USA > New Jersey > Historical collections of the state of New Jersey : containing a general collection of the most interesting facts, traditions, biographical sketches, anecdotes, etc. relating to its history and antiquities, with geographical desciptions of every township in the state. > Part 51
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Officers attentive to their duty will find abundant employment in training and disci- plining their men, providing for them, and seeing that they appear neat, clean, and sol- dierlike. Nor will any thing redound more to their honor, afford them more solid amuse- ment, or better answer the end of their appointment, than to devote the vacant moments they may have to the study of military authors.
The commanding officer of every corps is strictly enjoined to have this order frequently read, and strongly impressed upon the minds of those under his command. Any officer or soldier, or other persons belonging to or following the army,-either in camp, in quar- ters, on the recruiting service, or elsewhere,-presuming, under any pretence, to disobey this order, shall be tried by a General Court Martial. The general officers in each di- vision of the army are to pay the strictest attention to the due exercise thereof.
The adjutant-general is to transmit copies of this order to the different departments of the army. Also, to execute the same to be immediately published in the gazettes of cach state, for the information of officers dispersed on the recruiting service.
By His Excellency's command, MORGAN CONNOR, Adj. Pro tem.
The army, in the winter of 1779-80, encamped on the hill back of the courthouse. Their encampment extended several miles into the country. The soldiers lived principally in small log huts ; some of the remains of the stone chimneys are yet found in this and Mendham townships. Thatcher, in his Military Journal, gives a vivid description of the sufferings of the troops during "the hard winter of 1779-80." He says :
Morristown, January 1st, 1780 .- A new year commences, but brings no relief to the sufferings and privations of our army. Our canvass covering affords but a miserable security from storms of rain and snow, and a great scarcity of provisions still prevails, and its effects are felt even at head-quar- ters, as appears by the following anecdote. " We have nothing but the ra-
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tions to cook, Sir," said Mrs. Thomson, a very worthy Irish woman, and housekeeper to General Washington. " Well, Mrs. Thomson, you must then cook the rations, for I have not a farthing to give you." "If you please, Sir, let one of the gentlemen give me an order for six bushels of salt." "Six bushels of salt, for what ?" "To preserve the fresh beef, Sir." One of the aids gave the order, and the next day his Excellency's table was amply provided. Mrs. Thomson was sent for, and told that she had done very wrong to expend her own money, for it was not known when she could be repaid. "I owe you," said his Excellency, " too much already to permit the debt being increased, and our situation is not at this moment such as to induce very sanguine hope." " Dear Sir," said the good old lady, "it is always darkest just before daylight, and I hope your Excellency will for- give me for bartering the salt for other necessaries which are now on the table." Salt was eight dollars a bushel, and it might always be exchanged with the country people for articles of provision .*
The weather for several days has been remarkably cold and stormy. On the 3d instant, we experienced one of the most tremendous snow storms ever remembered ; no man could endure its violence many minutes without danger of his life. Several marquees were torn asunder and blown down over the officers' heads in the night, and some of the soldiers were actually covered while in their tents, and buried like sheep under the snow. My "comrades and myself were aroused from sleep by the calls of some officers for assistance ; their marquee had blown down, and they were almost smothered in the storm, before they could reach our marquee, only a few yards, and their blankets and baggage were nearly buried in the snow. We are greatly favored in having a supply of straw for bedding ; over this we spread all our blankets, and with our clothes and large fires at our feet, while four or five are crowded together, preserve ourselves from freezing. But the sufferings of the poor soldiers can scarcely be described ; while on duty they are unavoidably exposed to all the inclemency of storms and se- vere cold ; at night they now have a bed of straw on the ground, and a sin- gle blanket to each man ; they are badly clad, and some are destitute of shoes. We have contrived a kind of stone chimney outside, and an opening at one end of our tents gives us the benefit of the fire within. The snow is now from four to six feet deep, which so obstructs the roads as to prevent our receiving a supply of provisions. For the last ten days we have re-
* In a private letter to a friend, General Washington says, " We have had the virtue and patience of the army put to the severest trial. Sometimes it has been five or six days together without bread ; at other times as many days without meat ; and once or twice two or three days without either. I hardly thought it possible, at one period, that we should be able.to keep it together, nor could it have been done, but for the exertions of the magistrates in the several counties of this state, (Jersey,) on whom I was obliged to call, expose our situation to them, and in plain terms declare that we were reduced to the alternative of disbanding or catering for ourselves, unless the inhabitants would af- ford us their aid. I allotted to each county a certain proportion of flour or grain, and a certain number of cattle, to be delivered on certain days ; and, for the honor of the magis- trates, and the good disposition of the people, I must add, that my requisitions were punctually complied with, and in many counties exceeded. Nothing but this great ex- ertion could have saved the army from dissolution or starving, as we were bereft of every hope from the commissaries. At one time the soldiers ate every kind of horse food but hay. Buckwheat, common wheat, rye, and Indian corn, composed the meal which made their bread. As an army, they bore it with the most heroic patience ; but sufferings like these, accompanied by the want of clothes, blankets, &c., will produce frequent deser- tion in all armies; and so it happened with us, though it did not excite a single mutiny."
