107 - New Jersey Postal History Society

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I am ever your most affect. & Most Obliged Brother. John Maitland The lack of any attempt to reconstitute any of the elements of civil government, in the occupied areas of New Jersey makes one wonder at British strategy. Perhaps Lord William Howe never intented to hold the conquered areas He ordered the army into winter quarters on December 14, 1776 and reported to Germain his nervousness at the strung out and exposed garrisons. 'The chain, I own, is too expensive," he explained but, I was Induced to occupy Burlington to cover the County of Monmouth. in which there are many loyal inhabitants; and trusting the the almost general submission of the County to the southwest of this chain, and to the strength of the corps placed in the advanced posts. l conclude the troops will be in perfect security. 5 The Hessian garrison at Trenton under the command of Col. Johann Gottlieb Rall numbered 1,300- 1.,400 consisting of three German infantry regiments, some jagers, a detachment of artillery, and 20 dragoons from the British 16th Regiment. Contrary to Maitland, Rall was well-aware of his exposed condition as reflected in his despatches. Curiously he took no precautionary steps to protect his position, underestimating the determination of his adversary. Rall spent the evening before the attack with Abraham Hunt, the postmaster of Trenton, a man who professed strict neutrality throughout the Revolution but who held a commission as a lieutenant colonel in the New Jersey militia. One wonders at his motives in seeing that Rall spent the evening playing cards and drinking. In the attack on the 26th, Rail suffered a mortal wound, Hessian casualties numbered 110 with 918 captured; the remainder escaped, corroborating Maitland's report. At Princeton on January 3, 1777 Washington with about 1,200 Continentals and a force of militia (hardly Maitland's eight or nine thousand) surprised LtCol Charles Mawhood and the 17th Regiment of Foot outside the town. In a spirited action that saw Brig. Gen. Hugh Mercer surrounded and killed, Washington personally led the Pennsylvania militia in an assault that anniliated the 17th and destroyed part of the 55th. Continuing the attack, Washington's men pushed the remainder of the 55th and the 40th out of town in a full rout. This action saw Lt Alexander Hamilton's artillery bombard a portion of the 55th in Nassau Hall, the results of which still show on the building's walls. 6 A major result was a withdrawal to New Brunswick, which was garrisoned with 5,000 troops; no wonder Maitland was cramped. The garrison was withdrawn, along with all other British troops in New Jersey, to New York on June 25, 1777. 1. Tom Clarke, "A Timeless War Letter from 1776/1777," La Posta, vol. 19, no. 5, 113, Oct-Nov 1988, pp. 66- 68. 2. E.E. Ricks, "The Postal History of New Brunswick," CCP, vol. 58, no. 3, July 1979, 3. Rigby Postal History Auctions, Ltd., February 1975 4. Marion Balderston and David Surett, The Lost War, Horizon Press, New York, 1975. 5. Peter Force, American Archives: Fourth Series, Containing a Documentary History of the English Colonies in North American from the King's Message to Parliament of March 7, 1774, to the Declaration of Independence by the United States. M. St. Clair Clarke and Peter Force, Washington, D.C., 1837-1846, vol. 5, pp. 1316-17. 6. Richard M. Ketcham, The Winter Soldiers, Doubleday & Co., 1973. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * We Need Articles Now ! NJPH March 1994 56
EASTER SEALS 1900's - 1950 Tied on New Jersey cards and covers GUPPIES DONDE NC s' • ; • - ...46374Eissawer- girr • 6 Oft. Lir. Thomas Irving drown, 4 -:piaicitaLc: •• 0 S rj-1.1 . • • • NJ MAIE E1KS3/44. N I) ej•ki, / )1( NJ PH March 1994 57
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Page 6 and 7: Milton Katz (1933) Irma Goodman (19
Page 8 and 9: of 550,000 with which to start an e
Page 10 and 11: souvenir Centennial Book: One hundr
Page 12 and 13: TOWNSEND'S INLET: Located on Ludlam
Page 14 and 15: FIVE MILE BEACH ANGLESEA: This new
Page 16 and 17: , Two canceled envelopes from the O
Page 18 and 19: OTTENS: This town was located on Fi
Page 20 and 21: James Taylor (1907). A 1907 issue o
Page 22 and 23: summer cottage, and through -Postma
Page 24 and 25: British-Occupied New Brunswick (NJ)
Page 28 and 29: New Jersey Discontinued Post Office
Page 34: TRUSTEES : NEW JERSEY POSTAL HISTOR

107 - New Jersey Postal History Society

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