USA > New Jersey > Passaic County > Paterson > History of Paterson and its environs (the silk city); historical- genealogical - biographical > Part 31
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Some distance in front of the headquarters was stationed Brig .- Gen. Henry Knox's brigade of artillery, on the brow of the hill, between the two wings of the army, protecting the headquarters and commanding the ap- proaches from the Passaic river. The park of artillery was a second centre of life in the camp. Here was the army post office. Visitors were always escorted thither, to see the evolutions of the men at their guns; while the whole camp listened with interest for the firing of the sunset gun. Gen. Knox was accompanied, as usual, by his wife, who, with her little girl of three years and her six-months' babe, occupied a small farm house in the vicinity.
The right wing, consisting of the First and Second Pennsylvania, and the First and Second Connecticut Brigades, the whole commanded by Maj .- Gen. Lord Stirling, was located a short distance southwest of the present Laurel Grove cemetery, the two Pennsylvania brigades forming the advance The camp ground is now traversed by Beattie avenue. The left wing, com- manded by Maj .- Gen. Arthur St. Clair, consisted of the First, Second, Third and Fourth Massachusetts Brigades ; they were encamped on Totowa, from near the present Lincoln bridge to Haledon. The First and Second Massa- chusetts Brigades composed the front line of this wing.
The broad plateau extending for half a mile or more from the mountain to the river, at an elevation of fifty to one hundred and fifty feet above the stream, not only afforded fine opportunities for exercising the troops in mili- tary evolutions, but was also well adapted for defensive purposes. The Grand Parade ground was near the Falls, on an extensive bare field, known and used eighty or ninety years later (1860-70) as the "Cricket ground," in the Totowa region of the present Second ward of Paterson. On October 20 it was ordered changed to a field between Gen. St. Clair's and Gen. Hunting- ton's quarters-near the present cemetery of the Holy Sepulchre.
Lafayette was very proud of his Light Corps, and equipped the men largely at his own expense. It was a delicate matter to make the same propo- sition to the officers, but he managed it gracefully. In a letter of September 15, 1780, to Col. Aaron Ogden, he said he had received a proposition from a merchant to furnish clothing for the officers in his division "nearly on the same terms as the prime cost in France," and hopes it will be "found to be perfectly suited to the convenience of the officers of the division." The next
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day he writes again to Col. Ogden, and mentions the fact that he had ordered swords in France for his officers. "Having now received them, I would solicit a new mark of your Friendship by your acceptance and each of the officers of your regiment of one of them, as they cannot be had at present in America." Writing from "Totowa Bridge, on the Passaic, 8 October, 1780," to the Count de Vergennes, he says: "The liberty which has been allowed me, Monsieur le Comte, obliges me to remain steadily where I think I am least useless. As long as I am of this opinion, I shall not leave America. My position is as agreeable as that of a man can be who is a great enemy of inaction. * * I am in command of a flying camp which forms thie advanced guard of the American army, and is composed of the élite of the troops." Other letters were dated "Totaway-Bridge ce 10 octobre 1780," and "Camp de la division légère, 30 octobre 1780," the latter giving a descrip- tion of his corps, the uniforms, etc.
Lafayette's Light Infantry Corps, formed in the preceding August, and comprising six battalions, or two brigades, held the extreme left, extending from Haledon to the Goffle, his headquarters tent being on the Goffle brook, directly back of the house of the late George I. Ryerson. After the custom of the time, a large bowl of grog was a stationary feature of his table, from which every officer who entered the tent was invited to help himself. In a large hollow near by the soldiers were wont to bake their bread every day for the troops. Says the Marquis de Chastellux :
I found this camp placed in an excellent position ; it occupied two heights separated by a small bottom, but with an easy communication between them. The river Totohaw or Second River, protects its right, and it is here that it makes a considerable elbow. *
* * The principal part of the front, and all the left bank, to a great distance, are covered by the rivulet which comes from Paramus, and falls into the same river. * * This troop made a good appearance, were better clothed than the rest of the army ; the uniforms both of the officers and soldiers were smart and military, and each soldier wore a helmet made of hard leather, with a crest of horse-hair. The officers are armed with espontoons, or rather with half-pikes, and the subalterns with fusils. * * The tents, agreeably to the American custom, formed only two ranks; they were in regular lines, as well as those of the officers ; and as the season was advanced, they had good chimneys *
* * built on the outside, and conceal the entrance of the tents, which produce the double effect of keeping off the wind, and of preserving heat night and day.
