History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II, Part 69

Author: Shaw, William H
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: [United States :]
Number of Pages: 830

USA > New Jersey > Hudson County > History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II > Part 69
USA > New Jersey > Essex County > History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II > Part 69

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

I m le Prom Itintriet, Invil ! Jos . Patrick M. Phil pe , Third

Heritage, Hen y M nkin , Fifth lustro t. E. F | Young. James Out ning, William Frost , Six b Distri t. Hent A. Van Horn, Own Mull ney . seventh District, Ram o M .ok, Jam - Curran, Jr Fgich Itx- tn t, The mas P. D'Reilly, John Dw y

157% -First District, Sobrew / Hall, Frederick T For or, . com Diet ist, Jumex Harper Patrick M. Phillips, Third Dust & Robert ! BlackwrH, John Mclaughlin Fourth Inin t John Flebler, John B- Oldocchio: Fifth Pratn t, Abram Sper William Frnt , Seventh ly triet, Jatu s tuin n, Ha-un 3 Comk Eighth bistrot William l'ex. Jam - 6. huson.

1877. First District, James Crear y Join F W Mangels , Se Distric . Michael 1. De mond, Bernard Mccarty That Distrat, John M. Laughlin, Grorge sonnet , Fourth D-triet, F W Moller. James Palliste . Fifth District, William Frost, Sum it M. Burney , sixth ] s- triet John Bull, Abraham J Rapp ; seventh Pitti t, Jaun Curta!, Ir. Timothy Foley, Eighth District, Williams Co v. Peter Hanck.

1×7 - First District, James County, John F. W. Mangels , Stond Distreet Michael Desmond, Bernard MeC'arty ; Third Phstrict, Hiram M Eldy, Homme Schermerhorn Fourth District I' W Meler James l'allister Fifth Di trict, Withum Frost, John Helden, Jr sixth Tip- trat, Abram J. Bapp, John Bull Aventh Distrt t, Tim thy Foles, Harion M. Took, Eighth District, Poter Hanck, James & Moral.

1×79 First Distrut, James F Ganbon, James M Pean, Second Inte- triet, Michael O'Grady, Patrick Me Anlie Think Distri t, Charles Turner, Maxwell Abernethy ; Fourth Distinct. Valentine Feliney. , Jama Pallister ; Fifth Instruct, William Frost, John Headden, Jr . with Instrict Hours Post, Jacob Newkirk , Seventh District, Tum the They. Iamons M. Cook Felth District, Poter Hanck, James I. Moignu.

Iswil - First District, John C. Bailey, Wille in M.Intt , Sound li- trit Michael O'Grady, Patri k Cavern ; Third Instit 4, 17 erles Turner, Daniel W Benjamin Fourth Distet, John W. holmes Lante Kleer- Wetter , Fifth Instrict, Henry E Wills, John Hvadden, JI , Sixth Its- triet, Henry Post, John H Prat Seventh District, Tantly File). Ramon M. Faxsk ; Eighth District, Th mas J Swift, la was Haunenstein

1×8, First Instruct, James Conroy, l'and The ker; and Distri , Thomas Egan, Patrick Contorn Third District, Daniel F Shea, A) thuny Buyer; Fourth Distri t, J. hn W helses, V Feldin yer , Fifth District, Janguy Wandle, Falward P Haslam ; Sixth Distrhet, Wi ham W. Edwards, Charles T Monn Seventh District, Tits by Foley William X Farelow Eighth District, & S. Baldwin, Th mas J swift.

1×1. First Justfict, Henry A. Greene, George Blakes, & nd D'in- triet, John F Lynch, Michael F Frely Third Plstrict, Paule F shea, James Nachob; Fourth Mstrict, Hemy E Lowis, Willan.n .J Wilson , Fifths District, John Handelen, Jr., Wi im H. Shrops, Sixth District, Charles T Munn, Michael schaffell ; seventh Pitrict, Patr & Govern, Henry Snyder , Fighth District, John J. Lal & Thomas J Swift , Ninth District, Willatn II, Letts, Gr inge P Schin 1; Tenth las- triet, Aar u S Hallwin, William H >trinbrenner

1883 .- First District, Ahruban Piet, William Marke Ser-nd District, Michael F. Feely , Thomas Egan ; Third District, James Ni hu In, Frederick Schober ; Fourth District, Henry E. Lewis, William J. Wilson , Fifth

950

HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Distri t, William B. Shrope, James Clarke ; Sixth District, Michuel Schaffe I, Brent W. Mettant ; Seventh District, Henry Snyder, Thomas Nugent ; Eighth District, John J. Lillis, Edward J. Cavanaugh ; Ninth District, William H. Letts, George P Schinzel ; Tenth District, Aaron S. Baldwin, William II. Steinbrenner.

