USA > New Jersey > Passaic County > Paterson > History of Paterson and its environs (the silk city); historical- genealogical - biographical > Part 28
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The farm of Derrick Vreeland, next below Ludlow's, was called upon that same November 26 to supply many a camp fire with a sumptuous repast, thus : "2 Fat Oxen, £14; 2 Fat Cows, £8; 6 Calves, £6; 34 Sheep, £ 27, 4s .; 2 Bull 5 Years old (tough provender, that), £5; 7 Hogs at 20s." He also lost two mares, at £ 10 each.
Halmagh Sip, who lived near Vreeland, was robbed of these goods and chattels: "I Waggon, £18; 5 Horses, £76; 30 Sheep, £18; Barley & Wheat destroyed, £4; I Calf, 16s .; I Pair Silver Shoe buckels & Shoes, £2." Total, £118, 16s.
Christopher Vanoorstrand, a merchant shipper, a neighbor of Ludlow's, suffered heavily, as appears by this inventory of his losses: "I Boat almost New, £225; 2 Negro Men, £90; 2 Negro Women, £ 100; 4 Horses & Mares at £10, £40; 2 Saddles, £4; 15 Barrels Cyder, £9; I Pair leather breeches, 40s .; Cloth Coat, 6os .; I Waist Coat, 20s .; 2 Yd. Streaked Hol- land, 8s .; Pocket Book With sundry Accompts, £6; 2 Water Pots for bleaching, 15s .; 2 Bellows, 7s .; 2 Cases with Sundry flasks, Ios .; 2 Small trunks, 6s .; 2 Teakettles at 15s. ; 3 Pans at 4s .; Pewter, 8s. ; 50 Bushels Corn at 4s. pr Bus'1, £10; 40 Bushels Apples, £4; I Sheep, 20s .; 2 Hogs, 40s. ; Potatoes, Turnips, Cabbage, &c., £2; Tobacco, 15s. Total, £540, IIS."
Adrian H. Sip, son of Halmagh Sip, contributed 10 sheep and 14 geese for soldiers' dinners, and was also robbed of "2 Horses, Good Waggon & Geere, £40, IOS .; Cash taken, £13; I Woollen Blanket, £1, IOS .; 100 Pan- nels of Fence, £ 10; 18 Ells Linen, £1, 16s .; Indian Corn, Rye, Wheat, hay & Hemp, £3, IOS." He also lost a negro, who was subsequently recovered in Pennsylvania, at a cost of £20.
Hermanus Van Wagoner's farm, west of the Acquackanonk church, was probably camped on by some of the troops, who used up 4,318 of his chestnut rails and 900 of his posts, besides destroying 125 bushels of wheat and as much of rye, and 5 tons of Irish hay, worth £2 per ton. In the way of provender, the soldiers got from him a cow, and 6 swine, besides taking a young horse worth £20, so that his total losses footed up £142, 12S.
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The adjacent farm of Merselis Post was probably similarly occupied, and as a consequence Mr. Post suffered these depredations: "2800 Chest- nut Rails at 20s. pr Hund .; I New Waggon & Geers, £ 19; 2 Tons of Eng- lish Hay, £6; 5 Cwt of Rye Meal at 14s. pr Cwt; 5 Head of Cattle at £4 apiece ; 2 Yearlings at 30s. Each ; 20 Bushels of Indian Corn at 4s .; I Broad Axe, 6s. ; I Mare & Colt, £3 Each; 18 Sheep at 15s., £ 13, IOS .; 700 White Oak posts, £ 12." Total, £115, 6s.
John Sip, senior, suffered losses of a like character, on his farm next south of Post, namely: "2900 Rails, £39, 15s .; 360 Posts, £9; 4 Horses, £46;4 Cows, £25; 3 Sheep, 45s .; 9 Hogs at 20s .; 12 Loads Hay, £15;2 Guns, 40s .; 32 Hives of bees, 40s .; 30 Bushels of Rye and 30 do. of Indian Corn, £15; I Negro Man, £60; I Negro boy, £40; 3 Negro Women, £130." Total, £395.
