USA > New Jersey > Documents relating to the revolutionary history of the state of New Jersey, Vol. III > Part 54
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GERSHOM JOHNSON.
To be sold at public VENDUE, On Friday next, at one o'clock, in the afternoon, at the house of the subscriber in Elizabeth Town,
E XCELLENT good milch cows, English hay, ox cart, chairs, tables, pots, kettles, pewter, two barrels of good soap, and many other articles.
DAVID THOMPSON.
October 26.
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NEW JERSEY IN THE REVOLUTION. [1779
STOLEN out of the pasture of the subscriber, on the- night of the 20th instant, a likely BLACK MARE, about 15 hands high, one of her hind hoofs is split- up to the hair, shod before, trots and canters well, 3 years old last spring .- Whoever takes up said mare and thief, and secures her so that the owner may get. her again, shall receive Two Hundred Dollars reward, and for the thief One Hundred.
CORNELIUS LUDLUM. Near the Scotch Plains, Oct. 25, 1779.
C YAME to the plantation of the subscriber, at Stone- House Plains, Newark Township, about a fort- night since, a brown horse COLT, coming two years, has neither brand or mark. Whoever owns said colt, is requested to come and prove his property, pay charges, and take him away.
ELIAS SPEER.
October 25, 1779. -The New-Jersey Journal, Vol. I., Numb. XXXVII., October 26, 1779.
EASTON, October, 16, 1779
SIR,
WE, the General and Field-Officers of the Jersey Bri- gade, (in their behalf) beg leave to offer your Honour the just tribute of our grateful applause, for your polite attention to your officers, and your un- wearied and indefatigable endeavours to serve your coun- try and your army, during your command on the Western Expedition.
We are filled with the most agreeable sensations, when. we reflect on the important success of this part of the American army, and the harmony and universal satisfac- tion that subsisted in it, which, we are convinced, was owing, in a great degree, to your impartiality and superior
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:abilities. We have the pleasure to assure your Honour, that not only the officers but the soldiers unanimously ap- prove of your conduct, during your present command ; and they trust it will be the same in future, whenever they shall have that honour.
We are, with the greatest respect and esteem, Sir, Your most obedient servants, WM. MAXWELL, B. Gen. I. SHREVE, Col. OLIVER SPENCER, Col. WM. SMITH, Lt. Col. WM. DEHART, Lt. Col.
JOHN CONWAY, Lt. Col. DANIEL PIATT, Major. JOHN Ross, Major. The Honourable John Sullivan, Esq. Major-General and Commander in Chief of the Western Army.
To the above Address the General made the following Answer:
GENTLEMEN, Y OUR very affectionate and pleasing address demands my most sincere and cordial acknowledgements .-
My constant study has been to show that equal at- tention to my officers, and that impartial care to the sol- diers of the western army, which the situation of our affairs would admit .- Your testimony of my having been happy enough to convince not only yourselves but the sol- diers whom you command, of the rectitude of my inten- tions, cannot fail to afford me the most pleasing sensation.
The harmony which subsisted in the western army, amidst the innumerable difficulties it had to encounter, afforded me the highest pleasure; and though I cannot reproach myself with my neglect in cultivating it, I am in justice bound to acknowledge, that it was more owing to
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that steady and persevering virtue, which animated both officers and soldiers, than to any efforts I was able to make.
Should I be honoured with the command of your bri- gade, after my arrival at head-quarters, permit me to assure you, that there are no officers to whom I feel a greater attachment, or soldiers in whom I can place greater confidence.
Gentlemen, I am, with the greatest regard and esteem, Your most obedient servant,
JOHN SULLIVAN.
TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN.
