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  • 'We ... Wheeled To The Right To Form The Line of Battle': Colonel Israel Shreve's Journal, 23 November 1776 To 14 August 1777 (Including Accounts of The Action at The Short Hills)

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    John U. Rees
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    Contents 1. “The Enemy Came out fired several Cannon At our Pickets”: Journal Entries, 23 November 1776 to 25 June 1777 2. Composition of Maj. Gen. William Alexander, Lord Stirling's Division, Summer 1777 3. “Our Canister shot Did Great Execution.”: The Battle of the Short Hills: Journal Entries 26 to 28 June 1777 4. “There was a steady fire on us from out of the bushes …”: A German Officer’s View of Operations in New Jersey, 24 to 28 June 1777 5. “A smart engagement ensued …”: A British Private’s View of the Short Hills Battle 6. "I propose leaving Colo. Daytons and Ogden's Regts. at Elizabeth Town … for the present ...”: Movements of the 1st and 3d New Jersey Regiments, July and August 1777 7. “Crossed Delaware [River], halted At Doctor Enhams …”: Final Journal Entries, 29 July to 14 August 1777 War consists of long periods of seeming inactivity with, for some troops, intermittent phases of frenzied activity, perhaps even combat. Most of a soldier's time is taken up with the mundane day to day duties and routines so necessary to keep an army functioning and, of course, the men busy and out of mischief. The journal around which this article is centered is written from the point of view of a field officer commanding a regiment. As such it does not shed much light into the common soldiers' lives but does give the perspective of the field commanders who oversaw the breaking up of their battalions at the end of 1776, and then faced the responsibility of reenlisting and reorganizing their units company by company. Much of the narrative describes the whereabouts and activities of an average Continental regiment in spring and summer of 1777, including many days denoting the occurrence of "nothing Extronary." The focal point of the journal as well as of Colonel Shreve's military experience up to 1777 is his account of the Battle of Short Hills. The impact of this action on Shreve can be seen by the description contained herein and by his devotion of six more pages to the battle in letters to friends. Finally, the journal contributes to a greater understanding of a little known but critical period of the War for American Independence.1 New Jersey's Continental battalions first served during 1776 but saw little fighting. Some of the state's troops reached Canada in time to participate in the closing stages of the siege of Quebec and the ignominious retreat into New York. The 1st and 2d Battalions took part in the affair at Trois Rivieres which at best was a confused and ignominious action. Following that the northern army took post at Fort Ticonderoga where Col. William Maxwell's 2d New Jersey Battalion spent the rest of their one year enlistment. In autumn 1776 Maxwell was promoted to brigadier general and Israel Shreve to colonel of the 2d Regiment in the army's new establishment. After the men's period of service expired he was faced with the task of organizing the unit anew. It is at this point that the colonel's journal begins.

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    "’We ... wheeled to the Right to form the Line of Battle’: Colonel Israel Shreve's Journal, 23 November 1776 to 14 August 1777 (Including Accounts of the Action at the Short Hills)”

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    Contents 1. “The Enemy Came out fired several Cannon At our Pickets”: Journal Entries, 23 November 1776 to 25 June 1777 2. Composition of Maj. Gen. William Alexander, Lord Stirling's Division, Summer 1777 3. “Our Canister shot Did Great Execution.”: The Battle of the Short Hills: Journal Entries 26 to 28 June 1777 4. “There was a steady fire on us from out of the bushes …”: A German Officer’s View of Operations in New Jersey, 24 to 28 June 1777 5. “A smart engagement ensued …”: A British Private’s View of the Short Hills Battle 6. "I propose leaving Colo. Daytons and Ogden's Regts. at Elizabeth Town … for the present ...”: Movements of the 1st and 3d New Jersey Regiments, July and August 1777 7. “Crossed Delaware [River], halted At Doctor Enhams …”: Final Journal Entries, 29 July to 14 August 1777 War consists of long periods of seeming inactivity with, for some troops, intermittent phases of frenzied activity, perhaps even combat. Most of a soldier's time is taken up with the mundane day to day duties and routines so necessary to keep an army functioning and, of course, the men busy and out of mischief. The journal around which this article is centered is written from the point of view of a field officer commanding a regiment. As such it does not shed much light into the common soldiers' lives but does give the perspective of the field commanders who oversaw the breaking up of their battalions at the end of 1776, and then faced the responsibility of reenlisting and reorganizing their units company by company. Much of the narrative describes the whereabouts and activities of an average Continental regiment in spring and summer of 1777, including many days denoting the occurrence of "nothing Extronary." The focal point of the journal as well as of Colonel Shreve's military experience up to 1777 is his account of the Battle of Short Hills. The impact of this action on Shreve can be seen by the description contained herein and by his devotion of six more pages to the battle in letters to friends. Finally, the journal contributes to a greater understanding of a little known but critical period of the War for American Independence.1 New Jersey's Continental battalions first served during 1776 but saw little fighting. Some of the state's troops reached Canada in time to participate in the closing stages of the siege of Quebec and the ignominious retreat into New York. The 1st and 2d Battalions took part in the affair at Trois Rivieres which at best was a confused and ignominious action. Following that the northern army took post at Fort Ticonderoga where Col. William Maxwell's 2d New Jersey Battalion spent the rest of their one year enlistment. In autumn 1776 Maxwell was promoted to brigadier general and Israel Shreve to colonel of the 2d Regiment in the army's new establishment. After the men's period of service expired he was faced with the task of organizing the unit anew. It is at this point that the colonel's journal begins.

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    'We ... Wheeled To The Right To Form The Line of Battle': Colonel Israel Shreve's Journal, 23 November 1776 To 14 August 1777 (Including Accounts of The Action at The Short Hills)

    Caricato da

    John U. Rees
    Contents 1. “The Enemy Came out fired several Cannon At our Pickets”: Journal Entries, 23 November 1776 to 25 June 1777 2. Composition of Maj. Gen. William Alexander, Lord Stirling's Division, Summer 1777 3. “Our Canister shot Did Great Execution.”: The Battle of the Short Hills: Journal Entries 26 to 28 June 1777 4. “There was a steady fire on us from out of the bushes …”: A German Officer’s View of Operations in New Jersey, 24 to 28 June 1777 5. “A smart engagement ensued …”: A British Private’s View of the Short Hills Battle 6. "I propose leaving Colo. Daytons and Ogden's Regts. at Elizabeth Town … for the present ...”: Movements of the 1st and 3d New Jersey Regiments, July and August 1777 7. “Crossed Delaware [River], halted At Doctor Enhams …”: Final Journal Entries, 29 July to 14 August 1777 War consists of long periods of seeming inactivity with, for some troops, intermittent phases of frenzied activity, perhaps even combat. Most of a soldier's time is taken up with the mundane day to day duties and routines so necessary to keep an army functioning and, of course, the men busy and out of mischief. The journal around which this article is centered is written from the point of view of a field officer commanding a regiment. As such it does not shed much light into the common soldiers' lives but does give the perspective of the field commanders who oversaw the breaking up of their battalions at the end of 1776, and then faced the responsibility of reenlisting and reorganizing their units company by company. Much of the narrative describes the whereabouts and activities of an average Continental regiment in spring and summer of 1777, including many days denoting the occurrence of "nothing Extronary." The focal point of the journal as well as of Colonel Shreve's military experience up to 1777 is his account of the Battle of Short Hills. The impact of this action on Shreve can be seen by the description contained herein and by his devotion of six more pages to the battle in letters to friends. Finally, the journal contributes to a greater understanding of a little known but critical period of the War for American Independence.1 New Jersey's Continental battalions first served during 1776 but saw little fighting. Some of the state's troops reached Canada in time to participate in the closing stages of the siege of Quebec and the ignominious retreat into New York. The 1st and 2d Battalions took part in the affair at Trois Rivieres which at best was a confused and ignominious action. Following that the northern army took post at Fort Ticonderoga where Col. William Maxwell's 2d New Jersey Battalion spent the rest of their one year enlistment. In autumn 1776 Maxwell was promoted to brigadier general and Israel Shreve to colonel of the 2d Regiment in the army's new establishment. After the men's period of service expired he was faced with the task of organizing the unit anew. It is at this point that the colonel's journal begins.

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    "We ...

    wheeled to the Right to form the Line of Battle" Colonel Israel Shreve's Journal, 23 November 1776 to 14 August 1777, (Including Accounts of the Action at the Short Hills) John U. Rees
    Contents
    The Enemy Came out fired several Cannon At our Pickets Journal Entries, 23 November 1776 to 25 June 1777 Composition of Maj. Gen. William Alexander, Lord Stirling's Division, Summer 1777 Our Canister shot Did Great Execution. The Battle of the Short Hills: Journal Entries 26 to 28 June 1777 There was a steady fire on us from out of the bushes A German Officers View of Operations in New Jersey, 24 to 28 June 1777 A smart engagement ensued A British Privates View of the Short Hills Battle "I propose leaving Colo. Daytons and Ogden's Regts. at Elizabeth Town for the present ... Movements of the 1st and 3d New Jersey Regiments, July and August 1777 Crossed Delaware [River], halted At Doctor Enhams Final Journal Entries, 29 July to 14 August 1777

    Addenda
    1. Listing of Field Officers, Commissioned Officers, and Staff of the 2d New Jersey Regiment December 1776 to December 1777 2. Company Strengths and Dispositions, Colonel Israel Shreve's 2d New Jersey Regiment December 1776 to December 1777 3. 2d New Jersey Regiment, Monthly Strength as Taken From the Muster Rolls, December 1776 to December 1777 4. 2d New Jersey Regiment, Company Lineage, 1777 to 1779 5. The Troops of this Army Appear to Manoeuvre upon false principles The State of Continental Army Field Formations and Combat Maneuver, 1777 6. Composition of British Columns at the Short Hills Action, 26 June 1777; Organization of British Light Infantry and Grenadier Battalions, Spring and Summer 1777 7. I have sent down Lord Stirling's Division, to reinforce Genl. Maxwell Summer Campaign Letters, Gen. George Washington and Virginia Captain John Chilton, plus the role of late Ottendorffs Corps, 22 to 29 June 1777 8. At sunrise the fire began : New Jersey Brigade Accounts of the 1777 Philadelphia Campaign 9. "Without Covering but the H[eaven's].C[anop].y and boughs of Trees " 4th New Jersey Officer's Diary, 21 June 1777 to 18 February 1778 (plus Journal of Ensign George Ewing, 3d New Jersey, 1777-1778)

    War consists of long periods of seeming inactivity with, for some troops, intermittent phases of frenzied activity, perhaps even combat. Most of a soldier's time is taken up with the mundane day-to-day duties and routines so necessary to keep an army functioning and, of course, the men busy and out of mischief. The journal around which this article is centered is written from the point-of-view of a field officer commanding a regiment. As such it does not shed much light into the common soldiers' lives but does give the perspective of the field commanders who oversaw the breaking up of their battalions at the end of 1776, and then faced the responsibility of reenlisting and reorganizing their units company by company. Much of the narrative describes the whereabouts and activities of an average Continental regiment in spring and summer of 1777, including many days denoting the occurrence of "nothing Extronary." The focal point of the journal as well as of Colonel Shreve's military experience up to 1777 is his account of the Battle of Short Hills. The impact of this action on Shreve can be seen by the description contained herein and by his devotion of six more pages to the battle in letters to friends. Finally, the journal contributes to a greater understanding of a little known but critical period of the War for American Independence.1 New Jersey's Continental battalions first served during 1776 but saw little fighting. Some of the state's troops reached Canada in time to participate in the closing stages of the siege of Quebec and the ignominious retreat into New York. The 1st and 2d Battalions took part in the affair at Trois Rivieres which at best was a confused and ignominious action. Following that the northern army took post at Fort Ticonderoga where Col. William Maxwell's 2d New Jersey Battalion spent the rest of their one year enlistment. In autumn 1776 Maxwell was promoted to brigadier general and Israel Shreve to colonel of the 2d Regiment in the army's new establishment. After the men's period of service expired he was faced with the task of organizing the unit anew. It is at this point that the colonel's journal begins.2 ___________________________________ Note: A bracketed question mark [?] denotes an illegible word or phrase. A word in brackets with no question mark it has been inserted by the editor to clarify a sentence. A forward slash (/) has also been inserted to delineate sentence breaks. The spelling has been left as it is in the original narrative unless necessary for clarification. The journal account of the battle of Short Hills has been interspersed with excerpts from two of Colonel Shreve's letters concerning that action; the name of each correspondent is included in parentheses at the end of each quoted passage. Numbers in parentheses denote the source for information extraneous to the journal and refer to the annotations which are appended.

    Area of operations for Brig. Gen. William Maxwells New Jersey brigade during the 1777 operations in New York, New Jersey, and around Philadelphia. Detail from map of the Middle Colonies and Quebec, Lester J. Cappon, ed., Atlas of Early American History - The Revolutionary Era 1760-1790 (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1976), 4.

    The Enemy Came out fired several Cannon At our Pickets Journal Entries, 23 November 1776 to 25 June 1777

    "[November/December 1776. After a] Very Long and fateague[ing] Campaign in Canada I arived home the 23rd of Novemb. 1776 found my famaly all well, the 30th of the same mo. was Appointed Colonel of the Second New Jersey Regt. to be Raised Dureing the War, the 10th of Decemb. moved my famaly into Berks County [Pennsylvania] on Acct. of the Alarming situation our Army was in at that time and the fear the Enemy would Get possession of Philada., about the 15th our Regt. Got home was paid of[f] by Lt. Col. Rhea / I being something Indisposed stayed with my famaly untill Chrismas then set out for Phila. / Next morning being very stormy with slete snow & Rain as I was Rideing between Lavering [Levering or Leverington, possibly the area between Wissahickon Creek and the Schuylkill River, now in the Philadelphia city limits, vicinity of Green Lane and Ridge Avenue] and the City heared several Cannon. In the Evening heared the agreeable News that his Excelency General Washington had surprised the Hessians and taken Trenton takeing upwards of a thousand Prisoners / on sunday the 4th January 1777 I set out for the Camp / next Day Came up with the Army at trenton As they had that Day Crossd [the] Delaware, this Evening [saw] his Excelency Gen. Washington Offering myself as a Volunteer to Go with the Army But the Gen. Ordered me back to Recrute my Regt. which I did. [Washington's army crossed the Delaware and returned to Trenton on December 30, 1776. Colonel Shreve must have set out for camp on December 31st, reached the army at Trenton and met with the general on January 1st, 1777. He probably confused the day of his leaving for camp on December 30th with January 4th, possibly the day this entry was written.] Next Day the Enemy Advanced to trenton Our Army Retreated over [Assunpink] Creek and kept that part of the town, About midnight Gen Washington marched of[f] at midnight towards princetown Arived there next morning Defeated two British Regts. took the town with 500 of the Enemy kiled Wounded and taken [The two actions described here were the Second Battle of Trenton, 2 January 1777, and the Battle of Princeton, 3 January 1777] / our Army Immediately passed on to Somerset Courthouse the Enemy Left Trenton and passed On to Brunswick.- I Returned to Philada. from Trenton took Logings At Mr. Wm Milnors At old ferry / ye 13th Januy. Caled my officers together At my Quarters sent them a Recruteing &c. / [February 1777] about the Eight Februy the Assembly of New Jersey set at Haddonfield where I Attended in order to have the Arangment of my Regt made out which after some Days I Got Done - A few Days ago Gen. Maxwell surprised the Enemy at Elizabethtown and took it with some stores Baggage and Eighty odd prisoners [Possibly the engagement of January 6, 1777, in which a party of New Jersey militia attacked a detachment of British and Waldeckers, killing and wounding 8 or 10, and capturing 40. See Endnote 3 for a list of the Forage War actions, 4 January 1777 to 24 March 1777]3 / the 13th of Februy. Gen Maxwell Attacked near three thousand of the Enemy 7 miles above woodbridge with about one thousand prov[incials?] / the Attact began at 9 oClock the Enemy soon Gave way, our troops followed and Attacked untill Dark the [enemy] Lost 500 Kiled Wounded and Missing only 12 Kiled & wounded on our side [The action described may actually refer to one near Spanktown (Rahway), New Jersey, in which a force under Maxwell attacked a large British foraging party and inflicted over 100 casualties which occurred on February 23rd] / [March 1777] the 8th March General Maxwell fell in with one wing of General Hows Guard of 3000 men Near Bonamtown after one hours Dispute the Enemy Gave way with the Loss of about 20 kiled and 40 wounded we had 2 Wounded them slightly [Probably the action at Punkhill near Amboy,

    New Jersey in which a large force of British under General William Howe was attacked by a force under General William Maxwell] - I Received a Letter from his Excelency Gen. Washington Dated the 13th februy. with orders to march assoon as Convenient to Camp - the 21st [of February] set out [for] home to see my famaly next Day Arived. stayed one week set out for Philada. the 4th march / set out for Haddonfield next morning / Received the Commissions for my officers / that Afternoon set out for Burlington Got there in the Evening, Received three Expresses one from Gen. Putnam one from Gen. gates the Last from his Excelency Gen. Washington with pressing Orders to Immediately march what Recrutes I had Collected to Princetown - the 7th march 1777 2 OClock P.M. Marcht the first Division for prince town / the 8th in[stant?] We Arived At Princetown Took up my Quarters at Joseph Oldens - the 9th. 10th. 11th. nothing Extro[ordinary] / the 12th Capt. Lawrie [2d New Jersey Regiment] marched to Kingstown, 13th. 14th. 15th. 16th. Nothing Extronary, 17th. 18th, 19th nothing Extronary / 20th Lewis Bestedo Brot In three Deserters Viz. Jacob Fagans and his Brother with fury[?] and 6 tories, a few Days after one Matthew Jones of Capt. Dillons Company my Regt. was taken up Going to the Enemy near Brunswick he was tried sentenced & Received the Punishment of Death / Jas. Robinson was [illegible word] for 14 Days [April 1777] We Remained at princetown untill Saturday the 5th. April 1777 when We marcht / that night Quartered at Griggstown, / the 6th. set out, that night Quartered At Bearsons mill a Little below Samp town / the 7th set out again about 12 OClock Arived at Westfield where Gen. Maxwells Quarters Are, - this Evening 76 men & Capt. Luse Lt. Helms, Sparks Derrick Lane & Ensign Shreve [2d New Jersey] was Ordered to newark / next Day the Remainder of ye Bat[talion] were ordered Down Near Mr. David Edgars, - next Day we were ordered to Bishops tavern / Soon after our Arival the Enemy Came out Col. Ogden [of the 1st New Jersey], Martin [of the 4th New Jersey] some militia and mine turned out / assoon as the Enemy saw us they Retreated and went of[f], - ye 10th. 11th. & 12th nothing Extronary hapened, Capt. Lawrie Dilling [Dillon, 2d New Jersey] and my self was ordered to Samptown to set on Courtmartial, that night I Returned as far As Jas. Randles tavern, Sunday the thirteenth about sunrise a fireing begun near bound Brook, I Immediately set off to Quibble town when I was there a Lt. Horse Come with Intilagence that the Enemy was out at Metuchin meetinghouse I set out there, - Assoon as I arived the fireing ceased, no Execution Done - this Day Our people was Drove out of Bound Brook with the Loss of 4 soldiers, one man Inhabitant one Young woman & 2 Children Inhuma[nly?] kiled / major (name forgot) about 20 men 3 brass field peaces, a Quantity of of provision Distroyed / they stayed about one hour then went off, monday [14 April] we were ordered to send 120 men to Amboy to alarm the [enemy] Pikets, Col. Cook [William Cooke, 12th Pennsylvania Regiment] was at the same time ordered to alarm the Pikets At Bonamtown, where they kiled several & Brot off 3 Centinels. [Maj. Gen. Adam Stephen to Richard Henry Lee, 22 April 1777, On Monday, the 14th, I resolved the enemy should make compensation for their excursion to Boundbrook ; I went along the out posts of my division, with General Maxwell, and planned the attack of their pickets, at Amboy and Bonum town. Captain Conway, of the first Jersey regiment, behaved to admiration, brought off three out sentries without disturbing the guard, and got the countersign; in short, he had nothing to do but kill, or bring off, fifty men of the picket, when he was unhappily abandoned by the men of the second Jersey regiment, and obliged to drop the affair. The attack at Bonum town, was more successful, the picket were all taken or killed, except three.4]

    Tuesday ye 15 we were ordered up the Road above E[d]gars were alarmed &c - the 16th. 17th. & 18th nothing extronary / Saterday ye 19th the Enemy Came out fired several Cannon At our Pickets / We Collected Got Our Regt. joined [and] followed them Down Near Woodbridge, this Day a Cannon Ball Came near my head, - Sunday, monday and Tuesday Nothing Extronary / Wensday the 23rd being St. Georges Day was Expected the Enemy Out to make a General Attact, but were Disapointed, Thirsday the 24th at night Capt. [John] Flahaven of first Jersey Regt. with upwards of 20 men were Taken or kiled within the Enimy Pickets All but one that were Left Alone to tell the News [Surgeons Mate Ebenezer Elmer, 2d New Jersey, Thursday night Capt. Flahaven went out with 20 men, but unluckily getting, as was supposed, within their lines in the dark and rain, not so much as one escaped to tell the fate of the rest some commended him as being a very brave officer, others disapproved the action and his conduct; upon the whole, I believe his bravery was indisputable, but his enterprising disposition and thirst for honor led him beyond the bounds of true bravery or conduct.5] friday the 25th. the Enemy Came Out Gave an alarm But soon Retreated into Amboy - 26th. nothing Extronary / 27th. 28th. nothing Extranory / 29th nothing Extronary [Ebenezer Elmer, Tuesday, April 29th. The troops were all paraded, and had some orders read to them by Gen. Maxwell. The division we are is commanded by Gen. Stephens.6] / 30th nothing Extronary / [May 1777] We Remained on the Lines untill Saturday the 4th May when All the Regiments on the Lines were ordered to join the main Army At Middle Brook Camp / that night Arrived at Tunisons Tavern up Raranton for want of tents Remained there three Days then Mached to Camp and Incamped on the Left of the Camp on the Right of the Jersey Brigade, - The whole Army had orders to be Ready to march At 4 oClock the 6th of May, All the tents were struck Bagage Loaded &c Paraded in Brigade / About 9 oClock Received Orders to Incamp Again On the same Ground / This Evening Got a furlow for 10 Days, At the End of ten days returned / [June 1777] had several Different Manuvers untill Saturday the 21st of June when I went on Command with Gen Maxwell Down to Ash Swamp with 2000 men / the Next Day the Enemy Left Brunswick and [William Alexander] Lord Sterling Came Down with the Remainder of his Division [see below]/ Wensday the 25 Got orders from his Excellency General Washington to be under Arms Next morning At 4 oClock and Ready to march / ________________________
    (Map following page.) British dispositions at New Brunswick and Middlebush, 12-14 June 1777, and Gen. George Washingtons forces at Boundbrook. Plan de notre camp New Brunswick le 12e. uin, notre marche le 14 Middlebush, la situation du camp le 1 e uin, et cette du Genl. Washington Boundbrook, le poste ue le Genl. Sulivan occupoit le 1 dans la nuit pour courir Philadelphia, se postant sur la route de Pennington Friedrich Adam Julius von Wangenheim. Color map on sheet (33 X 51 cm). Shows troop dispositions and locations of camps in and around New Brunswick, New Jersey, 12 to 15 June 1777. Call number G3814.N4S3 1777 .W3 LOC Catalog number Gm71000669. Library of Congress Geography and Map Division, Washington, D.C. http://www.loc.gov/item/gm71000669

    ___________________________

    Composition of Maj. Gen. William Alexander, Lord Stirling's Division, Summer 1777 Prior to this date the four New Jersey regiments were assigned to Virginia Maj. Gen. Adam Stephens division (the identity of the other brigade undrer Stephen is unknown, but likely one from either Pennsylvania or Virginia). General orders, 22 May 1777, "The following arrangement is to take place for the present... The 3rd., 6th., 9th and 12th. Pennsylvania regt. and Spencers to form the third brigade from that State; and the 1st., 2nd., 3rd. and 4th Jersey regts. to compose the Jersey brigade - These two brigades, to compose another division, under the command of Major Genl. Lord Stirling."7 General orders, 26 May 1777, "It being omitted (thro' mistake) in the Orders of the 22nd. Instant, to mention the Brigadiers that command in Major General Lord Stirling's division, Brigadier Genl. Conway takes command of the 3rd., 6th., 9th. and 12th Pennsylva. Regts. and Col. Spencer's regiment, which compose his brigade. And Genl. Maxwell of the 1st., 2nd., 3rd., and 4th. Jersey regiments, which form his brigade."8
    Lord Stirling's Division, 21 May 1777 (total strength, 1,421, present fit for duty) 9 Brig. Gen. Thomas Conway's Brigade (strength, 677) 3rd Pennsylvania, Colonel Wood (150) 6th Pennsylvania, Colonel Bicker (---) 9th Pennsylvania, Colonel Morris (205) 12th Pennsylvania, Colonel William Cooke (196) Spencer's Additional Regiment, Colonel Oliver Spencer (126) Brig. Gen. William Maxwell's Brigade (strength, 744) 1st New Jersey, Colonel Matthias Ogden (163) 2nd New Jersey, Colonel Israel Shreve (142) 3rd New Jersey, Colonel Elias Dayton (173) 4th New Jersey, Colonel Ephraim Martin (266)

    Early war Continental soldier wearing a military cocked hat, regimental coat, breeches, and carrying a blanket sling (tumpline) in lieu of a knapsack. Illustration by George C. Woodbridge, from George C. Neumann, Swords and Blades of the American Revolution (Texarkana, TX, 1991). ______________________ (Maps following two pages.) Plan de l'affaire de Westfield & du camp de Raway, 26-27 June 1777. Friedrich Adam Julius von Wangenheim, Pen-and-ink watercolor on tracing paper (38 X 40 cm). Shows troop dispositions in modern Essex and Union Counties, New Jersey, and location of camps near Rahway, 26 and 27 June 1777. Call number G3813.E7S3 1777 .W3 LOC Catalog number Gm71000668. Library of Congress Geography and Map Division, Washington, D.C. http://www.loc.gov/item/gm71000668

    Plan de l'affaire de Westfield & du camp de Raway, 26-27 June 1777. Library of Congress (see above for map description).

