Five horses started
for the £60 purse. Trial, Merry Andrew, Sterling, Valiant, and a
mare belonging to Colonel Armstrong. Trial won the purse.
SOURCE: Jacob Cox
Parsons, Editor, Extracts from the Diary of Jacob Hiltzheimer, of
Philadelphia, 1765-1798, p. 12
Four horses started
in the race to-day-Smoker, Merry Andrew, Sampson, and a little roan, belonging
to Joseph Richardson. Smoker won.
SOURCE: Jacob Cox
Parsons, Editor, Extracts from the Diary of Jacob Hiltzheimer, of
Philadelphia, 1765-1798, p. 12
At six o'clock in the morning we were informed that a covering party of horse were but a small distance before us. Gen. Wayne immediately ordered the front platoon of each battalion to turn out immediately, which order being complied with, being four platoons and Major McPherson's party of Legionary horse, we pursued them five or six miles in full speed. At last we came within a short distance of them. Major Hamilton had the command of the Infantry. A party then of about forty men of the New England troops were ordered to mount behind the same number of dragoons, and then pursued them and came up with them in a short time. We had a severe skirmish with their Horse and Infantry, in which we took a number of their horse and cattle, and killed forty of their Infantry. Our loss was trifling. Major McPherson's horse threw him into the field of action, who fortunately made his escape. I expected every moment they would have attacked our small party of Infantry, which was posted on a small knoll, in order to cover the Light Dragoons.
SOURCE: Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Publisher, Journal of Lieut. William Feltman, of the First Pennsylvania Regiment, 1781-82, p. 6
The Commander in Chief with the other columns or rather the main body arrived and encamped 3 miles South of the Mill Stone River at Middlebush, he went on crossed the Mill Stone River after repairing the Bridge which the Enemy had broken up. We found Lord Cornwallis's Column on the opposite side after some skirmishing ten rebels killed, our loss in killed two and 2 wounded and an Officer. Found most of the Houses deserted and what were inhabited the men were absent; collected some Forage, cattle and horses A few shots were exchanged between some of our cavalry and that of the rebels but without effect and advanced. Yager taken off by some rebel Light horse.
SOURCE: G. D. Scull, Editor, The Montresor Journals, p. 422
At 3 o'clock this morning the Army moved in 2 Columns, the right Lord Cornwallis-left Major General Vaughan—the Right Column took the Woodbridge Road and the left the Brunswick road but turned off the road to Metuchin meeting and 1200 men were sent on to take post at Bonham town way to Brunswick from Amboy and the 2 Columns encamped this night at Westfield. A continued firing most of this day's march. Lord Sterling and General Maxwell with 3000 men and 4 brass field pieces principally opposed us near Westfield, but were put to flight leaving behind 3 Brass Field pieces, 3 Pounders one French and 2 English. Supposed to have killed this day about 50 of the Rebels and took 64 prisoners in arms and about 500 head of horned cattle. Washington with the gross of his Army made off very early with the utmost Expedition and his Baggage and retired to his old post on the Shannoc mountain. The heat of the weather was such that we lost 9 men on the march by it. We had no men Killed and about 20 wounded and a Captain in the Guards shot through the Body. Great want of water as the Inhabitants had choaked several of their wells. Most of the Houses were abandoned, what were not had only women and children. The rebel army had moved from the Mountain Country leaving there taken post at Quibbletown three miles South of the mountain. The Engineers and Artificers were divided with the 2 Columns—two Established and an Assistant Engineer to each, myself with the Commander in Chief. The first body that fired on our right Column was about 1500 men under a General Conway and 3 field pieces, which were soon routed with loss by the usual Intrepidity of Light Infantry. Lord Chewton, aid de Camp to Lord Cornwallis had his horse shot under him. One man raved with a coup de soleil and fired at our own flankers. Amongst the prisoners a Major, 2 Captains and an Adjutant the latter shot through the thigh.
SOURCE: G. D. Scull, Editor, The Montresor Journals, pp. 424-5
At 4 this morning the whole marched and reached Amboy in 5 hours and mostly encamped. Weather exceptionally hot—no firing at all. This country richer and better watered. Part of the Army Continued their march, crossed the Ferry to Staaten Island and encamped there, and one Brigade of Hessians embarked on board their respective vessels lying near Amboy. Much baggage, Waggons, Horses & ferried across likewise. Some deserters from the Rebels and one Light dragoon. The Vigilant armed with 18 and 24 pounders & made up the Rariton, so as to flank our Camp. Flat bottomed boats and such cratt arrived this afternoon at Amboy from Princes Bay.