Neu-
Jersey, ss. N OTICE is hereby given, that a court of admiralty will be held at the court- house in Burlington, on Monday the 22d day of November next, at ten o'clock in the forenoon of the same day, then and there to try the truths of the facts alledged in the bills of Rufus Gardner and Stephen Decatur, (who as well, &c.) against the schooner or vessel called the Hope; and also of Yelverton Taylor and Stephen Decatur, (who as well, &c.) against the brigantine or vessel called the Triton, lately commanded by Jonathan Cooper, and the following negro slaves, found on board the said brigantine at the time of her capture, to wit, Jack, Harry, Sam, James, Anthony and Jack; to the end and intent, that the owner or owners of the said vessels and negro slaves, or any person or persons concerned therein, may appear, and shew cause, if any they have why the said vessels, negro slaves, and cargoes, should not be con- demned, according to the prayers of the said bills,
By order of the Judge,
JOSEPH BLOOMFIELD, Regr.
Oct. 20.
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Mr. COLLINS,
T HE freedom of the press has been generally esteemed . as essential to liberty .- You very properly declared when you were about to publish a News-Paper, your press should be free; and I am inclined to think, it has not been so much your fault, as that of others, that it has appeared to be so much confined. I send you herewith a few hints, which I hope will be of service to the publick ; and I doubt not but that you will publish them in your paper .- If there be any man in the State, who will apply the following characteristics to himself, it will, in my opinion, be an evidence of his extreme vanity : but he must in that case take the blame of misapplication to himself, and not charge any part of it to the author, who would not. be understood to presume that there is any man, as yet, in the State, who will answer the character: but as our Col lege is in a very prosperous way, and the masters of it now entirely devoted to its service, it is probable we may not long want some superior genius arising from thence, who may fully come up to the description.
I am, &c.
CINCINNATUS.
HINTS humbly offered to the consideration of the Legis- lature of New-Jersey, in their future choice of a Governor. , 1. Let him be a foreigner, lately come to the States, for the less he knows of the people,-and the less the people know of him, the better.
2. He ought to have little or no landed interest within the State; because if the Governor pays a large proportion of the taxes himself, he will be too careful in expending the publick money.
3. He should, by all means, be a man who has been bred to the law, (for the name of the thing) but it is not at all necessary that he should understand it; because the under- standing of the law is altogether beneath the dignity of a Governor .-- And,
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4. It will be better if he does not even know how to draw a common warrant or recognizance; because this is the proper business of the Justices of the Peace; and if the Governor was skilled in this kind of business, he might have a violent temptation to infringe the constitution, and solicit an act of assembly investing him with some new and dangerous powers, in the exercise of which he might have an opportunity of shining in the warrant and recognizance way .- But,
5. He ought to be very learned in the doctrine of procla- mations, that essential branch of the prerogative of the Supreme Magistrate; and then he will know that they are of mighty legal import in a free country ; ought to be bel- lowed out upon every occasion, and the Council seldom consulted therein : for it is often as true in politics as in cookery, that too many cooks spoil the broth.
6. He ought to be a man who never did, who never will, and who never can speak in any publick assembly: for it is as great a shame for a Governor to be able to speak in publick, as it is for a woman to speak in the church .- But,
7. He ought to be a purdigious writer,-that is to say, he ought to be very great in the News-Paper way; and blessed with a genius somewhat similar to your admirable correspondent Hortentius : particularly he should be able to imitate his stile and manner in those elegant composi- tions of his, where he holds up to publick view the linings of Mr. Galloway's breeches, spouts his jets d'eaus, and shews how to make prize of the Bergen womens petticoats1 -and above all in that most elegant preface afterwards written, which (from what he tells us) was squeezed out, under the auspices of that sweet-scented Goddess Cloacina : -this is the true sublime, Oh ye Jerseymen ! and the only proper stile for the imitation of his future Excellency your Governor.
1 See New Jersey Archives, 2d Series, 1: 532.
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8. He ought to be a thorough and complete coward, and instead of taking the command of the militia, with which the constitution has very unwisely invested him, when his State shall be invaded (and this will be the time to try mens souls) he ought immediately to abscond into some other State, and skulk about there in beer-houses, spend evenings with carters, and deny his name, until the danger is over-because the life of a Governor is, by far too precious to be exposed at the head of his militia.
