History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 22

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 22
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 22

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" On Thursday evening last [14th] Mr. Elias Mann and a Party of Men under his command attacked the Rebel Picket at Elizabeth Town. They killed two and took six of the Rebels; one only escaped. The prisoners were brought in here on Saturday last, with two other Rebels taken by the seme enterprising Party a few days before." 8

The same authority, November 25th, says,-

" Yesterday Capt. Cornelins Hetfield, with adventure peculiar to him- self. after ao incursion upon the Jonathans in Jersey, brought off a lieu- tenant and five or six others." 4

This daring partisan seems constantly to have been plotting against his former friends and neighbors with an ambition and courage worthy of a better cause. On the 25th of January, 1781, he and four other ref- ugees, all formerly from this town, arrested on Staten Island Stephen Ball, a London trader from Rahway, a son of David Ball, and took him first to Gen. Pat- terson and then to Gen. Skinner, both of whom re- fused to proceed against him on the charge that he had aided in the execution, in 1779, of Thomas Long, a New Jersey refugee, when they took him over to Bergen Point, and without judge or jury hung him as a spy by the neck until he was dead.5

On Friday, the 23d of February, the same party came by night to Elizabeth Town and captured Capt. Craig, of the State Regiment, and four other inhabit- ants. The next week, Thursday, March Ist, they found their way by night to Rahway and carried off John Clawson, Esq., one of the commissioners for sell- ing the confiscated estates, against whom, therefore, they had a peculiar grudge.6

The year 1781 was noted in this neighborhood for the frequency with which the nocturnal incursions of the "Cow-Boys" and other plunderers from Staten Island disturbed the peace and comfort of the border population. The following notices may serve to show to some extent in what a state of excitement and se- rious alarm the people of this town who still re- mained in the occupation of their dwelling-houses must have lived. The New Jersey Journal of the 28th of March says,-

" Last Wednesday night (21st) a party of refugees from Staten Island was over at Rahway, plumtering and kidnapping every one they came across. They carried off, we hear, naar a dozen of the inhabitants pris- oners."

The same journal of the 4th of April says,-

"On Monday night, the 26th ult., n detachment of eight men from the State troops in Elizabeth Town went over to Staten Island and brought off a Lientenant and one private of the militia. They took two more, but the wind blowing fresh an their bout small incapacitated them on much that they could not bring them over."7

Retaliation followed the next day, of which a state- ment is made by the same annalist as follows :

"On Tuesday night, the 27th ult , about two hundred regulars and ref- ugees from Staten Island, under the command of Major Beckwith, who

3 Gaines' Mercury, Nos. 1510, 1522. Rivington's Gazette, No. 417.

4 Ibid , No. 434. Gaines' Meremy, No. 1519.

5 Rivington's Gazette, No. 454. N. J. Journal, No. 105. New York Gazettrer, No. 96.

& N. J. Journal, Nos. Juni, 107. Rivington, No. 461. Gaines, Nos. 1532; 1633.

7 N. J. Journal, Nos. 110, 111.

WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.

hal eluded by circuitone routes the vigilance of the different patroles, entered Elizabeth Town in four divisions, where they captured ten of the inhabitants, 1 Lieut. And 3 privates of the St ite troops, and 2 con- tinental soldiers. They stayed about an hour and a half in town, and then retirated, with the loss of one man k lled and another taken pris- oner. They plundered the house of Mr. Joseph Crane to a very cousid- erable amount." 1

It was a party of the Thirty-seventh Regiment, under command of Capt. Beckwith, according to the New York papers, that performed this exploit:

" Finding the rebels dispersed in the houses, he immediately went to their alarm-poat, where, by be ding to arms, he drew a Lieutenant aud many of his soldiers to him, whom he made prisoners." 2

Among the most active of the partisans on the American side was Capt. Baker Hendricks, a cousin of the noted John Smith Hatfield on the other side. Washington had employed him at an earlier period as a spy, in which capacity he had been allowed to trade with the enemy on Staten Island. Governor Livingston had commissioned him, Sept. 19, 1780, to fit out two whale-boats, the " Flying Squirrel" and "Charming Betsey," as privateers to prey on the en- emy's vessels. He was at this time about twenty-four years of age. The Journal of the 18th of April says,-

" Last Monday night (16th) Capt. Baker Hendricks went from Eliza- beth Town to Staten Island and brought of one lieutenant and a private of the refugees and one iuhabitant. Previous to the above a party weut over and brought off a captain.' 3

