2nd New Jersey Regiment
Encyclopedia
The 2nd New Jersey Regiment was raised, on 9 October 1775, at Trenton, New Jersey
, for service with the Continental Army
under the command of Colonel William Maxwell. The regiment would see action at the Battle of Trois-Rivières
, Battle of Valcour Island
, Battle of Brandywine
, Battle of Germantown
, Battle of Crooked Billet
, Battle of Monmouth
, Sullivan Expedition
, Battle of Springfield
and the Battle of Yorktown
. The regiment was furloughed, on 6 June 1783, at Newburgh, New York, and disbanded 3 November 1783.
From December 1775 to February 1776, the battalion was mustered and organized at Burlington
and Trenton
, to consist of eight companies from Gloucester
, Hunterdon
, Burlington
, Salem
, and Sussex
counties. The men served under Colonel
William "Scotch Willie" Maxwell for an enlistment of one year.
From March to May 1776, the battalion was assigned to the Canadian Department, the regiment belatedly taking part in the investment of Quebec
. The leading contingent arrived at the city on 25 March. The siege of Quebec
ended on 5 May 1776. On 8 June 1776, after enduring the retreat from Quebec, the regiment took part in the ill-executed Battle of Trois-Rivières
, Canada.
From July to November 1776, the battalion took part in the retreat from Canada to Crown Point
and then to Fort Ticonderoga
, New York
. The unit formed part of the garrison there until 13 November when they returned to New Jersey.
In November 1776, with orders to reinforce Washington's
army, the battalion marched to Morristown, New Jersey
, where they arrived about 3 December and were disbanded when one-year enlistments expired. Many of the men reenlisted in the second establishment of the regiment for three year enlistments.
until 5 April, until it was ordered to join the main army under General Washington. On 22 May 1777, Maxwell's Jersey Brigade and Conway's Pennsylvania Brigade were ordered to form a division under Lord (General William Alexander) Stirling. The regiment was stationed through June 1777 in the area between Middlebrook (modern-day Metuchen
) and Short Hills
, keeping watch on, and occasionally skirmishing with, the enemy.
On 26 June 1777, Stirling's Division was attacked at Short Hills by General William Howe
's British and Hessian troops. After a sharp fight, the Americans retired to Middlebrook and rejoined the main army under Washington. A period of marching and countermarching ensued after the action at Short Hills. General Howe's forces sailed on board the British fleet on 24 July, their destination unknown. Unable to decide their objective, General Washington determined to cover all possibilities while waiting for news of the fleet. Stirling's Division moved from Middlebrook across the Hudson
to Peekskill, New York
, and then back south again into Pennsylvania
. At their camp at "The Cross Roads", in Bucks County
, news was finally received that the British were in the Chesapeake
.
On 11 September 1777, Shreve's Regiment, along with the rest of the Jersey Brigade, took part in the Battle of Brandywine
. Forced to move from their positions on the right of the army, along the creek, Stirling's Division marched to a hill near Birmingham Meeting House to counter a British flank attack. The three Continental divisions on the hill caught the full force of Howe's assault, which included the British Guards and light infantry. After an action of about 45 minutes, the defenders were forced to give way. With the army's right flank defeated, the battle was lost and the Americans retreated to Chester, Pennsylvania
. During the fighting on Birmingham Hill, Colonel Israel Shreve
was wounded in the thigh and did not return to duty until November.
From September to October 1777, the army undertook a series of marches and maneuvers designed to cover both the magazine at Reading Furnace and the capital at Philadelphia. In spite of their efforts, the city fell to the British. On 4 October 1777, at the Battle of Germantown
, Washington's army assaulted the British encamped outside of Philadelphia. Maxwell's Brigade formed part of the reserve and as such attacked the Chew House in which members of the British 40th Regiment had barricaded themselves as the Continentals swept through town. After a series of futile assaults, the Jersey troops were forced to give up the attempt when the battle was lost and the Americans retreated.
On 2 November 1777, the 2nd New Jersey Regiment arrived at Whitemarsh, Pennsylvania, with the rest of the Army. They remained there for six weeks. On 19 December 1777, Shreve's Regiment entered winter quarters at Valley Forge
and stayed there until ordered, on 19 March 1778, to take post in Haddonfield, New Jersey
.
Through the spring of 1778, on detached duty and in cooperation with the Jersey Militia, the 2nd NJ gathered forage and supplies, and skirmished with the British and Loyalists for two months. At the end of May, the rest of Maxwell's Brigade joined them at Mt. Holly
.
