vincial Congresses of the other colonies; they gave orders for the arrest
of suspicious or disaffected persons ; thoy tried and acquitted or con-
demned to imprisonment or detention men who were charged witli dis-
affection or acting in concert with, or giving information to, tho onomy ;
they kept expresses in constant readiness to forward intelligence with nil
speed; thoy appropriated public moneys, commissioned officers in the
militia or in tho corps of minute-men, held prisoners of war, settled con-
troversies botween officers, civil and military, acted as a Court of Admi-
ralty, confiscated tho property of those who aided and abottod the public
enemy, took order for tho general security of tho Province and for its
defense, and, in fine, they were the executive branch of tho government,
as the representatives of the power and authority of tho Provincial Con-
gress during its recess. All which thoy exorcisod (with an ability and
integrity that has never been impeached) till thoy woro superseded, in
October, 1770, by tho first Legislature under tho now State Constitution
(adopted July 2, 1770), which invested tho Governor and a Council of
twenty members with certain powers for a limited time under the litlo
of ' The Governor and Council of Safoty.' "
t "Tuesday, October a, 1775.— Several Doputios returned to serve in
this Congress for tho respective Counties of this Colony assembled at
Trenton, pursuant to tho appointment of the bite Provincial Congress,
" Wodnosday, Octohor i, 1775.— Tho Congress again assembled, and,
several other members attending, procoedud to the eloctlun of a
President and Vice-President. . . ." — Minutes of the Provincial Congress
mid Council of Safety, 1775-70, p. 108.
[irXTKKDON \M' so.mki:si;t cointiks in tin; INVOLUTION.
:;:,
tlie following day the body organized by the election
o!' Samuel Tucker, of Hunterdon, as president, and
Henry Fisher, of Somerset County, as rice-president.
"John Mohelm, Esipiire [oi' Hunterdon !, at tlie re-
quest of < longress, consented to act as Secretary until
a Secretary be chosen." On the -"'th it was " !!>;-
solved, That William I'aterson, Esquire [also of Som-
erset |, be appointed Secretary t" this Congress;" but,
.in the 9th, "Mr. Dunham having informed this
Congress that he had seen Mr. l'ntcr-on. who had
acquainted him that his business and circumstances
would by no means admit of his officiating as Secre-
tary, the ( Vingress proceeded to the choice of a Secre-
tary, when John Carey, Esq. [of Salem], was unani-
mously chosen Secretary, and Abraham ('lark and
Charles Stewart, Esquires, Assistant Secretaries."
Thus, of the live principal officers of the Congress
(composed of deputies from the thirteen counties of
New Jersey), three were men of Hunterdon and Som-
erset. Forty-sevei imbers from the Beveral coun-
ties were present during the session.
The Congress, composed of these members so re-
cently elected and fre-h from among the people, wa-
the first thoroughly representative body which had
convened in New Jersey under the Revolutionary
order of things. Says Mr. Deshler, in the address be-
fore cited, —
"Itspowera wero peculiar andundefl L; . . . there was do Limita-
tion upon it* powers by any Instrument then oxlstlng t-. which Its mom-
ben or the i pleofthe Province acknowledged fealty. Ihoy could
mi J <llit Imprison, exile, confls. ati lay taxes, i mil monej ea m power
over life oud death, call out the militia, and lovywar. . . . Tlie tiuealou
was a busy, earnest, and laborious one. Xhe minutes ol tin i
reveal the revolutionary ite i the Province, the unrest and
railed among the i pie, rad the Industrious preparation that
' fti woro making G»r the war that tboy perceived vwia soon to
â– m)i towards them. The mini n th of tii.-
demoeratio princlplo ol equality am< n the people, i ounting a man a
man a tii that I w ned property "i whother he did do
Into the Congress on a multitude ol ubject It >m evory i ity and
irly every township; home mltteos,m Ipal corporations,
and Individuals Ml thoso petitiona >â–
lion, ind tho notion that a p takon upon th m a ls d) ipassl ite, w [so,
Independent, and dignified. Bosidos the consideration of u i â– in. ...-.
