USA > New Jersey > Hudson County > History of the county of Hudson, New Jersey : from its earliest settlement to the present time > Part 14
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1 Am. Archives, 5th Series, i., 713.
2 I bid, 5th Series, i., 964.
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HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY.
tion was continued at two o'clock. * Considerable firing has been heard this morning, which still continues. What troops are here I am pushing on to Bergen, and shall be with them im- mediately."'1
At the time he wrote this letter, the battle of Long Island was raging, and the patriots were being driven before the veterans of Europe. General Mereer promised assistance, and the following extract of a letter will show how well he kept his promise.
" In obedience to those orders from General Washington, be- tween three and four thousand of the militia of Pennsylvania and New Jersey assembled at Bergen, ready to pass on to New York, but were countermanded on the retreat of the Army from Long Island. We have, however, strengthened the posts at Powles's Hook and Bergen Neck to the complement of twenty-five hun- dred men."2
The post at Paulus Hoeck was shortly afterward treated to another little skirmish with the enemy. On the 15th of Septem- ber the British captured New York City. In the morning of that day three ships-of-war-the Roebuck and Phoenix, each of forty guns, and the Tartar, of twenty guns-stood up the Hnd- son, " causing a most tremendous firing."3 The raw troops on the Jersey shore were little prepared for the peltings of such a pitiless storm. In a letter dated September 17, 1776, to Wash- ington, General Mercer says :
"SIR: I received just now the favor of Colonel Grayson's letter of yesterday, and in consequence shall send off a detach- ment of the men inlisted for the Flying Camp to Paulus Hook. The militia of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, stationed on Ber- gen and at Paulus Hook, have behaved in a scandalous manner, running off from their posts on the first cannonade from the ships of the enemy."4
It is, however, stated in the Freeman's Journal of October 5th,
1 Am. Archives, 5th Series, i., 1193. 2 Ibid, 5th Series, ii., 158.
3 Irring's Washington, ii., 352, 367.
4 Am. Archives, 5th Series, ii., 367.
145
THE BRITISH CAPTURE PAULUS HOECK.
1776, that the vessels "were roughly greeted by the American battery at Paulus Hook." This certainly makes an issue of veracity between the old soldier and the newspaper. One cannot hesitate, however, in coming to a decision on such an issue.
For a short time after the capture of New York, Paulus Hoeck remained in possession of the Americans under command of Colonel Durkie.1 During this time Washington would occa- sionally leave his camp at Harlaem, cross over to the Jersey shore, and, in company with General Greene, who had succeeded General Mercer in command on the Jersey shore, reconnoitre, sometimes as far down as Paulus Hoeck, to observe what was going on in the city and among the shipping .? It was manifest. however, that this position could not be held, New York being in possession of the enemy. Preparations were made for its evacuation. The following is General Greene's report of this event :
" CAMP FORT CONSTITUTION,3 September 23, 1776.
" DEAR SIR : The enemy are landed at Powley's Hook ; they came up this afternoon and began a cannonade on the batteries, and after cannonading for half an hour or a little more, they landed a party from the ships. General Mercer had ordered off from the Hook all the troops except a small guard, who had orders to evacuate the place from the first approach of the enemy. General Mercer mentions no troops but those landed from the ships ; but Colonel Bull, and many others that were along the river upon the heights, saw twenty boats go over from York to Powley's Hook. This movement must have happened since General Mercer wrote. I purpose to visit Bergen to-night, as General Mercer thinks of going to his post at Amboy to- morrow."4
This fixes the date when the place was captured. Two days
1 Valentine's Manual, 1866, 768. 2 Irving's Washington, ii., 367.
3 Changed to Fort Lee, in honor of General Charles Lee, who arrived in camp at Harlaem, October 14, 1776.
4 Am. Archives, 5th Series, ii., 494.
10
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HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY.