    Our Canister shot Did Great Execution. The Battle of the Short Hills: Journal Entries 26 to 28 June 1777 [Note: The following action took place "on thursday [June] the 26th between 9 and 12 oClock..." (Stilley) The journal entries are interspersed with bracketed excerpts from two letters written by Colonel Shreve also describing the battle. This is done to clarify the events of the day. Key: Shreves journal in black text; Shreves letter to John Stilley in red text; Shreves letter to Dr. Bodo Otto in blue text. Complete text of letters in the endnote.] 10 [Ensign George Ewing, 3d Jersey Regiment, left this succinct but informative overview of the action at the Short Hills: 26 [June] This morning about sunrise we were alarmd by a firing between us and Amboy which provd to be the main body of the Enemy coming up the road and our scouts skirmishing with them we immediately got ready and Marchd to their assistance but before we got there the Enemy had got past and betwixt us and Genl Conways Brigade who lay on the other side of the Grat road we then marchd back to the Short Hills and there fell in with the main body of the Enemy and were nearly surrounded before we were aware a smart engagement then ensued when we were obligd to retreat which we did in good order with very little loss on our side. tho we were pursued as far as West field we lost three field pieces and a few men. We then Marchd to the Scotch Plains and there rested for about half an hour and there was a call for Vollenteers to and attack a plundering party of the Enemy who were near as the greater part of our Regt went along Genl Maxwell took the command we soon fell in with them near Littles tavern and after a small skirmish they retird and left us the ground we had only one man killd and two wounded we then retird to the Mountains and so ended this day.11]

    [Colonel Shreves account:] Early this morning 150 Virginians and a scout from Our Brigade went Down towards Woodbridge [and] fell in with the Right flank of Gen Hows Army ["who was moveing Out with all his strength he has in Jersey, Except a small Guard in Amboy" (Stilley)] When a fireing of smal Arms & Cannon begun [illegible word] by this time we were All under Arms / Gen. Conways Brigade was Ordered of under the Command of Gen. Maxwell, Conway not knowing the Ground, they soon fell in with [General] hows whole Army / the Gen. [Maxwell] was near being taken [but] Discovered their strength And ["after Exchangeing a few Cannon shot" (Otto)] prudently filed of toward scotch Plains, Our Brigade under the Command of Lord Sterling was ordered to march Round up Rarranton Road in order to fall in with the Enemys Right flank and there Joyn Maxwell ["But Receiving Wrong Intillegence from a Dragoon of ours, preceed on the Road Leading to Short hills"...(Otto)] ["the Enemy Discovered our Intention from some hights, And posted them selves behind several hills In a half moon" (Stilley)] [They] Remained Consealed untill we Come within shot [and] ["We Rose a hill when the fire begun" (Stilley)] / we marched in A Column [and] wheeled to the Right to form the Line of Battle / ["Col. Dayton [3d New Jersey] was on the Right I was on the Left Col. Martin in the Center / Ogden with Dayton [on] the Right wing took post in a wood and began the Attact, [while] at the same time" (Stilley)] ["I being on the Left was ordered to face to the Right About, and form on a small hill to the Left" (Otto)] in the Open field / ["where we first formed on the Left, we receivd a heavy fire in front and flank" (Otto)] / ["Capt Gibbs Jones [commander of Captain Roman's Independent Artillery Company] with two peaces was with me, On the Left [,] Capt. Husten [Shreve also spells the name "Hustus" and "Hustes". Possibly

    Captain Benjamin Eustis, 3rd Continental Artillery] with Col. Martin in the Center with two more all 3 pounders, which began to play verry Briskly. Just at this time My Regt. Receivd a heavy fire, when Lord Sterling ordered us to Retreat about 100 yards to another hill, when they Intirely Broke And huddled up together in much Confusion, But with the help of Col. Rhea and Major Howell formed them in a few minutes in pritty Good order Advanced a Little way and fired several Rounds untill we Got Orders to Retreat Again to ["a third" (Otto)] hill which we Did in pritty Good order, face about and fired again untill his Lordship sent his Aid a Camp ["Major Wilcox" (Otto)] with orders to Leave the Ground" (Stilley)] / ["Our two peaces of Artillery was ordered off one of which Accedentally Got Both shafts Broke off at that Instant [and] one horse fell, the Enemy was so near as to make it Impossible to Git it off, (Otto)] [they] ["was Obleged to Spike it And Run, Jones Carryed of the Other [gun] him self" (Stilley)] ["I Endeavored to Retreat in Good order, But Riseing a hill Received such a shower of shot, that set Every man Runing for himself / I Looked to the Right saw all makeing of[f] in Disorder [and] at the same time found Our Retreat Cut off towards the Right ["into Rarranton Road" (Stilley)], by Rason of a Body of Enemy giting Nearly a breast of me in the Center, was Obliged to file of[f] to the Left in the Skirt of A Wood, and fall into a Lower Road, knowing the Country well, Mostly Got off safe" (Otto)] / ["thus were we situated, with Less than A thousand men, against how and his whole Army Although we stood them one hour and an half most part of the time very hot. - the Musket Balls flew Like a shower of hail stones, But Generally Over our heads or few would have Escaped" (Stilley)] / ["Dureing the whole Action I Remained on horse Back with a Continual Whistling of Balls about my Ears, for one hour And an half but through Gods Mercy Receivd no Damage" (Otto)] / the 2 peaces in the Center Remaind fireing with Lord Sterling siting on horse Back near them untill the Enemy in Large Columns was in Less than 30 yards of them At Which time our Canister shot Did Great Execution / At Length [they] were Obliged to Leave these 2 peaces, ["the Officers of the Artillery All behaved well, As did the officers And men in General of the Brigade, or we Could not have stood them an hour & half as we Did, It is not in my power to ascertain the Loss, the Inhabitants Buried 12 of ours they tell us; Among them Capt. E. Anderson of my Regt., Ensign Sproul of the 4th., I make no Doubt but some still remaind in the Woods and Cornfields, the Enemy it is said Carried of[f] 8 Waggon Load of Dead and Buried them near the head of Ash Swamp, some of my men say they Came Near the place And saw the General Grave, However Col. Rhea [2d New Jersey] is now Out with A party in search of the place with orders to Examine the Numbers..." (Otto)] [The actual British loss was 6 killed and 30 wounded while the Americans lost 50 captured and approximately 30 killed.] ["the Enemy shot very high or I think few of us Could have Escaped / they behaved very bad or they might have Easily surrounded the whole brigade,- How[e], Lord Cornwalis, Grant, Agnew, Erskin, Vaughn, Dehister, Dunop, Mathews, Lesley, and Skinner was out and Consequently all their Army but [the] Guards [at Amboy]." (Otto)] We Retreated to west field, stayed two hours and marched to Scotch Plains, ["the Enemy Came that Afternoon to Westfield and Incamped in town and Near it, that Night..., Dureing their stay they made shocking havock, Distroying almost Every thing before them, the house where Gen. How stayed which was Capt. Clarks he promised Protection to If Mrs. Clark would use him well and Cook for him & his Attendance, which she Did as Chearful as she Could, Just before they went off Mr. how Rode out, when a No. of his soldiers Come in And plunder[ed] the Woman of Every thing in the house, Breaking And Destroying what they Could not take Away, they Even tore up the floor of the house, this Proves him the Scoundrel, and not the Gentleman, Gen. Lesley took his Quarters At Parson

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    Woodruffs [and] Protected his property in Doors, the Doctor fled [but] his Wife and famaly Remained, the meetinghouse a Desent Building they made a sheep pen of threw Down the Bell, and took it of..., they Drove of[f] All the Horses, Cattle, Sheep & hogs they Could Git, - I saw many famalys who Declared they had Not one mouthful to Eat, [nor any] bed or beding Left, or [a] Stitch of Wearing Apparel to put on, only what they happened to have on, and would not afoard Crying Children a mouthfull of Bread Or Water Dureing their stay, - they Buried 9 of their Dead at or near Westfield / these was taken up yesterday and striped by the Distressed Inhabitants; -" (Otto)]

    A Virginia Rifleman, likely probably typical of those serving under Col. Daniel Morgan in 1777. This drawing is by Lt. Richard St. George Mansergh St. George, light company, 52d Regiment. St. George was wounded at Brandywine, and again, severely, at Germantown. In Xavier della Gattas painting Battle of Germantown the wounded officer in the foreground is St. George being carried off by Private Peacock, the lieutenants constant companion and a famous good soldier. Lt. Martin Hunter, also with the 2d light company, noted that St. George drew caricatures uncommonly well Martin Hunter, The Journal of General Sir Martin Hunter, Anne Hunter and Elizabeth Bell, eds. (Edinburgh: The Edinburgh Press, 1894), 21-22. For more on the role of Morgans Light Corps and Late Ottendorffs Corps at Short Hills see Addendum 7.

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    [On] the 27th. at 11 oClock they went of[f] towards Amboy stayed that Night at Raway / next morning [they moved] to amboy And began to Cross Over to Staten Island / Sunday And Monday they All Crosed / tuesday and Wensday the 2nd of July they Incamped near the Watering place on Staten Island / the 27th. & 28th. we Lay on the mountain at Scotch plain Gap, [On the evening of the 29th "Col. Rhea Returned with the Body of Capt. Anderson [killed at the Short Hills action] is now Gone to Westfield to Bury him with the honours of war which he Deserves as he fought Brave, and fell in a Glorious Cause,- Capt. Lawrie of my Regt. Behaved Brave [during the action] when we began to Retreat [and] being much fateaged mounted a horse, his horse was Immediate[ly] shot and fell on him, he Got off about 2 miles and stayed behind in a swamp / in the Evening Came out and is supposed to be taken prisoner [Captain Lawrie died in captivity in July 1777], - Col. Rhea found no more Dead but the 12 of ours / the Enemy Left a Considerable No. / A Large Grave one Rod Square [one rod equals 5.50 yards] was found [and] the Inhabitants still say 8 Wagon Load was Buried there, several single Graves was opened & found to be Enemy / We had between 20 & 30 Wounded Among them Ensign James Paul [2d New Jersey] in the thigh but [he] Got of[f] and [is] Like to Do well, Adjutant King of ye 4th. [Jersey Regiment was wounded] in the thigh taken prisoner. the Wounded mostly Slightly Except 3 or 4 / I saw one of Capt. Flanagins men [of the 3d New Jersey] shot with a Canon Ball a 3 pounder through the sholder, he fell, but Rose again and walked 2 mils [and] is yet Alive;- the Enemy is Gone to Amboy, 2000 of our men within a few miles of them, Gen. [William] how[e] says the D___d Jersey Rebels fought Like Devels and that he Narrowly Escaped - " (Otto)] [For details on New Jersey Brigade casualties see endnote.] 12
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    (Map following page.) Map showing the scene of many January to March 1777 Forage War actions, as well as the area of operations in New Jersey, 24-27 June 1777. To the west is Somerset Courthouse and the south branch of the Raritan River; in the center the American camp on Watchung Mountain overlooking Bound Brook, and lower down the town of New Brunswick; and to the east British-held Amboy. Road from Quibbletown to Amboy; and places by bearings. No 55, by Robert Erskine, Geographer and Surveyor General, and Assistants, New-York Historical Society; 35.0 cm. wide by 67.0 cm. high, 1 map on 3 assembled sheets; military topographic map, covering Somerset and Middlesex Counties in New Jersey and Richmond County in New York. Shows roads running through Milltown, South Branch, Raritan, Finderne, Hillsboro, Millstone, Boundbrook, Newmarket, Samptown, South Plainfield, New Brunswick, Metuchen, Bonham Town, Fairfild Union, Perth Amboy and Elizabeth. Also shows "American Camp," buildings and owners' names, landforms and streams. In pencil on recto: "No 55" In ink on verso: "Elizabeth Amboy A," "No. 55." Erskines maps are available online via New York University and NY-HS, Witness to the Early American Experience, World Wide Web, http://maass.nyu.edu/archives/ (search on keyword, Erskine).

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    (Image previous page.) Maj. Joseph Bloomfield, 3d New Jersey Regiment. Painted by Charles Willson Peale in April 1777, this is the only early-war New Jersey officer image known to the author. Bloomfield still wears the coat of the 3d New Jersey Battalion of 1776, with a drab wool body and dark blue facings. Serving as a captain during 1776 in the Mohawk Valley and at Fort Ticonderoga, Joseph Bloomfield was made a field officer in early 1777, fighting at Short Hills, Staten Island, Brandywine (where he was wounded), and during the 1778 Monmouth campaign. He retired from the service in mid-September 1778.13 The only regiment of Maxwells brigade for which there is certain coat color information for 1777 is the 3d New Jersey. On 9 May 1777, in a letter to Col. Elias Dayton, the Clothier General wrote that, at present I have no clothing on hand which I can apply to your regmt. But there is 395 Blue coats faced red on the road from Boston which are not appropriated with which I design to furnish your regmt. I could not clothe them in the uniform of last year & as you have already been supplied with 104 Blue coats think it best to compleat the regmt in that color. I have also at the Request of Capt. Patterson sent you 12 Red Coats fac'd with blue of the clothing taken from the enemy for your drums & fifes. If no accident prevents the coats above alluded to from coming & you wait for them those you already have may either be new faced or appropriated partly to the light Infantry Compy for whom I have also sent 60 Caps wh[ich] will help to make the 3d Jersey Battalion look smart as usual ... For uniform clothing worn by all four New Jersey regiments see, John U. Rees, "'The Great Neglect in provideing Cloathing': Uniform Colors and
    Clothing in the New Jersey Brigade During the Monmouth Campaign of 1778": "The Jersey Blues:" The New Jersey Regiments, 1755-1776 "Never...Our Proper Quantity:" The New Jersey Brigade of 1777 "The Regiments Have No Uniforms or Distinguishing Colours:" Uniform Coats and the New Jersey Brigade During 1778 The following Articles of Cloathing : 1778 Nine Months Levies Apparel Only a few light things in the Spring.": Clothing the Jersey Brigades Long Term Soldiers, 1778 Military Collector & Historian, two parts: vol. XLVI, no. 4. (Winter 1994), 163-170; vol. XLVII, no. 1 (Spring 1995), 12-20. http://revwar75.com/library/rees/neglect1.htm and http://revwar75.com/library/rees/neglect2.htm
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    There was a steady fire on us from out of the bushes A German Officers View of Operations in New Jersey, 24 to 28 June 1777

    Capt. Levin Friedrich Ernst von Muenchhausen, of the Leib Regiment, and wing adjutant to the German auxiliary forces and aide-de-camp to Gen. William Howe, gave his own recounting of the Short Hills action and associated events: 14
    June 24 [1777] Early in the morning a deserter of the rebel light dragoons came in. It is said that Washington is planning to come down from the mountains with his strong corps to attack our rear guard when we leave Amboy. To this end he has already pushed forward the troops of Lord Stirling and the newly arrive French General Conway into the Short-hills, which are about six miles from here [Amboy] and are connected with the Watchung Mountains. June 25 The news that Washington is approaching has been verified. In the afternoon at four oclock, General Howe sent me to the Hessian regiments embarked at Princes Bay [Staten Island]. I carried sealed instructions, which I was not to open until I arrived at General Stirns side. Because of the rough water, I did not arrive until six oclock in the evening, and then found in my instructions the order to proceed to all Hessian transports and order their respective captains, in the name of General Howe, to sail at once back to Amboy and to give their soldiers aboard three days

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    provisions. I was to tell the commanders of each ship to have their troops ready to disembark and march against the enemy, leaving behind their tents, kit-bags, in brief, all baggage. Shortly before 12 at night, I had all the Hessians disembarked at Amboy without mishap. I found all troops there under arms. During my absence General Howe had given orders to take down all tents at six oclock in the evening, and to leave these behind, together with all baggage. My General was somewhat displeased with me because I had not arrived earlier with the Hessians. Lord Cornwallis and General Erskine, however, told him that they were surprised that I had done it so quickly, without accident, and in spite of unfavorable winds and a dark night, whereupon the General seemed pleased and he praised me June 26. At one oclock in the morning the first column, under General Cornwallis, set out to march for Scotch Plains region via Woodbridge. The second column, under General Vaughan, started out at three oclock in the morning, General Howe being with this column. This column marched first along the road to Brunswick, then turned to the right, and joined Cornwallis column in the neighborhood of Scotch Plains. Cornwallis column, marching to the right of Vaughans, put a part of the Short-hills between the two columns. On his march, before the two columns could join, Cornwallis column came upon a picket of Lord Stirlings force at six oclock in the morning. Stirling was in that part of the Shorthills, which we had managed to place between the two columns. Stirlings picket ran off after a few shots. Both columns continued on their march till about eight oclock in the morning, during which time there was a steady fire on us from out of the bushes, and from behind trees. Their fire was answered by the Hessian jaegers, the English light infantry and our side patrols. Then we [Cornwallis column] met a corps of about 600 men with three cannon on a hill before a woods. They held their position until we approached them with some deployed battalions and cannon, whereupon they hurriedly withdrew into the woods behind them. Half an hour later, on a bare hill before some woods, we came upon some 2,500 men with six cannon [Stirlings division]. They started cannon fire early, at a distance of 1,000 paces, and then began with small arms fire. We took two 12-pounders and several 6-pounders to our left flank, where we had some rising ground. From our right flank the Hessian grenadier battalion von Minnigerode ascending the slope in deployed formation, attacked their left flank. Our battalion had to move considerably to the right in order to outflank their left flank. The rebels continued a strong but not very effective fire upon us. They finally fired grape-shot at von Minnigerodes battalion, but after that, they ran away into the woods. On this occasion the von Minnigerode battalion took two, and the English Guards one of their new French brass 3-pounders, which are very good cannon. General Lord Stirling, who was in command, had his horse shot, and General Maxwell was almost captured by the Hessian Grenadiers, missing him only by a hairs breadth. The lately arrived French General Conway, with some volunteers took part in the affair. A little while after the encounter, after nine in the morning, not far from Scotch Plains, our column [Vaughans] joined forces with the rear of Cornwallis and so we continued to march in one column until we arrived in the region of Westfield, where three battalions of Highland Scots were assigned advance posts. During the whole march, both our vanguard and our side-patrols were continuously harassed by shots from single detachments, which were hidden in the bushes. Westfield is about 13 miles from Amboy, 10 miles from Elizabethtown, 12 miles from Bound Brook, and 4 miles from the highest peak of the Watchung Mountain Range. June 27. In yesterdays skirmish, or affair as it may be called, we had a total loss of 70 men, killed, wounded, or suffocated in the dreadful heat. We do not know the losses of the rebels. We have

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    taken three cannon and 82 prisoners. We also have the reliable information that they took away 37 wagons full of wounded. Therefore, I would think it not an exaggeration to estimate their losses at 400 men, at least. About nine oclock in the morning we started out to march back to Rahway, which is situated in the region of Woodbridge, still six miles from Amboy. We were not molested and did not hear or see any enemy. All news seems to point to the fact that General Washington with a corps of 10,000 men was advancing against us on the 26th, early in the morning, and that he had already passed Westfield to join Stirling in the Short-hills, out of which we chased Lord Stirling that same day. It is apparent that Washingtons plan was to stay in the Short-hills, only six miles from our embarkation place at Amboy, until his spies should report that we were weak enough to be successfully attacked. June 28. Today we marched in two columns by way of Woodbridge to Amboy, as unmolested as yesterday.

