Chapter 04

Chapter 04
Morris Co. Up


History of Morris County, New Jersey with Illustrations, and Biographical Sketches of Prominent Citizens and Pioneers, 1739-1882; New York: W.W. Munsell & CO., 1882.

MORRIS COUNTY TROOPS IN THE CONTINENTAL ARMY.

ON the 9th of October 1775 the Continental Congress made its first call on New Jersey for troops. It was in the shape of the following resolutions:

"Resolved, That it be recommended to the convention of New Jersey that they immediately raise, at the expense of the continent, two battalions, consisting of eight companies each, and each company of sixty-eight privates, officered with one captain, one lieutenant, one ensign, four sergeants, and four corporals.

"That the privates be enlisted for one year, at the rate of five dollars per calendar month, liable to be discharged at any time on allowing them one month's pay extraordinary.

"That each of the privates be allowed, instead of a bounty, one felt hat, a pair of yarn stockings, and a pair of shoes; the men to find their own arms.

"That the pay of the officers, for the present, be the same as that of the officers in the present continental army; and in case the pay of the officers in the army is augmented the pay of the officers in these battalions shall, in like manner, be augmented from the time of their engaging in the service."

These resolutions were laid before the Provincial Congress October 13th 1775, and that body on the 26th of the same month resolved that warrants be issued to the proper persons to raise the troops called for, and appointed mustering officers to review the companies when raised. The form of enlistment was in the following words:

"I, ...................., have this day voluntarily enlisted myself as a soldier in the American continental army for one year, unless sooner discharged, and do bind myself to conform in all instances to such rules and regulations as are or shall be established for the government of the said army."

Some delay was caused by the question whether the field officers should be appointed by the Provincial or the Continental Congress; but on the 10th of November (only a month after the first call of Congress), this question being settled by the confirmation, by the Continental Congress, of the officers recommended by the State authorities, six companies were raised and ordered to garrison the fort in the Highlands on the Hudson; and November 27th the rest of the two battalions were ordered into barracks in New York. December 8th both battalions were ordered into New York, and on the 26th they were ordered to be mustered. These troops were called the first or eastern battalion and second or western battalion of the first establishment. As stated hereafter a third battalion was afterward called for by Congress January 10th 1776, which was raised for this establishment. The western battalion was in the western and southern parts of the State, but in the eastern battalion Morris county was largely represented. Lord STIRLING was colonel, William WINDS was lieutenant colonel, and, after Stirling's promotion, Colonel William De HART was major. Three companies at least were from Morris, viz: The first company, of which Joseph MORRIS was captain, Daniel BALDWIN first lieutenant, Daniel BROWN second lieutenant, and Jonathan F. MORRIS ensign; the second company, of which Silas HOWELL was captain, John MERCER first lieutenant, Richard JOHNSON second lieutenant and Jacob KEMPER ensign; and the fifth company, of which Joseph MEEKER was captain, Yellis (or Giles) MEAD first lieutenant, Archibald DALLAS second lieutenant, and George ROSS ensign.

On the 10th of January 1776 three companions of this first battalion were ordered to report to Colonel Nathaniel HEARD, in command of minute men, for duty in arresting tories and disaffected persons in Queens county, N. Y. The rest of the battalion, Colonel WINDS commanding, were stationed at Perth Amboy and Elizabethtown until May 1776. On the 3d of May, with the third battalion, they left New York to join the expedition to Canada, and having been joined by the second battalion took an active part in the operations before Quebec. Later the first and second battalions were ordered into barracks at Ticonderoga, and remained at that place until directed, November 5th 1776, to return to New Jersey for discharge.