On 4–5 April 1778, British forces repulsed Major Richard Howell
and his troops from Billingsport, New Jersey. British troops attacked Swedesboro
and marched on towards Haddonfield
. Col. Israel Shreve evacuated from Haddonfield about 2 am Sunday morning, the 5th of April, and speed marched his troops his troops to Mount Holly. Haddonfield was attacked, two Quaker houses were burned, and American rider Miles Sage was stabbed multiple times by British (but survived). British troops proceeded to Cooper's Ferry (present site of the New Jersey access of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge
). A pitched battle ensued, with about 50 American troops (most of whom were part of Shreve's Regiment),led by Major William Ellis (Gloucester Militia). Orders had been given by Shreve (and sent by Miles Sage) to vacate upon the ignition of an alarm cannon. The cannon was never fired, and Ellis refused to retreat across the Cooper Creek Bridge. Many men were wounded, killed or captured. The British were furious about the lost opportunity to capture Shreve at Haddonfield but elated about the capture of the American picket at Cooper's Ferry (including a set of spy glasses given by Washington to spy upon the Philadelphia shore). Washington was furious at Shreve and never forgave him.
Through June 1778, the reunited Jersey Brigade kept watch on the British in Philadelphia in anticipation of their evacuation. On 28 June Maxwell's Brigade formed a part of Gen. Charles Lee's
advance force in the opening phases of the Battle of Monmouth
. Hampered by confused orders and heavy pressure from the British, Lee's troops retreated in disorder until they were met by the main army under Washington. The 2nd NJ covered the retreat of Lee's forces and fell back as reserves for the rest of the engagement.
From June to December 1778, the Jersey Brigade was stationed in and around Elizabethtown, New Jersey, to cover the area and counter any British moves from New York through the summer and autumn.
, where they remained until spring. At the end of May they marched to Easton, Pennsylvania
, to join the expedition against the Iroquois
, forming under Major General John Sullivan
.
From 18 June to October 1779, the 2nd Regiment took part in Sullivan's campaign to destroy the power of the Indian allies of the British. They marched through Pennsylvania and into western New York, burning villages and laying waste to crops. On 24 August General Sullivan's army left Tioga, Pennsylvania
, leaving behind Colonel Israel Shreve and a mixed detachment to garrison a small work called Fort Sullivan
. The remainder of the regiment marched north with the rest of the army. On 29 August a force of Iroquois and Loyalist troops attempted an ambush at Newtown (present-day Elmira, New York
), but were defeated and driven from the field. Maxwell's Brigade was in the reserve during this action. The army returned to Easton on 15 October.
On 17 December, 1779, the brigade arrived at Eyre's Forge on the Hardscrabble Road, located between Jockey Hollow
, Basking Ridge
, and Vealtown (present-day Bernardsville, New Jersey
). The Jersey regiments made this site their winter quarters, remaining there until April or May of 1780.
On 7 June 1780, the 2nd New Jersey took part in the Battle of Connecticut Farms
, New Jersey. Colonel Shreve wrote that this "Action was the warmest that has Ever Happened since the war with Our Brigade." Fron 8 to 22 June the brigade kept watch on British forces encamped behind their fortifications at Elizabethtown. On 23 June Shreve's Regiment saw action in the Battle of Springfield
, which resulted in the retreat of the British army back to Elizabethtown. At midnight on the 23rd the enemy troops crossed back to Staten Island
.
From June to November 1780 the Jersey Brigade was situated at several posts to protect the New Jersey side of the Hudson from enemy incursions. In October they moved to West Point and entered barracks in anticipation of remaining there for the winter. The brigade also lost their long-time commander, William Maxwell, having resigned from service. Contrary to expectations the Jersey troops were ordered in November 1780 to take up winter quarters in and around Pompton, New Jersey
. With the new year another change in command took place, with Israel Shreve resigning as colonel of the 2nd New Jersey and Colonel Elias Dayton assuming the post.
From 20 to 27 January 1781, the men of the Jersey Brigade at Pompton mutinied to redress their grievances, in emulation of the Pennsylvania troops. The uprising was suppressed quickly with the execution of two of its leaders. In February, after the Pennsylvania Line mutiny, the New Jersey soldiers moved into the old Pennsylvania huts at Mount Kemble (Jockey Hollow). In the same month, two light companies and three battalion companies from the New Jersey line along with the light troops from New England were selected to form a detachment under the Marquis de Lafayette to serve in Virginia
. In addition to other skirmishes during the spring and summer, these men saw action on 26 June 1781 at Spencer's Ordinary, near Williamsburg
. They were reunited with the rest of the Jersey Brigade at Williamsburg in late September of 1781.
