West Jersey History Project - Battles and Skirmishes of the Revolutionary War in New Jersey by David C, Munn

CROSSWICKS June 23, 1778
British shoot Elias Dayton's horse out from under him in action
on Crosswicks Creek, four miles from Trenton.
Boatner, 309.

DEAL BEACH April 15, 1780
HMS Vulture drives rebel brig ashore.
NJA 2, IV, 308.

DELAWARE BAY October 13, 1779
British cruisers take brig Sally.
NJA 2, 111, 685.

DELAWARE BAY December 4, 1779
British cruisers take Lady Washington.
NJA 2, IV, 113.

DELAWARE BAY December 4, 1779
British cruisers take brig Three Sisters.
NJ A 2, IV, 113.

DELAWARE BAY March 22, 1780
Tory whaleboats take many fishermen.
NJA 2, IV, 251-252.

DELAWARE RIVER May 6, 1776
British capture Daniel Richards' shallop bound from Philadelphia
to Morris [Maurice] River. All hands escape to
shore.
NJA 2, 1, F49-550.

DELAWARE RIVER May 8,9,1776
British ships cannonade Salem County from Delaware River for two
days.
Stewart, Salem, 11.
Sickler, Salem, 140.

DELAWARE RIVER September 26, 1777
Gloucester County militia takes ship at Philadelphia.
NJA 2, 11, 80.

DELAWARE RIVER September 29, 1777
American and British ships battle off Chester, Pa.
Smith, Delaware, 9.

DELAWARE RIVER October 5, 1777
Americans scuttle two ships in gap British made in cheveaux-
de-frise near Billingsport.
Pa. Archives 1, V, 649-650.

DELAWARE RIVER October 7, 1777
Skirmish occurs on Province Island near Fort Mifflin.
Smith, Delaware, 13.

DELAWARE RIVER October 8, 1777
Naval action takes place at mouth of Schuylkill River.
Smith, Delaware, 13.

DELAWARE RIVER October 9, 1777
A floating battery between Little Mud Island and Fort Island
fires on British,
Smith, Delaware, 13.

DELAWARE RIVER October 11, 12, 1777
Commodore John Hazlewood's galleys [Pennsylvania Navy] cannonade
Carpenter's Island. Another
attack made the next day.
Smith, Delaware, 14.

DELAWARE RIVER November 21, 1777
British shore batteries fire on American vessels attempting to
pass Philadelphia along Jersey shore.
Lundin, 370.

DELAWARE RIVER December 31, 1777
Americans strip and burn transport brigantine John and armed
schooner Industry between Philadelphia and Gloucester Point.
NJA 2, 11, 5.

DELAWARE RIVER December 31, 1777
Americans strip and destroy transport Lord Howe.
NJA 2, 11,5.

DELAWARE RIVER December 31, 1777
Continental troops at Wilmington blow up brig with two field
pieces. Three other vessels are driven to
Jersey shore, where inhabitants are "taking proper care of their
cargoes."
Pa. Packet, 7 Jan. 1778, 3.

DELAWARE RIVER January 1, 1778
Americans strip and destroy sloop taken between Chester and
Philadelphia.
NJA 2, II, 5.

DELAWARE RIVER January 5, 1778
The "Battle of the Kegs" occurs when mines and kegs released
between Bordentown and Burlington
explode off Philadelphia.
NJA 2, II, 20.

DELAWARE RIVER March 12, 1778
Americans burn transports Katy and Mermaid off New Castle.
NJA 2, 11, 118.

DISMAL SWAMP May 17, 1777
Americans lose 24 prisoners and two killed in skirmish between
Metuchen and New Brunswick.
NJA 2, 1, 384.

DOBB'S FERRY November 6, 1776
A rebel battery at the ferry cannonades two transports and a
frigate.
Baurmeister, Revolution, 67.

DRAKE'S FARM
SEE
METUCHEN

EGG HARBOR June 1776
June 10, 1776, privateers Congress and Chance reported at Egg
Harbor with three captured ships, Lady Julianna,
Juno and Reynolds. Date of capture not given.
NJA 2, 1, 110-111.

