attempt to move rapidly, bul seemed rather to invite
an attack. On the 24th of June his column reached
I mlaj town.

Washington had suspected the design of the Brit-
ish commander to move his forces bj land to New
York, bul it was nol until Clinton's army was safely
across the Delaware thai he became certain thai such

would I"- the vement. \- soon as positive intel-

i, I,, e of the evacuation reached him he Benl Arnold
with a small force to occupy Philadelphia, and in the
afternoon of the 18th (the same daj on which the

British crossed into New Jersey), sis brigades,! -

prising the divisions of 1 In ene and W;n ne, forming
:i corps which was under command of Gen. Lee,t moved

"Ulstorj cf the OommonwoalUi of PounajrlYanla" lays (p.
LSS) ■• l"l on Hi" 24th.

t Qen, Ohnrli - 1 who

Bid ., ,, 1 D 03 Iho DrIUsli u

changed in Mny, 1778. for G ' Joined Iho »nny at Valloj

Barge, and wai rolnatatod In l"- old position :•- •• id In

an i' w a ihlnj ton.



towards the Delaware in pursuit. Passing through
Doylestown, Lee reached the river al Coryell's Ferry,
and crossed into New Jersey at that point in the night
of the 20th. On the same night Washington, who
followed with the remainder of the forces, encamped
;it Doylestown, and, resuming the inarch on the fol-
lowing day, crossed at Coryell's on the 22il.J From
( 'ory ell's the army moved over the highlands to Hope-
well, where Washington remained during the 28d.
At that point he detached six hundred riflemen, under

Morgan, to annoy the right Hank of the enemy, while

.Maxwell and Dickinson wen- engaged in the Bame
duty on his left. Lee's column had moved by a more
southern route, by way of Pennington, and thence to
Princeton. Washington's column, moving from Hope-
well, also passed Princeton, and the entire- tones con-
centrated at Kingston. It had been the intention of
the British general to move to the Raritan and embark
his troops al New Brunswick or Amboy, but when he
found Washington almost in his fronl at Kingston, be
turned to the right, taking the road leading to Free-
hold and Sand] Hook.

Of the battle and victory of Monmouth, which re-
sulted from the movements ahovc mentioned, it is not
intended to give a detailed description, for it i~ ;l mat-
ter of genera] history, and as such well known to all

readers. On the rningof June 28th the British

army, under 1 llinton, upied a strong position near

Min lit li Court-house, and Gen. Washington was

approaching it. When within some six miles of Clin-
ton he learned thai the latter had abandoned his po-
sition and was moving towards the coast On re-
ceipl of this intelligence he ordered the armj to
move on with rapidity, and sent directions to Lee, « ho
had the advance with about live thousand men. to use
all possible -peed to C 6 Up with the enemy, and

on doiiiLr so to attack him "unless then- are very
powerful reasons to the contrary," assuring him, at
the same time, thai the main body would coin.' up

a- rapidly a- pos-ilde to hi- support. Washington

then pre— ed on with the rear division of the army,
bul after marching some Sve miles learned, to his
surprise and alarm, thai Lee, having only delivered
volley into the ranks of the enemy, was al-
ready retreating with precipitation directly on the
rear dm 1 thereby cau m.; imminent dan ;orcf 1
general panic among the forces. Putting -pur- to his
horee, the general-in-chief hastened towards the scene
of disorder, and, meeting Lee, he sternly and severely



; Washington a an Congress as follows:

"Hi
I ham tha honooi el am Don In .i.-nwy.and

thattherj

ln,wopro-
og toward! Pi 1 ton, In order I

■ 11. no.

U W."



72



HUNTERDON AND SOMERSET COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.



reprimanded him* for his shameful conduct and or-
dered him instantly to turn back. He then dashed
among the flying troops and succeeded in rallying
them, and induced them to re-form and face the en-
emy. This occurred between twelve and one o'clock
in the day, and it was the turning-point in the con-
flict. Other troops soon came up ; Greene and Stir-
ling and " Mad Anthony" Wayne interposed their
divisions and became fiercely engaged ; and during
the remaining hours of that hot and sultry Sabbath
afternoon the battle raged at intervals with great fury
and with varying success, but in general favoring the
Americans, until darkness closed over Monmouth
Plain and ended the strife. The wearied soldiers of
Washington and Clinton rested on their arms, appa-
rently waiting for the light of a new day to recom-
mence the struggle. But at about midnight the Brit-
ish columns moved away in the darkness, so silently
that their flight was not detected by the Americans
until hours afterwards. " With silent steps column
after column left the camp and hurried towards Sandy
Hook. So secret was the movement, and so deep the
sleep of the patriots, that the troops of Gen. Poor,
lying close by the enemy, were ignorant of their de-
parture until at dawn they saw the deserted camp of
the enemy. They had been gone more than three
hours. Washington, considering the distance they
had gained, the fatigue of his men, the extreme heat
of the weather, and the deep sandy country, with but
little water, deemed pursuit fruitless, and Sir Henry
Clinton escaped. . . . The British army reached
Sandy Hook on the 30th, where Lord Howe's fleet,
having come round from the Delaware, was in readi-
ness to convey them to New York."f