The New Jersey Gazette of the 9th of May says, --

"On [Saturday] the Zlat nit. a party of ghout seventy of the enemy came over to Elizabeth Town from Staten Island. They landed at Hal- stend's Point, Hil were discovered between that place and the town hy Capt. Hendricks, who was patroling with about ten or twelve bien, and though so much inferior in bomber, be kept up a smart fire on thetn, which prevented them from penetrating further into town than Ductor Winans. After collecting a few horses, etc , firing thigh the windows in the room where Mrs Winans was sitting, by which a boy was wounded in the arm, and burning the house of Mr. Ephraim Marsh, they went off to their boats "4

A New York paper says that the party was " a de- tachment of Gen. Skinner's corps, under his com- mand," accompanied as usual by Capt. Cornelius Hatfield, with some of his refugees as guides. It further says that-

" Capt. McMichael, of the Refugee Pust at Bergen Point, who had been taken ont of a flag (hunt) ty the rebels and helt in irons, wie upon this occasion relieved and restored to his companions. We have only to regret the loss of Mr. Eline Mann, who has ever distinguished himself on all ou casione e pre the rebellion as a brave and active Loyalist. He wHe unfortunately killed by a shot from a skulking party as the troops were re-embarking. Capt. Hetfield and one private were slightly wounded."5

A visit from the "Cow-Boys" of Bergen is men- tioned in the Journal of the 9th of May :

"On Friday last (4th) a party of the enemy from the refugee post at Bergen Print came over to Eliz beth Towu Fo nt, and before our peuple were alarmed collected about fitty head of cattle, which they drove on the great meadows, where they took them on lward, under cover of a field-piece and some armed vessels "6

1 N. J. Journal, No. 111. 2 Haines' Merenry, No. 1537. Rivington's Gazette, No. 470.

3 N. J. Gazette, No. 234. N. J. Journal, No. 113.

+ N. J. Gazette, No. 176, N. J. Journal, No. 114.

6 Gaines' Mercury, No, 154L.

& N. J. Journal, No. 116.

A retaliatory visit to Staten Island soon followed, of which no account appears but in the New York papers :

"Ou Tuesday night, the 8th inst., Captain Hendricks (a noted rebel), from Elizabeth Town, with another rebel officer, a sergeant, and eleven private , come on Staten Island, in order to take off the patrols ut the First Battalion New Jersey Volunteers, and to plunder the inhabitants, but finding the patrole, commanded by Ensign Barton, too alert for their purpose, the rebels concealed themselves in a wood a short distance from the house of one Salter, and as soon as they observed the patrule leaving the neighborhood they immediately surrounded Salter's house. The patrole, though at a distance, concluding they saw rebels, turned back, attacked and soon put them to flight, and not withstanding their ngility two were made pris wers. The sergeant, losing himself. was seenred by the militia, and had it not been for the ardor of the troups, which onffered no loss, the whole gang would have been taken. We hear that Hen- drick» received a slight wound and that one of his party was killed."7

This affair was served up in the Tory papers, with considerable embellishment as usual. It would no doubt have appeared very different in one of the Jersey papers.

These excursions from either side of the border uniformly occurred by night, and generally, it is pre- sumed, on moonless nights. It became necessary to use great vigilance in watching every exposed point and guarding every avenue of approach. Sentinels were posted in the streets, and called the passer-by to account. On Saturday night, June 2d, David Wood- ruff and Philip McCrea were walking together along one of the streets in town, when they were hailed by the sentinel ; but not answering, the sentinel fired and killed McCrea on the spot. Sad scenes were of almost daily occurrence.8

That part of the town bordering on the Rahway River was frequently visited by these rapacious ma- randers. Rivington, with his wonted exaggerations, in his paper of June 30thi has the following account :

