manded in the emergency. At Bound Brook a strong redoubt was con-
structed, commanding the bridge over that miry little stream, just north
of the present railroad-crossing, looking to any attack to be made from
the way of New Brunswick. Having taken, in this way, all possible
precaution against surprise, he felt strong to abide the issue of events.
The result justified his sagacity as a military tactician. . . . On the apex
of the Round Top, on the left of the gorge in which Chimney Rock
stands, there are yet to be seen rude remains of a hut which Washington
sometimes frequented during those anxious months of 1777. On the east
side of the gorge, also, fronting the plain north of Middlebrook, there is
a rock which has been named ' Washington Rock,' because there he
often stood to gaze anxiously upon the scene it overlooks. On the moun-
tain west of Plainfield, also, there is a very large rock which has received
the same appellation."
The last-named point (which is more generally
known than the other as "Washington's Rock") is on
the mountain-side, near the top, not far from and in
full sight of the railroad-station of Dunellen, in a
northeasterly direction. It is a very commanding
position, from which may be obtained an unob-
structed view of the whole valley and adjacent coun-
try for many miles. This, like the other, has received
its name from the tradition that the American gen-
eral-in-chief often visited it for purposes of observa-
tion.
The army of Washington, at the time wdien it
moved from Morristown to Middlebrook, was about
eight thousand four hundred strong, including cavalry
and artillery. But of these more than two thousand
were sick, and this, with other causes, reduced his ef-
fective strength to five thousand seven hundred and
thirty-eight men, rank and file. This number, how-
ever, was soon afterwards very considerably increased
by accessions from beyond the Delaware, for orders
had been issued for all troops in the field, as far
south as the Carolinas, to rendezvous in New Jersey.
When the movement to Middlebrook was made, Gen.
Sullivan, who had succeeded Gen. Putnam in com-
me there are many porsons out now upon the same business, chiefly in
Sussex County. ... I should have sent after them myself, but have so
lew troops now here thought proper not to spare them, but wait your
directions."
The [otter from Col. Beavers referred to in the above, dated March 29,
1777, complained of certain officers of tho Hunterdon battalion in this
language: "This is the second time the other field-officers and mysolf
have met on tbe orders you have sent me, and can do nothing, as throe
of the captains of ibis battalion refuse to act; nor havo thoy warned a
until in their companies on either of tho orders,— to wit: Capt. Shenard,
Capt, Meddler, and Oapt. Oline."
* By Bev. Dr. Messier, in his History of Somerset County, p. 8:1.
f Hon. Italph Voorhces, " Our Home," p. 495.
mand at Princeton, had about fifteen hundred
troops under him at that place. He subsequently
retreated to the Delaware River, but again ad-
vanced to the line of the Sourland Hills, along
the southern border of Hunterdon County, and
while in this position, waiting to co-operate with
Washington in case of an engagement, his forces
were considerably augmented by the arrival of troops
from the South, moving northward under the order
before mentioned. Gen. Benedict Arnold, command-
ing at Philadelphia, was ordered to station a force on
the New Jersey side of the Delaware, to do what
might be done to prevent the British from crossing
that river, in case they should succeed in escaping
from Washington and Sullivan.
The British army in and about New Brunswick had
been reinforced until it numbered about seventeen
thousand effective men, a force far outnumbering that
of Washington, including the corps of observation
under Sullivan. Moreover, the British force was
largely made up of veterans and was finely equipped,
while a large proportion of the American army was
composed of raw militia not well provided with
equipments and clothing. The position occupied
by Washington, however, was very strong by nature
and fortified to some extent, and his location was
such that he could at once take advantage of a move-
ment of the enemy, whether he should advance to-
wards the Delaware or retire towards the Hudson ;
for he was still in doubt as to the intention of the
British commander, — whether it was to move directly
on Philadelphia by land, to return his troops to Am-
boy, there to embark and proceed by sea and the Del-
aware Bay to reach the same objective-point, or to
move up the Hudson River to co-operate with Gen.
Burgoyne, who was then reported to be moving south-
ward from Canada by way of Lake Champlain.
In a little more than two weeks after Gen. Wash-
ington occupied the heights of Middlebrook the
British commander began to unmask his designs.