    Grenadier Battalion von Minnigerode. The Battalion was composed of the grenadier companies from the Fusilier regiments Erbprinz, von Dittfurth, von Lossberg, and von Knyphausen. (From left to right: Erbprinz, von Dittfurth, von Knyphausen, von Lossberg.) Infanterie Regiment von Donop, http://www.vondonop.org/hkuniforms.html

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    A smart engagement ensued A British Privates View of the Short Hills Battle

    Pvt. Thomas Sullivan, 49th Regiment of Foot, left this account of the action:15
    June 25th. [1777] The General Received Intelligence that the Enemy had moved down from the mountains, and taken post at Quibbletown, intending to Attack the Rear of ye. Army removing from Amboy; that two Corps had also advanced to their left one of 3000 Men and 8 Pieces of Cannon, under the command of Lord Stirling, Generals Maxwell and Conway. the other Corps consisted of about 700 men, with only one Piece of Cannon. The whole Army struck their Camp at 6 0clock in the evening; all the Baggage and mens Knapsacks were sent to Amboy under a Guard, and from thence was Transported in Boats to Staten-Island. During that Night the Troops lay upon their Arms. June 26th. In that situation of the Enemy, it was judged adviseable to make a movement that might lead on to an attack, which was done at 3 oclock in the morning in two Columns. The Right, under the command of Lord Cornwallis, with Major-general Grant, Brigadier Generals Matthews and Leslie, and Colonel Donop with the 1st. Battallion of Light Infantry, 1st. Battallion of British Grenadiers, 1st., 2d. and 3d. Battallions of Hessian Grenadiers, 1st. Battalion of Guards, Hessian Chausseurs, and the Queens Rangers, took the Rout by woodbridge towards Scotch Plains. The Left Column with which the Commander in Chief was, with Major-Generals Stirne, Vaughan and Grey, Brigadier-Generals Cleaveland and Agnew, marched by Metuchin Meetinghouse, to join the Rear of the Right Column in the Road from thence to Scotch Plains; at the head of their Respective Brigades as above specified, intending to take four separate Routs, about two miles after the junction, in order to have attacked the Enemys Left Flank at Quibble-Town. Four Battallions were detached in the morning, with six Pieces of Cannon, to take post at Bonumtown. The Right Column, fell in with the aforesaid Corps of 700 men, soon after Woodbridge, gave ye alarm, by the heavy firing that ensued to their Body at Quibble-Town, which retired to the Mountain with the utmost precipitation. A smart engagement ensued between the Front Division and the Enemy, which last were repulsed with Loss. The small Corps being close pursued by ye. Light Infantry, a smart Cannonading began, and three Battallions of the Enemy attacked 5 Companies of Light Infantry, the former occasioning from their situation the latter to incline into a wood, the Enemy being too superior in Number, and waited for the Guards and Rifflemen to come up, Lord Cornwallis who headed them, seeing the Position the Enemy were in, came up with the said Battallions. The enemy were commanded by Lord Stirling, and was advantageously posted in a thick wood, with his Artillery well disposed. The Troops vying with each other on this occasion attacked the Enemy so close, that, tho they were inclined to resist, could not long maintain their ground against so much Impetuosity, but were soon dispersed on all sides, leaving behind three Pieces of Brass Cannon, 3 Captains and 60 men killed, and upwards of 200 Officers and men wounded and taken. Our Loss was 5 men killed, and 30 wounded. The ardour and merit of the engaged Troops on this occasion was highly commendable. One Piece of Cannon was taken by the Guards, the other two by Colonel Mingerodes Battallion of Hessian Grenadiers. The Enemy was pursued as far as Westfield with little Effect. Our Army formed a Line at the Road leading at the Foot of the mountain, the day proving so intensely hot, that the men could

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    with difficulty continue their march homeward, many of them dropping dead in the Ranks through the means of drinking too much water. In the mean time it gave opportunity form the Enemy flying to escape by sculking in the thick woods, until night favoured their retreat to the Mountain. We lay upon the ground all night, without any disturbance from the Enemy, part of them deserted to us. June 27th. We marched from Westfield in the morning, driving all the Cattle we met before us, without any molestation, and halted in the afternoon at Raway, where we remained that night. June 28th. This morning we continued our march to Amboy, and took up our former encampment, where we built Wigwams, for we had no tents. _____________________ (Map following page.) Crown forces disposition at Amboy on 24 June 1777; General Howes troops took post in the town before and after the Battle of the Short Hills. Position de notre camp le 24 uin 1777 Perth Amboy, Friedrich Adam Julius von Wangenheim. Pen-and-ink watercolor on tracing paper (34 X 44 cm.) Call number G3814.P4S3 1777 .W3 LOC Catalog number Gm71000670, Library of Congress Geography and Map Division, Washington, D.C. http://www.loc.gov/item/gm%2071000668

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    A private of the 63d regiment light infantry company, shown here wearing clothing and equipment modified for summer and autumn 1777 field service. Changes include a round hat turned up on the left side, short coatee or sleeved waistcoat, and blanket sling in place of a knapsack. For more see Xavier della Gattas Battle of Germantown, and British Orderly Book (40th Regiment of Foot), 20 April 1777 to 28 August 1777, George Washington Papers (Library of Congress), series 6B, vol. 1, reel 117; available online as, "Necessarys to be Properley Packd: & Slung in their Blanketts: Selected Transcriptions 40th Regiment of Foot Order Book http://revwar75.com/library/rees/40th.htm Artwork by Don Troiani (Courtesy of the artist, www.historicalimagebank.com )

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    "I propose leaving Colo. Daytons and Ogden's Regts. at Elizabeth Town for the present ... Movements of the 1st and 3d New Jersey Regiments, July and August 1777 From late July to the first day of September the New Jersey brigade was split with the 1st and 3d Regiments starting at or near Elizabethtown, New Jersey, covering the crossing to British-held Staten Island, while the 2d and 4th Jersey Regiments remained with the main army, eventually moving south to Pennsylvania to camp in Bucks County at the forks of the Neshaminy awaiting word of the British fleet, which put to sea on July 23d. General Washingtons correspondence shows that the two units left behind were not able to enjoy much rest during their detached duty. Washington to New Jersey Governor William Livingston, 25 July 1777, "I propose leaving Colo. Daytons and Ogden's Regts. at Elizabeth Town and that Quarter for the present .. The Regiments at Elizabeth Town will move... the Moment we learn which way the Fleet has gone.16 Ensign George Ewing, 3d New Jersey, noted in his journal, "the first and Third Jersey Regts Marchd for Elizabeth Town / here we remaind a few days and the first [Regiment] Marchd to Newark the Third [Regiment] still remaining at Elizt a few Regts of the Enemy lying on Staten Island." On July 31st Washington wrote Col. Elias Dayton, that with the appearance of the enemy fleet being at the mouth of the Delaware Bay, "you are therefore to march as expeditiously as you can with your own and Colo. Ogden's Regiments to Philadelphia, by way of Trenton, where Boats will be prepared to carry you across, You will take care and not overmarch your men. Come light, by no means over load yourselves with baggage." The next day another note was sent to Elias Dayton, 1 August 1777, "... you are immediately upon receipt of this to return and keep upon your march till you reach Peeks Kill [New York]."17 On 3 August the commander-in-chief confessed to the colonel, The conduct of the Enemy is distressing and difficult to be understood. Since my last ... their Fleet ... has appeared off the Capes of Delaware, as we were advised yesterday by Express. In this state of uncertainty about their real object and design, I think it advisable, that you should halt your own and Colo. Ogdon's Regiments where this Letter reaches you and there remain till further orders from meb... While you halt, you will take every measure for refreshing your Men and rendering them as comfortable as you can. Bathing themselves moderately and washing their Clothes are of infinite Service. Wherever you may march to, the first object, after your arrival should be to clean your Arms, and have 'em put immediately in the best possible fix." On the 11th Dayton notified Washington, I yesterday removed with the two Regiments to this place ["Ackquacknum" or Acquackanonk, present-day Passaic, New Jersey] for the sake of provisions and beer which I am told may be procur'd much easier at this place than at Peramus. I send the Pay Master to Head Quarters for money as both officers and soldiers are much in want of it. The necessaries of life are so very high in the Country that their pay is scarcely sufficient during the month."18 On August 21st General Washington again decided that the two regiments should join the army in Pennsylvania, telling Governor Livingston, "Sir ... you will observe how necessary it is for me to draw off the Regiments now in your State, Commanded by Colos. Dayton and Ogden, and consequently for you to order some Militia to replace them ..."19 Before those orders could be effected Maj. Gen. John Sullivan launched an attack against Loyalist forces on Staten Island, with the Jersey regiments in support. Maj. Joseph Bloomfield, 3d New Jersey, described events of the day, in which they fared better than Sullivans Division: Augt. 22. Friday. About day-break this Morning the 1s t. & 3d. Jersey Regts. with 100 Militia went over to Staaten Island opposite the Blazing Star [Tavern] under the command of Col. Ogden. Took [Loyalist] Col. [Elisha] Lawrence [1st Battalion, New Jersey Volunteers], Ten other officers &

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    about 120 privates. In the small action we had with them I had my Horse Wounded. We brought off near 10,000 worth of [prizes]. Genl. Sullivan with about 1,000 of his division crossed to the Island opposite Elizth.Town, took one Col. & about 40 Privates & lost his rear guard in coming off of near 127 men.20 Ensign Ewing also left a record of that action, as well as the days leading up to it. Augt 20 This day we receivd orders to March to join the Grand Army then in Pensylvania we accordingly marchd as far as Spanktown where we halted a short time and then marchd to the Old Blazing Star at the side of the sound being joind by the first Regt and a few Melitia we crosst.[to Staten Island] and all landed about brak of day we then marchd up surprisd and took chief part of the Picket gave Battle and routed Colls Lawrence Bartar & Buskirks Regs took the two former with one handred and twenty privates and several Commissiond Officers prisoners took two sloops and a great deal of plunder and after pursuing the fugitives to a height near Princes Bay we returnd and recroost the Sound just after which Genl Sullivans Division who had crossd at the Old Point came down and just as the rear of them were crossing there being about eighty of on that side a strong party of the Enemy came down Attackd killd and took them21 Immediately afterwards Ogdens and Daytons regiments headed south. George Ewing wrote, 22d [August] We marchd to Elizt Town where we sold our plunder at Public vandu and then marchd to join the Grand Army in Pensylvania the English Troops having landed at the Head of Elk and coming up to possess themselves of Philadelphia we joind the Grand army [on September 1st] at Brandywine Mills herre we lay a few days & then marchd to Newport [Delaware] where we threw up Breast works and lay three or four days 22 From "Price's Near Swedish Church near Derby," on 30 August division commander William Alexander, Lord Stirling, informed General Washington, Genl. Sulivans division I am informed is this afternoon Encamped on the hither side of Schuylkill, Dayton's & Ogden's [New Jersey] Regiments will be this Evening near Derby. Maj. Bloomfield noted, 30. [August]. Passed through Philadelphia & Septr. 1st. joined Genl. Washington at Wilimington. 23 _____________________ For a detailed account of the 22 August 1777 operation see, Tim Abbot, Sullivans 1777 Staten Island Raid http://greensleeves.typepad.com/berkshires/sullivans-staten-island-raid-1777/ (Note: The splitting of Maxwell's Brigade resulted in confusion for at least one modern historian. Based solely on Washington's 21 August letter to William Livingston, Samuel S. Smith claimed in his book The Battle of Brandywine (Philip Freneau Press, Monmouth Beach, N.J., 1976, p. 31) that only the 1st and 3d New Jersey Regiments were present at that battle. This error has been repeated in other works, evidently using Smiths otherwise excellent book as their source. In truth all four New Jersey regiments fought in the action at Birmingham Hill on 11 September 1777 and all suffered casualties.)

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    Crossed Delaware [River], halted At Doctor Enhams Journal Entries, 29 July to 14 August 1777 the 29th I was ordered with my Regt. 3 miles up the mountain to Westfield Gap where we Remained the 30th. [of] June [and the] 1st. & 2nd. of July then joined the Brigade at Westfield / Continued there the 3rd. 4th. & 5th then joined the Division & marched to Morristown & joined ye Grand Army. Continued there untill the 11th. When the whole Army marched, our Brigade in front / that night Incamped at Pomptown plain, this night found myself unwell with a Cold and some fever, - the 12th. & 13th. being Rainy Lay still / the 14th. marched to the foot of the Clove over the Line into New York state / the 15th. Lay still this Day / heard the agreeable News of [British] General [Richard] Prescotts being taken prisoner [in Rhode Island on the night of July 9-10, 1777] / 16th. 17th. 18th. & 19th nothing Extronary, - the 20th marched At 1 oClock from Ramapo and that Day Crossed North River and in the Evening Arived At Peekskill 24 miles - [It was from Peekskill that William Alexander, Lord Stirling wrote that "untill we have more Certain Intelligence or further Orders from your Excellency I therefore now am impatiently waiting for one or other of those Events in one of the most Melancholy dirty holes I ever saw." General William Alexander, Lord Stirling, to General George Washington, from "Peaks Kill July 24, 1777" 24] [On the] 23rd. aparty of ours brought in a spy and several other tories, the Spy was Examined before Lord Sterling & Gen Maxwell, found Gilty and ordered to be hanged on the next tree, at first he Equivacated and told many Crooked stories, but when he found he must Dye he Confessed, he Left his home near Goshen in New York and Inlisted in Colonel [John] Bayards Regt. [Kings Orange Rangers] of New Levey tories / was sent out by the Colonel to find where our army was and their Movements / he had satisfied him And was Returning, But happy for us he was taken and Brought in, the Roap was fixed tied above and he swung off / in about one minute the Roap sliped and he fell to the Ground Come too and prayed a short time but was soon [illegible word] off a second time When he soon Expired &c, - [On July 23d 1777 Gen. William Howes army sailed from Sandy Hook aboard a fleet of nine large warships, one hundred and forty seven transports, plus schooners and auxiliary craft, totaling approximately two hundred and sixty vessels, destination unknown to Continental Army commanders.25] this Evening Receivd orders to march tomorrow morning 4 oClock, friday the 24th. in the Morning we Imbarked on board Battoes [and] Landed at kings ferry - marched that Day to [scotland?] 3 miles from kakeatt, Saterday 26th marched at Day Light, halted that Night at the Great falls of Pasiac / Sunday 27th. marched in the morning by way of Aquacanac, Newark halted that night one mile north of Elizabeth town, next morning being Rainy We Did not march untill 3 oClock in the Afternoon / that night halted at Littles tavern near the short hills - Tuesday 29 marched at Day Light halted that night one mile below the north Branch of raraton / Wensday 30th. marched at Day Light halted that night at ye meeting house 3 miles from Corrells ferry [Lambertville, New Jersey/New Hope, Pennsylvania], - thirsday 31st. marched at noon and Crossed Delaware [River], halted At Doctor Enhams [see note 3 below], friday 1st. August
    __________________________

    Note 3: The "Enham" or Ingham house still stands today on Route 202, one mile west of New Hope, Pennsylvania. William W.H. Davis, History of Bucks County Pennsylvania, From the Discovery of the Delaware to the Present Time, vol. I (orig. published 1905: reprinted Pipersville, Pa., A.E. Lear, Inc., 1975), pp. 275 and 276.

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    __________________________ Marched at Day Light, that night a Little below the [Crooked] Billet [Hatboro, Pa.] / Saterday 2nd. August 1777, marched at sunrise, that night Incamped on the Bank of Scuylkiln [Schuylkill River] 1/2 mile below the falls [near Germantown], - Continued here untill friday 8th. in the fournoon the whole Army was Revewed by his Excellency [see note 4 below], at noon marched 13 miles and Incamped in uper Dublin 15 miles from Philada - Saturday 9th. Lay still the weather Excessive hot, Sunday 10th. marchd at sunrise across into the old York Road and Incamped in the forks of Shamany [Neshaminy Creek, present-day Hartsville, Bucks County also known at the time as the Cross Roads], we Lay still untill thirsday [1]4th. marched at sunrise across towards Newtown 8 miles and Incamped in Col. harts field" ____________________________
    (Maps next two pages. A. Route of the York Road on the Pennsylvania (eastern) side of the Delaware River. The Coryells Ferry crossing is to the right (east); the Ben amin Paxson home, Rolling Green, can be seen on the west side, ust left of the letters CH; the Ingham house is pictured to the right of CH. Detail from Robert Erskines map, Crossing Corrells ferry to Ringoes Tavern. Robert Erskine (1735-1780), map, No 73 [third] Crossing Corrells ferry towards Morristown to Ringoes Tavern by Robert Erskine F.R.S. Geogr. A. U.S. and Assistants, New-York Historical Society; (format, 4.0 cm. wide by 3 .0 cm.high, 1 map), Military topographic map. Covers the townships of Solebury in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and of Delaware and West Amwell in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Shows roads running through Deer Park and New Hope in Pennsylvania; Lambertville, Mount Airy and Ringoes in New Jersey. Pen-and-ink, pencil on laid paper. Watermark: G R under shield, similar to Gravell and Miller foreign watermark no. 301. Heavily soiled, creased and abraded. Mounted on cloth, bound and cropped, disbound and silked by subsequent owners. Cleaned after removal of backings 1999; some fill remains. Sheathed in mylar. In pencil on recto: No 73 3rd. Erskines maps are available online via New York University and NY-HS, Witness to the Early American Experience, World Wide Web, http://maass.nyu.edu/archives/ (search on keyword, Erskine). B. Route of the York Road on the New Jersey (eastern) side of the Delaware River crossing at Coryells Ferry. Detail from Robert Erskines map, No 73 Crossing Corrells ferry towards Morristown to Ringoes Tavern. ibid.

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    26

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    The journal's daily entries conclude here. Shortly after the last entry Colonel Shreve and the 2d Regiment joined the main body of Washington's army in camp at the Cross Roads in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. They remained here for thirteen days until information was received that Lord Howe's fleet with the British army on board had entered the Chesapeake Bay. After marching through Philadelphia the Continentals went on to meet General Howe's army at the Brandywine Creek. Here Lord Stirling's division was part of the right wing of Washington's army and fought a defensive action on the hill near Birmingham meetinghouse. Israel Shreve received a thigh wound in the battle and did not return to duty until November of 1777. The 2d New Jersey Regiment and Maxwell's brigade went on to participate in the Battle of Germantown and finally entered the winter camp at Valley Forge with the rest of the army. __________________________
    Note: Lt. James McMichael of the Pennsylvania State Regiment wrote on August 8th, "We received orders to hold ourselves in readiness to pass a grand review at 10 A.M., upon which we all got into uniform, with our hair dressed and powdered. At noon His Excellency Gen. Washington with a number of General officers passed us; we received them with a General salute, both officers and soldiers, when we were afterwards ordered to our encampment" which as he noted "was very beautiful." "Diary of Lieutenant James McMichael, of the Pennsylvania Line, 1776-1778," The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, vol. XVI (1892), no. 2), 208.

    __________________________ The remainder Shreve's journal is taken up by notes of loans to officers and a listing of officers ranks and seniority in the New Jersey and Pennsylvania regiments. Only the Jersey entrys are transcribed:
    "Rank. Colonels 1 Elias Dayton 2 Israel Shreve 3 Ephraim Martin 4 Matthias Ogden _________________________________ Lt. Colonels 1 David Brearly 2 David Rhea 3 Francis Barber 4 Wm. Dehart _________________________________ Majors 1 Richard Howell 2 Joseph Bloomfield 3 Joseph Morris 4 Thomas Morrel _________________________________" "Arangement & Rank of ye field Officers of the four New Jersey Regts. in Continental service _________________________________ 1st. Regt. Col. Matthias Ogden Lt. Col. Wm. Dehart Major Joseph Morris _________________________________ 2nd. Regt. Col. Israel Shreve Lt. Col. David Rhea Major Richard Howell _________________________________ 3rd. Regt. Col. Elias Dayton Lt. Col. Francis Barber Major Joseph Bloomfield _________________________________ 4th. Regt. Ephraim Martin Lt. Col. David Brearly Major Thomas Morrel

    _________________________________

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    Addenda
    1. Listing of Field Officers, Commissioned Officers, and Staff of the 2nd New Jersey Regiment December 1776 to December 1777 Field Officers Colonel - Israel Shreve, Lieutenant Colonel - David Rhea Major - Richard Howell Date of Commission (etc.) 11/28/76 (lieutenant colonel in 1776), wounded 9/11/77 11/28/76 (major in 1776), resigned November 1778 11/28/76 (captain in 1776), disabled by a fall from a horse just after the Battle of Germantown, returned to the regiment at Valley Forge. Resigned 4/7/79 February 1777 (captain in 1776) appointed April 1777 (ensign, 3rd New Jersey in 1776) 1/1/77 February 1777 1/1/77 4/1/77 1/1/77 [?], died of sickness 7/5/78 12/15/76 (sergeant, Lawrie's Company in 1776) 12/15/76, probably assumed the position in May or June 1777 (drummer, Brearley's Company in 1776)

    Staff Paymaster - William Shute Surgeon's Mate - Ebenezer Elmer Adjutant - Luther Halsey Quartermaster - Charles Axford Benajah Osmon John Peck Surgeon - Lewis Howell Warrant Officers Serjeant Major - William Barr Drum Major - William Burtless

    Company Officers Maxwell's Company James Maxwell, captain, 12/15/76, resigned 12/1/77 (1st lieutenant, Scott's Company in 1776) Samuel Naglee, 1st lieutenant, 12/15/76 (ensign, Howell's Company in 1776) James Paul, assumed the position of ensign as of 7/1/77, this appointment was confirmed on 10/12/77 formerly a volunteer serving in the rank of sergeant (sergeant, Faulkner's Company in 1776) Anderson's Company (This company was disbanded in August 1777 and its men dispersed among the remaining companies.) Ephraim Anderson, captain, 12/15/76, killed 6/26/77 (2nd lieutenant, Stout's Company in 1776) Samuel Hendry, 1st lieutenant, 12/15/76, assigned to Hollinshead's Company (ensign, Lawrie's Company in 1776) Aaron Lane, 2nd lieutenant, 12/15/76, assigned to Lawrie's Company (ensign, Stout's Company in 1776) Yard's Company Thomas Yard, captain, resigned December 1777 (1st lieutenant, Brearley's Company in 1776) Jonathan Phillips, 1st lieutenant (2nd lieutenant, Brearley's Company in 1776) Stout's Company Joseph Stout, captain, 12/15/76, killed 9/11/77 (captain, 1776) Samuel Reading, captain as of October 1777, formerly of Lawrie's Co. (1st lieutenant, Stout's Co., 1776) William Parrott, 1st lieutenant, 12/15/76 (ensign, Shute's Co., 1776)

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    Cumming's Company John Noble Cumming, captain, 1/1/77 (1st lieutenant, Howell's Co., 1776) John Sparks, 1st lieutenant, 1/1/77 (ensign, Faulkner's Co., 1776) (promoted to 2nd lieutenant, Faulkner's Co., 5/13/76) Samuel Shute, ensign, 1/1/77 (ensign as of 8/24/76, company unknown) Dillon's Company James Dillon, captain, 1/1/77, resigned 12/1/77 (1st lieutenant, Faulkner's Co., 1776) (promoted to captain due to Captain Falkner's, deceased as of 5/13/76) Nathaniel Bowman, 1st lieutenant, appointed captain of Lawrie's former company October 1777 (2nd lieutenant, Faulkner's Co., 1776, promoted to 1st lieutenant, Faulkner's Co., 5/13/76) George Reynolds, 1st lieutenant as of November 1777, formerly of Luse's Co. (ensign, Shaw's Co., 1776) Francis Duclos, 2nd lieutenant, 1/1/77 (private, Faulkner's Co., 1776) (promoted from the ranks to ensign of Scott's Co., August 1776) James Johnston [Johnston], ensign 1777 (ensign, Lawrie's Co., 1776) Hollinshead's Company John Hollinshead, captain, 1/1/77 (1st lieutenant, Lawrie's Co., 1776) Samuel Hendry, 1st lieutenant as of September 1777, formerly of Anderson's Co., 1/1/77 (ensign, Lawrie's Co., 1776) John Shreve, ensign, promoted 11/1/77 to 2nd lieutenant in Luse's Co. (ensign, 1776) William Barr, sergeant major, 12/15/76 (drummer, Brearley's Co., 1776) Lawrie's Company James Lawrie, captain, wounded and captured 6/26/77, died in captivity (captain, 1776) Nathaniel Bowman, captain as of October 1777 (9/11/77), formerly of Dillon's Co. (2nd lieutenant, Faulkner's Co., 1776, promoted to 1st lieutenant, Faulkner's Co., 5/13/76) Seth Bowen, 1st lieutenant as of May 1777, missing from the rolls as of June 1777 (2nd lieutenant, Howell's Co., 1776) Samuel Reading, 1st lieutenant as of June 1777, "Prisoner upon Parole" September 1777, promoted captain of Stout's former company as of October 1777 (1st lieutenant, Stout's Co., 1776) Luse's Company Henry Luse, captain, 1/1/77 (1st lieutenant, Shaw's Co., 1776) William Helms, 1st lieutenant (2nd lieutenant, Shaw's Co., 1776) George Reynolds, 2nd lieutenant, promoted to 1st lieutenant Dillon's Co. November 1777 (ensign, Shaw's Co., 1776) John Shreve, 2nd lieutenant as of November 1777, formerly of Hollinshead's Co. (ensign, 1776) _____________________

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    2d New Jersey Regiment, Company Lineage, 1777 to 1779 The seniority of the captains and their companies of the 2nd New Jersey Regiment in 1777 was probably as follows: (Source: Revolutionary War Rolls, National Archives Microfilm Publications, Record Group 93, M246 (Washington, 1980), reel 57, section 23, letter from Israel Shreve, Burlington City, N.J., December 30, 1786) 1) John Hollinshead's Company 2) John Cummings' Company 3) James Dillon's Company, Dillon resigned December 1, 1777. 4) James Maxwell's Company, Maxwell resigned December 1, 1777. 5) James Lawrie's Company, Lawrie died in captivity of wounds received at the Battle of the Short Hills, June 26, 1777. 6) Ephraim Andersons Company, Anderson was killed at the Battle of the Short Hills, June 26, 1777. 7) Henry Luse's Company 8) Thomas Yard's Company, Yard resigned in December 1777. 9) Joseph Stout's Company, Stout was killed at the Battle of Brandywine, September 11, 1777. On June 26, 1777 Captain Ephraim Anderson was killed at the Battle of the Short Hills in New Jersey. In August of 1777 the enlisted men of his company were dispersed among five other companies of the regiment: 1 sergeant and 2 privates joined Cumming's company; 1 sergeant, 2 corporals and 8 privates joined Hollinshead's company; 1 sergeant, 1 corporal and 2 privates joined Lawrie's company; 2 privates joined L se's company; and 1 corporal joined Dillon's company. Continuity of Company Command Through May 1779 Captain Hollinshead commanded the same company from January 1777 to May 1779 Captain Cumming commanded the same company from January 1777 to May 1779. Captain Dillon's company (as of January 1777) became Captain Sparks' (as of January 1778) which then became Colonel Shreve's Company (as of February 1779). Captain Maxwell's company (as of January 1777) became Captain Helms' (as of December 1778) which then became Lieutenant Colonel DeHart's Company (as of February 1779). Captain Lawrie's company (as of January 1777) became Captain Bowman's (as of September 1777). This company was designated light infantry as of June 1779. Captain Luse's company (as of January 1777) became Captain Helms' (as of February 1779). Captain Yard's company (as of January 1777) became Captain Phillips' (as of December 1777). Captain Stout's company (as of January 1777) became Captain Reading's (as of December 1777). A ninth company was added in February of 1779 which was Major Howell's. This company became Major Ross's in May of 1779.