January 10th 1776 Congress directed another battalion to be raised in New Jersey on the same terms as the other two, and on the 6th of February the recommendation was made by the Provincial Congress. The regiment was organized at once, and left Elizabethtown April 29th for New York. On the 3d of May it sailed for Albany with the first battalion, and served with it in the campaign. The battalion left Albany March 7th 1777, and was discharged at Morristown on the 23d. The regiment was commanded by Colonel Elias DAYTON, and contained at least one Morris county company--the fifth--which was commanded by Peter DICKERSON, of Morristown, Stephen DUNHAM being first lieutenant, David TUTTLE second lieutenant, and William TENBROOK ensign. A list of the enlisted men of this company has been made up for the files of the adjutant general and is as follows:

William ANDERSON, Stephen BEACH, Woodrick BILBERRY, William BISHOP, Joseph BOLTERHOUSE, Jacob BUTTERSOP, Martin CRILL, Andrew CULPET, Patrick DAVIS, Luke DE VOIR, John ENGLISH, Jeremiah FLEMING, Daniel GUARD, Thomas HATHAWAY, John HILL, John HOWE, Jacob KENT, Henry KITCHEN, William LOGAN, Timothy LOSEY, Thomas MARTIN, Clement MARTIN, James MATHERS, Robert McKINDRICK, William MEAD, John MOORE, Stephen PRICE, Adoniram PRITTEN, John QUILL, Joseph ROSE, John SLINEMAN, Peter SMITH, Isaiah TUTTLE, John TWAY, Isaac WARD, David WATSON, John WHITE, Richard WILLIAMSON, Morris WOODEN.

The diary of Timothy TUTTLE, a sergeant in the fiirst battalion in Captain Joseph MORRIS's company, has been preserved and has been printed. In it his daily doings are recorded from before January 1st 1776 until he arrived at Albany on his way home, November 12th. From this it appears that he and his comrades arrived at Albany May 8th, after an eight days' sail, and marched from there to Lake George, where they arrived May 22nd. On the 26th of May they arrived at Crown Point, which they left on the 28th in boats for St. John. From there they marched up the Sorell River, and on the 8th of June were under fire of the enemy's cannon. They were encamped on the Sorell until the 14th, when they began a retreat to Crown Point, which they reached on the 24th. They remained in the neighborhood of Ticonderoga and Crown Point until November 6th, when Tuttle, with 105 of the men of his battalion, left for home with General Winds. Recruiting had begun for the second establishment, which was enlisted for three years or during the war, and many of the officers and men of the first establishment remained and were mustered into the second establishment. TUTTLE notes under date of November 5th: "Same morning our men seemed to persist to go home, and orders came out from the general that Colonel WINDS and what men is a mind to follow him to be off to-morrow morning at 8 o'clock. Some of officers say we go away with scandal, but Colonel WINDS says [we] go with honor." Sergeant TUTTLE was afterward ensign and lieutenant in the Morris militia, and later a captain in Colonel Sylvanus SEELEY's eastern battalion of Morris militia.

These three Jersey regiments of the first establishment did some hard service in this campaign, none the easier to endure because the movement was unsuccessful in that it did not accomplish what was hoped for it. A committee of the New Jersey Provincial Congress by direction of that body went to Crown Point, and there reviewed the Jersey troops October 25th. They reported that they "found the soldiers destitute of many articles of dress; supplies of every kind they want, but shoes and stockings they are in the last necessity for, many having neither to their feet." They believed the troops were well furnished with provisions, and that they had plenty of arms. "Respecting the disposition of the officers to engage in the service" (meaning to re-enlist), the commissioners say, "It is with the greatest cheerfulness the most of the officers are ready on your appointment to serve their country during the war."

Somewhat similar to the experience of later years, Congress found in the summer of 1776 that troops enlisted for a short time would not suffice to bring the war to a successful termination. Accordingly, September 16th 1776, a resolution was adopted that eighty-eight battalions be enlisted as soon as possible, to serve during the war, and that New Jersey furnish four battalions.

The State Legislature appointed a joint committee to take the matter into consideration, who recommended that the first three of the new battalions be formed of the officers and men of the three battalions then in the field, so far as they were willing to re-enlist; and that the officers of the fourth battalion be made up as much as possible from the five regiments of militia then serving under General HEARD. This recommendation was adopted, and the three battalions in the field formed the nucleus of the first three battalions of the new establishment.