Leaving a force of about two thousand men under
Gen. Matthew in New Brunswick, the main body of
the British army, in two divisions, under Lord Corn-
wallis and Gen. De Heister respectively, moved out
at about midnight of the 13th of June, and marched
rapidly by two routes towards Middlebush and Som-
erset Court-house, which last-named place was reached
by the division of Cornwallis before sunrise in the
morning of the 14th, while De Heister, having taken
a more southerly and circuitous route,t arrived at
Middlebush at about the same time. Both divisions
| "Gen. Cornwallis, in marching with his division to Millstone, took
the Amwell road, which then came into the Princeton road but a short
distance above the Mile Run Brook near New Brunswick, which ho fol-
lowed until he reached Millstone, while Gen. Do Hoistor followed tho one
running along the west bank of tho Raritan for more than three miles
until lie camo to tho Van Duyn place, where ho turned to tho left and
followed tho road leading from thence into the Amwell road, a few yards
oust of tho present Middlebush church, about half a mile west of which
ho encamped with his troops." — lion. Ralph Voorliew.
Ill YI'IIKHOX AM) SO.MKIiSKT ('(UNTIKS IN T1IK REVOLUTION.
65
threw up earthworks 11 of considerable strength. The
object ofthe British genera] was tosevei communica-
tion between Gen. Sullivan and the main body ofthe
American army, and, if possible, to tempi Gen.
Washington to move down from his almost impreg-
nable position and give battle to the British on ground
of their own choosing. But the American general
could not be so lured from his stronghold among the
hills. Hemerelj advanced his forces to the south side
of the mountain, and made all preparations to fight
on thai ground if he should I"- attacked ; but beyond
this In- 'lid not go, for the chances in a battle upon the
plain would have I d too much in favor ofthe enemy.
At the sa time, Sullivan's force laj in the neighbor-
hood of dovcr Hill awaiting events and receiving
large accessions from the - 'ces before mentioned.
The two British divisions continued to hold their
positions on the Millstone and at Middlebush for five
days, vainly defying Washington to come down and
fight them. During this time Cornwallis' men plun-
dered the inhabitants at and in the yicinity of Som-
i jet i lourt-house, and set fire to the Presbyterian and
Dutch churches there, though the buildings were not
destroyed. A number of farm-houses were burned.
On tlir 1 '. ' r 1 1 of June, the British general having
found it impossible to entice Washington from his
stronghold in the hills, the troops of Cornwallis and
De Heister suddenly evacuated the positions they
had held during the preceding five days and ved
rapidly hark to New Brunswick. "When Gen. De
Eeister's army left Middlebush, tradition states that
1 1 1 • \ attempted to burn everj building between that
place and New Brunswick, Some of the fires were
put out. and some buildings failed to take fire."t
Yet a very large amount of damage was done by the
retiring Hessians. .Judge Voorhees, in the paper
above quoted from, gives the names of the several suf-
ferers, with their losses, as follows: Garret Voorhees,
of Bliddlebush, dwelling-house, six room-, entry, and
kitchen, bur I. with other property destroyed and
stolen, amounting in all to four hundred and fifty-
one pounds seventeen shillings eight pence; Peter
Rapalye, dwelling-house forty-two by thirty feet,
kitchen twenty-four bj twenty-four, weave-house
fourteen by eighteen, barn forty-two by forty-eight.
burned, and other losses, aggregating three hundred
and ninety-three pound- ; John Spader, on the oppo-
site side of the Amwell mad, kitchen and barn burned,
value two hundred and twenly - i\ pounds -i\t,on
shillings eight pence; Hendrick Bergen, on same
road, g l frame house destroyed and other property
* "Two earthen tbrUflcations "i redouble wore throw n op,
(he Amwoll rood In Mlddlelmsh, a few I n fthe
present Mr. Wo ilsoy, anothor, about two hundrod and fiftg yards south of
the first, near 1 1 â– - - railroad, two othei IbrtMi
last-named i>\ Oot nwallls] on the land "f the present John V, '
hi Hlllstone, ii few yards « rhej have all I n loreled
by the ploweharo, so thai tl its loft." Hon. Ralph
i ■• Oi n ■' I
! Ii.ia, p, 198.
taken, value three hundred and Beventy-one pounds
nineteen shillings three pence; Johannes Van Liew,
near New Brunswick, house, outhouses, and hams
burned, valued at five hundred and nini
i shillings five pence. Others win. suffered
n or less severely during tin- stay of the II' ssians
iii Middlebush and on their withdrawal to New
Brunswick were .John Wyckoff, Cornelius Van Ang-
hii. Peter Wyckoff, Philip Pulkerson, John Stothotf,
Abraham Van 1 loren, and Berdus < rarretson.
