History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II, Part 71

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 71
USA > New Jersey > Essex County > History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II > Part 71

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1 Winfield's " History of Hudson County, " 117.

? The pole stood a few hundred feet west of the depol at Engle- wood, N J

3 Van Buskirk was with Arnold in his expedition to New London, and the trastor, in the official account of his deeds there, apenka of the vul- unterland of the evertions of tal. Van Hunkirk. Ho settled in Via Sorti at the close of the war, and in 1984 was mayor of Shelburne Ho r.« civedl till-quy He died in that province. - Achine's "Loyalists of the American Revolution," col it. p 376.

' Ex-Sheriff Jaquins recently Infarmed the writer that he has fre- quently rowed his hat ap trist lot on which Trinity Method se Fia cupal 'hunh now stands, in York Street, between Washington and War- .Streets חית

$ File Appendix, tri. "Paulns ilook Is by nature nim ut an in'and and the British had made it quito on by cutting a ditch though the marsh, into which the tide Bowed amt rendered it iny amable, except at low water " Innlay's "History of New York," s. 13.

" Marshall's "Life of Washington," tv 1336.

959

HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

abatis of great strength, extending from Communipaw ('ive around the westerly and northerly side of the up- land to the river." Within and along this abatis were three block-houses, -- one near Communipaw Cove, one a little west of the road, the other east of the road, and all on the edge of the upland. These were desig- nated by the British as the left-hand, centre and right- ; hand block-honses. numbering northerly.2 Along Communipaw C'ove was a chain of breast works which covered every portion of that shore. Extending from the southerly to the northerly side of Grand Street, about one hundred feet west of Green Street, was an oblong work or fort mounting three twelve-pounders and one eighteen-pounder, and which (except its gateway) was considered impregnable. 3 Within this fort was the magazine. To the southwest of this work, on the line of Sussex Street, about one hundred feet east of Washington Street, was a hill about thirty feet above the present grade, on which was a round redoubt surrounded by an abatis,' On the westerly

1 Pennsylvania Packet, Ang. 28, 1779, " Interior of this runs a line of nbatis of great strength, which extends to the extreme verges of the in- land." Irving, "Life of Washington," in. 513, says: "A creek fordable utily in two places rendered the Hook difficult of access. Within this is deep trench had been cot across the isthmus, traversed by a draw bridge with a barred gate ; and still within this was a double row of abatis, ex- tending into the water." Dawson, "Battles of the United States by Laml and Sra, " 1. 51, says : "On the margin of the marsh which sep- arated the Houk from the mainland was a deep creek, fordable only in two places ; a short distance inside of this creek a deep ditch had been ing from the river to the bay ; .

. about thirty paces within this ditch had been placed a heavy abatis, which extended around the eastern front of the Hook, twith on the river and the bay." Marshall, " Life of Washington, " iv. 136, says. " Lee past first the creek and then the ditch . If from this is to be understood that between the creek and the nydlatl a ditch had been dug, there is room to doubt the correctness of the statement. The northerly end at the creek, which extended lwvotul Newark Avenue at that point, was very stumll (Ludde field map in Win- field's "Land Titles." ) When the causeway (now Newark Avenue) was fitted for jmblic travel, in 1761, the crossing of the creek, I doubt not, was filled in and the creek connected with Ahusunus t'ove by the ditch nenrer Warren Street There is no pretense that there was a draw-bridge at the reek If nu dlraw-bridge, it was either spanned by a permanent bridge or filled in. In either case, where was the necessity of fording the creek " As to the ditch on the north side of the Hoeck, there never was a creek in that neighborhood.

" The right-hand black-house was also known as "No. 6," which wems to indicate that the fortifications were unmbered. There is a tradition that the logs of these block-lumses were used in corduroying the causeway across the marsh.