EGG HARBOR July 5, 1776
Privateers Congress and Chance take
Tam area.
Naval Docs., V, 991-992.

EGG HARBOR April 26, 1777
British frigate Mermaid destroys schooner at Egg Harbor between
April 21 and 28, 1777.
NJA 2, 1, 354.

EGG HARBOR June 12, 1777
British sloop Harlem and brig Stanley cut out two American brigs
in the harbor.
NJ A 2, 1, 400.

EGG HARBOR April 1778
Brig from Ireland bound for New York taken off Egg Harbor and
brought into port.
NJA 2, II, 137.

EGG HARBOR June 2, 1778
Capt. Robert Snell's company of Egg Harbor Guards surprise a
party of Tories.
NJDOD.

EGG HARBOR August 24, 1778
Five privateers attack ship Sybella off Egg Harbor but fail to
capture her.
NJA 2, 11, 389-390.

EGG HARBOR September 29, 1778
Privateer retakes sloop with tobacco and brings her to Egg Harbor.
NJA 2, 11, 458.

EGG HARBOR June 1779
Americans take British True Blue.
NJDOD.

EGG HARBOR September 10, 1779
Several armed boats (Br.) destroy a number of vessels and other
property in Egg Harbor.
NJA 2, III, 616.

EGG HARBOR September 7, 1780
HMS Iris runs a brig ashore near Egg Harbor.

EGG HARBOR September 1, 1782
Captain Douglass of the Gloucester County militia attacks Refugee
boat in Egg Harbor. Fourteen Refugees are shot
or drowned.
NJ Gazette, 11 Sept. 1782, 3.

EGG HARBOR
SEE ALSO
OSBORNE ISLAND

ELIZABETHTOWN July 10, 1776
British attempt to cross from Staten Island to Elizabethtown but
retreat when the militia assembles.
NJA 2, 1, 137-138.

ELIZABETHTOWN July 24, 1776
Pickets of both sides skirmish at Elizabethtown.
NJA 2, 1, 156.

ELIZABETHTOWN August 25, 1776
"Our people at Elizabethtown and the enemy on Staten Island
cannonaded each other with out doing any damage,
except disturbing the congregation."
NJA 2, 1, 177.

ELIZABETHTOWN January 5, 1777
Gen. William Maxwell (Am.) conducts foraging raid and captures
stores.
NJA 2, 1, 253.
Vermeule, Plainfield, 12.

ELIZABETHTOWN January 8, 1777
Americans retake town at end of Jersey campaign.
Boatner, 345.
Clayton, Middlesex, 77.

ELIZABETHTOWN February 24, 1777
Col. Thomas Stirling (Br.) leads raid on town.
Drake, Sketches, 12.

ELIZABETHTOWN February 27, 1777
Maj. Robert Tympany (Br.) raids Elizabethtown with 60 men. Kills
two or three rebels and takes four or five
prisoners.
Clayton, Middlesex, 78.

ELIZABETHTOWN March 6, 1777
Maj. Robert Tympany leads raid on Elizabethtown and kills some
rebels and captures ten head of cattle.
NJA 2, 1, 310.

ELIZABETHTOWN September 14, 1777
British kill Pvt. Stephen Wardin raid. \
Pension #892.

ELIZABETHTOWN September 15, 1777
British kill Capt. Francis Lock during skirmish.
NJ History, NS, 13,191-192.

ELIZABETHTOWN October 12, 1777
Newspaper reports "smart firing" at sloop in His Majesty's
service stationed near Elizabethtown.
NJ A2, 1, 474.

ELIZABETHTOWN September 28, 1778
American sentries exchange cannonade with enemy vessels off
DeHart's Point and report injuries.
NJA 2, II, 462-463.

ELIZABETHTOWN February 25., 1779
British destroy barracks and damage Gov. William Livingston's
house and blacksmith shop during raid.
NJA 2, IIL 119.

ELIZABETHTOWN February 27, 1779
Gen. Henry Clinton (Br.) leads raid and takes thirty rebels.
Baurmeister, Revolution, 257-258.