In the first battalion, Colonel WINDS having retired, Silas NEWCOMB and, on his promotion, Matthias OGDEN was made colonel. Major William De HART continued in service and was made lieutenant colonel on the promotion of Ogden. Joseph MORRIS remained as captain of the first company (until made major of the battalion), with John MERCER, formerly first lieutenant of Captain HOWELL's company, as first lieutenant; Robert ROBERTSON (who afterward resigned on account of wounds) as second lieutenant and Simon MASH as ensign.

Silas HOWELL remained as captain of the second company, with John VAN ANGLEN (afterward captain) as first lieutenant, Archibald DALLAS (formerly of MEEKER's company) as second lieutenant and John HOWELL (afterward captain) as ensign.

Captain MEEKER went home at the end of his enlistment. His lieutenant, Giles MEAD, remained as lieutenant of the third company, commanded by Captain John CONWAY (afterward major of the fourth battalion); John FLANHAVEN was second lieutenant and Ebenezer AXTELL was ensign of this company.

Captain Peter DICKERSON's company seem to have reenlisted in a body and formed the first company of the third battalion. The lieutenants and ensign having quit the service their places were filled by others. Samuel FLANAGAN was first lieutenant until promoted to a captaincy; Jonathan BREWER second lieutenant, and Edward D. THOMAS ensign until made first lieutenant. In addition to the enlisted men of Captain DICKERSON's first company the following were members of this his new company: Thomas BEEDLE, Josiah BEETLE, David BROWN, Jonathan CONKLING, George CORWINE, James CRANE, John CUGO, Thomas CUGO, Cornelius DRAKE, Simeon HATHAWAY, John HENRY, James JOY, Conrad KINGFIELD, Jasper LANGLEY, Enos LITTLE, Abram LUDLOW, Archibald McNICHOLS, Solomon MUNSON, John PANTON, John PRICE, Conrod RUNYAN, John TUTTLE, and William TUTTLE.

In an affidavit made by Henry CLARK in order to obtain a pension (preserved with others by Hon. Lewis CONDICT), he says he enlisted at Mendham in January 1776 for three years, in Captain Noadiah WADE's company, with Abram HUDSON, Stephen LEONARD, Stephen FROST, John DOUGHTY, William MINTHORN, Isaac STARK, William BROWN, John PAYNE and others whom he does not recollect. Zophar CARNES was first lieutenant, John PIPES second lieutenant and Clement WOOD ensign. WOOD and WADE lived in Mendham, CARNES in Roxbury, and PIPES in what was then Pequannock. The company consisted of 60 men, and was filled, the membership being as follows:

Captain, Noadiah WADE; lieutenants, Zophar CARNES (cashiered April 16th 1777) and John PIPES, promoted first lieutenant June 1st 1777. Second lieutenant, Benjamin HORN. Ensign, Clement WOOD. Sergeants: Robert LOGAN, John BROWNE, Shadrack HATHAWAY and Abram HUDSON. Corporals: Stephen HARRIMAN, Ichabod JOHNSON, Richard HEDLEY and Jonathan STARKS. Drummer, John CORNELIUS. Fifer, William STONE. Privates: Adam SHOWERS, Nathaniel PETTY, George CLIFTON, Levi SHADWICK or SHADDOCK, Samuel FREEMAN, William MUNSON, Jesse RODGERS, Samuel DAVIS, Philip MINTHORN, Abram MULET, Henry BLUM, Jonathan BAILEY, Gabriel HUTCHINGS, Nathaniel THOMPSON, Price THOMPSON, Abram LOSEY, Robert CARSON, Philip HATHAWAY, Lewis ALVORD, John POTTER, John DOUGHTY, David MOTT, Richard McGUIRE, William FINLEY, Ichabod HOMANS, Daniel PARKS, Joseph RICHARDS, Eleazer PERKINS, Michael HAYES, John DAVIS, Benjamin LOSEY, Robert HINE, Charles CLARKSON, Stephen LEONARD, William BROWN, Robert MINNIS, Thaddeus RICE, Samuel SMITH, Daniel TUTTLE, Samuel HAZLE, Jeremiah DAY, David MUMFORD, Joseph PIPES, Stephen FROST, John FROST, Job STILES, Jonathan McLAUGHLIN, John WILLIAMS, David CARTER, Henry DUGAN, Josiah WYNNE, Benjamin EATON, Dominick HUGHS, Isaac DICKINSON, John MILBURNE, John WOODCOCK, John COLLINS, Henry CLARK, James CHANNEL, John STEWART, Jonathan CRANE, Dennis CARGRIFF, Thomas PERRY, Joshua PEARCE, John BERRY, William MINTHORN, James KNOX, John HARDCASTLE, Alexander CAMPBELL, Thomas DAY, Benjamin THORP, Thomas RIAL, Charles BLUMFIELD, Ephraim CARY, Andrew PHILLIPS.

