USA > New Jersey > Camden County > Revolutionary reminiscences of Camden County : (originally part of "Old Gloucester") state of New Jersey > Part 3
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As about Cooper's ferries, so at Gloucester, the enemy was under the constant surveillance of the American soldiers. The vessels of war generally laying below the city, finding better anchorage and deeper waters, made this point more
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secure for crossing troops and stores from one side of the river to the other, hence any important movement on the part of the English would be foreshadowed by the greater activity noticeable thereabouts.
The leading families in the neighborhood were strongly imbued with the spirit of liberty, and no opportunity passed for giving information that would advantage the Continental cause. To insure protection the enemy's piekets were kept on and along the king's road, which. crossed Little Timber ereek at a tavern called the "Two Tuns," kept by an old lady known as Aunty High Cap. The road extending southerly passed close in front of the Browning homestead, and over Big Timber creek, where the old bridge formerly stood. Going northerly from the old tavern it went near the former residence of JONATHAN ATKINSON, deceased, and through Mount Ephraim toward Haddonfield. The section of country lying between this old road and the river was the scene of many encounters, numberless reconnoisances and much strategy, and traditions are still remembered touching their purpose and success, while others are lost sight of and for- gotten. All of these grew out of the unceasing vigilance of the people toward their common enemy. "Aunty High Cap's" was the hostelry where the British officers most did congregate, where military rank and discipline were laid aside, and where the feast of reason and the flow of soul was most enjoyed. Away from the rigor of camp duty, and clear of the restraints of superior officers, full bent was given to the enjoyments of manly pastime, so fashionable in that day.
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At one of these revels an officer was killed by a ball from a rifle in the hands of a man standing in the porch of the house where JONATHAN ATKINSON, deceased, for- merly lived, at least a mile from the tavern, generally
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regarded as accidental, but which impressed the English with the remarkable expertness of the Americans in the use of that weapon.
Following MICKLE's "Reminiscenees" again, on the 25th of November, 1777, General LAFAYETTE gave much trou- ble to Lord CORNWALLIS, who attempted to cross a body of troops from the Jersey side of the river. He had been encamped at Gloucester, and General GREENE lay at Had- donfield with a detachment, with orders to keep close watch on CORNWALLIS.
Anticipating trouble, the British commander had pushed out his piekets for several miles, which movement lead to the suspicion that some change of base was contemplated. General LAFAYETTE, who had not yet recovered from a wound received some time before, volunteered to recon- noitre the British and attack them if advisable. His com- mand consisted of a few dragoons, a company of riflemen and some militia, and making a circuit he crossed Clem- ent's bridge and passed down the south side of Big Timber ereek.
To inform himself as to the real position of the enemy he ventured out on the sandy peninsula south of the outlet of the creek and was discovered. A detachment of dragoons was sent to intercept him, but before it got to the bridge, by the assistance of his guide, he had joined his command. Having accomplished his purpose, the stream was crossed and he passed down be- tween Great and Little Timber creeks, until the king's road was reached, when he found a force of Hessians with artillery posted. These were at once attacked and driven back to Gloueester, but night coming on, the advantage could not be followed up. The conduet of the riflemen attracted the attention of LAFAYETTE, and drew from him this complimentary remark: "I found these men above their reputation." 5
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A letter from this brave man to General WASHINGTON relating to this affair is fit to be here introduced in full :
"After having spent the most part of the day in mak- ing myself well acquainted with the certainty of the enemy's motions, I came pretty late into the Gloucester road between the two ereeks. I had ten light horse, almost one hundred and fifty riflemen and two pickets of militia. Colonel ARMAND, Colonel LAUMOY, and Chevi- liers, DUPLESSIS and GIMAT, were the Frenchmen with me. A scout of my men under DUPLESSIS went to aseer- tain how near to Gloucester were the enemy's first pick- ets, and they found at a distance of two miles and a half from that place a strong post of three hundred Hessians with field-pieces, and they engaged immediately. As my little reconnoitering party were all in fine spirits I sup- ported them. We pushed the Hessians more than half a mile from the place where their main body had been, and we made them run very fast.
"British reinforcements came twice to them, but very far from recovering their ground, they always retreated. The darkness of the night prevented us from pursuing our advantage. After standing on the ground we had gained, I ordered them to return to Haddonfield. I take great pleasure in letting you know that the con- duet of our soldiers was above all praise. I never saw men so merry, so spirited and so desirous to go on to the enemy, whatever force they might have, as the small party in this little fight."
The riflemen here named were parts of MORGAN's corps, commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel BUTLER. The militia, no doubt, carried rifles and acted as guides, vet, as oppor- tunity offered, participated in the fight. If LAFAYETTE'S idea of distance was correct this skirmish occurred near the farm lately occupied by CHALKLEY GLOVER, Esg., de-
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ceased, but possibly nearer to Gloucester, for the king's road lay between the creek, as before named, and was no doubt the base of the movement on the part of the Hes- sian troops. General WAYNE remained in and about Haddonfield during the winter of 1777-'78. In February, some of his men attempted to reconnoitre the enemy at Gloucester, but being attacked by a superior force made all haste back to their quarters, killing and wounding, however, many of their pursuers. The retreat was over the lower bridge of Newton creek, through the Mickle estate and towards Haddonfield by way of the old ferry road. Some of the wounded prisoners of this occasion died in the Friends' meeting house, and were buried in the northerly part of the grave yard with military honors. This kind of annoyance became so frequent that a large force was sent towards. Haddonfield in the night to cap- ture the troops laying here, and in connection with this particular affair, MILES SAGE was made the hero of the hour, and has been remembered whenever the Revolution- ary reminiscences of the village have been told in song or story. He deserved this well, for the service rendered showed him to be a brave soldier, and faithful to the cause he had espoused.
