USA > New Jersey > Documents relating to the revolutionary history of the state of New Jersey, Vol. IV > Part 41
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four years old, half blooded, a natural trotter, four- teen hands and a half high, marked with the traces on both sides, a high rump bone, shod before with old shews. Whoever takes up said horse, if strayed, and brings him to the subscriber, shall have Two Hundred Dollars reward ; but if stolen, and the thief brought to justice, Five Hun- dred Dollars, paid by
MICHAEL GORDON.
Hacket's Town, Sussex 1 county, August 1, 1780.
TRAYED from the subscribers, in Rahway, seventeen sheep, five of which are lambs; the chief of the old
sheep are marked with a swallow fork in the left ear, and a half crop in the right, and painted in the forehead with Spanish brown and tar. The lambs marked with a hole in the left ear, and swallow fork in the right. Whoever secures said sheep, so that the owner may get them again, shall receive One Hundred Dollars reward, and all reason- able charges, paid by DAVID SHOTWELL.
N. B. One black sheep marked with a half-penny the under side the right ear; and am not certain of the other mark, but suppose it is a swallow fork in left ear, and a half-penny the upper side and under side the right .- The New-Jersey Journal, Vol. II., Numb. LXXVI., August 2, 1780.
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TRENTON, AUGUST 2.
The French fleet, commanded by the Chevalier de Ter- nay, left Brest the 2d May. A considerable body of French troops were then lying there to be embarked, but there were not transports at Brest to receive them. It was expected that many transports would be ready in the course of three or four weeks, when it is probable that those troops will sail for America, escorted by some ships of the line under the command of the Count Duchassaud.
On Tuesday, the 25th of July, were happily married at Mansfield, in Burlington county, Mr. Thomas Richards, aged sixty-eight, to Mrs. Elizabeth Rickets, aged sixty-two.
In the morning of the 25th ult. died at Camp, of the wounds he received in bravely doing his duty before the Block-house near Bull's ferry, on the 21st, Lieutenant Jacob Morris De Hart, of the 2d Pennsylvania regiment, aged nineteen years.1 The emulation and fire necessary to warm a soldier's breast soon kindled in this young, but manly officer, having entered into the service of his country at sixteen; from which time his sweetness of disposition, and attention to duty, gained him the affection of officers of every rank .- At five o'clock in the afternoon he was buried with the honours of war; attended by a large con- course of officers from the different lines of the army.
The infamous Jock Hyde, alias John Haight, jun. who had not long ago joined the enemy on Staten-Island, was lately made prisoner in Woodbridge, whither he had come with an intent to steal horses; and was on Sunday last safely lodged in the, gaol of this town.
Sunday night last a plundering party of the enemy came from Staten-Island to Woodbridge, where they collected a
1 Jacob Morris De Hart was commissioned Ensign of Captain Jacob Ash- mead's company of Light Infantry, Pennsylvania Second Regiment, June 2d, 1778; First Lieutenant, May 16th, 1780 .- Penn. Archives, Second Series, 10 : 410, 399.
1
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few cattle, but the militia presently collected, drove off the enemy and recovered the cattle.
Yesterday were brought to town under guard, being on their way to Philadelphia, Col. George Taylor, Lieut. Samuel Leonard, Lieut John Thompson, Ensign John Lawrence, and Chrineyonce VanMater, late inhabitants of Monmouth, and three others .- They were made prisoners at Shrewsbury on Wednesday last by a party of our militia.
Captain Barry arrived at Philadelphia a few days ago in a short passage from St. Eustatia, and we are told brings advice, that the combined fleets of France and Spain sailed five days before he left St. Eustatia, from Martinico, with 6 or 8000 troops on board, supposed to be gone against Barbados.
Extract of a letter from an Officer at Camp, dated July 24, 1780.
-
"Inclosed you have a list of Admiral de Ternay's force, exclusive of two twenty gun ships, two bomb-ketches, and one sloop of war of eighteen guns .- The troops under Lieutenant-General Count de Rochambault consist of five regiments, one legion, and a detachment of royal artillery ; the whole amounting to 6000 men. Four thousand more will come with the second division ;- the number of ships unknown.
Names of ships under the command of Monsieur le Chevalier de Ternay.
Guns.
Guns.