The company was mustered June 12th 1777, and marched to Westfield, where it was reviewed by Colonel MARTIN. It was the third in the fourth battalion second establishment.

Besides those mentioned there were many other Morris county men in this brigade. John DOUGHTY was captain of a company in the third battalion, promoted major, and resigned, probably to enter the artillery arm of the service, in which he afterward distinguished himself.

The four regiments were ready for the field early in 1777, the first battalion being organized as early as December 1776, the second and third in February and the fourth in April 1777. They were brigaded together and placed under command of General William MAXWELL, forming what was known as "Maxwell's brigade." It was placed in the division of Major-General Adam STEPHENS, then encamped at Elizabethtown, Bound Brook and Rahway. The following extract from General STRYKER�s history of Jerseymen in the Revolutionary army shows the part these battalions took in the war:

"During the summer of 1777 the division of General STEPHENS marched through Pennsylvania and Delaware, and on the morning of September 11th a portion of the 'Jersey line' opened the battle of Brandywine. They continued in the fight all that day, on the advance of the division. After the battle the brigade continued marching and countermarching, had a skirmish with the enemy at White Horse Tavern, on the Lancaster road, passed near Yellow Springs, Reading Furnace, Worcester, and then towards the enemy, and finally encamped at Germantown. A battle took place at this post on the 4th of October. With the brigade of North Carolina troops commanded by Brigadier General Francis NASH, Maxwell's brigade formed the corps de reserve and left wing of the American army. This division was commanded by Major General Lord STIRLING, of New Jersey. The whole command distinguished itself in this fight, but especially the first battalion, which suffered severely in both officers and men. Maxwell's brigade was most of the winter of 1777-8 with the army at Valley Forge, and on the evacuation of Philadelphia by the British, June 18th 1778, was detached from the main army, and with some militia was ordered to harass and impede General CLINTON�s force. The British army marched towards New York by way of Moorestown and Mount Holly. The army under Washington crossed the Delaware River at Coryell's Ferry (Lambertville), and passed through Hopewell, Princeton, Kingston, Cranberry and Englishtown, and met the enemy near Freehold. Maxwell's brigade was afterwards joined by six hundred continental troops, commanded by Colonel Daniel MORGAN, of Virginia, and again by fifteen hundred picked troops under Brigadier General Charles SCOTT, of Virginia, and one thousand under Brigadier General Anthony WAYNE, of Pennsylvania. The entire force engaged in harassing the enemy was in command of General LAFAYETTE. On the 28th of June 1778 the `Jersey line' joined the left wing of the army, and the brigade, as well as the militia under Major General Philemon DICKINSON, participated in the battle of Monmouth, fought on that day. The brigade after the fight was sadly in want of clothing, and many and urgent were the requests made therefor to the Legislature."

The following is a list of recruits raised in the 1st regiment foot militia, commanded by Colonel John MUNSON, in Morris county, who were to serve nine months from the day of their joining any of the four regiments raised by the State for the service of the United States. They joined the Jersey brigade June 5th 1778, at Mount Holly, and no doubt participated in the battle of Monmouth:

Captain LUSE�s Company, 2nd Regiment--Aaron BAILEY, John CLAWSON, William COOPER, John HAMLER, Jacob HINCKLE, Spencer LAKE, Michael PACE jr., Benjamin and John PARR and John SMITH, of Roxbury: Matthew CONNER, James GIBSON, Hiram HOWARD (unfit for duty on account of a wound), James JORDAN and Andrew McROATH, of Mendham.

