USA > New Jersey > Hudson County > Jersey City > Memorial of the centennial celebration of the battle of Paulus Hook, August 19th, 1879 : with a history of the early settlement and present condition of Jersey City, N.J. > Part 8
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The Court having considered the 4th Charge, Are of Opinion that Major Lee ordered Capt'n Forsythe to take the Command of the Column which had been before commanded by Capt'n Smith which Order was in consequence of Captain Forsythe's being wel! Acquainted with the Situation of the Enemy, That it was impossible for Major Lee to know the dates of the Officers Com- missions And do Acquit him with Honor.
The Court having considered the 5th Charge Are of Opinion that Major Lee gave the Command of the Forlorn Hope to Lieut. MeAulister which was : occasioned by his being under the Necessity of altering his Mode of Attack in consequence of a seperation of the Troops and do acquit him with Honor.
The Court having considered the 6th Charge are of Opinion, That Major Lee in evacuating the Fort immediately after it was taken, acted in perfect conformity to the Orders of his Excellency the Commander in Chief. The time the Assault was made and the apprehensions of being intercepted in his Retreat fully Justifies his Conduct, and the Court do Acquit him with Honor.
The Court having considered the 7th Charge are of Opinion that perfect Military Order was preserved in the Retreat of the Troops in the Rear where Major Lee commanded in Person, That the Enemy made an Attempt to inter- cept his. Retreat, which he subverted by his Activity and Judgement, and do Acquit him with Honor.
The Court having considered the 8th & last Charge are of Opinion that Major Lee's Conduct was uniform and Regular, supporting his Military Char- acter with Magnanimity and Judgement and that he by no Means Acted derogatory to the Gentleman and the Soldier which Characters he fills with Honor to his Country and the Army.
The Commander in Chief confirms the Opinion of the Court.
Major Lee is Released from his Arrest. [Ms. Orderly Book in possession of the New York Historical Society.]
The order appointing the court which tried Major Lee was dated August 29th, 1779. It was constituted as follows :
" Colonel Marshall, President
" A Lieut-Colonel, or Major next for this duty and two Captains from the Maryland and Connecticut Lines, the Garrison and Nixon's Brigade, and at Lt. Col. or Major and one Captain from the Penn'a Line to attend as Members."
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XXVI.
MAJOR LEE to MAJOR CLARK.
Be pleased to transmit me p'r bearer a return of the non-commissioned [officers] and soldiers who joined me under your command the 18th of August. I have received the money presented by Congress to the assailants of Powles Hook, and cannot proceed to the distribution of it till I receive your return.
Oct'r 19th '79 Monmouth.
MAJOR LEE to MAJOR CLARK.
[Without date.]
Lieutenant Rudulph waits on you with the returns of the Powles Hook assailants from this quarter. Be good enough to adjust the money matters with him, as Captain Handy is down, and wishes to take up with him the quota due his detachment- Rudulph brings up a G. R., one of the wounded has had him in possession.
MAJOR LEE to MAJOR CLARK.
I have waited a long time for your return which I had wrote three times requesting. I cannot detain the money any longer. I have guessed, with Mr. Rudulph's aid, at your numb'r. I hope it may be accurate. I must beg you will please pay Thos. Davis, a Soldier in the 1st Virg'a Regt. a mare which Mr. Lewis will present.
Edentown Nov. 1. 1779. [Copies of Originals in possession of Lyman C. Draper, of the Wisconsin Historical Society.]
, XXVII.
GENERAL MORGAN to MAJOR CLARK.
10th October 1779
I now congratulate you on your success at Powlus Hook ; but I assure you till lately, and within these few days, I did not know you ware in the Scuffle ; but since I have found it out, I endeavored to make it as public as possible, as it was alwais my wish, that Every Man's Merits should be made publick.
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MAJOR LEE to MAJOR CLARK.
Major Lee begs that Major Clark will be pleased to acquaint him with the loss of his troops in the late action, and the names and the regiments, Lt. Vandeville, Capt. Crump, & whether Capt Reed was not Senior officer next to himself,-if he was not, who was ?
Major Lee begs that Major Clark would put off the sale of the Negroes till the 23d, when the horses might be sold at the same time.
A place ought to be appointed, & hour. Suppose Suffrains tavern-pre- vious notice to be given.
Oct. 11, 1779.
[Reply to above, without date. ]
Major Clark has not yet been furnished with lists from the Reg'ts of the No. of men lost in the late attack on Powles Hook. The Messenger says he is in a hurry, or the Major would send to such Reg'ts as have not given him an acc't. Lt Vandeville, I am told, is in the First Reg't. Capt Crump in the First State. Capt. Reed was the eldest Captain, and marched in front of the command.
