History of Monmouth county, New Jersey, Part 35

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

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fident of the success that I wou'd stake my life on the issue. I have at the same time the comfort to reflect that in pointing out measures which I know to be the most effectual, I point out those which will be attended with no bloodshed or desolation to the Colonies. As the difficulty of passing and of re-passing the North River, and the apprehensions from General Carleton's Army will, I am confident, keep the New Englanders at home, or at least confine 'em to the east side of the River; and as their Provinces are at present neither the seat of Government, strength nor Politicks, I cannot see that any offensive operations against these Provinces wou'd answer any sort of Purpose; to se- cure N. York and Rhode Island against their attacks will be sufficient.

" On the supposition, then, that General Howe's army (including every species of Troops) amounts to twenty, or even eighteen thousand men, at liberty to move to any part of the continent ; as fourteen thou- sand will be more than sufficient to clear the Jerseys and take possession of Philadelphia, I wou'd propose that four thousand men be immediately embarked in transports, one-half of which shou'd proceed up the Potomac and take post at Alexandria, the other half up Che-apeake Bay and possess themselves of .Innap- olis. They will most probably meet with no opposi- tion in taking possession of these Posts, and, when possessed, they are so very strong by nature that a few hours' work and some tritting artillery will se- cure them against the attacks of a much greater torce than can possibly be brought down against them; their communication with the shipping will be con- stant and sure, for at Alexandria Vessels of a very con- siderable burthen (of five or six hundred Tons, for in- stance) can lie in close to the shore, and at Annapolis, within musket-shot ; all the necessaries and refresh- ments for an Army are near at hand and in the greatest abundance ; Kent Island will supply that of Annap- lis, and every part on both banks of the Potomac that of Alexandria. These Posts may, with ease, support each other, and it is but two easy days' march from one to the other, and if occasion re- quires, by a single day's march They may joina and conjointly carry on their operations wherever it may be thought eligible to direct 'em, whether to take possession of Baltimore, or post themselves on some spot on the Westward bank of the Susquehanna, which is a point of the utmost importance. But here I must beg leave to observe that there is a measure which, if the General assents to and adopts, will be attended with momentous and the most happy conse- quences. I mean that from these Posts proclama-

a " On the Road from Annapolis to Queen Anu there is one considerable River to be pass'd ; but as the ship's boats can easily be brought round from the Bay to the usual place of passage or Ferry, this is no impediment if the Two Corps chuse to unite. They may, by a single day's march, either at Queen Ann or Marlborough."

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

tions of pardon shou'd be issued to all those who come in at a given day ; and I will answer for it with my life that all the Inhabitants of that great tract sonthward of the Patapsico, and lying between the Patomae and Chesepeak Bay, and those on the East- ern shore of Maryland, will immediately lay down their arms. But this is not all. I am much mis- taken if those potent and populous German districts -Frederic County, in Maryland, and York, in Penn- sylvania-do not follow their example. These Ger- mans are extremely numerous, and, to a Man, have hitherto been the most staunch Assertors of the American cause ; but, at the same time, are so remark- ably tenacious of their property, and apprehensive of the least injury being done to their fine farms, that I have no doubt when They see a probability of their Country becoming the Seat of War, They will give up all opposition ; but if, contrary to my expectations, a force should be assembled at Alexandria sufficient to prevent the corps detached thither from taking possession immediately of the place, it will make no disadvantageous alteration, but rather the reverse. A variety of spots near Alexandria, on either bank of the Patomac, may be chosen for Posts, equally well ! calculated for all the great purposes I have men- tioned-viz., for the reduction or compulsion to sub- mission of the whole Province of Maryland ; for the preventing or intimidating of Virginia from sending aids to Pennsylvania; for, in fact, if any force is as- sembled at Alexandria sufficient to oppose the Troops seut against it getting possession of it, it must be at the expence of the more Northern Army, as they must be compos'd of those Troops which were other- wise destined for Pennsylvania,-to say all in a word, it will unhinge and dissolve the whole system of defence. I am so confident of the event that I will venture to assert, with the penalty of my life, if the plan is fully adopted, and no accidents (such as a rupture between the Powers of Europe) intervenes, that in less than two months from the date of the proclamation not a spark of this desolating war re- mains unextinguished in any part of the Continent."