Chew's Landing, a little village at the head of naviga- tion on Timber creek, has also its Revolutionary story to be preserved. The old tavern house on the hill, now oc- eupied as a dwelling, and remembered by the old inhabi- tants as the way-side inn, when traveling toward Cape May from Philadelphia, was, during the "old war," sur- rounded by a party of British dragoons to capture a man who had become obnoxious by reason of his activity and influence in the Continental cause. Those inside the house were surprised by the attack and retreated to the cellar to avoid the bullets being shot into the building.
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Many of these bullet holes may be seen to the present day, verifying the tradition as told among those still residing in the neighborhood. This man was AARON CHEW, who, with a few companions had returned from the army, and, as they supposed, were out of harm's way. He was a staunch Whig, and by his example did much to draw the people away from their adherence to the crown. Watching their pursuers, an opportunity offered for escape, when AARON CHEW and JOSIAH ALBERTSON attempted to get across a small lot to the woods, but were seized as they passed over the fence. His companion was released, but he was taken to New York and placed in the prison ship and there kept for several months.
In these miserable hulks, crowded to excess and in the midst of filth and vermin, without ventilation or sufficient food, many died and but few got away in good health. Even after his release from that horrible place, AARON CHEW regarded it as his religious duty to do "all harm and mischief" to the royal cause and its adherents, and in his declining years was always more pointed than polite when speaking of King George, and those who held his military commissions. He survived the war, how- ever, and lived to see his country happy and prosper- ous, the institutions he had helped to establish in full success, and a rising generation expressing their grati- tude toward those who had staked their lives and for- tunes upon so doubtful an issue.
In the year 1870 Governor Theodore F. Randolph di- rected Adjutant-General William S. Stryker to collect, as far as possible, a record of Jerseymen who took part in the military service of the Revolutionary war; and in 1871 the Legislature made provision for the publication of the work, which was printed the next year. This is a
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volume of 874 pages and a most valuable addition to the history of that period.
Although the lists are imperfect, yet it is shown that old Gloucester county furnished about eight hundred men for military service in the Revolution, and the fol- lowing named officers:
Colonels-Joseph Ellis, Josiah Hillman, Israel Shreeve, Boto Otto, Samuel Tonkin, Samuel Shreeve, Robert Brown, Elijah Clark, Richard Somers, Robert Taylor.
Majors-William Ellis, Samuel Flanagan, Richard Westcoat, George Payne, Jeremiah Smith.
Adjutant-William Smith.
Paymaster-John Little.
Captains-Simon Lucas, John Davis, John Baker, Andrew Crane, Jacob Browning, Joseph Conover, John Cozens, Douglas, Joseph Elwell, Santel Elwell, Joseph Estell, Felix Fisher, John Hampton, William Harrison, Richard Higbee, James Holmes, John Inskeep, Archibald Maffitt, William Maffitt, Cornelius Newkirk, John Patten, David Paul, George Pierce, William Pierce, George Purvis, Christopher Rape, Henry Shute, William Smith, Samuel Snell, John Somers, Zepheniah Steelman, John Stokes, Richard Stokebanks, James Tallman, Joseph Thorn, David Weatherby, Jehu Wood, John Wood, Alexander Mitchell.
Surgeons-Thomas Hendry, Boto Otto.
Lieutenants-John Carter, John Chatam, Enoch Leeds, Joseph MeCullock, Benjamin Weatherby, Joseph Inger- sall, Edward Ireland, Samuel Matlaek, Nehemiah Morse, Samuel Springer, Arthur Westcott, Aron Chew, Peter Covenhoven, Jacob Endicott, William Fineh, Samuel MeFarfield, Abraham Parsons, Jeremiah Risley, Henry Roe, Elijah Townsend.
Ensigns-John Adams, Joseph Avis, Elijah Barrett,
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Japhet Clark, John Dilks, Ebenezer Estell, Daniel Frazer, Daniel Hooper, Benjamin Inskeep, Cornelius . McCollom, Joseph Morrel, Nathaniel Supple, David Still- well, John Tilton.
Sargeants-Abraham Bennett, William Campbell, Patrick . MeCollum, John Reed, Richard Sayre, Jacob Speneer, James Tomlin.
Many others were employed as express riders, quar- termasters, artificers, armorers, barrack masters, commis- saries, forage masters, wagon masters and teamsters. Others were in the navy and some were employed in small vessels as watchmen along the coast.
Among these will be found names familiar to the pre- sent generation, and the ancestors of those who know but little of the many privations and dangers attendant upon the war that secured the independence of the United States of America.
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