3 Appendix, xvi.

" Le says, in his report, "After most of the troops land retired from the works, and were passed and passing the canal, a fire of musketry commenced from a few stragglers whu had collected in an old work on the right of the main fort." There can be no doubt but this firing came from May. Sutherland and the Hesians. The round redoubt, then, must be the old work referred to by Lee. If it was an oldd work, it must have been the one constructed by the Americans in 1776, in which wald placed the artillery which they removed or rendered unfit for service be- fare evacuating the post.

Mr Lossing, "Field Book of the Revolution, " ji. 122, says the cir- cular redoubt mounted six heavy guus Mr. Dawson, in "Battles of the Revolution," ete , and myself, in "History of Handson county," adopted this statement. In the almence of proof to support it, I now present the following reasons why I hesitate to readopt it :

I The two works were me alone together that artillery in both would inv Inen unnecessary and under.

2 Not a piece of artillery was fired that night. Had this round re- doubt mounted six guns, au deerribed, it is almost certain they would have

edge of the lot belonging to St. Matthew's Church, in the middle of the block between Sussex and Grand Streets, was the Indian Spring. On the westerly line of Washington Street, between Sussex and a point a little south of Morris Street, was the burying-ground.

I have now described the situation of Paulus Hoeck, and, as far as I am able, the works for its defense, at the time of Maj. Lee's assault. From this description it will be seen that the position should have been impregnable. Naturally difficult of access except by water, it had been fortified by the appli- ances of labor and skilt until it would seem that no- thing more was needed than ordinary care and watch- fulness. But this very strength of the post proved its ruin, by inducing a negligence of which the watchful Americans were swift to take advantage.

What troops garrisoned the post in August, 1779? The prisoners taken by the Americans, as we shall presently see, were credited to the Sixty-fourth Regi- ment, the Garrison Regiment, Van Buskirk's regi- ment and the artillery. As to the Sixty-fourth, but one man belonging to that regiment was taken. Judg- ing from this and other evidence, we may safely con- clude that the Sixty-fourth was not stationed here at the time. The harrison Regiment spoken of was the Invalid Battalion. Van Buskirk's regiment was the Third Battalion of Skinner's Provincial Brigade, or, in plain words, a lot of New Jersey Tories.5 There was also a detachment of artillery under Lieut. Cock- burne.6 Maj. William Sutherland, of the Invalid Battalion, was in command of the post.

On the 18th of August, Maj. Sutherland determined to send out that night a detachment under Lieut .- Col. Van Buskirk to capture or disperse a body of one hundred rebels near the English Neighborhood .? As the detaching a sufficient body of troops for that pur-

been fired, for two reasons . a, to drive off the assailants ; h, to give the signal agreed upon between Gen. Pattison and Maj. Sutherland.

Again, the artillerymen were captured in the fort. This was their proper place. If both works mounted artillery, it is reasonable to nasnie that there were artillerymen in both places. Lient. Cockburne, the ar- tillery ofhver on duty at the Hueck, on receiving the alarm, ran to the fort where his men were and found Lee's force in possesion. Why did he not then run to the circular redonbt, where, if artillery was placed, he had men and means of defense? The map of Paulus Hoeck herein inserted in a fac simile of one now in the Congressional Lilaury ut Wash- ington. It is withont date, and there is no evidence how it got into that library. But from the fact that the Fifty-seventh Regiment is marked thereon ax stationed at the Hueck, I conclude that the map was made in 1777. The right-hand block-house is not shown on the plan, and this is another proof that it was mude before 1779. This map shows artillery in the oldlong fort only. Enumeratio uuins ,at exclusio alterins. This maxim would seem to be conclusive that there was no artillery in the round re- doght, It for the fact that it might have been placed therein after the map was made, if, as I believe, it was made poor to 1779. But the fact that no artillery was fired from that redoubt seems to be sufficient to war- rant the uxsertion that there was nour in it.

5 Saline, "Loyalists of the American Revolution," ii, 30, ways that only three battalions were raised by Skinner, numbering n total of one thousand one hundred and one mien. Skinner had the privilege of naming his own officers. Van Buskirk's battalion is sometimes spoken of as the Fonth.

s l'ide Appendix, xi.

¡ l'ide Appendix, x.

