History of Burlington and Mercer counties, New Jersey : with biographical sketches of many of their pioneers and prominent men, Part 5

Author: Woodward, E. M. (Evan Morrison) cn; Hageman, John Frelinghuysen
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1096

USA > New Jersey > Burlington County > Burlington > History of Burlington and Mercer counties, New Jersey : with biographical sketches of many of their pioneers and prominent men > Part 5
USA > New Jersey > Mercer County > History of Burlington and Mercer counties, New Jersey : with biographical sketches of many of their pioneers and prominent men > Part 5

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in a Durham boat, he moved them to a cove on Dnek Island. He built over the boat a roof of boughs thatched with reeds. and remained there until after the battle of Trenton. The neighboring farms for miles around were liberally foraged upon, the HIes- sians drawing subsistence for man and horse from them. After the capture of Gen. Rahl and his Hes- sians at Trenton, the Hessians, under Count Donop, evacuated Bordentown, and soon after it was oecn- pied by fifteen hundred Americans under Gen. Mif- flin.

No military operations took place near Bordentown in 1777, though we may suppose with the enemy on the Delaware in such close proximity the citizens were subject to frequent alarms of their approach. On the 5th of December, 1777, the New Jersey Gazette, the first newspaper printed in the State, was issued in Trenton. In its subsequent issues we found a number of interesting Bordentown advertisements, which give a very good idea of the town at that time :

" December 26th, 1777.

" To Be Sold By Joseph Carson, at Bordentown a few hogsheals of to- bacco, sugar in barrels, loaf sugar ditto, green tea in bottles, West India rum in hogsheads, ivory combs, needles, and a few dozen of psalters, six half pieces superfine cloth, and eighteen pieces of striped shamoys."

In January, 1778, notice is given iu the Gazette that Nathan Cranch, paymaster to the quartermas- ter-general, would open an office at Mr. Samuel Prince's in Bordentown to settle the accounts on the deputy quartermaster-general in New Jersey.

In April, 1778, a reward of eight dollars is offered for the return of a negro slave, aged fourteen, who was taken away by the Hessians from Henry Budd, May 13, 1778.

" Joseph Plowman, Pinmaker,

Begs leave to inform the Public, that he carries on the Pin-making business in Bordentown; where he has for sale, pins, equal in quality to any ever imported; likewise brass and irou knitting needles, ditto hooks & eyes, &c., &c.

" N. B .- He likewise makes paper maker's moulds, draws musical and sewing Wires."

Tradition says.the inventor of pins resided at Bor- dentown, and carried on the manufacture of them there. This undoubtedly originated from Plowman's occupation, but his own advertisement, so far from claiming to be the inventor, states that they are equal to those imported. Pins, however, were introduced into general use very many years before, but of a primitive stylc.

The country now was in the desperate struggle of

mind. Probably he was a Hessian gentleman. He, : the Revolution, and the better to understand . the state of affairs then existing we quote the following legislative extracts :

" An act for regulating and limiting the price of sundry articles of produce, manufacture, and trade, and to prevent forestalling, regranting, and engross- ; ing." Passed at Princeton, Dee. 11, 1777.

A number of prominent Whigs of the town were forced to leave upon the approach of the enemy, fear- ing personal violence or imprisonment. Among these 1777, Dee. 20. " One-half the grain to be threshed of March, and all not threshed out then to be seized as straw." was Caleb Carman, who had espoused the patriot ' ont by the Ist of January, and the balance by the 1st cause with much ardor, Placing his family ccoking utensils, bedding, and some few articles of furniture

463

BORDENTOWN.