Three days after < lornwallis and J >e Heister retired
from Hillsborough and Middlebush to New Bruns-
wick that place was evacuated June 22d by the
w hole British army, which then eon need it- retreat
towards Amboy. Anticipating this movement, Wash-
ington had made his dispositions accordingly, detach-
ing three brigades under Gen. Gi isa their
rear, sending orders to Gen. Sullivan to move down
in all haste with his division in co-operate with
Greene, and directing Gen. Maxwell to fall on their
Sank; but his plan- did not succeed, for Sullivan,
having received his order at a late hour and being a
long distance away, was unable to join ( Ireene in time
to be of service, while the orders sent to Gen. Maxwell
were not received at all by that officer, the courier by
whom they were sent either having deserted or being
captured by the enemy. Morgan with Ids ritl u
gave the retreating troop- considerable annoyance,
attacking them at sunrise on the 22d as they were
about leaving Now Brunswick. Wayne came up and
joined in the attack, driving the enemy from some
redoubts on the hill west of Brunswick, after which
they crossed the Etaritan and retreated rapidly, but
in good order and with gnat caution, to Anilmy,
reaching there with very little his-, for their rear-
guard was too strong for the thr.-e brigades under
(ireene to make much impression upon them. Gen.
Howe, in hi- report of the operations, said, in refer-
ence to the attack before referred to as having been
made by Wayne and Morgan, —
"Upon quilting the <-jnu|> ;ii liiunswi.lv th.' enamj brought a few
troups forward, with tn three pleoesof can y fired at
without the lea t< my return from us.
They also pushed some battailous Into the w 1- to harass the rear, whero
Lord Cornwallis commanded, who soon dispersed them with the loss of
only i«e men kUlod and thirteen wounded, tin- enemy having uluo
killed mi. t about thirty worn
The retreat of Howe'- fores from New Brunswick
to \niiioy is spoken of by Lossing} as a stratagem
intended only to indue,- Washington to withdraw his
army from it- strong position in the hill- at Middle-
rthoBeToluUon,"Tol.l p.331: "Vailing to draw Wash-
ington (torn lit- pool i.\ till, manoeuvre [the moTemenl "f OornwalUsto
w n i- v. hi. 1, suo-
i . on- it.l.iit-t i.. Nea Brunswick, and than
i., amboy, si Partly
rements, and hoping I
iltor the
, and also advanood v/Hh his whole force to Quibbletowo
Ht« or -,v mil ik. Tlil« was ox-
actij what Howe destnd to accomplish. . . ."
66
HUNTERDON AND SOMERSET COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.
brook. But Howe in his report does not support such
a belief. In reference to that part of his operations,
he says, —
"On finding their [the Americans] intention to keep a position which
it would not have been prudent to attack, I determined, without loss of
time, to pursue the principal objects of the campaign by withdrawing
the army from Jersey, and in consequence of this determination returned
to the camp at Brunswick on the 19th, and marched from thence to Am-
boy on the 22d, intending to cross to Slaten Island, from whence the em-
barkation was to take place."
This shows that it was not his object to deceive the
American commander, but to move his army to Staten
Island for embarkation ; and it seemed evident that
Washington believed such to be the case, for soon af-
ter sending Green in pursuit and dispatching orders
to Sullivan to inarch down and join him he withdrew
his army from the heights of Middlebrook, and
moved it forward to Quibbletown (now New Market),
a position far weaker and more exposed than the one
which it had previously occupied.
The intelligence that Washington had left his forti-
fied camp in the hills was brought to Gen. Howe af-
ter his troops had arrived at Amboy and part of them
had crossed to Staten Island. And then he con-
ceived the idea of making a sudden retrograde move-
ment back towards Quibbletown, hoping to surprise
Washington in his new and weaker position, to bring
on the general engagement for which he had been
manoeuvring since the 14th, and, by turning the
American left, to gain the hills of Middlebrook in
their rear. These facts' are made clear by the follow-
ing extract from his report, — viz. :
"The necessary preparations being finished for crossing the troops to
Staten Island, intelligence was received that the enemy had moved down
from the mountain [Middlebrook Heights] aud taken post at Quibble-
town, intending, as it was given out, to attack tho rear of the army re-
moving from Amboy ; thai twc corps had also advanced to their left, —
one of three thousand men and eight pieces of cannon, under the com-
mand of Lord Stirling, Gens. Maxwell and Conway, the last said to be a
captain in the French service; the other corps consisted of about seven
hundred men, with only one piece of cannon. In this situation of tho
enemy it was judged advisable to make a movement that might lead to
an attack, which was done on the 20th, in the morning, in two columns.