During the first six months of the year the two New Jersey regiments kept a large proportion of troops on detached duty, including one company on duty at Wyoming, Pennsylvania
. Besides commanding the 2nd Regiment, Colonel Dayton had charge of the brigade, keeping his headquarters at Chatham, New Jersey
. On 30 June Dayton was ordered to concentrate the whole brigade at Morristown, excepting the troops at Wyoming.
On 30 June the brigade was ordered to march towards Kingsbridge, New York
. They were then redirected towards Dobb's Ferry
and remained in that vicinity until August. On 21 July the brigade was ordered to send a detachment of troops to Fort Lee
, and on the 28th 150 New Jersey soldiers escorted General Washington as he reconnoitered the British positions at New York from the palisades at Fort Lee.
On 29 August 1781, the Continental army left Springfield, New Jersey, bound for Virginia in an effort to trap British forces under Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown
. On 2 September the American forces passed through Philadelphia on their way south; the following day the French army under General Rochambeau
marched through the city. One of the places they passed, just south of the city, was the Blue Bell Inn on Cobbs Creek
. There are a number of other witness sites along the route. On 5 September the French and British fleets battled for control of Chesapeake Bay
. With the defeat of the British fleet the escape of Cornwallis' troops by sea was blocked.
On 23 September 1781, the first contingent of New Jersey troops under General Washington landed near Williamsburg, at which place they joined the force under Lafayette. The siege of Lord Cornwallis' forces at Yorktown began on 29 September. On 14 October, at night, the Jersey Light Infantry under Lt. Colonel Francis Barber took part in the assault and capture of Redoubt Number 10. This was one of two important strongpoints taken, Redoubt Number 9 being captured by French troops. On 19 October, the capitulation of the British and German forces at Yorktown took place, the enemy troops surrendering their arms to the French and American armies.
In December 1781 the New Jersey regiments "take Post somewhere in the Vicinity of Morristown" for their winter cantonment. The troops may have been housed once more in the old Pennsylvania Line huts at Mount Kemble. Through the first half of the year the Jersey regiments spent most of the time in small detachments doing duty as guards and picquets. On 29 August they left their huts and marched north to join the main army on the other side of the Hudson at Verplanks Point, crossing at King's Ferry. Leaving Verplanks in October and traveling north, they marched from "Murderer's Creek" on the 29th a distance of "about five miles to our ground for hutting and encamped."
On the 30th of October General Washington wrote from Newburgh, New York, that the regiments of "New Jersey, are hutting in the Neighborhood of this place" it being "of Importance to the Health, care and comfort of the Troops, as well as economical on many Accounts, that they should be early put into Quarters for the Winter." This, the last cantonment for the army, was located at New Windsor, New York
.
This last winter was relatively uneventful. Ebenezer Elmer, surgeon's mate and then surgeon to the 2nd New Jersey Regiment from 1777 to 1783, recorded the end of the war in his diary. On 19 April "The cessation of hostilities was announced in camp just eight years from the commencement thereof." And finally "Our brigade received our furloughs, and we all decamped" on 6 June 1783. The war was finally, and successfully, over.
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
, for service with the Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
under the command of Colonel William Maxwell. The regiment would see action at the Battle of Trois-Rivières
Battle of Trois-Rivières
The Battle of Trois-Rivières was fought on June 8, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War. A British army under Quebec Governor Guy Carleton defeated an attempt by units from the Continental Army under the command of Brigadier General William Thompson to stop a British advance up the Saint...
, Battle of Valcour Island
Battle of Valcour Island
The naval Battle of Valcour Island, also known as the Battle of Valcour Bay, took place on October 11, 1776, on Lake Champlain. The main action took place in Valcour Bay, a narrow strait between the New York mainland and Valcour Island...
, Battle of Brandywine
Battle of Brandywine
The Battle of Brandywine, also known as the Battle of the Brandywine or the Battle of Brandywine Creek, was fought between the American army of Major General George Washington and the British-Hessian army of General Sir William Howe on September 11, 1777. The British defeated the Americans and...
, Battle of Germantown
Battle of Germantown
The Battle of Germantown, a battle in the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War, was fought on October 4, 1777, at Germantown, Pennsylvania between the British army led by Sir William Howe and the American army under George Washington...
, Battle of Crooked Billet
Battle of Crooked Billet
The Battle of Crooked Billet was a battle in the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War fought on May 1, 1778 near the Crooked Billet Tavern...
, Battle of Monmouth
Battle of Monmouth
The Battle of Monmouth was an American Revolutionary War battle fought on June 28, 1778 in Monmouth County, New Jersey. The Continental Army under General George Washington attacked the rear of the British Army column commanded by Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton as they left Monmouth Court...
