Miscellaneous Organizations - Contenental Army
New Jersey in the Revolutionary War
SPENCER'S REGIMENT, CONTINENTAL ARMY.
By authority of Congress, Colonel Oliver Spencer, an officer in the State troops as well as 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 enlisted men will be found alphabetically arranged in the official roster. The strength of this command appears to have been about one hundred and seventy men, although a return, dated March, 1779, shows but one hundred and forty soldiers in the regiment.
- Oliver Spencer, Colonel.
- Eleazer Lindsley, Lieutenant Colonel.
- John Burrowes, Captain and Major.
- James Bonnel, Adjutant.
- John McEwen, Ensign and Quartermaster.
- Jabez Campfield, Surgeon.
- John Dorsey, Surgeon's Mate.
Lieutenant Colonel Eleazer Lindsley, resigned. William Smith, appointed Lieutenant Colonel.
- 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 Bonnel, 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 Thompson, Ensign.
- John Reed, Ensign.
- Moses Ogden, Ensign.
FORMAN'S REGIMENT, CONTINENTAL ARMY.
Brigadier General Forman, of the militia, resigned his office as such to accept the command of a regiment organized under the auspices of Congress. It was recruited principally from Maryland. A "return" of December, 1778, shows this State to have had but sixty-eight men in the organization.
But three officers appear from New Jersey:
- David Forman Colonel.
- John Burrowes, Captain, afterwards Major, "Spencer's Regiment."
- ---, Patterson, Lieutenant.
LEE'S LEGION, CONTINENTAL ARMY.
The "Legion" of cavalry commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Henry Lee, of Virginia, contained nearly one hundred Jerseymen.
The officers from this State were:
- Jas. Heard, Cornet, Lieutenant, Paymaster, and Captain.
- Jonathan Snowden, Lieutenant, formerly of First Regiment, "Jersey Line."
HAZEN'S REGIMENT, (SECOND CANADIAN), CONTINENTAL ARMY.
On the 22d of January, 1776, Colonel Moses Hazen was appointed by Congress to this command. There were two officers and ten enlisted men in this regiment, from New Jersey. Both officers remained in the regiment until the close of the war.
- Richard Lloyd, Captain.
- James Anderson, Lieutenant.
LAMB'S ARTILLERY, (SECOND REGIMENT ARTILLERY), CONTINENTAL ARMY.
The commission of Colonel John Lamb, of New York, is dated January 1st, 1777. This organization was stationed in New Jersey several times during the war, and received a number of recruits, especially from the counties of Burlington and Somerset.
We find three officers:
- Chilleon Ford,Second Lieutenant and Quartermaster.
- Garret Tunison, Surgeon.
- William Pennington, Second Lieutenant.
SHELDON'S REGIMENT, LIGHT DRAGOONS, CONTINENTAL ARMY.
This regiment, sometimes called the Second Regiment, Light Dragoons, was commanded by Colonel Elisha Sheldon, of Connecticut. Although the State had an officer in this organization, most of the soldiers joined the companies commanded by officers of other States.
- David Edgar, Captain.
FOURTH REGIMENT, LIGHT DRAGOONS, CONTINENTAL ARMY.
This regiment appears to have performed its service mostly in the south. The commanding officer achieved a national reputation as a brilliant cavalry leader.
Anthony Walton White, Lieutenant Colonel and Lieutenant Colonel Commandant; formerly Third Battalion, First Establishment, "Jersey Line."
- John Craig, Captain.
BALDWIN'S REGIMENT OF ARTIFICERS, CONTINENTAL ARMY.
Colonel Jeduthan Baldwin, of Massachusetts, commanded this, efficient regiment. New Jersey had, at different times, about thirty men connected with it. Three of these were officers:
- Jeremiah Bruen, Captain and Major.
- Joseph King, Paymaster.
- Eleazer Little, Lieutenant.
MOYLAN'S REGIMENT, CONTINENTAL ARMY.
Colonel Stephen Moylan, of Pennsylvania, commanding officer.
Two officers from New Jersey, viz.:
- John Heard Lieutenant Captain.
- Zebulon Pike, Cornet, Adjutant, Lieutenant, Paymaster, and Captain.
LIVINGSTONS' REGIMENT, CONTINENTAL ARMY.
This organization was commanded by Colonel James Livingston, of New York. The only Jersey officer was:
- Thomas Reed, Surgeon.
SAPPERS AND MINERS, CONTINENTAL ARMY.
- Anthony Reckless Lieutenant.
And a number of enlisted men.
CONGRESS' OWN REGIMENT, CONTINENTAL ARMY.
- James Herron Captain.
COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF'S GUARD, CONTINENTAL ARMY.
This corps, called also "The Life Guard," and "Washington's Body Guard," was a distinct organization of picked men. It consisted of one hundred and eighty men, and its first officer was Caleb Gibbs, of Rhode Island, Captain-Commandant. William Colfax, of New Jersey, 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 pre-requisite to their receiving this honor. Every State was represented in the "Guard." Its motto was "Conquer or Die."
The following general order issued by General Washington, gives the authority for the re-organization, composition, and continuance of the Commander-in-Chief's Guard:
"GENERAL ORDER No. 11.
"HEADQUARTERS, }
"VALLEY FORGE, March 17th, '78.}
"hundred chosen men are to be annexed to the Guard of the Commander-in-Chief for the purpose of forming a corps to be instructed in the manoeuvres necessary to be introduced into the army and to serve as a model for the execution of them. As the General's Guard is composed of Virginians, the hundred draughts will be taken from the troops of the other States.
"Description of the men : Height from five feet eight inches to five feet ten inches. Age from twenty to thirty years, robust constitution, well-limbed, formed for activity, and men of established characters for sobriety and fidelity, They must be Americans born."
The following soldiers were attached to this corps at different times during the war:
- William Colfax, Lieutenant and Captain.
- John Fenton, Drummer.
- Samuel Bailey, Private.
- Robert Blair, Private.
- Benjamin Bonnel, Private.
- Lewis Campbell, Private.
- Benjamin Eaton, Private.
- George Farmer, Private.
- Stephen Hetfield, Private.
- Levi Johnson, Private.
- Labau Landon, Private.
- Jasper Longley, Private.
- William Mart, Private.
- Jonathan Moore, Private.
- Joseph Shipman, Private.
- Enos Wells, Private.
- Samuel Wortman, Private.
In the following organizations we find enlisted men, but no officers from this State:
GERMAN REGIMENT, CONTINENTAL ARMY.
Colonel Lewis Weltner, of Pennsylvania, commanding.
[ New Jersey In The Revolution ]