whiohfOS a purely populai body, deriving its power,and oven Its very
-'\i>t-' ,from ih.' will of the i pie, It Id not, and .li.i d
gard, the Con ad li i\ Ing and sorutl
and committees that hadbeonfon I in tho various
townships and counties; In corresi ling nitli the I intinental Con-
totho raising, equlpmont, 01 aul atton, footing, pay ut,and
[ng of troops, and w ith tho ' .n{ ro and I
ol othei i olonloa, and the county and tow oshlp c Ittces of tho Prov-
to the genoral welfare ; In examining Into
ofthi Bnanci f tlie province and estimating the expenditures
that would be required for the arming, equipment, and malnt
the mllltla, etc., ....>i foi carrying on tic government; In preparing
ordinal sfbrtho regulation of tho militia, fbi ralslngadditl i
ir m« tin- former taxes and lovylng now a, for muring money
by ti nls i bill ol crodlt,and t"i th
tentlon we ol i Im tj In examining and deciding
upon complaints that wore showered upon them den iln
1 aympnthlzora with Qroal Britain, and In considering publli and
prlvato gi . 'â– â– i
Among the business transacted b) this '
was the passage, on the 24th ol October, of " An Or-
dinance for compelling the paj ment of the ten thou-
sand pound lax from -uch persons as have refused to
pay their quotas." The resolution levying this tax
had been passed at the May -c— ion. and the -abject
had received further attention tit the se-sion held in
August; notwithstanding which a large amount still
remained uncollected,— payment being refused, — for
which reason this ordinance was passed, authorizing
more stringent measures against delinquents and di-
recting the chairman or deputy chairman of any
county committee to order the properly authorized
pi rsons " to make distress on the goods and chattels"
of such delinquents, and to "make sale thereof tit
public vendue, giving five days' notice thereof by
advertisement in auch town or county.''
But the most important of tin- measures taken at
this session wen- those which related to the mustering
toe I equipping oi the military forces tnd to rsisirg
the fund- necessary for that purpose. Oneof these
I passed October 28th) was " All Ordinance for regu-
lating the Militia of New Jersey," which, after re-
citing in its preamble that " 117.. reas, The ordinances
of the late Provincial Congress for regulating the
Militia of this ( 'olouy have been found insufficient to
answer the good purposes intended, and it appearing
to he essentially necessary that some further regula-
tions | M . adopted tit this time of imminent danger,"
proceeded to adopt and dinet such "further regula-
tions" as were deemed nec.-s;i r\ to accomplish the
object for which the previous ordinances had been
found insufficient, — viz.. the enrollment in the militia
of all able-bodied male inhabitants of the province
between the ages of sixteen and fifty years (except
those whose religious principles forbade them to bear
arms), their muster, equipment, and instruction in
military tactics under the command of proper officers.
It was not materially different from the earlier ordi-
nances passed for the same purpose, except that its
requirements were more clearly defined, thorough, and
peremptory, and that evasion or non-compliance was
punished by severer penalties and forfeitures, and
these to be rigidly and relentlessly enforced. One of
the provisions of the ordinance was to the effect
that every 111:111 enrolled in the militia " shall with all
convenient speed furnish himseff with a good musket
or firelock and bayonet, sword or tomahawk, a steel
ramrod, priming-wire and brush fitted thereto, a car-
touch-box to contain twenty-three rounds of car-
, twelve tlints, and a knapsack, agreeable to
the direction of the Continental Congress, under the
forfeiture of two shillings for the want of a musket or
firelock, and of .me -hilling for the want of the other
above-enumerated articles"; als.i"ihat everj person
directed to he enrolled :l- aho\e shall, tit his place of
abode, be provided with one pound of powder and
three pounds of l.ulht- of proper size to his musket or
firelock."
The following extracts from the minute- of the
Congress are given here as having reference to mili-
tary matters at that time in Hunterdon and Somerset
Counties :
36
HUNTERDON AND SOMERSET COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.
October 4th. — " Mr. President laid before the Congress aletter from the
Earl of Stirling, inclosing copies of some letters lately written by His
Lordship on the subject of his having received a commission of Colonel
of a Regiment of Militia [of Somerset County], together with the return
of his Regiment."
October 11th. — "A petition from the Committee of Amwell, praying
that the Third Regiment of the Militia of Hunterdon County may con-
tinue, but that the commissions of the field-officers be vacated, and that
the Captains and subalterns may be allowed to choose field-officers, was
read and ordered a second reading.
" A petition from a number ot inhabitants of the lower part of Am-
well, praying that the Third Regiment in the county of Hunterdon may
be united to the First Regiment, commanded by Colonel Smith, was
read and ordered a second reading.
"A petition from the inhabitants of the upper part of Amwell, pray-
ing that if any alteration be made in the Third Regiment of the Militia
of Hunterdon, the petitioners may be united to the Fourth Regiment
and not to the First Regiment, was read and ordered a second reading.
" A petition from Caplain Imlay and Captain Gray, praying that the
field-officers of the Third Regiment of Militia of Hunterdon may be con-
tinued, was read and ordered a second reading."