Suffern's tavern is a very convenient place for the sale. [Copies of the. Originals in possession of Lyman C. Draper, of the Wisconsin Historical So- ciety.]
XXVIII.
LORD STIRLING to MAJOR CLARK.
Paramis August 18th 1779
On receipt of this, you will put yourself, with your detachment, under the command of Major Lee, and give your best assistance to him in carrying into execution certain measures I have concerted with him. [Copy of' the Original in possession of Lyman U. Draper, of the Wisconsin Historical Society.]
As Major Jonathan Clark was a prominent figuro in the attack on Paulus Hoeck, and as the incidents of his active and eventful life have never been published, I will be pardoned for the following brief reference to him :
He was born in Albemarle County, Va., in 1750. When about four years of age his father removed to Caroline County, in that State, and afterwards located at. Woodstock, in the Virginia Valley. In this county (Dunmore) Jonathan was made clerk of the court, and in 1774 was chosen with Rev. (afterwards General) Peter Muhlenburg to represent that county in the House
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of Burgesses. At the same time, he was chosen a delegate to the State Con- vention. In July, 1775, he was appointed First Lieutenant in an Independent Rifle Company in that county. At the close of that year he was appointed Captain in Mulilenburg's 8th Virginia Regiment. He raised a company of 75 men and eight officers. Early in 1776 this regiment was stationed at Suffolk, on the Virginia coast, to guard against Lord Dunmore. In June the regiment was sent to Charleston to aid in its defence against Sir Peter Parker and Clinton. In July the regiment was sent to Savannah on an intended expe- dition against St. Augustine. This matter falling through, the regiment was sent north to join General Washington. In February, 1777, Muhlenburg was made a Brigadier General, and Abraham Bowman was appointed Colonel of the 8th Virginia. Clark was in the several battles in which his regiment was engaged in the following two years. During a part of this time he was in Colonel Wood's 12th Virginia Regiment, probably owing to a union of the" 8th and 12th Regiments. The 8th seems to have suffered severe losses, for a letter, in the Fall of 1778, to Major Clark, laments " the poor old 8th reduced Reg't," and Colonel Bowman was relieved as a supernumerary officer.
Yet on the 20th of March, 1779, Clark was appointed Major in the 8th Virginia Regiment, to take rank. as such from the 10th of January, 1778. [Vide Lee's letter to Clark in Appendix, XXIX., where Lee says he supposed Clark's commission was in 1779.]. On the 23d of November, 1779, he was appointed Lieu- tenant-Colonel of the 8th Virginia, to take rank on the 10th of May preceding. This shows that the "poor old 8th," though reduced, had not been incorpo. rated into the 12th, and Clark, it would seem, was not in the 12th very long. On the 23d of July, 1779, hie commanded the guard over the prisoners taken at Stony Point. In December, 1779, he was in command of the 8th. Early in 1780 he was sent south to the defence of Charleston, and was made prisoner in May of that year.
After the war he settled in Spotsylvania County. In 1785 he was 'appointed by Governor Patrick Henry a Major in the Militia. In November, 1793, he was elected by the Legislature of Virginia one of the four Major Generals of the State. About 1800 he removed to Kentucky, and settled about four miles from Louisville, where he died of apoplexy in the fall of 1811. He was an elder brother of General George Rogers Clark, so famous in the history of Kentucky.
XXIX.
LORD STIRLING to MAJOR CLARK.
Camp Ramopogh, August 21st 1779
When it was determined to attempt a surprise of the Garrison of Powles Hook, Major Lee requested that I would appoint you to the Command of the party I was to furnish him with, in a manner particularly favorable to your
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character, and under a supposition that you were a junior officer to him. Under that apprehension I appointed you for that service ; and I do assure you, I did not know the contrary till yesterday on my way to this place; had I known it, your going should have depended on your own option, for I never would have hurt the feelings of any officer so much as to order him to serve under a junior officer.
Your readiness to go on the service, and your behavior on it, not only have my highest approbation, but demand my particular thanks.
MAJOR LEE to MAJOR CLARK.
Paramus Aug. 22, 1779
It affects me most sensibly to find the mistake committed respecting our commissions.
On being honored with the command of the troops destined for the stormn of P. Hook, I inquired previous to my producing General Washington's let. to Lord Stirling of the rank of the Virginia Majors. I was repeatedly told you were in '79. This presumption was so impressed on my mind that I gave a thouglitless answer to your question about commissions during the hurry of the march, confirming our mutual opinions.
