USA > New Jersey > Documents relating to the revolutionary history of the state of New Jersey, Vol. IV > Part 36
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We have the pleasure to inform the Publick, that the loss sustained by the militia, in the two late excursions of the enemy into this state, does not exceed ten killed, forty wounded, and ten prisoners.
The rapidity of General Knyphausen's last movement, with his incendiaries, to Springfield, could only be equalled by his precipitate retreat ;- short as his stay was in the country, the alarm was general, and the whole body of militia in motion; two days would have given us a prodigious force.
We hear from the best authority, that in future no stores will be suffered to remain at this post.
Extract of a letter from Philadelphia, June 28, 1780.
I am favoured with your letter of yesterday morning, informing me of the departure of the enemy from Jersey. So far as it relieves our brave countrymen from immedi- ate invasion I congratulate you and them on the event; and if we are in condition to foil them in an attempt on West-Point, it may be useful to the affairs of the United States.
"Accounts from the southward exhibit a better view of our affairs in the Carolinas than appeared last week. The militia of North-Carolina seem to put on a good countenance. Lord Cornwallis it is said has turned to- wards Camden in South-Carolina, and will probably have occasion to seek his own safety rather than make farther approaches northward. A gentleman (a Mr. Will, I be-
1 Major General Philemon Dickinson, . of Trenton.
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lieve of this town) is arrived here, and, I am told, says he had charge of some waggons with state-papers not far from Col. Blewford's party at the time he was attacked .- Mr. Will escaped with his charge, and says he has seen Col. Blewford since his disaster, who told him that though he lost his waggons and stores, he does not miss above 80 men, which leaves the loss not so heavy as the enemy re- late it. It is said Gen. Caswell has got together about 3000 N. Carolina militia; that 2500 Virginians have marched, and more are preparing. The Maryland line are entire and a body of fine troops: So that with the re- mains of the horse and other corps from the southward, Gen. Gates will soon have a formidable force. The Vir- ginia legislature are reconsidering the sceme of finance of the 18th March, and it is tho't will adopt it nem. con. The Maryland legislature have met again on the subject, and 'tis expected they will accede also. This seems to be the only chance we have of regaining vigour in our publick affairs.
"This day arrived Mr. Beckers, Capt. of marines of the Revolution. She sailed from Martinique the 4th June, made our capes the 18th, but a gust prevented her getting in that evening; next morning she found a frigate near her to windward, which obliged her to push to the southward, and at length to take her chance of an inlet on the coast of Virginia, a little northward of the cape Charles, where she beat over a shoal, and at length stuck fast, but made no water. On Thursday when Capt. Beckers left her she was still staunch, and in a fair way to get off the next tide.
"Capt. Beckers mentions two actions at sea between the French and British fleets the 17th and 19th of May, the latter very severe, in which six capital ships of the British were much shattered, and got into St. Lucia, the rest to Barbados; that by information from St. Lucia either two or four of these ships were condemned as unfit for farther service: That the French ships were not
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so much injured, all being again fitted save one, which was dismasted. That Count de Guichen's son was killed ; and it was said Admiral Rowley was killed: That a Spanish frigate arrived about the 1st of June with advice that 12 Spanish ships of the line, with the usual &c. would join the French fleet in a few days from the Ca- naries. This fleet was left at the Canaries by a sloop which arrived here, on Saturday, having sailed with them from Cadiz the 26th of April. Capt. Beckers seems clear in his account, and says, respecting the damage to the British ships, that besides the information they had at Martinique by passengers from St. Lucia, 20 of the sea- men now on board the Revolution are of those who have made their escape from those damaged ships."
TRENTON, July 4, 1780.