1 ** 1 .- First District, Roderick B. Seymour, Robert Bumstead ; Second District, James F. Nortom, John F. Lynch ; Third District, Frederick Schober, Edward Medinuis, Fourth District, William F. Wilson, Janes Young , Fifth District, William II. Shrope, John Troll ; Sixth District, Charles T Munu, Michael Schaffell ; Seventh District, Thomas F Nu- gent, Andrew ('ullen ; Eighth District, John J. Lillis, Joseph Antenreith ; Ninth District, William H. Letts. George P. Schinzel , Tenth District, R. F Fillipetti, Michael Heary.

KEARNY TOWNSHIP.

1×67 .- William E. Skinner, resigned in October ; succeeJed by N. N. Halstead.

1868-70, '72 .- N Norris Halstead. 1871 .- J. Boyd, Jr. 1873 .- Alexander Jacobus.

NORTH BERGEN TOWNSHIP.

1843 .- Elwin R. V. Wright, John Tonele, Jr.

1844 .- John Tonele, John Van Boskerck.

1815. - John Van Boskerck, Daniel Van Ripen.

1846- 47 .- John Tonele, Michael Fisher.

1848. - John J. Newkirk, John Shields. 1849, -- James Harrison, John J. Nowkirk. 1830 .- John Shiehls, John Hague.

18.1 '54 .- Edmund T. Carpenter, Abram W. Duryea.

1855- 50,-John Sturges, A. W. Duryea.

1857- 64 -Abram W. Duryea.

1865-'71 -John Sturges.

1872-'73 .- William J. Davidson.

UNION TOWNSHIP.

1861-62 .- Jacob Sweitzer. 1$63 .- Cornelius Van Vorst.

1864 .- John Dwyer.

1×65 .- Francis Pollock.

1866 .- Hugh Mooney.

1867,-'70,- 73 .- F. W. llerman. 1868 .- Henry Meyer. 1871. Woltz Kamena.

1872-'73 .- 31. Klein.

INION TOWN.

1864-65. - Juha Gardaer. 1866-65 .- Frederick Etzold. 1409 .- Henry Bridges, resigned in July ; John Morgan appointed. 1×70-71 .- John Bernhard.

1872-73 .- Jucob Hofmeister.

VAN VORST TOWNSHIP.

1841-12 .- Henry M. Truphagen, David Jones.

1843-45 .- Cornelius Van Vorst, Selah Hill.

1846 .- Cornelius Van Vorst, Il. M. Traphagen.

1:47 -Erastua Randall, Benjamin Mille.

IS48 .- Benjamin Hills, H. M. Traphagen.

1819 .- Matthias B. Ward, H. M. Traphagen.

1650,-31. B. Ward, John Van Vorst.

WEEHAWKEN TOWNSHIP.

1859-65 .-- Denning Dner. 1866-6% -Joshua J. Benson. 1869-70, 1872-73 .- John Frost. 1871 .- Albert B. Dodd. 1873 .- John Front.

WEST HUBOKEN.

1601-62, '72 .- Daniel Lake. 1863-67 .- John Ingue.

386% .- Charles Galbraith, resigned in June 1869 ; William II. Alcorn appointedl. 1869-70 .- William H. Alcorn. 1871 .- Alexander N. Sharpe. 18:3 .- Willian Rosetcan.

HIAFUTURS OF THE HOARD OF FREEHOLDEAS.

1440,-Abraham Van Santvoord 1-41 43 .- J. hn Dows. 184.144 -John Tonele.

1-45-47 .- John & Condit. 1848 .- Garret Sip.

18-19-50, David B. Wakeman.

1851-52 -Robert McLoughlin.

1853. - Edmund T. Carpenter.

1454 -William C. Arthur. 1855 .- Gilliam Van Houten. 1

1556-62,-Abnun W Duryee.

1863-64 .- Charles H. O'Neill.

1864-68 .- James Lynch .?

1869-70, '72-John Brinkerhoff. 1871 .- Juhu A. O' Neill. 1873. James H. Startup.

1874 .- Charles D. Throck murton.

1873 .-- Edward F. C. Young.

1×76-77 -David C. Halsted.

1878-81 -Edward F. Mc Donald.

1882-83 .- Frederick P. Budden.

