USA > New Jersey > Salem County > History of the counties of Gloucester, Salem, and Cumberland New Jersey, with biographical sketches of their prominent citizens, vol. 2 > Part 41
USA > New Jersey > Gloucester County > History of the counties of Gloucester, Salem, and Cumberland New Jersey, with biographical sketches of their prominent citizens, vol. 2 > Part 41
USA > New Jersey > Cumberland County > History of the counties of Gloucester, Salem, and Cumberland New Jersey, with biographical sketches of their prominent citizens, vol. 2 > Part 41
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The part taken by this county in the first year of the Revolution, and the condition of affairs within the county, cannot be better understood at this day than by the following extraets from the journal of Ebenezer Elmer, now published for the first time :
"May 2. 1773. Committee met at Court-house.
" May Ol. leyde mart at Esq' Fithlan's noar Sheppar's mill, it tienwich townshipj to choose oficers for a militia. Daniel Maskell. Capt. ; Szel Pierson, Is Lient .; For Fithian, 2nd do. ; Richard Caru. there, linsign ; - Miller, Thomas Waithman, Thomas Brown, mil Joseph Bloomfield, Sergeants; Dadis Walling. Clerk."
[Drilling and exetching in squids went on nearly every day, as 1 ;. pears by numeroda entries.]
" May 9th, Committee sut at 2 o'clock.
" May 11th. A number met at Howen's Cross- livada and formel 1 willitin company, and chose officers: David Putter, Capt. ; Azel Flera & Joel Fithian, Lients. ; Joh Surppard, Boden.
"Vi zat, Was at Dividing Crack to see Capt. Hun ex Tol he La'n, where was a luge com, suy.
GENERAL HISTORY.
539
" May 15th. [ The entry before given concerning Judge Smyth's charge to the Grand Jury about the Tea burning.]
" May 26th. Considerable many people had the small-pox down that way ( Dowae Township! this winter ; some sharp, but only three any - wbere about there died with it, two of them old men.
" May 31-t. Such noise and confusoo iu Country little can be done.
"June 13th. Officers chose field utheers, viz. : S:las Newcomb, Colonel : Eovs Seeley, Lieut. do. ; David Potter, Major ; Joseph Bloomfield Alju- taut.
4June 20th. Committee set lo afternoon.
"Juno 23d. In Afternoon met a number at Court-bouse to choose uthi- cers: Azel Pierson, Capt. : Jonathan Bowen, Joel Fithian, Lients. ; Job Sheppard, Ensign.
"June 20th, Capt. Preston exercising about 30 of his men together at Isnac Harris's [in Fairfield]. Came up to the Cross-Roads [ New Eng- land Towa] with them. Fired street-firing great part of the way.
" June 30tn. [ Enters the receipt of news of the burning of Charles- towa, upp site Boston, i'd of the battle of Dunker liill.]
" July 5th. A very mortal uncomm in dysentery came on about the last of May, and spread almost over the whole country.
" July 20th. À day appointed as a Continental fast. A number of officers and some nien went up to Deerfiel1 to hear the chaplain. MIr. Green preached on the occasion from Matt. xxii. 12.
"July 21st. Committee set. Capt. Preston, with a number of soldiers, ' came up. Exercised all the afternoon. In the evening a number of militia, under the drum, marched down to take R. ( Richard] Cayford, but could not find him. Got Robert Wheatou and Richard Shay. Then a company of nine of us went to J. Whenton's nul took him, nitho' he Hashed a gun at us. Brought him to the Bridge. HIe & Robert kopt iu goal by a guard of men all night.
"July 22d. Committee sat at 9 o'clock. The criminals taken the night before went before the Committee, made their confessions. and were let go upon their good behavior.
