAS CANFIELD.
Essex county, Nov. 9, 1778.
ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS REWARD.
The house of the subscriber, living at Middle Brook, township of Bridgewater, county of Somerset and state of New-Jersey, was broken open and robbed, on the night of the 15th of October last, of a suit of twilled superfine blue broadcloth with polished steel buttons and a star in the middle of each; a deep blue coat, fine broadcloth, with flat pinchbeck buttons; a pair of mixed red and white super- fine broadcloth breeches, with silver plated buttons, re- markable, for having a three-square darn on one of the knees; a light coloured wilton coat, with light coloured binding and basket buttons; a great coat, brown coloured, with basket buttons, the cape lined with pale blue shalloon, about half worn; a beaver hat scolloped, with a piece gnawed out of the rim by the rats, with a large gold button with the shape of an anchor in the middle, and a gold loop; a dark silk purple and brown jacket, moulds covered with the same buttons ; a pair of Russia duck overalls ; a purple and white streaked long gown ; a new white petticoat, small diamonds; supposed to be stolen by some person ac- quainted in the neighborhood.
Whoever takes up and secures the thief and articles, so that the owner may get them again, and the thief brought to justice, shall have the above reward and all reasonable charges, paid by me
JOHN LOUDERBACH, Or BENJAMIN HARRIS.
N. B. All Justices of the Peace, Constables, and other officers, are requested to have a look out, so that thief may speedily be brought to justice.
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NEW JERSEY IN THE REVOLUTION. [1778
THIRTY DOLLARS REWARD.
STRAYED or stolen on the night of the 4th inst. from the pasture of Mr. Dirick Van Vechter, at Raritan, a chestnut sorrel MARE, about fourteen hands high, seven or eight years old, has a star in her forehead, trots and canters, and is well shod all round. Whoever takes up said mare, and will return her to Mr. Van Vechter,1 at Raritan; Captain Arnold,2 at Morristown; or to the subscriber at Persip- peny, shall be entitled to the above reward from
HENRY BROCKHOLST LIVINGSTON.
Persippeny, Nov. 7, 1778.
STRAYED or stolen from the subscriber at Brunswick, in the state of New Jersey, the night preceding the morning on which the second division of the conintental army marched from said place in the month of July last, a sorrel Mare, five years old, about 14 hands and a half high, had a blaze in her face, branded on the left shoulder with the figure 9, a natural pacer. Whoever shall give the sub- scriber information where she is, or to Nathaniel Lewis at Morristown, shall have Twenty Dollars reward and all reasonable charges, paid by me.
NATH. LEWIS.
Nov. 12, 1778.
CAME to the plantation of the subscriber the 23d of Oc- tober last, a large bay Horse, very old and poor. The owner is desired to prove his property, pay charges, and take him away.
AMOS MOORE.
N. B. There is a kind of an obscure brand on his near buttock.
Hopewell, Hunterdon county, Nov. 4.
1 Van Vechten ?
2 Eastern Battalion, Morris, Captain, Troop Light Horse, Morris county ; also paymaster for said county.
.
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TAKEN up as strays, in the neighbourhood of Princeton, two old bay Horses. The owners are desired to come with- out delay, prove their property and pay expenses, or they will be sold in a fortnight from this date. Apply to Thomas Moody, merchant, in Princeton. Nov. 11, 1778.
LONDON JUNE 9
London, July 7. The enemy is now arrived at New York from Philadelphia. Some little time ago they ar- rived at Philadelphia from New York. How finely says a correspondent are the charges sunk! From Philadelphia to New York - to Long Island - to Mud Island - from action to eeling - from eeling to action ! Our American possessions are not equal to the space between Smithfield and Highgate. Omne quod exit in-HUM.
TRENTON, NOVEMBER 18.
On Saturday last a fleet of about sixty British vessels, large and small, sailed from Sandy Hook - And two very large ships, supposed to be 74'rs, came in from sea dis- masted.
Monday last Col. Bland's regiment of cavalry arrived here from camp, and yesterday they marched for Virginia, where they are to go into winter quarters.
We are informed that on Wednesday the 4th inst. a rob- . bery was attempted near Brunswick Landing by a certain Matthew Sleght, who endeavored to force a horse out of Major Egbert's waggon,1 and would have accomplished his villainous design, had not the Major by his spirited exer- tion prevented him. The said Sleght has lately returned from the enemy, whose services he has been in since they
1 Thomas Egbert, Second Major, Third Regiment, Middlesex, October 13th, 1777.
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NEW JERSEY IN THE REVOLUTION. [177S
first came to Brunswick, and who has greatly experienced the lenity of his country, by having his crimes pardoned and being enlarged.