The right, under command of Lord Cornwallis and Maj.-Gen. Grant,
Brigadiers Matthew and Leslie, and Col. Donop, took the route by Wood-
bridge towards Scotch Plains; the left column, where I was, with Maj.-
Gens. Sterne, Vaughan, and Grey, and Brigadiers Cleveland and Aguew,
marched by Metuchen Meeting-house to join the roar of the right column
in tho road from thence to Scotch Plains, intending to have taken sepa-
rate routes, about two miles after the junction, in order to have attacked
the enemy's loft at Quibbletown. Four battalions were detached iu the
morning, with six pieces of cannon, to take post at Bonhamtown. The
right column, having fallen in witli tho aforementioned corps of sevon
hundred men soon after passing Woodbridge, gave tho alarm, by the fir-
ing that ensued, to their main army at Quibbletown, which retired to the
mountain with the utmost precipitation. The small corps was closely
pushed by the light troops, and with difficulty got off their piece of
cannon."
The above statement by Howe explains his retro-
grade movement and its objects pretty clearly. Hav-
ing become aware of Washington's advance, he caused
that part of the forces which had already crossed to
Staten Island to be moved back during the night of
the 25th, and early in the morning of Thursday, the
20th, marched his columns back towards New Market
in the manner stated. " But the resistance they en-
countered at every stage of their advance was dis-
heartening in the extreme. Nearly every cross-road
had its squad of pugnacious militia, which poured its
deadly volleys into the splendid columns of the well-
equipped troops." At Woodbridge, Cornwallis fell in
with Morgan's Rangers (the American " corps of seven
hundred men, with one piece of cannon," mentioned
by Howe), and a severe skirmish ensued, in which, of
course, the Rangers were compelled to give way before
the heavy masses of the enemy. But the sound of
their fusillades was borne to the ears of Washington,
who instantly understood its meaning, and without
delay moved his main force back from Quibbletown
to its former secure position on the heights of Middle-
brook.
The British right, under Cornwallis, was soon after
engaged with the troops of Lord Stirling, which fight
was thus reported by Howe :
"Lord Cornwallis, soon after he was upon the road leading to Scotch
Plains from Metuchen Meeting-house, came up with the corps com-
manded by Lord Stirling, whom he found advantageously posted in a
country covered with wood, and his artillery well disposed. Tho king's
troops, vieing with each other upon this occasion, pressed forward to such
close action that the enemy, though inclined to resist, could not long
maintain their ground against so great impetuosity, but were dispersed
on all sides, leaving three pieces of brass ordnance, three captains and
sixty men killed, and upwards of two hundred officers and men wounded
aud taken."
The latter part of this statement is without doubt
an exaggeration, as Lord Stirling, although he ad-
mitted the loss of the three guns, mentioned only a
comparatively light loss in killed, wounded, and pris-
oners. He was, however, compelled to retreat before
the heavy British force,* which pursued him over the
hills as far as Westfield.f The soldiers of both armies
were in a state of almost complete exhaustion from
the intense heat of the day, but when the British col-
umns arrived at Westfield they found that their out-
ward march was ended, for Washington had escaped
and his army was once more posted in security beyond
their reach. " Looking towards the hills, the weary
soldiers saw that Washington had made his camp
among them, having forsaken Quibbletown and all
the plain. Every movement was in view of the
American commander ; for, taking his position on
* The forces encountered by Lord Stirling on this occasion were com-
posed of three regiments of Hessian grenadiers, one regiment of British
grenadiers, one British regiment of light infantry, the Hessian chasseurs,
aud the Queen's Rangers. Stirling also knew that tho heavier column,
under Howe, was close in tho rear and would soon reinforce Cornwallis;
iu which event his (Stirling's) command must have been cut to pieces
had he attempted to hold his ground.
f " The enemy," said Howe in his report, " was pursued as far as West-
field with little effect, the day proving so intensely hot that the soldiers
could with difficulty continue their march thither. In the mean time
it gave opportunity for those flying to escape by skulking in the thick
woods until night favored their retreat to the mountain. The army lay
that night at Westfield, returned the next day to Hallway, and the day
following to Amboy. On the :10th, at ton o'clock in tho forenoon, tho
troops began to cross over to Staten Island, and the rear-guard, under the
command of Lord Cornwallis, passed at two in the afternoon without tho
least appeurance of an enemy."
HUNTERDON AND SOMERSET COUNTIES IN THE REVOLUTION.