It is so evident that I must have supposed you a junior officer that none but those gentlemen who hate me for reasons unknown to me, can seriously raise a doubt on the subject.
Why should I have solicited your being joined to me on the Expedition had I not believed you to be younger in office. Lord Stirling, if called on, will declare my solicitation to have been made, and that we both presumed your- self junior in commission.
It is not in my power to say more on the subject. I can only declare most sacredly that I believed you to have been one of the youngest Majors of the Line, and that this belief actuated my conduct, nor did I ever know the con- trary till informed by Major Cabell on the 19th.
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I assure you, Sir, that I am under great obligations to you for the temper and coolness with which you conduct yourself. It must proceed from the persuasion you possess that the clash was unfortunate, and all owing to mistake and hurry.
Make what use you please of this l'r, and believe me to be, Sir, with great respect, &e. Major Clark, Woodfords Brigade. [Copies of the Originals in possession of Lyman C. Draper, of the Wisconsin Historical Society.]
XXX.
In the night of the 18th to the 19th of August they fell upon the post at Paul's Hook. This is a tongue of land on the Jersey side and opposite to New York, which extends out into the mouth of the Hudson and is separated from
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the land by a brook and a morass. There was only one solid road leading through the latter, and only one bridge over the brook, and as the peninsula besides the steep hills and the rocks scattered over it was also provided with redoubts and block-houses at the more important points, it was considered quite impregnable. An abatis was also constructed along the brook. The garrison usually consisted of a British battalion, 60 invalids, and a division of provincials.
On the night mentioned a part of the garrison was ordered off on an expe- dition in the region of New Bridge. The American General Stirling, being in the vicinity, determined to take advantage of this opportunity for an attack upon the weakly garrisoned post and destined 500 men under Major Lee for this purpose.
To reinforce somewhat the weakened garrison, the Hessian Captain Von Schallern, of the Regiment Hereditary .Prince, received orders to go over from New York to Paul's Hook with 40 men of his company.
When the division appointed for the expedition had marched off, Major Lee, who had hitherto been lying in ambush, set about executing his design. He passed over the morass and the brook by the bridge, and attacked in the rear . the Hessian post stationed on it, consisting of one subaltern officer and ten men, who could not hold out against the superior force and were captured after the bravest resistance. The invalids, sleeping carelessly in a block- house, were now attacked. Captain Von Schallern with his men might have been doing the same, for the English commander himself had told him to go quietly to bed ; but luckily for both, he had a better judgment of his situation and kept his men under arms. As the enemy unexpectedly and quickly advanced, Schallern threw himself into a fleche lying in his, rear, and here awaited the enemy. Major Lee called out to him to surrender, as he was sur- rounded and all resistance was consequently useless, and in case of refusal no quarter would be given. Schallern answered : " If you want me, attack me, both sides will then have more honor from the affair." Then he ordered, " fire" ! and with his band of 30 men bravely resisted every assault of the superior . force, until towards morning assistance arrived,, upon which the enemy withdrew. [Translated from Die deutschen Hulfstruppen im nord- . amerikanishen Befreiungskriege, 1776 bis 1783, von Max von Elking, Vol. 2. p. 54.]
XXXI.
For the Pennsylvania Packet.
To impede a young man climbing to fame through the difficult and tedious path of merit, requires a depravity of soul which few possess. It is in such exertions that human nature discovers its baseness. With what infamy then are we to mark the attempts that have been made to throw a shade over the splendid enterprise of Paulus Hook ? How must we lament that officers in the American Army have undertaken the ungenerous business !
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It is well known that Major Lee has been arrested, arraigned and tried by a court martial. On what ground, or from what motives, the prosecution was maintained, his honorable acquittal from every charge may sufficiently explain. However, in justice to the Army, let it be known, that it was begun and conducted by the venerable Col. Gist, who was led to believe it his duty from the insinuations of some obscure officers in the Virginia line. How. distressing that a gentleman of his rank and age should declare himself so open to imposition ! How fortunate for the chagrined whisperers that their names are as unknown as their actions are insignificant ! Happy in their obscurity, they are secure from ignominy. It is observable that one of the charges exhibited against Major Lee conveys an idea that the objects of the enterprise were not completely accomplished. Let the following extracts from his Excellency's letter of instructions illustrate that point. "My objects are to surprise it, to bring the garrison off immediately, and to effect a secure . retreat." Was not the post of Paulus Hook surprised ?. Was not the garrison brought off immediately ? Was not a secure retreat effected ?
CHARACTER.
[Pennsylvania Packet, September 28, 1779.]
