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number, under Major Eccles, was detailed for this important. post.*

"The Court House" was "a small frame shingle covered building, which had never been adorned with paint; and in the same condition, and style of architecture, was the adjacent building, the Presbyterian Meeting House, both of which respectively occupied the ground whereon now stand the structures devoted to the same objects." Such is the description of these buildings as given by the late Capt. Wm. C. De Hart. They were among the oldest and most venerable buildings of the town. The church was ornamented by a steeple, surmounted by a ball and weathercock, furnished, also, with a clock. It was the most conspicuous and the most valued building in the town-hallowed as the structure in which their pilgrim-fathers had worshiped God, in which they themselves-so many of them-had been consecrated to God in baptism, and in which the great and revered Dickinson, the honored Spencer, and the still more renowned Whitefield, had preached God's word.†

The destruction of these buildings is, by common consent, attributed to Cornelius Hatfield, Jr., whose venerable parents, Col. Cornelius and Abigail, were among the most excellent and honored members of the Presbyterian church, and most thoroughly patriotic. The father had been a trustee, and was then an elder of the church. The mother died, on the 27th of April, in the year following, in the 70th year of her age, greatly lamented. The renegade son was a man of great energy of character, and of commanding influence among the refugees. During the previous two years he had resided on Staten Island, continually watching opportunities to molest and capture his former friends and neighbors.‡

As the son had destroyed their church edifice, so the father opened the doors of a large "Red Store House," that belonged to him, which was fitted up for the purpose, and used, thenceforward, as a meeting-house. It was on the other and most populous side of the creek, on the east side of Cherry

* Sparks' Washington, VI. 452, 3.

↑ Passages in the History of E. T., No. III. Murray's Notes, p. 46.

N. J. Journal, No. 115.

st., near West Water st., and nearly opposite Capt. De Hart's house. It was afterwards removed to the opposite side of the road, rebuilt and occupied by Mr. Edward Price.*

As soon as Washington heard of the affair, he dispatched Maj.-Gen. Arthur St. Clair, Jan. 27th, to investigate the causes of the disaster, to guard against future inroads of the kind, and to ascertain the practicability of a retaliation ;-at the same time to take command of all the forces below the Hills. On Friday, the 28th, St. Clair reports, from Crane's Mill, as follows:

I arrived at Col. Hazen's Quarters, the night before last, and yesterday, with him, visited the several posts, which I found to be Rahway, Crane's Mills, Connecticut Farms, Elizabeth Town and Newark. Elizabeth Town and Newark are occupied by small detachments only, and guards are posted at De Hart's and Halstead Points. A small guard is also kept at the New Blazing Star from the post at Rahway. . . In Elizabeth Town I find a four days' guard, consisting of one hundred men with a Field Officer. This I reduced to a Captain and fifty to be relieved daily. . . The guards at De Hart's and Halstead Points are certainly much exposed.

Notwithstanding these precautions, another foray was made on Sunday evening, 30th of January, which is thus described in a tory paper:

Last Sunday evening a party consisting of thirteen mounted refugees went from Staten Island, and [at Rahway] in the vicinity of Elizabeth Town, New Jersey, surprised Mr. Wynantz, a lieutenant of the rebel militia, and eight private men of Colonel Jacques' regiment, [that had been on a party of pleasure with some young ladies]. Few republicans on this continent are more remarkable for their implacable opposition to his Majesty's government than some of these prisoners; they were all the same evening securely lodged on Staten Island. They were found at a fandango, or merry-making, with a party of lasses, who became planet struck at the sudden separation from their Damons. The further trophies of this successful excursion are three handsome sleighs with ten good horses, all of which were yesterday driven to New York over the ice from Staten Island, an enterprise never yet attempted since the first settlement of this country.†

* Passages in the History of E. T., No. II.

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Rivington's Gazette, No. 349. Gaines' Mercury, No. 1477. Moore's Diary II. 257-8. N. J. Gazette, No. 111.