1884. - Patrick Govern.

CLERKS OF THE BOARD OF FREEHOLDEKS.

1840-54 .- Henry Van Wagenen.

1855-64. Garret I. Van Horn.

1864-76 .- Charles J. Roe. 1877-84 .- George B. Fielder.

COUNTY COLLECTORS.

1840-42 .-- Jacob D. Van Winkle. 1843-82 .- Edmund W. Kingsland.

1883-84 .- George 11. Farrier

COUNTY PHYSICIANS.

1873 .- E. W. Buck 1874-76 .- S. V. W. Stout.

1877 84 .- Charles B. Converse.

REGISTER .- The office of register was created by act of the State Legislature of 1874, and in Novem- ber of that year Jeremiah B. Cleveland was elected, and his commission signed by Governor Bedle, April 9th, at which time the business of the office commenced. Mr. Cleveland was re-elected in No- vember, 1879, for a term of five years.

MEMBERS OF CONGRESS .- By the apportionment under the census of 1870, Hudson County became a Congressional District, and Isaac W. Sendder was | chosen its first Representative in 1872; Augustus A. Hardenberg, 1875-79, 1881-83; Lewis 1. Brigham, 1879-81; William MeAdoo, 1883-87.

Hudson County may also be credited with the fol- lowing State Officers :

Nov. 8, 1853, Rodman M. Price, elerteil Governor. May 1, 1866, Abraham 0), Zabriskie, commissioned chancellor. June 29, 1869, and Jan. 19, 1870, Robert Gilchrist appointed Attorney- General.

CHAPTER XIV.

HUDSON COUNTY IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

Preliminary Stages of the War .- The causes which led to the ontbreak of the war for indepen- dence produced much the same feeling and action in this portion of New Jersey as were manifested simul- taneously throughout all the colonies, and which had

1 Killed at battle of Chuncellorsville, Va.

" Died June 21, 1869

HUDSON COUNTY IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

agitated the American people for at least a decade before the actual conflict of arms. The acts of British oppression, which for many years bad been earnestly protested against, culminated in the unwarranted closing of the part of Boston in the spring of 1974. From this time till the firing of the first gon at Con- cord was a period of passing resolutions at town and county meetings, and of appointing Committees of Safety and Correspondence.

Bergen County Resolutions. At a meeting of res, then in season in burlington,-

freeholders and inhabitants of Bergen County, of which Hudson County was then a part, held at the court-house in Hackensack on Saturday, June 20, 1774, Peter Zabriskie was called to the chair, and the following resolutions unanimously adopted :

" This meeting ting dres' affected with the caland ts condition of the inhabitants of Boten, in the Province . of Macaroni Bay, - sequence of the late Act of Parliament fer blocking up th port of Bomtun, and considering the alarming tendens of the Artof the British Parlament for the ) pre of resing a revente it Aneros,

"The Ri soler, Ist That they think at their restent a pune to live under the government of the illustrious Ha noe of Hands , and that they will stedtustly and uniformly bear true and faithcol alle et II » Majesty King theurge the Tin I, under the enjoyment of their constitu- ttonal rights and privilegos,

" 2d. That we Fun cive is tobe cor ind it table privil . [. ] tu ted only by our own consent, given by airsolves or by our representatives anul that we consider the Arts f Parliament de orutive of their rigt to Importe internal taxatie out of An agent fest eher with ments on our national rights and privileges as British subject- er las un- consistent with the sea of an American Assenbly I How . I Repreen. tatives.

"34. That we will heuttily unit with this tony i ch -in_ dele- gates to attend at a General l'ingres from the several por vin of America, in order to consult on and determine some efectivo method to be pursued for obtaining a rope it of the sud Acts of Parliament, which ap- par to its evidently calculat af to destroy that mutual larm is and de pendence between Great Britain and her colonies which are the Inis

" And de do appoint Theunis Day, John Demar at, Peter Zure kin, Cornelius Van Vorst and John Zabriskie, Jr., Equies, to be n . minuttec for correspondence with the committee with the other runtom in this Province, and particularly to meet with the other county committe - at Now Brunswick, or such other place as shall be agreed upon, in order to select delegates to attend the ferner Congress of Delegates of the Ameri can Colonies for the purper uforesant. '

These resolution- were signed by three hundred and twenty-eight citizens of Old Bergen, and what is now Hudson County, and a local Committee of Safety was organized, of which John Fell was chair- man. But little, if anything, is known of the opera-

