Essential Facts
- Date: April 13, 1777.
- Location: Bound Brook, New Jersey.
- Participants: United States of America and Great Britain.
- Key American Leaders: George Washington, Benjamin Lincoln, Anthony Wayne, Nathanael Greene.
- Key British Leaders: Charles Cornwallis, James Grant, Carl von Donop, William Harcourt.
- Who Won: British forces carried out a successful attack, temporarily driving the Americans out of Bound Brook. Despite this, American forces regrouped and reclaimed Bound Brook later in the day, unopposed.
- Part of: Philadelphia Campaign, American Revolutionary War.
- Significance: The Battle of Bound Brook is important to American History because it is considered the first engagement of the Philadelphia Campaign.
History
Following the American victories at Trenton (December 25, 1776) and Princeton (January 3, 1777), both American and British armies settled into their winter quarters. The Americans were located in and around Morristown, New Jersey, while the British continued to occupy New York City and a handful of outposts in New Jersey, including Brunswick.
New Jersey Forage War
From January to March 1777, American and British forces sent out numerous foraging and scouting parties in New Jersey and New York. The region became a no-man’s-land as these forces ambushed and engaged each other, battling for control of precious supplies, provisions, and military stores.
- General George Washington ordered his men to remove supplies and provisions from various locations to keep the British from seizing them.
- The Americans constantly harassed the British and inflicted heavy casualties on them throughout the winter.
- It is estimated that as many as 58 engagements occurred.
Washington knew he would soon have to face the main British Army, led by General William Howe, either in the lower Hudson Valley or somewhere else, in the Middle States.
Washington’s New Recruits
During this time, the composition of Washington’s Army changed, as many men who had enlisted for the early campaigns returned home and were replaced by new recruits. By early May, the recruits started arriving in the camps around Morristown.
Washington, observing these recruits, guessed that the recruiting agents were now finding soldiers from “a Lower Class of People.” Despite the origins of these new soldiers, the delay in the start of the 1777 campaign allowed Washington to organize them and provide limited training.
American Outpost at Bound Brook
One of the American outposts in New Jersey used to carry out raids on British foraging parties was located at Bound Brook, approximately 20 miles south of Morristown and eight miles west of Brunswick. American defenses were on the north side of the Raritan River, which wound its way through the countryside between New Brunswick and Bound Brook.
The commanding officer of this outpost was General Benjamin Lincoln. In the early part of 1778, Lincoln had about 1,000 men under his command. However, the enlistments of half of them expired in March, leaving him with 500.
- Most of the men were from the 8th Pennsylvania Regiment. The rest were militia.
- He also had a company from the 4th Continental Artillery, which had at least three small brass cannons.
- The Americans had a small earthen fort (redoubt) with a blockhouse on the north side of the Raritan River, just to the west of Queen’s Bridge.
After losing half his men, Lincoln was concerned that Bround Brook was vulnerable to a British attack. He informed Washington that he was prepared to evacuate the outpost, if necessary.
Cornwallis Targets Bound Brook
The ongoing American raids annoyed General Charles Cornwallis, who was in command of the British forces in New Jersey. As spring approached and the Forage War came to an end, he decided to launch an attack on Bround Brook.
On the night of April 12–13, 1777, Cornwallis led an expedition of 4,000 British and Hessian troops out of New Brunswick and marched toward Bound Brook.
- General James Grant led the right, which included Hessian and British troops.
- Colonel Carl von Donop led the center, which was composed of Hessians.
- Lieutenant Colonel William Harcourt led the left, which consisted of British troops. Cornwallis rode with Harcourt.
As the British approached Bound Brook, the three columns moved into position to surround the town and cut off potential escape routes. The plan was for the three columns to attack the Americans simultaneously.
- Grant’s column moved up the north side of the river. Most of the men marched toward Bound Brook, but some were sent to block the road to Morristown.
- Von Donop’s column moved up the south side of the river toward Queen’s Bridge.
- Harcourt and Cornwallis took their column west of Bound Brook to attack from that direction.
AHC Note — American militiamen were guarding the river crossings. It is believed that a Loyalist farmer living in the area discovered the password and passed it on to the British. This allowed them to approach the Americans and surprise the sentries along the river, which kept them from warning the main camp. However, the Raritan River could be easily forded (crossed) at various locations, so the fault may not lie entirely on the militia.
Battle of Bound Brook Begins
The fighting started in the morning of April 13, 1777, when the advance elements of Grant’s column, Hessians led by Captain Johann Ewald, engaged Americans near Bound Brook, on the east side of the American camp. The Hessians forced the Americans to retreat to the redoubt.
- The Americans were taken by surprise, but held the redoubt.
- Von Donop crossed the Queen’s Bridge into Bound Brook while Harcourt and Cornwallis marched across Bound Brook into the town.
- They arrived in the town at nearly the same time and attacked the redoubt on both sides.