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ceived but two pounds of meat a man, and we are frequently for six or eight days entirely destitute of meat, and then as long without bread. The consequence is, the soldiers are so enfeebled from hunger and cold, as to be almost unable to perform their military duty, or labor in constructing their huts. It is well known that General Washington experiences the greatest solicitude for the sufferings of his army, and is sensible that they in general conduct with heroic patience and fortitude. His Excellency, it is under- stood, despairing of supplies from the Commissary General, has made appli- cation to the magistrates of the state of New Jersey for assistance in pro- curing provisions. This expedient has been attended with the happiest suc- cess. It is honorable to the magistrates and people of Jersey, that they have cheerfully complied with the requisition, and furnished for the present an ample supply, and have thus probably saved the army from destruction.
As if to make up the full measure of grief and embarrassment to the Commander-in-chief, repeated complaints have come to him that some of the soldiers are in the practice of pilfering and plundering the inhabitants of their poultry, sheep, pigs, and even their cattle, from their farms. This marauding practice has often been prohibited in general orders, under the severest penalties, and some exemplary punishments have been inflicted. General Washington possesses an inflexible firmness of purpose, and is de- termined that discipline and subordination in camp shall be rigidly enforced and maintained. The whole army has been sufficiently warned and cau- tioned against robbing the inhabitants on any pretence whatever, and no sol- dier is subjected to punishment without a fair trial, and conviction by a court-martial. Death has been inflicted in a few instances of an atrocious nature, but in general the punishment consists in a public whipping, and the number of stripes is proportioned to the degree of offence. The law of Mo- ses prescribes forty stripes save one, but this number hasoften been exceeded in our camp. In aggravated cases, and with old offenders, the culprit is sentenced to receive one hundred lashes or more. It is always the duty of the drummers and fifers to inflict the chastisement, and the drum-major must attend and see that the duty is faithfully performed. The culprit being se- curely tied to a tree or post, receives on his naked back the number of lashes assigned him, by a whip formed of several small knotted cords, which some- times cut through the skin at every stroke. However strange it may appear, a soldier will often receive the severest stripes without uttering a groan, or once shrinking from the lash, even while the blood flows freely from his lacerated wounds. This must be ascribed to stubbornness or pride. They have, however, adopted a method which they say mitigates the anguish in some measure ; it is by putting between the teeth a leaden bullet, on which they chew while under the lash, till it is made quite flat and jagged. In some instances of incorrigible villains, it is adjudged by the court that the eulprit receive his punishment at several different times, a certain number of stripes repeated at intervals of two or three days, in which case the wounds are in a state of inflammation, and the skin rendered more sensibly tender ; and the terror of the punishment is greatly aggravated. Another mode of punishment is that of running the gauntlet ; this is done by a com. pany of soldiers standing in two lines, each one furnished with a switch, and the criminal is made to run between them, and receive the scourge from their hands on his naked back ; but the delinquent runs so rapidly, and the soldiers are so apt to favor a comrade, that it often happens in this way that the punishment is very trivial ; but on some occasions a soldier is .Jaand to hold a bavonet at his breast to impede his steps.
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March .- The present winter is the most severe and distressing which we have ever experienced. An immense body of snow remains on the ground. Our soldiers are in a wretched condition for the want of clothes, blankets, and shoes ; and these calamitous circumstances are accompanied by a want of provisions. It has several times happened that the troops were reduced to one-half, or to one-quarter allowance, and some days have passed without any meat or bread being delivered out. The causes assigned for these ex- traordinary deficiencies, are the very low state of the public finances, in consequence of the rapid depreciation of the continental currency, and some irregularity in the commissary's department. Our soldiers, in gene- ral, support their sufferings with commendable firmness, but it is feared that their patience will be exhausted, and very serious consequences ensue.