October 18th. — "Resolved unanimously, That the appointment of field-
officers for the Third Regiment of Militia for the county of Hunterdon
be confirmed and that the several regiments continue as directed by
the late Congress."
October 23d. — "Mr. Fisher, from the committee appointed to examine
what matters were referred over to this Congress by the late Provincial
Congress or Committee of Safety, reported ; . . . and some petitions from
the county of Somerset respecting Colonel McDonald's appointment to
the command of the Battalion of minute-men in that county. . . ."
October 28th.— "Ordered, That a commission do issue to John Taylor,
Esq., as Second Major of the Fourth Regiment of Militia in Hunterdon
County."
The purchase, for the province, of arms, ammuni-
tion, camp-equipage, artillery, and other military
necessities, and the furnishing of funds for such
purchase by the issuance of bills of credit, were
provided for by an ordinance passed October 28th,*
of "which the preamble and most important sections
were as follows :
" WJterea*, It appears essentially necessary at this time of increasing
danger that the inhabitants of this Colony should be furnished with
ammunition and other military stores, and that this Colony should be
put into some proper posture of defense:
"It is therefore "Resolved and Directed, That Messrs. Samuel Tucker,
Abraham Hunt, Joseph Ellis, and Alexander Chambers be, and they are
hereby, appointed Commissioners for the "Western Division ; and that
Hendrick Fisher, Azariah Dunham, Abraham Clark, and Samuel Potter
be, and they are hereby, appointed Commissioners for the Eastern Di-
vision of this Colony ; which said Commissioners, or the major part of
them, are hereby authorized and directed to receive of the Treasurers of
this Colony, for the time being, appointed by this Congress, or either of
them, all such sum or sums of money as they shall from time to time
find necessary to expend for the use of this Colony, pursuant to the res-
olutions hereinafter mentioned.
" And it in further Resolved and Directed, That the said commissioners be,
and they are hereby, authorized and directed to contract with artificers
for, or otherwise purchase, three thousand stand of arms at any price
not exceeding Throe Pounds Seven Shillings each stand; and also to
purchuso ton tons of gunpowder, twenty tons of lead, ono thousand car-
touch-boxes, at any price not exceeding nine shillings each ; a quantity
of flints, brushes, priming-wire, and cartridge paper, not exceeding ono
hundred Pounds in value; two chests of medicine, not exceeding throe
hundred Pounds in value ; four hundred tents, with camp-equipago, etc.,
not exceeding one thousand eight hundred and seventy Pounds in value ;
two thousand blankets, not exceeding fifteen hundred Pounds in value;
a number of axes, spades, and other intrenching tools, not exceeding
three hundred Pounds in value; and a train of artillery, not exceeding
five hundred Pounds In value.f
* Minutes of the Provincial Congress and Council of Safety, 1775-76,
p. 24 ft.
f It was found that the articles named could not bo purchased for the
"And it te further firsolred and Dircr/ed, That the said Cob
supply the troops of this Colony, when called into action in this or any
of the neighbouring Colonies, with one month's subsistence, at one shil-
ling per day per man, or provisions to that amount if necessary; Pro-
vided, That the expense of such subsistence duth nut exceed the sum of
one thousand four hundred Pounds in value ; and one month's pay for
the troops of this Colony, when called into actual service; Prodded,
That the Continental Congress do not make provision for the same ; and
provided also that the pay of such troops doth not exceed the sum of
four thousand Pounds in value.
" And it is further Resolved and Directed, That the Treasurers of this
Colony be, and they are hereby, required and enjoined to pay to the said
Commissioners, or to the major part of them, or to their order, all such
sum or sums of money as they may find necessary to expend for the pur-
poses aforesaid; and the receipt or receipts from the said Commissioners,
or a major part of them, shall be sufficient vouchers and discharges to
the said Treasurers, or either of them, their executors and administra-
tors, for all moneys by them paid pursuant to this ordinance.
" And zrhereas, It is absolutely necessary to provide a fund for defray-
ing the above expense, it is therefore Resolved and Directed, That bills of
credit to the amount of thirty thousand! Pounds, Proclamation money,§
be immediately prepared, printed, and made as follows, to wit : Five
thousand seven hundred bills, each of the value of three Pounds; six
thousand bills, each of the value of one Pound ten Shillings; four thou-
and bills, each of the value of fifteen Shillings; and three thousand
bills, each of the value of six shillings ; which bills shall be in the form
following, to wit:
"'This bill, by an Ordinance of the Provincial Congress, shall pass cur-
rent in all payments within the Colony of New Jersey for Proclamation
Money: Dated the day of 1775,' and shall be impressed with
such devices as the inspectors of the press hereinafter appointed shall
direct; and when printed shall be delivered to Hendrick Fisher and
Azariah Dunham, Esquires, of the Eastern Division, and to John Hart
and John Carey, Esquires, of the Western Division, four of the signers
thereof, in equal moieties; one moiety to be signed by the Treasurer and
Bigners of the Eastern Division, and the other moiety by the Treasurer
and signers of the Western Division. . . ."