Wanted immediately, a good Workman at Press and Case. Such a person will be exempted from actual service in the militia, find constant business, and receive handsome trages, by applying to the Printer of this Paper.
AAlso wanted, as an APPRENTICE to the Printing Business, an active Lad about fourteen years of age, who can read well, and write a good hand. Apply as above.
ON SATURDAY next, the 24th of September inst. at one o'clock in the afternoon, at the Vendue store in Trenton, WILL BE SOLD to the highest bidder,
AN ASSORTMENT OF MERCHANDIZE, amongst which are,
BROAD cloths, linens
Calicoes, handkerchiefs
Deer-skin breeches
Ribbands,
Shoes, worsted hose
Knives and forks, razors
Silk laces. Ink-stands
Three silver watches
Indigo,
Also a large quantity of HOUSEHOLD FURNITURE, and sundry second hand broad cloth coats, waistcoats and breeches-Likewise sundry COOPERS and JOINERS TOOLS -a cow with CALF and a pleasure SLEIGHT, and a variety . of other articles.
WITT and BENJAMIN.
STRAYED from Abraham Wogglam's, the ninth inst. a large bay Horse, fifteen hands high, large legs, well built, something low in flesh, his near hind foot has been corked, which may be perceived by the hoof growing out, his foretop has been cut close to his forehead, the hair grow- ing over the part which was cut, his knees are large,
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paces and trots, and has been used to the gears. Whoever brings the horse to Abraham Wogglam, or to Jona. Rich- mond, in Trenton, or to the subscriber, in Philadelphia, shall have Ten Dollars reward, and reasonable charges, paid on delivery of the horse.
JEREMIAH BAKER. Trenton, Nov. 11, 1778.
TWENTY DOLLARS REWARD.
STRAYED or stolen, from the subscriber at Trenton, on the night of the first of November instant, a dark brown Horse, about thirteen hands and an half high, one white hind foot, short switch tail, has a very high carriage, trots and canters. Whoever takes up and secures said horse, that the owner may have him again, shall receive the above reward, and all reasonable charges paid, by JOSIAH CONKLING, living at Trenton.
TO BE SOLD BY THE SUBSCRIBER,
THAT valuable FARM formerly the property of Mr. George Armstrong, within five miles of Morristown and three from Baskingridge meeting-house, pleasantly situ- ated, containing 500 acres, one half of which is improved, and well adapted either for grass or grain, the remainder in good thriving young timber; the whole is well watered, and the greatest part in good new fence: an excellent orchard of the very best grafted fruit, containing up- wards of 1000 apple and peach trees. It is so well situated, that a late frost in the spring never injures it, and yields a plentiful crop every year: 60 acres of good meadow, which produces plenty of good timothy and clover. On the premises is a large convenient dwell- ing-house, two stories high, four rooms on a floor, with
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NEW JERSEY IN THE REVOLUTION. [1778
two kitchens and a large cellar, commodious for two families : also a good large barn, stable, cyder-house, and every other building necessary for a farm, all in good repair, together with the farming utensils and stock. Also an elegant house and barn, together with eight acres of land, in the town of Newark, wherein Lewis Ogden, Esq. formerly lived, and now occupied by Mr. Henry Ten Brook; the house is well finished, commodious and pleas- antly situated; also a lot of four acres of land, opposite the Rev. Mr. M'Whorter's.1 The whole will either be sold separate or together, as may best suit the purchaser, by applying to the subscriber, in Morris county, who will give an indisputable title for the same.
ALEXANDER ROBERTSON.
Morris county, Nov. 13, 1778.
CAME to the plantation of the subscriber, living in Chesterfield, Burlington county, on the 28th of June last, a brindle Bull, appears to be about two years old. The owner is desired to come, prove his property, pay charges and take him away.
ABRAHAM CHAPMAN.
Nov. 14, 1778.
STRAYED or stolen, out of the pasture belonging to Samuel Meredith, Esq, in Nottingham township, Burling- ton county, some time in October last, a small black ox, four years old; he has a brown list all along his back; if he is mark'd it is unknown. Whoever takes up the above ox, and brings him to the subscriber, living near Trenton, shall receive the reward of Three Pounds, and all reason- able expenses.
HUGH RUNYAN.
1 Near the corner of Broad and Market streets.
1
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THIRTY DOLLARS REWARD.