9. By possessing the aforesaid excellent quality, he must of necessity, and of right ought to be, a mortal enemy to all Quakers; because a man who dares not fight himself for cowardice-sake, will always domineer over and insult others who will not fight for conscience-sake.
10. He ought to be a man who had rather be anywhere, and with any other company than at his own house, and with his own family; because continued itineration is essentially necessary in a Jersey Governor-and as to all the tender feelings, he ought to be a perfect FLINT.1
11. He ought to be a man who dresses himself like a porter; because so much of the Bashaw as is absolutely necessary in the composition of a Governor, (which, in my opinion, is at least nine tenths) is better concealed under the aforesaid cloathing than any other.
12. He ought to be a man who, for certain reasons, used every artifice in his power to prevent the declaration of INDEPENDENCY, but who, upon coming into office, under the aforesaid declaration, will suddenly tack about, and be for drinking the blood of every man who thought as he did ; because your turn-coats and new converts are always the most violent-and violence is an excellent disposition in a Governor.2
1 "A nick-name for his Excellency, the titular Governor of New-Jersey," explains a New York paper, in reprinting this article.
2 This bitter, sarcastic attack on Governor William Livingston was evi- dently intended to prejudice the Legislature against re-electing him. It had no such effect, however. This article was gleefully reprinted in Rivington's New York Royal Gazette, November 13, 1779.
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TRENTON, OCTOBER 27.
At a Sessions of Oyer and Terminer and General Gaol Delivery held at Gloucester, in and for the county of Gloucester, on the 5th instant, October, Peter Helme was tried for high-treason, and found guilty; James, a negro slave of Anthony Warwich, was convicted of stabbing his master; both are sentenced to be executed the 26th of No- vember next: John Steelman, Daniel Githens and John Smith, were convicted of grand larceny, and burned in the hand.
By letters from the southward, dated the 1st and 2d instant, we learn, that the Experiment of 50 guns, com- manded by Sir James Wallace, was taken on his return from New-York to Savanna by the French, with one gen- eral and about 20 other officers on board; that dispatches were found on board this vessel intimating an embarkation of 4000 troops at New-York for Charlestown or Savanna, in consequence of which Count D'Estaing detached ten ships of the line to convoy them in, but had been disap- pointed by the enemy's return to New-York; that a junc- tion was formed between the Count and Lincoln's army, amounting in the whole to about 9000 men; that Col. Maitland had escaped from Beaufort thro' morasses with his troops to Savanna, leaving behind him the whole of the hospital, artillery, baggage and stores; that the garrison at that post, including Maitland's corps, consists of about 3000 troops, strongly fortified, it was therefore judged best to attack them by regular approaches, and the batteries, consisting of 30 pieces of heavy artillery and 8 mortars, were to be opened on the 4th or 5th instant; that beside the Experiment the French fleet had taken a British man of war of 18 guns, said to have 30,000 guineas on board, to pay the troops at Savanna; and that the Fowey and Ariel men of war were also taken, with all the enemy's transports in the Savanna river.
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The above is the most accurate account we have been able to obtain of the operations to the southward since the arrival of the French fleet at Savanna, which we believe to be pretty authentic, and accounts for part of the fleet being seen off Virginia.
We learn that Verplank's and Stoney Points were evac- uated a few days ago by the enemy, who have retired to New-York, from whence a considerable embarkation, it is said, will soon take place.
We also learn, that a letter is received by Congress from Gen. Gates, informing, that the late movements of the enemy at Rhode-Island indicate a speedy evacuation; and that he, with the army under his command, are marching toward New-York.