67
the bold bluff now so well known as ' Washington's
Rock,' he was able to distinguish any important man-
oeuvre the foe might choose to make. It was three
o'clock mi Friday afternoon [June 27th] that the
English generals, seeing Washington's impregnable
position, tiink up their line of march from Westfield
In A inlmy, assaulted Hank ami rear b\ Sciitl - j lit
Eorse and Morgan's Rangers. They encamped that
night at Spanktown [Rah way]. The next day, har-
assed a - I iel i ire, they resumed their reheat and arrived
nt Amboy, from which, on the last day of June, they
departed, leaving New Jersey in possession of the
American army. During the remainder of the war
the latter held Amboy, and the State was never again
so completely overrun with marauders and British
troops, although many parties entered it for pillage
from hostile camps in adjoining State-."
When the last of the British troops had left Amboy
and crossed to Staten Island, with the evident inten-
tion nf embarking on the ships of the fleet, lien.
Washington was in great doubt, and felt no little
anxiety as to their destination, — whether it was
Howe's intention to take the route by sea and the
Delaware Bay to Philadelphia, or to proceed up the
I [udson to co-operate with Burgoyne in his southward
advance down the upper valley of that river. As the
latter seemed rather the re probable, the American
armj - t after evacuated it- position at Middlebrook
and moved northward to Pompton Plains, where, and
at other points between there and the Eludson, it was
statioiied until it was ascertained, about two weeks
later, that the British Heel, with the army t on board,
ha<l actually gone to sea With the apparent intention
of making b remenl against Philadelphia. There
upon the American army was again put in motion,
and proceeded 1>\ easj marches:] across the state,
through the counties of Somerset and Hunterdon, to
the Delaware River, which was reached by the heads
of his columns at three different points (Trenton,
Coryell's and Howell's Ferries on the 28th of July.
The -commander-in-chief moved with the ventre col-
umn tot 'ory ell's i Lambertville), from which place he
« role to the president of < 'ongress as follows :
"<*,. in lis li RRT, J|R81 v. Jul) 80, 1777.
"Sti;, [ dO ni\-'ll lie In. M. in I. .ml ynii the Inie
the twenty-eighth, at night, wltl I
which |i. I the over thai evening, thai t !â– .- whol Ighl encamp the
â– . i Woodbridge and Vicinity.
; 'ill. British Hi.. i loft Ni having on board Gen. Howe
iin.l tliiiu-M\ British and I i -. Including light Infantry
and grenadlora, with a poworful artlllory t o N died the
Queen's Bangers, and u rogl in hie ■•! the
army was divided botween New ^ ork and B
MS,
J Waahington iliil nol move towardi 1 1 â– - - Delaware I
fni In- dill had a suspicion thai Howe's going to i a mi mere]) â– t. Int,
and that his real Intention was to return and pi I np the H
which ens.- the American armj would be compelled to march back again,
and, In any ovent, Washington know thai he had more than sufficient
u in roach Philadelphia tn adi mi ot Howe, when h should
eartain thai the latter was mail] moving against that city.
i Ii..n>iv. Gen. Stephen, with biaown and]
. i i.t How ill's Perry, foni n
"1 bavothougbl propel t" hall tho whole army al thesote
inn! .ii Ti i ni.. ii nil our know lodge
re cortaln. tf theS re now within two
march of Philadelphia, and can be tl In timi I
makeover^ -iinni. Oo the other hand,
ii Howe, by this expeditli n to is a deep feint, and
should turn bis attention again to the North Blvor, wi
. .. n. I'liininii'- lanny in ixpodltlously than if wewei
advanced.
"Tin. Importance of my receiving the earlieet Intelligence of tho fleet's
arrival Is apparent; and Congress, 1 im certain, will
ii, in. i ni ..1 ansmltUng II hi m< In the mi
in ii' authentic advice should be bad of the fleet's coming into
Delaware nt the same time that it i- communicated to me, it will tio
Stirling ..I tin- command-
ing officer hi Trenton, tn advance with nil tin- troops from thence.
siimilii tlii^ in.t I..- done, the marching of the troops there will be con-
delayed.
" 1 have ilii- honor t-< be, etc,
» . . v.
The next day he sent the following message :
"CoBYl i.">. .Inly 31, ten o'clock a.m.
"sii:.— 1 amtlilsmomest honoured with youreof Rvoo'clock thi- moru-
[ng,and have accordingly sel the armyl ition. One division had
. .1 llii- Ivlnwurc III.- diiy l...|.ip. y.-st.-i.l;iy ; Hint I mil in hopes Ilio
whole of tin. troops now inn. Mill bo able to reach Philadelphia lo- i-
row evening. Lord Stirilng'e .In Ision lies Jusl i 3 rear, and will more
on with us. E propo m as I can get the
in. . i...i 1 ..1 ii.. annj ovoi .