The Monmouth Militia During the Monmouth Campaign

As the British Army marched across New Jersey, it was continually harassed by New Jersey militia that impeded its march by fouling wells, obstructing the roads, and skirmishing with the enemy. After dysfunction early in the war, the Monmouth County militia improved greatly toward the end of 1777. But even with improvements, the Monmouth militia was in a poor state as the British prepared to march into New Jersey. In March 1778, Captain Thomas Chadwick compiled a return on armaments for his Tinton Falls militia company at Shrewsbury. The 53 men, between them, had 14 guns, three bayonets, eight cartridge boxes, "enough lead for 7 1/2 men" and enough powder for four.

Despite this, much of the Monmouth militia answered the call in 1778. On April 18, the Monmouth militia skirmished with a Hessian foraging party at Flourtown in Burlington County. Major Bernhard Bauermeister wrote of the engagement (the casualty figures are likely exaggerated):

Fifty dragoons had taken the Burlington Road as far as Flourtown, where they encountered the Jersey militia from Monmouth County. Of these, sixteen men were killed, some twenty were left wounded, and eighteen taken prisoner.

As the British prepared to leave Philadelphia, George Washington assigned one of his army’s best regiments, Colonel Daniel Morgan’s Riflemen, to hang on the flanks and harass them. And General Philemon Dickinson, the head of the New Jersey, on June 9, assigned the First Regiment of Monmouth Militia under Colonel Asher Holmes to guide and assist Morgan’s regiment:

I beg you will hold your Regiment ready to march at a moment's notice. You must pay particular attention to the removal of bridges and felling the trees upon the roads... You will keep your men concealed, and act in small parties by a constant and incessant fire upon their front, flanks and rear as the occasion may require.

Yet, the Monmouth militia began the Monmouth campaign with grievances. On June 15, Col. Samuel Forman, leading the militia for Upper Freehold and the shore townships of Dover and Stafford, wrote Nathaniel Scudder in Congress about the lack of pay for his men:

There is universal complaints through our militia, their pay being held back… on the late alarm it was supposed the enemy was coming through this State, I rec'd orders for marching with one half of my Regt., I gave orders for that purpose -- They assembled at Toms River in full expectations of receiving their pay & marching, but they disbanded & went home, determined to remain there until paid.  Five times, I had been to our Paymaster & with less encouragement the last then the first -- sure I am that there is fault somewhere, where it is I cannot tell you.

He also wrote of a lack of military supplies:

I have express orders for keeping up an important fire on the enemy's flank & rear when they march through this State, this without one single cartridge for my men. I have applied to the Governor [William Livingston] without success, we are very badly provided.

The Monmouth County Militia Mobilizes

It is safe to assume that Forman’s grievances applied equally to Holmes. Still, his regiment turned out. Morgan and Holmes would shadow the British prior to the Battle of Monmouth and for a week afterward. One of Holmes’s men, Jonathan Hildreth of Freehold Township recalled that on June 9 "he was again called out again on alarm... in pursuit of the British army as they marched through Monmouth & he followed them until they got on board of their shipping, when he was discharged at Middletown."

As noted in a prior article, militia under Morgan’s command skirmished with British troops as they entered and exited Allentown. It is probable that Monmouth militia were involved in the skirmishing.

As the British headed east toward Freehold, Morgan stayed east of them. As Morgan and Holmes arrived near Freehold, other militia companies joined them. When Continental Army units under General Charles Lee engaged the British Army on the morning of June 28, they did so from the west. Morgan’s 800-man command (half Monmouth militia) never received orders to join the battle.

Many Monmouth militiamen recalled their service under Morgan during the Monmouth Campaign in their post-war pension applications. A few men recalled being with Morgan for the entire campaign. Zachariah Hankins of Dover Township recalled:

They marched under Genl. Forman [Col. Holmes, actually] to meet the British on their retreat from Philadelphia. He thinks that near Mt. Holly in Burlington County, they fell in with the British [June 25] and then retreated before them to Crosswicks Creek where they cut down the bridge and made a stand, a pretty severe skirmish ensued and a number of men were killed upon both sides. On the march, they were joined by detachments of the American Army - his company was with Morgan's Riflemen and were on the right flank. Morgan's men and the militia companies formed a flanking party and were not engaged in the battle, though they had some skirmishing.