The ice-blockade continuing, the tories took another ride into Jersey on the 10th of February with similar results :—

On Thursday night last the enemy, under the command of Generals Stirling and Skinner, visited Elizabeth Town, entirely upon a plundering party. Among other houses, they plundered Doctor Barnet's, Messrs. William P. Smith, William Herriman, Matthias Halsted and Doctor Wynantz; the two former in a most barbarous manner. The house of Mr. Smith they searched throughout for Mr. Elisha Boudinot, who they thought was concealed there; but fortunately both he and Mr. Smith lodged out of town. After terrifying the women and children, they heroically marched off with their plunder and five or six prisoners.*

The horrors of that dreadful winter could not be forgotten by that generation. The condition of the people, in their almost defenceless exposure to the barbarian incursions of the rapacious foe, was deplorable in the extreme. But the more they suffered for their country's cause, the more fixed and deep-rooted was their determination never again to submit to the now more than ever hated rule of the cruel and haughty Briton.

It is surprising, that any of the people should have continued, in these circumstances, to reside on the borders of the Sound, especially when it was every where frozen over, and could be crossed in perfect safety by the refugee marauders. So long as this natural bridge lasted, these incursions continued. The following statement, made, on Wednesday, March 29th, shows what was now of not infrequent occur

rence:

Last Friday night [24th] some villains from Staten Island came over to Elizabeth Town, and carried off Matthias Halstead, Esq., a worthy citizen.t

Even after the departure of the ice, these forays were repeated. On the 26th of April, a record is made as follows:

A party of the enemy from Staten Island, consisting of about thirty men, attempted to surprize, last Sunday night [23d] a small guard at Halstead's Point, but through the alertness of the centinels (one of which

*N. J. Gazette, No. 112. Mr. Smith's house was the former residence of Gov. Belcher; Mr. Boudinot was the son-in-law of Mr. Smith. + N. J. Journal, No. 59.

they killed) their plan was effectually marred. They plundered Mr. Halstead of beds and bedding, the family's wearing apparel, and seven or eight head of creatures.*

Thus passed, in alarm and terror, the ever-memorable winter of 1779-80-memorable for the severity of the season, and for the devastation made by the merciless foe.

*N. J. Journal, No. 63.

CHAPTER XXII.

A. D. 1780-1783.

Knyphausen invades E. T. in force-Passage of the Brit. Army through the town-Uprising of the Militia-Skirmishes-Severe Fight near Springfield-Wife of Rev. J. Caldwell murdered-Village of Ct. Farms burned down-Retreat of the British to the Point-Thunder-Storm - Skirmishes at the Point-Second Advance of the British Army - Battle of Springfield Village burned-Retreat of the Foe to S. Island-Bravery of the Militia -Partisan Warfare-Capture of Col. Ogden and Capt. Dayton - Raids of Refugees Cowboys-Night Patrols-Marauding Parties - Surrender of Cornwallis Exchange of Prisoners - Desperadoes - Forays - Predatory Raids-Maj. Crane's Exploits - PEACE.

THE campaign of 1780 opened late. The frost had penetrated the earth to an unusual depth, and the roads, at the breaking up of winter, were, for a considerable period, almost impassable. On the 18th of May, Governor Robertson of New York, in one of his despatches, speaks of the "lateness of the season, there not yet being a blade of grass. Robertson and Knyphausen, the general in chief of the British forces in and about New York, were concocting measures to capture, or expel from New Jersey, the patriot army.

Confident of speedy victory, Knyphausen made vigorous preparations for an invasion of East Jersey. The time chosen was the 6th of June-the very day, when, as afterwards appeared, a vast body of rioters were, and during the next day continued to be, pillaging and burning the metropolis of the Empire, and were masters of London. Of the inception of the invasion, Gov. Robertson reports to Lord Germain as follows:

On the 6th of June we sail'd with as many troops as could safely be spared from the defence of this Province-6000-to Staten Island;

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