The history of Camden county, New Jersey, Part 8

Author: Prowell, George Reeser, 1849-1928
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : Richards
Number of Pages: 1220

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PRESIDENT'S CHAIR AND THE DESK UPON WHICH THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE WAS SIGNED.

the contiguous posts of the enemy as much as possible. On the night of January 2, 1777, Washington, after the skirmish on Assanpink Creek, swung round the British flank to the rear, reached Princeton at early dawn of the 3rd, defeated and dispersed Colonel Maw- hood's force of three regiments, and was safe among the hills of the Upper Raritan while Cornwallis was lumbering along in an inef- fectual pursuit. He had to mourn the loss of the gallant General Mercer, who fell in the first assault at Princeton, and whose body bore the marks of sixteen British bayonet wounds.

Washington's brilliant achievements were

needed to revive the patriotic spirit of New Jersey, which previously had been fast suc- cumbing to the advance of the foe. Howe had offered pardon and protection to all who would abandon the national cause and renew their allegiance to the King. Until Washing- ton rolled back the tide of disaster, more than two hundred people within the State were daily abjuring their loyalty to the American government. "The two Jersey regiments," writes Gordon, " which had been forwarded by General Gates under General St. Clair, went off to a man the moment they entered their own State." The Legislature had moved from Princeton to Burlington, and thence to Pittstown and Haddonfield, where it dissolved on December 2, 1776. Samuel Tucker, chairman of the Committee of Safety, treasurer and judge of the Supreme Court, vacated his offices and swore fealty to the crown. The whole num- ber of the people of New Jersey who took advantage of Howe's proclamation is stated at two thousand seven hundred and three. But the victories of Trenton and Princeton lightened up the gloomy horizon ; citizens found that Howe's protections did not save them from the depredations of the Hessian soldiery, who overran the State and spared neither age nor sex from outrage and plunder ; what the earnest recommendations of Con- gress, the zealous exertions of Governor Liv- ingston and the ardent supplications of Washington could not effect, was produced by the rapine and devastations of the Royal forces. The whole country became instantly hostile to the invaders, and sufferers of all parties rose as one man to avenge their per- sonal injuries. With his quick insight, Washington perceived that this was the moment for the recovery of New Jersey. From his headquarters at Morristown he issued, on January 25, 1777, a proclamation giving all persons who had accepted British protection thirty days in which to repair to the nearest headquarters of the Continental

THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.

service, and then to surrender their papers and receive full pardon for their past offenses. The alternative offered them was to retire with their families within the British lines or be regarded as adherents of the King of Great Britain and enemies of their country. The result was most satisfactory. Hundreds of timid inhabitants renewed their allegiance to America, the most dangerous Tories were driven out and the army was largely in- creased by volunteers and by the return of many of its veterans who had deserted dur- ing the dark days of the previous November and December.

The American army moved to the neighborhood of Bound Brook on May 28, 1777, and on June' 14th the British retreated towards Amboy, but hurried back from thence with the expectation of at- tacking Washington at Quibble- town (Newmarket), where he had taken up his position. At Wood- bridge, on June 20th, Lord Corn- wallis drove back Morgan's Ran- gers and Stirling's troops, but they held them in check long enough to permit Washington to retire to his stronghold near Bound Brook, he being too weak to undertake battle in the open field. The British returned to Amboy, where they erossed to Staten Island; and during the remainder of the war New Jersey was not again so completely overrun with marauders and British troops, although many parties entered it for pillage from hostile camps in adjoining States. Washington crossed the Delaware to Philadelphia ; Howe took his army around by water from New York to Philadelphia by way of the Chesapeake and the Elk River ; and by defeating Washing- ton at the Brandywine, on September 11th, and at Germantown, on October 24th, he se- cured possession of Philadelphia for the winter that the patriots spent at Valley Forge.

In September, 1777, Continental Congress moved from Philadelphia to the town of York, Pa., where for the nine succeeding months, until June of 1778, that historie band of patriots held their deliberations, when, upon the retreat of the British across New Jersey, they returned to Philadelphia.

THE BATTLE OF RED BANK .- The first engagements of the Revolution fought npon the soil of Gloucester County were the bat- tle of Red Bank, October 22, 1777, and the skirmish at Billingsport, which preceded it by a few days. For the protection of the Delaware, the Americans had built Fort

INDEPENDENCE HALL, PHILADELPHIA, IN 1776.

