History of Monmouth county, New Jersey, Part 25

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Swan, Norma Lippincott. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia, R. T. Peck & co.
Number of Pages: 1148

USA > New Jersey > Monmouth County > History of Monmouth county, New Jersey > Part 25

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The first Monmouth County company that took the field was that of Captain Longstreet, who, in November, 1775, marched his com- mand to Perth Amboy, where they took posses- sion of the barracks, which had been vacated by the Forty-Seventh Royal Regiment of Foot in the fall of 1774, when they moved to join the forces of General Gage in Boston.

On the 2d of February, 1776, Congress ordered to be sent "to the commanding offieers and chairmen of the several county committees in the province " a circular-letter in these words :

"GENTLEMEN,-The late repulse at Quebee1 re-

dom, in consequence whereof Colonel Maxwell's bat- talion is ordered to march forth with, and the Continen- est dispatch in procuring arms and necessaries for this expedition. Therefore, in pursuance of the aforesaid application, we request you, gentlemen, to use the utmost diligence and activity in collecting all the publie arms belonging to your county, being your proportion of the Provincial arms unsold. Dispatch in this case is quite necessary, as, no doubt, the arms are distributed in the hands of the associators, it will be necessary that every offieer do his part. The value of the arms will be paid in money, or the number be replaced, and the expenses of collecting and forward- ing them punetnally discharged. We put you to this trouble with regret ; but the necessity of the measure must apologise. You will have the arms collected in your county valned by good men, and sent to Bur- lington or Trenton, under the care of such officer of Colonel Maxwell's battalion as may be the bearer thereof."

That a great scarcity of ammunition as well as of arms existed among the men of the two battalions appears by the following extract from the minutes of the Congress, dated February 1st,-viz. :

" Lieutenant-Colonel Winds informed this Congress that he was stationed at Perth Amboy with a part of the Eastern battalion of the Continental forces raised in this Colony, and that he was destitute of ammuni- tion, and thought it not improbable lie might soon have occasion for a supply. And this Congress being informed that the county of Somerset had a quantity of powder in store, and the county of Middlesex a quan- tity of lead,-in consideration whereof : Ordered, That Mr. President request the Chairman of the Committee of Somerset to furnish Colonel Winds with four quar- ter casks of powder ; and that he also request the Chairman of the Committee of the County of Middle- sex to furnish Colonel Winds with 150 pounds of lead ; and that the said powder and lead shall be replaced in some convenient time."

The committees promptly acceded to this request, as appears from the minutes, dated February 10th,-viz. :

"On a requisition from Lord Stirling, the Commit- tee of Elizabethtown have furnished him with six thousand cartridges, Somerset County four quarter casks of powder, Woodbridge a considerable quantity

in the morning of December 31, 1775, by the American forces under Montgomery and Arnold, in which the first- named gallant officer lost his life and the latter was severely wounded.

1 The unsuccessful assault on the defenses of thit town.

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

and Brunswick one hundred and fifty weight of lead. | only nineteen days after the passage of the reso- Our militia are very illy supplied with ammunition ; those who have granted the above supplies are there- fore very desirous that they be immediately re- placed."

This extract is from a communication sent by : in a fair way."

the Provincial Congress on the date named to the Continental Congress asking for "ten tons of gunpowder and twenty tons of lead, or as much as may be spared," out of a large quantity re- ported to have then recently arrived at Philadel- phia. The request was granted to the extent of half a ton of powder, and out of this, the quan-

Boston and move his forces thence by sea to New York, as also the knowledge that Sir Henry Clin- ton had embarked from England on a secret expe- dition, whose probable destination was New York, a greater degree of activity was infused into mili- tary measures in general, and especially to those having reference to the defense of the middle colonies. The Continental Congress having re- solved, in January, 1776, that it was necessary to raise a number of additional battalions, assigned the raising of one of these to the province of New Jersey, and recommended to the Provincial Congress that it should take immediate steps to that end. Accordingly, ou the 5th of February, the last-named Congress passed a resolution to raise a battalion, in addition to the two previ- ously raised, to be enlisted, organized and offi- cered in the same manner (except that each of the eight companies should be composed of sey- enty-eight instead of sixty-eight privates), and, like the others, to be employed in the Continental service. Company officers for the battalion were appointed by the Congress of New Jersey, but the field-officers were to be appointed and com- missioned by the Continental Congress.