Le Duc de Burgogne
80 La Provence
64
Le Cesar
74 L'Eveille
64
Le Neptune
74 L'Ardent
64
Le Jason
64
Le Fantasque 64
FRIGATES.
L'Hermoine
32 La Surveillante
32
L'Amazone
32
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Extract of a letter from Camp at Pracaness, dated July 29, 1780.
"This morning, at three o'clock, the whole army ex- cept the Jersey brigade, marched from this place, as we imagine for King's ferry, and how much further is very uncertain. It appears by accounts from New-York that Sir. H. Clinton, with all the troops he can muster, are embarked on board transports and gone up the East-River. It is also said by good authority, that Admirals Arbuthnot and Graves with all their ships and little boats, are now lying before Rhode-Island .- You will readily conjec- ture from these circumstances, that our good friends and allies will soon have an opportunity of discovering to every political infidel or tory their attachment and zeal for this country, and their high sense of the honour of their Prince."
To BE SOLD at Public Vendue
By JACOB BENJAMIN, in Trenton, on Saturday, next, the 5th instant, THREE HORSES, a STOVE, And sundry other ARTICLES.
NICHOLAS GEORGE,
TAYLOR, from PHILADELPHIA,
B EGS leave to inform the Publick that he has taken a shop at the house of Mr. Richmond, tavern-keeper, in Trenton, where he intends to carry on his busi- ness in the best manner and newest fashions. Those Gentlemen that please to favour him with their custom,
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may depend on having their work well done, and on the shortest notice, by their and the Publick's humble ser- vant,
NICHOLAS GEORGE.
Trenton, August 1, 1780.
PHILIP WARNER,
TOBACCONIST, from PHILADELPHIA,
AKES this method of informing the Public that he carries on the Tobacco Manufactory in Trenton, near the Market, where country Store-keepers, and others, may be supplied with any kind of tobacco, whole- sale or retail, at the Philadelphia lowest prices. He has also on hand a quantity of good Scotch Snuff in bladders.
TO BE SOLD,
A TRACT of LAND, commonly called the Burnt Swamp, lying in Nottingham township, Burlington county, and about five miles from Trenton, containing One Hundred and Fifteen Acres .- A considerable part of it is well timber'd, and may be made into meadow. Apply to LAMBERT CADWALADER.1
Trenton, August 1, 1780.
1 For a sketch of Col. Lambert Cadwalader, see N. J. Archives, 27: 469 ; and Penn. Archives, 2d Series, 10 : 107. A fine steel-engraved portrait of Col. Cadwalader is given in the last-named volume, opposite p. 4SS. Some account of his father is given in N. J. Archives, 19 : 293-4.
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LOST,
A BOUT two weeks ago, by the subscriber, in or near Trenton, a Certificate for the sum of two hundred and forty dollars, signed by Peter Gordon,1 late Quartermaster at Trenton, number forgot .- Whoever finds said Certificate, and delivers it to the owner, shall have FORTY DOLLARS for their trouble, paid by
DANIEL SMITH. July 25th, 1780.
-New Jersey Gazette, Vol. 3, No. 136, August 2, 1780.
SCOWS
Or Newark Ferry Boats.
A NY persons having two or three Scows to dispose of, may hear of a purchaser by applying to Capt. Miller, No. 37 King Street .- The Royal Gazette, No. 401, August 2, 1780.
To the PRINTER of the ROYAL GAZETTE.
I
I' T would be superfluous to call to remembrance the almost infinite and artful frauds practised by American demagogues, to precipi- tate the Colonies into their present deplorable condition.
To compare their odious tyranny with the Turkish government, would really be doing great injustice to that empire; for tho' in those provinces, the rich, occasionally may be squeezed by the Bashaws, who, in turn, receive the bow string, yet the people really are at their ease.
In the revolted Colonies, life, liberty, and property is undeniably at command of every despot in power in or out of the Congress. How often have we heard that their invincible navies and armies, were sufficient to defend them against the world ;- that a great part of Europe depended on their granaries, and that Great Britain utterly exhausted must decline future efforts.
1 For some notices of several persons of this name, see Proceedings N. J. Hist. Soc., 3d Series, 3 : 139-140.
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In fine, the Congress, last year, impiously declared that their Em- pire was fixed as fate, &c. Notwithstanding this firm basis of Inde- pendence, French fleet and army is arrived to prop its foundation, as they alledge.