This document goes a long way towards clear- ing up the mystery which for eighty years en- veloped the conduct of Charles Lee at the battle of Monmouth, leading inevitably to the con- Weems, in his " Lifeof Washington," says: "As Washington was advancing, to his infinite as- tonishment he saw Lee retreating and the enemy pursuing. 'For God's sake, General Lee,' «lusion that he was in sympathy with the British, and that it was not so much his intention to sup- plant as to betray the great commander, before whose sublime wrath and fioree invective he"said he in great warmth, ' what is the cause of afterwards covered and shrank away like a criminal. this ill-timed prudence?' 'No man, sir,' re- plied Lee, 'ean boast a larger portion of that

Concerning the precise language used by General Washington to Lee when he met the latter in retreat on the day of the battle, very

much has been written and many accounts of the occurrence given. These accounts differ widely as to the exact words used by the chief but all agree that his language and manner to- ward his lieutenant on that occasion were terri- bly severe. It is related by Irving that when the intelligence came that Lee with his division was retiring towards the rear with an apparently victorions army in pursuit, Washington galloped forward to stop the retreat, his indignation kind- lingas herode. Thecommander-in-chief soon en- countered Lee approaching with the body of his command in full retreat. By this time he ( Washington) was thoroughly exasperated. " What is the meaning of this, sir?" demanded he, in the sternest and even fiercest tone, as Lce rode up to him. Lee, stung by the manner more than by the words of the demand, made an angry reply and provoked still sharper expressions, which are variously reported ; by which " vari- ously reported " expressions is meant the pro- fanity which, according to general admission and belief, was used by Washington on that verasion. He very rarely (if ever, except at that time) used profane language, but he was a man of fierce temper when aroused, and it burst forth in ungovernable fury when he saw the shameful conduct of Lee, reviving, as it did, a suspicion of treachery which had before that time forced itself into the mind of the chief.

The Marquis de Lafayette, when revisiting the United States in 1824, mentioned the circum- stance to Daniel D. Tompkins, of New York, and said, " This was the only time I ever heard General Washington swear. He called Lee a damned poltroon, and was in a towering rage." 1 Another witness said that Washington shouted to Lee, " In the devil's name, sir, go back to the front, or go to hell."

? This statement of Lafayette was made by him on the piazza of the residence of Vice-President Tompkins, on the morning of Sunday, August 15, 1824.

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MONMOUTH COUNTY IN THE REVOLUTION.

rascally virtne than your excellency!' Darting father, who, with Peter Wikoff, had acted as along like a madman, Washington rode up to guide to General Washington on the day of the battle : " Washington met Lee in the fiehl immediately north of the parsonage of the Tennent Church, and, riding up to him, asked his troops, who, at sight of him, rent the air with 'God save great Washington!' 'My brave fellows, can you fight ?' said he. They answered with cheers. "Then face about, my in astonishment, 'What is the meaning of heroes, and charge !' This order was executed with infinite spirit." This account by Weems, however, seems much less like a correct state- ment of an actual occurrence on a battle-field than like an imaginative creation of the author.

this ?' Lee, being confused and not distinctly understanding the question, said, "Sir, sir?' Washington again asked, ' What is all that confusion and retreat for?' Lee answered that he saw no confusion except what arose from his orders not being properly obeyed. Washington said he had certain information that the enemy before him was only a strong covering party.

The Rev. C.W. Upham, in his " Life of Wash- ington," says: " When General Washington met Lee retreating at the battle of Monmouth he was so exasperated as to lose control of his Lee said it might be so, but they were stronger feelings for a moment, and in his anger and in- than he (Lee) was, and that he had not thought dignation he burst forth in violent expressions, of language and manner. Very harsh words were exchanged between him and Lee, and a sharp correspondence ensued, which resulted in Washington putting Lee under arrest. He was tried by court-martial.

No witness on the court-martial of Lee made return to the main army and make the proper any mention of profane words used by Wash- ington on the occasion referred to; but this omission ean have no weight, for indeed it would have been strange if any allusion had been made to it, as it was not the commander in-chief and his language, but Lee and his actions, that wore then under investigation.