SOURCE: G. D. Scull, Editor, The Montresor Journals, pp. 425-6
The whole day principally taken up in transporting in Flat boats & the Baggage of this Army across to Staaten Island together with every kind of "Stores de Guerre de bouche" besides Artillery, Horned Cattle, waggons, Horses and a working party of 300 men employed in Erazing the Interiour faces of the Redoubts & the Exteriour of Fort Callibogus fronting towards Staaten Island. Six deserters came in. Captain Finch of the Grenadiers died of his wounds and buried this day at Amboy. Every preparation forming this day for our leaving the Province tomorrow. Gallies and armed vessels posted in the Kills and Raritan so as to cover our passage from Staaten Island which ferry is about of a mile across. New York Company of Volunteers detached from King's Bridge towards White plains—killed 6 of the rebels and brought in Eight Prisoners—Twenty five head of Cattle and Eleven Horses.
SOURCE: G. D. Scull, Editor, The Montresor Journals, p. 426
We were unusually
silent all morning; no passengers came by the house, except to the mill, &
we don’t place much dependence on Mill news.
About twelve o’clock,
cousin Jesse1 heard that Gen. Howe’s army moved down towards
Philadelphia. Then my dear, our hopes & fears were engaged for you.
However, my advice is, summon up all your resolution, call Fortitude to your
aid, and don't suffer your spirits to sink, my dear; there's nothing like
courage; 'tis what I stand in need of myself, but unfortunately have
little of it in my composition.
I was standing in
the kitchen2 about 12, when somebody came to me in a hurry,
screaming, "Sally, Sally, here are the light horse!" This was by far
the greatest fright I had endured; fear tack'd wings to my feet; I was at the
house in a moment; at the porch I stopt, and it really was the light horse.
I ran immediately
to the western door, where the family were assembled, anxiously waiting for the
event. They rode up to the door and halted, and enquired if we had horses to
sell; he was answer'd negatively.
"Have not you,
sir," to my father, "two black horses?"
"Yes, but have
no mind to dispose of them."
My terror had by
this time nearly subsided. The officer and men behav'd perfectly civil; the
first drank two glasses of wine, rode away, bidding his men follow, which,
after adieus in number, they did. The officer was Lieutenant Lindsay,3
of Bland's regiment, Lee's troop. The men, to our great joy, were Americans, and
but 4 in all. What made us imagine them British, they wore blue and red, which
with us is not common.
It has rained all
this afternoon, and to present appearances, will all night. In all probability
the English will take possession of the city to-morrow or next day.
What a change will it be! May the Almighty take you under His protection, for
without His divine aid all human assistance is vain.
"May
heaven's guardian arm protect my absent friends,
From
danger guard them, and from want defend."
Forgive my dear,
the repetition of these lines, but they just darted into my mind. Nothing
worth relating has occurred this afternoon. Now for trifles. I have set a
stocking on the needles, and intend to be mighty industrious. This evening
some of our folks heard a very heavy cannon. We supposed it to be
fir'd by the English. The report seem'd to come from Philada. We hear the
American army will be within five miles of us tonight.
1 JESSE FOULKE, son of William and
Hannah, and brother to Caleb and Amos. He was therefore a "connection by
marriage," but not of kin, at all; the term "cousin"
is purely complimentary. He was born Nov. 9, 1742, and died unmarried, March
16, 1821. He and his unmarried sister Priscilla continued to occupy the old
Foulke mansion, and lived to advanced years. — H. M. J.
2 The kitchen was "a small distance from
the house." See infra, under date of June 5, 1778.
3 WILLIAM LINDSAY, whose father, William
Lindsay, had come from Jamaica and settled at Port Royal, Caroline County,
Virginia, was appointed a Cornet in Colonel Bland's Regiment of Virginia
Light Dragoons, June 16, 1776. On the 18th of December of the
same year he was raised to the rank of Lieutenant. March 15, 1777, he
became Third Lieutenant of the First Continental Dragoons. He
received a wound near Valley Forge, January 21, 1778. On the 7th of April
following he was made Captain of Lee's Battalion of Light
Dragoons. He resigned from the Army, October 1, 1778. He lived for a time near
Fredericksburg, but having received the first appointment to the office of Collector of the
Customs for Norfolk and Portsmouth under the Federal government, he removed
with his family to the latter place. He died September 1, 1797, while on a trip
to Newport, Rhode Island, and was buried there in Trinity churchyard. By his
wife, Martha Fox, he had several children, of whom Colonel William
Lindsay was a prominent officer of the United States Army. — Bland
MSS., Cong. Lib., Wash.; Heitman; "Lindsay Genealogy," 225 (Albany,
1889); Norfolk Herald, Sept. 29, 1838; Columbian Sentinel (Boston), September
13, 1797.
SOURCE: Albert Cook
Myers, Editor, Sally Wister's Journal A True Narrative Being A Quaker
Maiden's Account Of Her Experiences With Officers Of The
Continental Army, 1777-1778, pp. 69-73