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    Sources for Above Revolutionary War Rolls, National Archives Microfilm Publications, Record Group 93, M246 (Washington, 1980), reels 57 to 60, 2d New Jersey Regiment muster and pay rolls, 1777 to 1779. Francis B. Lee , ed., Archives of the State of New Jersey - Documents Relating to the Revolutionary History of the State of New Jersey (Trenton, 1903), second series, vol. I, Extracts From American Newspapers, 1776-77, deserter descriptions, 345-346; vol. II, Extracts From American Newspapers, 1778, deserter descriptions, 187, 348, 478. William S. Stryker, The Battle of Monmouth (Princeton, 1927), 291, description of Pvt. John Flemings wound; Stryker's source is for that information is not given. New Jersey State Archives (Microfilm Collection) Minutes of Joint Meeting, page 14. "Haddonfield, Wednesday, February 5, 1777. It appearing to the Joint-Meting that some of the Officers appointed for the second Battalion n ow raising in this State for the Continental Service have declined to accept of their Appointment, and that some others of the said Officers were misplaced in the Arrangement made on the 29th Day of November last... a new Appointment and Arrangement of the Officers of the said Battalion are become necessary; a Comittee was appointed to confer with Col. Shreve, and to fill up the Vacancies and make the said Arrangement. The Committee... reported, - That [the list]... is as follows, viz. Israel Shreve, Esq. Colonel, David Rhea, Esq. Lieutenant-Colonel, Richard Howell, Esq. Major Staff Officers with their Rank. Luther Halsey, Adjutant, Charles Axford, Quartermaster, William Shute, Paymaster, ------ , Chaplain Lewis Howell, Surgeon, ------ , [Surgeon's] Mate. N.B. The ninth Company is appointed by the Advice and on the Risk of Col. Shreve, who says he has Authority from Gen. Washington for adding a ninth Company to his Battalion." Daniel Agnew, "A Biographical Sketch of Governor Richard Howell, Of New Jersey," Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, vol. 22 (1898), 225. John Shreve, "Personal Narrative of the Services of Lieut. John Shreve of the New Jersey Line of the Continental Army," Magazine of American History, vol. 3, part 2 (1879), 564-578. 7. Rees, John U., An Account of the Movements and Actions of the 2nd New Jersey Regiment for the Year 1778... (Appendices G and H.) _____________________

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    2. Company Strengths and Dispositions, Colonel Israel Shreve's 2nd New Jersey Regiment December 1776 to December 1777 (Including tables of casualties, deserters, etc.) Casualties Related to Combat 4/13/77 - 1 private captured, Hollinshead's Company 4/15/77 - 1 private captured, Luse's Company May 1777 - 2 privates captured, Cumming's Co. 5/23/77 - 1 private killed, Maxwell's Company June 1777 - 1 private captured, Lawrie's Company 6/26/77 - 1 captain killed, Anderson's Company 1 captain wounded and captured, Lawrie's Company 1 sergeant missing and 1 volunteer wounded, Maxwell's Company 1 private missing, Dillon's Company 3 privates captured, Cumming's Company 1 private captured, Hollinshead's Company 2 privates missing, Luse's Company September 1777 - 1 lieutenant captured, Lawrie's Company 9/11/77 - 1 colonel wounded 1 captain and 1 sergeant killed, Stout's Co. 1 sergeant missing, Lawrie's Co. 1 corporal wounded, Yard's Co. 1 private missing, Hollinshead's Co. 2 privates missing and 1 private wounded, Dillon's Co. 10/4/77 - 1 private captured, Maxwell's Co. 1 private captured, Stout's Co. 1 private missing, Lawrie's Co. 1 private killed, Luse's Co. Grand total December 1776 to December 1777: 2 officers killed 1 officer wounded 2 officers captured 3 enlisted men killed 3 enlisted men wounded 11 enlisted men captured 7 enlisted men missing Total - 29 men killed, wounded, captured, or missing ________________________

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    Col. Israel Shreve's recruiting accounts for 1777: "In the year 1777 I am charged with 11,500 dollars. The amount of my Vouchers in that year 14,468 60/90 Dollars. The allowances for recruiting my Regiment you say is as follows, the whole of the men that served in the said regiment that year was 573 whose bounties amounted to 10,260 dollars, premium to the officers 684 dollars and some incidental expences which probably amount to 550 Dollars, which makes up the sum of 11,500 Dollars which I am Charged with The above statement seems to ballance the amount, though very unfavorable to me as well as unjust - But whether all the monthly rolls for that whole year are in your Office or not I cannot determine, but rather think they are not. If so the number of men that served Cannot be determined as some of the officers were on the recruiting service nearly the whole year and as we served in or near our own state, recruits frequently offered and were never rejected if a bounty could be raised in the Regt. Another reason I shall give you why my advances were not out of all reason that year to my recruiting officers, we recruited a number of men at Ticonderoga before we left that place in the fall of 1776, [w]here we drew no money. I advanced all the money I could command, borrowing some of my officers. In coming home through the state of New York, several of our recruits for the war deserted, Some of which we afterwards took out of the New York Regts. 18th December 1776. The Regiment was paid and discharged, their enlisted men furloughed aggreable to promise. Soon after the officers were sent through the state recruiting where the enemy had not possession. You will recollect that at this time the flying camp broke up, [and] the men discharged, those belonging to the Southern states going home, many of which men were enlisted by my recruiting officers, sworn, received their bounties and went off. Another thing at that very time [which] encouraged desertion was the enemy having possession of part of our state. Many that were enlisted deserted and enlisted in the enemys New Levie [Loyalist] Regts. The whole of these disadvantages caused great numbers to desert that never did duty in the Regt. after they enlisted. All those were entirely left out of the Rolls and I verily beleive if the number could at this time be ascertained, it would appear that the whole money was paid to recruits for Bounties, premiums and other expenses allowed the officers at that time... I once mentioned to you that I had Nine Companies belonging to my Regt. [in] the forepart of the Campaign 1777. The Captains Names were, Laurie, Stout, Dillon, Anderson, Cummings, Hollinshead, Luse, Yard and Maxwell. The 26 June 1777 Anderson was killed at short hills in Jersey. Laurie taken prisoner, died in Provost at New York soon after. - At the Battle of Brandywine, Stout was killed, [and] I was badly wounded so as not to be able to do duty until Jan. 1778. During my absence from the Regt. Dillon, Maxwell, and Yard resigned and were gone so that six of the nine Captains were quite out of my power. In November 1778 at Elizabeth Town I drew money to recruit Nine months men whose times were nearly out. Here Hollinshead, Cummings and Luse produced their enlistments and settled up with me to that time."

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    Summation of the state of the 2d New Jersey Regiment for 1777 Mustered Joined Never Left the 1 Jan after 1 joined or Regt after 1777 Jan 1777 Total mustered 1 June 1777 Hollinsheads 64 2 66 21 15 (36) Cummings 90 7 97 31 21 (52) Dillons 64 3 67 33 7 (40) Maxwells 57 57 33 6 (39) Lauries 30 1 31 4 6 (10) Andersons 57 57 31 1 (32) Luses 74 8 82 30 21 (51) Yards 44 44 19 5 (24) Stouts 65 65 25 7 (32) Total 545 21 566 227 89 (316)

    (Source: Israel Shreve letter, Burlington City, N.J., December 30, 1786, regarding funds used for recruiting the 2nd Jersey Regiment in 1777. Revolutionary War Rolls, National Archives (Microfilm Collection), reel 57, section 23.) ____________________ 2d New Jersey Regiment Statistics Based on the Muster and Pay Rolls Months Deserters Sick Dead 12/76 to 4/77 99 0 18 5/77 35 15 6 6/77 4 5 1 7/77 10 1 3 8/77 6* 9/77 8 12 2 10/77 1 10 3 11/77 7 14 1 12/77 2 16 2 Total 162 Average per month 12 6 (Over a period of 13 months) 36 3

    * Only Dillon's Company returned _____________________ For comparison, a return of Col. Matthias Ogdens 1st New Jersey Regiment, dated 1 May 1777, shows nine companies (Captains Howell, Conway, Polhemus, McMyers, Piatt, Longstreet, Baldwin, Morrison, and Flahaven). Men enlisted, 533; dead, deserted, and not to be found, 136; not joined, 153; In the small Pox, 83; Effectives in Actual Service Including Non Commissd Officers, 121; killed, wounded, and captured, 13; sick present, 11; on Command and Attending the Sick, 16. Revolutionary War Rolls, National Archives Microfilm Publications, Record Group 93, M246 (Washington, 1980), reels 55, 1st New Jersey Regiment, miscellaneous records.

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    3. 2d New Jersey Regiment, Monthly Strength as Taken From the Muster Rolls, December 1776 to December 1777 Regimental Organization, 1776 to 1778 Per company: 8 captains, 16 lieutenants, 8 ensigns, 32 sergeants, 8 drummers, 8 fifers, 640 rank and file. Eight companies per regiment. Total: 720 officers and men. (Field and staff officers not included)
    _________________________________________

    December 15, 1776 to April 30, 1777 9 captains, 16 lieutenants, 8 ensigns, 1 sergeant major, 1 quartermaster sergeant, 1 drum major, 31 sergeants, 6 drums, 4 fifes, 1 musician instrument unknown 354 rank & file present fit for duty 99 deserted, 18 dead, 2 discharged Total, 432 officers and men (Though not carried on the rolls the sergeant major and quartermaster sergeant served with the regiment throughout the year.) May 1777 9 captains, 16 lieutenants, 6 ensigns, 29 sergeants, 1 drum major, 7 drums, 3 fifes, 243 rank & file present fit for duty 12 on command, 2 sick, 9 sick absent, 3 sick in hospital,1 lieutenant sick present, 1 ensign on furlough, 1 under guard, 2 not joined, 2 discharged, 6 dead, 35 deserted. Casualties: 2 enlisted men captured May 1777, 1 killed 5/23/77 Total, 343 officers and men June 1777 7 captains, 17 lieutenants, 7 ensigns, 31 sergeants, 1 drum major, 6 drums, 4 fifes, 248 rank & file present fit for duty 4 sick in hospital, 1 sick absent, 2 not joined, 1discharged, 1 dead, 4 deserted. Casualties June 26, 1777: 1 captain killed, 1 captain wounded and captured, 5 enlisted men missing and 3 captured. Total, 326 officers and men July 1777 7 captains, 17 lieutenants, 8 ensigns, 32 sergeants, 1 drum major, 5 drums, 3 fifes, 255 rank & file present fit for duty 1 sick absent, 1 in artillery, 3 dead, 10 deserted. Total, 329 officers and men (At the end of July the regiment was reduced from nine companies to eight through the disbanding and dispersal of the late Captain Anderson's company.)

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    August 1777 (Only Dillon's Company has a return for this month.) September 1777 6 captains, 15 lieutenants, 8 ensigns 27 sergeants, 7 drums, 4 fifes, 228 rank & file present fit for duty 1 on command at the hospital, 1 sick absent, 11 sick in hospital, 2 dead, 8 deserted, 1 lieutenant absent recruiting, 1 lieutenant "Prisoner upon Parole." Casualties September 11, 1777: 1 captain killed, 1 sergeant killed, 3 enlisted men missing. Total, 310 officers and men October 1777 8 captains, 16 lieutenants, 8 ensigns, 26 sergeants, 7 drums, 4 fifes, 219 rank & file present fit for duty 1 sick absent, 9 sick in hospital, 3 dead, 1 deserted. Casualties 10/4/77: 1 enlisted man killed, 1 captured, 3 missing. Total, 298 officers and men November 1777 8 captains, 16 lieutenants, 4 ensigns, 25 sergeants, 6 drums, 4 fifes, 216 rank & file present fit for duty 5 sick absent, 9 sick in hospital, 1 dismissed, 1 dead, 7 deserted. Possible casualty September 11, 1777: 1 enlisted man deserted or missing. Total, 293 officers and men December 1777 (as of 12/31/77) 6 captains, 15 lieutenants, 3 ensigns, 25 sergeants, 6 drums, 3 fifes, 213 rank & file present 16 sick absent, 2 dead, 2 deserted, 1 2nd lieutenant resigned. Total, 287 officers and men A field return for the regiment made on December 23, 1777 shows that Lieutenant Colonel Rhea was in command of the following: 6 captains, 13 subalterns, 23 sergeants, 10 drum and fife, and 159 rank & file present, fit for duty. Fifty-nine rank & file are noted as being unfit for duty "for want of shoes." Sources 1. Revolutionary War Rolls, National Archives Microfilm Publications, Record Group 93, M246 (Washington, 1980), reels 57 to 60, muster and pay rolls of the field, staff and commissioned Officers and the companies of the 2nd New Jersey Regiment, 1777 and 1778. 2. Robert K. Wright, Jr., The Continental Army (Washington, 1983)

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    4. The Troops of this Army Appear to Manoeuvre upon false principles The State of Continental Army Field Formations and Combat Maneuver, 1777 Colonel Shreves narrative of the combat at Short Hills begs some discussion of the state of training in the Continental Army prior to the introduction of the new and standardized discipline in 1778. First, let us look again at the colonels recounting based on the combined texts of his letters to Bodo Otto and John Stilley:
    Just at this time My Regt. Receivd a heavy fire, when Lord Sterling ordered us to Retreat about 100 yards to another hill, when they Intirely Broke And huddled up together in much Confusion, But with the help of Col. Rhea and Major Howell formed them in a few minutes in pritty Good order Advanced a Little way and fired several Rounds untill we Got Orders to Retreat Again to ["a third" (Otto)] hill which we Did in pritty Good order, face about and fired again untill his Lordship sent his Aid a Camp ["Major Wilcox" (Otto)] with orders to Leave the Ground" (Stilley)] ["I Endeavored to Retreat in Good order, But Riseing a hill Received such a shower of shot, that set Every man Runing for himself / I Looked to the Right saw all makeing of[f] in Disorder [and] at the same time found Our Retreat Cut off towards the Right ["into Rarranton Road" (Stilley)], by Rason of a Body of Enemy giting Nearly a breast of me in the Center, was Obliged to file of[f] to the Left in the Skirt of A Wood, and fall into a Lower Road, knowing the Country well, Mostly Got off safe" (Otto)] / ["thus were we situated, with Less than A thousand men, against how and his whole Army Although we stood them one hour and an half most part of the time very hot. - the Musket Balls flew Like a shower of hail stones, But Generally Over our heads or few would have Escaped.

    From this we see that Shreves 2d New Jersey, were ordered to retreat under severe fire, broke, huddled in confusion, and were reformed by their officers in pretty Good order. The regiment then advanced and fired, before being directed to fall back again. They did so, halted, turned about and fired again at the oncoming enemy, and were ordered to retreat once more, but despite all efforts, under fire once again, the regiment broke, but eventually was able to file of[f] to the Left in the Skirt of A Wood and escape. Trusting that Shreves testimony is accurate (a good assumption, given this was private correspondence), this performance by a largely untried unit against daunting odds is rather impressive. During the first three years of the War for Independence there was no standard military manual of training system for Continental Army regiments, brigades, or divisions. Commanders instituted their own programs and, inevitably, some were more diligent and able than others. As a result performance in battle varied. The Chevalier Dubuysson, cousin to Marie Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette, who he accompanied to America in 1777, gave this rather disparaging view of Continental Army tactics and abilities in his memoirs,
    M. de Conway, brigadier general, is detested by the officers of his brigade and envied by all the generals, including Washington, because he makes his brigade work and personally drills and instructs it, instead of leaving it idle in camp ... I put a shirt in my sack, took a musket and a bayonet, and offered my services to M. de Conway ... who is said to have the best instructed and disciplined brigade. He ... permitted me to serve as a volunteer in his brigade. I served in that capacity for some time, and I obtained some idea of the American army and its troops.

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    Dubuyssons poor opinion seems to be supported by events at the Battle of Brandywine, 11 September 1777. The crucial action of that day occurred on the American right wing, where a portion of Gen. William Howes British and German forces executed a flank march and assault on Sullivans, Stirlings, and Woodfords Continental divisions at and near Birmingham Meeting House. Brig. Gen. Thomas Conway commanded a brigade of Pennsylvania regiments in Lord Stirlings division (Stirlings other subunit was Maxwells New Jersey Brigade), and was called upon to give his opinion why the enemy attack was so swiftly successful:
    I do hereby Certify that the Day of the Eleventh Major General Sullivan Shew'd all the Bravery and Coolness that Can be Expected from a Man of Honour During the Action And all the possible Activity After the rout to rally the Troops, General Sullivan having came up with His Division when the Enemy was within One half Mile of our front, the short time Left to his Troops in Order to form, was hardly sufficient for well Disciplined Troops well exercised and by no means sufficient for the Troops of this Army who Appear to Manoeuvre upon false principles, & where I Could not Discover as Yet the Least motion of displaying Columns & forming briskly upon all Emergencies, The Division of the right had full time to form the ground upon which said Division was to draw up was Exceedingly favourable and if part of that Division was not formed Compleatly before the engagement the fault Cannot be Imputed to General Sullivan, who Although he had a right to take the right of the Line, took the Left in Order to save time, a proof that the Division of the Right had full time to form is that Lord Stirling['s] Division which was the next to it was Compleatly formed When the Enemy Appeared, this is my Sincere Opinion the true causes of the Loss of the Battle must be [illegible word] to all Those who are acquainted with what passed that day and two Days before the Action Given under my Hand at Flatland Camp the twenty first day of Septr. 1777 Thos. Conway B.G.

    It may be that the performance of Maxwells New Jersey brigade at Short Hills puts the lie to Conways broad statement; in any case, elements of Washingtons army did use complex formations, though how quickly large force of Continental troops were able to put those formations into effect is open to debate. Here are two examples of regiments, brigades, and divisions formed for battle. Surgeons Mate Jonathan Todd, Colonel Heman Swift's 7th Connecticut Regt., provided this description during the autumn 1777 Philadelphia Campaign:
    Camp [Church's?] Hill 12 Miles N.W. Philadelphia 9th Nov 1777 ... when we got nigh their Encampment our men were drawn up with a much Expectation of Action as tho' it had really Begun - Never was more Calmness & firmness seen in Troops - altho' the[y] Expectd no Quarters if they fell into the Enemy and they marched with Undauntd resolution to attack their Lines - our Troops were drawn upon a Battalion of A mile in Length supported by solid Colums & Field Pieces they made a very Martial appearance ...

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    Order of battle for forces commanded by Maj. Gen Nathanael Greene at Mount Holly, New Jersey, late November 1777. The detachment included two divisions of Continental troops (in five brigades), Col. Daniel Morgans Light Corps, and several New Jersey militia battalions.

    A similar order of battle was used by Maj. Gen. Nathanael Greene later the same month. Greenes orders, headquarters, Mount Holly, New Jersey, 25 November 1777:
    The Following is the order of Battle. General Varnums and General Huntingtons Brigades form the Right wing, General Varnums Brigade on the right of the wing, Huntingtons on the left. The right wing is to be commanded by General Varnum. General Muhlenbergs and General Weedons Brigades form the left wing. General Muhlenbergs the left of the left wing and General Weedons the right of the left wing. General Muhlenberg commands the left wing. General Glovers Brigade forms the second line. Colo Haits and Colo Hathaways militia form upon the right flank. Colo Ellis militia and Morgans light Corps cover the left flank. In posting the officers in the Regiment the Officers are to posted with their men without regard to rank, there being great Inconveniency resulting in action by the officers being removd from their own men. In marching to action the Brigades are to march in Regimental columns. The officers leading the Regimental columns are to take special care in advancing that they preserve their proper distances from each other so as to be able to form the line if necessary. A Company to be Detached as an advance Guard to the Heads of the Columns. The Reserves to the wings to march in Columns in the rear of the center of each Brigade and to be in readiness to Join for the Support of either Brigades or to act separately for the Support of the Brigades from which they were detachd. The Second line to march in Regimental columns in the rear of the center of the first line, about

    40

    four hundred yards, ready to support any part that should be hard prest. The Artillery to be immediately under the direction of the Commanding officers of the Brigades to march and take post where they direct. The Militia and light troops are to endeavour to gain the flanks of the Enemy, but more especially to prevent them from gaining ours.

    While there is solid evidence that elements of Washingtons army were quite adept at proper combat maneuver in large formations, it is known that small detachments favored the singular mode of ambush mentioned by Dubuysson:
    The maneuver that it [the Continental Army] executes best, or rather the only one it executes, is to deliver a very accurate volley from behind some bushes (that is to say, the heather, which attains a height of five feet, is extremely common, and grows around the edges of cleared land). A regiment places itself behind some of these bushes and waits, well hidden, for the enemy. They stick their muskets through the bushes, take careful aim, fire, and fall back, leaping over several bushes with all possible ability. They go a quarter of a league, to wait for the enemy behind some more bushes. If the enemy appears, they repeat the same maneuver several times.

    This tactic seems to be inferred by 12 October 1777 army orders:


    The Officers have now an opportunity of attending to the discipline of the Troops ... Every day, when the weather will permit, the Corps are to be turn'd out and practic'd in the most essential exercises: Particularly, primeing and loading - advancing - forming - Retreating - breaking - and Rallying No pains are to be Spar'd to improve the Troops in this point.

    These small-unit tactics continued to be used during the 1778 Monmouth campaign. On 19 June Brig. Gen. William Maxwell informed New Jersey militia general Philemon Dickinson on the 19th from Mount Holly:
    The Enemy set off late to day from Haddonfield & is coming on the Road to EvesHam. They got a full fire from Capt. Ross [of the 3d New Jersey] this morning with 50 men which threw them into a great confusion. He came off some distance & Post[ed] them to give them More in a nother place. To appearance it is now beyon[d] dout they are coming through this way ...

    For more on early-war military manuals, training, and the introduction of Friedrich Wilhelm de Steubens discipline see, `Knowledge necessary to a soldier : The Continental Officers Military Reading List, 1775-1778, Military Collector & Historian, vol. 59, no. 1 (Spring 2007), 65-71. http://www.scribd.com/doc/124458058/YZ-List-Military-Manuals-Plus-Cavalry-New Sources Stanley J. Idzerda, ed., Lafayette in the Age of the American Revolution: Selected Letters and Papers, 1776-1790, vol. I, December 7, 1776-March 30, 1778 (Ithaca, N.Y., 1977), 81. Brigadier General Thomas Conway's Certificate, The Papers of the Continental Congress 1774-1789, National Archives Microfilm Publications M247, (Washington, DC, 1958), reel 178, p. 71.