The rapid progress made in raising the Third Battalion is indicated by the following extract from a letter written by President Tucker to the Continental Congress on the 24th of February,

Intion ordering the battalion to be raised, -viz .: " I am likewise to request that commissions may be sent for the officers of the Third Battalion, as some of the companies are already full and others

On the 13th of February, Congress resolved " that a train of artillery, consisting of twelve pieces, be immediately purchased for the use of this Colony," and on the 2d of March an ordi- nance was passed directing that two complete artillery companies be immediately raised for the defense of the colony, " one to be stationed in the tity borrowed of Somerset County, Brunswick, Eastern and one in the Western Division there- Woodbridge and Elizabeth was replaced.

of. . . . to be disposed of in this Colony as the In consequence of the unfavorable result of the military operations in Canada, and the strong probability (indicated in letters from General Washington to Congress) that General Howe in- Congress, Committee of Safety, Brigadier- General of the Division to which they re- >pertively belong shall direct ; each company to be commanded by a Captain, Captain- tended to evacuate his uncomfortable position at . Lieutenant, First and Second Lieutenants ; and to consist of a Fire-worker, four Sergeants, four Corporals, one Bombardier and fifty matroses, all of whom are to be able-bodied freemen, and to be enlisted for one year, unless sooner discharged." The commissioned officers ap- pointed for these companies were Frederick Frelinghuysen captain,1 Daniel Neil captain- lieutenant, Thomas Clark first lieutenant, and John Heard second lieutenant of the East- ern Company, and Sammel Hugg captain, Thomas Newark captain-lieutenant, John West- cott first lieutenant, and Joseph Dayton second lieutenant of the Western Company. AA com- pany of riflemen was also ordered to be raised, to be joined to Colonel Maxwell's (Second Continental) battalion.

In view of the probability, as before mentioned, that General Howe was abont to move hisarmy to occupy New York, and the expected arrival, by sea, of a force under Sir Henry Clinton, a con- siderable number of Continental and Provincial

1 Captain Frelinghuysen soon after resigned his commis- sion and thereupon his artillery company was disbanded, as is shown by an ordinance passed August 21, 1776, order- ing the payment of certain demands, among them being : " To Frederick Frelinghuysen £61 138. 2d., being the bal- ance due to him and men by him enlisted for the eastern company of artillery. who were discharged upon his resig- nation."-Mm. Pror. Cong .. 1776. p. 575.

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MONMOUTH COUNTY IN THE REVOLUTION.

troops had been ordered to that city, and among these the battalion of Lord Stirling, who received orders to that effort about the 1st of February, and moved his command from Elizabethtown to New York on the 5th and 6th of that month.1 On the 15th of February the Congress of New Jersey received a communication from the Presi- dent of the Continental Congress, dated Febru- ary 12th, asking this province to send a force of minute-men to New York ; upon the receipt of which the Provincial Congress resolved unani- mously,

"That the above requisition be complied with, and that detachments of minute-men, properly aecoutred, equal to a battalion in the Continental service, be im- mediately made, and marched to New York under the command of Charles Stewart, Esq., colonel ; Mark Thompson, Esq., lieutenant-colonel; Frederick Fre- linghuysen and Thomas Henderson,2 Esqrs., majors."

But again the scarcity of arms presented a serions difficulty, and this time it proved an in- superable obstacle to the desired movement of the troops, as is explained by the following ex-

tract from the minutes of the Continental Con-, an ordinance, in which it was " Resolred and di- gress, dated February 22d,-viz .:

" A delegate from New Jersey having informed Congress that the regiment of militia ordered by the Convention of that Colony to march to the defense of New York, in consequence of the resolve of Congress of the 12th of this month, were not sufficiently armed, and that they could not be furnished with arms unless the Congress supplied them, and as this Congress have not arms to spare,-those they have being neces- sary for arming the battalions in the Continental service; Therefore, Resolved, that the march of said battalion of militia be countermanded."

One week after the marching orders to the ; New Jersey minute-men were thus countermanded the several organizations of minute-men in the colony were disbanded by action of the Provin-

cial Congress, which, on the 29th of February, passed an ordinance in which it was directed

" That all the minute-men heretofore embodied in the several parts of this Colomy be immediately dis- solved, and incorporated with the militia, in the several companies in the district in which they re- spectively reside, as though such minute-men had never been raised.