"July 26th. Wasover at Juho Westcott's, Wheaton, Cayford, and sey- eral other men at D. Ireland's who takes their purt. J. Lawrence heard R. Wheaton say he would be damuel but he would have Capt. Preston in guul before to-morrow night for lils conduct in taklug him last Fri- 1 day. Some of the Comunittre aod many others disapproving of what was ! done whou the Committee set, greatly encourages the Tories aud makes them determined to have revenge some way or other, particularly on l'apt. I'reston, Adjutant Bloomfield, Rich' Howell, Potter, Duthie, &c. 1 What distressing times do we See! Confusion, war, & blondsbed, abrond | Greenwich packet nt evening to Sail to Burlington.
and at home. Will the Lord, who is the Suprenie General uf the At- mies of the whole earth, appear for us & deliver us from our troubles, or we shall come to ruin ! 1
4 July 31-t. Dr. [Jonathan Eliner] set out to the Provincial Congress at Treuton nbont 8 o'clock, A.M. Went ever to Esq. [Ephraim] Seeley's ; he got home from going with the powder night before.
" Ang. Sth. "The day of the general review, & a great number of peu- ple were together, I & othersof the Light Infantry went down to Lieut. Holmes'. Came back just as the companies came along. Some dispute aruse between us and Capt. Dick Hewell's company of light Infantry ; being left to the officers they gave the right to us, which so affronted them they leit the tield.
" Ang. 19th. The Dr. came home at evening [from: Trenton].
"Sept. 4th. Committee eet in the afternoon.
"Sept. 18th. [ List of Township Committees, already given.]
* Sept 20th. Old Committee met for the last time.
" Sept. 21st. C'ounty met to choose two Delegates & a Couoty Com- mittee Dr. Ewing spoke something extempore. Delegates chose by poll, when Theopbellus Elmer had a grent majority, & next highest, Esq. Jonathan Ayrre. [Then followe list of new County Committee given above.] Some disturbance arose in choosing these, As it was done by holding up the hands which they said was not a fair way.
"Sept. 25th. Seats auld at New England Town this day. [This was In the Presbyterian Church, now called the Old Stone Church.]
"Sept. 27th. [ Entry na given unter account of tea-burning.]
"Sept. 29th. Went down to N. E. Town. Met to appoint field-officers for the West Battalion, David Potter, Colonel ; Abijab Holrues, Lient. do .; Willlam Kelsay, Ist Major ; Dr. Thomas E'wing, 2d do. Afternoon, the Battalion met to exercise, and did very well.
"Oct. 4th. Went down to Sayre's Neck. Talks that Preston's leaving the Company and being major will very bear break up the company.
"Oct. 9th. Exerciseil in the afternoon. Chose officers. viz. : Dr. [Joun- than] Elmer, C'ipt .; Joseph Bloomfield, Ist Lieut .; Thomas Brown, 2d do .; Self, 3d dlo. Brchard Caruthers displeased andI epoke against me ; so did Ephr Seeley ; ao I answered very short.
" Oct. 10th. Exercised at John Dare's ;he kept tavern neur Cohansey Bridge of the Eist Battalion ; ouly about 80 under erms ; lund firing.
"Oct. 16th. Exercised in afternoon at Bowen's Cross-Roads, about 20 Dien.
" Oct. 23.1. Constuittee set. Richsarl lowell applied to get commission to go to the camp. I some notion to go tov.
" Oct. 30th. Committee set.
"Oct. 31st. Iu evening to Jonethan Bowen's; military society of the officers.
" Nov. 31. Richard Howell about enlisting [men ] to go out under him. "Nov. 6th. Review or field day. Went thro' our exercise & min- Diruvre in general. Capt. Sheppard, of the Rangers, would not let the light infantry cover the tank of the Battulion, nod so left the field. Richard Howell a beating up for volunteers; gut many.
" Nos. ith. Capt. Howell, Lieut. - , Ensign Neglee, with Drs. Beatty and Howell, who had been down to the review at the New Bridge [ Mill- ville] to get recruits, came to Matthew Potter's [ho kept a tavern in Bridgeton ].
" Nov. 16th. Recruits in town in evening.
" Nov. 21st. Light infantry exercised nost all day.
" Nov. 22d. Weat to Sayre's Cross Roads [Roadstown] to seo the 10- cruits exercise.