Major Henry Lee, with his famous Virginia legion, whose gallant ex- ploits gave him the soubriquet, "Light Horse Harry Lee," occupied the broad, level fields between the Goffle and Wagaraw, to "take care of the ap- proaches to his [Lafayette's] encampment," making his headquarters in the old Alyea house, near the Bergen county end of the present Wagaraw bridge. This corps consisted of three troops of horse, and three companies of infan- try, giving a total of 350 effectives. It remained at the Goffle about three weeks, occasionally riding to Fort Lee and thence patrolling the road to Ber- gen. About the first of November it was dispatched to the South. Wash-
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ington wrote, October 23: "The corps itself is an excellent one, and the officer at the head of it has great resources of genius."
The extreme right was held by Col. Stephen Moylan's Pennsylvania Dragoons, and Maj. James Parr's Rifle Corps, both stationed south of the Passaic river. The former were encamped at Little Falls, to guard the ap- proach from Newark and Elizabethtown from the east side of First Moun- tain, as well as the road through the Great Notch. Both were ordered to "patrol on the road towards Newark and Aquakanack." The Rifle Corps occupied a broad ravine northwest of the Notch, in a position to command that important pass, and the roads through it from Acquackanonk, Second River and Newark. Maj. Parr held this post only a week, being then (Octo- ber 17, 1780) ordered to join Lafayette's Light Corps, at the Goffle, while a regiment from the Second Connecticut Brigade replaced him at the Notch. Although he occupied it for so short a time, Major Parr's original position is to this day known by the people in the neighborhood as "the Rifle Camp," and the road leading from Paterson, via Stony Road, over Garret Moun- tain to the Notch, is called "the Rifle Camp road." It is said that Washing- ton caused a lookout to be erected on the peak on the north side of the Notch, whence he could command a clear view of the whole country for twenty miles or more, including New York, Newark, Elizabethtown, Hackensack, Fort Lee, etc. Fifty years later there were still to be seen huge boulders on the edge of the mountain, overlooking the gorge, and tradition asserted that these masses of stone had been rolled there by Washington's command, to be hurled down upon the enemy if they attempted to force a passage through the Notch. Even sixty years after the war, the ruins were still plainly visible of the ovens built in the "Rifle Camp" for the soldiers' meager baking.
The line of battle was prescribed in general orders, October 15, 1780, to be as follows :
Maj. Lee's Legion.
2d Brigade, late Gen. Enoch Poor's.
Light Infantry. Ist Brigade, Gen. Edward Hand. Maj. Gen. Marquis de Lafayette.
Front Line.
Mass., and Bedkin's Troop. Left Wing, Maj. Gen. St. Clair.
2d Mass., Gen. Glover, Ist Mass., Gen. Nixon. Maj. Gen. Howe.
Second Line.
3d Mass., 4th Mass., Col. Gen. Paterson.
Bailey.
Maj. Gen. Baron Steuben.
Artillery Gen. Henry Knox
Ist Conn., Gen.
2d Conn., Col. Wyllys. Huntington.
Brig. Gen. Parsons.
Washington's Headquarters.
.
Light Corps.
Maj. Parr's Rifle Corps.
Col. Stephen Moylan's Dragoons. Right Wing, Mai. Gen. Lord Stir- ling. 2d Penn., Gen. Irvine, Ist Penn., Gen. Wayne.
f
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THE NATION'S WARS
All through the army the troops tried to make themselves as comfortable as their scanty means would allow. Broad flat stones were gathered and laid to form a level floor ; upon this was set a tent, or a hut. Outside was built a rude chimney, usually of stone laid up in clay. In general orders, dated "Headquarters, Totoway, October 1I, 1780," is this caution: "As the Sol- diers have begun to build Chimneys for their tents the Genl. desires that the Commanding officers of regiments and companies will be particularly atten- tive in seeing that the funnels are raised so much above the ridgepole of the tents as to prevent damage from the fire which heretofore has been very in- jurious to the tents of the army." This order appears to have been much neglected, for on October 25 it is again ordered : "The Funnels of the Chim- neys which are not already raised above the tents are without delay to be completed." It was not until the "hard times" of 1857, when labor was very cheap, that the Totowa farmers thought it worth while to plow up the land at the base of the mountain, where there had remained undisturbed in all the intervening years the stone floors of the huts or tents erected by Washing- ton's army during the encampments of 1780. But there had been constantly turned up cannon balls and other reminders of the military occupancy of those peaceful fields. Hundreds of such relics, picked up at Wagaraw and the Goffle, in the Valley of the Rocks, and on the Heights of Totowa, at Preakness, Little Falls and "the Rifle Camp," were carefully collected and preserved by Peter Archdeacon, in his Museum, on the northeast corner of Main and Smith streets. At his death they were removed to Montclair, where they were gradually dispersed.