The following is Colonel Gist's reply to the above letter :
To the Printer of the Pennsylvania Packet :
I observe in your paper of the 28th of Sept. a piece signed " Character." Whoever the anonymous author is, or whatever his character in life may be, he certainly will never be entitled to the character of an impartial historian unless his future productions prove essentially different. That Major Lee was arrested, tried and honorably acquitted by a court Martial is a truth ; and. the extract from his instructions may be genuine likewise, but in the other part of his narative he has either ignorantly or with design perverted things in the grossest manner. I am not at present inclined to enter into a detail of matters or examine by what means a shade was cast over the splendid enter- prise against Powles Hook. I am unaccustomed to paper wars and have a total aversion to them ; but if I am compelled to engage, it shall not be in the dark. I must first know who my antagonist is, that I may frame my answer accordingly, for I should be very sorry to waste time and employ my pen in answering the productions of a genius upon whom a cane might be employed to much better purpose. I shall, therefore, call upon Mr. Character to throw aside the fictitious and assume the real name, that I may know to whom I am beholden for the favor intended me. If Mr. Character is a gen- tleman I make no doubt this request will be complied with ; in that case it is inore probable that he will hear further from me. Mr. Character would add greatly to the favors already conferred, and perhaps avoid further interroga- tions, if, at the same time, he would point out those obscure officers in the Virginia line, who are so ready to impose upon the unwary, that gentlemen who have hitherto escaped the snare may in future be guarded against them.
NATHANIAL GIST Col. 16th Virginia Reg't.
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XXXII.
DIARY OF CAP'T M'LANE, BEGINNING " PHILADELPHIA JUNE 10 1779," AND ENDING "BURLINGTON JAN'Y, 1780."
Thursday July 29-Whet morning, all well, this afternoon joined Maj. Lee at the New City-lay this night at Steven Stevenson's.
Friday morning 30 July, Moved down towards Bergan County, lay this night near Clarkstown.
Saturday July 31, Mr. Rudolf joined me at Smith's house and moved the Infantry to Scromburg church, reconnoitred the Enemy with Mr. Sitcher and Kelly, found them moving from Philip's farms at 2 o'clock their whole fleet sailled towards New York. Sent an express to Maj Lee, this night took post near the liberty pole, Detacht Lieut. Rudolf towards Bergen town-this night all well.
Sunday morning reconoitred towards New York, could observe a large incampment near Hell gate below harlem hights, counted fifty topsail vessels at New York and 20 at fort Washington, Rec'd intelligence that the Gray- hound sloop of War arrived friday last, next day all the ships of forse put to sea and the army moved from Philip's farm to York Island. Gen. Tryon had returned from the eastward with the fleate, this Evening sent a letter to Maj Lee, took post at Quackinbushes near Scraulenburg church, Report prevails in New York that a french fleet is on the cost, Cornwallis is arrived from Eng'd, no ringforcements, a hott * took place friday last, two Regt's imbarked on bord the fleet * " orders I found to stop the intercours between New York and polleshooke.
Monday August 2, moved down to fort Lee, detacht a party towards Bar- gain town, the Inteljance of this day confirms the account of yesterday, this Evening a covering party came from Lord Stirling to forridg in Tea Neck, this night lay near Closter Dock.
Tusday 3d August moved down towards Bargain Woods reconoitred New York from Green point, cold discover an incampment near New York Com- mons, heard a fireing at Sea, the transports drawn up indicate a imbarkation somne conjecture for Boston, their main incampment still below harlem hights, this night took post at the old bridge, all Well.
Wensday 4th August, moved to the new bridge, the men employed . cooking three day's provisions. Calep Lewick joined me, he had bene in the service of the Enemy but chuse to retun to the service of his Country, he served in Buskerks Regt capt Rattans company. One of the six months men took a man Returning to bergan and insisted on making him a prize altho' he had Maj'r Lee's pass, on my interfering he abused me mutch, I confined him and reported him to Maj Lee, this Evening moved to Hackensack.
Thursday August 5th moved to old bridge, 5 Deserters came from Lord Rodners corps of Irish Vollunteers, they inform the Enemy are fortifying
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across from river to river near Spiking devil creek. Joseph Marshall is a * in the corps they run from. this night moved towards powleshock lay in the woods all night
Friday 6th August moved to Bargain town, several people were taken : coming out New York the Enemy lay Viary Close cold observe an incamp-
ment on the river shore near New York, this night lay near the old bridge, Coll Dabney came from Lord. Sterling's division to * as a forridging party in English nabourhood.
Satuday Augt 7 '79 cooked provisions near Storm's house Detacht a party to act with Coll Dabneys troops, lay all night near the widow Sebriskers house, all well.