    41

    Jonathan Todd, 7th Conn. Regt., to his father, 9 November 1777, Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty -Land-Warrant Application Files, National Archives Microfilm Publication M804, reel 2395 (hereafter cited as Pension Files, Natl. Archives). Nathanael Greenes orders, 25 November 1777, Richard K. Showman, ed., The Papers of General Nathanael Greene, vol. II (Chapel Hill, N.C., 1980), 212-213. George Weedon, Valley Forge Orderly Book of General George Weedon of the Continental Army under Command of Genl. George Washington, in the Campaign of 1777-8 (New York, N.Y., 1971), 84. Excerpt from John U. Rees, "'I Expect to be stationed in Jersey sometime ...': An Account of the Services of the Second New Jersey Regiment, December 1777 to June 1779", p. 80 (TMs, The David Library of the American Revolution, Washington Crossing, Pa.); source, William Maxwell to Philemon Dickinson, 19 June 1778, George Washington Papers, Presidential Papers Microfilm (Washington, D.C., 1961), series 4, reel 50. 5. Composition of British Columns at the Short Hills Action, 26 June 1777; Organization of British Light Infantry and Grenadier Battalions, Spring and Summer 1777
    A. Gen. William Howes marching orders the night previous to the Short Hills battle: G[eneral]:A[fter]:O[rders] 7 At Nigt 25th: June 77 The Army when put in Motion will March in two Columns from the wrigt: by half compys: Order of March For the right Column under the Commd of Lt: Genl: Cornwallis Hessian Yaugers ---------| Eval[d]s Compy: Exeptd | With one three poundr Under the Command of | Lt: Conll: Wurms --------| ___________________________ Queens Rangers 1st: Ligt: Infantry two three Pounders 2nd: British Gredrs: two 12: & two 6 pounders One half of the Corps of Pioneers & one Waggn: with Tools ___________________________ Hessian Gredrs three Battns: six three poundr ___________________________ Brigade of Guards - two 6 pounders ___________________________ 2nd: Brigade British [5th, 10th, 27th, 40th, and 55th regiments] four 6 poundrs: ___________________________ 5th: Brigade British [3 battalions of the 71st Regiment] four 3 pounders 17th: Dragoons & Mountd: Yaugars |- 7th: Regt: British ----| Reserve --| Two Compy: Hessn: Gredrs:|- Two 6 poundr: |- 26th: Regt: British ----|

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    Order of march for the left Column Under the Command of Majr: Genll: Vaughan Artillery Evall[d]s Compy of Hessian --| one 3 poundr and Anspach Yaugars --| ________________________________ Fergusons Corps - One Amozet [ammusette] ________________________________ 2nd: Lt: Infantry - two 3 pounders ________________________________ 2nd: British Gredrs: two 6 & 2 three pound ________________________________ Half the Corps of Pioneers wh: one Waggon & Tools ________________________________ 1st: Brigade British [4th, 23d, 28th, and 49th regiments] two 12 & Two 6 poundr: ________________________________ 4th: Brigade British [15th, 42d 1st battalion, 42d 2d battalion, 44th, and 71st regiments] four 6 pounders ________________________________ 3rd: Brig: British [4th, 23d, 28th, and 49th regiments] two 6 pounders ________________________________ 16 Dragoons ________________________________ |-- 38th: Regt: --| Reserve --| Looses Battn: |-- four 6 & two 3 poundrs |-- 35th: British | _________________________________________________ The Waggons of the rigt: Column to follow the 17th: Dragoons in the following Ordr The Genll: Offrs: Waggons then the Hospll: Waggons, followd: by the Regts: Waggons Agreeable to the Order of March of their Respective Corps The Waggons of the left Column led by those of the Commandr: in Cheif And Staff Offrs: to follow the 16th: Dragoons in the same order as those Dividd: of Ye: right Column Two Waggons to be Allowed on the march to each Regt: of Dragoons & Two to each Battn: of Infantry wh: four horses to Each - One Waggon to Carry the Offrs: Provision & two days Rum for the Men the Other to be A spare Waggon & Kept Empty The Whole to take their Camp Kettles with them & the Commandg Offrs: will take care that they are properly fixd: upon the men & not Carried in their hands they are to leave their Knapsacks at wt: the Baggage & Carry wt: them three days provision & One days rum None but the Lt: Infantry & Flankers to be loaded on this march The Commanding Offrs: will take care that this Order is strictly Observd: till the Order[s] for loading are given -All the Women and Children are to remain with the Baggage ..

    The 24 June 1777 orders provide the composition of the five British brigades. Army orders, 24 and 25 June 1777, British Orderly Book (40th Regiment of Foot), 20 April 1777 to 28 August 1777, George Washington Papers (Library of Congress), series 6B, vol. 1, reel 117; available online as, "`Necessarys to be Properley Packd: & Slung in their Blanketts: Selected Transcriptions 40th Regiment of Foot Order Book http://revwar75.com/library/rees/40th.htm

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    B. British Light Infantry and Grenadier Battalions (Courtesy of Steve Gilbert)


    Light Infantry 1st Battalion Light Infantry (as of 24 March 1777) Regimental light companies: 42d, 5th, 10th, 23d, 38th, 33d, 4th, 28th, 22d, 25th, 17th, 27th, 15th 2d Battalion Light Infantry (as of 23 March 1777) 49th, 64th, 37th, 57th, 55th, 40th, 43d, 63d, 46th, 52d, 71st, 45th, 44th ___________ Grenadiers 1st Battalion Grenadiers (as of 24 March 1777) Regimental grenadier companies: 15th , 10th, 38th, 28th, 27th, 5th, 4th, 22d, 17th, 37th, 35th, 33d, 23d 2d Battalion Grenadiers (as of 24 March 1777) Marines, 64th, 42d, 43d, 49th, 45th, 57th, 40th, 55th

    , 63d, 44th, 52d

    6. I have sent down Lord Stirling's Division, to reinforce Genl. Maxwell Summer Campaign Letters, Gen. George Washington and Virginia Captain John Chilton, plus the role of late Ottendorffs Corps, 22 to 29 June 1777 General Washington to John Hancock, president of Congress: Head Qurs., Middle Brook, 11 O'Clock P.M., June 22, 1777. Sir: I have the honor and pleasure to inform you, that the Enemy evacuated Brunswick this Morning and retired to Amboy, burning many Houses as they went along. Some of them from the appearance of the Flames were considerable Buildings. From several pieces of information and from a variety of Circumstances, it was evident that a move was in agitation, and it was the general Opinion, that it was intended this morning. I therefore detached three Brigades under the command of Major Genl. Greene, to endeavour to fall upon their Rear, and kept the main body of the Army paraded upon the Heights to support them, if there should be occasion. A Party of Colo Morgan's Regt. of light Infantry attacked and drove the Hessian Picket about Sunrise, and upon the appearance of Genl. Wayne's Brigade and Morgan's Regiment (who got first to the ground) opposite Brunswick, the Enemy immediately crossed the Bridge to the East side of the River and threw themselves into Redoubts which they had before constructed. Our Troops, advanced briskly upon them, upon which they quitted the Redoubts without making an opposition and retired by the Amboy Road. As all our Troops, from the difference of their Stations in Camp, had not got up when the Enemy began to move off, it was impossible to check them, as their Numbers were far greater than we had any Reason to expect, being, as we were informed Afterwards, between four and five thousand Men. Our People pursued them as far as Piscataway, but finding it impossible to overtake them, and fearing they might be led on too far from the main Body, they returned to Brunswick. By information of the inhabitants, Genl. Howe, Lord Cornwallis and Genl. Grant were in the Town when the Alarm was first given, but they quitted it very soon after. In the pursuit, Colo Morgan's Rifle Men exchanged several sharp Fires with the Enemy, which it is imagined did them considerable execution. I am in hopes that they afterwards fell in with Genl Maxwell who was detached last Night with a Strong Party, to lay between Brunswick and Amboy to intercept any Convoys or parties that might be passing. But I have yet

    44

    heard nothing from him. Genl Greene desires me to make mention of the Conduct and bravery of Genl Wayne and Colo. Morgan and of their Officers and Men upon this occasion, as they constantly advanced upon an Enemy far superior to them in numbers and well secured behind strong Redoubts. General Sullivan advanced from Rocky Hill to Brunswick with his division, but as he did not receive his order of March till very late at Night, he did not arrive till the Enemy had been gone some time. I have sent down Lord Stirling's Division, to reinforce Genl. Maxwell, and in the morning I shall move the Main Body of the Army to some secure Post nearer Amboy, from whence we can with more ease annoy the Enemy than from this distance. I am inclined to think they mean to cross to Staten Island, if they do, we may perhaps find an Opportunity of making a stroke upon their Rear. At any rate we shall have a chance of obliging them to make a total evacuation of the State of Jersey.

    ________________________________ Washington to the President of Congress:


    Camp at Quibble Town, June 25, 1777. Sir: When I had the honor to address you last, it was on the Subject of the Enemy's retreat from Brunswick to Amboy and of the measures pursued to annoy them. At the time of Writing, the information I had received respecting their Loss was rather vague and uncertain; But we have reason to beleive, from intelligence thro' various Channels since, that it was pretty considerable and fell chiefly on the Grenadiers and Light Infantry, who formed their covering party. The inclosed Copy of a Letter, containing the information of a person just from New York, corresponds with other Accounts on this Head and with the Declarations of some Deserters. Some of the Accounts are, that Officers were heard to say, they had not suffered so severely since the Affair at Prince Town. After the evacuation of Brunswick, I determined with the advice of my General Officers, to move the whole Army the next Morning to this Post, where they would be nearer the Enemy, and might act according to circumstances. In this I was prevented by Rain, and they only moved yesterday Morning. I have advanced Lord Stirling's Division and some other Troops lower down in the Neighbourhood of Metuchen Meeting House, and intended to have posted more there, but found, on reconnoitring the Ground, it was low and disadvantageous, and still more unfavorable thro' a scarcity of Water; These reasons, added to that of there not being the smallest prospect of attacking the Enemy in Amboy with a probability of Success, secured on their Flanks by Water and in their Front by strong Redoubts across the Neck, would not permit me, either in my own opinion or that of my General Officers, to keep any greater body of Men in that Quarter, where they would have been dispersed and, of consequence, extremely insecure. I have light parties lying close on the Enemy's lines, to watch their Motions and who will be ready to Act in conjunction with Lord Stirling's division and such other Troops as it may be necessary to detach. Tho' I think and so do the rest of the Officers, that no event is likely to take place that will require more, since the Idea of forcing their lines or bringing on a General Engagement on their own Grounds, is Universally held incompatible with our Interest, and that, that number is Sufficient to avail us of any advantages we can expect to arise from their retreating from Amboy, supposing notice of the Fact should be obtained. Their contiguity to the Sound and the small distance across it, having Boats prepared to pass in, will enable them to get off should they so incline, against every prudent and justifiable exertion on our part. Whether such is their designs, is more than I can positively determine; but there is every reason to beleive that they have been and are transporting their Baggage to Staten Island and making every

    45

    preparation to embark on Board their Transports for some new Expedition. By a Reconnoitring Party just returned, it is reported as a Matter of doubt, whether any of the Enemy have removed from Amboy, tho' it is almost certain they have transported a great deal of their Baggage.

    ________________________________ Washington to the President of Congress:


    Camp at Middle Brook, June 28, 1777. Sir: On thursday Morning Genl Howe advanced with his whole Army in Several Columns from Amboy, as far as Westfield. We are certainly informed, that the Troops sent to Staten Island returned the preceding Evening and, it is said, with an Augmentation of Marines, so that carrying them there was a feint with intention to deceive us. His design, in this Sudden movement, was either to bring on a General Engagement upon disadvantageous Terms, considering matters in any point of view, or to cut off our light parties and Lord Stirling's Division, which was sent down to Support them, or to possess himself of the Heights and passes in the Mountains on our left. The two last seemed to be the first objects of his attention, as his March was rapid against these parties and indicated a strong disposition to gain those passes. In this situation of Affairs, it was thought absolutely necessary, that we should move our force from the low Grounds, to occupy the Heights before them, which was effected. As they advanced they fell in with some of our light parties and part of Lord Stirling's division, with which they had some pretty smart Skirmishing, with but very little loss, I believe, on our side, except in three Field Pieces which unfortunately fell into the Enemy's Hands; but not having obtained Returns yet, I cannot determine it with certainty, nor can we ascertain what the Enemy's Loss was. As soon as we had gained the passes, I detached a Body of Light Troops under Brigadier General Scott, to hang on their Flank and to watch their Motions and ordered Morgan's Corps of Rifle Men to join him since. The Enemy remained at West field till yesterday afternoon, when, about Three O'Clock, they moved towards Spank Town with our light Troops in their Rear and pursuing. The Enemy have plundered all before them and it is said burnt some Houses.

    ________________________________ Washington to the President of Congress:


    Head Quarters, Middle Brook, June 29, 1777. Sir: I have not been able to ascertain yet, with any degree of precision, the loss sustained by the Enemy in the Several Skirmishes on Thursday, tho' we have many reasons to believe it was much more considerable than what it was apprehended to be, when I had the honor of addressing you upon the subject. ... In respect to the Enemy's designs or intended movements, they are not to be determined. It is certain they got into Amboy yesterday Evening and from advices this Morning, from Officers sent to South Amboy to observe their Motions, there were strong reasons to conclude they were evacuating the Town, as their Horse had gone over to Staten Island and Several Boats were also passing with Baggage and others with Troops. There were further circumstances favouring this Opinion, such as apparent breaches in some of their Lines; Yet General Sullivan informs me by a Letter just now received, that from all the intelligence he has been able to obtain to day, he does not think they have any serious intentions of quitting it, and that all their movements are a feint calculated merely to deceive and to cover some plans they

    46

    have in view. I have two Brigades (Scott's and Conway's) now lying at and near Woodbridge, as Corps of Observation and to act as circumstances may require. Genl Sullivan was down in the same Neighbourhood with his Division, till this Evening, when he returned; It appearing to him unnecessary to remain longer, and that the Brigades I have mentioned would be sufficient for any Event likely to take place. I have the honor &ca. P.S. June 30th. From Intelligence received last night, the Opinion that the Enemy are evacuating Amboy seems to be more confirmed. As the facts in Lord Stirling's Letter are rather taken up on report, than from any certain knowledge of their having happened, I cannot consider them sufficiently authentic for Publication, nor are they transmitted for that purpose. Tho' I am well persuaded the Enemy's Loss was much more considerable than it was at first imagined to be. It has been reported to me to day, that the Enemy took Sixty four Prisoners in the whole: Whether they were all of our Army, or in part Country men, I cannot decide. For having detached at that time a Number of Light Parties and many having fallen in with the Corps ordered out since, Returns could not be made with Accuracy. The Prisoners taken by us were thireen, two of which are Light Dragoons, the rest Infantry. Genls. Scott and Conway intended to move towards Amboy this Morning, but it is probable the Rain has prevented them.

    ________________________________ Capt. John Chilton, 3d Virginia Regiment, to Charles, his brother:


    Steele Gap 29th June 1777 I am at this time stationed with 50 Men to guard this pass; came here 27th in the night. Mr. Blackwell and my own Comp[any] with me, except a few who stay in Camp with the Baggage we are all hearty, few complaints being now in the Army of Sickness, there is a small lax but it wears off. Our station is a pretty agreable one only 2 Mile from Camp where we can at any time run for any necessary we want from that quarter. I think we have the advantage of getting Milk, Butter and Greens which are scarce articles in Camp. 26th past our Reg[iment] was at Piscataway which place the enemy had abandoned a few days before. Col[onel] Morgan with the Rifle Reg[iment] was on the Mattuchin Lines at [the] time and our main Army had come down into the Plains. The enemy unexpectedly stole a March in the night of the 25th and had nearly surrounded Morgan before he was aware of it. he with difficulty saved his men and baggage and after a retreat, rallyed his Men and sustained a heavy charge untill reinforced by Major Gen[eral William Alexander] Ld. Sterling who gave them so warm a reception that they were obliged to retreat so precipitately that it had like to have become a rout. But [the enemy] being strongly reinforced he was obliged to retreat with the loss of 2 pieces of Artillery. Brigadier Gen[eral] Maxwell was on the left and had a severe engagement but was also obliged to retreat. The enemy pursued their advantage as far as the Scotch Plains which place they left that night and suddenly returned into P[erth] Amboy. This was done in Consequence of some steps his Excellency G[eneral]. Washington was taking, and had they staid that night I think a general engagement would have ensued. There were but few Virginians except Morgan in this battle. I imagine the reason his Excellency did not allow the engagement to be general was from a step the enemy took as if they intended to gain the heights that we had left and destroy our Stores; this is pretty generally conjectured, whether right or Wrong I can't say but be it as it will, we make it suffice us that he had his reasons for it. This was one of Howes masterpieces, and the small advan[tage] he paid dearly for

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    in all considering the engagement which began about Sunrise and continued first in one place then in another very hot untill 11 Oclock. The Troops he engaged were very good marksmen who had many good fires on them so that there must have been numbers killed & wounded. The whole British force was exerted on this occasion. even the Seamen were brought out. Two thirds of our Army were not in Action. I was in 4 Miles of the engagement, and heard it all, jud[ge] of my condition during it. alternate hopes and fears as the firings seemed favourable or otherwise. Just as the battle ended Col[onel] Marshall received order[s] to leave Piscataway and march up by the way of Bound Brooke. A Party of the enemy had advanced within 2 Miles of us about 2000, and had sit down to refresh themselves we marched off with Colours flying and Drums beating, which they hearing and expect[ing] we were coming to attack them made the best of their way to P[erth]. Amboy, since when they seem peaceably disposed and keep close. I am informed that Gen[eral] Scott yesterday went out to feel their pulse but they did [not] seem fightish as the Yankees say, so I suppose they think they have done great things, but I verily believe that if they had staid till next Morning, they must have done greater or it would have gone hard with them. I have given you an Acc[ount] of this battle as nearly as I can, and tho it may not be altogether as good as you may see in the Papers, yet believe it is nearly the truth. Your Aff. Brother, John Chilton
    ________________________________

    Captain Chilton mentioned the role of Morgans Light Corp in the action on 26 June 1777, but the participation of Late Ottendorffs Corps under Maj. Charles Armand, is little known. Maj. Nicholas de Ottendorf and his corps, consisting of one mounted and four foot companies, joined Washingtons army at Boundbrook, New Jersey. Companies 2 and 3, commanded by Captains Anthoni Selin and John Paul Schott, respectively, were rifle-armed and seem to have been attached to Morgans command in mid-June. In any case, they fought under Morgan at Short Hills, and most of two companies (Schotts, who was himself captured, and Jacob Bauers), were killed, wounded, or captured. Virginia rifleman William Grant described what happened: "They
    [Ottendorffs men] drew up immediately in order to defend their field pieces and cover our retreat and in less than an hour and a half were entirely cut off; scarcely sixty of them returned safe out of the field; those who did escape were so scattered over the country that a great number of them could not rejoin the army for five or six days." Sources John C. Fitzpatrick, ed., The Writings of George Washington from the Original Manuscript Sources 1745-1799, vol. 8 (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1933), 281-282, 297-299, 307, 308-309. John Chilton to his brother, 29 June 1777 ("Steele Gap"), John Chilton Letters, A. Keith Family Papers, 1710-1916, Virginia Historical Society. William Grant narrative, NY col. [specific repository not given], manuscripts, page 732, cited in, Jim W. Filipski nand Steve Collward, A Chronology of the Appointments & Commands of Captain Antoni Selin and His Association with the Independent Corps of Captain John Paul Schott, Major Nicholas de Ottendorf and Col. Charles Armand and their Affiliated Units and Officers During the Revolutionary War. (A compilation of information with annotations and observations) http://www.captainselinscompany.org/pdfs/chronolg.pdf

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    7. At sunrise the fire began The New Jersey Brigade Accounts of the 1777 Philadelphia Campaign

    September 13, 1777, Lewis Howell, surgeon, 2d New Jersey, to his father, 13 September 1777. (Lewis Howell was the twin brother of the regiment's major, Richard Howell.)
    I am happy in being able to inform you that I still exist, and am not a prisoner - a state I thought from my situation unavoidable. On Thursday, 11th September, we were alarmed by three guns, and every man stood to his post; about thirty minutes afterwards a firing of small arms was heard, which proved to be a party of light troops under General Maxwell, who repulsed the advanced party in three several attempts, killing many, with little loss. Captain Cummins in this action distinguished himself. After this there was a continual cannonade, from a battery erected by us to defend the ford over the Brandywine, 'till near four o'clock, when Lord Sterling's division was ordered about two miles to the right from the first situation, to oppose Lord Cornwallis, who had crossed about that distance higher up. We had been there but a short time when they appeared, and the heaviest firing I ever heard began, continuing a long time, every inch of ground being disputed. Our people at last gave way, not being supported, with the loss of very few - wounded and killed not exceeding twelve. At the same time we were attacked on the right, another attack was made on the left, where our people fought them, retreating in good order. Colonel Shreve in that action was wounded in the thigh, but not mortally. Captain Stout was killed, and one sergeant. These are the only killed in our regiment. I shall inform you of my escape from the enemy, after having been among them, with the loss of my mare, saddle and bridle, and great coat and hat. With all my misfortunes, I think myself happy, not to be taken prisoner. Richard is hearty and safe, though in the midst of danger.

    ____________________________ Surgeons Mate Ebenezer Elmer journal,


    Thursday Septr. 11th 1777. Having Previously Posted ourselves on the Banks of the Brandywine River on each side Chads ford about 7 oClock this morning Intelligence Came that the Enemy were advancing on towards us soon after which the alarms Guns were fired. About 8 the advanced Guards Consisting Chiefly of Hessians Hove in sight on the Eminences on the Other side when Genl. Maxwell with his light troops advanced on towards them & began a pretty brisk fire in which tis said he killed 250. These being repulsed a Column came on to their assistance & began a sharp Canonading & our troops retreated back & soon Came over at this time 3 batteries - ours opened on the enemy & a very severe Canonading at Random was kept up on both side for some time & then abated a little the most of the Enemy disappearing. The Genl. supposing he might attempt to Cross at a ford 1 1/2 miles above dispatched Genl. Sullivens Division thither. It now from one to 3 remained pretty quiet except now & then a few random balls. At length the Genl. got information that a body were gone up to Cross Jone's ford 6 miles above Chad's's but the reports were so Contradictory that it was difficult to make a proper disposition; however Sterling & Stevens Divisions were sent to join Sullivan on the right we marched on some distance till we Came in Sight of the Enemy who had Crossed the river & were coming down upon us; we formed abt. 4 oClock on an Eminence, the right being in ye woods, presently a large Column Came on in front playing ye Granediers March & Now the Battle began wh[ich] proved Excessive severe the Enemy Came on with fury our men stood firing upon them for near an hour till they got within 6 rod of each other, when a Column of the Enemy came upon our right flank wh[ich] Caused ym to give way wh[ich]

    49

    soon extended all along ye line; we retreated & formed on ye first ground and gave ym another fire & so continued on all ye way, but unfortunately for want of a proper Retreat 3 or 4 of our pieces were left on ye first ground. Whilst we were engaged on the right another body of the Enemy Came over Chad's ford & attacked Genl Waynes Division & Genl Maxwells troops, Proctors Battery Were playing upon them, here our people likewise gave way but contended obstinately, at length they got possession of 3 or 4 pieces of our Cannon & then our Troops retired bringing off ye rest. Genl. Greens Divisions being a reserve were sent & part of Nash's Brigade were sent to their assistance on ye right but it was almost night before they came up, they gave the Enemy some smart fire & it Coming on night they retired also. We all made for Chester & were ordered to assemble there. Capt. Stout Sergt. Armstrong & 2 Privates of our Regt. were killed on ye Ground, Colo. Shreve & 7 wounded; only 1 mortal; - Morgan, LaFayette & Genl. Woodford -. I being excessive tired stopped at - abt. 12 oClock just without ye town having sent on a waggon load of wounded. Die Veneris 12th. Our men tho' fatigued were ordered on over Schuylkill. I went in pursuit of ye waggon of wounded in wh[ich] I had thrown my Napsack & Coat, found they had left the wounded & drove on, so I was obliged to follow ye Regt. without my Coat. We travelled on over Schuylkill & they went up to ye falls, I into town & Staid all night - Cloudy & Cool - Die Saturni 13 Septr. 77. Went to See Colo. Shreve at the old Ferry & after dinner to ye Regiment. Cloudy - Cool Day. In orders the Genl. thanked those officers and Soldiers who had gallantly fought in their Countrys Cause, & if Any of their Conduct bespoke a different treatment & their names were not pointed out to him he left them to seriously consider how much they Injured their Country & tho' that day was something unfortunate yet from every Information it appeared the enemies loss was vastly superior to ours & He doubted not with the blessing of heaven wh[ich] it was every officers & Soldiers duty humbly to supplicate we should shortly be able to totally defeat them. The Congress had ordered 30 Hogsheads of Rum to the Army to be distributed at ye will of ye Commander in Chief. He ordered the Commissary Genl. of Issues to deliver every officer & soldier a gill pr Day till the whole is Issued. No soldier to be out of hearing of the Drums of their respective Parades under pain of death; nor officer as they value ye service or dread Cashiering. By what I can learn our loss does not exceed 600 killed & missing perhaps 20 wounded & that the Enemies loss is 2000 killed and wounded - Die Solis 14 Septr. 1777. By Request of Colo. Shreve I went to Philada. to attend him, we went on board a shallops & set sail for Bordentown; It being very Calm we got abt. 15 miles & were obliged to drop Anchor & wait the Tide. In Evening we weyed anchor & rowed up near Bordentown & staid. Die Lunee 15th Septr, 1777. Weighed Anchor & stood up to White Hill a mile below Bordentown, Came up to the wharf & got ye Colo. up to the widow Fieldings living on ye banks. She recd. it kindly. We dined & drank wine with her till near night when she had her carriage tackled & a Negro sent to drive us. At parting she requested I would Come & See her again before I went to Camp, wh[ich] I promised if possible, we drove on to Thomas Curtisses Brother-in-Law to ye Colo. & staid all night, 6 miles from Bordentown. Die Martis 16th Septr 1777. Staid here all Day wh[ich] was Cloudy & Some rain. Mr. Bowman Came here from Camp this evening. The Army had moved over Schuylkill some Distance up ye Lancaster Road & were going on when he left them. Die Mercurii 17th Septr 1777. Cloudy N.E. weather - staid in House all day - wrote a letter to Jonan Bowen & Dr. Howel & Davd. Dare, & sent them bt Mr. Bowman. Die Jovis 18th. Septr. 1777. Went to Trentown to get some dressings for ye Colo. thigh I returned. Die Venevis 19th Septr. 1777. Clear pleasant Day.