The succeeding parts of the ordinance provided for
the numbering, signing, countersigning, counting, and
inspection of the bills, with various other details, all
which were laid out and directed with great minute-
ness as a safeguard against the possibility of irregu-
larity or fraud. And it was further provided by the
ordinance that "for the better credit and effectual
sinking of the said bills of credit there shall be as-
sessed, levied, and raised on the several inhabitants
of this colony, their goods and chattels, lands and
tenements, the sum of ten thousand pounds annually
in every of the years one thousand seven hundred and
eighty-four, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-
five, and one thousand seven hundred and eighty-
six" ; . . . and the apportionment of this annual tax
was made identical in the amounts assigned to each
sums to which the Commissioners were limited; and thereupon, on the
10th of February, 177G, the Congress gave them unlimited authority to
purchase, by the following action : " Whereas, By an ordinance of this
Congress, passed at Trenton the 28th day of October last, the Commis-
sioners therein named and appointed to purchase firearms and military
stores wore particularly restricted in the price to be paid for said fire-
arms, whereby the manufactory thereof hath boon greatly impeded ; for
the romody whereof it is resolved unanimously that tho said Commis-
sioners have full power immediately to proceed in contracting for fire-
arms upon tho best terms in their power, without any limitation or re-
striction ; and that this Congress will in convenient time pass an ordi-
nance for that purpose."— Minutes Provincial Congress and Council of Safety ,
1775-7C, pp. 358, 359.
| Tho amount was raised to fifty thousand pounds by an ordinance
passed Feb. 28, 1776.
§ Proclamation money was reckoned at seven shillings six pence to
the dollar.
HUNTKKlmX AND So.M KKSKT nHNTIKS IX TIIK REVOLUTION.
37
of tl Ounties » ith that of the tin thousand pound
tax, before mentioned, levied at the session of the
preceding May.
The sum of one thousand pounds was voted "to
encourage tin' I'i'i'i'tioii of saltpetre-works in this
eolony" ; and it was directed thai this Bum "be ap-
propriated to the payment of a bounty of one shilling
per pound over and above the market price for any
quantity not exceeding twenty thousand weight of
good merchantable saltpetre which shall be made
and manufactured in this colony on or before the first
day of January, 1777; Provided, Thai the Continental
( 'ongrcss shall not offer flic like premium for saltpetre
manufactured in any of the United < Monies."
The question of the enlistment and organization of
two battalions of soldiers in New Jersey for the < lon-
tinental service was among the business brought be-
fore the ( longress at this session. It originated iii the
receipt, on the 18th of October, of a letter from the
president of the I lontinental < longress to the Provin-
cial Congress of New Jersey, being as follows:
" Philadelphia, Oct 12,1775.
"Gknti.kmen, — Somo Into Intelligence,* fold before Congress, seeing
i ii absolutely necessary, tor the protection of oar liberties and
the safety of our lives, to ralso soverul new battalions, and therefore the
oil re litivo cuuie into tin' tin l..se.l i - ..lutii.iLi, which I n rilere-1 to
transmit to yon. The Congress have the firmest confidence that from
yoni i Kperlenced zeal in this great canse,you will exert your utmost
to carry the suiu resolutions Into execution with nil possible
expedition.
" Tbo Congress havo ogreod to furnish the men with a hunting-shirt,
ii. > t i-xi' link' the value ..I" miic .h.llar and o third ol -i dollar, and a
blanket, provided these can bo procured, but these mi' not to be uiado
pari of iii" tei ms of enlistment.
" I am, gentle o,
" ^ "in -i obedient humble servant,
" John Hancock,
" President."
'* By orclor of Congress, I forward you forty-eight commissions for tlio
oaptains and subaltern officers In the New Jersey Battalions.
"To THE Mr.Mlir.us 01 tio C0NVXHTIO14 01 N '•'. JXRSZY."
The resolutions of the ( 'oiitineiital ( 'ongrcss referred
to in Mr. Hancock's letter wen- passed by thai body on
the 9th and 12th of October, recommending to the Con-
gress of New Jersey thai it should " im liatelj raise,
at the expense of tile eon I i lie 11 1 . tWO b:i I ! ;i I ! i Hi -. -
Bistingof eight companies," of men for the service, and
Specifying the manner in which they wen- to he en-
listed and officered ami the pay and allowances they
would receive.