The battle of Monmouth was one of the most se-
verely contested of the conflicts of the Revolution, and
in its result has always been regarded as a victory!
for the American arms. This view is sustained by the
fact that the British army stole away in the darkness,



* Lee answered Washington in a defiant manner, and after the batlle
UBed very disrespectful language tu him in two letters (dated June 29th
and 30th). For this disrespect to the commander-in-chief, as also on two
other charges, — viz., " Disobedience of orders in not attacking the onemy
on the 28th of June, agreeably to repeated instructions," and " Misbe-
havior before the enemy on the Banie day, by making an unnecessary,
disorderly, and shameful retreat," — he was tried by a court-rnartial con-
vened on the 4th of July at New Brunswick. It consisted of Maj.-Gen.
Lord Stirling (who wus the president), four brigadiers, and eight colonels.
On the 8th of August their decision was rendered, finding him guilty on
all tho charges, and sentencing him to be suspended from any and all
command in any of the armies of the United States for tho term of
twelve months. This finding was approved by Congress, and thereupon
Gen. Lee left the army and removed to Philadelphia, where he died four
years afterwards, never being again called into service.

f Lossing.

J That Washington so regarded it is shown by tho following extract
from his general ordor dated at Freehold on tho morning after tho
battle : " Tho commander-in-chief congratulates the army on tho victory
obtained over the arms of His Britannic Majesty, and thanks most
sincerely the gallant oliicers and men who distinguished themselves
upon this occasion, and such others as, by their good order and coolness,
gave tho happiest presage of what might have been expocted had they
come to action."



leaving Washington master of the field. Lossing
remarks? that the result might have been a complete
defeat for the British, and probably a surrender of
their army, if Washington had brought into the battle
the corps of riflemen under the redoubtable Morgan.
" For hours the latter was at Richmond Mills, three
miles below Monmouth, awaiting orders, in an agony
of desire to engage in the battle, for he was within
sound of its fearful tumult. To and fro he strode,
uncertain what course to pursue, and, like a hound in
the leash, panting to be away to action. ... It appears
probable that had he fallen on the British rear with
his fresh troops at the close of the day, Sir Henry
Clinton and his army might have shared the fate of
the British at Saratoga."

The New Jersey troops in the commands of Lord
Stirling and Gens. Dickinson and Maxwell (in which
were found nearly all the soldiers from Somerset and
Hunterdon Counties) behaved most gallantly at Mon-
mouth. Dickinson (who was in command of the Jer-
sey militia, including the battalion of Col. Freling-
huysen) displayed the greatest bravery. He and the
troops under him were commended by Gen. Wash-
ington in his general order, of the day after the battle,
in these words :

"Gen. Dickinson and the militia of this State are also thanked for
their nobleness in opposing the enemy on their march from Phila-
delphia, and for the aid which they have given in embarrassing and
impeding their motiouB so as to allow the Continental troops to come
up with them."

Maxwell commanded the Jersey Brigade of Conti-
nentals, which behaved with great gallantry during
the battle, and performed excellent service in annoy-
ing the enemy in his retreat to Sandy Hook, this bri-
gade, with Morgan's corps of riflemen, being sent for-
ward on this last-named duty on the morning of the
29th when the enemy's absence was discovered.

The departure of Clinton's army from Sandy Hook
left New Jersey free from the presence of armed ene-
mies upon her soil, and the militiamen of the State
were then allowed to return to their homes, to re-
main until some other exigency should require them
to be again called to the field. The army of Wash-
ington was moved from Monmouth to and across the
Hudson River, and took position in Westchester Co.,
N. Y., awaiting developments as to the intentions of
the British commander, who was quartered in New
York City. The headquarters of Washington were at
White Plains, from which point he narrowly watched
Gen. Clinton, suspecting it to be the design of the
latter to move into the New England States. " Sir
Henry gave currency to the reports that such were his
intentions until Washington moved his headquarters
to Fredericksburg, near the Connecticut line, and
turned his attention decidedly to the protection of the
eastern coast. Clinton then sent foraging-parties into



' Field-Book of the Revolution," vol. ii. p. 3G4.