ELIZABETHTOWN June 12, 1779
Cornelius Hetfield and five Tories cross to mainland from

Staten Island and capture Lt. John Haviland and a captain of a
guard boat.
Hatfield, Elizabeth, 476.
NJA 2, II1, 441, 459.

ELIZABETHTOWN June 18, 1779
Cornelius Hetfield leads plundering and reconnaissance raid.
NJA 2, III, 458.

ELIZABETHTOWN October 14, 1779
A small rebel party of nine men commanded by Captain Craig take
sloop Neptune, strip it of rigging and stores, but
lose it to British before it can be burned.
NJA 2, III, 698.

ELIZABETHTOWN October 28, 1779
Maj. John Simcoe leads Queen's Rangers in raid on Elizabethtown
and BONHAMTOWN. Simcoe procedes to
BOUND BROOK, where Rangers destory boats and stores, and to
SOMERSET COURT HOUSE, where they burn
the courthouse. On return the militia surprise them and capture
Maj. Simcoe.
NJA 2, III, 719-720.
Leiby, Hackensack, 223-224.

ELIZABETHTOWN January 25, 1780
In raid on Elizabethtown and NEWARK, Lt. Col. Abraham Van
Buskirk's company captures five American officers
and 47 men with their horses, arms and accoutrements.
NJA 2, IV, 151-152.
Leiby, Hackensack, 227.

ELIZABETHTOWN January 30, 1780
Party of 300 infantry and about 60 Dragoons under Lt. Col.
Abraham Van Buskirk cross from Staten Island and burn
Presbyterian meeting and Court House.
NJA 2, IV, 166.

ELIZABETHTOWN Feburary 10, 1780
Enemy party under General Thomas Stirling and Cortlandt Skinner
plunder Elizabethtown and take
five or six prisoners.
NJA 2, IV, 182.
Clayton, Middlesex, 87.

ELIZABETHTOWN March 24, 1780
Unidentified Loyalists from Staten Island carry off Matthias
Halsted.
Clayton, Middlesex, 87.
NJA 2, IV, 258.

ELIZABETHTOWN April 23, 1780
Party of the enemy from Staten Island attempts to surprise
sentinels at Halsted Point, kill one sentinel,
but are driven off.
Clayton, Middlesex, 87.

ELIZABETHTOWN June 8, 1780
Rebels attack the 22d Regiment at Elizabethtown. Neither side
gains any advantage.
NJA 2, IV, 452.

ELIZABETHTOWN June 14, 1780
"Last night they (Br.) attacked our picket, were beat back with
much loss."
NJ A2, IV, 488.

ELIZABETHTOWN June 23, 1780
Skirmish occurs in the Elizabethtown area relating to the action
at SPRINGFIELD.
NJA 2, IV, 455-456.

ELIZABETHTOWN September 17, 1780
Party of Stephen Moyland's (Am.) Light Horse at Elizabethtown to
collect cattle. Militia stops them
and "obliged them to

relinquish their Booty."
NJ A 2, IV, 658.
Clayton, Middlesex, 92.

ELIZABETHTOWN November 4, 1780
Tory Smith Hetfield leads raid on Elizabethtown and CON-
NECTICUT FARMS.
NJA 2, V, 92, 101-102.

ELIZABETHTOWN November 26, 1780
Tory Capt. Cornelius Hetfield captures lieutenant and five or six
others during raid.
NJA 2, V, 127.

ELIZABETHTOWN December 14, 1780
British surprise corporal's guard at Halsted's Point, capture
four and kill one.
NJA 2, V, 161.

ELIZABETHTOWN February 1,1781
Thirty Refugees under Tory Cornelius Hetfield take nine men from
Elizabethtown.
Hatfield, Elizabeth, 507.

ELIZABETHTOWN February 23, 1781
Tory Capt. Cornelius Hetfield takes Captain Craig and four
inhabitants in raid.
Clayton, Middlesex, 92.

ELIZABETHTOWN March 27, 1781
Two hundred Regulars and Refugees under Maj. George Beckwith
capture ten inhabitants, one lieutenant, three
privates and two Continental soldiers. Refugees loose only two
men.
NJA 2, V, 229.
Clayton, Middlesex, 92.