During the Revolution, while there was some slight Tory element and a sprinkling of neutrals in Borden- town, the great mass of the people were strongly Whig. Among these was a most active and zeal- ous band of patriots who never tired of serving their country, and who inspired the whole neighborhood to action. Among the most prominent, and who are entitled to the grateful remembrance of posterity, were Francis Hopkinson, Col. Joseph Borden, Col. Joseph Kirkbride, Capt. Joseph Borden, Jr., Col. Oakey Hoagland, Col. Vandike, Caleb Carman, Joseph Plowman, and gunsmith Jackaway. Park Street; and when the fleet, numbering some twenty odd, was ready, Carman successfully under- took to pilot them down the river to the neighbor- hood of the city. They were intended for the de- struction of the British shipping, which all lay out in the stream, moored in a long line the whole length of the city. It so happened that on the very night when these kegs were towed down the vessels were hauled into the docks, to avoid the effects of the ice soon expected to form. They thus escaped mischief. Carman, who was accompanied by another person, cut clear of their charge just above the city a little Col. Borden, in a conversation with Col. Shreve, in the winter of 1776-77, learned that an attempt was made in New York Harbor to blow up the flag-ship " Eagle," of Admiral Howe's fleet, by means of a " marine turtle" invented by David Bushnell, agme- chanie of Connecticut.1 He obtained some indefinite idea of the machinery by which it was to be exploded. before daylight on the 7th of January. The floats i attracted the attention of the crew of a barge, and they attempting to take a keg up, it exploded and killed four of them and wounded the rest.+ Soon all thic wharves and shipping were lined with sol- diers. The alarm of the explosion set the whole city in commotion. The citizens shut themselves in When the British obtained possession of Philadel- phia, the fear that they would visit Bordentown and the anxiety of good patriots caused the colonel and his friends to discuss various projects to annoy and drive them from the river. This brought up the con- their houses. The "long roll" beat, and alarm-guns were fired. The soldiers were stationed along the wharves, and infantry and shipping opened fire, not a chip or stick that floated on the river escaping their attention. When the truth was found out about versation of Col. Shreve, but for want of knowledge ! the matter it was a source of much merriment upon the subject it was impossible to construet a "tur- among the Whigs and vexation to the British. The result not realizing the expectations of Borden and company, they looked upon it as a failure, and were never particularly proud about it. Besides, policy rendered it safest for them not to be known to the enemy as the authors of it. This Battle of the Kegs, though, furnished the theme for a facetious poem from the pen of Francis Hopkinson, of Bordentown, who, though he was cognizant of the particulars, thought best to omit all names. tle." At last Borden, Kirkbride, Hoagland, and Car- man conceived the idea of the kegs, but as none of them were conversant with machinery they consulted Joseph Plowman, the pin-maker. Plowman, who ap- pears to have been a good mechanic and an inventive genius, readily undertook the job, and by means of spring-locks,2 great pins or spurs, etc., completed the formidable engines that were to spread such terror and consternation among the English sailors. The kegs3 were manufactured in Col. Borden's cooper-shop, situ- The British at this time were in possession of Phil- adelphia, and their close proximity by water we may well suppose was a cause of anxiety to the patriots of Bordentown. ated on the south side of Park street, back of Francis Hopkinson's mansion. The spring-locks were made by Jackaway, who kept a gun-shop at the corner of Crosswicks and Main Streets, where Burr's store now The following extract from a letter to the Hon. Francis Hopkinson, who resided in Bordentown, shows he was not unmindful of its protection from the depre- dations of the enemy. It was never before published, and is now in the possession of his grandson, Oliver Hopkinson, Esq. : is. The blacksmithing was done by two brothers named Bunting, whose shop stood at the southwest corner of Main and Park Streets, opposite Col. Bor- den's residence. They were charged with powder, and furnished with machinery in such a manner that on rubbing against any object they would immedi- ; "HEAD QUARTERS, VALLEY FORGE. " 27th Jan., 1778. ately explode. Fastened together in pairs, if the connecting-rope caught the bow of a vessel, they " SIR: I received your favor of the 22nd Instant by Capt. Alexander, to whom I have issued au order to take several pieces of cannon with a proper supply of ammunition, that he, in conjunction with other Gentlemen'of the Navy, may cudeavour to interrupt the Enemy's ship- ping in their Passage up and down the river. would be drawn to its sides and exploded. The kegs themselves could not be seen, being under water, but the buoys that floated them were visible. They very probably were put into the river near the foot of

1 Lossing's Field-Book of the Revolution, vol. ii. pages 104, 608.

2 Watson'a Annals of Philadelphia, vol. ii. page 336.

" Lossing's Field-Book of the Revolution, vol. ii. page 104, says, "In January some Whigs at Bordentown sent a number of kegs down the Delaware, which were filled with powder, and furnished with ma- chinery in such a manner that on rubbing against any object in the stream they would immediately explode. Watson's Annals, vol. il. page 335, says " the kegy were constructed at Bordentown "

" I am Sir, " Your most Obedient Servant, " G. WASHINGTON.

" Hlou. Francis Hopkinson."

No precaution, however, could save Bordentown from the horrors of war and the depredations of a barbarons enemy. In addition to the vessels which

+ Watson's Aunals, vol. ii. page 336.