Francis Van Winkle, in the same vicinity, lost at this time and subse- quently, property thus described: "3250 Chestnut rails, £48, 15s .; 730 Chestnut & White Oak Posts, £18, 5s .; I Negro Man, £85; I Horse, £20; I Horse, £ 12; I Set of New Geers with Iron traces, £3; 16 Sheep, £ 12; 8 Ton English hay at £3, £24; Wheat, barley, Oats about 100 Bush'l at 3s. pr bush'l, £ 15; 6 Bags with about 6 cwt of flower, £5, 2s .; 5 Milk Vessels & Churn burnt, £1, 3s .; Pots, kettles, knives, forkes, dishes, &c., £4; Feather bed, &c., £6; 2 Bed blankets, 30s .; 2 Sheets, 30s .; 2 Green Rugs, £3; 2 Woollen Sheets, £1, 15s .; I Clock, £ 15; I Load of flax, £4. Total, £281."
The foregoing details of losses on the farms of Hermanus Van Wag- oner, Merselis Post, the Sips and Francis Van Winkle all point to a tempo- rary sojourn, an encampment for at least a night, and tend to confirm the tradition preserved by the late Henry P. Simmons, of Passaic, that the Brit- ish encamped on the heights now occupied in part by the Passaic city hall.
The invaders proceeded still further down the River road on that twenty-sixth day of November, and visited Marinus Van Riper, who lost in consequence a partly worn wagon, worth £ 10; 28 bushels of oats, worth £3, IOS., and 125 oak rails, worth £1, 5s.
Jacob Van Wagoner's losses are thus enumerated : "30 Bushels of Oats. at 2s., 6d. pr Bush'1, £3, 15s .; 20 do. of Potatoes, at 2s., 6d., £2, IOS .; 12 do. of Apples, at 2s. ; 10 do. of Turnips, at Is. ; 3 Tons of English hay at £ 3 pr Ton ; 500 Cabbage heads, £3, IOS .; 100 Sheaves of Wheat, 15s .; 4 Geese, 8s .; One Duck, Is. & 13 fowls at Iod .; Gallon Bottle, 2s .; Cash, 15s .; I Shift, Ios .; 3 Pair of Stockings, 21s. ; 2 Jugs, 3s .; Cash, 2 Doll. & half, 18s. 9d."
Garret Van Riper had stolen from him two horses, at £15 each, and a Negro man, worth £80.
Richard Van Riper's losses on November 26 were inventoried as fol- lows: "New Iron bound Waggon, £ 18; 2 Oxen 6 Years old, £4; 24 Sheep, £18; 4 Tons English hay at 3 per ton, £12; 3 Milk Cows at £6 Each; I Steer 3 Years old, £4; 3 Steers & One heifer 2 Years old at 40s. Each, £8; 2 Swine, 170 Wt. Each, £5, IOS., 2d .; 2 do. 50 Wt. Each, £1, 13s. 4d .; I Mare 5 Years old, £2; I Horse 7 Years old Saddle & bridle, £ 12, 8s." On January 7, 1777, Mr. Van Riper lost "I Negro Man 30 Years old, £70; I Bay horse II Years old, £8; I Brown horse, 8 Years [old], £16." His total losses were £217, IIS., 6d.
Richard J. Van Ryper's losses make a list more curious than pecuniarily important : "I Pair Oxen 4 Years old, £12; I Fatted Swine Wt. 220 İb., about £3; I Beaver hat, 45s., £2, 5s .; Copper tea kettle, £1, 7s .; 2 Gold rings, 45s., £2, 5s .; I Pair of silver Shoe buckels, £1, 4s .; I Pair of silver knee buckels, 14s .; 5 Silver tea spoons, £1, 5s .; I Pair of silver sleeve but-
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tons, 3s. ; I Dutch Psalm book Clasped & bound with silver, £2, 16s .; I Pair of buckskin breeches with silver buttons, £I, Ios .; I New broadcloth coat, £2, Ios .; Black Callimanco Quilt, £2, Ios .; Scarlet short Cloak, £2, 6s .; New dark Chintz Gown, £3; Bombasin Gown, £3; I Purple Gown, £2, 8s .; 12 Linen Shirts new & 6 Good homespun Shifts, £ 12; 2 Homespun Sheets, 30s .; 4 Pillow Cases, 21s., £2, IIS .; Lace for 2 pair of Pillow Cases, 6s .; 2 Cambric Aprons, £2, 5s .; 2 Cambric, 2 Silk, 2 Check'd, I Chintz & I Striped handkerchief, £2, 18s .; 2 Check'd Aprons, 12s .; 2 Pair of Men's Woolen Stockings, £1; I Chain of pearls, 3s .; 2 Bordered Cap, 26s., & Handkerchief blue and white, £I, Ios., 6d. Total, ££68, Is., 6d."
