History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 15

Author: W. Woodford Clayton, Ed.
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia: Everts
Number of Pages: 1224

USA > New Jersey > Middlesex County > History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men > Part 15
USA > New Jersey > Union County > History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men > Part 15

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3 Davis' Life of Burr, i. 25, 26, 46, 47. Parton's Life of Burr, pp. 50, 53. Miss Joues' StockInidge, pp. 160, 263.

Three of President Edwards' children were married here: Timothy, his eldest son, as noticed above ; Eunice was married here, January, 1764, to Thomas Pollock, and after his death, about 1780, to Robert Hunt, of this place ; Pierpont married, May, 1769, Frances, the eldest daughter of Moses and Mary (Cozzeus) Ogden, and sister of Nancy, the second and surviving wife of Col. Francis Barber, all of this town.

+ Davis' Life of Burr, i. 58.

HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

they dined ; thence they " were escorted to Elizabeth Town, and on their way they were met by the gentle- men and militia of that place." Such was the en- thusiasm of the people.1

The Provincial Congress of New Jersey met at Trenton, May 23d. This town was represented by . William Peartree Smith, John Stites, John Chet- wood, Abraham Clark, and Elias Boudinot. Smith and Boudinot were sent to Philadelphia on the 25th to confer with Congress on some joint plan of action, and returned on the 30th.

The combat thickened. British reinforcements arrived at Boston. The cry "To Arms!" had brought together considerable numbers of patriot soldiers. Congress was loudly summoned to create an army. They assumed the charge of the New England recruits, and chose George Washington, June 15th, as general- in-chief of the Continental army. The effect of these measures was electric. Hope was invigorated, confi- dence inspired. The battle of Bunker Hill followed two days after, June 17th. That Americans would fight was no longer doubtful. That British regulars were not invincible was certain. The yeomanry took heart at once. The people everywhere flew to arms. Even cowards were brave.

Ammunition was greatly needed. But for this Bunker Hill would have been a greater triumph. Powder was in demand, in the army and everywhere. The committee of this town deeply interested them- selves in procuring and furnishing the needed supply. On the 17th of July they forwarded, by way of Dobbs' Ferry, fifty-two quarter casks just received from Philadelphia. On the same day they

" Resolved, That this Committee, for every hundred weight of Saltpetre made within this Town for the first three months alter this day, will pay the sum of twenty pounds, proclamation money of New Jersey, on the delivery thereof to this Committee, and fifteen pommle of same cur- rency for the like quantity of Saltpetre made and delivered as afore- said, within the next three months thereafter."2

The whole stock of powder at Washington's com- mand August 13th for the use of the army around Boston was abont ninety barrels only, "not more than nine rounds a man ;" they had " but thirty-two barrels in store." The destitution continued "a fort- night or more, till the Jersey Committee of Eliza- beth Town, upon receiving the alarming news, sent on a few tons, which they were obliged to do with the greatest privacy, lest the fears of their own people, had it been known, should have stopt it for their own use in case of an emergency." On the 20th of Au- gust, Washington acknowledges the receipt of "six tons and a half of powder from the southward." 3

At the same meeting of the committee, July 17th, the following action was taken :

" The chairman of this Committee having received a letter from Mr. Richard Lawrence. n Delegate of Richmond County for the Provincial Congress of the Colony of New York, informing that the inhabitants of said County had, in general, signed the Association recommended by the Committee of New York, this Committee are therefore of opinion that the inhabitants of said County be restored to their commercial privileges with the inhabitants of this town."4

The martial spirit that prevailed in the town may be seen from the following item :

"Elizabeth Town. October 4, 1775. Yesterday sixteen Companies of Foot, and one of llorse, belonging to this Borough, were reviewed on the Parade, went through their Military Exercises with Alertness and Regularity, and made a very bandsome Appearance."5

The following pleasant incident occurred nearly two months later :

" Dec. 4, 1775. Wednesday evening last [ Nov. 29], arrived at Newark, in their way to the Provincial Camp at Cambruige, the Lady of his Excellency General Washington, the Lady of Adjutant General Gates, John Custis, Esq., and his Lady and Warren Lewis, Esq .; They were escorted from Elizabeth Town by the Company of Light Horse, and most of the principal Gentlemen of that Borough, On Thursday mord- ing they departed for Dobbs Ferry, e-corted by a farty of the Elizabeth Town Light House, and a great Number of Geotlemen and Ladies from Newark."