STOLEN out of the pasture of the subscriber, in Bed- minster township, Somerset county, in the night of the 30th of September last, a brown Horse, branded on the off thigh with the letter S, and an heart upside down; he is five years old, trots lofty, and carries well, is fourteen hands three inches high. The above reward will be paid for the thief and horse, or Twenty Dollars for the horse only, by me,
SIMON HEGERMAN.
Burlington county, November 13, 1778,
WHEREAS a court was holden at Bordentown, on the third day of October, 1778, to make inquisition whether George Plato, Thomas P. Hewlings, Colin Campbell, Isaac Allen, Robert Cooke, John Leonard, Thomas Hunlock, Jona- than Odell,1 Joseph Hewlings, and George alias John
1 Of this list of Tories, by far the most distinguished is Jonathan Odell. Aside from Joseph Stansbury, the "writer of festive political songs" and of playful satire, the one great figure among the Tory satirists is Jonathan Odell, aforetimes rector of Saint Mary's church in Burlington. Jonathan Odell was deep, stern, and virile, and his sarcasm grim, scathing and absolutely implacable. As Joseph Stansbury may be compared with Fran- cis Hopkinson, so may Jonathan Odell be likened to Philip Freneau.
Newark, one of the centers of the Revolutionary movement in East Jer- sey, was the birthplace of Jonathan Odell. Graduating from the College of New Jersey in the class of 1754, when seventeen years of age, he for a time, later acted as surgeon in the British army, but subsequently, taking holy orders, was inducted into the rectorship of Saint Mary's, Burlington, where as physician of bodies and souls he remained until driven thence by the war.
Throughout the period of constitutional debate from 1767 to 1775 Jona- than Odell remained passive, hoping for peace. Arrested by the Burlington committee in October, 1775, for certain sentiments which he had expressed in his letters touching the attitude of the continental congress, he brought upon himself the heavy hand of the provincial congress. Upon the 4th of June, 1776, in honor of the King's birthday, Odell had written some intensely loyal verses to be sung by some British officers then prisoners in Burlington. The celebration had been held upon a nearby island in the Delaware, but the echoes of the song rang throughout the colony. It was upon the 20th of July that the provincial congress directed that "a person suspected of being inimical to American liberty"-Jonathan Odell-be
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NEW JERSEY IN THE REVOLUTION. [1778
Golden, of the county of Burlington, have offended against the form of their allegiance to this state; when the said inquisition was found true, and being properly certified, was returned to the Inferior Court of Common Pleas holden in the county of Burlington, on Tuesday, the third of November, and proclamation made thereupon in open Court, as the law in that case provided directs, that they, or any person on their behalf, might appear and traverse the inquisition. NOW NOTICE is hereby given, That unless
paroled, pledging himself to remain within a circle of eight miles. the center of which was the Burlington court house.
Until the middle of December, 1776, Jonathan Odell remained peacefully in Burlington. and upon the arrival of Count Dunop. for whose winter quarters Burlington had been selected by the British commander, unques- tionably spared the inhabitants of the town from insult and pillage. But the appearance of American gondolas on the river front was the signal for a chase with the rector as quarry. Hunted by a body of armed men. Jona- than Odell was later compelled to take refuge among the King's troops, leaving his wife and three children to the mercies of the soldiery. For several days he remained concealed in Governor Franklin's mansion at Green Bank, on the Burlington river front, where, in a secret room, under the care of the witty Quakeress, Margaret Morris, he evaded the search parties of New Jersey militia. Here the rector of Saint Mary's hid him- self in this room, called the "auger hole," until the 18th of December. when Margaret Morris records in her journal : "Our refugee gone off to day out of reach of gondolas and Tory hunters."
Upon his arrival in New York Odell was active, not only in the dis- charge of his duties as chaplain of a corps of loyalist troops, but was much sought after for his fund of information concerning the personal characteristics of the American leaders and of the physical and social con- ditions of the Middle states. In 1778 he plunged into the boiling sea of satire. Framed upon the classic models of Dryden, Pope and Churchill, the prevailing note of the four. is the general idea which formed the basis of the political system of the American loyalists. While it was recognized by them that the English ministry had blundered in a system of taxation, nevertheless. by appealing to the sympathies of the English people and the Parliamentary leaders, the colonies could defeat this policy by persevering in keeping their opposition within constitutional limits. But the greater blunder, in fact, the national crime, was the pushing of constitutional op- position into open rebellion, into treason, and into ultimate dismember- ment. In poetic terms Odell characterized the Revolution as "a sort of insane phrensy, produced by the wicked few in administering to their victims this potion of political necromacy-this hideous hell-broth made up of lies, sophistries, ambitions, hatreds, hallucinations."