464

HISTORY OF BURLINGTON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

had been engaged in the defense of Fort Mifflin, , into submission, showed either a reckless disregard to others had been commenced above Philadelphia, but the lives of non-combatants or a high appreciation of the valor of the Whigs of Bordentown. Having sat- isfied themselves there was not much danger a recon- noitering party was sent on shore, and soon after the whole body was disembarked and massed on Main Street, pickets being thrown out covering the town. were not completed when the British obtained posses- sion of the river. To save these from the enemy, Wash- ington had directed them to be sunk in such a manner as to be raised with difficulty. This order was un- fortunately disregarded. Against these vessels and Bordentown an expedition was sent. At ten o'clock at night on the 7th of May, 1778, an expedition, . consisting of two row-galleys and three other armed vessels, with twenty-four flat-bottomed vessels, carry- ing six or eight hundred infantry, started from Phil- adelphiia. They had fair winds for ten miles of the way, when a heavy rain set in, accompanied by a calm, and they were obliged to row the remainder of the distance. Early the next morning the people of White Hill, learning of their approach, set fire to the Continental frigates, "Washington" and " Effing- ham," a large twenty-four-guu ship, two armed priva- teers, nine other ships, and thirteen smaller vessels. Among the galleys burned were the "Dickinson," " Effingham," and " Rangers." About eleven o'clock that morning the flotilla arrived opposite Bordentown. From Burlington up they were followed along the shore by a handful of militia, collected by and under the command of Capt. Langhston Carlisle, First Bur- lington, who embraced every opportunity of annoy- ing them when they came within range of their mus- kets, and it seems very probable that some must have . The enemy, however, did not appear to have needed been killed or wounded upon the crowded and unpro- tected flat-boats.

The militiamen, few in number, increased as they moved up the banks of the Delaware until they amounted to nearly one hundred. They avoided firing when near houses, and made no opposition to the landing of the enemy at Bordentown, kuowing they were powerless to defend the place, and not wishing to exasperate them. The armed vessels hav- ing ranged up before the town, a row-galley moved towards the mouth of Crosswicks Creek and took a position to sweep Main Street. The street at this time was not eut down to the river, but terminated in a bold bluff. Elevating a gun they opened, the round- shot ricocheting along the street, fifty or a hundred yards at a time. These shot in their bounds rise comparatively but a few feet, go so slow they can be followed by the eye, and look as if they could easily be stopped. One of these shots in its bounds struck against a stone, and glancing entered a doorway, and striking MIrs. Isdell in the pit of the stomach instantly killed her. She was sitting at the time in a rocking- eliair. The skin was not broken, but the breath ap- pears to have been driven out of her by the concussion. The house in which this occurred was a small one- story frame building, standing on the west side of Main Street, south of Walnut, where Mrs. Ann Durell now lives. - This cowardly act of so large a force, who were unwilling to trust themselves on shore until they had terrified the unprotected citizens of a small town

History teaches us that civil war engenders the most bitter and deadly animosity among friends and neighbors, but it would have been supposed in this quiet little town it would not have gone to extremes. But Bordentown, true to human nature, proved no exception to the rest of the world. The British no sooner landed than they found they had at least one friend. This was Miss Polly Richie, a young lady of good family, fine accomplishments, and a little more das than is generally considered requisite. She was a belle at the British Meschianza in Philadelphia, pronounced by Maj. Andre "the most splendid en- tertainment ever given by an army to its general." Tradition represents her as quite handsome, and an intimate friend of Gen. Arnold, who always had a predilection for Tory ladies. She resided on Main Street, near where Dr. Irene Dupont Youug's office now is. It was this lady, the pretty dashing young Tory, who urged the British officers to burn Col. Bor- den's houses and buildings, and pointed out those of other prominent Whigs to be destroyed and plundered. much urging. Col. Borden's house and store, which stood on the present site of Mrs. John L. MeKnight's mansion and grounds, were first plundered and then committed to the flames. As Mrs. Borden, the mother of Mrs. Francis Hopkinson, sat in the street on a box, viewing the spreading of the flames, a British officer approached and said kindly, "Madam, I have a mother, and can feel for you !" "Sir," was her reply, "I thank you, but I assure you this is the happiest day of my life, for I feel assured you have given up the hope of conquering America, or you would not thus wantonly devastate it."1 While these buildings were enwrapt in flames, and the dark columns of smoke ascending on high were signaling the militia. to arins, the British were busily at work bent upon the total destruction of Col. Borden's property. An- other dwelling-house belonging to him, that stood on the site of the present mansion of Garrit S. Cannon, Esq., was fired, and with ten stables, carriage-houses, and other outbuildings burnt to the ground, leaving the west side of Main, from Park Street to the bluff, . a blackened desolation. The property of Col. Borden alone being destroyed, while that of other zealous Whigs was spared, seems to create the impression that the visit of the British to Bordentown was chiefly for his especial punishment, on account of his connection with the keg enterprise. If their intention was the punishment of the patriots in general, why shoukl