General Lee, in his defense before the court- martial, said : " I confess | was disconcerted, astonished and confounded by the words and manner in which his Excellency accosted me. city of guides, though at certain times hekl near It was so novel and unexpected, from a man the person of the commander, would hardly be whose discretion, humanity and decorum I had, in a position, at such a time as the one referred from the first of our acquaintance, stood in ad- to, to know all that passed between the two miration of, that I was for some time unable to 'highest general of the army.

make any coherent answer to questions so abrupt and, in a great measure, unintelligible." One of the Virginian officers in the battle (General Charles Scott), who was himself one of the worst of swearers, and seemed to take delight in hearing profanity from the lips of others, was once, in later years, asked if it was possible that the great Washington ever used effect, that Washington spoke in terms of profane language. His reply (evidently an

Neither Sparks, Bancroft nor Marshall, in their excellent works, make more definite men- tion of the language used by the commander- in-chief on Monmouth field than to say, in warmth, implying disapprobation of Lee's conduct.

exaggeration of the facts) was : " He did, sir, once. It was at Monmonth, and on a day that

Dr. Samuel Forman, of Freehold, gave the would have made any man swear. He swore, following account, as he had heard it from his sir, till the leaves shook in the trees. I never,

it prudent to risk so much. . You should not have undertaken it,' said Washington, and rode on. Soon afterwards Washington again met Lee, and asked him if he would take com- mand there ; if not, then he (Washington) would ; but if Lee would take the command, he would dispositions for battle. Lee answered that his Excellency had already given him command there. Upon which Washington told him he shouldl expert him to take the proper measures to check the enemy's advance. Lee replied that his orders should be obeyed, and that he (Lee) would not be the first to leave the field. Washington then rode away." No harsh lan- guage is mentioned in this account, but it is to be remembered that persons acting in the capa-

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

sir, enjoyed such swearing before or sinee. On hoven's and Garret Vanderveer's ; John Ben- that memorable day, sir, he swore like an angel ham's house and barn they wantonly tore and from heaven." It was either Scott or another broke down, so as to render them useless. It of the Virginian officers present in the battle

may not be improper to observe that the two who said that Washington, enraged by Lee's first houses mentioned as burnt adjoined the excuse that he had thought it safest to retire farm, and were in full view of the place where before the enemy, who greatly outnumbered General Clinton was quartered. In the neigh- him, wrathfully burst out: "D-n your multi- plying eyes, General Lee! Go to the front, or go to hell, I care little which !"

No person now living knows, or even can know, what were the precise words which Washington used on that blazing, blistering day, when he was driven to a frenzy of rage by the base conduct of his lieutenant ; but we may accept and agree to the conclusion arrived at by a certain college professor of divinity, who, having held up the Father of his Country as a model in all things, from cherry-tree to Farewell Address, and being thereupon inquired of by one of his pupils whether he would have them include all the events of the 28th of June, 1778, stammered out, after a moment of hesitation and perplexity : " Ahem ! ah, w-e-I-I, I sup- pose if anybody ever did have an excuse for swearing, it was General Washington at the battle of Monmouth."

The British army committed many depreda- minute detail of the many insults and abuses tions and outrages on the people of New Jersey (particularly on those of Monmouth County) during its maren through the State from the Delaware to the Navesink Highlands. With reference to those outrages, there appeared in Collins' New Jersey Gazette, soon after the Monmouth battle, the following article, attrib- uted to Dr. (Colonel) Thomas Henderson, who had himself suffered severely in property from their barbarous vandalism :

" The devastation they have made in some parts of Freehold exceeds, perhaps, any they have made for the distance in their route through this State, having, in the neighbour- hood above the court-house, burnt and destroyed eight dwelling-houses, all on farms adjoining each other, besides barns and out-houses. The first they burnt was my own, then Benjamin Covenhoven's, George Walker's, Hannah Solo- mon's, Benjamin Van Cleve's, David Coven- | and 27th of June, 1778.