Just as this paper was going to press we were informed, that a party of the enemy's light dragoons, consisting of about 100, landed on Tuesday night last at Sandy Point above Amboy, and proceeded on to Bound Brook, where they burnt some stores ; from thence they went up to Van Veghter's bridge and burnt 18 boats; and from thence to Somerset courthouse, which they likewise burnt; and then returned by the way of Brunswick to South-Amboy. The militia turned out and annoyed them very considerably. They killed the horse of the commanding officer, a colonel, and made him prisoner,1 and also one private, beside two or three horses. 'Tis thought several of the enemy were wounded.
Returns of Members of the Legislature, received since our last.
For MIDDLESEX COUNTY, Representative in Council, Jonathan Deare, Esq.
Representatives in Assembly, Colonel John Neilson, Thompon Stelle, Matthias Baker, Esquires.
1 The noted Lieutenant-Colonel John G. Simcoe, whose interesting memoirs were published at New York in 1844.
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GLOUCESTER COUNTY,
Representative in Council, John Cooper, Esq.
Representatives in Assembly, John Sparks, Joseph Low, Thomas Rennard, Esquires.
ESSEX COUNTY, Representative in Council, Stephen Crane, Esq. Representatives in Assembly, Caleb Camb, Jacob Brook- field, Josiah Hornblower, Esquires.
SALEM COUNTY, Representative in Council, Andrew Sinnickson, Esq. Representatives in Assembly, Whitten Cripps, John May- hew, Anthony Sharp, Esquires.
CUMBERLAND COUNTY,
Representative in Council, John Buck, Esq.
Representatives in Assembly, James Ewing, Joel Fithian, Timothy Elmer, Esquires.
W HEREAS an advertisement dated the fourth of Sep- tember last, was, by our order, inserted in the New-Jersey Gazette No. 89, setting forth among other matters, "That a general complaint was made against the person now acting in the quartermaster general's de- partment in this town; and informing the publick, that WE, the Magistrates, would attend at the house of Jacob G. Bergen, innholder, in said place, on Saturday the 11th inst. from one o'clock till evening, then and there to re- ceive and take down such complaint or information, as might be offered us against the person above-mentioned :" And whereas, we did subpæna a number of persons, who, we were informed, had complaints against the said person, and have examined them under oath: We do hereby de- clare, that we find no cause of complaint against the per-
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son now acting as quarter-master in this place, and that the said information is false and groundless.
By order of JOSEPH OLDEN, ELIAS WOODRUFF,
Princeton, Oct. 16, 1779
JOHN JOHNSON, JACOB BERGEN.
ITo be sold by publick vendue, on Tuesday the 2d of November next, 600 acres of unimproved land well wooded, situate within two miles of Musqueto Cove, near Tom's river, in Monmouth county. It is to be sold in lots from 50 to 100 acres in each lot .- Also one moiety of Schenck's sawmill, near the above premises. The titles are indisputable. Attendance will be given on the day of sale, and the conditions made known by
JACOB FOSTER, JOHN KERLIN.
ITo be sold by publick vendue, on Saturday the 6th of November, at the sign of the Whitehorse, a Planta-
tion situate on Crosswick's creek, joining the Draw- bridge; on the place is a good dwellinghouse, and peach orchard; six acres of good wood land joining the landing. Vendue to begin at ten o'clock, when conditions will be made known and attendance given by WILLIAM MONT- GOMERY, minor, and SAMUEL QUA.
W AS stopped a handsome pair of silver TEA TONGS, supposed to be stolen. Any person proving prop- erty, paying charges, may have them again by applying to the printer of this paper.
W ANTED to purchase by the subscriber, a good NEGRO LAD, of about 15 years old, that is stout and hearty, able to do farmer's work; also a NEGRO GIRL, of about 14 years, that is hearty and able to do house-work. Any body that has such to dispose of, will
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please to acquaint the subscriber at New Shanick, in Som- erset county.
To be sold by the subscriber, a stout, likely Negro Man, of about 30 years of age, with his wife. Enquire as above. WILLIAM VERBRYCK.