, Sullivan Expedition
Sullivan Expedition
The Sullivan Expedition, also known as the Sullivan-Clinton Expedition, was an American campaign led by Major General John Sullivan and Brigadier General James Clinton against Loyalists and the four nations of the Iroquois who had sided with the British in the American Revolutionary War.The...
, Battle of Springfield
Battle of Springfield (1780)
The Battle of Springfield was fought during the American Revolutionary War on June 23, 1780. After the Battle of Connecticut Farms, on June 7, 1780, had foiled Lieutenant General Wilhelm, Baron von Knyphausen’s expedition to attack General George Washington’s army at Morristown, New Jersey,...
and the Battle of Yorktown
Siege of Yorktown
The Siege of Yorktown, Battle of Yorktown, or Surrender of Yorktown in 1781 was a decisive victory by a combined assault of American forces led by General George Washington and French forces led by the Comte de Rochambeau over a British Army commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis...
. The regiment was furloughed, on 6 June 1783, at Newburgh, New York, and disbanded 3 November 1783.
1775-1776
On 9 October 1775, the 2nd NJ Battalion was authorized as part of the first establishment of the Continental Army. Originally New Jersey's contribution for 1776 was to be two battalions, but this was raised to three.From December 1775 to February 1776, the battalion was mustered and organized at Burlington
Burlington, New Jersey
Burlington is a city in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States and a suburb of Philadelphia. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 9,920....
and Trenton
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
, to consist of eight companies from Gloucester
Gloucester County, New Jersey
Gloucester County is a county located in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 288,288. Its county seat is Woodbury....
, Hunterdon
Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Hunterdon County is a county located in the western section of the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 128,349. It is part of the New York Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Flemington....
, Burlington
Burlington County, New Jersey
There were 154,371 households out of which 34.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.70% were married couples living together, 10.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.70% were non-families. 22.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.50% had...
, Salem
Salem County, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 64,285 people, 24,295 households, and 17,370 families residing in the county. The population density was 190 people per square mile . There were 26,158 housing units at an average density of 77 per square mile...
, and Sussex
Sussex County, New Jersey
The County of Sussex is the northernmost county in the State of New Jersey. It is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 Federal decennial census, 149,265 persons resided in Sussex County...
counties. The men served under Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
William "Scotch Willie" Maxwell for an enlistment of one year.
From March to May 1776, the battalion was assigned to the Canadian Department, the regiment belatedly taking part in the investment of Quebec
Invasion of Canada (1775)
The Invasion of Canada in 1775 was the first major military initiative by the newly formed Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. The objective of the campaign was to gain military control of the British Province of Quebec, and convince the French-speaking Canadiens to join the...
. The leading contingent arrived at the city on 25 March. The siege of Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
ended on 5 May 1776. On 8 June 1776, after enduring the retreat from Quebec, the regiment took part in the ill-executed Battle of Trois-Rivières
Battle of Trois-Rivières
The Battle of Trois-Rivières was fought on June 8, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War. A British army under Quebec Governor Guy Carleton defeated an attempt by units from the Continental Army under the command of Brigadier General William Thompson to stop a British advance up the Saint...
, Canada.
From July to November 1776, the battalion took part in the retreat from Canada to Crown Point
Fort Crown Point
Crown Point, was a British fort built by the combined efforts of both British and Provincial troops in North America in 1759 at narrows on Lake Champlain on the border between modern New York State and Vermont...
and then to Fort Ticonderoga
Fort Ticonderoga
Fort Ticonderoga, formerly Fort Carillon, is a large 18th-century fort built by the Canadians and the French at a narrows near the south end of Lake Champlain in upstate New York in the United States...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The unit formed part of the garrison there until 13 November when they returned to New Jersey.
In November 1776, with orders to reinforce Washington's
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
army, the battalion marched to Morristown, New Jersey
Morristown, New Jersey
Morristown is a town in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 18,411. It is the county seat of Morris County. Morristown became characterized as "the military capital of the American Revolution" because of its strategic role in the...
, where they arrived about 3 December and were disbanded when one-year enlistments expired. Many of the men reenlisted in the second establishment of the regiment for three year enlistments.
1777-1778
The newly formed regiment headquartered in Burlington and then PrincetonPrinceton, New Jersey
Princeton is a community located in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It is best known as the location of Princeton University, which has been sited in the community since 1756...
until 5 April, until it was ordered to join the main army under General Washington. On 22 May 1777, Maxwell's Jersey Brigade and Conway's Pennsylvania Brigade were ordered to form a division under Lord (General William Alexander) Stirling. The regiment was stationed through June 1777 in the area between Middlebrook (modern-day Metuchen
Metuchen, New Jersey
Metuchen is a Borough in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States, which is 8 miles northeast of New Brunswick, 18 miles southwest of Newark, 24 miles southwest of Jersey City, and 29 miles southwest of Manhattan, all part of the New York metropolitan area...