On November 27 the British advanced to and through the Third River neighborhood and despoiled Peter Jacobussen of these articles: "Cash, £ 10; 140 Ells Linen Cloth at 3s., 6d. pr Ell, £24, Ios .; I Castor hat, 28s .; I Pair breeches with Silver buttons, £2; I Pair buckskin Breeches, 30s .; 4 Pair Stockings & Pair of Shoes, £1, 12s .; 7 Shirts, £3, Ios .; Cloak, 35s .; Silk for 2 bonnets, 24s. ; 6 New Shifts, £3; 3 New Sheets, 45s .; 2 White Aprons, 12s .; 4 Check'd Aprons, 20s .; 3 Good Short Gowns, 22s .; 2 Cambric Hand- kerchiefs, 16s .; 2 Silk Do 15s .; 4 Check'd Handkerchiefs, 18s .; & Silver Snuff box, £2, 13s .; 12 Silver buttons, 12s .; I Pair silver Shoe & knee buckels, 20s. ; 5 Women's Caps, 25s .; 11/2 Yd Chintz, 12s .; I Calloco Gown, 20s .; Pair small Silver buck'1, 6s .; I Pair trousers & 2 Pair Stockings, 18s .; I Waggon, £12. Total, £74,5s."
It would seem that a column of the troops must have marched through Speertown and the Stone House Plains neighborhood, for on November 27 John Speer, son of Jacobus Speer, was plundered thus: "I Close bodied Broad Cloth coat, £2, Ios .; I Castor hat, 28s .; Pair of buckskin breeches, 15s .; 5 Linen Shirts, £2; 2 Pair of Stockings, 14s .; Cash, £3, 4s .; I Half- silken Gown, &£3; One Chintz Gown, £2, 6s .; I Calloco Gown, £I, IOS .; I Calloco Gown, £1; 2 White Aprons, 25s .; I Laced Handkerchief, 16s .; 2 White Handkerchiefs, 12s .; 3 Silken Handkerchiefs, 18s .; 2 Check'd Hand- kerchiefs, 4s .; 3 Check'd Aprons, 15s .; I Cloak, 40s .; Silken bonnet, 16s .; 4 Shirts, 40s .; 4 Caps, 20s .; I Gold ring and silver snuff-box, £2; I Pair of Shoes, 5s .; 2 Short Gowns, Ios .; I Pair of Cotton trousers, Ios .; I Pair of Silver knee-buckels, 8s .; Leading lines & bits, 5s. Total, £32, IIS."
Rinier J. Speer lost 5 sheep, a gun and a sword, one shirt, 2 pair of stockings and a pair of mittens, which might better have gone to the half- clad American soldiers. His losses footed up £7, 13S.
Jacobus Speer was robbed this November 27, of 14 sheep, 18 geese, one watch coat, one gun, one pistol, a silver neck-clasp, worth Ios., and £3 in cash. He also had 350 chestnut rails and 70 posts destroyed, doubtless used for camp fires.
Cornelius Degraw had a cow, worth £5, taken.
The farm and house of John Sip, junior, were pillaged of these goods : "I Good Saddle, £3; 2 Hives of bees (what a sweet tooth those soldiers seem to have had!), £2; Leather breeches with Silver buttons, £2, IOS .; 9 Pair of thread stockings (not good for much on a long march, one would suppose), £3, 12s .; I Pair of Woollen Stockings, 8s .; I Coat partly Worn, £I; I Iron Pot, Ios .; Pair of Shoes, 8s .; 30 Barn fowls, 30s .; I Silk Hand- kerchief, Ios .; Shirt, 8s .; 14 1b. of Sugar, 7s .; I fb. of Tea, 3s .; 20 1b. of butter, at Is. pr ib .; I Pair of Gloves, 2s., 6d." Total, £ 17, 8s., 6d.
From Theunis Speer they carried off : "I Negro Man about 30 Years of age, £80; 3 New Shirts, 36s .; 4 New Shifts, 48s .; I Cambric handker- chief half worn, 4s .; I Waistcoat, half worn, Ios .; Pair of new shoes, 7s., 6d. ; 6 New Pewter table Spoons, 3s .; I 1b. of Tea & Canister, 6s." Total, £85, 14s., 6d.
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CHAPTER IV.
A second invasion, this time largely by Hessians-Testimony of their own historian-General Lee's march through Ringwood and Pomp- ton-Other military movements in 1777-The invasion of New Jersey from New York.