1 Family tradition.

----

465

BORDENTOWN.

they have spared the mansion of Franeis Hopkinson, one of the most prominent civil leaders of the Revo- lution ? Why should they have spared all the other Whigs of the town ? Why give Burlington and Bris- tol but a shotted salute? The expedition was un- doubtedly chiefly sent to destroy the war vessels at White Hill, but it landed at no other point upon the river but Bordentown and Col. Kirkbride's, and it destroyed no other private property but his and Borden's. The landing at Biles' Island, near the Pennsylvania shore, was in a measure a military pre- caution, to ascertain the calibre and number of Dick- inson's guns. The statement made in many histories that it was "against military stores collected at Bor- dentown" we believe to be without foundation of facts. No military stores of any amount were on Borden's property. If any had been found on any other, the building would have been burnt. It has also been stated that " a powder magazine at Borden- town was blown up by the British," but we have failed to find any trace or tradition of it. We think circum- stances favor the supposition that the enemy through spies or Tories had obtained some knowledge from whence the kegs came, and naturally felt a desire to punish the Whigs of the town for it. Miss Polly Richie, being of strong Tory proclivity, was probably ostracised from society, and to revenge herself pointed out the Bordens and Kirkbrides as the prime movers in the affair.

The dwelling of Mr. Emley, an influential Whig, was also marked out for destruction, but the enemy learning it had been sold they committed no other mischief than breaking its window-sashes and doors · with the butts of their muskets.

The British officers dined at the dwelling of the Hon. Francis Hopkinson. Himself and family were very wisely absent, but an excellent dinner was provided by Miss Mary Comely, their house- keeper, a young lady of about eighteen years of age. While they were there, information was given to her that the soldiers were robbing the dwelling of her mother and grandmother, on the opposite side of the street, the same that is now owned and occupied by John William McKnight, Esq. She went in and privately cut a piece from the skirt of one of the sol- dier's coats. When the troops were formed, previous to their departure, the thief, through the kind inter- ference of the officers, was identified by the hole in his regimentals. By this means not only the prop- erty of her relations was restored, but some belong- ing to her neighbors, which she had the art to claim, and afterwards restored to the proper owners.

When the British approached, two Continental gal- leys lying near the town were moved np Crosswicks Creek about a half-mile, and an attempt made to con- ceal them in Bard's Creek. One of them was towed up the creck, but the other grounded near its mouth, thus revealing their presence. The enemy sent sev- eral armed boats up and boarded and burnt then.

While the officers made some semblance of discoun- tenaneing pillage among the men, it was committed in a small way to a very great extent. Food and liquors were demanded at nearly all the houses, and a denial was generally resented by the breaking of window- sashes and other petty acts of malice. Inflamed with the rum obtained at Col. Borden's store and other places, they committed several cold-blooded murders. Four militiamen, Robert Sutton, Joseph Gregory, Edward Isdell, and another person, from Burlington, having divested themselves of their arms and accou- trements, daringly entered the town and concealed themselves in the tan-yard of Thomas Moore, near the foot of Walnut street. They were discovered and cruelly murdered by the brutal soldiers. These men were probably not aware that soldiers entering the enemy's lines, divested of all signs of their profession, subjected them to the fate of spies,-death. But they undoubtedly denied being militia, and their captors having no proof, it was a wanton and cruel act to shoot them on the spot. Edward Isdell was of Bor- dentown, and by a strange coincidence was killed soon after his mother was.

A British spy, who had come from Philadelphia with the troops, while quietly reposing on the river- bank, was, through mistake, mortally wounded by his friends. After they left he was moved into a house, and his suffering's alleviated as much as possible. After his death his protection was found upon his person.