"Nov. 2Sth. It being court time little was done. At eveniog was at a meeting of the officers, called the Military Suclety, at Colonel Potter's. " Nov. 29th. Court broke up. Recruits in Bridgetown. Meeting again at Potter's to settle the Rangers affairs. Concluded to let theni act and be commissioned as such.
" Dec. 1st. Capt. Howell's Company reviewed by Lient .- Col. Shrieve, È noue called.
" Dec. 2.1 .. Weut to several pinces to get recommended for 2d Lieut. in Howell's company, but Howell would have Seth Bowen, who went off for the commission, so I had my ride for nothing. Remember Dowell.
" Dec. 9th. Howell been persuading J. Seeley to go & not let me.
"Dec. 10th [Sunday]. Weot to meeting at Greenwich, Mr. Hollins- heul [pastor uf Presbyterian Church] preached. Capt. Howell's soldiers there ; came and went away in form. Coming home, Mr. Bloomfield propused to me to send a petition for himself Capt., Josiah Seeley Ist I.ient , & Myself 24 do, which was agreed.
" Dec. 12th. Jos. Bloomfield set out with the recommendation to Bur- lington.
" Des. 13th. The soldiers [Capt. Howell's Company ] went on board the
" Dec. 14th. The soldiers, capt., and all but & or ly weut in the dead of the night . ff un fout to get clear of their creditors, their going elmar of the Vessel turued ont ouly a shamn."
The journal, as preserved, ends abruptly with Dee. 21, 1775. Exercising and other preparations for war seem to have occupied almost the entire attention of the people. Capt. Howell's company, whether they gave their creditors "leg bail" or not, did good ser- vice during the year for which they enlisted.
In the succeeding spring another company of sixty- five men, officered by Joseph Bloomfield, captain ; Constant Peck, first lieutenant; William Gifford, second lieutenant ; and Ebenezer Elmer, ensign, also left the county, and served faithfully for one year. An account of their campaign and a list of the men in the company are elsewhere given in this volume, taken from another journal kept by Ebenezer Elmer.
Two companies of artillery were raised in the State in March, 1776, and in the western company over one- half of the officers and a large number of the men were from this county.
Owing to the exposed condition of the State it was found necessary at times to call out volunteers from the inilitia, and embody them in separate organizations for service in this and other States for short terms. These were usually designated as State troops. Under the first ' call of Nov. 27, 1776, two companies from this county
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540
HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
formed part of the battalion commanded by Col. David Potter, who resided at Bridgeton. Under the call of Oct. 9, 1779, a regiment of eight companies was fur- nished by Gloucester, Salem, Cumberland, and Cape May. A call was made Dec. 29, 1781, for four hun- dred and twenty-two men to serve until Dee. 15, 1782, of which one company, commanded by Capt. Charles Allen, was from Cumberland, and was ordered to do duty on land or water. Col. Enos Seeley also com- manded a battalion of State troops, composed of eight companies of the militia of this county, under the following captains : Samnel Ogden, Jeremiah Bennett, David Elwell, Joel Fithian, David Page, John Peterson, Jeremiah Sayre, and Benajah Thomp -- son, who were commissioned Jan. 31, 1777.
Later in the war the militia of the county was several times in actual service, one-half of it being ealled out at a time, under the command of Col. and afterwards Brig .- Gen. Silas Newcomb, and Cols. David Potter, Isaac Preston, and Elijah Hand. Col. Potter was also appointed a brigadier-general, Feb. 21, 1777, but de- elined the office. Col. Isaac P'reston's regiment was in service in the northern part of the State, where he died in the service, at his quarters in camp, at the forks of the Raritan, in Somerset County, in March, 1777.