afterward in a letter from headquarters is a further account of the event :
"Gen. Greene informs us that General Mercer, seeing the enemy were determined to possess themselves by a stronger force of ships and men than we could oppose, removed all the stores and useful cannon, so that nothing fell into the enemy's hands but the guns that had been rendered unfit for further service. Our Army is posted at the town of Bergen, and our advanced party has possession of the mill just back of Powle's Hook."1
The Americans remained in possession of Bergen until Wash- ington found it necessary to collect his forces preparatory to his retreat to the Delaware. By an extract from a letter dated October 4, 1776, written at headquarters, which was then at Bergen, we learn the time when and reason for its evacuation : " To-morrow we evacuate Bergen, a measure which will at first be condemned, and afterwards be approved of. For my own part, I am sorry that the enemy should possess another inch of American ground, but prudence requires another sacrifice. The reasons of leaving this place I take to be these: Bergen is a narrow neck of land, accessible on three sides by water, and ex- posed to a variety of attacks in different places at one and the same time. A large body of the enemy might infallibly take possession of the place whenever they pleased, unless we kept a stronger force than our numbers will allow. The spot itself is not an object of our arms : if they attacked, it would be to cut off those who defended it, and secure the grain and military stores. These have been removed; and when we are gone, a naked spot is all they will find. No other damage will follow, except a depression of some people's spirits, who, unacquainted with places, circumstances, and the secret reasons of such relin- quishments, arc apt to despond as if everything was lost. We go
1 Am. Archives, 5th Series, ii., 523. The mill here spoken of was Jacob Prior's mill, near the point of rocks. It was frequently visited by both parties during the war, and on one occasion from its window a British picket at Fort Putnam (now Putnam street) was shot.
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BERGEN EVACUATED.
to Fort Constitution as soon as we have seen the troops marched off. We shall leave a guard of observation behind us : this may prevent the enemy's discovering our removal for a day or two."1 The design of General Greene was to " keep a good, intelligent officer at Bergen, to watch the motions of the ships."2 As out- guards at Bergen, Hoebuck, Bull's Ferry, Hackensack and oppo- site Spyt-den-Duivel, he had posted one hundred and sixty-eight officers and men.3
On the 20th of November, Fort Lee was evacuated, the army retreated to Hackensack and on through to the Delaware, and East Jersey was abandoned to the enemy. While, in 1777, the conflict was raging above the Highlands, among the hills of Saratoga and on the banks of the Brandywine, Bergen was left in the undisputed possession of the British. They stationed a considerable body of troops at Paulus Hoeck and strengthened the works. In command of this post they placed Lieutenant- Colonel Abraham Van Buskirk of Saddle River, who had de- serted the patriot cause and gone over to the enemy. They also occupied the works on Bergen Neck, which they named Fort Delancey, in honor of Oliver Delancey, the great tory of West- chester. These two places were garrisoned principally by tories, or " refugees," as they called themselves. These partisans were active and unscrupulous in the cause of the king. Their zeal, however, exhibited itself more in plundering and murdering their old neighbors than in honorable warfare. The following extracts from newspapers, both whig and tory, will show how the people of the county suffered from friend and foe, and what generally was going on hereabouts during the greater part of the war :
" A party of 300 or 400 rebels, returning to New England from Morristown to Capt. Kennedy's House at Newark, plun- dered it."-New York Mercury, Jan. 20, 1777.4
" The Rebels came down to Secaucus last Wednesday, and
1 Am. Archives, 5th Series, ii., 867.
"Ibid, 5th Series, iii., 630.
3 Ibid, 5th Series, iii., 663.
4 This house was on the east bank of the Passaic, at East Newark.
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HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY.
carried away all the grain, horses, cows and sheep they could get together, which they were obliged to swim over the Hacken- sack River, for want of Boats."-Ibid, April 7, 1777.
" On Monday, May 12th, 300 British under command of Lt .- Cols. Barton and Dougan marched from Bergen Town ria Para- mus, to attack some rebels under Gen. Heard at Pompton." -- Ibid, May 19, 1777.
" A party of about 40 Rebels came down to Col. Bayard's Mills last Friday morning near Hoebuck Ferry and carried off some cattle, but being pursued by a few of the 57th Regiment, now stationed at Powles Hook, they took to their heels and made off."-Ibid, June 30, 1777.
" The rebels were as low down in Bergen last Friday night as Mr. Van Ripen's, the Blacksmith, and carried off from thence some horses."-Ibid, Nov 24, 1777.
About this time the sufferings of the troops for want of clothing were very severe, and created much comment. Among the sug- gestions for relief was the following by Governor Livingston, which, while it points out a novel store-house of relief for the Valley Forge sufferers, also incidentally describes an old time custom among the women in this vicinity at that period :
" I am afraid that while we are employed in furnishing our battalions with clothing, we forget the county of Bergen, which alone is sufficient amply to provide them with winter waistcoats and breeches, from the redundance and superfluity of certain woollen habits, which are at present applied to no kind of use whatsoever. It is well known that the rural ladies in that part of New Jersey pride themselves in an incredible number of petticoats ; which, like house furniture, are displayed by way of ostentation for many years before they are decreed to invest the fair bodies of the proprietors. Till that period they are never worn, but neatly piled up on each side of an immense escritoire, the top of which is decorated with a most capacious brass-clasped Bible, seldom read. What I would, therefore, humbly propose to our superiors, is to make prize of these future female habili- ments, and, after proper transformation, immediately apply them
149
EXTRACTS FROM NEWSPAPERS.
to screen from the inclemencies of the weather those gallant males who are now fighting for the liberties of their country. And to clear this measure from every imputation of injustice, I have only to observe that the generality of the women in that county, having for above a century worn the breeches, it is highly reasonable that the men should now, and especially upon so im- portant an occasion, make booty of the petticoats."-N. J. Gazette, Dec. 21, 1777.