) and Short Hills
Short Hills, New Jersey
Short Hills is an unincorporated area located within the township of Millburn, in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. It is a popular commuter town for residents who work in New York City...
, keeping watch on, and occasionally skirmishing with, the enemy.
On 26 June 1777, Stirling's Division was attacked at Short Hills by General William Howe
William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe
William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe, KB, PC was a British army officer who rose to become Commander-in-Chief of British forces during the American War of Independence...
's British and Hessian troops. After a sharp fight, the Americans retired to Middlebrook and rejoined the main army under Washington. A period of marching and countermarching ensued after the action at Short Hills. General Howe's forces sailed on board the British fleet on 24 July, their destination unknown. Unable to decide their objective, General Washington determined to cover all possibilities while waiting for news of the fleet. Stirling's Division moved from Middlebrook across the Hudson
Hudson River
The Hudson is a river that flows from north to south through eastern New York. The highest official source is at Lake Tear of the Clouds, on the slopes of Mount Marcy in the Adirondack Mountains. The river itself officially begins in Henderson Lake in Newcomb, New York...
to Peekskill, New York
Peekskill, New York
Peekskill is a city in Westchester County, New York. It is situated on a bay along the east side of the Hudson River, across from Jones Point.This community was known to be an early American industrial center, primarily for its iron plow and stove products...
, and then back south again into Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. At their camp at "The Cross Roads", in Bucks County
Bucks County, Pennsylvania
- Industry and commerce :The boroughs of Bristol and Morrisville were prominent industrial centers along the Northeast Corridor during World War II. Suburban development accelerated in Lower Bucks in the 1950s with the opening of Levittown, Pennsylvania, the second such "Levittown" designed by...
, news was finally received that the British were in the Chesapeake
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
.
On 11 September 1777, Shreve's Regiment, along with the rest of the Jersey Brigade, took part in the Battle of Brandywine
Battle of Brandywine
The Battle of Brandywine, also known as the Battle of the Brandywine or the Battle of Brandywine Creek, was fought between the American army of Major General George Washington and the British-Hessian army of General Sir William Howe on September 11, 1777. The British defeated the Americans and...
. Forced to move from their positions on the right of the army, along the creek, Stirling's Division marched to a hill near Birmingham Meeting House to counter a British flank attack. The three Continental divisions on the hill caught the full force of Howe's assault, which included the British Guards and light infantry. After an action of about 45 minutes, the defenders were forced to give way. With the army's right flank defeated, the battle was lost and the Americans retreated to Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States, with a population of 33,972 at the 2010 census. Chester is situated on the Delaware River, between the cities of Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware.- History :...
. During the fighting on Birmingham Hill, Colonel Israel Shreve
Israel Shreve
Israel Shreve was a colonel in the 2nd New Jersey Regiment during the American Revolution. He fought at the Battle of Springfield....
was wounded in the thigh and did not return to duty until November.
From September to October 1777, the army undertook a series of marches and maneuvers designed to cover both the magazine at Reading Furnace and the capital at Philadelphia. In spite of their efforts, the city fell to the British. On 4 October 1777, at the Battle of Germantown
Battle of Germantown
The Battle of Germantown, a battle in the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War, was fought on October 4, 1777, at Germantown, Pennsylvania between the British army led by Sir William Howe and the American army under George Washington...
, Washington's army assaulted the British encamped outside of Philadelphia. Maxwell's Brigade formed part of the reserve and as such attacked the Chew House in which members of the British 40th Regiment had barricaded themselves as the Continentals swept through town. After a series of futile assaults, the Jersey troops were forced to give up the attempt when the battle was lost and the Americans retreated.
On 2 November 1777, the 2nd New Jersey Regiment arrived at Whitemarsh, Pennsylvania, with the rest of the Army. They remained there for six weeks. On 19 December 1777, Shreve's Regiment entered winter quarters at Valley Forge
Valley Forge
Valley Forge in Pennsylvania was the site of the military camp of the American Continental Army over the winter of 1777–1778 in the American Revolutionary War.-History:...
and stayed there until ordered, on 19 March 1778, to take post in Haddonfield, New Jersey
Haddonfield, New Jersey
Haddonfield is a borough located in Camden County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough had a total population of 11,593....
.
Through the spring of 1778, on detached duty and in cooperation with the Jersey Militia, the 2nd NJ gathered forage and supplies, and skirmished with the British and Loyalists for two months. At the end of May, the rest of Maxwell's Brigade joined them at Mt. Holly
Mount Holly Township, New Jersey
Mount Holly Township is a township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States as well as an eastern suburb of Philadelphia. As of the 2000 United States Census, the township population was 10,728. It is the county seat of Burlington County....