When the operations which resulted in the capture of Philadelphia, in 1777, were coromenred the militia of the State were called out, and Brig .- Gen. Silas Newcomb, of this county, was appointed to the com- mand of the brigade formed of the regiments of the southern counties, including Burlington. He was stationed at Woodbury to defend the eastern shore of the Delaware, in case of an attempt of the enemy to reach Philadelphia in that way. The difficulty of getting the militia into service became greater as the war was protracted, and the pay became more uncer- tain and of less value, owing to the depreciation of the Continental currency. These things, combined with the harvest-work, and the fear of their own homes being attacked by parties from the British ships during their absence, caused the number in Gen. Newcomb's brigade, who had responded to the call before Augu-t 25th, to be less than 300, furnished as follows: By Col. Hand's regiment, 60; Col. l'ol- ter's, 2.1 (both of Cumberland); Col. Holme's, 110; Col. Dick's, 20 (both of Salem) ; and Col. Ellis', 55 (of Gloncester); the other regiments furnished none, and none appeared from Burlington. The enemy, however, made their advance on Philadelphia by way of the Chesapeake, and on September 20th, Governor Livingston directed Gen. Newcomb to turn over the command of those already assembled at Woodbury to Col. Potter, who should at once march to join the militia under command of Gen. Armstrong to rein- force the army undor Washington in l'eun-ylvania. Gen. Newcomb was retained in this State to take charge of its defense against attempts to ravage the ! shores by the ships of war. Col. Potter crossed with
the command into Pennsylvania, and did good servic. in that disastrous campaign. He was captured by the enemy, and was afterwards imprisoned for a time in the prison-ship " Jersey" in Wallabout Bay. John Gibbon, a leading citizen of this county, was also a prisoner, and died on that prison-ship.
After the evacuation of Fort Mereer by the Amer. jeans and the opening of the channel of the Delaware to the British ships, in November of that year. Lord Cornwallis took position at Gloucester Point, andi col. lected large quantities of provisions for the British army in Philadelphia by incursions into the sur. rounding country. Gen. Greene commanded an al. most equal body of troops in New Jersey, a part of which was militia, and while awaiting the arrival of Glover's brigade from the North had a number of skirmishes with the enemy's pickets and forager -. On the afternoon of November 25th a detachment vi about one hundred and fifty men from Morgan's rifl corps, and a like number of militia, including Capt. David Platt's company from this county, the most of whom belonged in the upper part of Hopewell town .. ship, the militia being under the command of Lafay- ette, who served as a volunteer, attacked & picket of the enemy consisting of abont three hundred men. and drove them into their camp, with a loss of twenty or thirty killed. In a letter to Washington, Lafayette wrote, "I found the riflemen even above their repe- tation, and the militia above all expectation I coutj have formed of them." No higher praise of their soldierly qualities could he asked. But this brilliant affair was tinged with sadness to the Cumberland troops: Licut. David Mulford, of Greenwich, wa- killed, and Thomas Harris was wounded. Azariah More, the first lieutenant of the company, wrote the following letter to his brother, giving an account of the affair :
" HADDONFIELD, 25th of November, 1777. " 11 o'clock at night.
"JEAR BROTHER, -We have het an engagement with a party of the enemy this evening near Little Tionber Crack, in which we have het Liet- enant Mulford, as brave a man as ever livod. He was mortally wounde. just a" the action began, which was about 1 o'clock, was brought to the place, und died about 7 o'clock, et one quarters. We have noother loss t. our company, except Thomas Harris, who hat his arm breken. What ou! loss is In x nere i- uncertain. It was night when we left the ground but I am certain it was small compared with what the enemy has let. We must have killed many of them in the time of action, for we t wh the ground on which they first engaged. We have ten or twelve pri- . ers, with three artillery horses, branded G. R. ; our light-horse took nine grenadiers sesterles, with no loss of life on our side. We have Cal Murgui. Hidemen with us, I believe as fine a body of mon as any un earth. We have been expecting re-enforcements several days, suffi. ien. for a general action, but they have not arrived, and It's now report.d and I am ready to betiere, that the enemy are crossing the tiver .: Gloucester Ferry, and that it is expected we shall have none of them .' Jersey by to-morrow morning. If it should prove true, I shall conclutue they have taken a fright at our torpedoes. If you received my letter. the ted inkfurt, you will son have the opportunity to send the the money I wrote for, which I shall be glad to have, with a line or two ? Iri me know how you all are, and what is cume of our deserters, und why they are not sent to us. I think they are proper persons to Hola ex. u.ples of.