- They overwhelmed the redoubt and inflicted heavy casualties on the Americans.
Lincoln and General Anthony Wayne were staying at the home of Philip Van Horne when they heard shots being fired. Both escaped before British forces surrounded the house. In his rush to escape, Lincoln left his papers behind.
- American survivors fled northward, toward Morristown.
- Although the road was supposed to be blocked, Grant’s men arrived too late to block the escape route.
The British seized all the food and supplies they could find, including the cannons and Lincoln’s papers. The papers provided Cornwallis and Howe with the location of the American outposts in New Jersey and other valuable information. Before leaving, Cornwallis had breakfast at the Van Horne House, and the British looted the town and other homes along the road back to Brunswick.
- AHC Note — The British attack was nearly flawless, as all three columns converged on Bround Brook as planned. The only mistake was the failure to block the escape route to Morristown.
Washington Responds
At his headquarters in Morristown, Washington learned of the attack and quickly countered by sending General Nathanael Greene to reinforce Lincoln. Greene mobilized his men at Basking Ridge and marched to Bound Brook. However, by the time he arrived, Cornwallis was already gone and marching back to New Brunswick.
- Greene sent a small contingent of his men in pursuit of the British.
- The Americans caught up to the rear of the British column at Raritan Landing.
- A skirmish took place. Some British troops were killed and taken as prisoners.
Meanwhile, Lincoln gathered the men who remained in the area and resumed the occupation of Bound Brook. Greene remained at Bound Brook and dined that evening at Van Horne’s, which was called “Convivial Hall.” Lincoln dined with him.
Casualties
- Henry Knox estimated American losses at six killed and 20-30 captured, while Lincoln said it was closer to 60 wounded.
- General Howe estimated 30 Americans were killed, and 80-90 were taken as prisoners.
- The British reportedly suffered no losses at Bound Brook, but there were casualties on the march back to Brunswick.
Aftermath of the Bound Brook Raid
Soon after, Washington decided to reduce the number of outposts in New Jersey. He wrote a letter to General William Maxwell on April 17, ordering him to consolidate the forces that were stationed outside of Morristown. Washington hoped this would allow him to avoid further surprise attacks and, if they occurred, respond more quickly. As spring approached, it increased the likelihood of attacks.
- Lincoln and his men were praised for their conduct despite the setback.
- Greene remained at Bound Brook until May 26.
On May 28, Washington moved the army from Morristown to Middlebrook, New Jersey, just north of Bound Brook and between two ranges of the Watchung Mountains. From this position, Washington was protected and could monitor British movements in Brunswick and Perth Amboy.
- On June 12, General Howe led roughly 18,000 British troops on a march from Brunswick, northwest through Bound Brook, to Somerset, west of Washington’s position.
- Washington did not attack, even though Howe passed in front of the American forces.
- The British withdrew on June 19 and went to Piscataway.
- Washington responded by moving down out of the hills to Quibbletown.
Afterward, Washington sent General William Alexander, Lord Stirling, to the area north of Brunswick to harass British forces. This led to the next engagement in the Philadelphia Campaign, the Battle of the Short Hills (June 26, 1777).
Appendix
Johann Ewald’s Eyewitness Account
Captain Johan Ewald recorded the following in his diary regarding the Battle of Bound Brook.
At daybreak, I came upon an empty picket on this side of the stone causeway, which led to Bound Brook through a marsh along the Raritan River for five or six hundred paces over two bridges.
The picket received us spiritedly and withdrew under a steady fire. I tried to keep as close as possible to the enemy to get across the causeway into town at the same time.
This succeeded to the extent that I arrived at the second bridge at a distance of a hundred paces from the redoubt which covered it and the flying bridge (Queen’s Bridge).
The day dawned, and I was exposed to murderous fire. When I looked around for men, I saw that no one had followed me except the brave Lieutenant Trautvetter, my hornblower Muller, Corporal Doernickel, and the Jaegers Reichmeyer, Meister, Mergel, Hachell, Gurkel, Buchwald, and Ruppel: the last two being severely wounded.
We had no choice but to lay down on the ground before the Bridge, whereupon I ordered “forward” sounded constantly. Luckily for us, Colonel Donop’s column appeared after a lapse of eight or ten minutes, whereupon the Americans abandoned the Redoubt.
We arrived in town with the garrison of the redoubt amidst a hard running fight, and the greater part were either cut down or captured.
Narrative of the Battle of Bound Brook
The following is taken from the Battle of Bound Brook by Reverend T.E. Davis (1895). It is part of a speech he gave to the Washington Camp Ground Association on Washington’s birthday, February 22, 1894. Please note that minor text corrections have been made, and spacing and section headings have been added to improve the readability.
Troubles for the Continental Army
The year of Independence, 1776, was closing with dark prospects for the young American Republic. The British Army was marching on to Philadelphia with the intention of capturing and holding the capital of the nation. Congress had resolved to go to Baltimore for safety. Washington, with his army, was retreating before the British.