CHAPTER VI.
Visit of the Marquis de Chastellux and his reception at the Dey house. Camp life at Totowa and Preakness-Extracts from General Orders. Court-martial at Totowa of an accomplice in the treason of Benedict Arnold.
The Marquis de Chastellux, who arrived at the camp on November 23, 1780, has given us a charming picture of Washington and his surroundings at this time. After visiting the Great Falls he rode along the front of the army, meeting perpetually with posts, who took arms, drums beating, and the officers saluting with the espontoon.
All these posts were not for the safety of the army ; many of them were stationed to guard houses and barns, which served as magazines. At length, after riding two miles along the right flank of the army, and after passing thick woods on the right, I found myself in a small plain, where I saw a handsome farm ; a small camp which seemed to cover it, a large tent extended in the court, and several waggons round it, convinced me that this was his Excellency's quarter ; for it is thus Mr. Washington is called in the army, and throughout America. M. de la Fayette was in conversation with a tall man, five feet nine inches high, (about five feet ten inches and a half English) of a noble and mild countenance. It was the General himself. I was soon off
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PATERSON AND ITS ENVIRONS
horseback, and near him. The compliments were short; the sentiments with which I was animated, and the good wishes he testified for me were not equivocal. He conducted me to his house, where I found the company still at table, although the dinner had been long over. He presented me to Gen- erals Knox, Waine, Howe, &c. and to his family, then composed of Colonels Hamilton and Tilgman, his secretaries and aides de camp, and of Major Gibbs, commander of his guards; for in England and America, the aides de camp, adjutants and other officers attached to the General, form what is called his family. A fresh dinner was prepared for me, and mine; and the present was prolonged to keep me company. A few glasses of claret and Madeira accelerated the acquaintances I had to make, and I soon felt myself at my ease near the greatest and best of men. The goodness and benevo- lence which characterize him, are evident from every thing about him; but the confidence he gives birth to, never occasions improper familiarity; for the sentiment he inspires has the same origin in every individual, a profound esteem for his virtues, and a high opinion of his talents. About nine o'clock the general officers withdrew to their quarters, which were all at a consider- able distance; but as the General wished me to stay in his own house, I re- mained some time with him, after which he conducted me to the chamber prepared for my Aides de Camp and me. This chamber occupied the fourth part of his lodgings ; he apologized to me for the little room he had in his disposal, but always with a noble politeness, which was neither compli- mentary nor troublesome.
At nine the next morning they informed me that his Excellency was come down into the parlour. This room served at once as audience chamber, and dining room. * * [After breakfast Gen. Washington rode with * de Chastellux and an escort to review the army, and although it rained heavily they rode] to the camp of the Marquis; we found all his troops in order of battle on the heights to the left, and himself at their head expressing, by his air and countenance, that he was happier in receiving me there, than at his estate in Auvergne.
Other glimpses of life in the camp at Totowa and Preakness are afford- ed by the General Orders issued from time to time, and by extracts from letter-books, etc .:
Oct. 9. The Grand Parade is assigned for the present near the Great Falls, where the guards and piquets are to parade at six o'clock this after- noon ; the troop to beat at 8 o'clock till further orders, and the guards to be on the Grand Parade at nine, precisely. * * As the Army is encamped very conveniently for wood, the destruction of fences will be without excuse, and must be prevented at all events. * * *
The General wishes, also, that all possible care may be taken to prevent injury to the fruit trees; in which he includes the chestnut, many of which he has seen cut down in order to come at the nut.
Oct. 10. A very fine morning. The First Pena Brigade passed our encampment at ten o'clock, on their way to the main army from Stony Point.
Oct. II. A very fine morning. The second Penna Brigade passed our encampment, on their way from West Point to the main army at Totowa. Oct. II. Major Parre's Corps of Riflemen are permitted to try their Rifles between the hours of 3 and 5 in the afternoon.
[Division Orders]. A fatigue party of 20 men, under the direction of a Regimental Quartermaster, is to repair in an effectual manner the fence
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THE NATION'S WARS
that encloses the field of wheat near the encampment, leaving convenient passages to the springs.
Oct. 13. Two subs., 2 sergt. and six rank & file for fatigue tomorrow to repair the roads and Bridges to be furnished with 2 days provision.
Oct. 13. The want of provisions is a clog to our operations in every quarter. We have several times, in the course of this campaign, been with- out either Bread or Meat and have never had more than four or five days beforehand. [Washington to Col. Brodhead].