.
On 4–5 April 1778, British forces repulsed Major Richard Howell
Richard Howell
Richard Howell was Governor of New Jersey from 1794 to 1801.-Biography:Howell was born in Newark, Delaware. He was a lawyer and soldier of the early United States Army. He served as captain and later major of the 2nd New Jersey Regiment from 1775 to 1779. Richard was a twin, his twin brother was...
and his troops from Billingsport, New Jersey. British troops attacked Swedesboro
Swedesboro, New Jersey
Swedesboro is a borough in Gloucester County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 2,055....
and marched on towards Haddonfield
Haddonfield, New Jersey
Haddonfield is a borough located in Camden County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough had a total population of 11,593....
. Col. Israel Shreve evacuated from Haddonfield about 2 am Sunday morning, the 5th of April, and speed marched his troops his troops to Mount Holly. Haddonfield was attacked, two Quaker houses were burned, and American rider Miles Sage was stabbed multiple times by British (but survived). British troops proceeded to Cooper's Ferry (present site of the New Jersey access of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge
Benjamin Franklin Bridge
The Benjamin Franklin Bridge , originally named the Delaware River Bridge, is a suspension bridge across the Delaware River connecting Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Camden, New Jersey...
). A pitched battle ensued, with about 50 American troops (most of whom were part of Shreve's Regiment),led by Major William Ellis (Gloucester Militia). Orders had been given by Shreve (and sent by Miles Sage) to vacate upon the ignition of an alarm cannon. The cannon was never fired, and Ellis refused to retreat across the Cooper Creek Bridge. Many men were wounded, killed or captured. The British were furious about the lost opportunity to capture Shreve at Haddonfield but elated about the capture of the American picket at Cooper's Ferry (including a set of spy glasses given by Washington to spy upon the Philadelphia shore). Washington was furious at Shreve and never forgave him.
Through June 1778, the reunited Jersey Brigade kept watch on the British in Philadelphia in anticipation of their evacuation. On 28 June Maxwell's Brigade formed a part of Gen. Charles Lee's
Charles Lee (general)
Charles Lee was a British soldier who later served as a General of the Continental Army during the American War of Independence. Lee served in the British army during the Seven Years War. After the war he sold his commission and served for a time in the Polish army of King Stanislaus II...
advance force in the opening phases of the Battle of Monmouth
Battle of Monmouth
The Battle of Monmouth was an American Revolutionary War battle fought on June 28, 1778 in Monmouth County, New Jersey. The Continental Army under General George Washington attacked the rear of the British Army column commanded by Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton as they left Monmouth Court...
. Hampered by confused orders and heavy pressure from the British, Lee's troops retreated in disorder until they were met by the main army under Washington. The 2nd NJ covered the retreat of Lee's forces and fell back as reserves for the rest of the engagement.
From June to December 1778, the Jersey Brigade was stationed in and around Elizabethtown, New Jersey, to cover the area and counter any British moves from New York through the summer and autumn.
1779-1783
From 16 December 1778 to 29 May 1779, the unit was ordered into winter quarters at or near Newark, New JerseyNewark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, where they remained until spring. At the end of May they marched to Easton, Pennsylvania
Easton, Pennsylvania
Easton is a city in Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 26,800 as of the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Northampton County....
, to join the expedition against the Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
, forming under Major General John Sullivan
John Sullivan
John Sullivan was the third son of Irish immigrants, a United States general in the Revolutionary War, a delegate in the Continental Congress and a United States federal judge....
.
From 18 June to October 1779, the 2nd Regiment took part in Sullivan's campaign to destroy the power of the Indian allies of the British. They marched through Pennsylvania and into western New York, burning villages and laying waste to crops. On 24 August General Sullivan's army left Tioga, Pennsylvania
Tioga, Pennsylvania
Tioga is a borough in Tioga County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The population was 622 at the 2000 census. It is located north of Tioga and Hammond Lakes.-Geography:Tioga is located at ....
, leaving behind Colonel Israel Shreve and a mixed detachment to garrison a small work called Fort Sullivan
Sullivan Expedition
The Sullivan Expedition, also known as the Sullivan-Clinton Expedition, was an American campaign led by Major General John Sullivan and Brigadier General James Clinton against Loyalists and the four nations of the Iroquois who had sided with the British in the American Revolutionary War.The...
. The remainder of the regiment marched north with the rest of the army. On 29 August a force of Iroquois and Loyalist troops attempted an ambush at Newtown (present-day Elmira, New York
Elmira, New York
Elmira is a city in Chemung County, New York, USA. It is the principal city of the 'Elmira, New York Metropolitan Statistical Area' which encompasses Chemung County, New York. The population was 29,200 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Chemung County.The City of Elmira is located in...