" R amber me to all friend!«.
" AZARIAN Mour.
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541
GENERAL IHISTORY.
When the British occupied Salem, March 17, 1778, . militia of this county marched, under Col. Elijah land, to assist in driving them out. By a providen- . Al coincidence they arrived at Quinton's Bridge at a ement when they were very much needed. The alem militia had been enticed to leave their trenches n the south side of Alloways Creek and cross to che Falem side, in pursuit of a few of the British who appeared in sight, and they had thus been drawn into on ambush, and were being slaughtered in the di-as- tous rout which their eagerness brought upon them. ('ul. Hand at once placed the Cumberland militia in ·hr trenches, and opened on the enemy such a well- Greeted fire from the muskets of his men and two pieces of artillery which he brought with him that flie enemy were prevented from crossing to the south ·ile of the creek, and the Falem militia were saved from being entirely cut to pieces.
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During the presence of the British fleet in Dela- ware Bay, parties from them eatne ashore in search of provisions, and plundered the houses of some of the residents near the shore. These partie- were generally the refugee Tories, who manned the small vessels which accompanied the fleet. In August, 1781, a sharp fight was had in Maurice River opposite l'ont Norris. Some of the militia were in a shallop com- manded by Capt. James Riggins, which the refugees, fifteen in number, attempted to board. A fight en- -ned, in which Riggins killed four or five of them while attempting to board the shallop, clubbing his zun after firing it twice. John Peterson was wounded by one of them, who was about to cut Peter-on down with an uplifted broadsword, when his little son shot dead the refugee. Seven of them were killed and the rest were captured.
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On Jan. 31, 1753, the armed boat " Blacksnake." having a privateer's license, was captured in Sow and l'igs Creek, below Autusit, by Capt. William Low and Lieut. Jonadab Sheppard and their company of Downe militia, numbering nineteen men. The "Blacksnake" had captured two sinall shallops, and her erew had plundered the house of James Diament, in Fairfield, and made a prisoner of Phineas Bragg. She was commanded by Capt. Andrew Gillis, and manned by eight men. Expecting to find her and her prizes lying in Autuxit, Capt. David Pierson's company of twenty-two men went down upon Jones I-land to assist in her capture, but were not needed. Using to the weather, Capt. Low and his company surprised them in the cabin of one of the shallops, und captured them without resistance, the vessels lying alongside. The " Black-nake" was afterwards soll as a prize by proceedings in the Court of Admi- ralty of this State, which existed previous to the adoption of the Constitution of the United States.
While the great majority of the inhabitants of the County were ardent Whigs, there were some who re- fused to take part in resisting the mother-country. Most of these, while refu-ing to assist the patriot
cause, also refused to do anything against it. A large number of them were brought into court on present- ments and indictments for refusing to take the oath of allegiance to the new State government, and such as did not then take it were fined and imprisoned. Some of these were conscientious in refusing ; having held offices which required them to swear allegiance to the king, their consciences would not permit them now to take an oath which would require them to op. pose him. Others were actively in favor of the royal cau-e, and joined the British army and fought openty for their belief. Among them were Richard Cayford. already mentioned, who became a British officer, and through whose influence several inhabitants of Hope- well township, near Beebe Run, also joined the Brit- ish army, and at the close of the war were among the large number of loyalists who went to Nova Scotia, but in a few years returned to this county.