Refusing to cross the seas after the close of the war, Odell remained in America, cried aloud that the contest be renewed, and, finding all in vain, sought in Nova Scotia an asylum where he died in a ripe old age. But the Jonathan Odell in the northern wilderness was the Jonathan Odell of Burlington and New York. proud, defiant, unbending, unconquered and un- convinced. See "New Jersey as a Colony and as a State," Vol. II.
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the persons against whom the inquisition was found, or some person on their behalf, shall appear at the next Court of Quarter Sessions for the said county, and offer to tra- verse the inquisition, it shall be taken to be true, and final judgment entered thereupon in favour of the State.
JOHN BUTLER, Commissioner.
New-Jersey. 1 AT an inferior court of Common Pleas Essex county, 1 held for the county of Essex, on the 15th day of September last, were returned inquisitions for join- ing the army of the King of Great Britain, and other treasonable practices found against, Cavilear Jewitt, Icha- bod Best Barnet, William Luce, John Smith Hetfield, Job Hetfield, Abel Hetfield, Broughton Rhynolds, Richard Miller, John Willis, Jacob Tooker, James Hetfield, James Frazee, Samuel Oliver, jun, James Moore, Jonathan Oliver, Samuel Smith, John Stiles, jun, Daniel Moore, John Morse, Isaac Stanbury, Thomas Burrows and John Folker; of which proclamation was made at said Court, that if they, or any on their behalf, or any persons inter- ested, would appear and traverse, a trial should be awarded; but no traverses were offered : Therefore NOTICE is hereby given, That if neither they, nor any in their be- half, nor any interested shall appear and traverse at the next Court to be held for the said county, the inquisitions will be taken to be true, and final judgment entered thereon in favour of the state.
JOHN CLAWSON, Commissioner.
Elizabeth-town, Nov. 14, 1778.
-New-Jersey Gazette, Vol. 50, November 18, 1778. 35
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[1778
ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS REWARD.
Stolen out of the pasture of the subscriber, living in the township of Kingwood, and county of Hunterdon, West- New-Jersey, on the night of the 20th of October, a young sorrel MARE, near fifteen hands high, three years old next May, a natural trotter, and when in full trot flings out her fore feet, has a star in her forehead, branded with the letter S. on the near Shoulder, and S. S. on the off side, under the mane.
Whoever secures the said Mare and thief, so that the owner may have the Mare again, and the thief be brought to justice, shall have the above reward, or for the Mare only ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS, with all reasonable charges, paid by
JOHN SHRINER. -The Pennsylvania Packet, November 21, 1778.
TRENTON, November 11.
On Tuesday, the third instant, Captain Marriner, of Brunswick, with seven men belonging to Lord Stirling's division, landed from the Jersey shore at New-Utrecht, on Long Island, and brought off Simon and Jacques Cortelyou, two famous tories in the enemy's lines, and in specie and other property to the amount of five thou- sand dollars. The two prisoners are on parole at New Brunswick, and to be exchanged for two citizens of this state in captivity with the enemy.
Married, the 14th ult. Elisha Boudinot, Esq; Coun- sellor at Law, to Miss Katy Smith, daughter of Peartree Smith, Esq; a Lady possessed of every qualification necessary to render the connubial state happy.
-The Pennsylvania Packet, November 24, 1778.
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To the PRINTERS.
C APTAIN Duncan, late of the Rose Letter of Marque, with his Crew, who so bravely distinguished them- selves in a severe Action with a French Frigate, arrived here late last Night in a Flag of Truce from Elizabeth-Town, several of those gallant Seamen were by Mistake detained at their Landing, in order to be put on board the Ships of War; but Admiral Gambiers being informed thereof, he was pleased to direct, that they should immediately be set at Liberty, and to give express Orders, that no Prisoners returning from Captivity in future, shall be obliged to serve on board the Kings Ships. I therefore think it my Duty to request, that his Maj- esty's faithful Subjects may be made acquainted therewith through the Channels of the public Newspaper.
JAMES DICK, Commissary for Naval Prisoners. New-York, Nov. 15, 1778.
EXTRACT FROM THE TRIAL OF MAJOR GENERAL LEE.
MAJOR GENERAL LORD STIRLING, President. Brigadier- Generals, Smallwood, Poor, Woodford and Huntington. Colonels, Irvine, Shepherd, Swift, Wigglesworth, Angel, Clarke, Williams, Febiger, Members. JOHN LAWRENCE, judge Advocate.
Brunswick, July 4, 1778.