" On Thursday afternoon Captain John Richards, of New Bar- badoes Neck, on his way to see some member of his family who was sick of the small-pox, was captured on the road between ' Three Pidgeons' and Bergen by two professed patriots, and was shot dead by one (Brouwer) as he was preventing the other (Lozier) robbing him of his watch."1-Ibid, Feb. 2, 1778.
" On Sunday, the 22d of March, 1778, a party of rebels came as near Powles Hook as Prior's Mill, and attempted to carry off some cattle. They are under command of one Johnson, and act on their own hook."-Ibid, March 30, 1778.
" On Sunday night, May 10th, a small party of rebels were as far down as Prior's Mills, and carried off two Negro men who were coming to Market with eggs and butter."-Ibid, May 18, 1778.
The daring patriots went as far as the same place on Friday and Saturday nights (May 15th and 16th) and carried off more negroes. A detachment from the Paulus Hoeck garrison gave them chase, but they escaped.
In September, 1777, Sir Henry Clinton, then in command at New York, planned a raid into New Jersey. He divided his force into four columns. The general point of rendezvous was the New Bridge, above Hackensack. One column, under General Campbell, entered New Jersey by the way of Elizabethtown ; one, under Captain Drummond, by way of Schuyler's ferry ;? one,
1 Brouwer was arrested by the British, Feb. 15, 1778, and locked up in New York. Lozier was caught at the English Neighborhood, March 27, 1778, at the house of one De Groote. Richard's watch was found in his pocket .- N. Y. Mercury, March 30, 1778.
2 This was afterward known as Dow's ferry. It was on the Hackensack
150
HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY.
under General Vaughn, by way of Fort Lee, and the other, under Lieutenant-Colonel Campbell, by way of Tappaen. On the 12th the expedition set out. Clinton himself followed, passing up Newark bay to Schuyler's landing on the Hackensack (Dow's ferry). From this point he marched over the Belleville turnpike to Schuyler's House, where he found Captain Drummond with two hundred and fifty men. During the night General Campbell arrived with his detachment and the cattle he had collected en route. The different columns met as designed on the 15th. On the following day General Campbell marched his force from English Neighborhood to Bergen Point, whence he passed over to Staten Island. The result of the raid was the capture of four hundred cattle, four hundred sheep and a few horses, taken from the people of Essex and Bergen. In exchange, they had eight men killed, eighteen wounded, ten missing, and five taken pris- oners.1 As an offset to this raid, we find the following account of an expedition by the opposite party over part of the same ground :
" A party of rebel light Horse came down as far as Bergen Point last Tuesday night (July 28th), and returned next morning toward Hackensack. They visited Hoebuck on their way and carried off a great number of Cattle from the Inhabitants."-N. Y. Mercury, Aug. 3, 1778.
Smythe, in his diary, November Sth, says : "This afternoon a party of our horse brought in two rebel privates from Powles Hook. One of them is very intelligent and communicative; but the other is the most whimsical tony I ever have seen. Wherever he goes he carries with him a large gray cat, which he says came into the rebel camp on the night after the battle at Freehold Meeting House, and which he first discovered lapping a spot of dry blood on his sleeve, as he lay on his arms expecting another dash at the British. His affection for the cat is wonderful, as hers is for him, for they are inseparable. He says if we don't allow him extra rations for his cat he shall be obliged to allow them out of his own."?
river at the foot of Cherry Lane, a little above the bridge of the New Jersey Railroad.
1 Remembrancer, 1777, v., 420.
2 Carver, ii., 31, cited in Moore's Diary, ii., 70.
151
JUDGE FELL A PRISONER.
In 1777 Lient .- Colonel Van Buskirk, the tory, had his head- quarters at Paulus Hoeck. From the time of his defection in 1776 until near the close of the war, when he sailed for Nova Scotia, he had used this post as a base for his predatory excur- sions. During the days of his patriotie impulses he had been intimate with John Fell, of Paramus, the chairman of the Bergen Committee of Safety, and by him entrusted with many important messages and duties. In the year 1777 Judge Fell was arrested at his home and brought to Paulns Hoeck as a prisoner. He was recognized by the tory Colonel.