THE LADIES of Trenton, in New-Jersey, emulating the noble example of their Patriotic Sisters of Pennsyl-
vania, and being desirous of manifesting their zeal in the glorious cause of American Liberty, having this day assembled for the purpose of promoting a subscription for the relief and encouragement of those brave Men in the Continental Army, who, stimulated by example, and re- gardless of danger, have so repeatedly suffered, fought and bled in the cause of virtue and their oppressed country : And taking into consideration the scattered situation of the well-disposed thro' the state, who would wish to contribute to so laudable an undertaking, have, for the convenience of such, and the more effectually to carry their scheme into execution, unanimously appointed Mrs. Cox, Mrs. Dickenson, Mrs. Furman and Miss Cad- wallader, a Committee, whose duty it shall be immediately to open subscriptions and to correspond with the Ladies hereafter named, of the different counties throughout the state, requesting their aid and influence in the several districts ; and in order the more expeditiously to carry their scheme into execution, the Ladies now met have
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taken the liberty to solicit the interest of the following Ladies, in promoting said subscriptions, viz. For the County of Hunterdon, Mrs. (Vice-President) Stevens, Mrs. (Judge) Smith, Mrs. (Charles) Coxe, Mrs. R. Stevens, Mrs. Hanna, Mrs. T. Lowrey, Mrs. J. Sexton, Mrs. B. Van Cleve, Mrs. (Col.) Berry, Mrs. (Doctor) Burnet :- County of Sussex, Mrs. (Counsellor) Og- den, Mrs. (Col.) Thompson, Mrs. (Major) Hoops, Mrs. T. Anderson :- County of Bergen, Mrs. (Col.) Dey, Mrs. Fell, Mrs. Kuyper, Mrs. Erskine, Mrs. (Major) Dey :- County of Morris, Mrs. (Counsellor) Condict, Mrs. (Parson) Jones, Mrs. (Col.) Remsen, Mrs. Vanzant, Mrs. Carmichael, Mrs. (Col.) Cook, Mrs. Fæsch :- County of Essex, Mrs. (Governor) Livingston, Mrs. C. Camp, Mrs. (Dr.) Burnet, Mrs. (Elisha) Boudinot, Mrs. Hornblower :- County of Middlesex, Mrs. Neilson, Mrs. (Counsellor) Deare, Mrs. (George) Morgan, Mrs. (Col.) Neilson, Mrs. Neilson, Mrs. (Daniel) Marsh :- County of Monmouth Mrs. (Gen.) Forman, Mrs. (Col.) Scudder, Mrs. Newell, Mrs. (Peter) Forman, Mrs. (Jacob) Wikoff, Mrs. (Peter) Covenhoven :- County of Burlington, Mrs. (Col.) Cox, Mrs. Counsellor Tallman, Mrs. (Col.) Borden, Mrs. (Secretary) Reed, Mrs. (Capt.) Read :- County of Somerset, Lady Stirling, Mrs. (Gen- eral) Morris, Mrs. (Col.) Martin, Mrs. (Attorney-Gen- eral) Paterson, Mrs. R. Stockton :- County of Glou- cester, Mrs. (Col.) Clark, Mrs. (Col.) Wescot, Mrs. (Col.) Ellis, Mrs. (Col.) Hugg, Mrs. Bloomfield :- County of Salem, Mrs. (Col.) Dick, Mrs. Mayhew, Mrs. Tagart, County of Cumberland, Mrs. (Counsellor) Buck, Mrs. Harris, Mrs. Elmer, Mrs. Bowen, Mrs. Fithian :- County of Cape-May, Mrs. (Counsellor) Hand, Mrs. Whilden, Mrs. Townsend, Mrs. Hildreth; whose well known patriotism leaves no room to doubt of their best exertions in the promotion of an undertaking so humane and praiseworthy, and that they will be happy in forward- ing the amount of their several collections, either with or
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without the names of the donors, which will be immedi- ately transmitted by Mrs. (Moore) Furman, who is hereby appointed Treasurer, to be disposed of by the Commander in Chief, agreeable to the General Plan.
As the Ladies here would wish to expedite the good work as much as possible, they have appointed Miss Dag- worthy of Trenton, their Secretary, who will receive and answer all letters that the Ladies of the different counties may think proper to favour her with on the occasion, and to furnish them with proper subscription papers as soon as possible.
TO BE SOLD,
An excellent Draught Horse.
Enquire of the Printer.
THE person who borrowed a pair of Saddle-bags from the Printer, is requested to return them by the first op- portunity.
Two Hundred Dollars Reward.
S I TRAYED or STOLEN, from a pasture between Princeton and Rockyhill, on Thursday the 22d of June last, a GREY MARE, natural trotter, 4 years old next spring, 14 hands one inch high, has a low car- riage, switch tail, branded on the off buttock with near a figure 8 something dim, marked on the breast with a collar, and no shoes on. Whoever takes up said mare so that the owner may have her again, shall receive the above re- ward with reasonable charges.
JAMES HAMILTON.1
Princeton, July 1.