Lieut .- Col. Oakey Hoagland, who kept a hotel at the northeast corner of Main and Park Streets, op- posite Borden's burning buildings, was out with Col. Borden raising the militia of the neighborhood. His wife took down the sign and shut the house up. But the soldiers, who can scent liquor miles off, soon dis- covered it, and breaking in the doors revelled on the old Jamaica and New England rum. Upon the ap- proach of the enemy all the influential Whigs left the town to avoid being carried off as prisoners or shot. They secreted themselves in the neighboring woods, where they could observe the enemy, and most of them returned when Baylor's troops came up. A Whig, however, named Carter, residing in the house now oc- cupied by Mr. Henry P. Arnel, on hearing the enemy were approaching, determined to disarm their hostil- ity by a kind reception. He therefore killed a sheep and told them he had some fresh mutton, and if they would wait he would provide them as good a dinner as was in his power. But before the meal was ready Col. Baylor and his light-horse was discovered ap- proaching on the White Horse road. The drums beat for the troops to " fall in." Strengthening their pickets, they re-embarked, when, calling in the cover- ing party, they hanled out into the stream. Col. Baylor approached the town very gradually, and offered no inolestation to them during their re-embarkation, fear- ing to provoke to fresh acts of destruction. The din- ner prepared by friend Carter was partaken of by the

466

HISTORY OF BURLINGTON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

light-horse, who doubtlessly appreciated their good luek. Secreting a few dismounted piekets along the river-bank to observe the enemy, the command was moved back out of sight, and in their relative posi- tions the adversaries remained during the night.

Immediately upon the reception of the intelligence of the approach of the enemy, Gen. Diekinson or- dered out the militia to oppose them, they turning out with their usual spirit. The next morning, the 9th, he marched from Trenton, taking with him sev- eral pieces of artillery. The British in the mean time had got under way, intending to make a descent upon Trenton. They proceeded as far as Biles' Island, the residenee of Langhorne Biles, the father-in-law of Col. Borden, and brother-in-law of Col. Kirkbride. But here they met Gen. Diekinson, who opened upon them with his guns with such effect that they were forced to retire down the river, without inflicting any damage upon the buildings on the island. Dickinson sent a detachment down the river to oppose their again landing, and on the way they captured a sloop loaded with plunder, and six men who were aboard of it. On this expedition Ben Brown, son of " Fox- hunter John," of Bristol township, Pa., piloted the British forces up the river. He pointed out " Belle- vue," the residenee of Col. Joseph Kirkbride, on the Pennsylvania shore, opposite Bordentown. Col. Kirk- bride was a most ardent Whig, and was actively employed in colleeting and forwarding recruits and provisions to the army. On the return of the British down the river, they landed and burnt up everything combustible on the premises, for which act Col. Kirk- - bride held Ben Brown a refugee in Nova Scotia long after the others of that class had liberty to return. Late in the afternoon, as they passed Burlington, they fired a number of round-shot into the town, one striking the stable of Adam Shepherd.

When the British marched from Philadelphia to Monmouth battle-fields, the main body under Lieut .- Gen. Earl Cornwallis entered Bordentown early in the day. A guard and a number of wagons were sent to Col. Lewis' mills on Black's Creek, where they seized all the grain and flour, and loading it up, set fire to the building and utterly destroyed them. It was probably the largest and most complete mill in West Jersey. The column moved through the town, the cavalry, infantry, and artillery passing along Main and out Park Streets, and the train moving by the short-cut road, passed Miss Nutt's over the fields to the drawbridge.1

In the New Jersey Gazette of Oct. 14, 1778, is an ad- vertisement of Mr. Lewis descriptive of this mill, from which we extract the following :

"For Sale, the ruins of a complete merchant mill, (destroyed by the British in their late march through New Jersey), situated on Black's creek, a half mile from Bordentown. There yet remains a tolerable good saw mill, thirty-seven by fifty-two feet and eighteen: feel high. It has two wheels and three pair of stones all running double geer'd.

House four stories high furnishing granaries lo hold 10,000 bushels of grain. Very large meal loft, room for boulting, chests, packing rooms, storing flour, brand, shorts, &c. Ten feet nine inches head and fall. Tide to mill. A flat boat has constantly carried 120 barrels of flour. A vessel could load at mill-tail 200 barrels of flour to Philadelphia. Plenty of grain can be procured in the neighborhood, besides down The Dela- ware in Durham boats, and from Philadelphia. Several neighboring landings are on the creek and river. Near the month of the creek a wharf from thence grain, flour, pork, lumber and other produce in large quantnies are continually shipped to Philadelphia, and at which a shal- lop carrying 300 barrels of flour can load. An iron works was formerly erected at this place, which was supplied with pig-iron from Durham and other furnaces up the Delaware.

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History of Burlington and Mercer counties, New Jersey : with biographical sketches of many of their pioneers and prominent men, Part 5

Author: Woodward, E. M. (Evan Morrison) cn; Hageman, John Frelinghuysen Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 1096

Author: Woodward, E. M. (Evan Morrison) cn; Hageman, John Frelinghuysen
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1096