" Last night a detachment of the garrison of ahout thirty-six men, in- cluding two sergeants, under the command of Lieut. Hutchinson and Ens. Barton, First Battalion New Jersey Volunteers, with abont thirty- four refugees and militia, under the command of Capts Durham and Roberts, landed at Trembly's Point, near the month of Rahway River, and surrounded Thiril's tavern, in order to take three rebel light-horse, whose business was to patrol down the Sound and to give notice of any troops coming from Staten Island, Imt unfortunately those fellows were gone to Westfield. The troops then proceeded to one Capt. Amos Morse's, who was surprised and taken ont of bed with four other rebela ; after this they took between thirty and forty hend of cattle, amongst which are six good oven and about eighty sheep, which were drove to Trembly's Print. The rebela collected to the amount of about forty, barass'ng the rear as usnal. Lent. Hutchinson formed an ambuscade unperceived by the rebela, which bud its desired effect. Fiftren rebels pas-ed, balloving, ' Damn the refugees ! Cut them down"' Up the troops Arose from the place where they were secreted. The rebels, observing this, stood against, threw down their arms, others stood with arms in their hand, On this occasion ten were nuale prisoners, Some time after this about twenty rebels collected near the Point, on whum a charge was made, and some taken prisoners: the troops and the refugees then embarked with the greatest regularity and good order, with all their cattle and sheep, and came safe to Staten Island; not one of the troops received the least injury ; one of the refugees received a spent ball on his thigh, which had no other effect than leaving its mark. The troups and refugees behaved w th the greatest bravery un this occasion ; twenty rebels are made prisoners, two of whom are wounded; some were killed, it's not doubted, Int several were wounded, as several were heard to scream and ballon. The names

7 Gaine-' Marenry, No. 1543, Rivington's Gazette, No. 488.

8 N. J. Journal, No. 120.

HISTORY OF UNION AND MIDDLESEX COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.

of the prisoners follows: Capt. Amos More, Isaac Marsh, John Everit, Hamldeton Roberts, George Mitchel Deeds, Isaac Haynes, William Brant, Richard Lee, Jacob Brookfield, Gershom Brookfield, Jeremiah Bird, Isaac Drake, Ashrr Coddington, David Thorp, Joho Turker, David Hetfield. Joseph Hynes, William Oliver, Sr., Ebenezer Williams, and William Oliver, Jr. The above Capt. Morse is the notorious villain men- tioned in n late handhill giving an account of the desth and sufferings of that unfortunate victim, Mr. Thomas Long, who died by the hand of rebel cruelty, to which we beg leave to refer our readers." 1

The New Jersey Journal of the 27th of June says that this visit occurred "yesterday morning," and that "our people ... killed two of the enemy which they left on the field, but it is supposed they had sev- eral more killed and wounded which they carried off. Two of their party deserted and came over to our troops." 2

The northern part of the town received attention soon after. The Mercury of the 23d of July says,-

" Yesterday evening Lient. Obadiah Meeker and fourteen privates of the New Jersey Rebel Militia were sent to town [New York ] from Ststen Island : they were taken the night before by a party of refugees between Newark and Elizabeth Town under the command of Capt. Hetfield." 3

Lord Cornwallis surrendered, October 17th, his whole army and munitions of war at Yorktown, Va., to Gen. Washington. That grand event as soon as known was everywhere celebrated with demonstra- tions of delight and exultation. To the extent that it raised the hopes and expectations of the patriots it depressed and discouraged the refugees and their British supporters. Preparations, therefore, soon after began to be made for emigration to the British prov- inces, great apprehensions being felt among them for their personal safety at the close of the war now so obviously drawing to an end. The refugees on Staten Island began to find out that the border war- fare in which they had so long been engaged was the worst kind of policy for their personal interests, that it was the surest possible way of preventing their own restoration to the favor of their countrymen and the recovery of their confiscated estates.

From this time the war with Staten Island, which had been carried forward so persistently for more than five years, lost much of its asperity and sensibly de- clined in spirit. Not that it was wholly intermitted, nor that vigilance was no longer demanded on the outposts. Desperate characters enough there were on the island who knew that they had too deeply injured their townsmen to expect forgiveness, and these might at any time make a sudden foray upon the stock and plunder the people.

An entire exchange of prisoners had taken place early in September, so that the citizens, as well as the soldiers, who had been captured by these marauding parties and had not died in prison had been restored to their homes, and were permitted to unite with their townsmen in their demonstrations of joy over the surrender of their old enemy, Lord Cornwallis.

So long a war, degenerating, as it had done in this lo-

cality, into a series of predatory forays and midnight surprises, had trained and let loose on society a class of desperadoes, thieves, and cut-throats, ready to prey on any unfortunates who fell into their hands. An instance of this kind is related in the New York papers of the 10th of November :

" Last Saturday [8th] William Hetfield, an inhabitant of Elizabeth Town, Rahway, came tu Staten Island with a small quantity of flour to dispose of, etc. . . . On his return in the evening he was met in the Sound by one Peter Terrat, & noted thief, who supports himself and a gang of such miscreants by robbing and plundering: to him and his party lletfield surrendered himself ; but after he was a prisoner Terrat thought Het- field threw something overboard, on which the infernal fiend took & pistol out of his pocket and shot him dead. luid the body on the bank of the Sound, and went off exulting with the other prisoners he had taken. Hetfield has left a wife and several children to lament their lusa." 4

