The Capture and Murder of Philip White

Before the war, Philip White lived near Long Branch with his wife, Jane Miers, whom he married in 1773. Like many Quakers on the Monmouth shore, White did not support the Revolution. In late 1776, he participated in Samuel Wright’s Loyalist association and in June 1778 he was convicted of guiding a British officer to Philadelphia while the British held the city. Two of Philip’s three brothers, Vincent White and Aaron White, were also active Loyalists. The third brother, Wiliam White, went behind British lines as well—but he did not take up arms. Philip White is listed in the 1779 Shrewsbury Township tax rolls as a “householder” owning no livestock—meaning he lived in a small house with no appreciable amount of land. White was listed as “unfit” or delinquent on militia returns into 1780.

Sometime in 1780, White went behind British lines. He served on a Loyalist privateer—a genealogical source claims it was Hero’s Revenge, a three-swivel boat later captained by the Pine Robber leader, John Bacon. White guided the Loyalist party that killed John Russell, Sr., in April 1780. White also participated in the so-called London Trade. On March 28, 1782, White smuggled goods to New York and then returned to Sandy Hook where he joined with a small party of Loyalist partisans. They landed at Long Branch on March 30 and skirmished with militia. It would be his last action.

The Death of Philip White

The New Jersey Gazette reported on the death of Philip White on April 15:

On the 30th of March last, he [White] was surprised by a party of our people, and after he had laid down his arms in a token of surrendering himself a prisoner, he again took up his musket and killed a son of Coll. [Daniel] Hendrickson; he was however taken again by our Light Horse, and on his way from Colts Neck to Freehold, he again attempted to make his escape from the guard, who called on him several times to surrender, but he continued running, often crossed and re-crossed by the Light Horse, and finally, when leading into a bog impassable by the horse, he received a stroke in the head from the sword, which killed him instantly. The above facts have not only been proved by the affidavits of our friends who were present, but by the voluntary and candid testimony of Aaron White, who was taken prisoner with said Philip White.

Fifteen leading Monmouth Countians, including rivals such as Colonel David Forman and Colonel Asher Holmes, attested to the accuracy of the account:

Colonel David Forman,

Assemblyman John Covenhoven,

Assemblyman Thomas Seabrook,

Judge Peter Forman,

Magistrate Richard Cox,

Captain Joseph Stillwell,

Captain Barnes Smock,

Captain John Schenck,

Colonel Samuel Forman,

Attorney William Wilcocks,

Colonel Asher Holmes,

Major Elisha Walton,

Captain Stephen Fleming,

Lt. Colonel John Smock,

Captain Thomas Chadwick

Philip White’s brother, Aaron, was taken prisoner with Philip, but the two men were separated. Aaron White, while a prisoner in the Monmouth County jail, was visited by David Forman and gave a deposition. Aaron White recalled landing with “Philip White, John Fennimore, Jeremiah Bell, Robert Howell & Negro Moses.” (A second document claimed the party consisted of “Aaron White, John Fennimore, Negro Moses, John Worthly and one [Negro] Isaac.") Aaron White claimed the Loyalists scattered a small militia guard at Long Branch, after which "they pursued one Thomas Berkeley, with whom they had been engaged.” While pursuing Berkley, “the Light Horse [state troops under Captain John Walton] came down and the deponent and the said Philip White were made prisoners."

Aaron White deposed that he was separated from Phillip and sent toward Freehold. He then stated:

The deponent was told by one of the guards that Philip White was running away; that the deponent looked back and saw the Light Horsemen in pursuit of something... that Lt. Rhea and George Brindley left the deponent under guard of two men, and ran their horses back toward the place the others were pursuing; that the deponent afterwards understood that it was Philip White they were pursuing, and that he was killed.

An April 14 petition from Monmouth County, protesting the murder of retaliatory execution of Joshua Huddy, asserted that White was killed because he ran away: "As a guard was conducting White to the gaol, the said White, while attempting to make an escape, was killed by his guards."

Depositions were taken from Philip White’s three mounted guards—John Russell, John North, William Borden. The guards claimed that they crossed in front of White to block his escape. 

Borden further deposed that White continued to run even after taking several blows:

Said Philip White jumped off his horse and on passing a fence next to the woods, the deponent fired and shot him through the body, the said Philip White fell, but recovered and attempted to get into the woods, upon which he turned and threw himself into a bog, where the said John North gave him a stroke with his sword; the deponent struck him with the butt end of his carbine, and he still continued to run until he was struck again by the said John North.

John North agreed and added, he "left his horse and dropped his gun and pursued with a drawn sword... gave him a stroke across the face with the sword, upon which he [White] fell, cried that he was a dead man, [but] he continued to run to the last moment." Russell added that he "gave him [White] a slight wound in the forehead." This might have been the provocation that started White running.

Forman submitted his own statement on White's death:

The subscriber was present at the village of Freehold when the body of the refugee named Philip White was brought up - That I went to the wagon and saw the corpse. The guard attending it showed me the gunshot in his breast, also the cuts from a sword on his face. At the time the corpse appeared to be laid with as much decency as could be.