Mrs. Washington accomplished the whole distance from Virginia to Cambridge, Mass., in her own con- veyanee, "a chariot and four, with black postillions in scarlet and white liveries," traveling by easy stages.6

At the close of November, by order of Congress, a recruiting agency was established here, and the town was made the headquarters of the First New Jersey Regiment of regulars, under the command of William Alexander, (titular) Earl of Stirling. He had been for several years a resident of Basking Ridge, had re- cently been chosen colonel of a Somerset County militia regiment, and had carried many of them with him into the Continental service. He took care that all vessels coming from foreign countries to New York should (on account of restrictions laid on the commerce of that port by Capt. Hyde Parker, of the " Phoenix" man-of-war in the harbor) enter at Amboy or Elizabeth Town, and at the latter place if possible. Apprehensive, therefore, of a visit from some of the armed boats of the " Phoenix," he urged Congress, Dec. 19, 1775, to furnish the town with "an imme- diate supply of ammunition, and, if possible, half a dozen field-pieces, with some round, grape, and can- nister shot ;" and soon after, Jan. 6, 1776, he wrote to the President of Congress,-

" I have the pleasure to inform you that several vessels with valuable cargoes from foreign ports have arrived in this Province, and, under the protection I have afforded them, have landed their raigues. Among the rest are some hundred barrels of gunpowder."T

On the recommendation of Lord Stirling, Wil- liam Barnet, Jr., was appointed by Congress surgeon of the First Jersey Battalion, and Matthias Halstead quartermaster. Four companies of the battalion were

1 N. Y. Mercury, No. 1231. Holt's N. Y. Jouroal, May 11. Moore'e Diary, i. 76.

2 N. Y. Mercury, No. 1241.

3 Gordon's Anı. Revolution, i. 380. Sparks' Washington, iii. 65. Ir- ving'e Wasbingtua, ii. 26.

4 N. Y. Mercury, No. 1241.

5 Thid., No. 1252.

6 Thill., No. 1260. Irving's Wash., ii. 120, 121.

7 Life of Stirling, pp. 116, 118.

BEGINNING OF THE REVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE.

stationed here, such of them as could not be accom- modated in the barracks finding quarters among the people. Some weeks elapsed before they were fully equipped.2

An opportunity soon occurred for calling into re- quisition the martial ardor and energy of the town. The occurrence is related at length by Robert Ogden, Esq. (who had now succeeded Jonathan Hampton as chairman of the town committee), in a letter to John Hancock, President of Congress, dated E. Town, Feb. 10, 1776 :

"Sia,-1 am ordered by the Committee of Elizabeth Town to acquaint the Congress of the Capture and state of the ship ' Blue-Mountain-Val- ley,' now lying at Elizabeth-Town Point, and to desire particular direc- tions from the Congress what is to be done with the said ship, cargo, officers, and seamen.

"On Monday, the 22d of January, between eleven and twelve o'elack, Lord Stirling, with alamt thirty men of his regiment, being near all that were then armed at this place, the rest being at Long Island,2 set out lor Amboy on a serious enterprise. In the evening of the same day an express arrived in this town with a letter directed to Lord Stirling, and. in his alsence, to the Chairman of the Committee of this place, inform- Ing that an armed vessel, with a detachment of marines and seabien, was sent off from New York that day from the ships af war ia New York, and to the transport ship.