ELIZABETHTOWN April 21, 1781
Small force under 0. Hendrickson (Am.) drives off party of 70
from Staten Island. Kill Elias Mann of the banditti,
wound Smith Hetfield and a small boy.
NJA 2, V, 244.

ELIZABETHTOWN May 4, 1781
Party of plunderers carry off 40 head of cattle.
Clayton, Middlesex, 93.
NJA 2, V, 244.

ELIZABETHTOWN May 21,1781
Captain Hendrick (Am.) and ten or twelve men drive off foraging
party from Staten Island.
Clayton, Middlesex, 93.

ELIZABETHTOWN June 2, 1781
British kill Pvt. Richard Woodruff at Elizabethtown.
Pension #2158.
NJDOD

ELIZABETHTONVN June 29, 1781
Volunteers take twenty prisoners and some sheep and cattle in
skirmish with local militia and sustain no injuries.
Clayton, Middlesex, 93.

ELIZABETHTOWN July 22, 1781
Refugees under Capt. Cornelius Hetfield take Lt. Obadiah Meeker
and fourteen privates.
Clayton, Middlesex, 94.

ELIZABETHTOWN November 24, 1781
Member of the State Troops shoots and kills Rev. James Caldwell,
NJA 2, V, 339-340, 34.
Clayton, Middlesex, 94.

ELIZABETHTOWN December 1, 1781
Capt. Jonathan Dayton ambushes seven Refugees from Staten Island,
kills one, mortally wounds
another and takes three prisoners.
Clayton, Middlesex, 95.

ELIZABETHTOWN February 1, 1782
Capt. Cornelius Hetfield and 30 Tories take nine prisoners from
Elizabethtown.
Clayton, Middlesex, 95.

ELIZABETHTOWN POINT July 4, 1776
Capt. Daniel Neill (Am.) fires on and sinks British armed sloop
sailing up to Elizabethtown Point.
Drake, Sketches, 23.
Naval Docs., V, 918.

ELIZABETHTOWN POINT June 13, 1777
Party of twelve go to Elizabethtown Point and fire on rebels.
They kill one, wound three and capture
a new flat-bottom boat.
NJA 2, I, 398.

ELIZABEThTOWN POINT August 14, 1777
Party of Volunteers raid Crane's Ferry near Elizabethtown Point
and capture three militiamen.
NJA 2, I, 449.

ELIZABETHTOWN POINT September 11, 12, 1777
Sir Henry Clinton leads foraging party into the Jerseys intended
to act as diversion for Gen. William
Howe's Philadelphia campaign. Raid lasts two days.
NJA 2, II, 42-44.

ELIZABETHTOWN POINT June 7, 1780
American troops under Gen. William Maxwell seriously

wounded British Gen. Thomas Stirling in skirmish.
NJA 2, IV, 441-442.
Boatner, 1045.
Fleming, 98.

ELSINBORO March 24, 1778
Militiamen capture a wagon and three horses with baggage and
stores, the property of Daniel Cozen, Tory captain.
Sickler, Salem, 170.

ENGLE WOOD June 15, 1777
Loyalists surprise party of 30 men at Englewood and force them to
retreat.
NJ History, 78, 165-166.

ENGLEWOOD September 22, 1778
Post at the Liberty Pole overrun by British Dragoons.
Leiby, Hackensack, 160.

ENGLEWOOD August 19, 1779
British detachment chases rebels following Maj. Henry Lee's raid
on Paulus Hook. Several minor engagements occur
in the "neutral ground" during this time.
NJA 2, IIL 563-565.

ENGLISH NEIGHBORHOOD October 19, 1776
Futile attempt by British to take Fort Lee. Troops leave fort to
meet enemy in English Neighborhood, where they
give good account of themselves. Americans lose 30-40 killed and
wounded. British estimate loss at 150.
NJA 2, I, 216-217.

ENGLISH NEIGHBORHOOD November 9, 1776
Americans kill fourteen Hessians in skirmish near Fort Lee.
NJA 2, 1, 223.

ENGLISH NEIGHBORHOOD March 20, 1777
Col. Joseph Barton leads troops into English Neighborhood and
takes four Americans prisoner.
NJA 2, 1, 322.
Leiby, Hackensack, 116.