The Judge Advocate produces the General's orders, (Washington's) for the court to sit. The President, Mem- bers, and Judge Advocate, being sworn, the Judge Advo- cate prosecuting in the name of the United States of America, the Court proceed to the trial of Major-General Lee, who appears before the Court, and the following charges are exhibited against him: First, For disobedi- ence of orders, in not attacking the enemy on the 28th of June, agreeable to repeated instructions. Secondly, For misbehaviour before the enemy on the same day, by mak-
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NEW JERSEY IN THE REVOLUTION. [1778
ing an unnecessary, disorderly, and shameful retreat. Thirdly, for disrespect to the Commander in Chief in two letters, dated the 1st of July, and the 28th of June.
Major-General Lee pleads, not guilty.
[The letters on which the third charge is founded, are as follows :]
Camp, Englishtown, 1st July, 1778.
Sir,
From the knowledge I have of your Excellency's char- acter, I must conchide, that nothing but the misinforma- tion of some very stupid or misrepresentation of some very wicked person, could have occasioned your making use of so very singular expressions as you did, on my coming up to the ground where you had taken post; They implied, that I was guilty either of disobedience of orders, of want of conduct, or want of courage: Your Excellency will therefore infinitely oblige me, by letting me know on which of these three articles you ground your charge, that I may prepare for my justification, which I have the happiness to be confident, I can do to the army, to the Congress, to America, and to the world in general. Your Excellency must give me leave to observe that neither yourself nor those about your person, could, from your situation, be in the least judges of the merits or demerits of our manœuvres, and, to speak with a becoming pride, I can assert, that to these manœuvres, the success of the day was entirely owing, I can boldly say, that had we remained on the first ground, or had we advanced, or had the retreat been conducted in a manner different from what it was, this whole army and the interests of America would have risked being sacrificed. I ever had (and I hope ever shall have) the greatest re- spect and veneration for General Washington, I think him endued with many great and good qualities, but in this instance, I must pronounce, that he has been guilty of an act of cruel injustice, towards a man, who certainly has some pretensions to the regard of every servant of this country ; and, I think, sir, I have a right to demand some
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reparation for the injury committed; and unless I can obtain it, I must in justice to myself, when the campaign is closed (which I believe will close the war) retire from a service, at the head of which is placed a man, capable of offering such injuries; but, at the same time, in justice to you I must repeat, that I, from my soul believe, that it was not a motion of your own breast, but instigated by some of those dirty Earwigs, who will forever insinuate themselves near persons in high office; for I am realy convinced that, when General Washington acts from himself, no man in his army will have reason to complain of injustice or in- decorum. I am, Sir, and I hope ever shall have reason to continue, your most sincerely devoted humble servant,
CHARLES LEE.
His Excellency Gen. Washington.
Head-quarters, English Town, June 28, 1778. Sir,
I received your letter (dated through mistake the first of July) expressed, as I conceive, in terms highly im- proper. I am not conscious of having made use of any sin- gular expressions at the time of my meeting you, as you intimate. What I recollect to have said, was dictated by duty, and warranted by the occasion. As soon as circum- stances will permit, you shall have an opportunity either of justifying yourself to the army, to Congress, to America, and to the world in general; or of convincing them that you are guilty of a breach of orders, and of misbehaviour before the enemy on the 28th inst. in not attacking them as you had been directed, and in making an unnecessary, disorderly and shameful retreat.
I am, Sir, your most obedient servant, George Washington.
Major-General Lee.
.
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Camp, June 28, 1778.
Sir,
I beg your Excellency's pardon for the inaccuracy in mis-dating my letter. You cannot afford me greater pleas- ure than in giving me the opportunity of showing to America the sufficiency of her respective servants. I trust that the temporary power of office, and the tinsel dignity attending it, will not be able, by all the mists they can raise, to offulcate the bright rays of, truth: In the mean time your Excellency can have no objection to my retiring from the army.
I am, Sir, your most obedient humble Servant,
General Washington.
Charles Lee.
Camp, June 30, 1778.
Sir,
Since I had the honour of addressing my letter by Col. Fitzgerald to your Excellency, I have reflected on both your situation and mine, and beg leave to observe, that it will be for our mutual convenience, that a Court of Inquiry should be immediately ordered; but I could wish it might be a Court-Martial; for if the affair is drawn into length, it may be difficult to collect the necessary evidences, and perhaps might bring on a paper war betwixt the adherents to both parties, which may occasion some disagreeable feuds on the continent, for all are not my friends nor your admirers. I must intreat therefore, from your love of justice, that you will immediately exhibit your charge, and that on the first halt, I may be brought to trial. I am, Sir, your most obedient humble Servant,
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