Mifflin, a strong redoubt, with quite exten- sive outworks, on the marshy island on the Pennsylvania side, just below the mouth of the Schuylkill. Fort Mercer, an equally good work, was placed on high ground at Red Bank, on the New Jersey shore, and in the river channels, under cover of the fire of the batteries, were sunk ranges of strong frames with iron-pointed wooden spikes, which were calculated to be impassable to vessels. At Billingsport, three miles below, on the New Jersey side, a third fort was erect- ed, and the channel between it and Billings' Island was again closed by chevaux-de-frise. To clear the way for his fleet and for the entrance of supplies into Philadelphia, it was

HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

necessary for Howe to open the river, and he accordingly ordered Captain Hammond, with the frigate "Roebuck " and several other vessels, around from the Chesapeake. Ar- riving in the stream below Billingsport, Hammond reconnoitered and came to the conclusion that he might force a passage through the obstructions if a land force would engage the fort. The scheme seemed feasible to Howe, and he detailed to execute it, two regiments of infantry, under Colonel Stirling. Crossing the river from Chester, Stirling fell furiously upon the inferior gar- risou of the fort, which was not finished, who spiked their cannon, set fire to their barracks and fled in dismay. The Euglish

FORT MIFFLIN.

EXPLANATION. - the inner redoubt ; b b b u high fixed stone wall, built by Montressor, with indentations where the soldiers boiled their kettles (this wall was pierced with loop-holes for musketry) ; cc cc block-house, built of wood, with loop-holes and mounting four pieces of cannon each, two on the lower platform ; d d d barracks ; 6 & e stockades ; f j' f trosa de Loup ; gg ravines. On the south side were two-story pieces of battery, mounting three cannon.

completed the demolition of the works, while Captain Hammond made a passage through the obstructions wide enough to permit the squadron of six men-of-war to sail through and up to Hog Island, where they auchored.

Lossing's " Field-Book of the Revolu- tion," says,-

" Howe now determined to make a general sweep of all the American works on the Delaware, and preparatory thereto he called in his ontposts, and

concentrated his whole army near to and within Philadelphia. Two Rhode Island regiments, be- longing to General Varnum's brigade, under Col- onel Christopher Greene, garrisoned the fort at Red Bank, and about the same number of the Maryland Line, under Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Smith, occupied Fort Mifflin. The American fleet, consisting chiefly of galleys and floating batteries, was commanded by Commodore Hazel- wood. It was quite as important to the Ameri- cans to maintain these forts and defend the river obstructions as it was to the British to destroy them. It was, therefore, determined to hold them to the last extremity, for it was evident that such continued possession would force Howe to evacu- ate Philadelphia."

Washington's letter of instructions to Col- onel Greene, dated October 7, 1777, displays his solicitude that Fort Mercer should be held. He wrote,-

"I have directed General Varnum to send your regiment and that of Colonel Angell to Red Bank by a route which has been marked out to him. The command of that detachment will, of course, devolve upon you, with which you will proceed with all ex- pedition and throw yourself into that place. When you arrive thereyou will immediately communicate to Colonel Smith, commander of the garrison at Fort Mifflin, and Commodore Hazelwood, commander of the fleet in the river. You are to co-operate with them in every measure necessary for the defense of the obstructions in the river, and to counteract every attempt the enemy may make for their removal. You will find a very good fortifica- tion at Red Bank; but if anything should be requisite to render it stronger, or proportion it to the size of your garrison, you will have it done. The cannon you will stand in need of, as much as can be spared, will be furnished from the galleys at Fort Mifflin, from whence you will also derive supplies of military stores. I have sent Captain Duplessis, with some officers and men, to take the immediate direction of the artillery for your garrison. He is also to superiutend any works that may be neces- sary. If there be any deficiency of the men for the artillery, the security of the garrison will require you to assist them in the few additional ones from your detachment. You should not lose a moment's time in getting to the place of your destination and making every preparation for its defense. Any delay might give the enemy an opportunity of getting there before you, which could not fail of being most fatal in its conse-

THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.

quences. If in the progress of . your march you should fall in with any detachment of the enemy, bending towards the same object and likely to gain it before you, and from intelligence should have reason to think yourself equal to the task, you will by all means attack them and endeavor by that means to disappoint their design.