May .- The officers of our army have long been dissatisfied with their situation, conceiving that we are devoting our lives to the public service, without an adequate remuneration. Our sacrifices are incalculably great, and far exceed the bounds of duty, which the public can of right claim from any one class of men. Our wages are not punctually paid ; we are fre- quently five or six months in arrears, and the continental money which we receive is depreciated to the lowest ebb. Congress have established a scale of depreciation, by which the continental bills are valued at forty for one of silver, and at this rate they have resolved that all their bills shall be called . in, and a new emission shall be issued, and received at the rate of one for forty of the old emission. But the public confidence in paper money is greatly diminished, and it is with extreme difficulty that proper supplies can be procured to serve the pressing exigencies of our army. I have just seen in the newspaper an advertisement offering for an article forty dollars a pound, or three shillings in silver. This is the trash which is tendered to requite us for our sacrifices, for our sufferings and privations, while in the service of our country. It is but a sordid pittance even for our common purposes while in camp, but those who have families dependent on them at home, are reduced to a deplorable condition. In consequence of this state of things, a considerable number of officers have been compelled to resign their commissions .* His Excellency General Washington is perplexed with an apprehension that he shall lose many of his most experienced and valuable officers ; and knowing the injustice which they suffer, he has taken a warm interest in their cause, and repeatedly represented to Congress the absolute necessity of making such provision as will encourage the officers to continue in service to the end of the war. This subject he has pressed with such earnestness and solicitude, as at length to effect the desired pur- pose. Congress have resolved that all officers of the line of the army who shall continue in service till the close of the war, shall be entitled to half pay during life, and the depreciation of their pay shall be made good ; and
* The British in New York counterfeited our paper currency by cartloads, and sent it into the country, with the sordid view of increasing its depreciation. The officers of the Jersey line addressed a memorial to their state legislature, setting forth " that four months' pay of a soldier would not procure for his family a single bushel of wlicat ; that the pay of a colonel would not purchase oats for his horse ; that a common laborer or express rider received four times as much as an American officer." They urged that " unless a speedy and ample remedy was provided, the total dissolution of their line was inevitable " The officers of whole lines announced their determination to quit the service. The per- sonal influence of General Washington was exerted with the officers in preventing their adoption of such ruinous measures, and with the states to remove the causes which led to them.
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also that they shall receive a number of acres of land, in proportion to their rank, at the close of the war. This measure meets the approbation, and is satisfactory to those who are to be entitled to the provision ; but it includes the officers of the line of the army, only; it is not extended to the medical staff, and they consider themselves pointedly neglected. Why are the offi- cers of the line allowed this exclusive act of justice, a compensation for the depreciation of the currency ? If it is just for the line, what reasons can be assigned why the staff officers should not be included, when the deprecia- tion is known to be common to both ? Equal justice should be the motto of every government. The officers on the staff have a right to think themselves treated with the most flagrant injustice.
A committee have arrived in camp from Congress, for the purpose of in- vestigating the circumstances and condition of the army, and of redressing our grievances, if in their power.
On the evening of the first of January, 1781, the Pennsylvania line stationed in the vicinity of Morristown, having for some time previous evinced great dissatisfaction, broke out into open revolt. Below is a full narrative of this event, from the work from which the preceding extracts are made.
The Pennsylvania line of troops, consisting of about two thousand men, in winter quarters in the vicinity of Morristown, have come to the desperate resolution of revolting from their officers. Though the Pennsylvania troops have been subjected to all the discouragements and difficulties felt by the rest of the army, some particular circumstances peculiar to themselves have contributed to produce the revolt. When the soldiers first enlisted, the re- cruiting officers were provided with enlisting rolls for the term of three years, or during the continuance of the war, and as the officers indulged the opinion that the war would not continue more than three years, they were perhaps indifferent in which column the soldier's name was inserted, leaving it liable to an ambiguity of construction. It is clear, however, that a part enlisted for three years, and others for the more indefinite term " during the war." The soldiers now contend that they enlisted for three years at fur- thest, and were to have been discharged sooner, in case the war terminated before the expiration of this term. The war being protracted beyond the time expected, and the officers knowing the value of soldiers who have been trained by three years' service, are accused of putting a different construc- tion on the original agreement, and claiming their services during the war. The soldiers, even those who actually listed for the war, having received very small bounties, complain of imposition and deception, and their case is extremely aggravated by the fact, that three half joes have now been offered as a bounty to others, who will enlist for the remainder of the war, when these veteran soldiers have served three years for a mere shadow of com- pensation ! It was scarcely necessary to add to their trying circumstances, a total want of pay for twelve months, and a state of nakedness and famine, to excite in a soldier the spirit of insurrection. The officers themselves, also feeling aggrieved, and in a destitute condition, relaxed in their system of camp discipline, and the soldiers occasionally overheard their murmurs and complaints. Having appointed a sergeant-major for their commander, styling him major-general, and having concerted their arrangements, on the first day of the new year they put their mutinous scheme into execution. On a preconcerted signal, the whole line, except a part of three regiments,
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paraded under arms without their officers, marched to the magazines, and supplied themselves with provisions and ammunition, and seizing six field pieces, took horses from General Wayne's stable to transport them. The officers of the line collected those who had not yet joined the insurgents and endeavored to restore order, but the revolters fired and killed a Captain Bil- ling, and wounded several other officers, and a few men were killed on each side. The mutineers commanded the party who opposed them to come over to them instantly, or they should be bayoneted, and the order was obeyed.