), but were defeated and driven from the field. Maxwell's Brigade was in the reserve during this action. The army returned to Easton on 15 October.
On 17 December, 1779, the brigade arrived at Eyre's Forge on the Hardscrabble Road, located between Jockey Hollow
Jockey Hollow
Jockey Hollow is a unit of Morristown National Historical Park in New Jersey. It was twice used as a winter encampment by the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.-History:...
, Basking Ridge
Basking Ridge, New Jersey
- Demographics :As Basking Ridge is not an independent municipality, the following demographic data is based on the United States Census Bureau figures for the ZIP Code Tabulation Area for the 07920 ZIP Code...
, and Vealtown (present-day Bernardsville, New Jersey
Bernardsville, New Jersey
Bernardsville is a borough and affluent suburb in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. Bernardsville has the 10th-highest per capita income in the state. Nationwide, Bernardsville ranks 75th among the 100 highest-income places in the United States...
). The Jersey regiments made this site their winter quarters, remaining there until April or May of 1780.
On 7 June 1780, the 2nd New Jersey took part in the Battle of Connecticut Farms
Battle of Connecticut Farms
The Battle of Connecticut Farms, fought June 7, 1780, was one of the last major battles between British and American forces in the northern colonies during the American Revolutionary War. Hessian General Wilhelm von Knyphausen, in command of the British garrison at New York City, made an attempt...
, New Jersey. Colonel Shreve wrote that this "Action was the warmest that has Ever Happened since the war with Our Brigade." Fron 8 to 22 June the brigade kept watch on British forces encamped behind their fortifications at Elizabethtown. On 23 June Shreve's Regiment saw action in the Battle of Springfield
Battle of Springfield (1780)
The Battle of Springfield was fought during the American Revolutionary War on June 23, 1780. After the Battle of Connecticut Farms, on June 7, 1780, had foiled Lieutenant General Wilhelm, Baron von Knyphausen’s expedition to attack General George Washington’s army at Morristown, New Jersey,...
, which resulted in the retreat of the British army back to Elizabethtown. At midnight on the 23rd the enemy troops crossed back to Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
.
From June to November 1780 the Jersey Brigade was situated at several posts to protect the New Jersey side of the Hudson from enemy incursions. In October they moved to West Point and entered barracks in anticipation of remaining there for the winter. The brigade also lost their long-time commander, William Maxwell, having resigned from service. Contrary to expectations the Jersey troops were ordered in November 1780 to take up winter quarters in and around Pompton, New Jersey
Pompton Lakes, New Jersey
Pompton Lakes is a borough in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 11,097....
. With the new year another change in command took place, with Israel Shreve resigning as colonel of the 2nd New Jersey and Colonel Elias Dayton assuming the post.
From 20 to 27 January 1781, the men of the Jersey Brigade at Pompton mutinied to redress their grievances, in emulation of the Pennsylvania troops. The uprising was suppressed quickly with the execution of two of its leaders. In February, after the Pennsylvania Line mutiny, the New Jersey soldiers moved into the old Pennsylvania huts at Mount Kemble (Jockey Hollow). In the same month, two light companies and three battalion companies from the New Jersey line along with the light troops from New England were selected to form a detachment under the Marquis de Lafayette to serve in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
. In addition to other skirmishes during the spring and summer, these men saw action on 26 June 1781 at Spencer's Ordinary, near Williamsburg
Williamsburg, Virginia
Williamsburg is an independent city located on the Virginia Peninsula in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, USA. As of the 2010 Census, the city had an estimated population of 14,068. It is bordered by James City County and York County, and is an independent city...
. They were reunited with the rest of the Jersey Brigade at Williamsburg in late September of 1781.
During the first six months of the year the two New Jersey regiments kept a large proportion of troops on detached duty, including one company on duty at Wyoming, Pennsylvania
Wyoming, Pennsylvania
Wyoming is a borough in the Greater Pittston area of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States five miles north of Wilkes Barre, on the Susquehanna River. Formerly, coal mining was the chief industry. In 1900, 1,909 people resided in Wyoming. There were 3,010 residents in 1910...
. Besides commanding the 2nd Regiment, Colonel Dayton had charge of the brigade, keeping his headquarters at Chatham, New Jersey
Chatham, New Jersey
Chatham refers to two neighboring municipalities in Morris County, New Jersey – Chatham Borough and Chatham Township. The two are separate municipalities, the first a municipality that was settled in 1710 as a colonial English village in the Province of New Jersey...