Oct. 14. [Saturday]. The troops will attend Divine Service at 4 o'clock in the afternoon to-morrow.
Oct. 15. The Issuing Commissarys are to deliver all their sheep and calves' skins to the Field Commissary of Military Stores with the Post ¡Park] of Artillery who will have them properly dressed for drum heads.
An alarm will be communicated from the Park by two guns as usual.
As Headquarters are somewhat remote from Camp & it is inconvenient for the officers of the day to attend as heretofore the General dispenses with their attendance while we remain in the present position. When there is nothing more than common in the report. He hopes & expects to have the pleasure of the company of the relieved officers as usual at dinner, at which their report may be handed him.
Oct. 16. Regtl Surgeons are requested to send such sick as are proper subjects for Hospitals, to the Flying Hospital at George Doremus', Lord Stirling's former Quarters, on the Pompton Road.
"To Cash paid Mr. Inº Mercereau of Woodbridge in New Jersey (in- cluding 5 Guineas to Baker Hendricks) pr. rects. for Exp & rewards of him- self & others (whom he was obliged to employ) to open & carry on a Corre- spondence with persons within the Enemy's Lines by the way of Staten Island, 3276 Dollrs & £ 179 IOS. Specie."
"To Ditto paid Majr. Talmadge towards the Expences of the Communi- cation with New York by the way of Long Island, £ 56 specie." [Washing- ton's Accounts ].
Oct. 17. "The weather begins to pinch-hard necessity obliges us to be economists-our Soldiers uniforms are much worn & out of repear, we have adopted the Idear of Curtailing the Coats to repair the Elbows & other defective parts for which we shall Immediately want needles & thread." [Gen. Anthony Wayne to Joseph Reed].
Oct. 18. [A soldier convicted of desertion sentenced to receive 100 lashes on his naked back].
Oct. 17. Two soldiers "were tried for stealing tanned Leather from the tanfats of Simon Vanwinkle. [On the river bank, at the foot of Park avenue]. The Court are of opinion they are guilty, & sentence each of them to receive 100 Lashes on their Bear Back, well Laid on. The Col. Comdt approves of the above sentance & orders the same to be put in execution to- morrow at troop beating."
Oct. 19. A private soldier "was tried at ye Request of Genl. Wayne for being out at an unseasonabel Hour in the night from his Quarters," and being convicted was sentenced "to receive 50 Lashes on his baer Back, at ye head of ye Regt. to which he Belongs, at roll Call this evening."
Oct. 20. "Do you know what our army have done this Summer? The
answer is easy. Nothing. * * * As far as depended on us, every measure was taken to induce the enemy to settle the matter genteely in the field." [Maj. Samuel Shaw, in his Memoirs].
Oct. 25. A very fine morning. Built a chimney to our tent.
Oct. 26. "On the [26th] instant Monsiere the Minister Plenopoten- tiary who lately arrived from France [the Chevalier de la Luzerne] and on
-
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PATERSON AND ITS ENVIRONS
his way to Head Quarters, when he approached the Park of Artillery was saluted with the Discharge of thirteen pieces of Ordinance. On the 26th Instant I was invited with a number of others to Dine with Major J. Moore and the Field Officers of the Brigade-we spent our time verry agreeably, for the afternoon, suped, and spent the Evening as jovally as we could wish. About 12 o'clock at Night each as great as a Lord, Reel'd home in a state to his own tent." [Lieutenant Enos Reeves's Letters].
Oct. 28. All the arms that are not stamped on the barrel with the mark of the United States are to be immediately marked with the letters U. S.
"The whole Army paraded for Review, and just before the Review began, came by Express some good News from the Southern. [The victory at King's Mountain over the British troops, including the New Jersey Loyal- ists, some of whom were from Totowa and Acquackanonk]. His Excellency General Washington and the Minister Plenopotentiary from France came on upon the Right of the front Line and was saluted by the discharge of thir- teen pieces of Cannon from the Park. They passed down the Line and was saluted by the different Regiments and officers in Rotation as usual. They made an elegant appearance, attended by their Aids and Moyland's Regi- ment of Light Dragoons." [Reeves's Letters].
[Penn. Division Orders]. Mrr Lytal will pleas to issue one G. [ill] Rum, this afternoon to each Non-Comsd officer & privat entitled to receive the State stores.
Oct. 29. The grand parade is Altered to ye field Neare the artificers.
Oct. 31. While we continue in the present position the post rider will leave camp at noon every Thursday instead of Friday morning. Letters therefore must be handed to the post office (at the Park) in time for the mail to be made up by that hour.
Nov. I. Snow this morning about 2 inches deep; turned to rain about IO o'clock.