1 For some account of the Hamiltons, of Princeton, see Proceedings New Jersey Historical Society, 3d Series, 5 : 6.
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S TRAYED or Stolen out of the pasture of Mr. David Clarkson, at Maple-Town, near Princeton, on the night of the 26th instant, a BROWN GELDING, 14 hands and about 3 inches high, in bad celture, his car- riage rather gay, trots and canters, his dock very short, and part of the hoof of his off fore foot broke. Whoever secures said horse and will deliver him to either Messers. David Clarkson, Alexander Carmichael, at Morristown, or William Livingston, jun. at Elizabeth-Town, shall re -. ceive Two Hundred Dollars reward, and reasonable charges paid by
June 28, 1780.
JOHN L. LIVINGSTON.
TO BE SOLD,
A PLANTATION, pleasantly situated on the banks of the Raritan, about one mile and a half from the city of New- Brunswick, and directly opposite the Landing bridge, containing 76 acres very good land, well wooded and watered, and in an exceeding healthy spot; there is on the premises a genteel house almost new, with a stable, cowhouse, &c. Would either suit for a tavern, store, tradesman, or gentleman's seat, being in the heart of a very fine country. For further particulars enquire of the subscriber living on the premises.
ELIJAH. PHILLIPS.
Somerset county, June 26, 1780.
One Hundred Dollars Reward.
TRAYED away on the 29th of May last, a middle
S sized RED Cow, with a white face, has very small horns, and a black spot over each eye. - - - Whoever takes up said stray cow and delivers her to Mrs. Dag- worthy, in Trenton, shall receive the above reward and reasonable charges.
Trenton, July 2, 1780.
-N. J. Gazette, Vol. III, No. 132, July 5, 1780.
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New York, July 5.
On Sunday last was taken the Sloop Hazard, John Shaw, master, loaded with lumber, bound from Egg Har- bour to Rhode-Island, taken off Sandy Hook, by a Tender of his Majesty's ship the Raisonable.
From the Boston Gazette, dated June 26.
Extract of a letter from Fairfield, dated June 16.
A gentleman this moment has come off Long-Island, and brings account that the enemy, in their late ma- noeuvre into the Jersies, have met with a repulse, and their loss sustained is 150 men killed, 3 or 400 wounded- General Stirling is dead since the action, belonging to the British army-nothing more transacted."
Every endeavour has been used to exaggerate the loss of the King's Troops, to represent it as considerable, and conceal that of the rebels in this Jersey affair. We are assured from an authority which never misled us, that their militia gentry in particular, on the excursion, were uncommonly chastised, and that in one of the skirmishes those of Essex county alone were corrected to the amount of 114 killed, wounded, and missing, The Newark ad- venturers too were copiously phlebotomized, many of the republican families in East Jersey have lost their daddies and brother Jonathans, whilst others are smarting and groaning under the wounds received from the animated fire which drove them to their recesses and defiles We have much pleasure in declaring that General Stirling is in a fair way of recovery .- The Royal Gazette, No. 393, July 5, 1780.
Since our last, returned to this place, Major General Dickinson. The enemy having evacuated the State, the
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General at the request of His Excellency the Commmander in Chief marched the militia to Elizabeth Town and de- stroyed those works which the enemy had erected at and near the Old Point; which service being performed, he dismissed them with great reputation.
We have the pleasure to inform the public, that the loss sustained by the militia, in the two late excursions of the enemy into this State, does not exceed ten killed, forty wounded, and ten prisoners.
The rapidity of General Knyphausen's last movement, with his incendiaries, to Springfield, could only be equalled by his precipitate retreat, short as his stay was in the country, the alarm was general, and the whole body of militia in motion; two days would have given us a pro- digious force.
We hear from the best authority, that in future no stores will be suffered to remain at this post .- The Penn- sylvania Packet, July S, 1780.
PHILADELPHIA, June 24
Two vessels retaken from the Picaroens, who are cruis- ing in our bay and Chesapeak, the week past, are sent into Egg-Harbour.
NEW-YORK, July 10
Yesterday came into Port the Privateer Brig Admiral Rodney, Daniel Moore, Commander. The Day before off Sandy-Hook, he fell in with a Rebel Privateer Brig, of 16 six and 9 Pounders, with whom he had a severe En- gagement, for 3 Glasses within Pistol Shot. Captain Moore and several of his Crew, are dangerously wounded, and 6 killed. The Admiral Rodney having her Boom shot away, could not pursue the Enemy .- The New-York Ga- zette: and the Weekly Mercury, No. 1499, July 10, 1780.