BUNTERDON AND SOMERSET COUNTIES IN THE REVOLUTION.



7:5



New Jersey, and ravaged the whole country from the
Hudson i" the Raritan and beyond."*

Finally, being convinced thai the enemy had no
designs on New England, Washington resolved to
place bis army in winter quarters at different points
and in the most advantageous positions. This was done
in December, 1778. The dispositions were made as
follows : Five brigades were cantoned on the easl side
of the Hudson; one brigade at West Point; oneal
Smith's Cove, mar Baverstraw ; one at Elizabeth-
town; and Beven brigades al and in the vicinity of
Middlebrook, Somerset 1 "<>. ; the reserve artillery was
quartered at Pluckamin. What has usually been
tcrmcil the " camp al M iddlel.rook" was composed of
three distinct cantonments, tin the smith side of the
Raritan River, west of the Millstone road, and south
of the residence of the late John Garreteon, was
lurai.. 1 the encampment of the First, Second, and
Seventeenth Regiments of Pennsylvania troops, form-
ing the division of Gen. Anthony Wayne. A smaller
cantonment was established along the hillside cast of
the gorjrc in wliieli Chimnov Itock stands. It is not
clear as to who were the occupants of this encamp-
ment. One account States that they were marly or
quite all officers of the Beveral brigades, but this \a
improbable. The largest body of troops, in which
was included the division of Gen. Greene, occupied a
camping-ground on the northeast -lope of Mount
Pleasant, on lands of Derick Van Veghten, between
Chimney Rock and the site of the present village of
Somerville. The ground on which the encampment
was located was then coded with a very heavy
growth of tiiulier. which is probably the reason why
it was -elected, for the forest would furnish tire-wood
and logs for the erection of huts for the soldiers, while
such part of it as was aot felled for these purposes
would form a very desirable protection against the
winter « inds.

For nearly two months after the arrival of the army
al this place the soldiers had only tint- to >licltcr

them, but they were soon ael at work building cabins,

which does not appear to have been accomplished by

them with a- i h rapidity a- similar work was

done b) the armies in the 1. 1 1 m war of the Rebellion,
for it was not until February that the) were completed

and occupied, a- appear- bj the following extract

from Thatcher's " Military Journal," viz.:

wry [1779,] — Having continued to live nndot
1 1 of ii"- w Intor, we utn e ml

havo Ighl w.-.-k-

in constructing log huts, which atdength .- I i-.Ui ..tti-

tro now Linderc Ibrtablo covering for thi

Ol tllO WlutOl l with the trunks of trees eat

Intovorlou ten ths, In I Ut I Intended, and are flnnlj con-

mltlea in the met ■( dovotalllng,

The vacancies between tli n with plastering

..t inn. 1 an. 1 . 1,0 1 ■ : me 1 ■■! i lot i h

sovered with 1.- v. tilmnev, iltui 1 1 ind .if tin.

iinil.ii butamalloi tlmbora, snd botlt Iho Innerand
iverod w Itb 1 1.0 pin






. 1 door ami window .. t ..f the

luge of a proper Bute, and mot i wooden binges. In tin- manner

imv ir soldiers without nail-, mi. 1 almost nithonl tooif ex< epl the axe

provided forthelrofficeraand for themselves convenient
fortable quartern vdth little or no expense to tin- public The huts are
arranged in straight ' village,

line, according to their
rank, the kitcheni in tin- rear, an. I tin- whole is similar in form I

encam] nt Thi ■ ! * of tile

soldiers' li f I"" b, an. I Is

every i Ing swept clean for tin- pu ti :r I and r..U-

csll "i tin- reepei tlvi ".-nil .li-

M.I..I int. in. ai.artiii.nl d l-ythr r l-.ur officers,

,■ l. , ,, hi ..11.' r.-.in, aii.l
tain t.n ..1 twelve 111. -ii. with their cabins placed one shove the other

<_ dOSt Hi' wall- an. I lill-.l will, -llaw.ali.l OUS I. lank, t fol BBCh Ulan.

I In.w ... .n|.\ a lint with .mi li.l.l-'li" ' a- Hr.'llt,

lieriweather."

"In Washington Valley," says Dr. Messier, "just

ea-t ol' the road a- it ri-e- up from the gorge In-lowto
the level of the BUITOUnding country, artillery was
placed, and a fort erected a i\-w hundred yard- to the

northwest, to defend their position from any attack

by way of the opening of the valley at Pluckamin.