General Wayne, who commanded the Pennsylvania troops, endeavored to interpose his influence and authority, urging them to return to their duty, till their grievances could be inquired into and redressed. But all was to no purpose, and on cocking his pistol, they instantly presented their bayonets to his breast, saying, "We respect and love you ; often have you led us into the field of battle, but we are no longer under your command; we warn you to be on your guard; if you fire your pistols, or attempt to enforce your commands, we shall put you instantly to death." General Wayne next expostulated with them, expressing his apprehension that they were about to sacrifice the glo- rious cause of their country, and that the enemy would avail themselves of the opportunity to advance and improve so favorable an occasion. They assured him that they still retained an attachment and respect for the cause , which they had embraced, and that, so far from a disposition to abandon it, if the enemy should dare to come out of New York, they would, under his and his officers' orders, face them in the field, and oppose them to the ut- most in their power. They complained that they had been imposed on and deceived respecting the term of their enlistment, that they had received no wages for more than a year, and that they were destitute of clothing, and had often been deprived of their rations. These were their grievances, and they were determined to march to Philadelphia, and demand of Congress that justice which had so long been denied them. They commenced their march in regular military order, and when encamped at night, they posted out piquets, guards, and sentinels. General Wayne, to prevent their dep- redations on private property, supplied them with provisions, and he, with Colonels Stewart and Butler, officers whom the soldiers respected and loved, followed and mixed with them, to watch their motions and views, and they received from them respectful and civil treatment. On the third day, the insurgent troops reached Princeton, and, by request of General Wayne, they deputed a committee of sergeants, who stated to him formally in writing their claims, as follows. Ist. A discharge for all those, without exception, who had served three years under their original engagements, and had not received the increased bounty and re-enlisted for the war. 2d. An imme- diate payment of all their arrears of pay and clothing, both to those who should be discharged, and those who should be retained. 3d. The residue of their bounty, to put them on an equal footing with those recently enlisted, and future substantial pay to those who should remain in the service. To these demands, in their full extent, General Wayne could not feel himself authorized to answer in the affirmative, and a further negotiation was re- ferred to the civil authority of the state of Pennsylvania. General Wash- ington, whose head-quarters are at New Windsor, on the west side of the Hudson, received the intelligence on the 3d instant, and summoned a coun- cil of war, consisting of the general and field officers, to devise the most proper measures to be pursued on this alarming occasion. Great apprehen- sion was entertained that other troops, who have equal cause of disconto=
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would be excited to adopt a similar course. It is ordered, that five battalions be formed by detachments from the several lines, to be held in perfect readi- ness to march on the shortest notice, with four days' provision cooked; and measures, it is understood, are taken to bring the militia into immediate ser- vice if required.
Intelligence of the revolt having reached Sir Henry Clinton, he cherished the hope that, by encouraging a rebellion, and turning the swords of our own soldiers against their country and brethren, he should have it in his power to effect an object. which by his own arms he could not accomplish. He immediately dispatched two emissaries, a British sergeant, and one Og- den, of New Jersey, to the dissatisfied troops, with written instructions, that by laying down their arms, and marching to New York, they should receive their arrearages and depreciation in hard cash, and should be well clothed, have a free pardon for all past offences, and be taken under the protection of the British government, and no military service should be required of them, unless voluntarily offered. They were requested to send persons to meet agents, who would be appointed by Sir Henry Clinton, to adjust the terms of a treaty, and the British general himself passed over to Staten Island, having a large body of troops in readiness to act as circum- stances might require. The proposals from the enemy were rejected with disdain, and the mutineers delivered the papers to General Wayne, but re- fused to give up the emissaries, preferring to keep them in durance till their difficulties could be discussed and settled. A committee of Congress was appointed, who conferred with the executive council of the state of Peonsyl- vania, and by the latter authority, an accommodation of the affairs with the revolters has been effected, by giving an interpretation favorable to the sol- diers, of the enlistments which were for three years or during the war, de- claring them to expire at the end of three years. The insurgents now sur- rendered the two emissaries into the hands of General Wayne, on the stipu- lated condition, that they should not be executed till their affairs should be compromised, or in case of failure, the prisoners should be redelivered when demanded. They were eventually, however, tried as spies, convicted, and immediately executed. A board of commissioners was now appointed, of whom three were deputed from the revolters, authorized to determine what description of soldiers should be discharged. The result is, that the soldiers have accomplished their views ; the committee, from prudential motives, with- out waiting for the enlisting papers, complied with their demands, and dis- charged from service a majority of the line, on their making oath that they enlisted for three years only. The enlisting rolls having since been pro- duced, it is found that by far the largest number of those liberated had ac- tually enlisted for the whole war. Thus has terminated a most unfortunate transaction, which might have been prevented, had the just complaints of the army received proper attention in due season.
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