    ____________________________

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    Col. Elias Dayton's (commander, 3d New Jersey Regiment) narrative of autumn 1777 campaign:
    September 11, 1777, was fought the battle of Brandywine, near Chadd's Ford and Birmingham meeting house. The cannonading began about 8 o'clocl in the morning. At the same time a party of light troops under General Maxwell atacked a party of the enemy on the opposite side of the river. The action was warm for some time ... but upon the enemy advancing a brigade in the rear of those already engaged, our people gave way, though not until they had killed a considerable number of Howe's men, with little loss on their part. About 1 o'clock we received intelligence of the main body of the enemy having crossed the creek about six miles above us ... and after the enemy was properly formed on our side, Generals Sullivan's, Stirling's, and General Stephen's Divisions were ordered to march and attack them. Accordingly they all marched immediately, and between 3 and 4 o'clock in the afternoon, formed the largest part of the three divisions upon a hill near Birmingham meeting house. The enemy very soon advanced to attack. I believe before Gen. Sullivan's division was formed, as they changed their ground on which they drew up. A number of them were marching past my regiment when the first fire began, consequently I believe never fired a gun. In half an hour at farthest, the whole of our men gave way; the enemy pursued briskly, by which means a number of our wounded, as also some well men fell into their hands, in the whole about four hundred, and six or eight pieces of brass cannon six-pounders. The pursuit continued until after sun-set, when the night approaching, and also a check they got from General Greene's division, caused the enemy to give over the pursuit. We had continued marching and countermarching from the 11th of September to the 4th of October, except a small skrimmage on or about the 18th of September, near the White Horse Tavern, on the Lancaster road, between the advance parties of both armies. We were drawn up in order of battle, expecting every moment to engage the whole of the enemy's army. After remaining about two hours in order of battle, and it beginning to rain very hard, we were ordered to march off the ground, which we did about 12 o'clock. Mid-day the storm increased, and we marched the whole night through the heaviest storm almost, that was ever known. All our cartridges were wet, and I feared the ruin of the whole army would have been the consequence. Indeed it must have been the case, had General Howe advanced upon us in this situation; but fortunately for us he never moved towards us, but continued his route by easy marches towards the fords where he intended to pass the Schuylkill. Our first halt was at, or near a place called the Yellow Springs; here our stay was very short, as we had no ammunition. We moved off to Reading Furnace, a very strong part of the country by nature, where I believe no army would think of pursuing. From Reading we marched and countermarched about the country until October 2d, when we encamped at Worcester, twenty miles from Philadelphia. The evening of the third we marched off with the whole army, with the design to attack the enemy, who lay near Germantown, about fifteen miles distant from us; unfortunately for us the night proved very dark, which so retarded our march we did not reach the enemy's advanced post until sunrise, whereas our design was to attack them at first dawn of day. At sunrise the fire began: their advanced party soon gave way, our people pursued them closely to the main body, which they immediately attacked likewise, and they soon gave way, and were pursued from field to field with great loss on their side. We suffered considerable in advancing, by a party the enemy had thrown into a large stone house, said to belong to Benj. Chew. At this place fell Capt. McMyer and Ensign Hurley * of Col. Ogden's regiment; Capt. Conway, Capt. Morrison, Capt. Baldwin and Lt. Robinson, wounded, of the same regiment, together with about 20 men; of my regiment, Lt. Clark and Ensign Bloomfield were wounded, and 18 men killed and wounded; my horse was shot under me at the same place, within about three yards of the corner of the house. About this time came on

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    perhaps the thickest fog known in the memory of man, which together with the smoke, brought on almost midnight darkness, it was not possible at one time (I believe for the space of near half an hour) to distinguish friend from foe [at] five yards distance. This obliged all our parties to give over the pursuit, as they were in danger of firing upon their friends, and probably did several times before the fire ceased. [the fog of war and of nature] At this instant the enemy rallied their scattered forces and advanced upon us, when we retreated in turn, although with very little loss. I believe every man we had either killed or wounded met his fate full in front as he was advancing. We lost one Brigadier General [Nash], who was shot in the thigh with a cannon ball, of which wound he died three days afterwards. Our good Major Weatherspoon [Witherspoon] was shot dead by a cannon shot in the head as we were advancing through the streets of Germantown. [ -- ] Township, 16 miles from Philadelphia, October 22d. - At three o'clock in the afternoon we marched with about 3000 men under the command of General McDugle, with the design to attack a party of the enemy said to consist of two thousand men, who were supposed to be an escort for a 100 wagon loads of provisions and ammunition expected from Wilmington. We began to ford the Schuylkill at 10 o'clock at night. After crossing it, we marched about three miles, when it was discovered the enemy did not advance any further than Darby, at which place they halted a few hours and returned and posted their right wing on the Schuylkill; the left up the Darby road 1 1/2 miles. Several small works was thrown up to secure the left from being surprised. In consequence of this intelligence, after remaining about three hours very cold and uncomfortable, we recrossed at the same place and marched about two miles to Barren Hill Church, struck up fires in the woods, eat some victuals, and spent the whole day in eating and sleeping, many of the men being barefooted, and the night by far the coldest this season. I was much distressed on their account, and they complained much of the hardship. In the evening of the 23d we were joined by a detachment of 500 men from the main army, with orders to make a second attempt upon the King's troops. We crossed the same ford as before about 11 o'clock at night, marched about two miles to Meriam Meeting House, and halted until after three o'clock, when the whole party was ordered to march and attack the enemy in their posts precisely fifteen minutes after five o'clock. Gen. Maxwell's Brigade was to attack the left flank, General Conway the next in their front and to the left of Maxwell, General Huntingdon next to Conway, and General Vernon [Varnum] on the enemy's right, on or very near the Schuylkill.* In this order we marched forward and got to the place where the enemy was expected just as the sun rose, btu to our very great astonishment and mortification the enemy had in the preceding night moved all over into Philadelphia, and broken up the bridge which they had over the Schulykill; and so very private were they in moving off that the inhabitants that lived within one hundred yards of their lines knew nothing of their flight. They had begun to build two or three redoubts, and to throw up lines of a considerable extent. They had completed a number of very good huts, built of rails, hay and sods, which were set on fire by our people, although it was contrary to my opinion, as both the hay and rails might have been of use to the distressed inhabitants. We were ordered with the first and third Jersey regiments to surround the house of one Bartow on the banks of the Schuylkill. In this house it was expected we should find a number of Hessians and Highlanders, but they had gone the night before. At this place I had a full view of Ft. Mifflin, or Mud Island; three large ships of the enemy lay before it; two appeared to be at anchor [actually run aground], the third frequently put about and fired her broadsides by turns. I took particular notice of the number of shots fired at this attack, and found they fired six a minute for six hours. During the time I was looking on, our people in the fort seemed quite easy, and very seldom fired a single shot. The firing from the shipping began about 6 o'clock in the morning, and about 12 o'clock one of the largest ships [the Augusta] blew up. At this time our troops were halted to refresh near Meriam Meeting House; the explosion was almost equal to an earthquake, and from

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    the prodigious cloud of smoke seen immediately to ascend into the air, every one concluded a ship was destroyed. On our march, about 2 1/2 hours after the first, we heard a second explosion, and saw the smoke ascend as at first, which we saw and [ -- ] with much satisfaction, as we assured ourselves a second ship was destroyed." * Viz. (right) British line (left)

    {Schuyl.} Varnum, Huntingdon, Conway, Maxwell (left) American line (right) * Ensign Martin Hurley had been a private soldier in the British 44th Regiment, and deserted at Boston in 1775. Testimony at his court martial related the circumstances of his wounding and capture at Germantown, and the courts verdict. Matthew Fitzgerald, private Soldier in the 40th Regiment of Foot, being duly sworn deposed that on Saturday last, when the House in which the 40th Regiment was posted, was attacked he saw the prisoner with a drawn Sword in his hand, come up with a number of rebels to the Attack; that he there saw him wounded and fall. Q: (by desire of the Prisoner) How could he distinguish the Prisoner in particular? A: He saw no other with a drawn sword, and when he (the Witness) afterwards came out of the House, he saw the prisoner laying on the ground, at the place where he had seen him drop. Corporal William Yates of the 40th Regiment of Foot, being duly sworn, deposed that on Saturday upon the 17th Regt coming up to reinforce the 40th Regt, which was posted in a house, he saw the prisoner standing in the road wounded & bleeding, and he was then dressed in a blue coat faced with red; that having known him before, he taxed him with being a Deserter from the 44th Regiment, but this he denied, and the Witness then took him prisoner. Q: (by desire of the Prisoner) Is he sure that he took him? A: Yes, he took him into Custody, and prevented some Soldiers from putting him to Death. A Commission from the Congress, appointing the prisoner an Ensign in the Rebel Service was laid before the Court, and acknowledged by the Prisoner to have been his Commission. The Prisoner said that he had nothing to offer in his defence The Court having duly considered the evidence against the prisoner, Martin Hurley, together with what he had to offer in his Defence, is of Opinion that he is guilty of the crimes laid to his charge, in breach of the 1st Article of the 6th Section and of the 19th Article of the 14th Section, and doth therefore adjudge him, the said Martin Hurley, to suffer Death.

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    For another view of the 1777 Philadelphia campaign, the Valley Forge winter, and 1778 summer campaign see,

    `None of you know the hardships of A soldiers life : Service of the Connecticut Regiments in Maj. Gen. Alexander McDougalls Division, 1777-1778 (Mss., authors collection, 2009)
    I am Packing up my baggage in order to March: Service on the North River, and Movement into Pennsylvania, May to September 1777 God Grant I may Always be Preserv'd : The Battle of Germantown and Schuylkill Expedition, October 1777 So small A Garrison never attaind Greater achievments : Forts Mifflin and Mercer, and Maneuvers in New Jersey, November 1777 Nothing to cover us But ye heavens : The Whitemarsh Encampment and Early Days at Valley Forge, December 1777 This is a very Different Spirit in the Army : Wintering Over at Valley Forge and Spring Training, January to June 1778 Sixty three bullet holes were made through the colours : Summer Campaign and the Battle of Monmouth, June 1778 The Troops of the whole line will exercise and manoeuvre : The March to New York and the White Plains Encampment, July to September 1778 The Enemy are upon the eve of some general and important move.: The Fredericksburgh Camp and Shifting Commanders, September to October 1778 Their countrymen would conclude the Devil was in them : McDougalls Division Takes Post in Connecticut, October and November 1778 Grievances Justly complained of by your Soldiers : The Connecticut Line Winter Camp, December 1778 to January 1779 http://www.scribd.com/doc/111086856/YZ-List-Connecticut-Division-1777-79-Narrative-NewLonger and http://www.scribd.com/doc/111086939/YZ-List-Connecticut-Division-1777-79Bibliography-New

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    "A General Return of the Continental Army under ... General Washington, encamped at White Marsh, November 10. 1777" Maxwell's Brigade 1st 2nd 3rd 4th Jersey Jersey Jersey Jersey Commissioned: TOTAL Lieut. Colonel 1 1 1 1 4 Captains 1 5 3 5 14 Lieutenants 5 15 6 11 37 Ensigns 3 7 5 3 18 Staff: Adjutant Paymaster Quartermaster Surgeon Surgeon's Mate Non Commissioned: Serjeants Drum & Fife Rank & File: Present fit for duty Sick present Sick absent On command On furlough TOTAL Alterations since last return: TOTAL 3 3 4 3 4 TOTAL 75 36 TOTAL 550 76 238 49 8 921 TOTAL 2 6 2

    1 1 1 1 1

    1 1 1 1 1

    1 1 1 1 1 1 1

    13 8

    23 8

    21 11

    18 9

    115 29 67 11 5 227

    142 13 47 18 2 222

    156 13 43 5 1 218

    137 21 81 15 254

    Dead 1 1 Deserted 2 4 Privates joined 1 1 (No colonels, majors or chaplains returned.)

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    "A Return of the Brigades Belonging to Lord Stirlings Division Decr 23d 1777" Brig. Gen. William Maxwell's Brigade Privates Drums Privates unfit Lt. and fit for for want Regiment Col. Capts. Subs. Sgts. Fifes duty of shoes Col. Barbers 1 5 10 19 9 150 60 (3d New Jersey) Col. Rhea 1 6 13 23 10 159 59 (2d New Jersey) Col. Martin 5 10 18 8 136 19 (4th New Jersey) Col. Hogdens 2 9 12 8 128 28 (1st New Jersey) 2 18 42 72 35 573 166 (Note: No regimental colonels or majors noted on the return as being present.) Sources Daniel Agnew, "A Biographical Sketch of Governor Richard Howell, of New Jersey," Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, vol. 22 (1898), 224. Ebenezer Elmer, "Extracts from the Journal of Surgeon Ebenezer Elmer of the New Jersey Continental Line, September 11-19, 1777," Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, vol. 35 (1911), 103-107. "Papers of General Elias Dayton," Proceedings of the New Jersey Historical Society, vol. 3 (1848-1849), 185-186. Court martial of Martin Hurley, Great Britain, Public Record Office, War Office 71/84, pp 342-345. (Courtesy of Don N. Hagist and Todd Braisted) Revolutionary War Rolls, National Archives Microfilm Publications, Record Group 93, M246 (Washington, 1980), reel 136, miscellaneous returns; reel 137, Army Returns, 1775 to 1783.

    8. "Without Covering but the H[eaven's].C[anop].y and boughs of Trees " 4th New Jersey Officer's Diary, 21 June 1777 to 18 February 1778
    (plus Journal of Ensign George Ewing, 3d New Jersey, 1777-1778)

    Bob McDonald and John U. Rees Source: Anonymous Revolutionary war diary, Fellows Papers, Box 2, Department of Rare Books and Special Collections, Rush Rhees Library, University of Rochester. (Diary transcription by Bob McDonald and John U. Rees). Likely author, Jonathan Forman, captain, 4th NJ Regiment. Capt. Jonathan Formans diary is the only one by a member of Brig. Gen. William Maxwells brigade to cover all the major actions and campaign events (the August 1777 Staten Island raid excepted) the New Jersey regiments experienced from June 1777 through the 1778 Monmouth campaign. Ensign George Ewings journal ends in May 1778, before Washingtons troops left Valley Forge to march to Monmouth Courthouse. Maj. Joseph Bloomfield was not present at Short Hills, and, due to his wounding at Brandywine on 11 September 1777, missed as well the Battle of Germantown, Whitemarsh camp, plus as other events that autumn and early winter, and has many gaps until the British evacuation of Philadelphia in June 1778. Still, all these accounts are invaluable, and together provide an excellent recounting of the New Jersey regiments first three years of service.

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    Citations: Receivd an Ensigncy in Capt Hagans Company Third Jersey Regt Ensign George Ewings Journal, New Jersey Line, 11 November 1775 to 21 May 1778 (Published as George Ewing, The Military Journal of George Ewing (1754-1824): A Soldier of Valley Forge (Yonkers, N.Y.: Privately printed by T. Ewing, 1928)) http://www.scribd.com/doc/153505766/%E2%80%9CReceivd-an-Ensigncy-in-Capt-HagansCompany-Third-Jersey-Regt%E2%80%9D-Ensign-George-Ewing%E2%80%99s-Journal-NewJersey-Line-11-November-1775-to-21-May-1778-Pu Mark E. Lender and James Kirby Martin, eds., Citizen Soldier; The Revolutionary Journal of Joseph Bloomfield (Newark: New Jersey Historical Society, 1982) _______________________
    (Note: The Forman diary text appears as it does in the original with several exceptions. Bracketed corrections or clarifications have been inserted and the substituted for ye. Punctuation in 18th century writing was often quirky and the author of the diary was no exception. A vertical line ( | ) is occasionally inserted to delineate between old and new sentences and to separate events. Finally, horizontal lines surrounded by brackets [--] denote an unintelligible word or words.)

    Diary Transcription having March.d from Middlebrook to Ash Swamp, where we lay till the 26.th June [1777] when About 8 or 10,000 of the Enemy March.d out toward Short Hills, without any Troops to Oppose them Except Genr.l Conways Brigade, | Genr.l Maxwells, on Intelligence of their Movement, was Ordered to Attack them, Having March.d About two Miles, met with them, Post.d on the Heights & the Greater Part of them Ambushcaded, their Number Unknown, till we had March.d Almost in the Center of their Ambuscade, when we began a Heavy Fire, but Our inconsiderable Number and Many Posts to Occupy Occasioned two Regts of the Brigade to be Detached with the Artillery to another Post, where we Renew.d the Fire with great warmth but their Superiorites of Nos. Rushing in upon us, in a Short time Oblig.d us to Retreat wth the loss of two Officers killed and About 60 Men kill.d & taken, the Division was again Collected in Abo.t 3 hours at Westfield, & [in] About an hour Marched to [blank] between the Mount.ns the Enemy Advanc.g to W[est] F[iel].d where [we] lay till the 1.st July,

    [1 July] then March.d to W[est]:Field (the Enemy returning to A[m]boy) | the 2.d went w.th Major [Thomas] Morrel [4th New Jersey] & Capt. And.rson [probably John Anderson, 4th Jersey Regiment] to see the Place of Action [of] 26.th June found the Grave of Lieut. [James] Sproul [4th New Jersey] and Places of the death of Several m[ore] | the 4.th March.d to Morris Tn.o and Encampt where we lay Some days. the 7.th was on Evidence in Tryall of some A[rtillery]. Of[ficer]. for the Loss of 2 Pieces [on] 26.th June | the 8.th July Rec.d Marching Orders | the 11.th began our March in the Morning and March.d Abo.t 15 Miles and Encampt near Pompton w.th the Grand Army, where we were Detained by bad Weather till the 15.th then March to RamaPaw and Encamp.t that Evening being ab.t 11 M[i]les. the Next Morning March.d [8?] Miles to the Clove |

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    18.th Reviewed by Ld Sterl[in]g | 19.th Lt. Brakanrig [Samuel Brackenridge, 4th New Jersey] Restord to the Reg.t w.th Consent of the Officers. Refer to Letter B: | 20.th March.d with L.d Ster[lin]g.s Division leaving baggage at P[eek]s Kill 24 Miles, where we lay some days. a Spy Named Dan.l Corrain was hang.d [on the] 23.d | 24.th Receivd marching Orders | 25.th F[riday].M[orning]. Embarked in Flatt bottomd boats at P[eeks].kill and Soon Landed at kings Ferry and March.d to Cakaat. [Kakeat] | 26.th March.d at 3 in the Morning, thro Paramus and Encampt that Night Near Pask. [Passaic] Falls dist.t 20 M[iles]. | 27.th S[unday]. March.d to E[lizabeth].Tn.o 20 M[iles]. where we lay till Abo.t 1 O.Clock the 28th then March.d Abo.t 10 Mi[les]. and Encamp.t where we lay at Ash Swamp [on] 25th June, (the Enemy the Most of this time at Sea) | the 29.th March.d to the [Forks?] of Raringt.n [Raritan River] and Encampt at 3 in the Morning | 30th March.d Nigh Coryauls [Coryells Ferry] on the Delaware dist.d Ab.t 12 M[iles]. myself very Unwell | the 31.st Orderd on our March A[t] 10 OCk, Crossed the Delaware and Encampt at the great Springs Ab.t 3 M[iles]. from the Ferey [Ingham Spring is still to be seen beside Route 202, 2 miles south of New Hope, Pennsylvania] | July [actually August] the 1.st March.d Ab.t 18 Miles & Encamp.t Nigh the [Crooked] billet | 2.d [August] March.d thro J.Tn.o [Germantown] and Encamped at S[chuyl]:K[ill]: Falls | 3.d Rec.d Intelligence of the Fleett off the Capes [of the Delaware Bay], the 4.th Disappeared, 6.th Rec.d M[archin].g Ord.rs | 7th Marchd to Sandy Run, 8th. S[aturday; actually Friday]. | 9th Mar[ch].d to the X Roads [Crossroads, presentday Hartsville, Pennsylvania] and Encamp.t | the 10.th & 11.th Continued | 12.th myself got Liberty to go to Jersey on Comm.d After D[es]erters | 30.th [August] Joined the Reg.t at Brandywine, | Septem[ber] 2.d the 1.st & 3.d Jersey Reg.ts Joined the 2.d & 4.th our Light troops Under Command [of] G[eneral]. Maxwell below White Clay Creek [in Delaware] Annoying the En[em].y who landed at the head of Elk. Abo.t the 5.th we Decamp.t and marched to Red Clay Creek, Near New Port where we lay, (fortified) till the 8.th the Enemy Advancing went out with a Scout of About 120 Men Under Com.d [of] M[ajor]: [Joseph] Bloomf[iel].d [3rd New Jersey; Bloomfield wrote of taking out "Capts. Conway & Hollinshead, Gifford & Forman & 130 Men properly officered from the Jersey Brigade & 24 Cavalry;" John Conway, 1st New Jersey, wounded at Germantown, apptd. major 4th N.J. 29 October 1777; John Hollinshead, 2nd New Jersey; William Gifford, 3rd New Jersey, later wounded at Monmouth, captured at Elizabethtown 25 January 1780; Jonathan Forman, 4th New Jersey, probable author of this diary] | Our Army that Night Decamping March.d to birmingham, took Possesion of the heights on the North Side [of] B[ran]d.y Wine, the Ene.y on the South Side. [The] Scout Arriv.d at the Brigade [on the] 9.th in the Evening. 10.th Packt up All Bagg[ag]e. | 11.th the En[em].y Advanced About 9 O.C[lock]. A.M. And Attactt our Light Troops. Abo.t 1 O.C[lock]. P.M. they filed of[f] to the left, which Occasioned Our Moving to the Rig[h]t w.th Genr.ls Sullivan, L.d Sterling & Stephens Divisions but they having Crossed the Brandywine ford before Our Arrival, Advanced and Soon began a Warm Action, which lasted Some time but thro some Means Our Right wing giving ground, let them in on our flanks [ -- -- -- ] till they were Almost at Bayonet P[oin].ts but we were forc.d to Retreat in Disorder, the En[em].y Closely Pursuing (but not without Opposition from Some troops) till Dark, Our Army Collected the Next Morning (with the loss of About 1,200 K[illed] & T[aken], the E[nem].y['s loss] S.d to be Abo.t 1900 K. & W.) at Chester. from thence Cross.d the Scuylkill and Encampt at the Falls. the Next day Marchd and Crosd the S[chuyl].kill ab.t 3 M[iles]. from the Falls, Proceeded on the Lancaster Road 2 D[itto] | the 16th Sep.t Drawn up in line for battle Near the White Horse [Tavern] on Advantagious Ground, Out Parties Skirmishing but a heavy Rain Preventd [a] Genr.l Action