Forman disputed charges of excessive violence. He saw no “wounds to his arms or legs --neither did I ever hear that his arms had been cut off or legs broken.”

The Murder of Philip White

Philip White's brother, Aaron, escaped jail in Freehold and made it to New York. He gave a deposition on his brother’s death as evidence in the court martial of Richard Lippincott (tried for the murder of Joshua Huddy). Aaron White “was laying off Long Branch in a Schooner, waiting for Philip White & [Negro] Moses, that were landed there the day before.” Aaron came ashore. He recalled that Philip and Moses killed “one of the Rebel Horse” (the son of Colonel Hendrickson). But his brother and Moses “made their escape by getting into Swamps.” Aaron White then recalled his and Philip’s capture:

[He] was the first taken prisoner, when George Brinley, one of the Rebel Horse came up to him and swore they would put him to Death unless they caught Philip White or Moses, they soon after took Phil. White, when the said George Brindley came up to him and told him he would be damned if he should go alive to Freehold—Moses fortunately escaped.

Aaron White was put “in the Waggon with Hendrickson’s corpse” and Philip White was put on a horse and separated. The guards “threatened and abused” Philip and said they “wou’d murder him before they got to Freehold.” Three new guards, “John North John Russel and William Burden took charge of him, and kept him far in the Rear.” Aaron White heard “George Brinley’s declaring he [Philip] shou’d not go alive to Freehold” as the distance grew between them. Aaron then heard his guards exclaim “that P. White was making his escape” and “that after several of these declarations, they run their Horses back to the Guard in the Rear—soon returned and said P. White was killed.”

Aaron White stated that while he was “confined in Freehold Gaol,” Philip White’s first guard, Robert Clayton, told him “if they had not removed him [Philip] from out of his charge, he would have brought him safe to Freehold.” Another guard, Moses Mount, said “that if Hendrickson had not been killed, White would not have been murdered.” Aaron White recalled being visited by David Forman, who “wanted him to make Oath that Philip White was making his escape when killed.” Forman pressured Aaron White to state that Philip White attempted an escape. Aaron replied:

He never saw him [Philip] endeavor to make his escape, and that he wou’d suffer death before he would make such an oath—Forman than asked him if he had not confessed to the Guard, that he saw him [Philip] running when killed—he replyed that he had acknowledged it, from apprehension that he would have been Murdered himself did he not acknowledge it.

Aaron White claimed the statement he gave Forman was void because Aaron never had a chance to “read the affidavit” and only a part of it was “read back to him.” After Aaron White escaped, “he saw several of his friends who all informed him that Philip White was designedly most inhumanly and savagely murdered which this deponent verily believes to be true." (The deposition is in the appendix.)

Captain Clayton Tilton was an Associated Loyalist taken separately from the White brothers. He testified at Richard Lippincott’s court martial about his capture and White’s murder:

The rebels, in carrying him to Freehold gaol made a stop at Colts Neck, where Aaron and Philip White were then prisoners; that from the frequent whispers & behavior of the Rebels, it was the deponent's opinion that they intended to murder some of the prisoners. That sometime after the deponent was at Freehold, he was informed that Philip White was put to death, the Rebels alleging he attempted to make an escape.

Tilton further testified about Philip White’s mistreatment by the guards. They "plundered Philip White of his stock, shoes & buckles, that they sent Aaron White with a party ahead, and kept Philip White in the rear, and they cruelly & wantonly murdered him." A genealogical source claims that Philip White was “thrown in a pig pen, bound hand and foot, and attempting to crawl away from the pigs, he was beaten and hacked until, through the loss of blood, he died." It is unknown if these details are true.

Perspective

The key question when considering Philip White’s death is which sources to believe. According to Whig sources (Whigs were people who supported the Revolution), White attempted an escape and refused to break off the attempt even after warnings and woundings. But Whig sources disagree on whether White was killed quickly or first sustained several blows. While the three guards admitted to striking White several times, the petition from Monmouth County leaders two weeks later stated that White “received a stroke in the head from the sword, which killed him instantly.” 

Loyalist sources state that the guards intended to murder White. They harassed him until he attempted an escape and wounded him several times before ultimately killing him. One of those guards, John Russell, would later admit exacting vigilante justice on Loyalists, stating that he "aided in visiting merited retribution on the refugees for their doings.”

The circumstances of White’s death strongly suggest that he was murdered. Philip White’s guards were switched to North, Russel, and Borden; these new guards were all members of the Association for Retaliation—a vigilante society led by David Forman that practiced eye-for-an-eye retaliation. Russell’s father had been murdered two years earlier by a Loyalist party that included White--making White an ideal object for deadly retaliation. If White previously faked a surrender and then shot young Hendrickson, that further antagonized his guards. When White ran, he was unarmed and shot soon after. His guards could have tackled and tied him, but they continued to strike him with swords and gunstocks as he ran.