ENGLISH NEIGHBORHOOD June 19, 1777
Thirty men go to English Neighborhood to capture two Tories.
NJ History, 1 Ser., 7, 96.

ENGLISH NEIGHBORHOOD June 20, 1777
A skirmish occurs between thirty-man rebel scouting party and
strong party of green coats (Br.).
NJ History, 1 Ser., 7, 96.

ENGLISH NEIGHBORHOOD July 17, 1777
Rebels carry off four persons suspected of being Tories.
NJA 2,I, 429.

ENGLISH NEIGHBORHOOD March 27, 1778
Tories capture a rebel at Peter DeGroot's house.
Leiby, Hackensack, 148.

ENGLISH NEIGHBORHOOD June 4, 1779
Small party of Col. Abraham [Van] Buskirk's men surprise party of
rebels, take two prisoners, William Wirts and
Henry Bastion, "both noted spys and robbers."
NJA 2, III, 402.

ENGLISH NEIGHBORHOOD October 13, 1778
Enemy leaves Hackensack for New York by way of English
Neighborhood. Light horse follows and takes some
prisoners.
NJ History, 1 Ser., 7, 109.

ENGLISH NEIGHBORHOOD March 23, 1780
Party of British and foreign troops advances to Paramus. Militia
attacks as enemy retreats.
NJA 2, IV, 280.

ENGLISH NEIGHBORHOOD August 1780
Americans capture four British light horsemen, kill one. Skirmish
occurs week before August 9, 1780. Exact date
not given.
NJA 2, IV, 570.

EVESHAM June 18, 1778
British kill Capt. Jonathan Beesley during "an occasional light
skirmish" as armies move through New Jersey.
Smith, Monmouth, 6.
NJDOD

FORKED RIVER June 1, 1782
Refugees destroy Samuel Brown's salt works.
NJA 2, V, 446.

FORT DELANCY December 6, 1781
Capt. Baker Hendricks (Am.) captures several men during raid.
Winfield, Hudson, 197.

FORT DELANCY February 7, 1782
Men from Jersey brigade attack fort, bayonet a sentinel and
capture two.
Winfield, Hudson, 197.
NJ Journal, 13 Feb. 1782, 3.

FORT DELANCY September 1, 1782
Tory Refugees evacuate and burn Fort Delancy.
Winfield, Hudson, 198.

FORT DELANCY
SEE ALSO
PAULUS HOOK

FORT LEE October 9, 1776
Battery in fort cannonade British ships Phoenix and Roebuck.
Leiby, Hackensack, 52.

FORT LEE October 27, 1776
Battery in fort cannonades two British frigates.
Leiby, Hackensack, 52.

FORT LEE November 20, 1776
British capture Fort Lee. Washington sacrifices material (50
cannon, entrenching tools and flOUT), but saves 2000 troops.
Boatner, 381.
Lundin, 143.

FORT LEE September 11, 1777
Sir Henry Clinton leads foraging raid into the Jerseys intended
to act as a diversion for Gen. William Howe's Philadelphia
campaign.
NJA 2, II, 42-44.

FORT LEE April 16, 1780
Local militia and combination of British forces have engagement
at the Fort.
NJA 2, IV, 307.

FORT LEE July 2l,1780
Patrols skirmish near the fort.
NJA 2, IV, 523.

FORT LEE May l5,1781
Bergen and Orange County militias attack Tory blockhouse.
Leiby, Hackensack, 297.

FORT LEE May 18, 1781
Militia finally dislodges Tories from blockhouse.
Leiby, Hackensack, 298.

FORT MERCER October 22, 1777
Americans have fourteen killed and 23 wounded, Hessians lose 514,
killed or wounded, at Battle of Red Bank.
Smith, Delaware, 21-23.

FORT MERCER November 19, 1777
Gen. Charles Cornwallis attacks Fort Mercer. Americans evacuate
next day.
NJA 2, 1, 517-518.
Smith, Delaware, 39.

FORT MIFFLIN, PA. October 10, 1777
Exchange of fire with British batteries on Carpenter's Island.
Smith, Delaware, 13.