While Britain's forces in New Jersey staid, The Hessians did the people's rights invade. The British, to excite their vengeful rage, That they more fiercely might in war engage, Said they were not like the European train, Christians, who would compassion entertain, But were mere cannibals, a savage crew, That nothing was too bad for them to do; Who would a Hessian tomahawk, and take His hide, a drumhead for his drum to make; And as a pig they would him barbacue, And after all of that would eat him too!
-Israel Skinner,
"A History of the Revolutionary War in Verse."
The precise composition of the British army that marched through Acquackanonk at this time is somewhat uncertain. It probably consisted of the First and Second Battalions of Light Infantry, two battalions of the Guards, two companies of Chasseurs, two battalions of Grenadiers, the Thirty-third and Forty-second Regiments, a battalion of the Seventy-first Highlanders, and a detachment of Light Dragoons, and two other British brigades. Besides these there were two battalions of Hessian Grenadiers and the Hessian Jägers, these mercenaries being under the command of Col. Donop. The latter formed the advance guard on the march, and kept the flanks covered, so that these men were often under fire, which naturally did not tend to improve their disposition toward the natives.
When this invading army had disappeared toward the South, the people of Acquackanonk began to breathe more freely. But alas, their sensation of relief was of short duration. On November 28 Gen. Howe sent across the Hudson, into New Jersey, Rall's ( formerly Stirn's) brigade, comprising the regiments of Rall, Knyphausen and Lossberg, who camped for the night at Fort Lee, and the next day marched to Hackensack, "a small town, consist- ing of about 160 old houses, and there the inhabitants, mostly Hollanders, were favorably disposed towards the King," says one of the Hessian officers, "so the troops were quartered there." Thence they followed the forces of Cornwallis, marching through Acquackanonk, Second River, Newark, Eliza- bethtown, and so on to New Brunswick (which the Rall brigade reached December 8) and Trenton, where they were destined to fall into the hands of Washington on the following December 26. They were sorely disappointed to find how thoroughly their comrades in arms had stripped the country the week previous. Still, they managed to pick up a few trifles here and there. Jacob Berdan had to surrender a gun and a sword, valued at £3, together with other portable property. Peter Post, below Dundee dam, was robbed of a horse and a silver snuff-box, to his damage, £48, 12s., 4d.
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As they marched down the Wesel road they came to the house of John Enoch Vreeland. He had been visited by their fellow soldiers, who had wrought sad havoc in his fields, barns and house. This band completed the work, his total losses being thus enumerated :
10 Bushels of Indian Corn at 4s. pr Bus'l, £2; 10 lb of Cheese at 6s. pr Ib., 5s .; I Barcelona handkerchief, Ios .; 5 Steers 6 years old, £7 each, £35; I Silver teaspoon, 6s .; Check'd linen Handk'f, 4s .; 1000 feet White- wood boards, £3, Ios .; I Black Horse 14 hands high 3 years old, £15; I Black Horse 14 hands high 9 years old, £15; I Black Horse 1412 hands high, 8 years old, £15; I Red Mare 14 hands 6 years old with a Sucking Colt, £20; I Mare 14 hands 3 years, £ 10; I Mare 13 hands 8 years, £8; I Gelding 13 hands 8 years, £8; Saddle & bridle, £3; I Surtout Coat almost new, £2, 10s .; Gun 31/2 feet barrel, £1; I New Pair of buckskin breeches with silver buttons, £3; I Swanskin Waistcoat, £1; Looking Glass, £3; 12 Pair of Woolen Stockings, £4, 12S .; 4 Check'd New handkerchiefs at 4s .; 4 Check'd Aprons at 4s. ; 8 shirts at Ios .; £4, 16; I Nedle Work'd Pocket- book, 8s .; Cash, 20s .; 6 Silver teaspoon, 36s .; Silk Apron, 20s .; 8 Pillow Cases at 6s., £2, 8s .; I Dutch testament & the Psalms, 8s .; I Latin Bible, £1; I Coverlet, £2; Infants Apparel, £3; Negro Girl aged 14 Years, £60; Negro Man aged 25 Years, £85." Total, £314, 9S.
The female camp-followers no doubt rejoiced in the accumulation of the stores of wearing apparel and finery thus gathered up by their male relatives and friends in the army. Tradition asserts, indeed, that they often stood at the doorways of private dwellings, and urged the men on in their plundering forays.
Uriah Garrabrant, doubtless of Stone House Plains, was robbed of a new wagon, worth £ 16, and a calf nine months old, worth 40s. He was probably overtaken at Acquackanonk Landing, or in the vicinity of Christo- pher Vanoorstrand's.