The principal reasons for this action, as enti- merated in the preamble to the ordinance, wore that large numbers of the members of' minute- men organizations had enlisted in the Continental service, thereby greatly reducing the companies and battalions, and so placing them in a condi- tion in which they could not " answer the design of their institution," and that " our defense, under God, chiefly depends upon a well-regulated militia." Thus the " minute-men " organiza- tions of New Jersey ceased to exist, never having had an opportunity to perform any of the pecu- liar services for which they were formed.

The Congress of New Jersey adjourned on the 2d of March, 1776, having previously 3 passed reacted, That there be a new choice of Deputies to serve in Provincial Congress, for every County of this Colony, on the fourth Monday in May yearly, and every year," thus establish- ing regular annual elections of deputies instead of the special elections called, as they had pre- viously been, at the pleasure of Congress.

The elections were held at the time specified, and resulted in the choice of Edward Taylor, John Covenhoven, Joseph Holmes, James Mott and Josiah Holmes for Monmouth County. These, with sixty deputies from the other conn- ties, assembled in Provincial Congress at Bur- lington, and organized on the 11th of June by dlecting Samuel Tucker president and Williane Patterson secretary.

At this session a great amount of business was transacted, a large proportion of which was it - cluded in the measures taken for raising, organ :- izing and forwarding troops. These measures will not be noticed in detail here, but the most important of them will be mentioned incidentally in succeeding pages, in connection with the events of which the year 1776 was so fruitful. A num-

3 February 28th.

1 In a letter addressed by Lord Stirling to the President of Congress, dated New York, February 19, 1776, he says, --

" SER, -On the 14th instant I informed you of having re- ceived General Lee's orders to march with my regiment to this place. I accordingly marched the next morning with four companies from Elizabethtown, and arrived here the next day, as soon as the iee permitted us to cross Hudson's River. The other four companies followed the next day."- Collections of the New Jersey Historical Society, vol. i. p. 129.

2 Dr. Thomas Henderson, of Freehold.

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IHISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

ber of matter- having special reference to Mon- mouth County are given here (some of them in a disconnected form) as found in the minutes of the " Convention of New Jersey "-as the Pro- vincial Congress then began to be called, viz. :

" June 12, 1776 .- A letter from Colonel David Brearley, of the County of Monmouth, complaining of sundry disaffected persons in his regiment ; read, and ordered a second reading.

" June 17 .- On reading a second time, the memoriał of Colone! David Brearley, respecting certain disaffected persons in Monmouth County ; and the letter from the President of the Pro- vincial Congress in New York, stating the cir- cumstances of a defection in Bergen County, &c. Ordered, That the same be referred to Colonel Dick, Mr. Sergeant, Mr. Symmes, Col- onel Covenhoven and Mr. Brown.

" Four petitions from the Township of Mid- dletown and Shrewsbury, in the County of Mon- mouth, praying that the government of the Province of New Jersey may not be changed, &c., read.

" Two petitions from the Township of Free- hok, in the County of Monmouth, praying that this Congress will immediately establish such mode of government as shall be equal to the

" A petition from sundry inhabitants of the present exigencies of this Colony, and fully co- County of Monmouth, praying that none of the " incide with the resolve of the Honourable Con- militia may be taken out of that County, as it tinental Congress of the 15th of May last ; were read. lies so exposed to hostile invasion ; read, and ordered a second reading.

" Monday, June 24 .- Two petitions from the Townships of Middletown and Freehokl, in the County of Monmonth, praying that this C'on- gress would immediately establish such mode of government as shall be equal to the exigencies of this Colony, and fully coincide with the re- solve of the Honourable Continental Congress of the fifteenth of May last ; read, and ordered a second reading.

" A letter from the County Committee of

" June 18th .- Pursuant to a certificate of Monmouth, enclosing an association signed by elvetion, Ordered, That the following per- certain disaffected persons ; read, and ordered a sons be commisssioned as officers in a com- second reading. pany of light infantry, in the Township of Mid- " A representation of the County Committee of Monmouth, giving a detail of Colonel For- man and the minute-men seizing several disaf- fected persons in that county without the express command of the Committee, though approved dletown, County of Monmouth, to wit : John Burrowes, Jun., Captain ; Jonathan Forman, First Lieutenant ; James Whitlock, Second Lieu- tenant ; Samuel Carhart, Third Lieutenant.