The remain- of this earthwork are still \ i-ililc in

degree. There was also along the old Raritan road,

ea-t of the road which cm - e- tl Id bridge Over tile

Raritan River, a number of mechanic-shops, where
repairing of ambulances, shoeing of horses, and -itch

other operation- ;i- an necessary in connection witli
.imv and a military encampment were done.

The-,- -hop-, as w ell as the camp-ground on Mount
Pleasant, were on the land of Derick Van Veghten,
ami of course lie -11 lie re. I m ..re damage in hi- property

than any Other individual in the vicinity. His wood-
land was cut down for buildin<r the hut- ; it was used
tor fuel, and for any other objects connected with the

comfort of the troop-; hut he limv the damage like a
That he ever received any compensation is

nowhere affirmed in any document, or even in any

tradition- coming down to u- from the remembrances
of these times. . . . The old Abraham Staats house,
just below Bound Brook, on the east Bide of the turn-
pike and near the river, in which I'.aroii Steiihen had

his winter quarters in 177* 7:1. -land- yet in a com-
fortable -tatc of preservation. Here that noble Prus-
sian, whose hoc nf liberty induced him to give the
aid of hi- personal influence to our almost fainting
cause, -hpt and thought and planned during those

Ion": winter nights when hope had hardlv yet dawned

upon the struggling efforts tor American liberty."

I > 1 1 r i 1 1 -_r the time that the army remained at Mi. 1. 11c-

hr.nik. t leu. Washington and hi- lady occupied apart-
ments which had hecn especially fitted up tor their
Use in the then unfinished house of Caleb Miller,

which i> still standing and in good repair in the west

part of the village of Somerville, near the place win- re

the railroad crosses the road leading to Raritan vil-

1 ■ upied at that time by the com-

mander-in-chief now remains in precisely the same

condition in which it was when he left it. It w a- from
thi- bouse that till his orders ami dispatches dated



u



HUNTERDON AND SOMERSET COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.



" Headquarters, Middlebrook" were issued during the
winter and spring of 1778-79, and it was also in this
house that he conceived and matured the plans for
the expedition which, under command of Gen. Sulli-
van, moved from Easton, Pa., by way of Tioga Point,
into the country of the Six Nations in 1779, and in-
flicted summary punishment on those tribes for their
share in the atrocities of Wyoming and Cherry Valley.
One of the orders issued by the commander-in-chief
from these headquarters, and bearing date Feb. 6,
1779, was as follows :

"The commander-in-chief approves the order issued by Major-Gen.
Lord Stirling* during his command at the camp, and thanks him for the
endeavor to preserve order and discipline, and the property of the farm-
ers in the vicinity of the camp. He doubts not but the officers of every
rank, from a just sense of the importance of securing to others the bless-
ings they themselves are contending for, will use their utmost vigilance
to maintain those privileges and prevent abuses, and nothing can redound
more to their personal honor and the reputation of their respective corps.
" Alexander Scammix,
" Adjt.-Gen."

But neither general orders nor the efforts of the
officers proved effectual in preventing the depreda-
tions of the soldiery on the inhabitants, until finally
the sternest repressive measures became necessary,
and were adopted, as is shown by the following ex-
tract from Thatcher's "Military Journal," it being an
account of a military execution which took place
within the lines at this place for the crimes indicated,
— viz.:

"April 20 th [1779].— Five soldiers were conducted to the gallows, ac-
cording to their sentence, for the crimes of desertion and robbing the
inhabitants. A detachment of troops and a coneuurso of people formed a
circle around the gallows, and the criminals were brought in a cart sit-
ting on their coffins and halters about their necks. While in this awful
situation, trembling on the verge of eternity, three of them received a
pardon from the commander-in-chief, who is always tenderly disposed to
spare the lives of his soldiers. They acknowledged the justice of their
sentence and expressed their warmest thankful ness and gratitude for their
merciful pardon. The two others were obliged to submit to their fate.
One of them was accompanied to the fatal spot by an affectionate brother,
which rendered the scene uncommonly distressing and forced tears of
compassion from the eyeB of numerous spectators. They repeatedly em-
braced and kissed each other with all the fervor of brotherly love, and
would not be separated until the executioner was obliged to perform his
duty; when, with a flood of tears and mournful lamentations, they bade
each other an eternal adieu, the criminal trembling under the horrors of
an untimely and disgraceful death, and the brother overwhelmed with
Borrow and anguish for one whom he held most dear."