" Times are altered since we last met," said the Colonel.
"So I perceive," the Judge coolly replied, looking at the Col- onel's uniform.
" Well, you are a prisoner and going over to New York, where you will be presented to General Robertson, with whom I have the honor to be acquainted. I will give you a letter of intro- duction to him," said the Colonel.
The Judge thanked him and accepted the letter, which he afterward presented to Gen. Robertson. It so happened that the Judge and General were friends at Pensacola after the old French war in 1763. The purport of Van Buskirk's letter of in- troduction was that John Fell was a notorious rebel and rascal ! and advising that due care should be taken of him. General Robertson handed the letter to the Judge and said : "My old friend, John Fell, you must be a very altered man and a very great rascal, indeed, if you equal this Colonel Buskirk."1
It is said in the New Jersey Gazette of October 28, 1778, that the only place then held by the British in the State of New Jersey was Paulns Hoeck. It is probable, therefore, that up to this time the post at Bergen Neck had not been occupied since its abandonment by the Americans. The exact date of the occu-
1Onderdonk's Prison Ships. Notwithstanding this expression of friendship, Fell was treated with such severity during his captivity that the Council of Safety in New Jersey, Minutes, p. 161, on Nov. 17, 1777, ordered James Parker and Walter Rutherfurd to be confined in the jail at Morristown until Fell and Wynant Van Zant should be exchanged or released from confinement in New York.
152
HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY.
paney of the latter post by the British is not known, but probably during the winter of 1778-9. The post at Paulus Hoeck was held by them with great tenacity. It was the only point at which they could with safety land their troops for incursions. Here, on the night of February 24, 1779, landed portions of the Thirty-third and Thirty-fourth Regiments of the British, under Lieut .- Colonel Sterling, on their way to attempt the capture of Governor Livingston at Elizabethtown. They marched across the hill to Brown's ferry, whence they were taken in boats sent for that purpose from New York around by the Kill van Kull.1
" On Sunday morning, March 14th, 1779, Colonel Van Bus- kirk received intelligence that a Captain and Lieutenant, with a party of Carolina troops, were at the Three Pigeons in Bergen Woods .? He despatched Lieutenant Haselop, of the Fourth Bat- talion of N. J. Volunteers, and a party of Refugees, in quest of them ; but the Rebels, being apprized of his approach, took to their Heels, when, after pursuing them twelve miles into the country, came up with the party, and firing a few shot, made two of them prisoners. one of whom was wounded; the rest, with the advantage of sleighs and their wonted precipitaney, escaped." -Rivington's Gazette, March 17, 1779.
" On Friday night, April 2d, 1779, Lieut. Paul, of Colonel Shreve's Regiment, with twelve privates, were captured on Ber- gen Neck by a detachment of the 64th Regiment, which lay at Powles Hook."-Ibid, April 7, 1779.3
" On Saturday (April 17th, 1779), two of the Bergen County Militia. who with others had been out reconnoitering, suspecting, from the conduct of a boy they saw running in great haste to- wards a house on the bank of the Hudson River, about a mile above Wiehawk, that some of the infamous gang of robbers that have for some time infested this and neighboring parts of the
1 Hatfield's History of Elizabeth, 472.
" Bergen Woods extended from the Fort Lee road on the north to the Hack- ensack turnpike at Union Hill on the south.
3 Israel Shreve at this time commanded the Second New Jersey Regiment. He was commissioned Lieutenant Colonel, November 8, 1775, and Colonel Jan- uary 1, 1777. Liber C3 of Commissions (Trenton), 16.
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EXTRACTS FROM NEWSPAPERS.
State of New York, were concealed there, advanced as fast as possible to the house ; one of them entered immediately and dis- covered five or six in the house, several of whom had arms, and with admirable presence of mind calling aloud to his companion as if a large party had accompanied him, discharged his musket and killed the chief of the gang on the spot. Retiring to load his piece, the rest of the villains took to their heels."-New Jersey Gazette, April 28, 1779.
" On Sunday night, 28th ult., a party of about thirty men be- longing to Lient .- Col. Van Buskirk's corps of tories and embodied Refugees stationed at Hoebuck, in the County of Bergen, went out as far as Closter on a horse stealing and thieving expedition."- Same Paper.
" Last Wednesday (Jan. 13th) a Mr. Allen, ensign in the rebel Army, with three Jersey militiamen, were apprehended on Ber- gen Point, by a party fromn Capt. Anstruther's company of the 26th Regiment." --- Rivington's Gazette, January 20, 1779.