"I have written to General Newcomb, of the Jersey militia, to give you all the aid in his power, for which you will accordingly apply, when neces- sary. Upon the whole, sir, you will be pleased to remember that the post with which you are now intrusted is of the utmost importance to America and demands every exertion of which you are capable for its security and defense. The whole defense of the Delaware absolutely depends upon it ; consequently all the enemy's hope of keeping Philadelphia and finally succeeding in the object of the present campaign."

was an elder among Friends, yet the urbanity and politeness of the German soldier so won upon him that he was kindly remembered ever after. The inhabitants, however, suffered much from the dep- redations of the common soldiers, who wantonly destroyed their property and endangered their lives. The presence of an officer in a house was a protection against them, and every family sought out one, with the promise of good entertainment without cost, that it might be saved from destruc- tion. These troops regarded the American people as semi-barbarous, and that to destroy their prop- erty was nothing more than they deserved. . . . The sad defeat that attended them, and the death of their commanding officer, completely demoral- ized them and they returned in detached bodies, begging shelter and food of those they had so illy treated. The transportation of the wounded caused much trouble, and as a detachment ap-

PENNSYLVANIA

OPERATIONS

ON THE |

PROVINCE I.

POINT HOUSE GA.

DELAWARE

VINGO C.

DARPENTER'S

TUTTLE MUD

LEAGUE

FLLE

HOG

AGLE

OFT MERCER

LING'S I.

CHANNEL

WOODBURY 0

SHIP

ESTACKADOES

MUT

Howe entrusted the capture of Fort Mer- cer to Count Donop, a Hessian officer in the British service, and gave him four battalions, comprising twenty-five hundred Hessian vet- erans. They crossed the Delaware at Coop- ers Ferry on October 21st, and marched that evening to Haddonfield.

Judge Clement says, in his " Revolution- ary Reminiscences of Camden County,"-

"The last encampment of the Hessian troops under Count Donop, before the battle of Red Bank, was in Haddonfield. It was across the street, near the residence of John Gill (where now stands the residence of the late John Gill, Esq.), extending some distance into the fields. In this house Do- nop had his headquarters, and although the owner

proached Haddonfield a farmer living near the road was, with his horse and cart, pressed into the service to carry some that were unable to walk further. The appearance of armed men so terri- fied the farmer that he neglected to fasten down the front part of his vehicle, and when rising a hill near the village, the weight of the men was thrown on the back of the cart, and all were pitched headlong into the road. The swearing of the sol- diers in German, and the protestations of the farmer in English, made things no better ; but after many threats the vehicle was properly secured and the journey completed, much, no doubt, to the comfort of all concerned. Becoming better acquainted with the people, and finding the country much in need of settlers, many (Hessians) deserted and re- mained, afterwards becoming thrifty people and good citizens."

Before daylight on the morning of the 22d the Hessians left Haddonfield, but as the American pickets had destroyed the

RED BANK

15300019

INBER C.

NEW JERSEY

HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

lower bridge over Timber Creek, they were obliged to cross four miles above, at the pres- ent Clement's bridge, and, because of this de- lay, were not in front of Fort Mercer until near noon.1 Donop halted his command on the edge of the woods to the north of the fort and sent forward an officer with a flag and a drummer, who summoned the garrison to surrender. "The King of England," he proclaimed, "orders his rebellious subjects to lay down their arms, and they are warned, that if they stand the battle, no quarters whatever will be given." This threat of the massacre of wounded and prisoners did not daunt the Americans, Colonel Greene reply- ing : " We ask no quarters, nor will we give any." On the receipt of this defiant answer, they hastily threw up an earthwork within half cannon-shot of Fort Mercer, and at a quarter before five o'clock advanced a battal- ion on the north front under cover of a brisk artillery fire. Reaching the first entrench- ment, which they found abandoned, but not

" The Marquis de Chastellux, the author of " Travels in North America," visited Fort Mercer in company with General Lafayette and M. du Plessis Mauduit, the Duplessis mentioned in Washington's letter to Colonel Greene, who was a highly capable French engineer and artillerist. Chastellux wrote : " The bank of the Dela- ware at this place is steep ; but even this steepness al- lowed the enemy to approach the fort under cover and without being exposed to the fire of the batteries. To remedy this inconvenience, several galleys, armed with cannon and destined to defend the chevaux-de-frise, were posted the whole length of the escarpment and took it in reverse. The Americans, little practiced in the art of fortifications, and always disposed to take works beyond their strength, had made those at Red Bank too extensive. When M. du Mauduit obtained permission to be sent thither by Colonel Greene, he im- mediately set about reducing the fortifications by inter- secting them from east to west, which transformed them into a large redoubt nearly of a pentagonal form. A good earthen rampart raised to the height of the cor- don, a fosse and an ahatis in front of the fosse consti- tuted the whole strength of this post, in which were placed three hundred men and fourteen pieces of can- non." The authors of the "New Jersey Historical Col- lections" assert that a great portion of the garrison were negroes and mulattoes and all were in a ragged, destitute condition.