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Was taken from the shore, about the 6th of June last, a little above the mouth of Mantua creek, Gloucester county, a large new BATTEAU, pine sides, with two boards near of a width on each side, one pine board in the middle of the bottom and the rest of the bottom cedar, two of her knees are mulberry, the rest whiteoak and whiteoak stem. Whoever secures said batteau, so that the owner may get her again, shall receive ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS reward paid by JOHN STEPHENS, near the mouth of Mantua creek .- The Pennsylvania Gazette, July 12, 1780.
To his Excellency Lieutenant General Knyphausen, Com- mander of a detachment of the British army, in the late invasion of New-Jersey.
SIR,
A S a man, a gentleman and a soldier, I presume that a right of addressing you, when it is done in truth and decency, cannot be denied me, consistent with the sufferages of all nations, however you may differ from me in point of honorary rank, or superior authority .- By the former we are entitled to expect the greatest propriety in all your proceedings-by the latter, you are certainly accountable in some measure, for the conduct of every per- son acting under your influence and that authority .- Your army is either well disciplined or it is not-You either command troops who are accustomed to implicit obedience, or by a want of attention to your duty and a neglect of every essential that constitutes the character of a soldier, you have suffered a veteran army, committed to your care, to sink into a vast croud of lawless banditti .- The last you will not-you cannot admit .- I shall therefore consider you in this address as the head of a well disci- plined army, from whom every movement as necessarily flows, as the blood from the human heart.
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You may perhaps, notwithstanding all this, at first be surprised at the freedom of this public address from a stranger, whom you have honoured with the appellation of Rebel-As some apology however, I beg leave to inform you, that I am just returned from tracing that horrid path which you have so lately stamped with the indelible characters of relentless fury, and the most timed devasta- tion .- These, not the concomitants of a soldier (an hon- ourable character I greatly respect) but of a powerful executioner of royal malice, detested by every friend of mankind.
The funeral of one of the most amiable woman, whose whole life, had breathed nothing but benevolence and good will to every human creature, for a while suspended my astonishment and engaged my attention .- I thought myself greatly honoured, by paying her those last rights of friendship and humanity which you most cruelly re- fused her, tho' she fell the victim of your heroism and became the principle trophy of your pompous invasion.
Your Excellency cannot be ignorant, that the wife of the Revd. Mr. James Caldwell, is the worthy lady to whom I refer .- I think her name can never be forgotten by you, but must be remembered, with inexpiable anguish and misery, in the last agonies of your expiring nature .- I acknowledge Mr. Caldwell was your enemy-he was so, candidly, openly and uniformly-as such you had a right to meet him in the field, and to have opposed him val- iantly in arms; but suffer me to ask your Excellency, did it become the dignified character of a soldier, when disappointed in every other malevolent attempt, to descend to the brutal alternative of assassination .- Assassination -not of a man, who might possibly, in the worst of cir- cumstances, have defended himself; but of a sweet, placed, innocent lady, whose only security was a vain and delusive dependance on the humanity of a relentless foe. -Alas ! for humanity ! The horrid crime is perpetrated, and that by a British, disciplined soldier, under a veteran
+
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General-purchased from a foreign country, by a British King.
In this act your Excellency has, it is true, most severely wounded this gentleman, in the tenderest part .- You have also the consolation of adding to this valiant deed, not only the depriving of nine sweet babes, of one of the most affectionate parents on earth, but you have devoted to the flames and plunder, his habitation and property, by which those dear pledges of their mutual affection, are turned out hungry and naked, to the benevolence of their friends .- I doubt not you will deny this charge nay, I have already seen an attempt of this nature by a British officer, aggravated by the most abominable false- hood; but it is on your Excellency as the commanding officer, which I before observed, that we have a right to fix this horrid act. I confess it is not known to us, that it was perpetrated by your express order, yet it is ascer- tained beyond a doubt, by unexceptionable testimony, that you since knew, it was done designedly by one of your soldiers ; and it has not yet appeared, that you have so much as threatened to punish the murderer .- Had you resented the horrid deed, or had she fell by accident, hu- manity would have dictated some respect to be shown to the corps of a lady of her invaluable character, an[d to the two] harmless infants, thereby exposed am [idst] your army. Neither of these you did .- That her [life- less] body did not meet even with insult, is not owing to your delicacy, but to the humanity of two gentlemen not of the army. The deed is therefore your's, and your army's. And that every nation and every age may know it, the faithful page of history shall relate the transac- tion, and the same marble which presents her memory and perpetuates her virtues, shall so relate the story of her death, as to shew Americans in what detestation they are to hold the name of Hessian, Britain and Tory.