A few days after Philip White’s death, Aaron White escaped from the Monmouth County jail and made it to New York. He told of his brother’s murder. Enraged, the Associated Loyalists, who by now also believed in eye-for-an-eye retaliation, took Joshua Huddy out of prison. Huddy had been captured two weeks earlier at Toms River. They brought Huddy to the Navesink Highlands and hanged him. A note was pinned to Huddy. It proclaimed: “Up goes Huddy for Phil White.”

Related Historic Site: National Guard Militia Museum of New Jersey

Appendix: The Deposition of Aaron White Regarding the Death of Philip White

Aaron White a Loyalist from Monmouth, deposeth and saith—That on Saturday the 30th day of March he was laying [too] off Long Branch in a Schooner, waiting for Philip White & Moses, that were landed there the day before. That this deponent saw them engaged with a party of the Rebel horse, that he instantly landed and went to their assistance. That Hendrickson, one of the Rebel Horse was killed, and that they were in pursuit of the others—when the Rebels were Reinforced by a considerable party of Horse, that this deponent with the others fled in their turn and endeavoured to make their escape by getting into Swamps, that this deponent was the first taken prisoner, when George Brinley one of the Rebel Horse came up to him and swore they would put him to Death unless they caught Philip White or Moses. They soon after took Phil. White, when the said George Brindley came up to him and told him he wou’d be damned if he should go alive to Freehold—Moses Foe fortunately escaped being taken, that they were carried under Guard to Colts neck, (this deponent in the Waggon with Hendricksons Corps—and P. White on Horse back at the tail of the Waggon) about 12 Miles from the place they were first taken at—and there halted untill the Commanding Officer with the remainder of the Horse came up. That they were here, threatened and abused, and Philip White frequently observed to this deponent that the Rebels wou’d murder him, before they got to Freehold, that this deponent was hurried in the Waggon, That Philip White’s Guard was changed and that John North John Russel and Willm Burden took charge of him, and kept him far in the Rear—That this deponent then verily believed from the Rebels changing P. White’s Guard—from George Brinleys declaring he shou’d not go alive to Freehold from their frequent other declarations to this purport, and from their keeping him at such a distance in the Rear, that they intended murdering him—This deponent further saith that David Rhea and George Brinley stopt with the Waggons in which he was a Prisoner when the main body of the Horse passed the Waggon—That they frequently looked back and exclaimed that P. White was making his escape—That after several of these declarations they run their Horses back to the Guard in the Rear—soon Returned and said P. White was killed—This deponent reply’d you are Joaking—they replied no by God he was Killed—And asked this deponent if he did not see him endeavor to make his escape, his own safety occasioned his acquiesing—That this deponent was confined in Freehold Goal—That Robert Clayton one of the Rebel horse, and the very person who first had charge of Philip White, told this deponent if they had not Removed him from out of his charge, he would have brought him safe to Freehold—that Moses Mount, another of the Rebel horse informed this deponent, that if Hendrickson had not been killed, White would not have been Murdered and this deponent further saith, that during his confinement Genl David Forman came to him and wanted him to make Oath that Philip White was making his escape when Killed—That he told Genl Forman that he never saw him endeavor to make his escape, and that he wou’d suffer death before he would make such an oath—Forman than asked him if he had not confessed to the Guard, that he saw him running when killed—he replyed that he had acknowledged it, from apprehension that he would have been Murdered himself did he not acknowledge it—And this deponent further saith that General Forman Qualified him relative to the time they left new York, when & when they landed, the Circumstances of the Engagement with the Horse—and the manner of their being taken—That he never Read the affidavit—and that no more of it was Read, to this deponent than what Related to the above circumstances And this deponent further saith that after his escape from Freehold Goal—he saw several of his Friends who all informed him that Philip White was designedly most inhumanly and Savagely Murdered which this deponent verily believes to be true."

Sources: Dorothy Martin, Kathleen McIntosh, The History of the White Family (New Brunswick: Lancelot Press, 1977); James Green’s Company Muster Roll, New Jersey Historical Society, Holmes Family Papers, box 5, folder 4; Lorenzo Sabine, Biographical Sketches of Loyalists of the American Rnolution, 2 vols. (Boston: Little, Brown, 1864), vol. 2, pp. 421-2; John Stillwell, Historical and Genealogical Miscellany (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1970) v5, p322-5; John Stillwell, Historical and Genealogical Miscellany (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1970) v5, p322-5; To George Washington from James Robertson, 1 May 1782,” Founders Online, National Archives, last modified June 13, 2018, http://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/99-01-02-08307; Edwin Salter, Old Times in Old Monmouth (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1970) p 61; National Archives, Papers of the Continental Congress, reel 171, item 152, vol. 10, #479-84 and #485-509; Library of Congress, Richard Lippincott Court Martial, reel 1, #158-65; Edwin Salter, Old Times in Old Monmouth (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1970) p 62-3; New Jersey Gazette excerpted in William Horner, This Old Monmouth of Ours (Freehold: Moreau Brothers, 1932) p 420; Affidavits printed in  Edwin Salter, Old Times in Old Monmouth (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1970) p 63-4; James E. White, History of the White Family (St. John, New Brunswick: Barnes & Co., 1906), p4-7.