"John Fall was a de tel patriot, and reauled at Parumus, where he was well scopininten with the Tory Cut, Van Buskich, before the selection of the latter from the Amer can cause, In 1777, Jutge Fell wita arrested and taken to Paulus Iloveck iu a prisoner He was recognize lt the Tiny colonel. " Times are altered since we lust inet,' suid the coloque 1. " 50 I perceive." coolly replied the judge, looking at the colomet & umf run " Well, you are a prisoner and going over to New York, where you will be presented to ten. Rolwerteom, with whom I have the hon r t be av- quanted. I will give you a letter of introduction, " mind the cul nel The judge thanked him and accepted the letter, which he afterwardle promoted to Gol. Roberto. It has happened that the judge and tin. Robertson had been Friends at l'oracata after the id Fen h war in 73. The purport of Van Burkirk's letter was that John Fell a a notorious rebel and rasral und wivimel that In care should be taken [ him. tien. Robertoin hamle the letter to the judge , and well. " My old friend, John Fell, you must In a very altored man and a very great rawal indeed if you equal this Col. Van Buskirk

tions of the committee, or of local att. ir gem rally, till the spring of 1776.

Preparations to Resist the British. - Early in 1776 intelligence having been received tat Lord Howe bad let Boston for New York, an attempt was made by Lord sterling, then in command of the nilitia of this vietrity, to fortif the eastern border of the county abog th. Hudson River and at Bergen Point, opposite States Islend. The Provincal (m)-

have edleet lor weilk tto New York -ist ga lun popo n f cor to the nai ist they may ler -ly nitin ther n, se

un1 th Fan require 1 t be dihgett in cicir moje t . tati l the fr ide of Darty throughent the ( 1 ) ft -tl; etret-) now tert this for the preservation of their try, their In Therty and property

other in essurica on the pre ot ix . all they us tam roll the postdie faith to make niemals for any | meer slapp r they t -. ur. " Ordered, that Cornelius Van \ the List 14 nel, It and ley, hr t muyor , and John Mastining (nm-te hanus, se tu thater of the battalion if fon trimitin in the county of Bergen.

A regiment of light horse was also raised, and Jarobi- Post was appointed major. He resigned his commission Feb. 3, 1776.

Continental L'ongress having furnished the Provin- cial t'onpres with two tons of powder, it was distrib- ited among the counties in the ratio as follows : Ber- gen t ounty, 400 pounds ; Morris County, 400 pounds; Hunterdon County, i'm) pounds; Somerset County. Ar pounds ; Essex County, 500 pounds ; Middlesex County, 500 pounds; Monmouth County, 700 pounds : Burlington County, 300 pounds.

Lord Sterling immediately took measures to plaire Bergen in a condition of defense, and to open means of communication with the interior of the province His plan, proposed as early as the 15th of March, con- templated the construction of two good ronds .- from Paulus Hoeck to Brown's, and the other from Weehawken to Hackensack Ferry, -and to set several hundred of the Bergen militia at work upon them. le devised forts at Paulus Hoeck, and at Bergen Noch, the former to prevent approaches from the city of New York and the latter from Staten Island. Part of the comprehensive plan had been carried iuto effect before the arrival of tien. Washington. The latter ordered the immediate construction of the work nt Paulus Hoeck, which w.s soon completed and garrisoned; but before the work could be con- structed at Bergen Point the British had arrived and occupied Staten Island. On the 20th of June the advance of a fleet of forty sail appeared in sight, bearing the British forces under tien. Howe, and

this expression of frinthip Full was treated with such severity that the ( mail of Safety of Dow Jones, Nur. It, 177" ordered James Parker and Walter RutherforIt Iwe confoed in -il at Morrist wn until F.Il anal Wynant Van Zant shcald In' di barked ur rel word from con- finement in New York - Minutes of tu 'l / safety, 1 1

952

HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

in two days thereafter other arrivals swelled the number of men-of-war and transports to one hundred and thirty. The troops landed on Staten Island, and the fleet cast anchor off the mouth of Kill Van Kull.2

Development of Loyalty to the King .- Of course, at this stage of the war there were many in the vicinity of Bergen Point, Paulus Hoeck and through- out the county who needed only the presence of the British army to stimulate and encourage their loyalty to ihn King. There hastened in large numbers to avow their allegiance, and many who had hitherto taken part with the patriots now looked upon the struggle of the colonies as hopeless, and joined the British. A number of these accepted commissions in the British service, and were vindictive and un- serupulous leaders of atrocious bands of marauding refugees, who infested the settlements and pluudered or murdered their former neighbors with remorseless atrocity during a considerable portion of the war. In 1776 the following action for disarming such dis- affected persons throughout the province was taken by Provincial Congress :