"On the Chairman'e receipt of this letter, he immediately called the Committee, which met about six v'elock in the evening, and from the letter and express collected and concluded that Lord Stirling left this place with an intention to procure a vessel at Amboy and go in quest of the Transport-ship, which he then thought was in a defenseless coodi- tion, lut knowing of the reinforcement sent from New York, and that if intelligence should reach him that night, he would not be able to procure vessels and assistance in season at Amboy to secure success, and might be repulsed with loss. On which the Committee resolved to send a detachment of one hundred volunteers in three or four boats, by the way of the Narrows, to take ar a-sist Lord Stirling to take the armed ve-sel ur transport of which they immediately notified Lord Stirling by an express, and to enevurage volunteers to enter assured them they should share of the prize or prizes, according to the regulations that

were or should be made by the Continental Congress Volunteers were soon procure, and furnished by the Committee with ammunition, pro- vi-ion, and what arms were wanting, of the townsmen about eighty, and of the Continental troops about thirty. The Committee also pro- cured three boats, and fitted them in the best manner the night and hurry would admit of. Between twelve and one o'clock at night the armament was ready to sail, but on account of the tide and ices they could not proceed by the way of the Narrows ; they therefore set out with a fair wind by the way of Amboy, where they stopped, and called upwun Lord Stirling, who, with a boat procured by him for the purpose, aml abont forty of his regiment, set out with them in quest of the ship and armed veesel. At sunrise from the mast-head they descried the ship ut sea, stood for, met, and boarded her without opposition at ten d'eluck in the morning; they found her to be a transport from London, with conls, porter, potatoes, hogs, and horse-beans, designed for the Min- isterial troops at Boston, commanded by John H. Dempster, brother to George Dempster, member of Parliament for Dundee, etc., in Scotland. But the armed vessel, by great good fortune, saved herself by returning to New York, not having discovered the ship, to the great disappoint- ment of our people. Lord Stirling gave the command of the ship to Mr. Rogers, a sen-captain, with orders to proceed for this place, but being detained by tide and contrary winds on Wednesday near Amboy, the Committee being apprehensive of an attempt by the man-of-war to re- take her, on Wednesday evening sent a reinforcement of abont eighty meu to secure her against any such attempt, and on Friday she arrived in safety at Elizabeth-Town Point, where she remained under the coal-

1 Am. Archives, 4th Ser., iv. 165, 247, 354.

2 Scouring the country to disarm the Tories, and arrest the most dan- gerone of the Loyalists. N. Y. Col. Doumts., viii. 663, 667. Hildreth, iii. 114-15.

3 The senson had been very severe. Navigation about New York had been much obstructed. N. Y. Col. Docmts., viii. 667, 674.

mand of Lurd Stirling, guarded by some of the troops under his com- mand, until Tuesday last, when he and his troops were ordered to New York, since which time she hath been, and now is, under the care of the Committee. By order of Lord Stirling and the Committee, the porter and beans are stored, the sails and rigging are taken on shore. The po- tatoes, which are chiefly rotten, and caal remain on board the ship. The Captain and seamen remain prisoners at large in this town. The Com- mittee expected Lord Stirling would have, before this time, procured the particular directions of the Congress for the disposition of the ship and cargo, but in this they are disappointed, and everything respecting the ship is in suspense. The hogs remmining being only seven (out of eighty) and the remaining potatoes they have concluded to sell. The coal is in great demand for making of arms, and is lialde to be destroyed with the ship by an armed force which may be dispatched privately in the night from New York, which is but about fourteen miles' distance. The sramen, who are boarded ont by the Committre, Are uneasy AI 80- liciting the Committee for their wages, which, they say. were promised by Lord Stirling. The Captain is auxione to know now hing he is to be detained, and the Committee are desirous that he may be soon dismi-sed, and be at liberty to return home and inform his friends and country- men of the usage he lias received from the Americans. This, sir, is the state of affairs relating to the store-hip called the ' Blue-Mountain-Val- ley,' and brought to this place."