Nov. 2. A Detachment to parade to-morrow morning on the grand parade, with 6 Days Provision & 40 Rounds pr man. The troop, till further orders, to beat at 9 o'clock & ye guards to be on ye grand parade at 10 o'clock.
Nov. 3. [A soldier for desertion ordered to run the gauntlet through the Connecticut division, naked from the waist upward].
Nov. 6. It is with infinite regret that the General is oblig'd to take notice of the disorderly conduct of the soldiers, arising in a great measure from the abuse of passes. The whole country is overspread with straggling soldiers, who, under the most frivolous pretences, commit every species of robbery and plunder. In a ride he took the other day, he found soldiers as low as Aquakanack Bridge, on both sides of the river, and as far as he has ever yet gone, around the environs of the camp, the roads and farm-houses are full of them.
Nov. 7. "We have never stood upon such perilous ground as the pres- ent. The period is fast approaching when America will have only the skele- ton of an army to oppose the British, and even that destitute of almost every comfort and necessary of life." [Gen. Anthony Wayne to Joseph Reed].
Nov. 8. Such of ye prisoners leatly exchanged as belong to ye troops now at ye - -, are to be atatched to ye park untill the arieval of Capt. Brown's Company of artillery from fort Schyler, when they preseed with it to their respective Corps.
Nov. 9. The G. C. M. [General Court Martial], whereof Col. Bealy is President, to assembel tomorrow, at 9 o'clock, at ye widow Godwin's, for ye trial of such prisoners as may Com before them, all persons Concerned to attend.
.
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THE NATION'S WARS
Nov. II. A fatigue party to parade to-morrow morning at guard mounting with their arms, packs, & three Days' provisions, to Repair the roads.
Nov. 14. A soldier tried for "imbezeling & seling publick stors, found guilty, & sentenced to receive 100 lashes." Another "was also tryed for sell- ing a peace of Beef, the property of the publick, found guilty, & sentenced to 100 lashes." Another "was lakwise tried at ye same Court for stealing tea & Sugar while on the State store guard, found guilty & sentanced to receive 100 lashes."
Nov. 14. The left wing of the army under marching orders.
Nov. 15. The Invalids * * * set out for winter quarters.
Nov. 15. "To Major Gibbs-Hd Exp 1000 Dollrs.
recd. from Colo Pickering.
"To Taylers Acct. for my servants 745 Dollrs."
Nov. 16. Between seven & eight hundred of the New England States troops (Invalids) passed our encampment, on their way to winter quarters. Rain in the afternoon.
Nov. 19. Writing from "2d Brigade of Lt Infantry, near the Great Falls," to Col. Lamb, J. Fleming says: "A few days ago, a couple of Scoun- drels, Corp1 Butler & Peter Scurry a Matross, deserted from me; I presume they are gone to the Enemy."
Nov. 21. The General having received intelligence that the enemy mean to make a Forage in this State; the Army is to be held in readiness to move at a moment's warning. It will keep two days' provisions cook'd before hand.
Nov. 23. The Army will march to-morrow at II o'clock. The General will beat at 10; the assembly at 12 past 10; and the march will commence pre- cisely at II * The Troops will have two days' provisions cook'd.
Nov. 26. The Army will march tomorrow morning. The Generale will beat at 9; the Assemblee at half past 9 o'clock, and the march will com- mence precisely at 10. The Quarter-Master-General will furnish the Route and Order of March. The Troops are to draw and carry 3 days' bread or * flour, as there are not enough wagons for the purpose. The General * cannot forbear remarking that this campaign, as well as the former, has ex- hibited proofs of the patience and patriotism of the Troops, in cheerfully supporting those wants and distresses which the peculiar situation of our country has at different times rendered inevitable.
Nov. 27. The next morning all the General's baggage was packed up, which did not hinder us from breakfasting, before we parted, he for his winter quarters, and I for my journey to Philadelphia.
Marched from our encampment at Totowa at 10 o'clock, & joined the Pennª Division on their parade near the little Falls of Passaic; the different companies of Light Infantry joined their respective regiments. The Divi- sion marched from their encampment at II o'clock, by the right, crossed one of the two bridges."
The necessities of the patriot soldiery were so severe that it is not to be wondered at if the men sometimes succumbed to the temptation when a fat sheep or calf would persist in getting in their way. The uniform testimony of tradition, however, is to the effect that the American troops were well- behaved while encamped at Totowa and Preakness. The soldiers frequently . came to the house of Roelof Van Houten, just west of the present Laurel Grove cemetery, and asked for milk, but they always treated the inhabitants
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