". Ihr cas, by a regulation of the late congress, the several committee in this Colony were anthorized and directed to disarm all the non- associate ry and persons notoriously disaffected within their bounds ;

. And whereas, it appears that the said regulation hath not been car- rindt into effert in some parts of the 'alony, and it being absolutely neces- sary, in the present dangeruns state of publick affairs, when arms are much wanted for the publick defense, and it should be instantly +Xe- culed

" It is therefore directed and Krsolred, That the ses ral colonels in this (61 ny do, without delay, proceed te disarm all such persons within their districts whose religions principles will not allow them to hear armas ; : I likewise, all such as have hitherto refused and still do refuse n bwar arms, that the sima so taken be appraised by some indifferent jenson or persons , that the said colonels give voucher for the same, and that the appraisement and receipt be left in the hands of the persons disarmed."

Fearing an attack from Staten Island, Gen. Mercer, who had been sent to Paulus Hoeck to receive the Pennsylvania militia upon their arrival at that point. and who had his flying camp at Bergen, was ordered by Washington, on July 4, 1776, to station a guard of five hundred men at Bergen Neck, and also to guard the ferries over the Hackensack and Passaic Rivers, being promised that on the next day an engineer should be sent over from New York to ereet works for the security of these places .? A fort, afterwards named Fort De Lancey, was erected at this time a short distance below the present canal at Bayonne, and Grn. Wadsworth's brigade was sent over to Ber- gen, where it was joined by a battalion of Jersey troops.

Among the precautions taken before the arrival of the British, as early as Feb. 3, 1776, was the removal ot the records from Perth Amboy to Burlington for rate keeping. John Demarest, of Bergen County, was the agent for their removal, as appears from the

following minutes of Provincial Congress, under the date above mentioned :

" Ordered, That Mr Demarest do attend the papers, books and records removed from the secretary's at Perth Amboy, and deliver the same to Charles Pettit. Esq., on Thursday next at Burlington ; on delivery thereof he is hereby authorized to take Mr Pettit's receipt agrerably to an order of this C'ungress,"

Still the British did not attack that portion of New Jersey, as they easily could have done with the force at their command in the immediate vicinity. It is estimated that at the time Gen. Mercer anticipated their crossing the kills they were at least eight thon- sand strong on Staten Island, and yet they showed no disposition to cross, although menaced by interior numbers on the Jersey side. ten. Mercer therefore formed a plan for attacking them upon the Island, which, though well conceived and prepared for, mis- carried on account of bad weather, which prevented his forces from crossing the Kill Von Kull.

On July 17, '1776, the committee of Newark pre- sented a petition to the Provincial Congress, requesting that this congress would procure, or eause to be built four gondolas or row-galleys, mounted with cannon, to ply between the mouths of Hackensack and Pas- saic Rivers and Perth Amboy. Robert Drummond and Lewis Ogden, of Essex, Jacob Quackenbush and Daniel I. Brown, of Bergen, and Dr. Moses Bloomfield, of Middlesex, were appointed a committee to consider the propriety of granting the petition. The matter was referred to Continental Congress through Mr. Ogden, but was not acted upon in sea- son to meet the exigency.

Beginning of Active Movements .- Meantime the enemy's forces had been augmented by arrivals until, in the harbor of New York and upon Staten Island, they numbered thirty thousand men.3 The bay and river were alive with their vessels. As two of the British men-of-war-the "Phoenix," of forty guns, and the "Rose," carrying twenty guns-swept up the harbor on the afternoon of July 12th, taking ad- vantage of both wind and tide, the first fire of patriot guns was opened upon them from the sand-hills of Paulus Hoeck, and was returned by a broadside as the vessels glided by the fort, comparatively un- harmed, their sides being protected by a wall of sand- bags. "On the same evening Lord Howe sailed up the harbor, greeted by the booming of cannon and the huzzas of the British." 4

On the 15th of September the British captured New York, and the only incident connected with Undson C'ounty on that day was another attack upon the post at Paulis Hoeck by the British ships-of-war the " Roebuck," " Phoenix " and " Factor." The fortifi- ration, however, was not surrendered, but remained in the possession of the Americans for a short time under command of Col. Durkie.3 During this time

1 Winfieldl's " Hndeon Conuty. " 1 2.

2. Ameri an Archivo 11. 120%.

$ Irving's " Washington, " ii. 300.