Daniel Bowen, a brother of Jonathan Bowen, who was one of the leading Whigs in the county and a member of the Provincial Congress, also fought openly for the royal canse, became a British officer, and when that cause was lost retired to Nova Scotia and never returned. He received an allowance of half-pay from the government, and his son became the customs officer for the port of Cornwallis, He maintained a correspondence with his New Jersey relatives for many years after the close of the war. Still others, while remaining here, secretly assisted the British in every possible way. Most of them were arrested and fined, while others escaped cap- ture after their actions were known. In Downe township the number of Tories was proportionally larger than in any other part of the county. The temptation of British gold --- a powerful temptation when the currency then in use had depreciated so as to be almost worthless -- induced many of them to fur- nish supplies to the enemy's vessels in the bay, and quite active trading of that kind was kept up. In August, 1777, Gen, Newcomb sent a detachment of militia into Downe and arrested fifteen persons, twelve of whom were discharged on taking the oaths to the State. The others were convicted of assisting the British and of having instructions how to aet when there should be a landing. One Daniel Shaw was their ringleader, and he planned to capture Gen. Newcomb and take him aboard the enemy's fleet, and made efforts to spike the cannon in a redoubt near Maurice River. but without success. Shaw's brother was at that time with the enemy.
These were a few of the exceptions in the great. mass of the people of this county. No other county has a brighter record for self-sacrificing patriotism than has Cumberland. The ravages of war did not touch ber border-, but she was prompt to assist in the defense of the adjoining counties, and her sons fought gallantly from the disastrous battle on Long Jaland to the glorious consummation of American hopes at Yorktown.
542
HISTORY OF CUMBERLAND COUNTY.
CHAPTER LXXXVI.
CUMBERLAND COUNTY IN THE WAR OF THE REBELLION.
THE bombardment and capture of Fort Sumter, ou April 12-13, 1861, was the signal for an uprising in Cumberland County, as throughout the whole North, such as has scarcely a parallel in history. Its first manifestation was the throwing to the breeze the Stars and Stripes. Pole-raisings, with beating drums and enthusiastie speeches, were the order of the day. The towns and villages in the county were decked with the starry banner, and every cross-road of any im- portance in the county had its flag waving in the air. Party zeal was forgotten, and Democrats and Repub- Jicans vied with one another in their devotion to that emblem of the free, the pride of every American heart. On Saturday afternoon, the 20th, the first public pole-raising in Bridgeton took place, and the same day another one was had at Fairton. These were followed by others in every portion of the county.
On Saturday evening, the 20th, a monster meeting was held at Bridgeton, presided over by John T. Nixon, Esq., with a list of vice-presidents and secretaries composed of leading citizens of both political parties. Resolutions were adopted expre -- ive of the strong patriotic feelings of the people, and of their deter- mination to stand by the country in its hour of peril :
" Beaded, That recension is treason, and that after long forbearance it has become necessary for the government to use force against traitors In order to preserve our nationality.
" Resolved, That we pledge to the constituted authorities of this gor- ernment our aid and support throughout the war, and pray that the samo may be brought to a speedy ches ley the glorious and living vin- dication that the free government of our fathers, purchased by blood, 14 how, Ma heretofore, and ever ehall be, u terror to evil-loers and the j ruise of them that do well.
" Fenderet, That Governor Ollen be requested to call an extra session of the Legislature, In order that umple money provision may be made for equipping and sustaining the military of the state."
Speeches were made by Hon. L. Q. C. Elmer, Dr. William S. Bowen, Rev. J. T. Brown, Rev. J. W. Hubbard, John S. Mitchell, Esp., and Paul T. Jones. Outbursts of enthusiasm greeted the speakers, and demonstrated the hold which the patriotic sentiments expressed had on the heart of the people. Other meetings of like import followed throughout the county.
otie devotion to the Union, the Cumberland Gray. always seemed to lie nearer to the great heart of !!. people than any of the companies which, with equ. I zeal and devotion, followed them to the front.
The relief committee provided for at the meeting raised funds and paid to those needing assistance weekly allowances, according to the size of their families. The men who had enlisted gave up their different employments, and devoted their whole tim to drilling and preparations to depart. Companh .. of Home Guards were organized at Bridgeton, Road- town, Greenwich, Port Elizabeth, in Fairfield, a: Millville and Newport, and proved excellent. schoo'. in which future volunteers were drilled. The "exer- cising" so often mentioned in the journal of Ebenezer Elmer, in the early summer of 1775, was repeated or. a larger scale in the carly summer of 1861, and the entry he made under date of May 31, 1775, "Such noise and confusion in country little can be done," could have been repeated with emphasis.
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