Captain COX�s Company, 3d Regiment--William MAPES, Roxbury; Joseph BEDFORD, Elijah LEONARD and Reuben WOOD, Mendham; Elihu HOWARD and Eleazer PERKINS, Pequannock.

Captain BALLARD�s Company, 3d Regiment--Elkanah HOLLOWAY, Lemuel TWIGLEY and Eleazer WOODRUFF, Mendham; Timothy MORRIS, Roxbury.

Others--Andrew CONARD and John TURNEY, Penn., deserted; Jabez BIGALOW, Mendham, drum major 3d regiment; James KENEBOUGH, Pequannock, Captain PATTERSON�s company, 3d regiment; Moses LOSEY, Mendham; Stephen LEONARD, of Pequannock, and Stephen ARNOLD, of Mendham, Captain Morrison's company, 1st regiment; William HALSEY, Hanover, Captain BALDWIN�s company, 1st regiment; David SARGENT, enlisted in the continental service.

"The above recruits marched from William YOUNG�s, Esq., in Mendham township."

The winter of 1778-9 was passed mostly at Elizabethtown, although a detachment of the second battalion was stationed in Newark, and a detachment of the fourth battalion in Spanktown (Rahway).

In consequence of the "massacre of Wyoming" Maxwell's brigade on the 11th day of May 1779 was ordered, with the first or principal division, under Major General John SULLIVAN, of New Hampshire, to march up the Susquehanna into the settlements of the Seneca Indians. Attached to the brigade at this time were Colonel Oliver SPENCER�s regiment, Colonel David FORMAN�s regiment, Colonel Elisha SHELDON�s (of Connecticut) regiment of light dragoons, and one battery of artillery. On the 9th of October the brigade was ordered to return to New Jersey.

On the 23d of June 1780 the Jersey troops, continental and militia, took a prominent part in the fight at Springfield.

May 27th 1778 Congress made a new arrangement of troops, consolidating the battalions and reducing the number of field and other officers. March 9th 1779 it was resolved that the army should consist of eighty battalions, of which the Jersey troops should form three. This new arrangement was not finally consummated until the summer of 1780. In this new and last establishment Matthias OGDEN was colonel of the 1st regiment, Israel SHREVE of the 2nd and Elias DAYTON of the 3d.

Recruits for the regiments of the continental line in the field were again obtained from the State militia, and the following lists have been preserved of these new levies:

"A return of recruits from the eastern regt. of the county of Morris, commanded by Colonel Sylvanus SEELEY; mustered and past to serve in the State regiment until ye 1st of January next, agreeable to a law of s'd State passed at Trenton 7th June 1780." (After the man's name come his place of abode and the name of the captain of the company to which he belonged. All enlisted in the first week of July.)

Joseph WADE, Long Hill, LAYTON; Gilbert BUNNELL, Chatham, CARTER; Thomas STAGG, Parsippany, BALDWIN; Daniel SIMERS, Pequannock, MINARD; William GARRET, Hanover, S. MUNSON; Jesse WOOD, Short Hill, KITCHEL; John HARPARIE, Bottle Hill, J. WARD; Abraham GOBEL, Morristown, PEARSON; John GARRISON, Pompton, DEBOW; John ROBARTS, Troy, J. WARD; Daniel BATES, Pequannock, MINARD; Isaac ROSS, Short Hill, LAYTON; John PARROTT, Morristown, Jos. BEACH; Gershom LIVER, Morristown, Stephen MUNSON; George GARDNER, Morristown, W. MUNSON; Asa BEACH, Morristown, BEACH; Thomas JOHNSTON (light horseman), Morristown, ARNOLD; Wright READING, Chatham, WARD; John LASIER, Pompton, J. WARD; David PARROTT, Pompton, DEBOW; Eb. McDONALD, Chatham, CARTER; Conrod ESLER, Pequannock, MINARD; Benjamin ROMER, Pompton, ARNOLD; Samuel PRICE, Troy, J. WARD; Samuel SEWARD, Rockaway, KEEN; Sylvanus JOHNSTON, Rockaway, HALL; John LANE, Rockaway, HALL.