A reply was at once sent (October LSth to the Con-
tinental Congress, expressing the desire of the Con-
gress of New Jersey to promote the con n interests
of the colonies as tar as lay in their power, and to
raise the troops ;,s desired. Inn objecting to the man-
ner in which the lield-otlieers for the proposed bat-
talions were to be appointed, This disagreement
resulted iii some further correspondence, and the
matter was afterwards satisfactorily arranged; but in
the mean lime the ( longress of New .lei-. \ passed the
* Dnfuvoi
Sahuyler and Hontgomery.
from th.' Canadian sxpodiUon
following resolution, r which was ordered tube imme-
diately published in the form of an advertisement, —
viz. :
"In PbOVUTCIAL OONOBXSS III I.I' AT TiikstoN
"Tin; 'JOth Hay Or OOTOBIB, 1776.
" H'Arreu*, The Honorable Continental Congress have recommended to
this Congress tbnt thero be Immediately raised in this Colony, at tin- ex-
(hc ' bntinent, i\'" Bottalloi
each, ami each company t.. â– â– â– .u - i- 1 ..f hixtv-Wght privates, and oftieereil
with one Captain, one J.ieiiti'iiiiut, one Ensign, four Sergeants, and four
Corporals, on the fbUowing oondltLons: Thai the privates 1" enlisted for
ii year, it the rate of iiv.- dolhtrs per calendar month, liable to be dja-
chorged at any time on allowing ono month's pay extraordinary ; that,
each of the privates be allowed, instead of a bounty, a felt hat,
yarn stockings, and a pair of sln.es, — the men to tind their owu arms;
that each captain and uth.T emu mission. -.1 ..Ulcer while in the recruiting
service of this Continent, or on their march to join the army, shall be
allowed two dollars an.l two-thirds of a dollar per week fur their subsist*
euce ; and that the men wl nlistauall,eachof them, whilst in qus
I... all.. wed one dollar por week, and one dollar ami one-third of a dollar
when ..n their inarch to join the nriiiy, for tlio same purpose [here fol-
lows the prescribed form of cnlMin.-iiij.
"This Congress, desirous to carry into execution the abovo resolution
of the Continental Congress, .1.. resolve thai wnrrnnts bo issued t.. proper
using the said two Battalions, consisting of
eight companies each, and each company of sixty-eight privates, and
■iM • Captain, 1 Lieutenant, one Ensign, four Sergeants,
and four Corporals, on the terms aforesaid; which sergeants, corporals,
and privates t>> be enlistedehull be able-bodied freemen. And it is further
that, when any company .-hall be enlisted, the persons having
warrants fur raising the same shall causo a muster to be bad ii.
the presence of either Ellas Dayton, asariah Dunham, Joseph Bills, or
John Uehelm, Esquires, who are hereby appointed muster masters to
review the said companies. . . . And it is hereby recommended to
tho Inhabitant oi thii I olony to be aiding and assisting, as far as their
a extends, in raising the aforesaid levies. . . ."
< »n the 28th of October the Provincial Congress
passed a resolution recommending to the Continental
( longress the appointment and commissioning of the
following-named tield-ofliccrs for the two battalions to
be raised in New Jersey, — viz.: For tin- Eastern Bat-
talion the lail I Stirling colonel \\ illi im Winds
lieutenant-colonel, and William De Hart major; for
the W'e-tern Battalion, William .Maxwell colonel,
Israel Shxieve lieutenant-colonel, and David Bay
major. These appointments were soon after made,
and commissions issued by direction of the Conti-
nental ( longress.
Tbe Provincial Congress adjourned on the 28th ol
October, "to meet at New Brunswick on the firal
In. -day in April next, unless sooner convened by
the President, Vice-President, or the Committee of
Safety." The gentlemen appointed to form this com-
mittee, to act for the public welfare in the recess of
thi- ( longress, were Samuel '1'ucker, Hendrick Fisher,
John Hart, Abraham Clark, Lewis Ogden, Joseph
Holmes, John Mehelni. Isaac Pearson, John Pope,
Azariah Dunham, John Dennis, Augustine Stevenson,
Ruloff Van Dyke, six of these thirteen members
wen- from Hunterdon and Somerset Counties.
Tin' Committee held a five days' session at Prince-
ton, from the 9th to the loth of January. 1776, a!
which a number ..f Tories and disaffected persons
t MJnut.
•
38
HUNTERDON AND SOMERSET COUNTIES, NEW JERSEY.
were severely dealt with, and provision was made for