These ravages are but specimens of what the Americans suffered all along the line of march of the British and their Hessian allies. Lieut .- Col. Stephen Kemble, of the British army, but himself a native Jerseyman, pro- phesied this evil conduct by the invaders in his journal, on November 24: "His Lordship [Cornwallis] will not be able to restrain the troops from Plundering the Country ; their Excess in that respect carried to a most un- justifiable length." Washington seldom criticised or censured, but even he was constrained to comment: "If what they [the New Jersey militia] have suffered does not rouse their resentment, they must not possess the common feelings of humanity. To oppression, ravage, and a deprivation of property, they have had the more mortifying circumstances of insult added; after being stripped of all they had, without the least compensation, protections have been granted them for the free enjoyment of their effects." And again : "The militia are resorting to arms in most parts of this State, and are ex- ceedingly exasperated at the treatment they have met with, from both Hes- sian and British troops." The practice of plundering was common in all armies in those days. Washington denounced the practice in his own army in far severer terms than he applies to the enemy. Writing to the President
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of Congress, September 24, 1776, he says: "Of late a practice prevails of the most alarming nature, and which will, if it cannot be checked, prove fatal to the country and army, I mean the infamous practice of plundering. For, under the idea of Tory property, or property that may fall into the hands of the enemy, no man is secure in his effects, and scarcely in his person. * I have ordered instant corporal punishment upon every man, who passes our lines, or is seen with plunder, that the offenders may be punished for dis- obedience of orders ; and I enclose to you the proceedings of a court-martial held upon an officer, who, with a party of men, had robbed a house a little beyond our lines of a number of valuable goods, among which (to show that nothing escaped) were four large pier looking glasses, women's clothes, and other articles, which, one would think, could be of no earthly use to him." Under date of January 21, 1777, in his general orders, he says: "The Gen- eral prohibits, in both the militia and Continental troops, in the most posi- tive terms, the infamous practice of plundering the inhabitants, under the specious pretence of their being Tories. * * * It is our business to give protection and support to the poor, distressed inhabitants, not to multiply and increase their calamities."
Gen. Greene reports : "The enemy spread desolation wherever they go. The British and Hessian troops plunder without distinction ; Whig and Tory all fare alike." Says another contemporary writer: "The progress of the British and Hessian troops through New Jersey has been attended with such scenes of desolation and outrage as would disgrace the most barbarous nations. *
* Scarce a soldier in the army but what has a horse loaded with plunder. Hundreds of families are reduced from comfort and affluence to poverty and ruin, left at this inclement season to wander through the woods without house or clothing." Stedman, the British historian of the war, naturally attempts to put the blame on the mercenary German troops. He says: "The Hessian troops, understanding nothing of the language of the country, were unable to obtain proper intelligence, and, instead of con- ciliating the affections, made themselves particularly disagreeable to the natives, pillaging them, and taking from them the necessaries of life, with- out making them an adequate compensation." Von Eelking admits that the Hessians were held in especial aversion, and were denounced as veritable bloodhounds and despoilers ("wahre Wütriche und Zerstörungssüchtige"), but he claims that another opinion of them was entertained when it was found that they were acting under the written orders of Gen. Howe to plun- der and destroy. Still, this did not lessen the sorrows of those who saw their property vanish before their eyes. Fortunately for the people of Acquackanonk, they do not appear to have suffered these nameless, grosser outrages which were perpetrated on scores of innocent families, regardless of age, sex or condition, at and south of Newark. The story of these atrocious barbarities spread like wildfire throughout the country, and more than aught else aroused the fierce indignation of the people, inspiring them with new determination to drive the invaders from their shores. It made them the more resolved, also, to force the Tories to seek shelter with the
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British, with whom they sympathized, and scores of Loyalists were driven from their homes and compelled to find a refuge in New York City. Resi- dents of the latter city were shown scant courtesy beyond its limits. "The country people will have the Yorkers to be in town," writes the Moravian pastor in New York, and hence some of them on a visit to Second River had to return. Capt. Abraham Godwin, of Totowa Bridge, reported his sus- picions about "Bro. Wilson," a Moravian, at Second River, and he had to clear himself of the charge of disaffection. This order for the expulsion of British sympathizers and their families was executed with ruthless severity, husbands and wives, parents and children, often being separated.
Those were, indeed, "the times that tried men's souls !"