SURPRISE AND CAPTURE OF PAULUS HOECK.

959

pose would dangerously weaken the garrison, he applied to Gen. Pattison for a captain and forty men as a reinforcement for that night. Gen. J'attison granted the application, and sent the number from Knyphausen's Hessian regiment, with t'upt. Von Schallern.' Thus made up, the total strength of the

circumstances of that night, the absence of Van Bus- kirk and the greater part of his regiment. Well- trained and vigilant lessians had taken the place of the negligent Tories. This rendered the approach more precarious, and at the same time diminished the object of the enterprise by a reduction of the number

AHASIMUS

COVE

Hond

Ditch

Creek

Carpentera

Pioneers

: 12.PM ₹ 18.P4

Ferry

Barrack

PAULUS'S

Block Houkes

HOOK

57.R.

MAP OF PAULU'S HOOK.

garrison, after Lieut .- Col. Vnn Buskirk marched out of the garrison .? To provide for assistance in case of with one hundred and thirty men, was about two possible attack at any time, a mode of signal had, a hundred. This change in the forces at the Hoeck was entirely unknown to the Americans, nud Maj. Lee afterwards lamented, us among the many unfortunate

" Vide Lov's report. The British pretended to believe that Ine mized the occasion of Van Hunkirk's alcance. "The absence from the Hook of Van Buskirk was communicated to Ire, and he rreujved to avail himself of the opportunity "-Nedman's "History of the American Hero- lution," ii., 153. l'ule Appendix, xv.

1 l'ide Appendix, xxx.

NORTH RIVER

COMMUN

NIPAW COVE

960

HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

short time before, been agreed upon between Gen. time until the eventful night the work to insure the Pattison and Maj. Sutherland, which would, without delay, bring from New York the needed succor. The signal agreed upon was the firing of two pieces of artillery and hanging out three lights. We will pres- ently see how the best-laid plans of British officers, as well as of mice, ' gang aft aglee."

enterprise went quietly and cautiously forward. The first care of Maj. Lee was to be informed of the con- dition of the roads leading from New Bridge to Ber- gen, and the passes from the river to the top of the mountain through which an enemy might approach his line of march. As to the roads, one extended Shortly after the capture of Stony Point plans began to take shape for the surprise of Paulus Hocek. In Lee's Legion, as captain of the Fourth tompany of Foot, was the discreet, active and untiring Allen M'Lane, of Delaware.1 It seems to have been the fortune of this vigilant officer-perhaps misfortune, from the New Bridge by way of the Liberty Pole, English Neighborhood and Three Pigeons to Bergen. This was the only well-established road. From this road, at what is now Leeonia, a road extended eastward to Fort Lee. From the Hackensack turnpike, at Union HEill. up to Bull's Ferry was a rough mountain for in this position he made himself so useful that his i road. This was on the east brow of the mountain, superiors could not afford to assign him to other duty but ran down the hill just below the ferry, and thence along the river to Fort Lee. There was a rude con- tinuation of this road also on top of the mountain to the road from Fort Lee to the main road. There was also a road which bore to the left from a point just above the Bull's Ferry pass across the mountain to the English Neighborhood. There was also a rough wood road made by the Bergen farmers, over which they hauled their fuel in the winter, on the westerly brow of the mountain, and generally along the line of the present Dallytown road. This probably extended but a short distance, dring out in the woods south of the way or path leading from the ferry to the English Neighborhood. In his report Lee designates this as the central route. when this was to be done-to be assigned to observa- tion of the enemy and scouting over the territory be- tween the two armies. While the contending forces lay at Philadelphia and Valley Forge, at New York and the Ilighlands, and in Virginia, he was especially useful. Nothing escaped his sleepless eve, nor could he be deceived by appearances. He was in command of a party of observation from 1777 to 1781, under the direction of Washington, except from July, 1779, to February, 1781, when he was attached to Lee's Le- gion, in command of a company of infantry. It was to him that Washington owed much of his informa- tion as to the comlition of the enemy's works at Stony Point, and which led to the success of that brilliant assault. It was also through him that Maj. Lee ob- There were three passes between Fort Lee and Paulus Iloeck through which an enemy could pass from the river to the top of the mountain, and thence, by a short march from one to three miles through the woods, to the road leading from Bergen to the Liberty Pole. The first one going north was the ravine of the Awilhaken, the second one was the ravine which lies between Guttenberg and Block-House Point, and the third one was the break or depression in the moun- tain at Bull's Ferry. Through these passes a retreat along the Bergen road could be easily intercepted. tained information of the negligence of its garrison which suggested the attack on Paulus Iloeck. True, his name does not stand above the ordinary level in the bulletin announcing its successful assault .? The world does not yet know the full extent of his connee- tion with that coup de main, for "it seldom happens that the reapers of the harvest concern themselves about those who sow the seed."" But as long as Stony Point and Paulus Hoeck shall stand associated with the " most daring and insolent assaults that are to be found in the records of chivalry " the name of Allen M'Lane cannot be forgotten.