Sunday July 8 '79 Detacht Mr Rudolf with a party to lay near burgan Woods, moved myself to throw obstructions in the rods leading from fort Lee and Bull ferry, a Graite freshet in Hackinsack river owen to a heavy rain lay near Cornelius Buscarks.
Monday Augt 9th continued throwing obstructions in the different passes leading from the north river between opposite Spiken devil creek and Bulls Ferry, imployed most of the farmers in English naberhood cutting down trees,* drew sixty Rashsions, the Rifal men joined me sent them down with Sargt hagan lay this night near widow Sebriscers
Tusday Augt 10th cooked Provisions whent up to Kakiat, left my party in care of Capt Payton
Wensday Augt 11, Returned to Bargain, found the party at the old Bridg. Mr Rudolf not yet joined, lay this night near Hackensack Creek, Detacht Sergt Mitchell with six mnen to serch for Mr Rudolfs party
Thursday 12th '79 Mr Rudolf joined 9 o'clock detacht a party in pursuit of one Sebrisker and another refugee, lay this night at Sebriskers Mills.
Friday 13th August Sebrisker woss taken at Paramas and Brought under Guard, he pleads he came out to Give himself up his behaver'is Viary Sos- pitious, it is a practise with those raskals to come out under the Sanction of deserters till they make discovery. This Evening Sargt Mitchell Returned, lay at Isaac Vourhosers on Perhamas, rode from old bridg.
Saturday 14th August, drew two days provisions and cooked them, a
*- The following are the names of the English Neighborhood farmers from the Liberty Pole towards Bergen :
Thomas Harris, at Lozier's MIIls; Elias Ridecker; Widow Benson on Dominie Snedeker's place; Jolin Benson on the right ; Jacob Naugle and William Day on the left ; Peter De Groot on the right; Widow Lemater on Covenhoven's place ; Jacob Demot on the left ; John Moor at Van Horn's Mill ; Derick Freeland and John Klase on the left, on Moor's place ; - Moor on the left ; Widow Maree, Samuel Moor, Samuel Moor, P. Zame, Peter Bedett.
Below the road leading down to the Fort :
Roelof Westervelt, Jolm Moor, Daniel Bralton and Abraham Day on the left ; Michael Smith, Anderson and - Montania on the right; Stephen Bedet, John Blinker, Widow Edsall, Jacob Edsall,, Jacob Edsall and Benjamin Westervelt on the left. [M' Lane Mss.]
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deserter came from the Enemy at Powlas Hook an intelijant fellow, he informs the Garrison consists of Buskerks Regt 200 strong, invalids 200 strong, a Lieut. comind of Artilery, the whole under - Maj'r Sutherland. lay at John Boverts
Sunday Aug 15 Enlisted Richard House a boy that formely lived with Halsteds. Detached Mr Rudolf to lay in Bargain Woods, this night lay myself at Henry Bonters in Sluckup.
Monday August 16th Moved towards Powles Hook to reconoitre, took two prisoners on Hobuck one boy siner of Buskcarks, and Able Pett of the invalids com'd by Maj'r Sutherland. Returned with the party to llackinsack. This night lay at Storms house.
Tusday 17 Augt. Drew four days provisions. Detached two Sergts with 12 men eatch to lay in Bergain Woods this night lay near the liberty pole
Wensday 18 August this morning received Orders from Mj'r Lee to take post in the woods near Bargain in order to intercept the communication between Powls hook and the country and to Join him at a sertain place in the woods near the Three Pidgeons in order to conduct him to attack Powless hook met him and after some Deficalty arrived in morning at the works half past three, stormed them without more loss than two men killed and five wounded, we killed about fifty took 150 prisoners, 9 officials and then retired to new Bridg the distance of 23 Miles, John Page was among the Prisoners. [Copy of the Original in possession of the New York Historical Society.]
"THE STAR SPANGLED BANNER."-By the Sangerrunde and Orchestra.
Address, by B. W. Throckmorton, Esq.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN :
When the invitation was accepted by me to deliver an address 1 on this auspicious occasion, it was with the distinct proviso on my part that it should be short. But had this not been the case so fully have the distinguished and eloquent gentlemen who have preceded me performed the task of describing Paulus Hook and its battle as to leave for me but little in this direction save need- less reiteration of facts already presented.
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To borrow an illustration, I feel like the gleaner, who, on going into the fields, finds the harvest all gathered into sheaves and the work well and completely donc.
If for no other purpose, however, than that of identifying myself with so important an event as this celebration is in the history of the city in which I live, permit me to indulge in a few observations and reflections pertinent to such an occasion.
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