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    Commencing, the Ene.y & Our Troops both Retiring, we lay that Night in the heaviest and most Pertua [perpetual] Rain I Ever knew without Covering but the H[eaven's].C[anop].y and boughs of Trees, the 17.th began Our March. Proc.dd to R[eading]. Furnace from thence we were Marchig up & Down the Sch[uyl]K[il]l. on the N[orth]S[ide]. to Prevent the Enemy Crosing till toward the 20.th then Fallg down on Schkl Road, within Ab.t 16 M[iles]. [of] Ph[ila]d[el]p[hia] the En[em].y hav.g Poss[ess]ion -- having the J[ersey]. & the P[ennsylvania].M[ilitia]. Joind us | the 3.d Octo.r March.d in the Night w.th the Whole Army in Diffrent Colums to Surprize the E[nem].y at G[erman]Tno. Ab.t D[ay].Brk the 4.th the Front L[ight].I[nfantry]. Division began the Attack being ["Con[wa]y.s" or "Cant.re"] Colum. Surprisd and Routed the En[em].y Driv[in]g them from their baggage leaving Every thing behind, but a heavy Fogg Join.d w.th the Smoak and some little blunders Preven[te].d their Total Defeat, we Retiring to P.ki Omy [Perkiomen], from thence to N[orth].W[ales] from thence to the 30 M[ile].S[tone]. on Skipback R[oad]: | the 27.th [actually 22nd] Octob.r Ab.t 1500 men were Detach.d over S[chuyl]:K[ill]. under Com.dd [of] M[ajor].G[eneral]. Mc.Dug.l [McDougall] to Attack a Party of Hessians, but they Retiring on our Approch we Returned to Camp. w[h]ere Continued till the 29.th then March.d to white M[arsh]. where we lay till the 5.th Dec.r Joind by Part of the N[or]th.n Army. P[aterson's]. L[earned's]. G[lover's]. & V[arnum's]. Brgds, the E[nem].y then Advancd to Ch[est].N[u]t.H[ill]. which kept us Under Arms 3 or 4 days, the E[nem].y Retiring to Q[ua]rtrs. we Movd to Cross [the] S[chuyl].Kl. but were met by the E[nem].y und[er]. C[omman].d [of] Corn W[allis]. and did not Cross till the following night and Encamp.t at the Gulf M[il]ls. | ab.t the 11.th [actually the 19th] M[arche].d Ab.t [5?] Miles and Encampt at V[alley]:F[orge]: | 10th [actually 21st or 22nd] Dec.r the Division Sent on Comm.d below Radnor Returned the last [of] Dec.r | 4.th Jan.y 78 began to build Hutts finishd ab.t the 15.th and Moved in them, where Continued Till the 18.th Feb.y Endnotes 1. Israel Shreve journal, 23 November 1776 to 14 August 1777 (with minimal editing), 23 November 1776 to 14 August 1777, Israel Shreve Papers, Buxton Collection, Prescott Memorial Library, Louisiana Tech University. "[After a] Very Long and fateague[ing] Campaign in Canada I arived home the 23rd of Novemb. 1776 found my famaly all well, the 30th of the same mo. was Appointed Colonel of the Second New Jersey Regt. to be Raised Dureing the War, the 10th of Decemb. moved my famaly into Berks County on Acct. of the Alarming situation our Army was in at that time and the fear the Enemy would Get possession of Philada., about the 15th our Regt. Got home was paid of by Lt. Col. Rhea / I being something Indisposed stayed with my famaly untill Chrismas then set out for Phila. / Next morning being very stormy with slete snow & Rain as I was Rideing between Lavering[?] and the City heared several Cannon. In the Evening heared the agreeable News that his Excelency General Washington had surprised the Hessians and taken Trenton takeing upwards of a thousand Prisoners / on sunday the 4th January 1777 I [actually December 29, 1776] set out for the Camp / next Day Came up with the Army at trenton As they had that Day Crossd [the] Delaware, this Evening [saw] his Excelency Gen. Washington Offering myself as a Volunteer to Go with the Army But the Gen. Ordered me back to Recrute my Regt. which I did. Next Day the Enemy Advanced to trenton Our Army Retreated over [Assunpink] Creek and kept that part of the town, About midnight Gen Washington marched of at midnight towards princetown Arived there next morning Defeated two

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    British Regts. took the town with 500 of the Enemy kiled Wounded and taken / our Army Immediately passed on to Somerset Courthouse the Enemy Left Trenton and passed On to Brunswick.- I Returned to Philada. from Trenton tookLogings At Mr. Wm Milnors At old ferry / ye 13th Januy. Caled my officers together At my Quarters sent them a Recruteing &c. / about the Eight Februy the Assembly of New Jersey set at Haddonfield where I Attended in order to have the Arangment of my Regt made out which after some Days I Got Done - A few Days ago Gen. Maxwell surprised the Enemy at Elizabethtown and took it with some stores Baggage and Eighty odd prisoners the 13th of Februy. Gen Maxwell Attacked near three thousand of the Enemy 7 miles above woodbridge with about one thousand [prov?] / the Attact began at 9 oClock the Enemy soon Gave way, our troops followed and Attacked untill Dark the [enemy] Lost 500 Kiled Wounded and Missing only 12 Kiled & wounded on our side / the 8th March General Maxwell fell in with one wing of General Hows Guard of 3000 men Near Bonamtown after one hours Dispute the Enemy Gave way with the Loss of about 20 kiled and 40 wounded we had 2 Wounded them slightly - I Received a Letter from his Excelency Gen. Washington Dated the 13th februy. with orders to march assoon as Convenient to Camp - the 21st set out [for] home to see my famaly next Day Arived. stayed one week set out for Philada. the 4th march / set out for Haddonfield next morning / Received the Commissions for my officers / that Afternoon set out for Burlington Got there in the Evening, Received three Expresses one from Gen. Putnam one from Gen. gates the Last from his Excelency Gen. Washington with pressing Orders to Immediately march what Recrutes I had Collected to Princetown - the 7th march 1777 2 OClock P.M. Marcht the first Division for prince town / the 8th in [?] We Arived At Princetown Took up my Quarters at Joseph Oldens - the 9th. 10th. 11th. nothing Extro[ordinary] / the 12th Capt. Lawrie marched to Kingstown, 13th. 14th. 15th. 16th. Nothing Extronary, 17th. 18th, 19th nothing Extronary / 20th Lewis Bestedo Brot In three Deserters Viz. Jacob Fagans and his Brother with fury[?] and 6 tories, a few Days after one Matthew Jones of Capt. Dillons Company my Regt. was taken up Going to the Enemy near Brunswick he was tried sentenced & Received the Punishment of Death / Jas. Robinson was [?] for 14 Days - We Remained at princetown untill Saturday the 5th. April 1777 when We marcht / that night Quartered at Griggstown, / the 6th. set out, that night Quartered At Bearsons mill a Little below Samp town / the 7th set out again about 12 OClock Arived at Westfield where Gen. Maxwells Quarters Are, - this Evening 76 men & Capt. Luse Lt. Helms, Sparks Derrick Lane & Ensign Shreve was Ordered to newark / next Day the Remainder of ye Bat[talion] were ordered Down Near Mr. David Edgars, - next Day we were ordered to Bishops tavern / Soon after our Arival the Enemy Came out Col. Odden, Martin some militia and mine turned out / assoon as the Enemy saw us they Retreated and went of, - ye 10th. 11th. & 12th nothing Extronary hapened, Capt. Lawrie Dilling [Dillon] and my self was ordered to Samptown to set on Courtmartial, that night I Returned as far As Jas. Randles tavern, Sunday the thirteenth about sunrise a fireing begun near bound Brook, I Immediately set off to Quibble town when I was there a Lt. Horse Come with Intilagence that the Enemy was out at Metuchin meetinghouse I set out there, - Assoon as I arived the fireing ceased, no Execution Done - this Day Our people was Drove out of Bound Brook with the Loss of 4 soldiers, one man Inhabitant one Young woman & 2 Children Inhuma[nly?] kiled / major (name forgot) about 20 men 3 brass field peaces, a Quantity of of provision Distroyed / they stayed about one hour then went off, monday we were ordered to send 120 men to Amboy to alarm the [enemy] Pikets, Col. Cook was at the same time ordered to alarm the Pikets At Bonamtown, where they kiled several & Brot off 3 Centinels. Tuesday ye 15 we were ordered up the Road

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    above E[d]gars were alarmed &c - the 16th. 17th. & 18th nothing extronary / Saterday ye 19th the Enemy Came out fired several Cannon At our Pickets / We Collected Got Our Regt. joined followed them Down Near Woodbridge, this Day a Cannon Ball Came near my head, - Sunday, monday and Tuesday Nothing Extronary / Wensday the 23rd being St. Georges Day was Expected the Enemy Out to make a General Attact, but were Disapointed, Thirsday the 24th at night Capt. Flahaven of first Jersey Regt. with upwards of 20 men were Taken or kiled within the Enimy Pickets All but one that were Left Alone to tell the News - friday the 25th. the Enemy Came Out Gave an alarm But soon Retreated into Amboy - 26th. nothing Extronary / 27th. 28th. nothing Extranory / 29th nothing Extronary / 30th nothing Extronary / We Remained on the Lines untill Saturday the 4th May when All the Regiments on the Lines were ordered to join the main Army At Middle Brook Camp / that night Arrived at Tunisons Tavern up [haverton?] for want off tents Remained there three Days then mached to Camp and Incamped on the Left of the Camp on the Right of the Jersey Brigade, - The whole Army had orders to be Ready to march At 4 oClock the 6th of May, All the tents were struck Bagage Loaded &c Paraded in Brigade / About 9 oClock Received Orders to Incamp Again On the same Ground / This Evening Got a furlow for 10 Days, At the End of ten days returned / had several Different Manuvers untill Saturday the 21st of June when I went on Command with Gen Maxwell Down to Ash Swamp with 2000 men / the Next Day the Enemy Left Brunswick and Lord Sterling Came Down with the Remainder of his Division / Wensday the 25 Got orders from his Excellency General Washington to be under Arms Next morning At 4 oClock and Ready to march / [Battle of the Short Hills, 26 June 1777] Early this morning 150 Virginians and a scout from Our Brigade went Down towards Woodbridge [and] fell in with the Right flank of Gen Hows Army, When a fireing of smal Arms & Cannon begun [?] by this time we were All under Arms / Gen. Conways Brigade was Ordered of under the Command of Gen. Maxwell, Conway not knowing the Ground, they soon fell in with hows whole Army the Gen. was near being taken [but] Discovered their strength And prudently filed of toward scotch Plains, Our Brigade under the Command of Lord Sterling was ordered to march Round up Rarranton Road in order to fall in with the Enemys Right flank and there Joyn Maxwell, the Enemy soon preceived our Intention and took possession of all the hights At Short hills [and] there Remained Consealed untill we Come within shot / we marched in A Column wheeled to the Right to form the Line of Battle the first and 3rd Regt. took post in a Wood, I being on the Left was Ordered to the Left about And take possession of a small hill in the Open field, assoon As we had formed received a heavy fire in front and flank / was Ordered to Retreat about 100 yards to a small hill, when my Regt. Broke and huddled up to Gather in Great Disorder But in a few minutes I with the help of my officer[s] formed them in Good order with Capt. Gibbs Jones on my Left with 2 field peaces, Col Martin in the Center with Capt. Hustes and 2 field peaces / We again Received orders to retreat to a third hill where we faced about and fired untill Major Wilcox his Lordships ADC Come with orders to Leave the Ground, the 2 peaces went off first one of them Actidentially Got Both shafts Broke one horse fell at that Instant, that peace was spiked And Left, we Attempted to march of the field in Good Order but Riseng a small hill received such a shower of shot Every One Run of for himself / I looked to the Right and saw all Runing off in Confusion and found our retreat Cut off towards the Right by Reason that a Column of ye Enemy had Got a Breast of us in the Center / we filed off to the Left and fell in a Lower Road, Knowing the Ground well Got of Better than At first Expected, the 2 peaces in the Center Remaind fireing with Lord Sterling siting on horse Back near them untill the Enemy in Large Columns was

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    in Less than 30 yards of them At Which time our Canister shot Did Great Execution / At Length were Obliged to Leave these 2 peaces, Our Loss in kiled was 12 among them capt Ephraim Anderson of my Regt. & Lieut. Sprowl of the 4th Regt. and about 20 taken prisoner among them capt. James Lawrie of my Regt. Adjutant King of the 4th. About 20 Wounded - It is said the Enemy Lost one Col. one Major one Capt and 200 men, with several wounded / We Retreated to west field, - stayed two hours and marched to Scotch Plains, this Evening the Enemy Came to West field and that Night Incamped in that Neighbourhood / the 27th. at 11 oClock they went of towards Amboy stayed that Night at Raway next morning to amboy And began to Cross Over to Staten Island / Sunday And Monday they All Crosed / tuesday and Wensday the 2nd of July they Incamped near the Watering place on Staten Island / the 27th. & 28th. we Lay on the mountain at Scotch plain Gap, the 29th I was ordered with my Regt. 3 miles up the mountain to Westfield Gap where we Remained the 30th. [of] June [and the] 1st. & 2nd. of July then joined the Brigade at Westfield / Continued there the 3rd. 4th. & 5th then joined the Division & marched to Morristown & joined ye Grand Army. Continued there untill the 11th. When the whole Army marched, our Brigade in front / that night Incamped at Pomptown plain, this night found myself unwell with a Cold and some fever, - the 12th. & 13th. being Rainy Lay still / the 14th. marched to the foot of the Clove over the Line into New York state / the 15th. Lay still this Day / heard the agreeable News of General Prescotts being taken prisoner / 16th. 17th. 18th. & 19th nothing Extronary, - the 20th marched At 1 oClock from Ramapo and that Day Crossed North River and in the Evening Arived At Peekskill 24 miles - [It was from Peekskill that Major General William Alexander, Lord Stirling, wrote that "untill we have more Certain Intelligence or further Orders from your Excellency I therefore now am impatiently waiting for one or other of those Events in one of the most Melancholy dirty holes I ever saw."] [On the] 23rd. aparty of ours brought in a spy and several other tories, the Spy was Examined before Lord Sterling & Gen Maxwell, found Gilty and ordered to be hanged on the next tree, at first he Equivacated and told many Crooked stories, but when he found he must Dye he Confessed, he Left his home near Goshen in New York and Inlisted in Colonel Bayards Regt. of New Levey tories / was sent out by the Colonel to find where our army was and their Movements / he had satisfied him And was Returning, But happy for us he was taken and Brought in, the Roap was fixed tied above and he swung off / in about one minute the Roap sliped and he fell to the Ground Come too and prayed a short time but was soon [?] off a second time When he soon Expired &c, - this Evening Receivd orders to march tomorrow morning 4 oClock, friday the 24th. in the Morning we Imbarked on board Battoes [and] Landed at kings ferry - marched that Day to [scotland?] 3 miles from kakeatt, Saterday 26th marched at Day Light, halted that Night at the Great falls of Pasiac / Sunday 27th. marched in the morning by way of Aquacanac, Newark halted that night one mile north of Elizabeth town, next morning being Rainy We Did not march untill 3 oClock in the Afternoon / that night halted at Littles tavern near the short hills - Tuesday 29 marched at Day Light halted that night one mile below the north Branch of raraton / Wensday 30th. marched at Day Light halted that night at ye meeting house 3 miles from Corrells ferry, - thirsday 31st. marched at noon and Crossed Delaware, halted At Doctor Enhams [The Ingham house still stands today on Route 202, one mile east of New Hope, Pennsylvania], friday 1st. August Marched at Day Light, that night a Little below the [Crooked] Billet / Saterday 2nd. August 1777, marched at sunrise, that night Incamped on the Bank of Scuylkiln [Schuylkill River] 1/2 mile below the falls, Continued here untill friday 8th. in the fournoon the whole Army was Revewed by his Excellency, at noon marched 13 miles and Incamped in uper Dublin 15 miles from Philada - Saturday 9th. Lay

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    still the weather Excessive hot, Sunday 10th. marchd at sunrise across into the old York Road and Incamped in the forks of Shamany [Neshaminy Creek, present-day Hartsville], we Lay still untill thirsday [1]4th. marched at sunrise across towards Newtown 8 miles and Incamped in Col. harts field" 2. Doyen Salsig, ed. and annot., Parole: Quebec; Countersign: Ticonderoga, Second New Jersey Regiment Orderly Book of 1776 (Cranbury, NJ, 1980) 3. David Hackett Fischer, Washingtons Crossing (Oxford and New York:Oxford University Press, 2004), 346362 (Aftermath: The Forage War); 415418 (Appendix T, The Forage War: Engagements and Casualties, January 4 March 30, 1777). See also, Mark V. Kwasny, Washingtons Partisan War, 17751783 (Kent, Oh. and London: The Kent State University Press, 1996), 113117 (an overview of the 1777 Forage War in New Jersey); Jared C. Lobdell, Two Forgotten Battles of the Revolutionary War, New Jersey History, 85 (1967), 225234; Lobdell, Six Generals Gather Forage: The Engagement at Quibbletown, 1777, New Jersey History, 102 (1984), 3549.
    Forage War Engagements , 4 January to 24 March 1777 Source: David Hackett Fischer, Washingtons Crossing (Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press, 2004), 415-418. New Jersey, 1777 Maidenhead (Lawrenceville), 4 January Elizabethtown, 5 January Spanktown (Rahway), 5 January Newark, 3 January Bound Brook, 6 January Elizabethtown, 6 January Elizabethtown, 7 January Spanktown (Rahway), 8 January Chatham, 10 January Connecticut Farms, 15 January Bonhamtown, 16 January Quibbletown, 16 January New Brunswick, 17 January Van Nests Mill, Millstone River, 20 January Somerset Courthouse, 20 January Raritan River, 20 January Somerset Courthouse, 22 January Woodbridge, 23 January Bonhamtown, 23 January Morristown, 23 January Quibbletown (Newmarket), 23/24 January Second River, 27 January Near Quibbletown, 30 January Drakes Farm, 1 February (Jared Lobdell, Two Forgotten Battles) Piscataway, 1 February Metuchen, 1 February

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    The Roundabouts, Raritan River below New Brunswick, 4/5 February Bound Brook, 6 February Quibbletown, 8 February (Jared Lobdell, Six Generals) Highlands of the Neversink, 12 February (Jared Lobdell, Six Generals) Brunswick, 15 February Quibbletown, 18 February Elizabethtown, 18 February Bennets Island, 18 February Quibbletown, 20 February Paulus Hook, 22 February Spanktown, 23 February (Jared Lobdell, Two Forgotten Battles) Ash Swamp, 23 February Elizabethtown, 24 February Brunswick, 26 February Elizabethtown, 27 February Piscataway, 1 March (Jared Lobdell, Six Generals) Brunswick, 5 March Elizabethtown, 6 March Bonhamtown, 8 March (Jared Lobdell, Six Generals) Spanktown (Rahway), 8 March Sandy Hook, 8 March Piscataway, 8 March Samptown (Plainfield), 9 March Cranbury, 12 March Jersey Shore, 14 March Spanktown (Rahway), 16 March Brunswick, 18 March English Neighborhood, 20 March Woodbridge, 22 March North Jersey, 24 March Strawberry Hill, near Woodbridge, 28 March Elizabethtown, 24 March

    4. Ambrose E. Vanderpoel, History of Chatham, New Jersey (New York: Charles Francis Press, 1921), 218-219. 5. Ebenezer Elmer, "Journal of Lieutenant Ebenezer Elmer of the Third Regiment of New Jersey Troop in the Continental Service [also entries for 19 April 1777-25 May 1777; 24 August 1782-November 1783] Proceedings of the New Jersey Historical Society, vol. 3, no. 2 (1848), 9697. Entire journal published in vol. 2, no. 3, no. 1 (1847), 21-90 ; vol. 3 no. 2 (1848), 21-56; vol. 3, no. 2 (1848),90-102 . 6. Ibid., 97 7. John C. Fitzpatrick, ed., The Writings of George Washington from the Original Manuscript Sources 1745-1799, vol. 8 (Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1933), 99-100. 8. Ibid., 129-130. 9. Charles H. Lesser, Sinews of Independence: Monthly Strength Reports of the Continental Army (Chicago, Il. and London: The University of Chicago Press, 1976), 46-47. "Arrangement, & present

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    Strength of the Army in Jersey 20 May 1777," Fitzpatrick, Writings of George Washington, vol. 8 (1933), page facing 170. The listing in the "Arrangement, & present Strength of the Army in Jersey 20 May 1777," differs from the 21 May general return of the army for unknown reasons. Unit
    strengths as per 20 May 1777 Arrangement: Lord Stirling's Division (total strength, 1,798, present fit for duty) Brig. Gen. Thomas Conway's Brigade (strength, 760) 3rd Pennsylvania, Colonel Wood (150) 6th Pennsylvania, Colonel Bicker (---) 9th Pennsylvania, Colonel Morris (193) 12th Pennsylvania, Colonel William Cooke (231) Spencer's Additional Regiment, Colonel Oliver Spencer (186) Brig. Gen. William Maxwell's Brigade (strength, 1,038) 1st New Jersey, Colonel Matthias Ogden (184) 2nd New Jersey, Colonel Israel Shreve (247) 3rd New Jersey, Colonel Elias Dayton (300) 4th New Jersey, Colonel Ephraim Martin (307)

    The 21 May return also lists regimental strength with absent and sick men included, as follows:
    Present Fit for Duty 3 6 9 205 12 196 Spencers 126 1 163 2 142 3 173 4 266 Including Men Absent on Extra Service or Furlough, or Sick Present or Absent 216 278 220 231 295 348 385

    10. Full text of Colonel Shreves letters describing the Battle of Short Hills: Israel Shreve to Mr. John Stilley (Israel Shreve Papers, Buxton Papers, Louisiana Tech Univ.) "Turky Gap Sunday 29th. June 1777 Dr. Sir No Doubt but before this Comes to hand you will have heard of the Battle fought at Short hills, on thursday the 26th. between 9 and 12 oClock,- It was as follows Viz. Lord Sterlings Division Consisting of Gen. Maxwells and Gen. Conways Brigades Lay in the Neighborhood of Short hills and Ash Swamp / the Day before his Excellency Gen. Washington Gave orders for the Division to be under Arms at four oClock and Ready to march, Early this morning 150 Virginians went Down to or near Woodbridge as Did a small scout from our Brigade, these two parties fell in with the Right flank of hows Army who was moveing Out with all his strength he has in Jersey, Except a small Guard in Amboy, when a scatering fire begun, at this time we were All under arms / Gen. Conways Brigade ws Immediately ordered of with General Maxwell, Conway Not knowing the Ground, Lord Sterling Continued with Gen. Maxwells Brigade. Maxwell was Near being surrounded, and Discovring the Enemys Strength, Drew of towards Scotch plains,- after Exchangeing a few Cannon shott Lord Sterling marched our Brigade Round a back Road in order to fall in