W AS stopped from Rebecca Tomson by Benjamin Yard, one of the Justices of the Peace for the county of Hunterdon, one Silver Pint Can, all beat together, the handle off, maker's name I. Coburn. Any person who has lost it, or has it stolen from them, may have it again by paying for this advertisement, and proving their property.
S TOLEN from Henry Mershon's, innkeeper, in Amwell, the 14th. inst. a Bay Mare belonging to the sub- scriber, about 14 hands 3 inches high, heavy and well set, good carriage, six years old last grass, half- blooded; she has a scar near the point of her off hip, also one on her off fore leg, opposite the knee joint. Any per- son apprehending the thief and mare, securing the thief and returning the said mare, shall have Two Hundred Dol- lars reward, and for the mare only One Hundred Dollars and all reasonable charges.
NATHAN STOUT.
Amwell, Oct. 25.
S TRAYED or stolen from the continental stable at Princeton, on the night of the 24th inst. a light Bay Horse with a mealy nose and a long switch tail, about 15 hands high, 7 or 8 years old, branded on the near shoulder and buttock C A, trots and canters. Who- ever will secure the thief in any gaol in the state, and de- liver the horse to Mr. ROBERT STOCKTON, shall receive One Hundred Dollars, or for the horse alone Twenty Dol- lars.
Oct. 26. -The New-Jersey Gazette, Vol. II, No. 96, Oct. 27, 1779.
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CHATHAM, Oct. 19.
At the election for the county of Morris, the following gentlemen were chosen :
Counsellor-Silas Condict, Esq ;
Assemblymen-Ellis Cook, Abraham Kitchel, Alex- ander Carmichael, Esquires.
Coroners-Frederick King, Nathan Cooper, Esquires.
NEW-YORK, Oct. 30.
The following is the most perfect account we can yet procure of a late enterprize into New-Jersey, under the command. of Lieut. Col. SIMCOE.
On Thursday Morning last, about 2 o'clock, the Queen's Rangers, with the Cavalry belonging to that Regiment, and ten Light-Horse, under the Command of Capt. Stewart, who are stationed on Staten-Island, landed at Amboy, and proceeded as far as Bonam-Town, when the Foot returned to Amboy, and the Cavalry, amounting to 70, commanded by Col. Simcoe, advanced to Bound-Brook, where they de- stroyed 18 large flat-bottomed Boats, and some Stores ; they then proceeded to Somerset Court House, 28 Miles from Amboy, released the Loyalists confined, set Fire to it, and destroyed a large Quantity of Forage and Stores, col- lected for Mr. Washington's Army.
On their Return on the South Side of the Rariton, within two Miles of Brunswick, in a Piece of Woods they were fired upon by a large body of Rebels, who lay in Ambush ; the Cavalry immediately charged, and dispersed the Rebels,-but Col. Simcoe having in the Charge his Horse shot under him, in the Fall received a Bruise, which stunned him, and his gallant Party thinking him killed, left him on the Field, approached to Brunswick, on the Hill near the Barracks, they discovered 170 Rebels drawn up to receive them; these were also immediately charged and defeated, with great Slaughter. Among the killed we are informed, was a Rebel Major, named Edgar, a Captain
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Voorhies, and another Captain, besides many other Offi- cers .- The Party then proceeded on the Road towards South-Amboy, and several Miles from Brunswick they joined the Foot, who had passed over to South-Amboy. In this Excursion near thirty Prisoners were taken; The whole Loss sustained by this Enterprize, is one Man killed, and 4 taken, besides the brave Colonel Simcoe, who we hear is now a Prisoner at Brunswick.
CHATHAM, October 26. The legislature of this state meet at Trenton this day.
NEW-YORK, Novem. 1.
From different Parts of the Country we learn, That General Washington is collecting every Boat, that can be got in the Province of New-Jersey, New-York and Con- necticut, and has ordered the 4th Man in each Province to be drafted to serve for two Months in Conjunction with the Continental Army .- The New-York Gazette: and the Weekly Mercury, No. 1463, November 1, 1779.