"A return of recruits from the eastern regiment of Morris county, commanded by Colonel Sylvanus SEELEY; mustered and approved to join the New Jersey brigade until 1st of January next, under act passed June 14th 1780. All enlisted between June 27th and July 20th 1780." The company is indicated by the name of the captain, following that of the recruit:

James RICHARDSON, Chatham, CARTER; Moses BROADWELL, Morristown, CARTER; Dunham WILKERSON, Morristown, M. MUNSON; Jesse CRANE, Hanover, S. MUNSON; Daniel GOULD, Troy, J. WARD; Daniel T. BUNNELL, Morristown, M. MUNSON; Amos CRANE, Parsippany, BALDWIN; Cornelius McDERMOTT, Elizabethtown, LAYTON; Anthony PALMER, Hanover, S. MUNSON; Martin MITCHELL, Troy, WARD; Daniel WILCOCKS, Long Hill, LAYTON; Philip LUNNEY, Chatham, J. WARD; Isaac GARRIGUS, Rockaway, Hall; John ABNIR (?), Rockaway, HALL; Benjamin ROMER, Morristown, J. BEACH; Abraham LUDLUM, Morristown, L. PEARSON; Robert McCLEAN, Hanover, KITCHEL; Daniel BATES, Hanover, MINARD; Thomas BRANNON, Morristown, BEACH; George CHESHENOUNDS, Morristown, BEACH; Samuel PRICE, Pequannock, DU BOIS.

"List of bounties paid by Jonathan STILES jr. on recruiting service according to an act of March 11th 1780."

The bounty paid was �1,000 to the soldiers and �200 to their officer. In some instances half those amounts were paid. They were mustered by Lieutenant Colonel Benoni HATHAWAY and joined their companies in the continental line between March 30th and May 4th 1780. The residence of some of these men is found in a return of the same men made by Colonel HATHAWAY, and is given:

Paul RHEAM, Morristown; John MOOR; Isaac JOHNSON, Andrew THOMPSON and George CARTER, Morristown; David GORDON, Windsor JOHNSON, Joseph YATES, James DERRICK and Moses HEADLEY, Hanover; James CEASER, Sussex county; Isaac WOOLEY, John WILLIAMS and Watson LUDLUM, Morristown; Robert MILLER, Bernard's; William WOOD, Sussex county; Moses and Jacob BROADWELL, Morristown; Paul CLUTTER and James WIGAN (or WAGEN), Bernard's; John BEAUFORT (or BELLFORT), Sussex county; Michael COFFEE, Morristown; Thomas McMURTREE; Isaac ROSS, Bernard's; Isaac PRICE; Abraham EMMIS; William SMITH; Thomas SMITH; William WORTH; Henry CARRAGAN, Morristown; John JACOBUS and Jesse LOSEY, Roxbury; Jacob CAHOON, Samuel OGDEN, Ezekiel PRICE, James JONES, Richard HUGG, George SMITH, Thomas REILER, Abraham GASKALL, Henry FLANTAN, Zechariah ROSSEL, Nathan TURNER, George LANEY, Michael WOOD, Henry MOORE, John DARWIN, Reuben MICKEL, Jedediah MILLS, Jonathan BAILEY, Elias WOOD and Annanias CLARK. Daniel KINEY is on Colonel HATHAWAY�s list and not on Colonel STILES�s.

General MAXWELL continued to command the Jersey brigade until he resigned, in July 1780. Colonel Elias DAYTON, as senior officer, then assumed command, and retained it until the close of the war. On the 21st of September 1781 the three regiments landed on James River, Virginia, about five miles from Williamsburgh, and they were employed in all the labor of the siege of Yorktown and were present at the surrender on the 19th of October.

The news of the cessation of hostilities was announced in the camp of the brigade April 19th 1783, and the "Jersey line" were discharged November 3d 1783.