When the idea of assaulting this post was first conceived I do not know, but it seems to have as- sumed shape in the latter part of July.4 From that

1 Congress, Tuesday, July 13, 1779. " Resolved. That d'aptain M Lane's company, now attached to the Delaware regiment, and the dismounted dragons belonging to Major Lee's partizan corps, be formed into a fourth troop and added to the corps ; this troop to be commanded by Cup- tain M'Lane, and to serve on fout."

2 Ile Brems to have been dinutisted with this want of especial men- tion. In his MSS., now in possesion of the New York Historical Society, I mys : "M'Lane als discovered the situation of lowles Hook in Au- gunt, . which Ird to the surprise uf the post ; and Major Lee was the only off er meutioned of the Legion in Lee's report."

3 Htichurd Poters to Cupt M Lane, May 7, 1816. SI'Lane MSS. 4

MAJ. LEE TO C'APT. M'LANE : "C'AMP HAVERSTRAW, July 30, 1779.

"Six . You will move your troop to the vicinity of Bergen Town. The olet you are to bavo in view is the interruption of the correspondence and trade now sulmisting butwien the enemy and tho disaffected of the runtity You are to communicate with Captain Peytou duily. You aru

The plans and preparations for the surprise of Paulus Hoeck seem to have been left in a great mea- sure to Maj. Lee. Before these plans were submitted to Washington, Maj. Lee entered upon practical preparation to carry them out. For this purpose he issued the following orders to Capt. M'Lane :

" Dn. SIR . It is his Excellency's command that you canse the Roads Trading from Fort Lee to Bull's Ferry and the intermediate passes from the shore to be obstructed by the falling of trees (the four months' men will be ordered for this service). The Mountain Board from near Fort let through the mountains to the Old Bridge near Hoback to be recon- maitred, and reported whether convenient for the march of Horse sind Foot. The distance to be also known. The Marsh ut Van Horn's Mills to be examined, the direct route from the New Bridge to thu mills to bu used und the distance to be ascertained."

The report upon this order is as follows:

" Executed the within orders, the 8th and 9th of Angust, 1779. Find

to koup with you two expresses from the militin who well know the country, necessary guiles to be provuled. Conduct yourself with perfect cantion, or you meet with suro loss and disgrace. Wishing you success, I um, etc."- Me Lane MISS.

SURPRISE AND CAPTURE OF PAULUS HOECK.

the pares lending through the Mountains fr m Fart Ler to Bergen to be moult for fost and imported for horses, the distance about the In the to the Il dusk bridg . The read by way of Van Horn & M In likewise difficult for foot and impan able for horses, the march near the Mill being mary. The distance through the fields, three miles

Capt. M'Lane was the person on whor Maj. Le seemed to rely in preparing for the grand assault which was soon to be made en Paulus Hoeck. He |throwing troops across the river and penetrating the left Haverstraw in the latter part of July and moved 1 .ward " Bargain Woods 2 to enter upon his work. From this time until the morning when he took part in the capture of the post, he was, by night and by day. scouting over the territory between Hackensack and Prior's Mill. On the morning of the Isth he received from Maj. Lee the following instructions:

" Take down fifteen goed you, including the Hills wn, to pretend by the most veret I ute to the Vicinity of Bhigeh get a private int rsirw with Van Riper or - the former the man , vogage hun to go it the Hook any ting after Dinner and return in the Jseming, noting l'option Metane at the pare to be fixed an. Van ligger to enquire to News from Now Yok if the Best is come, of , et Captain M Jane to be we Mr Neil with the Riflemen, either jx sting thein himself of giving such din tions as they can with me to thom ' queles in or th . to the comuneation ledting from Bergen to Pind's Mill ufer Lak, and there act as ME. Seil has been particularly informed.

" When Van Riper returns, Captain M. Late will convey him to the place in the W als where Myor Les, Mayo Burnett wird al hands sat down on our Regern from Reconnaitre Then Major Lee will be found and will roquet to ver Captain Mel , and the remainder of the men, who are on tv account to challe ige on the approach of any Pen nor l'er

" The greatest secresy to be observed, a seeming indifference to be jut ou.

" Mr. Neil and Punis will not take post till after Dark. If Captain Mela meets with the guides, etc. he will send du back to meet Major

" No other necessary hints neur to me. Captain Mel will cas'y juervelve the ltagree of Srerecy and address ti be made use of on the peut- " Mr. Neil's party never to challenge on any account." >

The position of Cornet Neil was at Prior's Mill, and his duty there was to "lay the bridge" over Mill Creek and communicate with the boats at Douw's Ferry.

On this night Capt. M'Lane lay in the woods near Three Pigeons, waiting for the arrival of Maj. Lee to conduct him to Paulus Hovek.

While the work of preparation was going on, Maj. L' had conferences with the commander-in-chief, and on the 9th of August submitted his plan, both of attack and retreat. It was well converted, but did not entirely satisfy Washington. What this plan was does not appear; but from the fact that on that very day Lee's men were throwing obstructions in the roads and passes between Fort Lee and Weehawken, it is probable that it embraced the route which he was afterwards forced to take on his retreat. Ou looking over this plan, Washington deemel " the attempt too

hazardous and not warrantel h. the magnitude of the object." In a letter to Mij. Ler, written on the 10th of August, Washington suspen led the attempt unless it could be made in a manner less hazardous than that shown on Lee's plan. The British were creamped in full force on the opposite bank of the Hudson, and by

mountain through the passes already described, could strike a damaging blow, if not entirely cut off a retreat on the Bergen Road. Washington, therefore, sugges- tel an approach and retreat by water, a collection of boats at Elizabethtown as if for an attack upen staten I-land, and then at night to move up Newark Bay and land at a point within two undles of the post. He desired Maj. Lee to turn his "thoughts this way."' It is possible that this suggestion first opened to Lee n retreat by way of Douw's Ferry, > S huyler's road, Polly Fly and Hackensack. This route would place, at the commencement of the retreat, an impassable river between himselt and his pursuers, To make hi- way feasth'e. Capt. Peyton 6 was detached to pro- vide boats and have them at the ferry on the Hacken- Back in time to carry over the retreating forces and their prisoners. He brought them fren Pluckemin 10) Newark on the preceding evening, and during the night they were taken to the appointed place. It was not the object of the expedition to light a battle or hold the quest after it was taken, but to strike a su lden blow, capture the garrison and immediately retreat, without losing time to remove or destroy property, or even to collect those who might skulk and hide .?

Thus the way is prepared for the approach of the attacking force. Let us now go to the headquarters of Maj. Lee, and join him in his approach to Paulus Hoeck, He was stationed about two miles from the Paramus Church on the road leading to Kakiat." From this point he took up his line of march, on Wednesday, the 18th of August, at half-past ten o'clock in the morning, en route for the New Bridge, with two companies of Maryland troops under Capt.