While Washington was in the most desperate straits, for want of rein- forcements, Gen. Charles Lee, whom he had repeatedly begged, entreated and positively ordered to hasten to his relief, after three weeks of inexcus- able delay began his leisurely march toward the Delaware on December 5, on which day he left Haverstraw with "an army of five thousand good troops in spirits." He reached Ringwood Iron Works on December 6, and Pompton on the 7th, pausing at the latter place to write a long letter in which he indites the aphorism, "Theory joined to practice, or a heaven-born genius, can alone constitute a General." He meant Charles Lee; but by a curious irony of fate, as he would have said, or, rather, by the hand of an overruling Provi- dence, within three weeks he was a prisoner of the British, through his own stupidity, or by his treasonable connivance, and Washington, whom he sought to undermine, was the admiration of the world, and proved that he exactly met either of Lee's criteria as to what constituted a general. On December 8 Gen. Lee reached Morristown, marching from Pompton through Lower Preakness, with three thousand ill-shod men. This was the first time that an army had been seen west of Totowa. It was destined to be a familiar spectacle in that region during the next four years. The progress of Gen. Lee's army is described in this homely language and quaint orthography by one of his soldiers :
5 [December, 1776] This Day we marchd to Clove and staid at Night 6 This Morning we set off Very Arely and Marchd about 5 miles to Ring Wood and Drawd 3 Days provisions & Coock It Then we marchd to Pomton and Staid at Night.
7 This Morning a party Commanded by Coln. Chester Ware Drawd out to march To Hack mesack and we marchd to the Perammus and Staid In the Stone Church at Night
8 This Morning at Day Brake We marchd Down to Hackmesack And
got all the Horses there Then we Come back to the Perammus and Stop't at Night
it 9 This morning we Come to Pomton and Drawd provisions And Cook ' Then we marchd To Macquanac Staid at Night there
1776 Dec 10 This Morning we Drawd Two Day Provisions and Cookd It all. Then we marchd To Morristown Stopt There at Night.
Writing from Morristown on December II, to Gen. Heath, whom he expected to follow him, Gen. Lee says, with a somewhat hazy notion of local
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topography: "I would recommend to you, if you are at Ramapouch or Pompton, to take your route either by the Great or Little Falls; if by the Great Falls, you may come by Hachquacknock. If by the Little Falls, you may inquire for Newark Mountains, and come a route at a small distance from the river." Three of Heath's regiments, from Ticonderoga, reached Morristown about two weeks later, marching via Paramus, Totowa and Little Falls.
On December 12 that zealous patriot, the Rev. James Caldwell, then a fugitive from Elizabethtown, wrote to Gen. Lee that there were no British troops at Hackensack, and thence to Elizabethtown. Gen. Heath, who, after a brilliant movement on Hackensack on December 13, had marched to Para- mus, reported on December 18 that he heard of movements of the enemy at Second River, Newark, Hackensack, etc., and three days later that "a body of the enemy are said to be at Acquackanuck, said to be from two hundred and fifty to four hundred, with two pieces of cannon."
The British reverses at Trenton and at Princeton caused a withdrawal of their forces from Newark and Hackensack, so that the Moravian preacher in New York regretfully remarked (January, 1777) that "the rebels were again in those places." Gen. Washington ordered Gen. Lincoln to cross the Hudson and join him at Morristown, which he did in February, probably marching via Ringwood and Pompton. On February 19, 1777, Washington wrote from Morristown that he had been informed "that many of the In- habitants near the Passaick Falls, are busily employed in removing their stock Provision & Forage within the Enemy's reach with a design of supply- ing them." Let us hope that he was misinformed respecting this alleged un- patriotic conduct.
Gen. Nathaniel Heard had a body of the Jersey militia at Pompton in May, where he threw up defensive works, between Pompton and Slater's mills, one of the forts in the latter region being known thirty years later as "Federal Hill," doubtless in commemoration of its military use in the Revo- lution. These works were precautionary, to defend the approaches from the North River, either by Smith's Clove and the Ramapo valley, by Paramus or by Ringwood.
Joseph Clark, in his diary, says : "I stayed at my mother's [at Elizabeth- town] waiting for the Company till Friday ; then set off on foot and travelled to Pompton, where I waited for the men till Saturday night, when they came in. I then took charge of them; this being the 17th of May. We continued at Pompton, at Mr. Bartoff's [Bertholf's], having had our Company and Captain Mccullough's joined into a party, until May 27th, when we were ordered down to Paramus."
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