" Last Saturday, four privates of the Rebel Army were brought to Hoebuck by a detachment of Col. Buskirk's Regiment. They consisted of one of Bayler's Light-Horse, one continental, and two militiamen."-Rivington's Gazette, March 31, 1779.
"Early yesterday morning a party of the 4th Battalion, N. J. volunteers, were ordered out by their Lieut .- Col. Buskirk, under Capt. Van Allen, to intercept a gang of Rebels who paint them- selves black and commit murders and thefts in Bergen County. Three of them were met a small distance from the Town of Ber- gen, carrying off an inhabitant, but being briskly pursued, one named David Ritzema Bogert, the other, the noted John Loshier. who was concerned in the murder of honest Capt. John Rich- ards, and whose repeated instances of villainy had rendered him among the Rebels deserving their earliest attention for exchange, when lately taken by a party of the same Battalion, who have a second time spared his life."-Rivington's Gazette, July 24. 1779.
" A party of Rebels came down last Thursday as far as Prior's Mills, within a mile of Powlis Hook, and fired some shot at the sentry at that post, but a few men being ordered out after them,
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HISTORY OF HUDSON COUNTY.
they soon took to their heels and made the best of their Way into the Bush."-N. Y. Mercury, June 21, 1779.
We now come to a brilliant episode in the history of Paulus Hoeck. Major Henry Lee-Light Horse Harry-an active and dashing officer, had frequently been employed by Washington in scouring the west bank of the Hudson and collecting informa- tion. In the course of his reconnoitering, and from information derived from other sources, he had discovered that the British post at Paulus Hoeck was negligently guarded. General Wayne's recent brilliant exploit at Stony Point had piqued his emulation, and he intimated to the commander-in-chief that an opportunity offered for an enterprise quite as daring. When first proposed, Washington did not favor the project. Writing on August 10th, 1779, he says that, considering the position of the enemy, he deems the attempt too hazardous, and un warranted by the magnitude of the object. He thought the cause would lose more in case of failure than it could gain in case of success. He thought it best, therefore, to postpone the attempt.1 Major Lee, however, was so sanguine of success that he had a personal interview with Washington, and received the desired consent and verbal instructions. These enjoined upon him to lose no time, in case of success, in attempting to bring off cannon, stores, or any other articles, as a few moments' delay might expose the party to great risk from the enemy on York Island; and if the post could not be carried by surprise the attempt was to be abandoned.2 The position was a strong one, and it was almost rashiness to attempt to carry it. Yet its very strength favored its capture by rendering its garrison negligent and unwatchful. On the north was Harsimus cove, on the east the North River, on the south Communipaw cove, and on the west a marsh in which was a creek running near the westerly edge of the upland from near Montgomery street southwesterly into the sontherly cove near the foot of Van Vorst street. This creek had been con- nected with the Harsimus cove by a ditch abont on the line of Warren street, made a few years previously by Major David
1 Spark's Washington, ci., 317.
2Ibid, ri., 3.
155
MAJOR LEE'S CAPTURE OF PAULUS HOECK.
Hunt. Over this diteh, on the line of Newark avenue, was a drawbridge with a barred gate. Thirty paces inside of the diteli and ereek was a row of abattis extending into the river. On the Hoeck were strong military works, first constructed by the Americans, and afterward strengthened by the British.1 The main works were in the line of Sussex street, extending from about St. Matthew's church easterly to Greene street. The bar- racks were at the intersection of Essex and Warren streets. From the main fort a redoubt extended southerly along Washington street to a half-moon fort on the southerly side of Essex street. There was one fort on the northwest corner of Washington and Grand streets. Some block-houses had been constructed north of the main works, and one of them north of the road leading to the ferry. The burying- ground was on the west of Washington street, extending from Sussex street to a short distance south of Morris street .? The accompanying illus- tration from Lossing's Field Book, though not entirely accurate, will give a general idea of the situation of the works. One (A) redoubt was circular in form, and mounted six heavy guns. It had a ditch and abattis. The other (B), a little south- east of it, was of oblong form, and had HUDSON R. three twelve-pounders and one eighteen- pounder ; « a were block-houses ; bbb bb, breastworks front- ing the bay ; c, part of the 57th regiment, of five hundred men, under Major Sutherland ; d, pioneers ; e, carpenters ; f .f.f, bar- racks; g, bridge built by the British.3 Lee was stationed near the New Bridge, about fourteen miles from the Hoeck. Fear- ing the treachery of the inhabitants, he carefully kept his own counsel, but gave out that he was about to go with a few troops
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