The French unquestionably possess a pliant versatility of manners, unknown to the bravest nations of Europe; therefore I doubt not their perfectly according for the present, with their allies, whom they will acknowledge the most grateful, brave, candid and humane people that ever existed. Indeed we are already informed, that the French troops have more than extreme ardour to combat for American free- dom, so congenial to French liberty ; and that the inhabitants of the States, are animated with an ardent enthusiasm, to contend for the glory of the Grand Monarque.
These Halcyon days must speedily terminate.
Every considerable American remembering the invariable national perfidy of France, will dread Realization of the fable of the Horse, who invoked the aid of man. This severe truth, is very constantly jus- tified by history, and expressly confirmed by their lately celebrated Abbe Reynal, who is by no means chargeable as prejudiced in favour of England .- In his history of the settlements p. 380, Book XIX His words are "In short the insulting behaviour of France which en- "creased with her victories; the natural turns of her intrigues to "spread dissention every where to reign alone; her contempt for the "fate of treaties, her haughty and authoritative tone confirmed the "change of envy, into hatred, and raised universal alarms."
Contrary to every human probability, let us now suppose the houses of Bourbon, to attain the Empire of the Main.
Surely no man of understanding can conceive that the policy which sacrificed its national honour, faith, blood and treasure, to acquire an object so important, would permit the creation of a naval power in America, soon to become more certainly formidable than that de- pressed at such vast expence. Is there a sensible Colonist unac- quainted, that such naval power soon must arise; that a fact so obvious, cannot elude the attention of a court celebrated for political knowledge ; or that a nation, contemning the faith of treaties, would not confide in seeing this American fleet invariably ranged under her banners? France, tho' profiting by the treason, must despise and distrust the Traitors, and will constantly remember, that as her un- natural connexion is far less profitable to America than one with Britain, it must be torn asunder as soon as the provinces can avow their sentiments. This event, probably would be accelerated by death or removal of the present incendiaries, or by a British Minister hold- ing out alliance and offers of aid to conquer Hispaniola, or other French spoils.
Never can it become the interest of Great-Britain to conquer Mexico, or any considerable possessions of Spain. The situation and goodness of her country, and the native industry of her inhabitants, will always command the mines of Mexico, on easier and more
36
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rational terms than conquest. But if permanent empire is fixed in the British colonies; the Spanish monarchy in America, must, and speedily will be dissolved. It therefore requires no penetration to per- ceive, that however expedient to the present purposes of the House of Bourbon to cajole my countrymen, they never can become free or independent by concurrence of these powers.
Actuated by this sound policy, France with avidity, seized the first pretext to make a lodgement in one of the gates of America, and she will not speedily lose sight of the finest provinces of this country ; from which she never can be expelled, save by Great Britain, the natural guardian of America.
But many well meaning persons may alledge that my countrymen have equal ardour and power to prevent such degradation, by expel- ling the arms of France. Time will evince the utter impracticability of this assertion. Posterity will agree that considerable part of the consequence, real or apparent, of the insurgents, originated in the parliamentary opposition ; in the mistaken, tho' generous lenity of Great Britain; or in other causes, several of which most happily no longer exist.
The affair at Trenton did not cost the assailants ten men, and I have reason to believe that the surprize would never have been at- tempted, if an almost moral certainty of success had not presented.
Troops so advantageously posted, never made a more important defence, than did the insurgents at Brandywine. The action at Ger- mantown may do some credit to Mr. Washington's sagacity, but dis- graces his troops .- The surrender of General Burgoyne's army does not militate against the present purpose : In effect, he did not sur- render 3000 fighting men, and if his proceedings had not been marked by a series of fatalities, it is probable the New Englanders, to this hour, would have rested their defence in GOD and the Southern Army .* By the French alliance, and abandonment of Philadelphia, the rebels acquired numbers and confidence, till then unknown: But during the long, dangerous and ably conducted march thro' the Jer- sies, did they effect any glorious or advantageous purpose? Were they not disgraced by part of a division of the army under the eye of the enlightened Commander in Chief? If unhappily it had been thought expedient to have transported the King's army from Phila- delphia to New-York, innumerable gasconades respecting the absolute impossibility of penetrating through the Jersies in the face of the in- vincible Rebel army, had been obtruded on the world, and would have obtained credit with those who, from simplicity or design judge, or affect to judge of causes by events which never originated in, or were generated by said causes. Certainly the late attack by Mr. Wash- ington's chosen bands, on a handfull of brave wood-cutters, does not augur that his troops, even joined with the Saratoga army, would expel Mons. Rochambault from America.