" James Mott, Second Major of the second by them afterwards; accompanied with an battalion of foot militia in Monmouth County, account of the expense attending the seizure having resigned his commission, Ordered, That of said persons ; read, and ordered a second reading. his resignation be accepted.

" .June 19 .- A petition from sundry inhabit- ants of the Township of Shrewsbury, in Mon- mouth County, praying that no new mode of government may be established ; that the pres- ent may continue, as being sufficient for the ex- igency of our affairs ; and that no measures may be adopted that tend to separate this Colony from Great Britain ; was read, and ordered a second reading.

" June 21 .- Ordered, unanimously, That Doctor Melancthon Freeman be appointed Sur- geon, and Mr. Benjamin Stockton, Surgeon's Mate, to the battalion directed to be raised in proceed without delay to the County of Mon- the Counties of Middlesex and Monmouth.

" Wednesday, June 26 .- Whereas, it ap- pears, from undoubted intelligence, that there are several insurgents in the County of Mon- mouth who take every measure in their power to contravene the regulations of Congress, and to oppose the cause of American freedom ; and, as it is highly necessary that an imme- diate cheek be given to so daring a spirit of disaffection ; It is therefore resolved, unani. mously, That Colonel Charles Read take to his aid two companies of militia of the County of Burlington, properly officered and armed, and mouth, in order to apprehend such insurgents

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MONMOUTH COUNTY IN THE REVOLUTION.

and disaffected persons in said County as this Congress shall give in direction to Colonel Read.

" Resolved, unanimously, That Colonel Read take, if necessary, to his assistance the militia of Monmouth.

" Resolved, unanimously, That such officers and militia as engaged in this service shall re- ceive the like pay as the Continental troops.

" Resolved, unanimously, That the said mili- amount of said arms according to the apprais- tia furnish themselves with provisions, and that ment. this Congress will order payment therefor.

" Resolred, That the following directions, Committee of Monmouth, the other from the signed by the President, be given to Colonel Read.

" Colonel Charles Read : You are hereby ordered to apprehend Richard Robins and Moses Ivins, and to deliver them unto the keeper of the common gaol of the County of Glou- cester, who is hereby commanded to keep said

persons in close and safe confinement until this forenoon of this day, informing that nineteen Congress, or Committee of Safety, shall take further order therein : And you are also to apprehend Anthony Woodward, junior, Joseph That the President write to the Continental

Grover, Guisebert Gnisebertson, and Thomas Lewis Woodward, and bring them before this Congress, or, during their recess, the Committee of Safety.

" Ordered, That the Company under the com- mand of Captain Stillwell, which was directed by the late Committee of Safety to gnard the coast of this Colony near Sandy Hook, be con- tinued until the further order of this Convention or Committee of Safety. If it be inconvenient for any of the Company to continue in the said employment, Captain Stillwell is hereby empow-

County Committee of Monmouth, setting forth that in pursuance of a resolution of the late Congress, said Committee furnished Colonel Maxwell's battalion with fifty stand of arms and that it was in their option to have them re- placed or receive their value in money, and pray- ing that this Congress would order the value of said arms to be paid in money ; read a second time, and ordered that the treasurer pay the

" Two memorials, the one from the County Committee of Safety of that County, respecting certain disaffected persons in said County, and requesting that this Congress would take some deeisive order therein, were read, and ordered a second reading.

"Congress received a letter from Colonel Taylor of Monmouth, dated ten o'clock in the sail of the enemy's fleet lies at the Hook, and forty-five in sight ; read and filed. Ordered, Congress, enelosing a copy of the above letter, and requesting a supply of powder.

" Tuesday, July 2 .- Resolved, That in the opinion of this Congress, the militia of Mon- mouth County onght, for the present, to remain in their own County, excepting such part thereof as by the late ordinance of this Congress were required to form their proportion of the New Jersey brigade of three thousand three hundred men.

" Henry Waddell, Esq., captain of a grenadier company in the militia of Monmouth, having, cept a resignation of his commission, assigning for reason that he was so frequently afflicted with the gout that he was rendered incapable of doing the duty of an officer; Ordered, that his resignation be accepted.

ered to supply such deficiency by enlistment. by petition, prayed that this Congress would ac- Ordered, That Colonel George Taylor be Com- missary for the said Company.