Other militiamen recalled joining Morgan near Freehold. For example, James Perrine, in Michael Sweetman’s company, recalled "being on the right of the British Army where the Riflemen [Daniel Morgan's command] were parted, though his company was not actually engaged in the battle."

Jared Stillwell, as a second example, recalled: “The company of light horse to which he belonged were on the flank of the British army… in which he piloted Captain Waln of Virginia and then he came when one of his party which killed three and took six prisoners of the enemy.”

Morgan’s command camped southeast of Freehold at a place he called “Squan Swamp” on June 26 and moved to nearby Richmond Mill (in present-day Howell) on June 27. That day, as the British sacked Freehold, Morgan attacked a German guard at Gardener’s Mill. Morgan wrote George Washington:

I arrived at this place Yesterday encamp’d in the woods—sent out small parties—Capt. Leong fell in with fifteen Grenadeers and made them prisoners—deserters are continually comeng in—I have several parties out—whom I expect something from—I shall continue on the enemies right till I have orders to the contrary—They keep in so compact a body that it is impossible to do them much damage—However I will annoy them as much as possible.

A German officer, Jacob Piel, wrote about the skirmish at Gardener’s Mill. His guard "was attacked by a rebel corps of several hundred men" which was repulsed "with the loss of a man." When the Germans brought up the cannon the Continentals and militia "hurriedly pulled back." The Monmouth militia lost two men in that skirmish, Privates Daniel Newberry and Richard Wolcott.

Also that day, a party of Morgan’s men and Monmouth militia surprised a British party and took several prisoners. Major Thomas Massie of Virginia wrote, “The second attempt was a complete surprise, from thick shrubbery in the pines, where 16 or 18 prisoners were brought off and a few killed, with little loss to the Americans." Rhoda Sutphin wrote that her husband, Joseph Sutphin, was “stationed near a brook, flanking the British Army on the south, about 20 British came down to wash their clothes, who were taken prisoners.” The Continental Army’s Commissary of Prisoners, John Beatty, noted the arrival of these prisoners at his Provost Jail on July 2. "There are some 20 men in the Provost as those that marched up last Sunday, taken by Col Morgan - which arrived here Sunday evening."

As Morgan harassed the British to the east, General Dickinson assembled militia from Burlington, Cumberland, Essex, Hunterdon, Morris, Salem, and Somerset arriving from the west and north. His command also included the Upper Freehold militia under Samuel Forman. On June 26, Dickinson wrote Washington:

I took post at this Place an hour ago, since which, nine Prisoners have been brought in—& five more on their way—the Enemy’s rear halted four miles from Monmouth Court-house which is three miles distance from this—I shall execute any order.

Meanwhile, Col. John Neilson, with 200 Middlesex County militia, approached from Spotswood. Washington instructed him to "fall in on the flanks or rear” of the British. He further noted that “the Monmouthshire Militia may be of great service by attaching itself to one of the Continental detachments." Neilson replied that he would “throw what Obstructions we could in their way.” He also hoped to link up with Shrewsbury Township militia heading east from Tinton Falls. “I am informed about 100 Monmouth Militia on their March within a small Distance of this Place who have left their Quarters at Tenton Falls [Tinton Falls] in Shrewsbury not knowing the Situation of Our Army."

One of these militiamen, James Bowne, recalled the arcing route they took to find Dickinson. He wrote:

Previous to the Battle of Monmouth, they were marched to Tinton Falls where they lay. By way of Mount Pleasant to Englishtown, from thence to Tennant Meeting House, from thence to the front of the British Army near the farm of James Taylor.

Some Monmouth militia were not with Dickinson, Neilson, or Morgan. They stayed local and never attached to a larger unit. Lieutenant James Wall of Middletown recalled taking a British officer—probably a deserter. William Lloyd recalled being with a small party of militia that chased two disaffected locals on their way to sell goods to the British Army.