That Gentle-man will probably not be undecisive in his defence,
* See the New-England Gazettes for August, 1777.
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every principle forbids it .- There are no R -s, no minorities in France. &c.
Nothing therefore seems clearer, in human affairs, than, that the revolted colonies, unaided by Great Britain, never can shake off the yoke of France, and that dependence on that kingdom must ruin America. That nation only by her racks and wheels, can prevent emigration to the colonies ; the surest source of power and wealth.
It is her's to enervate and immoralize the Americans, by her frivo- lous and voluptuous manners, to seduce their abject leaders, or awe the refractory by prompt and arbitrary decisive measures. Her mer- chant's have not sufficient power or inclination to promote American industry, or even commerce, which they avariciously monopolize, to the impoverishment of our natives, in whom they have no confidence ; deficient themselves, in that honest mercantile English candour so ill compensated by French finesse. Every intelligent American will per- ceive these facts, and that a perfect contrast is found in connection with Great-Britain, who has tendered more than we desired.
Her generous merchants again would have been enriched by yield- ing unaccustomed and unbounded faith .- Her fleets would have de- fended us ; no mushroom armies had devoured us ; arrets would not have extorted the surplus provisions of all families, rum, salt, &c. Then ordonnances would not have compelled on pain of expulsion from their houses, the miserable inhabitants of Rhode-Island, to labour without DISTINCTION on the French lines. Nor in every province accumulated crimes and miseries so multiplied, so humilia- ting, that I blush to have received existence in a country submitting to such galling chains, forged surely by the least respectable in the community.
These recreant leaders, are clearly apprized of the conclusions resulting from these premisses, but lost to every sentiment of virtue, humanity, and patriotism ; they are proud of becoming slaves to France, more securely to enslave their unhappy country. Ambitious of unmerited self-importance and empire, they have plunged their country into the deepest anarchy and misery. Unhappily too well have they succeeded in the first, but humanely speaking, their efforts for the last will certainly be found premature :
Time most assuredly will evince, that the Colonists are to remain slaves to France ;* if they do not once more become a happy people, by renewing and cementing their natural connexion, with the most respectable nation and government, (including all its imperfections) that ever did or perhaps will exist on the earth.
COLONUS.
* It is confidently said, that Mr. Izard, lately arrived in the fleet from France, boldly and loudly proclaims in Philadelphia, that the Congress beyond possibility of doubt, have undone their country by basely selling her to France.
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To the PRINTER.
SIR,
A GREEABLE to your request, I give the following narrative of what I saw, heard, and conceived rela-
tive to the death of Mrs. Caldwell; not as you say to contradict the Rebel accounts (for they sufficiently contradict each other) but for the satisfaction of such judicious inquirers as wish to be informed.
I, without being requested by any one, or attached to any detachment of the army, from mere curiosity, marched from Elizabeth Town with a column of British troops, I did not enquire, nor do I yet know who com- manded them; the column halted near a house said to be Mr. Caldwell's: I soon saw a group of soldiers in and about said House, and on my nearer approach, heard some of them mention, (rather piteously) a woman's being shot in the house, as soon as the crowd dispersed, I entered the house and not without difficulty, found her laying on her back on a bed that stood in a small dark back bed room, (for I don't recollect it had any window) tho' it had two doors that opened into other apartments. She was to appearance dead, and had a cloth carelessly thrown over her face, which I did not remove but left her, expecting the troops would soon march, when her friends might take care of her. Some time after this, a detach- ment moved near Rahway river, I followed, and did not
return in less than three hours, when some person who was near Mr. Caldwell's house, told me the woman was stripped, and thrown off the bed, but that a British officer's coming in, had prevented the soldiers from carry- ing off her cloaths: On entering the house, I found her laying on her face on the floor beside the bed, and most of what cloaths had been pulled off by her side. I con- cluded she had been taken off of the bed that the bedding might be taken from under her :- As I came out of the house I met at the door a Mr. Benjamin Dunn, a Refugee
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of Piscataway, (New-Jersey) who seemed sensibly touched with the humane feelings of an informed Loy- alist; he had not yet seen the corpse, but desired me to shew her to him; I did so: We then examined every circumstance in our power, in order, if possible, to dis- cover the cause of the lady's death, who by this time we had heard was Mrs. Caldwell. We found that on account of a, pantry that was building on the back side of the house, a small spot of covering had been pulled off op- posite to the bed whereon the Lady sat, the only ball we could discover that had touched the house, was the one that killed her: It appeared to have come from a northern direction (in the course of the Rebel fire) and passed between the joints of the plaistered wall, it seemed to have passed so far above the bed, as to have hit her above her girdle and its passing through her left breast I account for, by supposing her to have sat in a stooping posture .- Mr. Dunn, and myself, (for I cannot say which proposed it) concluded to go to the nearest house, which we did, and asked the woman to call some of the neigh- bouring women, and go to lay the corps out. This she declined, but said, she would send for assistance if we could get help to remove her to her house, which was done; and at the instance of Mr. W. Chandler, a Hessian sentinel was set at the door, while the women performed their last kind office to their friend; at this house was a young woman, who said that she sat on the same bed with Mrs. Caldwell at the time she was shot, and that she was shot by the continental troops. About two hours after the corpse was removed, Mr. Caldwell's house was set on fire.