Appended to this statement is a list of the officers and crew,-a captain, three mates, a carpenter, a boat- swain, a steward, seven seamen, and two apprentices. Their bill for wages was £123 38. 7d., of which £23 68. 7d. had been paid.

The manifest is also given, dated Sept. 30, 1775, showing 107} chaldrons of coal, 30 bundles of hoops, 100 butts of porter, branded "Calvert," 225 bags of beans, 156 sacks of potatoes, 10 casks sour-krout, 80 live hogs, and 35 empty puncheons for water, shipped by Mure, Son & Atkinson, of London, by order of the Right Hon. the Lords Commissioners of his Ma- jesty's Treasury. The vessel had sailed from Lou- don Oct. 13, 1775.

An accompanying paper gives

" A List of the Officers and Men, belonging to the Militia of Eliza- betli-Town, who entered on board af the different shallops as Volun- teers ia order to take the Ship Blue-Mountain- Valley, Jaanary 22, 1776, under the cammand of Elias Dayton, Colonel :

" Elias Dayton. Colonel. George Weeks.

Edward Thomas, Lieut .- Col. Oliver Spencer, Captain.

Edward -.

Beaty.

William Britton. Captain. Francis Barber, First Lieut.

Daniel Craig.

Aaron Hatfield, First Lieut. Thomas Morrel, Second Lieut. George Ever-on, Quartermaster. Smith Hetfield, Capt. of Boat. John Thomas, Capt. of Boat. John Tinil, Capt of Boat. William Barnet, Surgeon.

Thomas Lee. Stephen Wheeler.

Farrington Price. Elijah Woodruff.

Datiel Woodrutt.

Aarvo Ogden. Edward Jones.

William Clark.

Jonathan Clark.

Henry Baker, Sergeant.

Jonathan Nichols.

Samuel Smith. Lewis Blanchard.

Sanmel Manu. Silas Freeman. William Meeker.

Edmund Thomas.

Thomas Elstone.

Ephraim Marsh.

AdanI Lee.

Jonathan Pierson.

Elibn Parsotis.

Daniel -

Robert Spencer.

William Ramsden.

Samuel S-aley.

Samuel Ler.

Thomas Hoyt.

Thomas Quigley. Macarty.

Henry M. Munngal.

Price Parcel. Barney Ogilen. Timothy B. Stout. Joseph Meeker, Juu.

David Stewart.

William Higins, Sergeant.

David Ross, Sergeant.

Samuel Ogden.

Gabriel Merker.

HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

Lewis Woulruft.

James Clenchy.

John Miller.

John Runyou.

Nicholas Drane.

Moses Connel.

Jacob Carle.

Godfrey Hackney. Timothy Burus. Simon Simonsut.

Benjamin Woodruff. Jonathan Woudfrutf. Benjam n Himle.

Richard Miller.

John Miller, 2d.

John Gray.

" The above is a true list, to the best of my knowledge and belief.

" ELIZABETH-TOWN, Feb. 9, 1776."

" EDWARD THOMAS.1

Several of the men whose names are included in this list afterwards became decided loyalists and some of them malignant Tories, but the vast majority of them continued true to their country, and several of them became highly distinguished for their mili- tary services. The names of a few are not familiar. These were of the Continentals from the back country.

In his " Life of Lord Stirling," Judge Duer gives the credit of this affair to Stirling, as having "planned and executed" the enterprise, overlooking the fact that the town committee undertook, of their own mo- tion, without even a suggestion from Stirling, by far the heaviest part of the work. Lord Stirling's letter to Congress also, dated Jan. 24, 1776, is given incor- rectly. It should read,-

" I immediately set out for Amboy, and there seized a pilot-hoat, and with forty men was just pushing ont about two yesterday morning, when I was joined by three other boats from Elizabeth Town, with alont forty men ench, many of them gentlemen from Elizabeth Town, who voluntarily come on this service, under the command of Col. Dayton and Lient -Cul. Thomas."