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    with the Enemys Right flank, and there Join Conways Brigade Not knowing the Enemy was out with their whole Army, Consisting of 8 or 10.000 men, the Enemy Discovered our Intention from some hights, And posted them selves behind several hills In a half moon, We Rose a hill when the fire begun. Col. Dayton was on the Right I was on the Left Col. Martin in the Center Ogden with Dayton the Right wing took post in a wood and began the Attact, at the same time the Left wing was ordered to Come to the Right About and march to the Left and take possesion of a small hill which we Did At the same time Receiving the Enemys fire from front and flank very haevy / Capt Gibbs Jones with two peaces was with me, On the Left Capt. Husten with Col. Martin in the Center with two more all 3 pounders, which began to play verry Briskly. Just at this time My Regt. Receivd a heavy fire, when they Intirely Broke And huddled up together in much Confusion, But with the help of Col. Rhea and Major Howell formed them in a few minutes in pritty Good order Advanced a Little way and fired several Rounds untill we Got Orders to Retreat Again to the next hill which we Did in pritty Good order, faced about and fired again untill his Lordship sent his Aid a Camp with orders to Leave the Ground / I Looked to the Right and saw all Runing off [and] found it high time to Run, but found Our Retreat towards the Right into Rarranton Road Cut off, the Enemy then being abreast of me in the Center, I filed of to the Left into the skirt of A wood, one of Jones's Cannon Actidentially Broke of Both shafts One horse falling [and] was Obleged to Spike it And Run, Jones Carryed of the Other [gun] him self, thus were we situated, with Less than A thousand men, against how and his whole Army Although we stood them one hour and an half most part of the time very hot.- the Musket Balls flew Like a shower of hail stones, But Generally Over our heads or few would have Escaped, Dureing the whole Action I Remaind On horse Back, in the midst of a Continual whistling of shot by my Ears, But through Gods mercy Receiv'd no Damage,- his Lordship Exposed himself very much Remaining with the Cannon in the Center who kept up a Continual fire with Canister shot untill the Enemy in Large Colums were within Less than 30 paces of them, thus he Covered Our Retreat with the Loss of the 2 peaces, Our Loss in kiled is very small the Inhabitants that Burryed the Dead found but 12 of ours the first day, among them Capt. Anderson of my Regt. & Ensign Sprouls of the 4th. Jersey Regt. I Doubt not but more is Laying in the Wood or Rye fields, the Enemys Loss [is] not known the Inhabitants say they Carried of Eight Waggon Load And Buried them in a Certain place, Col. Rhea is now Gone to find the place and search for their Numbers,- we Retreated to West field there halted 2 hours, untill the Enemy Came within a mile of the place when we marched to Scotch plains Gap in the mountain, the Enemy Encamped that night in and near West field / hear they Burryed 9 who has been since took up and striped, next Day at 11 oClock the Enemy went of towards Amboy / We had a Number Wounded and Brot. off among them Ensign Paul / We Lost some prisoners But Cant fix any Number as they Are Dayly Comeing in, I believe I have Not more than ten Yet missing / Capt. Jones As Did the Other Artillery Officers behave[d] Well, If the Enemy had behaved with Spirit they might [have] surrounded the whole Brigade." ____________________ Shreve to Dr. Bodo Otto (Israel Shreve Papers, Buxton Papers, Louisiana Tech Univ.) "Turkey Gap Sunday 29th. June 1777 Dr. Sir No Doubt but before this comes to hand you will have heard something of the Battle, fought on thursday Last, between Gen. Maxwells Jersey Brigade, and Gen. Hows whole Army At Short hills, - Lord Stirlings Division, Consisting of the Jersey & Gen. Conways Brigades, who Lay in the Neighbourhood of Short hills and Ash Swamp, Received orders the Day before from his Excely. Gen. Washington to be under Arms at 4 oClock and Ready to march. Early that morning 150 Virginians was sent near Woodbridge, as was a scout from our Brigade, who fell in with the Right flank of hows Army when a scattering fire begun, by this time we were All under Arms. Gen. Conways Brigade was Immediately of under the Command of Gen. Maxwell, Conway Not knowing the Ground. Maxwell fell in with [the enemy], & was near being surrounded, [and] Discovering their strength Drew off towards Scotch plains, after Exchangeing a few Cannon shot, - Our Brigade under the Command of Lord Sterling marched

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    Round a Back Road, in order to Git on the Enemys Right flank, But Receiving Wrong Intillegence from a Dragoon of ours, preceed on the Road Leading to Short hills, Expecting there to join Maxwell, the Enemy preceiving our Intention from some hights, Immediately took post on several hights, at first Consealing themselves, they were almost formed in a half moon. - We Advanced in a Column [and] Wheeled to the Right in order to form the Line, I being on the Left was ordered to face to the Right About, and form on a small hill to the Left, At the same time the Right wing took post in a Wood, with Colos. Dayton & Ogden, Col. Martin was in the Center, Capt. Gibbs Jones with 2 field peaces was with me on the Left, Capt. Hustus with 2 peaces in the Center with Col. Martin, where we first formed on the Left, we receivd a heavy fire in front and flank, Receivd orders to Retreat about 100 yards to an Other small hill, the fire was so heavy that my Regt. Broke And Huddled up to Gether, However In a few minutes I with the help of my Officers Got them formed in Good order, fired several Rounds, then Got orders to Retreat to a third hill, there faced About And stood fireing untill Major Wilcox his Lordships A.D.C. Brought orders to Leave the Ground, Our two peaces of Artillery was ordered off one of which Accedentally Got Both shafts Broke off at that Instant [and] one horse fell, the Enemy was so near as to make it Impossible to Git it off, it was spiked and Left. I Endeavored to Retreat in Good order, But Riseing a hill Received such a shower of shot, that set Every man Runing for himself / I Looked to the Right saw all makeing of in Disorder [and] at the same time found Our Retreat Cut off towards the Right, by Rason of a Body of Enemy giting Nearly a breast of me in the Center, was Obliged to file of to the Left in the Skirt of A Wood, and fall into a Lower Road, knowing the Country well, Mostly Got off safe, / Dureing the whole Action I Remained on horse Back with a Continual Whistling of Balls about my Ears, for one hour And an half but through Gods Mercy Receivd no Damage, Dureing this Action his Lordship sat on his horse with the Cannon in the Center, much Exposed, And kept a Continual fire with Canister shot untill the Enemy in Large Bodies was in Less than 30 yards, At Length they were Obliged to Quit the 2 peices and Run of, the Officers of the Artillery All behaved well, As did the officers And men in General of the Brigade, or we Could not have stood them an hour & half as we Did, It is not in my power to ascertain the Loss, the Inhabitants Buried 12 of ours they tell us; Among them Capt. E. Anderson of my Regt., Ensign Sproul of the 4th., I make no Doubt but some still remaind in the Woods and Cornfields, the Enemy it is said Carried of 8 Waggon Load of Dead and Buried them near the head of Ash Swamp, some of my men say they Came Near the place And saw the General Grave, However Col. Rhea is now Out with A party in search of the place with orders to Examine the Numbers. - We Retreated to Westfield halted 2 hours then marched to Scotch plains, the Enemy Came that Afternoon to Westfield and Incamped in town and Near it, that Night / next Day At 11 oClock [they] marched marched of for Amboy, Dureing their stay they made shocking havock, Distroying alomost Every thing before them, the house where Gen. How stayed which was Capt. Clarks he promised Protection to If Mrs. Clark would use him well and Cook for him & his Attendance, which she Did as Chearful as she Could, Just before they went off Mr. how Rode out, when a No. of his soldiers Come in And plunder the Woman of Every thing in the house, Breaking And Destroying what they Could not take Away, they Even tore up the floor of the house, this Proves him the Scoundrel, and not the Gentleman, Gen. Lesley took his Quarters At Parson Woodruffs [and] Protected his property in Doors, the Doctor fled [but] his Wife and famaly Remained, the meetinghouse a Desent Building they made a sheep of threw Down the Bell, and took it of, / the [?] Vewed yesterday And Lay now with[in] 2 1/2 miles of the Ground. - they Drove of All the Horses, Cattle, Sheep & hogs they Could Git, - I saw many famalys who Declared they had Not one mouthful to Eat, [nor any] bed or beding Left, or [a] Atitch of Wearing Apparel to put on, only what they happened to have on, and would not afoard Crying Children a mouthfull of Bread Or Water Dureing their stay, - they Buried 9 of their Dead at or near Westfield / these was taken up yesterday and striped by the Distressed Inhabitants; - ... [Postscript] the Enemy shot very high or I think few of us Could have Escaped / they behaved very bad or they might have Easily surrounded the whole brigade,- How, Lord Cornwalis, Grant, Agnew, Erskin, Vaughn, Dehister, Dunop, Mathews, Lesley, and Skinner was out and Consequently all their Army but [the] Guards. 30th -

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    Last Evening Col. Rhea Returned with the Body of Capt. Anderson [and] is now Gone to Westfield to Bury him with the honours of war which he Deserves as he fought Brave, and fell in a Glorious Cause,- Capt. Lawrie of my Regt. Behaved Brave when we began to Retreat [and] being much fateaged mounted a horse, his horse was Immediate[ly] shot and fell on him, he Got off about 2 miles and stayed behind in a swamp / in the Evening Came out and is supposed to be taken prisoner,- Col. Rhea found no more Dead but the 12 of ours / the Enemy Left a Considerable No. / A Large Grave one Rod Square was found [and] the Inhabitants still say 8 Wagon Load was Buried there, several single Graves was opened & found to be Enemy / We had between 20 & 30 Wounded Among them Ensign James Paul in the thigh but [he] Got of and [is] Like to Do well, Adjutant King of ye 4th. [Jersey Regiment was wounded] in the thigh taken prisoner. the Wounded mostly Slightly Except 3 or 4 / I saw one of Capt. Flanagins men shot with a Canon Ball a 3 pounder through the sholder, he fell, but Rose again and walked 2 mils [and] is yet Alive;- the Enemy is Gone to Amboy, 2000 of our men within a few miles of them, Gen. how says the D___d Jersey Rebels fought Like Devels and that he Narrowly Escaped - Excuse my Inditeingand take the meaning it is as near the truth as I can possably Write IS" ____________________ Israel Shreve from Morristown Camp to Mary Shreve, July 6, 1777 (Israel Shreve Papers, Buxton Papers, Louisiana Tech Univ.) "I Wrote to Mr. Stilley A few Days ago Giveing an Account of a Battle that Happened the 26 of Last month between the Jersey Brigade and Gen. Hows main Army... we had 12 kiled and about 20 Wounded and as many taken prisoners - among the kiled Capt. Anderson of my Regiment & Capt. Lawrie Taken prisoner, the Enemy was ten to Our one, they since Own that they Lost more than 200 - We stood them one hour and half, from first to Last half an hour of the time as hot as Ever was heardI believe, the Enemy shot too high, we Did Great Execution [with two?] pieces of Cannon with Grapeshot we was At [last?] overpowered with numbers and Obliged to Retreat, I was Dureing this Action much Exposed to the Enemy fire, being on horse Back in the Open field... I Now Lay at this place, the Enemy has all Left the Jerseys and Gone to Staten Island, now Imbarking on Board their shiping, where they Are Destaned I know Not, - I think the Enemy Is tired of this Part of the Continent And a mind to Try some Other part, Prehaps Philadelphia as I Believe that [illegible] their Object is [illegible] to strike At the Root of Rebellion (as they Call it) I Expect we shall Lay here untill they move and then we must follow them North or South, as they may fancy or steer their Corse." 11. George Ewing, The Military Journal of George Ewing (1754-1824): A Soldier of Valley

    Forge (Yonkers, N.Y.: Privately printed by T. Ewing, 1928), 18-19. http://www.scribd.com/doc/153505766/%E2%80%9CReceivd-an-Ensigncy-in-Capt-HagansCompany-Third-Jersey-Regt%E2%80%9D-Ensign-George-Ewing%E2%80%99s-Journal-NewJersey-Line-11-November-1775-to-21-May-1778-Pu 12. New Jersey Brigade casualties at the Short Hills, 26 June 1777:
    Comparative First-Hand Accounts: Joseph Bloomfield's Journal "... one Lieut. & an Ensign Wounded, & about forty Privates killed, Wounded & taken Prisoners." Israel Shreve Journal "Our Loss in kiled was 12... and about 20 taken prisoner ... [and] about 20 wounded ..." (Shreve included the following officers; 1 captain and 1 lieutenant killed; 1 captain and one adjutant captured)

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    Israel Shreve letter, June 29, 1777 "We had between 20 & 30Wounded ... mostly slightly Except 3 or 4 ..." Israel Shreve letter, July 6, 1777 "we had 12 kiled and prisoners ..." Synopsis of Muster Rolls and Other Records: 1st New Jersey 1 private killed (1 private wounded in June 1777) 2nd New Jersey Captain Anderson killed (1) (1 private dead June 25, 1777) Captain Lawrie wounded and captured (2) 1 volunteer wounded (3) 4 privates captured 1 sgt. missing 3 privates missing 3rd New Jersey 1 private killed Captain Hennion wounded 1 private captured 1 private missing 4th New Jersey Ensign Sproul killed 1 private killed Adjutant King wounded and captured 9 privates missing about 20 wounded and as many taken

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    Breakdown of Casualties 1 captain, 1 ensign and 3 privates killed 2 captains wounded (1 also captured) 1 volunteer wounded 1 private possibly wounded 1 adjutant and 4 privates captured 1 sergeant and 13 privates missing

    Totals for Officers and Enlisted Men 2 officers killed, 2 officers wounded and 2 officers captured 22 enlisted men and 1 volunteer killed wounded, captured, or missing.

    Combined Total (Officers and Enlisted Men) 5 killed, 3 wounded, 6 captured, 14 missing Final Analysis, June 26, 1777 Israel Shreve's journal and letters seem to give the most accurate total: 12 killed, 20 captured and 20 wounded "mostly slightly Except 3 or 4..."

    Mark E. Lender and James Kirby Martin, eds., Citizen Soldier; The Revolutionary Journal of Joseph Bloomfield (Newark: New Jersey Historical Society, 1982), 130-131. Journal, 23 November 1776 to 14 August 1777, Israel Shreve Papers, Buxton Collection, Prescott Memorial Library, Louisiana Tech University. Israel Shreve to Dr. Bodo Otto (letter) "Turkey Gap Sunday 29th. June 1777," Israel Shreve Papers, Buxton Collection, Prescott Memorial Library, Louisiana Tech University. James Paul was a volunteer serving as a sergeant. Immediately after the Short Hills battle Colonel Shreve stated that among the wounded was "Ensign James Paul in the thigh..." This rank was awarded to him immediately after the battle though it did not become official until October of 1777. See also, John U. Rees, "`He Come Out with us this time As a Volunteer': Soldiers Serving Without Pay in the Second New Jersey Regiment, 1777-1780," Military Collector & Historian, vol. XLV, no. 4 (Winter 1993), 154-55. http://revwar75.com/library/rees/volunteer.htm Revolutionary War Rolls, National Archives Microfilm Publications, Record Group 93, M246 (Washington, DC, 1980) reel 57, section 21-3, p. 14: "Promotions to be made in the 2d. New Jersey Regt. Commandd By Coll. Shrieve - James Paul a Volunteer & wounded at sho[r]t hills was promised by his Excellency a Commisn. Dated 1st July 1777... Given in Camp at Towaminsing Township the 12th Day of Oct. 1777 Wm. Maxwell B.G." Ebenezer Elmer, "Extracts from the Journal of Surgeon Ebenezer Elmer of the New Jersey Continental Line, September 11-19, 1777," Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, vol. 35 (1911) pp. 103-107. John Shreve, "Personal Narrative of the Services of Lieut. John Shreve of the New Jersey Line of the Continental Army", Magazine of American History, vol. 3, part 2 (1879), 564-578. Covers the

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    period 1775-1783. John Shreve was the son of Col. Israel Shreve. Revolutionary War Rolls, National Archives Microfilm Publications, Record Group 93, M246 (Washington, D.C., 1980) New Jersey muster rolls, reels 57 to 60, . 13. Mark E. Lender and James Kirby Martin, eds., Citizen Soldier; The Revolutionary Journal of Joseph Bloomfield (Newark: New Jersey Historical Society, 1982), 1 (facing page), 19. 14. Ernst Kipping and Samuel Stelle Smith, At General Howe's Side 1776-1778 (Monmouth Beach: Phillip Freneau Press, 1974), 19-20. 15. Joseph Lee Boyle, ed., From Redcoat to Rebel: The Thomas Sullivan Journal (Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, Inc., 1997), 117-118.
    16. Fitzpatrick, Writings of George Washington, vol. 8 (1922), 475-476.

    17. George Ewing, The Military Journal of George Ewing (1754-1824): A Soldier of Valley Forge (Yonkers, N.Y.: Privately printed by T. Ewing, 1928), 19. http://www.scribd.com/doc/153505766/%E2%80%9CReceivd-an-Ensigncy-in-Capt-HagansCompany-Third-Jersey-Regt%E2%80%9D-Ensign-George-Ewing%E2%80%99s-Journal-NewJersey-Line-11-November-1775-to-21-May-1778-Pu
    Fitzpatrick, Writings of George Washington, vol. 8 (1933), 505. ibid., vol. 9 (1933), 4. 18. Ibid., vol. 9, 9-10. Elias Dayton to Washington, 11 August 1777, George Washington Papers, Presidential Papers Microfilm, (Washington, DC, 1961), series 4, reel 43. 19. Fitzpatrick, Writings of George Washington, vol. 9 (1933), 114. 20. Mark E. Lender and James Kirby Martin, eds., Citizen Soldier; The Revolutionary Journal of Joseph Bloomfield (Newark: New Jersey Historical Society, 1982), 126.

    21. George Ewing, The Military Journal of George Ewing (1754-1824): A Soldier of Valley Forge (Yonkers, N.Y.: Privately printed by T. Ewing, 1928), 20-21.
    22. Ibid., 20-21. 23. William Alexander, Lord Stirling to Washington, 30 August 1777, George Washington Papers, Presidential Papers Microfilm (Washington, DC, 1961), series 4, reel 43. Mark E. Lender and James Kirby Martin, eds., Citizen Soldier; The Revolutionary Journal of Joseph Bloomfield (Newark: New Jersey Historical Society, 1982), 126.

    23. William Alexander, Lord Stirling, to George Washington, from "Peaks Kill July 24, 1777," The George Washington Papers, Presidential Papers Microfilm (Washington, D.C., 1961), series 4, reel 43. 24. John F. Reed, Campaign to Valley Forge, July 1, 1777-19 December 1777 (Philadelphia: Pioneer Press, 1980), 21. See also, Ernst Kipping and Samuel Stelle Smith, At General Howe's Side 1776-1778 (Monmouth Beach: Phillip Freneau Press, 1974), 20-22.

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    Selected Sources Letter, Israel Shreve to Dr. Bodo Otto dated "Turkey Gap Sunday 29th. June 1777," Israel Shreve Papers, Buxton Collection, Prescott Memorial Library, Louisiana Tech University. Letter, Israel Shreve to John Stilley dated "Turky Gap Sunday 29th. June 1777," Israel Shreve Papers, Buxton Collection, Prescott Memorial Library, Louisiana Tech University. The account of the Short Hills battle and some of the events immediately following have been gleaned from all of the above sources in order to obtain a clearer and even more detailed narrative than the journals account. The only detailed published work on the subject (now out of print) is War in the Countryside; The Battle and Plunder of the Short Hills, New Jersey, June, 1777 by Frederic C. Detwiller (1977). The only copy I am aware of is in the Alexander Library, New Jersey Room, Rutgers University. According to Mr. Detwiller there is also an unpublished manuscript by John Reed, "Checkmate War in New Jersey." Mr. Reed's collection of papers and manuscripts has been bequeathed to Valley Forge National Park and is available for research. General Sources Fred Anderson Berg, Encyclopedia of Continental Army Units; Battalions, Regiments and Independent Corps (Harrisburg, Pa., 1972). Mark M. Boatner, Encyclopedia of the American Revolution (New York, NY, 1966) Ebenezer Elmer, "Extracts from the Journal of Surgeon Ebenezer Elmer of the New Jersey Continental Line, September 11-19, 1777," Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, vol. 35 (1911), 103-107; Elmer was Surgeon's Mate of the 2nd New Jersey Regiment from 1777 to 1778, at which time he was appointed to the surgeon's position. Philip R.N. Katcher, Encyclopedia of British, Provincial, and German Army Units 1775-1783 (Harrisburg, Pa., 1973) Howard H. Peckham, ed., The Toll of Independence; Engagements & Battle Casualties of the American Revolution (Chicago and London, The Univ. of Chicago Press, 1974) John F. Reed, Campaign to Valley Forge July 1, 1777-December 19, 1777 (Philadelphia, Pioneer Press, 1980) John U. Rees, "I Expect to be stationed in Jersey sometime...: An Account of the Services of the Second New Jersey Regiment:
    Part I, December 1777 to June 1778 (1994, unpublished, copy held in the collections of the David Library of the American Revolution, Washington Crossing, Pa.), contains seventeen appendices covering various subjects including studies of the casualties incurred by the New

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    Jersey Brigade (1777-1779), the uniform clothing of the New Jersey Brigade (1776-1778), the use of the nine-month draft in 1778, and names of all the officers and enlisted men of the regiment. Also included is a collection of pension narratives of the common soldiers of the New Jersey Brigade:
    The March to Winter Quarters: 13 December to 25 December 1777 General Orders, 20 December to 25 December 1777 Countering the "depredations of the Enemy": 23 December to 28 December 1777 The Valley Forge Camp in the Waning Days of 1777 A. General Orders: 25 December to 31 December 1777 B. "I fancy we may ... Content ourselves in these Wigwams ...": 1 January to 19 March 1778 Valley Forge in the First Months of 1778 General Orders, 1 January to 19 March 1778 "I Expect to be stationed in Jersey sometime ...": 22 March to 1 April 1778 General Orders of the Army, 20 March to 28 March 1778 "The Enemy Giting intelligence of our movement ...": 4 April to 30 May 1778 General Orders of the Army, 8 April to 6 May 1778 Reinforcements and Alarms: The Actions of Brigadier General William Maxwell and the Remainder of the Jersey Brigade, May 7 to May 24, 1778 The Institution of Nine-Month Enlistments from the New Jersey Militia, February to June 1778 Procuring Arms and Equipment for the Regiment, March to June 1778 Clothing the Men in the Spring of 1778 The Jersey Brigade is Reunited, May 28 to June 19, 1778 Appendices (partial list) Company Strengths and Dispositions, December 1777 to May 1779 (including tables of casualties, deserters, etc.) Monthly Regimental Strength as Taken from the Muster Rolls, December 1777 to May 1779 Listing of Field Officers, Company Officers, and Staff, December 1777 to May 1779 Company Organization, December 1777 to May 1779 A. Lineage of Companies, 1777 to 1779 B. Continuity of Company Command Through May 1779 Proportion of Men from 2nd N.J. of 1776 Who Reenlisted in 2nd N.J. of 1777 A Listing of Non-Commissioned Officers and Privates of the 2nd N.J. of 1778

    Part II, June 1778 to June 1779, covers the period from the onset of the 1778 Monmouth Campaign to the units departure for the 1779 expedition led by Major General John Sullivan against the Iroquois (manuscript).

    "`He Come Out with us this time As a Volunteer': Soldiers Serving Without Pay in the Second New Jersey Regiment, 1777-1780," Military Collector & Historian, vol. XLV, no. 4 (Winter 1993), 154-55. http://revwar75.com/library/rees/volunteer.htm `Be pleased to fill up the vacancy with the eldest Captain in the line : Field Officers, Commissioned Officers, and Staff of the 2nd New Jersey Regiment December 1777 to May 1779, http://revwar75.com/library/rees/pdfs/MonmouthP.htm

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    "'The Great Neglect in provideing Cloathing': Uniform Colors and Clothing in the New Jersey Brigade During the Monmouth Campaign of 1778":
    "The Jersey Blues:" The New Jersey Regiments, 1755-1776 "Never...Our Proper Quantity:" The New Jersey Brigade of 1777 "The Regiments Have No Uniforms or Distinguishing Colours:" Uniform Coats and the New Jersey Brigade During 1778 The following Articles of Cloathing : 1778 Nine Months Levies Apparel Only a few light things in the Spring.": Clothing the Jersey Brigades Long Term Soldiers, 1778

    Military Collector & Historian, two parts: vol. XLVI, no. 4. (Winter 1994), 163-170; vol. XLVII, no. 1 (Spring 1995), 12-20. http://revwar75.com/library/rees/neglect1.htm and http://revwar75.com/library/rees/neglect2.htm "'One of the best in the army.': An Overview of Brigadier General William Maxwell's Jersey Brigade," The Continental Soldier, vol. XI, no. 2 (Spring 1998), 45-53 http://revwar75.com/library/rees/njbrigade.htm "Losses in the New Jersey Brigade at the Battles of: Short Hills (June 26, 1777); Brandywine (September 11, 1777); Germantown (October 4, 1777)." http://www.scribd.com/doc/130997982/Losses-in-the-New-Jersey-Brigade-at-the-Battles-ofShort-Hills-June-26-1777-Brandywine-September-11-1777-Germantown-October-4-1777 Doyen Salsig, ed. and annot., Parole: Quebec; Countersign: Ticonderoga, Second New Jersey Regiment Orderly Book of 1776 (Cranbury, NJ, 1980) John Shreve, "Personal Narrative of the Services of Lieut. John Shreve of the New Jersey Line of the Continental Army", Magazine of American History, vol. 3, part 2 (1879), pp. 564-578. William S. Stryker, ed., Official Register of the Officers and Men of New Jersey in the Revolutionary War, revised and compiled by James W.S. Campbell (orig. published 1911: reprinted Baltimore, Genealogical Publishing Co., 1967) John B.B. Trussell, Jr., The Pennsylvania Line; Regimental Organization and Operations, 1776-1783 (Harrisburg, Pa., 1977) Christopher Ward, The War of the Revolution (2 Volumes, New York, 1952).

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