destroyed, they.imagined that they had driven the Americans away, and, waving their hats and with shouts of victory, rushed toward the redoubt, led by the officer and drummer

OUT

MAIN

FORT

RIVER

FORT MERCER.

PLAN OF FORT MERCER, AT REO BANK, NEW JERSEY.

References.

A. End of the fort at which the Hessiane entered.

B. Small ditch, cross embankment and location of the masked bat- tery.

C. Remains of the hickory-tree used during the battle as a flag staff.

D. Ruios of a brick wall in the middle of the artificial bank .- Gate- way.

E. Count Dooop's grave.

F. Louis Whitall's house.

G. Monument, erected in 1829.

H. Pleasure-house.

I. Marke of the trenches in which the slaio were deposited.

K. Road the Hessians marched to the attack .- Reeve's old road.

L. Teaant House.

M. Road to Woodbury.

N. Direction of Fort Mifflin.

0. Farm Road.

NOTE .- The works represented extend about 350 yards io a right line.

who had previously communicated with Greene under the flag of truce. According to the account given by the Marquis de

DELAWARE

WORKS

THE WAR OF THE REVOLUTION.

Chastellux, who received it from M. du Ples- sis Mauduit, " they had already reached the abatis and were endeavoring to tear up or cut away the branches when they were over- whelmed with a shower of musket-shot, which took them in front and flank ; for, as chance would have it, a part of the courtine of the old entrenchment, which had not been destroyed, formed a projection at this very part of the intersection." M. du Mauduit had contrived to form it into a sort of ca- poniere (or trench with loop-holes), into which he threw some men, who flanked the enemy's left and fired on them at close shot. Officers were seen every moment rallying their men, marching back to the abatis and falling amidst the branches they were endeavoring to cut. Colonel Donop was particularly dis- tinguished by the marks of the order he wore, by his handsome figure and by his courage. He was also seen to fall like the rest. The Hessians, repulsed by the fire of the redoubt, attempted to secure themselves by attacking on the side of the escarpment, but the fire from the galleys sent them back with a great loss of men. At length they relinquished the attack and regained the woods in disorder.

" While this was passing on the north side, an- other column made an attack on the south, and more fortunate than the other, passed the abattis, traversed the fosse and mounted the berm, but they were stopped by the fraises, and M. du Mau- duit running to this post as soon as he saw the first assailants give way, the others were obliged to follow their example. They still did not dare, however, to stir out of the fort, fearing a surprise, but M. du Mauduit, wishing to replace some pali- sades that had been torn up, he sallied out with a few men and was surprised to find about twenty Hessians standing on the berm and stuck up against the shelf of the parapet. These soldiers, who had been bold enough to advance thus far- sensible that there was more risk in returning and not thinking proper to expose themselves- were taken and brought into the fort. M. du Mauduit . . . again sallied out with a detach- ment, and it was then that he beheld the deplora- ble spectacle of the dead and dying heaped one

upon another. A voice arose from these carcases and said in English : ' Whoever you are, draw me hence.' It was the voice of Colonel Donop. M. du Mauduit made the soldiers lift him up and carry him into the fort, where he was soon known. He had his hip broken, but whether they did not consider his wound as mortal, or that they were heated by the battle and still irritated at the men- aces thrown out against them a few hours before, the Americans could not help saying aloud, ' Well, is it determined to give no quarter?' 'I am in your hands,' replied the colonel. 'You may re- venge yourselves.' M. du Manduit had no diffi- culty in imposing silence and employed himself only in taking care of the wounded officer. The latter, perceiving he spoke bad English, said to him : ' Yon appear to me a foreigner, sir; who are you?' 'A French officer,' replied the other. 'Je suis content,' said Donop, making use of our lan- guage, 'Je meurs entre les mains de l'honneur meme' (I am content; I die in the hands of honor itself.)"