Last week a party of the enemy's light horse, about 100, landed at Amboy, and penetrated into New-Jersey, as far as Somerset court-house, which they burned, together with the meeting-house, the flames of which destroyed one or two other small houses; they also set fire to 18 boats (mounted on carriages) but a party of militia being col- lected, saved 12 of them, drove off the enemy, took their Col. Commandant Simcoe, and some privates prisoners. The remainder, after they had wantonly murdered Capt. Voorhese (a young gentleman much esteemed) who fell into their hands, precipitately retreated to their vessels at Amboy .- The New-York Journal and the General Adver- tiser, Numb. 1849, November 1, 1779.
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Was left with the subscriber, in Evesham township, in the State of New-Jersey, three months ago, by a gentleman of the name of Joseph Molliner a BRINDLE COW, with request that she should be taken care of for a few days, when he would call for her, and pay the expences. He is hereby desired to come, pay the charges, and take her away in four weeks from the date hereof, or she will be sold for the same.
JOSEPH HAMMITT
October 30, 1779. -The Pennsylvania Gazette, November 3, 1779.
Mr. RIVINGTON,
SIR,
Seeing in a late New-York paper a very imperfect ac- count of the affair in Jersey, of the 26th of October, I beg leave to trouble you with the particulars.
MTWENTY-TWO men of the Buck's Light Dragoons, 46 of the Ranger Hussars, and a few others as guides, landed at Perth Amboy, on the morning of the 26th of October, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Simcoe; we immediately proceeded through Quib- ble Town, &c. and early arrived at Mr. Washington's grand camp, with an intent, if the Colonel thought it an object, to destroy the huts; but were informed they had been sold to the inhabitants, some of which upon the right of the line had been pulled down, the remainder the Colonel thought proper to leave standing. We then pursued our rout to Raritan, in the way to which the Buck's troops surrounded the house of Mr. Vanhorne, made prisoners, one Captain, one Lieutenant, and another person, who signed their paroles of honour: We then continued our march to Rari- tan, where we completely burned and destroyed Eighteen large boats on travelling carriages, one ammunition waggon and a quantity of forage, some stores, &c. &c. We there
46
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NEW JERSEY IN THE REVOLUTION. [1779
received a single shot from a distant hill; after this work was compleated, we crossed to Somerset, released two Brit- ish prisoners, and consumed the Court House by fire. On our retreat from Somerset to Brunswick, we had a smart popping in our rear, from mounted rebels armed with long pieces and rifles, we seldom returned a shot: About four miles from Brunswick the rebels were discovered in a wood upon our right flank, upon our left a strong rail fence; the wood was so thick that it was impossible to charge the enemy; we pushed through their line of fire in open files, at which time Colonel Simcoe's horse was killed, and him- self much hurt by the fall. The command then devolved to Capt. Sanford, of the Bucks Troop, who as soon as he was informed of the Colonel's misfortune, collected about 20 dragoons, with which he entered the wood, but found it impossible (owing to its thickness) to act to advantage against the rebels : Indeed it was the opinion of all, at that time, that the Colonel was killed. Capt. Sanford then ordered a retreat towards Brunswick, the mounted rebels in his rear encreasing apace. Upon the plains behind Brunswick we found ourselves in a critical situation, in- fantry in our front formed upon the very road we were obliged to pass, popping shots from both flanks and the mounted pressing upon our rear; in this situation we had but one resourse, which was to cut our way through them if they kept their ground in front, this would have been dangerous with their mounted in our rear. Captain Sandford, after drawing them in the rear across a ravine, faced about the squadron and charged them with success ; killed a Capt. Voorhies, and some others, wounded and took a noted rebel prisoner (Hampton.) After forming we advanced towards the infantry in front, who took to the woods, in passing which we must have suffered much ; in order to avoid which, Capt. Sandford inclined the squadron to the left, as if going through Brunswick; to prevent our retreat that way, the rebels in front pushed to their right; we took the advantage, and with a smart gal-
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