. On 30 June Dayton was ordered to concentrate the whole brigade at Morristown, excepting the troops at Wyoming.
On 30 June the brigade was ordered to march towards Kingsbridge, New York
Kingsbridge, Bronx
Kingsbridge is a working class residential neighborhood geographically located in the northwest Bronx in New York City. The neighborhood is part of Bronx Community Board 8. Its boundaries are Van Cortlandt Park to the north, Goulden Avenue to the east, West 225th Street to the south, and Irwin...
. They were then redirected towards Dobb's Ferry
Dobbs Ferry, New York
Dobbs Ferry is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The population was 10,875 at the 2010 census.The Village of Dobbs Ferry is located in, and is a part of, the town of Greenburgh...
and remained in that vicinity until August. On 21 July the brigade was ordered to send a detachment of troops to Fort Lee
Fort Lee, New Jersey
Fort Lee is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 35,345. Located atop the Hudson Palisades, the borough is the western terminus of the George Washington Bridge...
, and on the 28th 150 New Jersey soldiers escorted General Washington as he reconnoitered the British positions at New York from the palisades at Fort Lee.
On 29 August 1781, the Continental army left Springfield, New Jersey, bound for Virginia in an effort to trap British forces under Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown
Yorktown, Virginia
Yorktown is a census-designated place in York County, Virginia, United States. The population was 220 in the 2000 census. It is the county seat of York County, one of the eight original shires formed in colonial Virginia in 1634....
. On 2 September the American forces passed through Philadelphia on their way south; the following day the French army under General Rochambeau
Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau
Marshal of France Jean-Baptiste Donatien de Vimeur, comte de Rochambeau was a French nobleman and general who participated in the American Revolutionary War as the commander-in-chief of the French Expeditionary Force which came to help the American Continental Army...
marched through the city. One of the places they passed, just south of the city, was the Blue Bell Inn on Cobbs Creek
Cobbs Creek
Cobbs Creek is an tributary of Darby Creek in Delaware County, Pennsylvania in the United States. It forms an approximate border between Montgomery County and Delaware County. After Cobbs Creek passes underneath Township Line Road , it forms the border between Philadelphia County and Delaware County...
. There are a number of other witness sites along the route. On 5 September the French and British fleets battled for control of Chesapeake Bay
Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the United States. It lies off the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by Maryland and Virginia. The Chesapeake Bay's drainage basin covers in the District of Columbia and parts of six states: New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West...
. With the defeat of the British fleet the escape of Cornwallis' troops by sea was blocked.
On 23 September 1781, the first contingent of New Jersey troops under General Washington landed near Williamsburg, at which place they joined the force under Lafayette. The siege of Lord Cornwallis' forces at Yorktown began on 29 September. On 14 October, at night, the Jersey Light Infantry under Lt. Colonel Francis Barber took part in the assault and capture of Redoubt Number 10. This was one of two important strongpoints taken, Redoubt Number 9 being captured by French troops. On 19 October, the capitulation of the British and German forces at Yorktown took place, the enemy troops surrendering their arms to the French and American armies.
In December 1781 the New Jersey regiments "take Post somewhere in the Vicinity of Morristown" for their winter cantonment. The troops may have been housed once more in the old Pennsylvania Line huts at Mount Kemble. Through the first half of the year the Jersey regiments spent most of the time in small detachments doing duty as guards and picquets. On 29 August they left their huts and marched north to join the main army on the other side of the Hudson at Verplanks Point, crossing at King's Ferry. Leaving Verplanks in October and traveling north, they marched from "Murderer's Creek" on the 29th a distance of "about five miles to our ground for hutting and encamped."
On the 30th of October General Washington wrote from Newburgh, New York, that the regiments of "New Jersey, are hutting in the Neighborhood of this place" it being "of Importance to the Health, care and comfort of the Troops, as well as economical on many Accounts, that they should be early put into Quarters for the Winter." This, the last cantonment for the army, was located at New Windsor, New York
New Windsor, New York
New Windsor is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was estimated at 25,244 in 2010 by the US Census.The Town of New Windsor is in the eastern part of the county, bordering the Town of Newburgh and the City of Newburgh....
.
This last winter was relatively uneventful. Ebenezer Elmer, surgeon's mate and then surgeon to the 2nd New Jersey Regiment from 1777 to 1783, recorded the end of the war in his diary. On 19 April "The cessation of hostilities was announced in camp just eight years from the commencement thereof." And finally "Our brigade received our furloughs, and we all decamped" on 6 June 1783. The war was finally, and successfully, over.
External links
- 2d NJ Regt. reenactor website
- Bibliography of the Continental Army in New Jersey compiled by the United States Army Center of Military History