Donop was first taken to the Whitall 1 res- idence, just below the fort, and afterwards to the home of the Lowes, south of Woodbury Creek, where he died three days after the battle, saying to M. du Mauduit in his last moments : " It is finishing a noble career early ; but I die the victim of my ambition and the avarice of my sovereign." To Col- onel Clymer he said : "See in me the vanity of all human pride ! I have shone in all the courts of Europe, and now I am dying here

1 Mickle and Lossing insist on the truth of the anec- dote concerning Mrs. Ann Whitall. It runs that when the hattle hegun she was spinning in an upper room of the house. She had refused to leave it. Presently a shot from one of the British vessels crashed through the wall and lodged in a partition near where she was sitting, whereupon she carefully removed her whecl to the cellar and continued at her work until the wounded were brought to the house and she was called upon to attend them. The Whitalls were Friends and their peace doctrines were incomprehensible to Du Mauduit. He thought Mr. Whitall was a Tory and therefore or- dered his barn torn down and his orchard destroyed. The old house stands a short distance south from the fort and close to the river-hank. It is a hrick structure, and is now one hundred and thirty-eight years old, as appears from the date of its erection cut in the north end, where the characters "J. A. W." (James and Anna Whitall) may still be seen.

HISTORY OF CAMDEN COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

on the banks of the Delaware in the house of an obscure Quaker."

The loss of the Americans was fourteen killed, twenty-seven wounded and a captain taken prisoner while reconnoitering. Some of these casualties were due to the bursting of a cannon in the fort. The Hessians lost Lieutenant-Colonel Miugrode, three captains, four lieutenants and near seventy privates killed, and Count Donop, his brigade-major, a captain, lieutenant and upwards of seventy non-commissioned officers and privates wound- ed and made prisoners. The Hessians' slain were buried in the fosse south of the fort. Count Donop was interred near the spot where he fell and a stoue placed over him with

(then in the British service), at Red Bank, on the 22d Octo., 1777. Among the wounded was found their commander, Count Donop, who died of his wounds and whose body lies interred near the spot where he fell."

This is the inscription on the west side,- " A number of the New Jersey and Pennsylva- nia Volunteers, being desirous to perpetuate the memory of the distinguished officers and soldiers who fought and bled in the glorious struggle for American Independence, have erected this monu- ment on the 22d day of Octo., A.D. 1829."

After their overwhelming repulse the Hes- sians retreated hastily towards Coopers Fer- ry. The main body went by way of Clem- ent's Bridge, some by way of Black wood- town, and some by Chews Landing, near

MUD ISLAND, 1777.

the inscription, "Here lies buried Count Donop."

Greene's defense of the fort was highly ap- planded and Congress ordered the Board of War to present him with a handsome sword, which was sent to his family after the War, he having been murdered by Tory dragoons under Colouel Delancy at his quarters near Croton River, Westchester County, N. Y. On the anniversary of the battle of Red Bank in 1829 a marble monument, which had been erected by the contributions of New Jersey and Pennsylvania Volunteers, was unveiled within the northern line of the out- works of the fort aud within a few feet of the margin of the Delaware. On its southi side was inseribed,-

"This monument was erected on the 22d Octo., 1829, to transmit to Posterity a grateful remem- brance of the Patriotism and gallantry of Lieuten- ant-Colonel Christopher Greene, who, with 400 men, conquered the Hessian army of 2000 troops

where, it is stated on the authority of Mickle, they were met by a company of farmers' boys and held at bay for some time. This detachment had with them a brass cannon, which they are supposed to have thrown into Timber Creek at Clement's Bridge.

Judge Clement has recently made the fol- lowing addition to his reminiscences :

" Martin Cox, a blacksmith, who plied his call- ing at Chews Landing, was an enthusiastic Whig, and repaired the various arms used by the soldiers. The day of the battle of Red Bank he started for the tort to return a number of muskets to the troops of that place, but finding that he could not reach there by reason of the advance guard of the Hessians, he buried them uear by. He did not return after the battle, and they were left in the ground where he had placed them for many years, and a tradition in his family explains the cause of their being there when found."

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The history of Camden county, New Jersey, Part 8

Author: Prowell, George Reeser, 1849-1928 Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Philadelphia : Richards Number of Pages: 1220

Author: Prowell, George Reeser, 1849-1928
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Philadelphia : Richards
Number of Pages: 1220