1 I'de Appendix, Il.

- Down's Ferry was on the Hackensack Hiver a little ale ve the bridge f the Pennsylvania Railroad. From this ferry Schuyler's road led to Belleville.

6 This offer was killed in a duel with Adjutant Overton, of May- Jan , dragoons, at Enghal Neighborhood, Aug. 23, 1780 .- New York Historical sively Calle tum, IN75, til,

" I udle Appendix, xv.

" The following letter, written amewhat kindly, but without doubt fully understood by Laptuiu M Lone, shows where Fis headquarters were :

MAJ. LEE TO CAPT. MI'LANE.

"Angust 18, 1774.

" I thank you for the intelligence conveyed in your two letters. i wish you to continue using your ehde asors to je ne trate inter the os=s of the enemy Kuow phentirely whether any troops have arrived ur will arrive. Know also concerning the French fret. let me hear Inem you when necessary. Direct your letters to Paramus, two miles on the road fre in the church to Kakint Meeting- House. Do not harue your men. Ihave in agitation to mount a corporal and mix of your trip to met always with You, in the mean time imprese expresses

'A foraging party from land curling will be down the day or to. morrow Lanul every mid in your power by taking care of the road lead- 4 ing to Fort Lee. "- J' Lane .MIN.

1 M'Lane Mas., rike Appendix, xvii.

" The ' Hergen Winds" tay on the mountain ni ining the North River, and extended from the lackrisk read, at I'mon Hill, un the mouth to Bull's Ferry. Three woods were so called because nearly all this part of the common land was allotted to the people owning land around Bergen.

002

HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

Leviu Handy At this place he was joined by three hundred Virginians, under Maj. Clark, and Capt. M'Lane's dismounted dragoons,2 numbering in all between four and five hundred men.' Here he made known to his forces the order of attack and disposition of march, in which was the following address :

". Maj ir Ler is en assured of the gallantry of the officers and men under has command that he feels exportation useless ; be therefore only re- qquires the most profound secrecy. He pronounces death as the immediate fat . tany soldier who may violate in the slightest degree the silence he has arder d to be observed. He recommends to his officers to add to the sigur of their at acks the advantage of surprise ; therefore to continue occult till the moment of action. Succes is not at the will of mortals ; al they can che is to deserve it. Be this our determination and this our ondue , and we shall have canse to triumph, even in adversity. Watch- w rd, Be firm."+

From the New Bridge he took up his line of march at five o'clock in the afternoon, with Capt. Handy's command in the advance.3 For the purpose of divert- ing suspicion, a number of wagons joined the expedi- tion to give it the appearance of a foraging party.6 l'atrols of horse were detached to watch communica- tions with the North River, and parties of infantry stationed at different roads. What portion of his forec was put upon this service is not known, and perhaps is not ascertainable. Ile followed the lower road through the English Neighborhood to a point not known, when he filed into the mountains. But as he followed the Bergen road lower than he intended, and as it was but a "short march " from that point to Paulus Ilovek, and as Capt. M'Lane then lay in the woods near Three Pigeons waiting for the arrival of Maj. Lee, it is probable that he entered the Bergen woods but a short distance to the north of New Dur- ham. The object of this act was manifestly to avoid discovery. Through the "timidity or treachery' of the principal guide, his troops became entangled in the "deep mountainous woods," and three precious hours were wasted before they regained their route. Yet possibly these hours, so important to the expedi- tion, were fortunate hours to Lee; for Lieut .- Col. Van Buskirk, with one hundred and thirty men, had left the Hoeck about nine v'elock that night on a raid to the English Neighborhood, and must have passed up the Bergen road white Maj. Lec was floundering in the swamps lying between Guttenberg and Union Ilill, At this time his force became separated, so that only one hundred and fifty men reached Paulus Hoeck There is reason to believe there was more design than accident in this separation, so far as some of his men were concerned. Jealousy led nearly one-half of the Virginians to desert him, and those who re- mained with the expedition were not the most vigorous to second the endeavors of their commanding officer."

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History of Essex and Hudson counties, New Jersey, Vol. II, Part 71

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