borhood below the court-house they burnt the houses of Matthias Lane, Cornelius Covenho- ven, John Antonidas and one Emmons; these were burnt the morning before their defeat. Some have the effrontery to say that the British officers by no means countenance or allow of burning. Did not the wanton burning of Charleston,1 and Kingston, in Esopus, besides many other instances, sufficiently evince to the contrary, I think their conduct in Frechold may. The officers have been seen to exnlt at the sight of the flames, and heard to declare they could never conquer America until they burnt every rebel's house and murdered man, woman and child. Besides, this consideration has great weight with me towards confirming the above, that, after their defeat, through a retreat of twenty-five miles, in which they passed the houses of the well affected to their country, they never attempted to destroy one. Thus much for their burning. To enter into a those inhabitants met with who remained in their houses would take up too much time in your paper ; I shall, therefore, content myself with giving you an account of General Clinton's conduct to one of my neighbours, a woman of seventy years of age and unblemished reputa- tion, with whom he made his quarters.2 After he had been for some time in her house, and taking notice that most of the goods were re- moved, he observed that she need not have sent off her effects for safety ; that he would have secured her, and asked if the goods could not

1 The writer of the above was wholly mistaken about the " wanton" burning of Charlestown at the battle of Bunker Hill. Charlestown was accidentally set on fire at that time by shells from the frigate " Glasgow " and other British vessels enfilading the " Neck."

2 Said to have referred to Mrs. William Conover, who then lived in the house since known as the Murphy house, where Clinton made his quarters on the nights of the 26th

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MONMOUTH COUNTY IN THE REVOLUTION.

be brought back again. The old lady objected, militiamen of the State were then allowed to but upon repeated assurances of General Clin- return to their home-, to remain until some ton in person that they should be secured for other exigeney should require them to be again her, she consented, and sent a person he had

called to the field. Washington moved his ordered, along with a wagon, to show where army (as has already been noticed) from Mon- they were secreted. When the goods were mouth field to Englishtown, to Spottswood, and brought to the door, in the latter part of the thence to New Brunswick, from which place, day, the old lady applied to General Clinton in after a brief stay, it was moved to and across person for permission to have them brought in the Hudson River, to a position in Westchester and taken care of, but he refused, and ordered County, N. Y. Washington made his head- a guard set over the goods. The morning fol- quarters at White Plains, and there narrowly lowing, the old lady, finding most of her goods watched the movements of Clinton, suspecting it to be the design of the latter to move into the New England States. "Sir Henry gave currency to the reports that such were his inten- tions, until Washington moved his headquarters to Fredericksburg, near the Connecticut line, and turned his attention decidedly to the pro- tection of the eastern coast. Clinton then sent foraging parties into New Jersey, and ravaged the whole country from the Hudson to the Raritan and beyond." 1 plundered and stolen, applied again to him for leave to take care of the remainder. He then allowed her to take care of some trifling arti- eles, which were all she saved, not having (when I saw her and had the above information from her) a change of dress for herself or hus- band, or scarcely for any of her family. In regard to personal treatment, she was turned out of her bed-room and obliged to lie with her wenche-, either on the floor, without bed or bedding. in an entry exposed to the passing and repassing of all, ete., or to sit in a chair in a milk-room, too bad for any of the officers to lie in, else it is probable she would have been

Finally, being convinced that the enemy had no designs on New England, Washington re- solved to place his army in winter-quarters at different points, and in the most advantageous deprived of that also. If the first officers of positions. This was done in December, 1778. the British army are so divested of honour and Five brigades were cantoned on the east side of humanity, what may we not expect from the soldiery ?"