On June 27, Dickinson wrote Washington about the imminent arrival of the vanguard of the Continental Army. It "will give great spirit to the militia - who are now collecting very fast… our numbers increase hourly.” Dickinson’s optimism is tempered by the observation of Governor William Livingston who observed: "Our militia turn out finely, but we can only skirmish and run." A British senior officer, Stephen Kemble, dismissed the militia skirmishes as “a few popping shots from the rebel parties."

Monmouth Militia on the Day of the Battle of Monmouth

Monmouth militiamen experienced June 28—the day of the Battle of Monmouth—in different ways. The men attached to Morgan (including roughly 400 Monmouth militia) were separated from other Continental units. They spent the day at Richmond Mill waiting for orders to engage; men recalled hearing cannon-fire in the distance. William Cheeseman’s recollection is typical:

[He] marched with the Riflemen [Morgan’s regiment] within a few miles of Monmouth Court House -- Morgan was not engaged in the battle and consequently the militia attached to his corps did not partake in the battle, altho' they were on the grounds, ready and willing.

Several local leaders were either formally or informally attached to Continental units and a few advised senior generals including Charles Lee and Washington, who commanded Continental forces during the first and second parts of the battle respectively. Captain John Schenck, for example, noted that "he acted as a guide to the American Horse commanded by Col. Moylan" [Stephen Moylan].” The actions of Monmouth County’s leaders at the Battle of Monmouth is detailed in another article.

Some militia joined Joshua Huddy’s company of State Troops in a brave but doomed attack on the British baggage train as it headed for Middletown. This is the subject of another article.  Still, other Monmouth militia were apparently acting in small groups on their own. William Lloyd recalled that during the battle he collected discarded weapons and "gave them to the [Continental] soldiers as they stood in rank" for which "one of the officers gave me his canteen of grog to take a drink, it was the most delicious taste I ever drank."

Other men recalled skirmishing with small bodies of British soldiers. James Bowne recalled that he was in “a smart scrimmage [skirmish]” in which “they lost two men - they retreated across a pass, there the British horse met & fallen on them." Benjamin Van Schoick recalled:

He was not in the main Battle, but that he was in a skirmish with the British on the same day as they were retreating, on there left flank. Col Henrickson [Daniel Hendrickson] commanded according to the best of his recollection – In the skirmish the British sustained some loss.

Other militiamen participated in irregular activities. Moses Mount’s widow, Catherine Mount, recalled that her husband “with one John Emmons, took two prisoners on that day, who were plundering and delivered them to our people." Abner Page (under Captain Kenneth Hankinson of Freehold) recalled:

I was not engaged in the battle myself, Captain Hankinson having sent me to secure a very fine horse who stood in the neighborhood directly in the route. I secured the property and immediately joined the Army.

One Middletown militia company sat out the battle. John Truax recalled that "having been cut off by the British before they could join the Army. To avoid being taken the deponent & his companions were compelled to hide in a swamp close by the British, where they continued two days without provision.”

All three Monmouth militia regiments were in motion as the British Army arrived at Freehold. The First Regiment (under Holmes) likely mobilized all of its ten companies (at least 400 men). It is conservatively estimated that the Second and Third Regiments mobilized at least 200 and 100 men respectively. So, at least 700 Monmouth men were assembled on the day of the Battle of Monmouth. While this turn-out was incomplete, it demonstrates a remarkable turnaround from a year earlier when David Forman was only able to turn out half that number.