During the summer and fall of 1776 soldiers of this State, as officers or enlisted men, began to join organizations raised directly by authority of Congress or of other States. Men from Morris county were found particularly in two of these regiments, known as SPENCER�s regiment and the commander-in-chief's guard.

By authority of Congress Colonel Oliver SPENCER, an officer in the State troops as well as in the militia, organized a battalion or regiment for the continental army about the time the second establishment was completed. Composed as it was, nearly if not entirely of Jerseymen, it is often referred to as the "fifth battalion, Jersey line." The strength of this command appears to have been about 170 men, although a return dated March 1779 shows but 140 soldiers in the regiment. The following is a roster of its officers:

Oliver SPENCER, colonel; Eleazer LINDSLEY, lieutenant-colonel (resigned and William SMITH was appointed); John BURROWES, captain and major; James BONNELL, adjutant; John McEWEN, ensign and quartermaster; Jabez CAMPFIELD, surgeon; John DARCY, surgeon's mate; Benjamin WEATHERBY, captain; James BRODERICK, captain; John SANDFORD, captain; William BULL, captain; William CRANE, captain; Abraham NEALY, captain; Archibald DALLAS, captain; Anthony MAXWELL, lieutenant and captain; Robert PEMBERTON, lieutenant and captain; James BONNELL, lieutenant, adjutant and captain; David KIRKPATRICK, lieutenant and captain; John ORR, lieutenant; Peter TAULMAN, lieutenant; Finch GILDERSLEEVE, lieutenant; William SITCHER, lieutenant; Uzal MEEKER, lieutenant; Barne OGDEN, lieutenant; Andrew THOMSON, ensign; John REED, ensign; Moses OGDEN, ensign.

Colonel Oliver SPENCER, who commanded this regiment, was the son-in-law of Robert OGDEN, who was a member of the Continental Congress of 1765 and chairman of the committee of safety in 1776, and was a brother-in law of Robert OGDEN jr. (prominent and zealous in the councils of the State and in advancing means to assist its cause), of Colonel Matthias OGDEN, of the first regiment, and of Captain (afterward Governor) Aaron OGDEN. One of his daughters, Elizabeth, married Ebenezer BLACHLY, and another, Sophia, married Major Mahlon FORD, prominent men in this county.

Jabez CAMPFIELD, surgeon of the regiment, was a resident of Morristown, and for many years after the close of the war surrogate of the county. During Sullivan's expedition against the Seneca Indians Dr. CAMPFIELD kept a diary, which has been published by the New Jersey Historical Society in the third volume of its proceedings, New Series, and in which a detailed account of the movements of the troops is given. The doctor left Morristown to join the regiment May 23d 1779, and returning arrived at his own house October 2nd.

John DARCY, surgeon's mate, was afterward a prominent physician of Hanover, and particularly successful as a surgeon. He commanded a brigade of militia in the war of 1812. He was the father of General John S. DARCY, of Newark. He was at this time under nineteen years of age, and, having studied medicine with Dr. CAMPFIELD, accompanied him to the war. Dr. WICKES, in a sketch of Dr. John DARCY, in his history of the medical men of New Jersey, says: "The regiment with which he was connected was in the army under immediate command of General WASHINGTON, concerning whom and General LAFAYETTE the doctor during his life related to his friends many incidents of interest which occurred while he was associated with these distinguished generals. When LAFAYETTE visited this country in 1825 he inquired particularly after `young Surgeon's Mate DARCY' and when on a certain occasion he was introduced to a relative of the doctor's the general, attracted by the name and being informed of the relationship to his old friend, embraced him cordially."

The commander-in-chief's guard, continental army, called also "the life guard" and "Washington's body guard," was a distinct organization of picked men. It consisted of 180 men, and its first officer was Caleb GIBBS, of Rhode Island, captain, commandant. William COLFAX, of Pequannock township, was a lieutenant at the organization, and was the successor of GIBBS, ranking as captain. The soldiers were all selected from the ranks of the army, their good character and soldierly bearing being a prerequisite to their receiving this honor. Every State was represented in the "guards." Its motto was "Conquer or Die."


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