The depredations by Clinton's army were, of course, much greater in the vicinity of Free- holl than elsewhere, because his entire forec lay within about three miles of the court-house able number of soldiers of Monmouth County) through the two days and nights preceding the was stationed during the winter at Elizabeth- battle. After the army had left the vicinity of the village, and taken the road leading to Mid- Staten Island, and prevent. a- much as possible, dletown, many of the people who had suffered from their ontrages pursued and wreaked their vengeance by firing on the soldiers from the cover of the woods and thickets. Several iso- lated graves along the road to Middletown were to be seen seventy years afterwards, supposed to be the last resting-places of some of Clinton's men killed in this way.

the vicinity of Middlebrook, Somerset County. Maxwell's brigade (in which were a con-ider- the Hudson, one brigade at West Point, one at Smith's Cove, near Haverstraw, one at Elizabethtown, and seven brigades at and in town, to watch the British and Tory troops on their depredations in the contiguou- part of New Jersey. In May, 1779, this brigade was ordered to join the army of General Sullivan, which marched from Easton, Pa., to the Seneca country, in New York, for the purpose of pun- ishing the Indians of that region for their par- ticipation in the massacres of the preceding year at Wyoming and Cherry Valley,-a pur- pose which was most successfully and com-

The departure of Clinton's army from Sandy pletely accomplished. Hook Bay left New Jersey free from the pres- ence of armed enemies npon her soil, and the

I Lossing.

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HISTORY OF MONMOUTH COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

About the 1st of June, 1779, the American the Americans, and to operate under the orders army left its winter-quarters, and moved to the of Washington, who thereupon projected a joint attack on the British in New York, but afterwards abandoned the project. On the Hudson the most notable events of the year were the culmination of Arnold's treason and the capture of the unfortunate Major Andre. Early in December the American army went into winter-quarters. Hudson River. General Wayne moved from his encampment south of the Raritan to the Hudson, where, on the 15th of July, he stormed and captured the British fortifications at Stony Point. In the latter part of October a detachment of the Queen's Rangers,1 under command of Lieutenant-Colonel Simeoe,-the same offieer who commanded that battalion on the 28th of June, 1778, when it fought Butler on the ground now the Monument Park, at Freehold,-made a daring foray up the valley of the Raritan, for the purpose of destroying some boats on that river, which object they accomplished, and also did much other damage, but lost their commander, who was taken pris- oner by a party of Americans under command of Captain Guest. After Simcoe's capture the Rangers became scattered, and reached South River bridge in a very demoralized condition.

In the summer of 1781 the American army and its French allies concentrated on the Hud- son River, for the purpose, as it was understood, of making a combined attack on the British in the city of New York. They remained in the vicinity of Dobbs' Ferry for about six weeks, during which time Washington abandoned the project (if he ever entertained it seriously) of attacking the city, and resolved instead to move the armies to Virginia to operate against Corn- wallis. He, however, concealed his new plan, and wrote letters containing details of his pre- The American army went into winter-quarters | tended object to move against the city, intending that these should fall into the hands of Sir

about December 20, 1779,-the Northern Divi- sion, under General Heath, locating on the east , Henry Clinton. The result was as he had intended it to be. The letters were intercepted and taken to Clinton, who was completely de- ecived by them, and, continuing to watch the American force on the Hudson, failed to rein- foree Cornwallis, as the latter had requested him to do. Meanwhile, Washington completed his preparations, and in the latter part of August crossed the Hudson at Verplanck's Point with the American and French armies, and marched rapidly across New Jersey to Trenton, some of the troops passing through the Ramapo Valley and Morristown, and others passing the Ringwood Iron-Works. French forces took the route by the Haeken- The

side of the Hudson, below West Point, and the main body with the commander-in-chief, at Morristown. In January, 1780, Lord Stirling commanded a partially successful expedition to Staten Island. On the 6th of June following, a British force of about five thousand men, under Knyphausen, crossed from Staten Island to Elizabethtown Point, and advanced towards the interior, but was driven back to the Point. Again, on the 23d of the same month, a large force, under Sir Henry Clinton, advanced from the same place to Springfield, and burned the town; but being resolutely met by the Con- tinental troops and the Jersey militia, thought it prudent to retire, which he did the same day, sack Valley to Newark and Perth Amboy, at and crossed back to Staten Island.

In the same month (June, 1780) a large force of French troops arrived, under General Count Rochambean, to take the field as auxiliaries of

which place they built ovens, constructed boats, collected forage and made other movements indieating an intention to move on New York; but these were suddenly abandoned, and the march was resumed to Trenton, where all the forces arrived before Clinton was aware of the significance of the movement.

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History of Monmouth county, New Jersey, Part 35

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