" Friday, June 28 .- Two petitions from sundry inhabitants of the Township of Upper Frechold, in the County of Monmouth, praying that this Congress would immediately establish "July 4th .- Whereas, this Congress has been given to understand that divers persons in the County of Monmouth, have embodied them- selves in opposition to the measures of Con- pressed their willingness to return to their duty such mode of government as shall be equal to the exigencies of this Colony, and fully coin- cide with the resolve of the Honourable Conti- mental Congress of the 15th of May last ; read, gress ; and are informed that numbers have ex- and ordered a second reading.

"Saturday, June 29 .- A petition from the upon assurances of pardon, alledging that they

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

have been seduced and misled by the talse and mediate effect, particularly in the County of malicious reports of others ; It is therefore de- ' Monmouth, which is at present most exposed to depredations, It is therefore unanimously resolved and directed, That the County Committee of Monmonth proceed, without delay, to remove all the stock on their coast which may be in danger of falling into the hands of the enemy back into the country, to a place or places of safety.

"Convention being informed that Colonel Hendrickson, of Monmouth, was at the door and desired admittance, Ordered that he attend.

" Colonel Hendrickson informed Convention to the inenrsions and depredations of the enemy,

and every other necessary, to accommodate the and requested that a guard might be stationed rifle battalion of Pennsylvania, consisting of along the same, and maintained at the publick five hundred men under the command of expence. He further informed Convention that Lieutenant-Colonel Broadhead, in their march some of his negro -lave- had run off, and were to Monmouth County, the place of their desti- on board the enemy's fleet ; that he had reason nation.

" July 5 .- Ordered, That the President do he were permitted to send a flag, and requesting take the parole of honour of Mr. John Law- that, thro' the interference of this House, he rence, of Monmouth County, not to depart the might have such permission.

house of Mr Renssellier Williams; and, if Mr.

Lawrence should refuse to give the same, that , tenant-Colonel, Denice Denice, Esq., First Ma- the President order him to be confined under fjor, and Hendrick Van Brunt, Esq., to be such guard as he may deem necessary.

" Tuesday, July 9 .- Colonel Breese having resigned his commission of Colonel of the third battalion of militia in the County of Mon- mouth, assigning for reason the great back ward- ness of the people ; himself so indifferently at- tended on field days, and so few ready to turn out, hiding themselves and deserting their houses, when called upon to defend the shore ; Or- dered, That his resignation be accepted. Or- dered, That Daniel Hendrickson, Esq., be Colonel of the third battalion of foot militia in the County of Monmouth.

" Tuesday, July 23 .- Whereas, the Honour- able Continental Congress have resolved, . That it be earnestly recommended to the Convention of New Jersey to cause all the stock on the sea coast, which they shall apprehend to be in danger of falling into the hands of the enemy, to be immediately removed and driven back into the country to a place of safety.' _Ind whereas, this Convention deem it necessary that the above resolution should be carried into im- 'after some time spent therein,

"Ordered, That Oake Wikoff, Esq., be Lieu-

to believe he could recover the said slaves if

Second Major of the third battalion of the foot militia in the County of Monmouth.

" Saturday, July 27 .- Ordered, That Captain John Cook, of Monmouth, be directed to take to his assistance as many of the militia as he shall find necessary, and apprehend any persons whom he has rea-on to suspect of enlisting or being enlisted for the British army, and to take them before the County Committee of Mon- mouth, who are required to commit or discharge such accused persons, as they shall find necessary.

" Monday, July 29 .- Jacob Wardell, Joseph Wardell and Poter Wardell, persons appre- hended by a detachment of the Monmouth militia, on account of furnishing the enemy with provisions, were brought before the House. and witnesses examined in support of the charge ; Ordered, That the determination there- of be deferred till to-morrow.

"Tuesday, July 30 .- Convention resmed the consideration of the charge against Jacob War- dell, Joseph Wardell, and Peter Wardell ; and,

clared, That all such persons as shall without delay return peaceably to their homes, and con- form to the orders of Congress, shall be treated with lenity and indulgence ; and upon their good behaviour, shall be restored to the favour of their country; provided that none such as shall appear to have been the leaders and principals in those disorders, who to their other guilt have added that of seducing the weak and unwary shall yet be treated according to their demerits.

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History of Monmouth county, New Jersey, Part 25

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Swan, Norma Lippincott. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Philadelphia, R. T. Peck & co. Number of Pages: 1148

Author: Ellis, Franklin, 1828-1885; Swan, Norma Lippincott. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Philadelphia, R. T. Peck & co.
Number of Pages: 1148