I am, Sir, Your most obedient, Humble Servant, EBENEZER FOSTER.1
1 Ebenezer Foster was a prominent citizen of Woodbridge some years before the Revolution. He was already one of the trustees of the Free Schools of the Township when Governor Franklin granted a charter of
1
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NEW JERSEY IN THE REVOLUTION.
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[Mr. Foster, (who gives the above account of Mrs. Cald- well's fate, was a justice of peace in the county of Mid- dlesex in New Jersey) is a Gentleman of great integrity, and a very loyal subject.]
About a week ago Justice Barnes1 of Woodbridge, Isaac Freeman, and an elderly man, and Joseph Shotwell, of 70 years of age, suspected of being secretly friends to the old constitution, were committed to Morristown gaol, in
incorporation to the trustees, June 24th, 1769, naming Mr. Foster as one of them. He was a vestryman of the Church of England of Woodbridge, and was named as such in the charter incorporating the church, December 6th, 1769. He was appointed a justice of the peace of Middlesex county, June 9th, 1770. He was commissioned a Judge of the Court of Oyer and Terminer of the same county, July 10th, 1773, and on December 14th, 1773, was appointed a Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of that county. His sympathies were evidently with the British, and perhaps it was be- cause this fact was well understood, that at a meeting of the freeholders of the county, on January 3d, 1775, held pursuant to the recommendations of the Continental Congress, he was appointed on a committee of obser- vation for Woodbridge. A few days later, at a meeting of the inhabitants of the town, he was appointed on the committee of observation, and with two others was authorized, in case the Assembly failed to appoint dele- gates to the Continental Congress in the May following, to meet with the committees from the other counties of the province in Provincial Congress, and appoint such delegates. On January 16th, 1775, at a general meeting of the committee of observation and inspection, Mr. Foster was appointed on the committee of correspondence for the county of Middlesex. Sub- sequently, just when we have no record, Mr. Foster was arrested as a sympathizer with the British. At a meeting of the Convention of the State of New Jersey, July 19th, 1776, he "asked and was given leave on his parole, and security in the sum of £1,000, to remove to the public house of Mr. White, in Barnardstown, in the county of Somerset, and not to go more than six miles from thence, unless with the leave of the Convention, or the future Legislature of this State." His confinement naturally was irksome, and on August 2d he prayed that he might be per- mitted to return to his farm at Woodbridge, but the petition was ordered to lie on the table. He fled with other refugees to Staten Island, and was there on September 22d, 1777, when he signed his name as witness to the will of Oswald Ford, another refugee from Woodbridge. An inqui- sition was found against him and many other persons of Middlesex county, "who had either joined the army of the King of Great Britain, or had otherwise offended against the form of their allegiance to the State," and he was advertised August 15th, 1778. Judgment final was entered against him in due course, and his property was advertised to be sold on March 22d, 1779. He probably remained on Staten Island, but did not join the army, as appears from his communication to the printer of the Royal Gazette, of New York, August 5th, 1780, given above.
1 Samuel Barnes was commissioned Judge of the Middlesex Court of Oyer and Terminer, July 10th, 1773. Was this the person meant ?
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