The victim was the son of David Hatfield (an elder of the Rahway Church, who had been captured in June, and had now been restored to his home), and a cousin of J. Smith Hatfield, the desperado of Staten Island. The latter having ventured to return openly to the town in a flag-boat was, together with one of his comrades, Lewis Blanchard (son of John Blan- chard and nephew of Capt. Cornelius Hatfield), seized by some of the Westfield people, loaded with irons, and hurried off' to Burlington, where he was kept in close confinement. This gave occasion to the foray, of which the New York papers of the 6th of February, 1782, made mention as follows :

" Last Friday night [1st] & party, consisting of thirty Refugees, com- manded by Captain Cornelius Hetfield, proceeded from Staten Island to Elizabeth Town, where they took nine prisoners, anmngst them Mr. Reed, a rebel contractor ; all were brought to Staten Island, where they are treated in the same manner as is Mr. Smith lletfield, lately seized by the Westfield people, though he was then under the sanction of a flag of truce, carried into Burlington, and there loaded with irons ; these rebels are by the Refugees kept in close durance as hostages for the safe return of Smith Hetfield, a valuable individual of their body. His com- panion, Lewis Blanchard, fortunately escaping from the rebels &t Prince- town, traveled two miles into the wood, where he was concealed till he could disengage himself from the chains with which he was loaded, and after being flead by the intense frosts is arrived, an object of commiser- ation amongst his overjoyed friends, st Staten Island." 5

The Sound at this time was frozen over, of which advantage was taken. A very different account of this affair is given by the Journal of the 6th :

"On Friday night a party of Refugees, consisting of blacks and whites, having formed a plan to intercept the people of this side as they passed into the meadows for salt hay, came over and concealed themselves in a swamp, and had made upwards of a dozen people, with their horses and eleda, prisoners, when the alarm being given they were pursued so close that two of their party fell into our hands together with all they had previously captured."6

It would scarcely seem that these two accounts re- late to the same event, and yet it is not at all proba- ble that two such forays occurred the same night.

Soon after the murder of the London trader, related ahove, the tragedy of the Rev. Mr. Caldwell's death occurred, November 24th, filling the whole community with sadness and grief. The particulars of this la- mentable event will appear on a subsequent page.

1 Rivington's Gazette, No. 496.

2 N. J. Journal, No. 123.

s Gaines' Mercury, No. 1553.

4 Gaines' Mercury, No. 1569. Rivington's Gazette, No. 534. 5 Gaines' Mercury, No. 1582. Rivington's Gazette, No. 559. 6 N. J. Journal, No. 155.

WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.

The following notice of Capt. Hendricks' exploits is found in the Journal of the 12th of December :

"Last Thursday sennight, Captain Baker Hendricks, with a party of men in whale boats, went down Newark Bay, near the Killa, when he boarded and stripped two wood-boats and took one prisoner; and on Thursday night last he landed a small party of men on Bergen Neck near the Refugee post, when he took two prisoners, and on his return took three noted villaius, with provisions of all kinds." 1

A visit from some of the "Cow-Boys" of Staten Island is thus described in the Journal of the 5th of December :

" Last Saturday night [ Ist] seven refugees from Staten Island landed at Halstead's Point, with the expectation 'as their trader told them) of meeting some of their quondam friends with fat cattle; but Capt. [Jona- than] Dayton having untice of their intention collected a party of men, and knowing the route they were to take laid in ambush for theat, though, unfortunately, a muddy place in the road had turned them a little ont, and obliged his party to fire through two fences, otherwise, in all prolability, they would have killed every one the first fi 'e; however, they killed one, mortally wounded another, and took three prisoners ; the other two, favored by the shade of the night and a good pair of heels, made their escape. Three of the party were left in the gunloat, but hearing a bost of ours coming out of the creek, pushed over to Staten Islanil shore, nevertheless she fell inta the hands of Lient. Randall. It seeins their leader, Swain Parsel, was a deserter from our army. On lis information David Oliver, a villain who has long been the supporter of the illicit trade, and a dread to the inhabitants on the lines, was taken the same night concealed in a house at Bahway."2

Two days afterwards,-

" Sunday night [23d] Capt. Baker Hendricks went over to Bergen and made eight of the enemy prisoners." 3

At the opening of navigation in the spring, the winter having been unusually severe,-