The camp of the artillery brigade was located, as
has been already mentioned, at Pluckamin, which was
also the headquarters of Gen. Knox; and there, on
the 18th of February, was given, under the auspices
of that general and his subordinate officers of the ar-
tillery, a grand ball and supper, in celebration of the
first anniversary of the signing of the treaty of alli-
ance between France and the United States. The
affair, which appears to have been a brilliant one, was

* Having reference to an order which had boon previously issued by
Lord Stir 1 1 Tif directing Unit strict attention be paid to a certain resolution
ol Congress: u That all officers in the army of the United States bo hereby
strictly enjoined to see that tho good and wholesome rules provided for
the discontinuance of protaneneas and vice and the preservation of morals
among the soldiers are duly and punctually observed."



thus noticed in one of the public journals of the
time :

" The anniversary of our alliance with France was celebrated on the
18th ultimo at Pluckamin at a very elegant entertainment and display
of fireworks given by Gen. Knox and the officers of the corps of artil-
lery. It was postponed to this late dayf on account of the commander-
in-chief being absent from the camp. Geu. Washington, the principal
officers of the army, with Mrs. Washington, Mrs. Greene, Mrs. Knox,
and the ladies and gentlemen of a large circuit round the camp, were of
the company. Besides these, there was a vast concourse of spectators
from every part of the Jerseys.

" The barracks of the artillery are at a small distance from Pluckamin,
on a piece of rising ground, which shows them to great advantage. The
entertainment and ball were held at the academy J of the park. About
four o'clock in the afternoon the celebration of the alliance was announced
by the discharge of thirteen cannon, when the company assembled to a
very elegant dinner. The room was spacious and the tables were prettily
disposed, both as to prospect and convenience. The festivity was uni-
versal and the toasts descriptive of the happy event which had given
certainty to our liberties, empire, and independence. In the evening was
exhibited a very fine set of fireworks, conducted by Col. Stevens, ar-
ranged on the point of a temple one hundred feet in length and propor-
tionately high. The temple showed thirteen arches, each displaying an
illuminated painting. The centre arch was ornamented with a pediment
larger than the others, and the whole edifice supported by a colonnade
of the Corinthian order. [Here follows a description of the thirteen
illuminated paintings, with their accompanying mottoes.]

"When the fireworks were finished, the company returned to the
academy and concluded the celebration by a very splendid ball. The
whole was conducted in a style and manner that reflects great honor on
the task of the managers."

Thus, with something of festivity, but far more of
privation, if not of actual suffering, the officers and
men of the patriot army passed about six months of
winter and spring in their encampments near Middle-
brook and Pluckamin. That they remained there
until June, 1779, is shown by a letter? written by Gen.
Washington to Governor Livingston, dated in that
month (but without day), at "Headquarters, Middle-
brook." The army, however, left its winter quarters
about the first of that month, and reached the Hudson
on the 7th. || Gen. Wayne moved from his encamp-
ment, south of the Raritan, to the Hudson, where, on
the 15th of July, he stormed and captured the British
fortifications at Stony Point. " From this time," says
Dr. Messier, "Somerset County ceased to be the, rest-
ing-place of armies fighting in the cause of liberty ;
and the foot of a British soldier trod it no more except
in one hasty visit (Col. Simcoe's raid in 1779), which
is to be related." The succeeding operations of the
American army during that year were carried on along
the Hudson River above New York.



f The treaty of alliance was concluded on tho 6th of February, 1778 t
which was of course tho day on which the anniversary celebration would
havo taken place but for tho absence of the commander-in-chief.

X " Tho exact locality of tho ' academy 1 tradition fixes on the oast sido
of tho village street, a short distance north of the late Boylan residence,
and tho edge of the wood on the farm of tho late Dr. Henry Vauder-
veer." — Dr. Messier.

g N. J. Rev. Corn, p. 172.

|| "As soon as Washington was advised of this movement (the passage
of tho British fleet up the Hudson for tho supposed purpose of attacking
tho forts in tho Highlands), lie drow his troops from their cantonments
in New Jersey, and by rapid marches reached tho Clove on the 7th, with
five brigades and two Carolina regiments, ho pressed forward to Smith's
Clove, whence there weir mountain-passes to the forts in tho Highlands,
and there, ho encamped.' 1 — Lowing^ Fwld-Book, vol. ii. p. -12.



HUNTERDON AND SOMERSET COUNTIES IN THE REVOLUTION.



75



la the latter pari of ( Ictober, 1779, a party of British
troops made a foray into Somerset County, penetrating