4 Winfield's " Hada in County, " 144.

. Valentine & Manual, Istiti.

953

HUDSON COUNTY IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR.

Washington would occasionally leave his camp at Harlaem, cross over to the Jersey shore, and in com- pany with Gen. Greene, who had succeeded Girn. Mercer in command on the Jersey shore, reconnoitre sometimes as far down as Paulus Hoeck, to observe what was going on in the city and among the ship- ping.' The account of the campaign of Paulus Hoeck is furnished by the following report of Gen. Greene, written from Fort Constitution, afterwards called Fort Lee :

STAMP FORTE STE TTIUN. . sept. - 1770

" PEAR MIA .- The energy a . langer at Powhy a Jak they came up this afternoon and began a rann mading in the butta, and after cannonading for half an hour or more, try landela purty from the while, tan. Mercer had ordered off from the thank all the troupes except a small guard, who had ordre to evacuate the pres from the first appearance of the quemy. o n. Mercer mentions bo trooja but they landed from the ships, but it! Bull and mums others that were along the river opou the height saw twenty hands grover frem York to Ponly s Fb k. This mt vement s ist have hopjen I willce Gen. Mercer write Im pre test Bergen tonight, as den. Merer thinks of going to his jant at Ambuy tomorrow

In a letter it is stated " nothing fell into the enemy's hands but a few guns, which had been rendered untit for further service, Our Army is posted at the town of Bergen, and our advanced party has possession of the mill just back of Powle's Hook.">

Bergen remained headquarters until the 5th of (e- tober, 1776, when Washington found it necessary to colleet huis forces preparatory to his retreat to the Delaware. A letter written on the Ith of Detoher says: "To-morrow we evacuate Bergen," and assigns the following reasons for the act :

" Bergen in the narrow neck of land weerwil in three sides los water and expand to a variety of attacks in different places at one and the wine time. A large body of the enemy might infallibly take jons son of the place whenever they pleased, undes w kopt a stronger force that our numbers will allow. The spot itself in het an object of our aring ; if they attack it would tout out of those who defended it and secure the grain and military stores, These has been removed, amt when we are gune, u nuked spot is all they will Bital. .. . We gut, Fott Constitu- tion as soon as we have seen the tr mops marched of W . shall leave a guard of obervation bemand us ; this may prosent the spring's diner- ing our removal for a day or two. 1

It appears from the authority above quoted that as outguards tien. Greene had posted at Bergen, Hoe- buck, Bull's Ferry, Hackensack and opposite Spusten Duivele one hundred and eighty-six others and men.

When Fort Lee was evacuated, Nov. 20, 1776, the army retreated to Hackensack and thenre to the Dela- ware, and East Jersey was left to the enemy. The Brit- ish stationed a considerable body of troops at Paulus Hoeck, and strengthening the post, placed it in com- mand of Lieut .- Col. Van Buskirk, of Saddle River, who had joined the British. The fort, also on Bergen Neck, was occupied, principally by refugees, and was named Fort De Lancey, in honor of Oliver De Laneey, of West Chester, a noted adherent to the British cause.

Exploit of Col. Aaron Burr. It was during one of those raids of the British and Tories in the vicinity of Hackensack, in September, 1777, that Col. Aaron Burr gained his first military distinction. Hearing, at the point where huis regiment was lying fin the Cbre, near Sufferns), that the British hul marched out of New York and were devastating the country, and were within thirty miles of him, he started to meet them with his small force. About ten o'clock in the evening, when within three miles of Hackensack, he received certain information that the most advanced of the enany's pickets were only a mile distant. His men having marched thirty miles since breaking camp, and being extremely fatigued, he ordered them to lie down and keep silent until he returned. In a few moments they were all asleep. Meanwhile, Col. Burr went forward alone to reconnoiter the situation. Stealthily he felt his way toward the British pickets, and found them lying on the ground fast asleep, and guarded by two sentinels. He was near enough to hear their watchword, and ascertained, by making a wide detour, that this picket was so far in advance of the main body as to be out of hearing. In gain- ing this information so much time was spent that it was within an hour of daybreak before he returned to his regiment. Quietly and quickly waking his men, he informed them of his purpose to attack the enemy's picket, and ordered them to follow at a cer- tain distance, and forbade any man to speak ou pain of instant death.

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History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II, Part 69

Author: Shaw, William H Publication date: 1884 Publisher: [United States :] Number of Pages: 830

Author: Shaw, William H
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: [United States :]
Number of Pages: 830