" Lieut. Blanchard sailed with a party of men in a whale-hioat last Sunday [March 10th ] audi tonk, off Elizabeth Town Point, a whale-boat, in which was & Mr. Woodroofe and four other active rebels belonging to New Jersey."4

On the night of the following Thursday [14th],-

" A party of royal horse-th eves, under the command of the celebrated Lewie Robbins, . . . made an incursion into Rihway. They set unt for Westfield to seize Sheriff Marsh, but as the roads were bad, and learning probably that the sheriff was not at hunme, they turned luck and made their way to old David Miller's, capturing him, sume of his suns, and bis horses. Having paroled the old man because of his infirmities, they proceeded to Peter Trembly's, whom they seized and robbed of all his money and papers. They tuok also a Peter Horn. But at the sudden discharge of a guu they paroled their prisoners and fled."

The next night Capt. Baker Hendricks and Mr. Luther Baldwin, with a small party of men, went over in a whale-boat to Staten Island, where they "sur- prised and took a sloop armed with two three-pound- ers, two blunderbusses, and manned with five hands;" as the sloop was aground, they "stripped her of arms, sails, rigging, cable, anchor, and long boat." Two other słoops they served in like manner.

Even the flag-boats suffered from the depredators on the Sound. Rivington says,-

"Last Friday [March 15th] a vessel with a flag of truce sailed from this garrison [New York ] for Elizabeth Town Point, in which went # Hes- sign paymaster with a large sum of money for the use of the lessian prisoners in Pennsylvania. Same night about 12 o'clock a rebel whale- boat lwarded the flag-vessel at said Point, the crew of which seized the cash which the llessian gentleman had in charge for the before men-

1 N. J. Journal, No. 147. s Ibid , No. 149.

º Jbid., No. 146.

4 Rivingtou's Gazette, No. 570.

tioned purpose. Several other gentlemen on board the flug were also robbed of what cash they had with them." 5

The American account presents quite a different aspect of this affair :

" Thursday night a flag of trucs on her way to this shore was boarded near Shuter's Island by some men in disguise and robbed of upwards of two thousand guineas, being a part of a sum of money for the use of Cornwallis' army. They also plundered several individuals that were on board. The party that committed the above robbery wers supposed to he refugees from New York or Staten I-land." 6

The amount, as afterwards appeared, was nine hun- dred guineas, the losers having, as usual, magnified their loss.

The spring passed away in considerable quiet. Early in June Hendricks repeated his visits to Ber- gen :

" Friday passeil through this place [Chatham] under gnard seven tatterdemalions, taken the preceding day [Jane 6th] by a party under the command of Capt Hendricks.

" Last Thursday morning [13th] Capt. Baker Hendricks captured, after some resistance, on Bergen Point, five refugees, which he brought off."7

Yet at this very time Hendricks was under accusa- tion of illicit intercourse with the enemy, and Gov- ernor Livingston withdrew bis commission as a partisan commander.8

The foray of the 1st of February, 1782, was the last to which the town was subjected. It does not appear that the enemy ventured again to cross the Sound after this date on a marauding excursion within the limits of the borough. The war practically came to an end at that date in this section. Some depredations were committed and some captures made on the waters in the vicinity, but none on land. Capt. Cornelius Hat- field, disgusted with the results of his visits to his native place, is found, April 10th, together with Capt. Blauvelt, at the head of an expedition of Tories on the armed brig " Arrogant," and capturing, a short dis- tance up the North River, a " pettianger" and some small boats, with about ten prisoners.9

In June an expedition was fitted out from this town, of which an account is given as follows :

"Intelligence being received at Elizabeth Town of two whale-boats, fitted for a two months' cruise in the Delaware Bay, lying at s wharf the north side of Staten I-land, a plan was concerted to surprise and bring them off, which was put in practice last Thursday night [th], and the boats, with all their appurtenances, were safely moored at Elizabeth Town bridge the next morning, together with eighteen prisoners that were on board, six uf whom valuable Negrues. The party, Continentals and volunteers, consisted of upwards of thirty, commanded by Major [Wmu.] Crane. There was a sentinel in each boat, who ha led and attempted to fire on the party, but their pieces providentially flash- ing in the pan, the party, regardless of danger. rushed on them with such impetuosity that they had uut time to prime again, sud a few moments put them in complete possession of their object, without any further alaraı," 30

At the October term of the Court of Oyer and Terminer for Essex County, George Hair was fined

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History of Union and Middlesex Counties, New Jersey with Biographical Sketches of many of their Pioneers and Prominent Men, Part 22

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