I am informed that you have near five hundred of Mr. Caldwell's manuscript sermons in your possession, many
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of which I have heard; to these he appeals, read them, conside [r] them well; who knows but one of those rays of christian benevolence and patriotic sentiment, that breathes thro' the whole of them, may penetrate your heart, and produce that contrition of spirit and unfeigned repentance which may finally yield you a comfortable hope, which can be produced by no other earthly source whatever.
What could be expected by those daily betrayers of your confidence the Tory refugees, the very dregs of man- kind, by pointing your malice against that gentleman in so particular a manner, I cannot conceive. Nothing but stupidity, blinded by malice and despair, could lead them to think that, in a dispute like this, any individual is of so much importance with us, that his destruction should essentially effect the common cause .- No, thank God, our liberties hang not on so precarious a prop. Be no longer deceived, depend upon it, that however divided about trifles and ceremonies, whenever you make the experiment, you will find us united in the grand essential point .- Look on the sands that bind the ocean; if a furious, re- sistless wave should remove one, another instantly takes its place, what the shore loses in one part it gains in another .- Attend and be wise.
Your Excellency has now made two expeditions in force into the heart of this county, and what have you gained that I have not mentioned; you have equally im- mortalized British cruelty, and the unshaken united forti- tude, as well as the unparalleled bravery of a free people. -You have erased, by the most wanton destruction, not only every Temple of the living God that came within your reach, but you have deprived upwards of forty fam- ilies of very valuable dwellings and other improvements, and a much greater number of their personal property, to gratify your own and your army's thirst for plunder. These things we do-we must feel; but can you be persuaded that thereby you crush our spirits ? No, they
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rise as far superior to these feeble efforts, as your army by these means sink below the character of men and of soldiers. That you might have been convinced of the impolicy of your conduct, I sincerely wished that yourself and many of your inferior firebrands, could have beheld the wives of freemen, in the mountains, viewing their houses in flames, with heroic fortitude, with calm and ever smiling countenances, recounting their various re- sources for future subsistance; whilst their husbands, roused to brave enthusiasm, pressed upon you in battle, and by the quick step of your hasty retreat, more than re- paid to these American heroines, the distresses of your sud- den surprise. Did not your judgment desert you with your humanity, you would know that by cheapening of life, you abate the fear of death, and thereby make us more perfect soldiers. You have now felt our pulse, and does it not rise, with the more ardent flame of liberty ?
A few months ago when the revolution respecting our money was to take place. I had my own fears, lest it might produce an ill-timed apathy among our people. Your disappointed and mortified politicians, as was nat- ural, mistook this political ague for an apoplectic, and waited the fall of Charlestown, as the important crisis for producing the last struggle .- Under this frenzy they have prevailed upon you to come out. The experiment has happily removed my fears, and I believe began the cure of your madness ; our misfortunes on one hand, and the cruelty of your army on the other, have raised such a spirit as ha[s] not been lately seen in this country; a spirit which will no longer tamely bear the Tories and neutrals among ourselves, no longer bear your insults with patience. I could with the gentlemen of the British army, to remember they have unguarded towns on the island of Great Britain .- The officers and refugees in your army have wives and children among us. They compliment while they insult our humanity.
Great-Britain is not without her arsenals, her yards
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and magazines. An English tongue, habit and manners may produce more speedy vengeance than addresses to your reason, or your honor. Remember John the Painter, who lost his house and effects at Amboy on the first land- ing of your army, and the destruction of the dock-yards at Portsmouth. He was a poor man, without friends, and unassisted by public council or money. I know that you have too much reason to laugh at our public appeals to Heaven hitherto, on the subject of retaliation-perhaps we now suffer deservedly for so base a profanation of sacred things .- Would to God the misery had fallen on those who are most immediately the delinquents, we should not now have had the necessity of associating in important bodies for this necessary purpose. However, you have now had your day; ours may not be far off. We have been now taught to consider our property as only of present utility, and that to secure any, all must be at the public service; the next attempt will convince you, what the whole personal strength of this country, as well as the abundance of its supplies, can accomplish .- By this time you are able to form some judgment of your fruitless invasion ; set down and count the cost, and from that calculation make an estimate of what your requisi- tions must be to accomplish the conquest of the United States. Be honest in your information to your royal master, and convince him that neither his avarice, his vanity, nor his obstinacy, can possibly be gratified even at the expence of his three kingdoms, with the addition of his favourite Hanover into the bargain.
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