Related Historic Site: Monmouth Battlefield State Park

Sources: Return of Captain Thomas Chadwick, Monmouth County Historical Association, J. Amory Haskell Collection, folder 10, Document J; Bernard Uhlendorf, Confidential Letter and Journals, 1776-1784, of Adjutant General Major Bauermeister of the Hessian Forces (New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 1957) p 166; Dennis Ryan, New Jersey in the American Revolution, 1763-1783: A Chronology (Trenton: New Jersey Historical Commission, 1974) p 53; National Archives, Revolutionary War Veterans Pension Applications, New Jersey - James Perrine; National Archives, Revolutionary War Veterans' Pension Application, Zachariah Hawkins of NJ, www.fold3.com/image/#22623931; National Archives, Revolutionary War Veterans' Pension Application, Jared Stillwell of NJ, www.fold3.com/image/#  18359845; National Archives, Revolutionary War Veterans' Pension Application, James Wall of NJ, www.fold3.com/image/#   20365758; National Archives, Revolutionary War Veterans' Pension Application, Daniel Hendrickson of NJ, www.fold3.com/image/#23340856; John C. Dann, The Revolution Remembered: Eyewitness Accounts of the War for Independence (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1980) pp 123; National Archives, Revolutionary War Veterans' Pension Application, Jonthan Hildreth of NY, www.fold3.com/image/#22779401; Philemon Dickinson to NJ Militia Colonels, National Archives, Papers of the Continental Congress, reel 75, item 78, vol. 9, #165; Samuel Forman to Nathaniel Scudder, National Archives, Papers of the Continental Congress, reel 93, item 78, vol. 9, #161-2; New Jersey State Archives, Dept. of Defense, Auditor's Accounts, Revolutionary War, Book B, Abstracts of Pay Rolls (compiled by Garry Wheeler Stone); Henry Laurens, The Papers of Henry Laurens, vol. 13, ed. David R. Chesnutt (Columbia: University of South Carolina Press, 1992), vol. 13, p 501; John U. Rees, “Reach Coryels ferry. Encamp on the Pennsylvania side.”1  The March from Valley Forge to Monmouth Courthouse, 18 to 28 June 1778", unpublished manuscript, p38.; Edwin Salter, Old Times in Old Monmouth (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1970) appendix 71; Thomas Massie Pension excerpt, The Battle Cry: Newsletter of the Friends of Monmouth Battlefield, v7, n2, March 2001; National Archives, revolutionary War veterans Pension Applications, New Jersey - William Cheeseman; Stephen Kemble, The Kemble Papers (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Library, 2009) vol. 1, pp. 153-4; Philemon Dickinson to George Washington, The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 15, May–June 1778, ed. Edward G. Lengel. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2006, pp. 546–547; George Washington to John Neilson, John Fitzpatrick, ed., The Writings of George Washington from the Original Manuscript Sources (Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office, 1932) vol. 12, pp. 123-4; John Neilson to George Washington, The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 15, May–June 1778, ed. Edward G. Lengel. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2006, pp. 557–558; Philemon Dickinson to George Washington, Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 4, reel 50, June 27, 1778; Bruce Burgoyne, Defeat, Disaster and Dedication: The Diaries of a Hessian Officer (NY: Heritage Books, 1997) p31-2; Munn, David, Battles and Skirmishes of the American Revolution in New Jersey, (Trenton: Bureau of Geology and Topography, New Jersey Geological Survey, 1976) p 47,139; Daniel Morgan to George Washington, The Papers of George Washington, Revolutionary War Series, vol. 15, May–June 1778, ed. Edward G. Lengel. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press, 2006, p. 564; National Archives, Revolutionary War Veterans' Pension Application, Joseph Van Note of Ohio, S.769 [Benjamin Van Schoick]; National Archives, Revolutionary War veterans Pension Applications, New Jersey - James Bowne; Don Higginbotham, Daniel Morgan: Revolutionary Rifleman (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 1961), p 90; National Archives, Revolutionary War veterans Pension Applications, New Jersey - John Schenck; National Archives, Revolutionary War veterans Pension Applications, New Jersey - Moses Mount; National Archives, Revolutionary War veterans Pension Applications, New Jersey - John Truax; Pension Application of -- Revolutionary War Veterans' Pension Application of Andrew Phares of New York, National Archives, p4; National Archives, Revolutionary War veterans Pension Applications, New Jersey - Joseph Sutphin; National Archives, Revolutionary War Veterans' Pension Application, Abner Page of NJ, www.fold3.com/image/#  NJ 25889537; John Beatty, report, Library of Congress, George Washington Papers, Series 4, reel 50, July  2, 1778; National Archives, Revolutionary War Veterans' Pension Application, John Walton of NJ, www.fold3.com/image/#  NJ 20445857.