FORT MIFFLIN, PA. October 15, 16, 1777
Artillery duel with British lasts for two days.
Smith, Delaware, 14-15.

FORT MIFFLIN, PA. October 23, 1777
Battery shell British during Battle of Red Bank.
Smith, Delaware, 25.

FORT MIFFLIN, PA. November 10-16,1777
Bombardment of fort on Mud Island begins November 10 and
continues daily until 16th, when troops
abandon fort and retreat to Fort Mercer.
Smith, Delaware, 29, 31-33, 36.
NJA 2, II, 34.

FORT MIFFLIN, PA.
SEE ALSO
DELAWARE RIVER, FORT MERCER

FORT WASHINGTON, N.Y. November 16, 1776
British capture Fort Washington with 2818 officers and men and a
great quantity of valuable material.
Boatner, 386-387.

FREEHOLD January 2, 1777
Loyalist detachment under Col. John Morris suffers casualties in
engagement with troops under Maj. Mifflin.
NJA 2, 1, 276-277.

FREEHOLD June 24, 1777
Col. George Taylor (Tory) has two of his men taken and two killed
during plundering raid.
Watson's Annals, 11, 294-295.

FREEHOLD June 27, 1778
British loot Freehold on day before Battle of Monmouth.
Smith, Monmouth, 7.

FREEHOLD COURT HOUSE
SEE
MONMOUTH COURT HOUSE

GLOUCESTER November 25, 1777
Reconnaissance force under Marquis de Lafayette and British have
brief exchange.
NJA 2, 1, 487-498.
Smith, Delaware, 40-41.
Boatner, 437.

GLOUCESTER November 27, 1777
Gen. Charles Cornwallis returns to Philadelphia after clearing
east bank of rebels. Takes 800 head of cattle. Local
militia harasses and British suffer four losses.
NJA 2, 1, 505.

GLOUCESTER April 4, 1778
Foraging parties have skirmish.
Baurmeister, Revolution, 52.

GLOUCESTER June 18, 1778
American light horse attack British during evacuation of
Philadelphia near Gloucester Point and take prisoners.
NJA 2, II, 263.

GRAVELLY POINT April 12, 1782
Party of Refugees hang Capt. Joshua Huddy.
NJA 2, V, 424.

GREENWICH December 22, 1774
Greenwich Tea Party.
Andrews, Fithian, 10.

HACKENSACK December 14, 1776
Gen. William Heath surprises British at Hackensack. Takes 60
prisoners, a few arms and a great quantity of stores.
NJ History, 78,164.

HACKENSACK April 20, 1777
Col. Isaac Beal (Am.) leads intelligence expedition to Hackensack.
Leiby, Hackensack, 118.

HACKENSACK June 10, 1777
American light horse and British have skirmish.
NJ History, 1st Ser., 7, 95.

HACKENSACK September 11, 1777
Lt. Col. Aaron Burr rallies militia at Paramus and marches south.
Defeats British force at Hackensack.
NJ History, 78, 166.
NJA 2, II, 42-44.

HACKENSACK September 30, 1778
Three thousand British in boats come up Hackensack River and
plunder large area.
NJA 2, II, 454, 462-463, 471-472, 484-485.

HACKENSACK October 1, 1778
British lose twelve men in skirmish with Gen. Charles Scott's
light infantry.
NJ History, 1 Ser., 7, 109.

HACKENSACK March 23, 1780
Lt. Col. Duncan Macpherson commanding the Black Watch runs into
stormy resistance during raid. Spends much
time in wanton destruction.
NJ History, 78,171.

HACKENSACK April 16, 1780
British force under Maj. Johann Christian [DuPuy] Dubay attacks
American patrol and captures officer and three
men.
NJ History, 78,172.

HACKENSACK December 8, 1780
Militia captures five horse thieves at Dow's Ferry near
Hackensack.
NJ A2,V, 144.

HACKENSACK August 29, 1781
Thomas Ward's plunderers from Bergen Neck collect forage.
Inhabitants retake cattle and scatter the robbers.
Winfield, Hudson, 195-196.