He describes the vessel as "a ship of about one hundred feet, from stem to stern above, capable of making a ship of war of twenty six-pounders and ten three-pounders."

On the Monday following, 29th, Lord Stirling's let- ters having been read in Congress, it was

" Resolred, That the alertness, activity, and good conduct of Lord Stir- ling, and the forwardness and spirit of the gentlemen and others from Elizabeth Town who voluntarily wasisted him in taking the ship Blue- Mountain- Volley, were landalle and exemplary, and that bis lordship be directed to secure the capture until the further order of Congress, and that in the mean time he canse such part of the lading as would otherwise perish to be disposed of by Gale." 2

Lord Stirling received orders from Gen. Lee, Feb. 4, 1776, to transfer his regiment to New York, and the next morning he marched, with the four companies stationed here, to the North River, and having been de- tained by the ice on the following day arrived at New York. On the 9th he received and transmitted from Congress the vote of thanks, and sent orders to Mr. John Blanchard to take charge of the cargo of the transport, with a request to Brig .- Gen. Livingston, and John DeHart, Esq., to aid him in the manage- ment of the affair. At the same time he took the op- portunity of requesting Mr. Ogden to give his best thanks to the committee of Elizabeth Town for their

readiness at all times to assist him in carrying on the service under his direction, and to the inhabitants in general for the many instances of confidence and friendship received from them.3

Finally the Provincial Congress of New Jersey or- dered, March 2, 1776, the vessel and cargo to be con- fiscated, a commission to be appointed for the sale of the ship and its contents, and the proceeds to be dis- distributed among the captors. John Blanchard ex- cused himself, March 2d, from serving on the com- mittee, because he was so much occupied in building a powder-mill, and on his recommendation his son Cornelius was, March 8th, appointed in his place.4

Col. Stirling having been appointed, March Ist, a brigadier-general, Robert Ogden wrote him, March 4th, a letter of congratulation, and took occasion to add,-

"There are many fire-arms lost, or at least at present misslog, that were lent (by the inhabitantsof the town) to furnish Capt, Mreker aud the parties under him to assist your lordslop in taking the ship ' Blne- Mountain-Valley.' De has been applied to for the arma, bnl saya he kuows nothing about them, who had them, nor where to be found. ITis ignorance and high temper makes it difficult to treat with him." 5

Stirling wrote March Ist to Blanchard, authorizing him to deliver thirty-four chaldrons of the coal to Moses Ogden at the market price, Ogden having a contract with the government for iron-work. The remainder of the cargo, with the ship and its appur- tenances, was sold at auction by order of the commit- tee of Elizabeth Town, March 18th. A gratuity was allowed the seainen, who, with the officers, were set at liberty, and the proceeds of the sale were divided among the captors.

By order of the Provincial Congress, February 2d, Edward Thomas and Isaac Woodruff, barrack-masters, were authorized to dispose of at their estimated value, for the use of the Continental troop, the blankets be- longing to the Elizabeth Town barracks. On the 3d, Abraham Ogden was appointed lieutenant-colonel, and William Barnet major of the regiment of light- horse in the eastern division of the State. On the 23d, Edward Thomas was appointed colonel, Jere- miah Smith lieutenant-colonel, and Oliver Spencer first major of the first regiment of Essex militia. On the 6th of March, Elias Dayton was appointed by Congress colonel, and Francis Barber major of the Third Bat- talion of New Jersey Continentals, and on the requi- sition of Lord Stirling, at New York, six thon-and cartridges were furnished him by the Elizabeth Town committee.6

Gen. Clinton arrived at New York from Boston Feb- ruary 4th, in the ship of war " Mercury," in company with a transport brig with two hundred marines, on his way to the South. Shortly afterwards the vessels weighed anchor, and fell down to the watering-place

1 Am. Archives, 4th Ser , iv. 987-89.

2 Journal of Congress for 1776, Duer's Stirling, p. 124.

3 Am. Archives, 4th ser., iv. 1199-1200.

+ 1hid., p. 1606. Stirling MSS .. N. Y. Ilis. Soc.

5 Am. Archives, 4th ser., v. 56.

6 Ibid., iv. 1580, 1582, 1589, 1698, 1606.

Isaiah Gray. William Livingston, Jr. Brockholst Livingston. John Hendrix. Samuel Morehouse.

BEGINNING OF THE REVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE.

near Staten Island. On the evening of Saturday, 10th, word was brought to this town that the marines were intending to make a raid on Staten Island and carry off the live-stock. Gen. Livingston, who had been put in charge on Stirling's transfer to New York, called out three hundred of the militia, sent out a part to reconnoitre the south side of the island, and marched with the troops at three in the morning. At Ward's, in sight of the light-house, they were joined by Capt. Blanchard and his company of light-horse. Learning here that the vessels had left Sandy Hook the day before, a squad under the command of Col. Edward Thomas were left to guard the coast, for fear of a feint, and the remainder were ordered home. The militia were highly commended for the alacrity with which they responded to the call of their com- mander on this occasion.'

Owing to the commotions of the times, and the close connection of the town with New York, the place was visited by many strangers, some of whom rendered themselves liable to suspicion as unfriendly to the cause of the country. The committee of the town therefore represented the case, February 12th, to the Provincial Congress, then in session, who passed an ordinance requiring, among other things,

" That all suspected persons removing into the colony should be im- mediately returned to the place whence they came, unless their dleten- tion as delinquents should be proper, or unless they produceil certificates from the committee of the precinct from which they come that they had signed the Association recommended by Congress, aud had not subsequently contravened it." 2

Thus, gradually but surely, the lines of demarka- tion between the patriots and the loyalists were be- coming more and more distinct, and the people were compelled to show their colors as friends or foes to Congress and the country.

On the 14th, William Livingston and John De Hart, of this town, were re-elected by the Provincial Con- gress of New Jersey members of the General Con- gress, which had continued in session till this time.3

Fears were entertained that the British army at Boston were about to be transferred to New York, of which Lord Stirling received intimation, March 13th, from Gen. Washington. Stirling immediately called upon each of several adjacent counties in New Jersey to send forward immediately three or four hundred men to aid in fortifying the city and harbor. Lewis Ogden, chairman of the Newark Committee, replied on the 14th that they would send one hundred and fifty men : " We also sent a Deputation from our Board to the Committee at Elizabeth Town to inform them what we had done and request that they would furnish 150 more : they have agreed to do it."

Stephen Crane, who had succeeded Robert Ogden as chairman of the Elizabeth Town Committee, wrote to Stirling also on the 14th, to the effect that they

had no right to send a detachment out of the province, urged the desperate state of the colony, and said, --

"The Arming the two battalions in the Continental Service hath drained ne of our best Arms, and in case a Decent should be made at New York, we should be liable to continual excursions of the enemy."

William Burnet, chairman of the Essex County Committee, wrote on the 15th that a copy of Crane's letter had been sent to him, "from which we are afraid no men will come from Elizabeth Town; . . . however we shall Endeavour to prevail with them to furnish their quota, and hope we shall succeed." The next day he writes that "the confusion is owing to your writing to the Township and not the County Committee."

Two days after Stirling acknowledges the services of Burnet and the Newark people, informs him of his intention to fortify East Jersey, and says,-

"I shall seml to explain my designs to you and to engage the people of Elizabeth Town to carry them into execution, which according to my plau they will be able to do with two or Three hundred men in a few days. Some Intreoching tools will be necessary, and it will be proper to have them Collected es soon as possible at Newark or Elizabeth Town."

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History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 15

Author: W. Woodford Clayton, Ed. Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Philadelphia: Everts Number of Pages: 1224

Author: W. Woodford Clayton, Ed.
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Philadelphia: Everts
Number of Pages: 1224