The American Army was too small and poorly equipped to meet the enemy in battle. The time of enlistment of many of the soldiers had expired, and no promises could keep them in the service. Many of the soldiers were without tents, shoeless, ragged, dirty, and hungry.
Lord Howe’s Proclamation
Lord Howe, the British Commander, had issued a proclamation to all who were in arms against Great Britain and to all civil officers, offering a full pardon to those who, within sixty days, would pledge their loyalty to the King. Many thousands of the people of New Jersey, believing that the cause of liberty was lost, responded to this proclamation and came to New Brunswick to take the oath of allegiance. Among these were many prominent men of the State, who had held high civil and military offices.
American Victories Increase Support
Thus gloomy and discouraging was the condition when New Jersey became the battlefield of the Revolution. But there soon came a turn in the tide of affairs. New recruits in large numbers joined the American Army. The battles of Trenton, December 26; Princeton, January 3; and Weston, January 20, in each of which the Americans were victorious, gave new hope and vigor to the patriots.
Winter Encampments
Comwallis, learning that Washington had secured all the boats on the Delaware River, so as to prevent the crossing of the British Army in its march to Philadelphia, decided to encamp for the winter in New Brunswick.
Washington took the main part of his army, after the battle of Princeton, to their winter quarters in Morristown.
British Atrocities
Somerset County suffered severely during this winter from the depredations of the British foraging parties. All along the Raritan River, with its tributaries, the Millstone and South Branch, were prosperous farmers whose well-filled barns and cellars tempted the British soldiers.
American Outpost at Bound Brook
To shield the people along the Raritan Valley from these marauders, Washington ordered Gen. Benjamin Lincoln with a force of 600 American soldiers to guard the Raritan River. Lincoln was stationed at Bound Brook, his headquarters being in the house of Peter Williamson, situated in the eastern part of the village.
This house is still standing and is known as the Battery House. It is near the lower Main Street railroad crossing, about a hundred feet north of the Central Railroad track. Mr. Frederic N. Voorhees has kindly given a photograph of this ancient dwelling, which was erected in 1744.
A short distance south of this house, Lincoln built a blockhouse, in which cannon were placed in a position to defend any approach of the enemy by the road leading from New Brunswick or the bridge across the Raritan River. There were earthworks surrounding this blockhouse.
It was about March 1st, 1777, that Lincoln, with his small army, was stationed at Bound Brook. This was an important military position for two reasons.
- By way of Bound Brook, the British would march to attack Washington at Morristown. The little force at Bound Brook could stop for a time the march of the enemy, and send the American commander a word of warning.
- A second reason for this encampment at Bound Brook was to prevent the enemy from getting their supplies by way of the Raritan River.
Lincoln had a line of patrols extending along the north bank of the Raritan River from Van Veighten’s Bridge down to the bend in the river, from which a view of the bridge at Raritan Landing could be obtained. The entire line was five or six miles long and guarded the three bridges across the river, by which the British would be likely to cross, in marching to an attack on Washington’s Army.
Cornwallis at Brunswick
The British Army at New Brunswick consisted of 17,000 men, English and Hessians, the best equipped and disciplined of all His Majesty’s forces in America. These troops were under the command of Lords Howe and Comwallis, both of whom had their headquarters in the city.
Fortifications were thrown up on the high bank above the river, west of the city. An important outpost on an eminence at Raritan Landing was also erected, from which the upper valley of the Raritan could be seen for a long distance.
The British commander, knowing the importance of Bound Brook as a military station and the small American force defending it, planned for its attack and capture.
British Plan of Attack
On Saturday night, April 12th, 1777, between 8 and 9 o’clock, a British force of about 4,000 soldiers started from New Brunswick for Bound Brook.
Comwallis was in command, with Generals Grant and Matthews, and Colonel Donop. The troops consisted of one battalion of grenadiers, one battalion of light infantry, a detachment of the guards, the light horse, two battalions of Hessians, and the Jaegers.
The expedition was planned and carried out with so much secrecy that the rest of the army and the people of the city did not know of it until Sunday morning.
Comwallis divided his army into three detachments.
- One was to cross the bridge at Raritan Landing and march to Bound Brook on the north side of the river.
- The other two detachments were to remain on the south side and march to the attack on the enemy by way of Van Veighten’s Bridge, and South Bound Brook.
In marching, they were to carefully avoid all roads and move as quietly as possible, so as to be unobserved and thus prevent a warning being given to the American guards.
Evidently, the plan was to surround the Americans with two detachments of his army, thus preventing their escape to the mountains, and with the third detachment on the south side of the river, to capture or destroy those who might attempt to cross.
The expedition was entirely successful, as far as the plan of march was concerned. Each detachment reached its destination without detection, and the soldiers rested on their arms until morning.
British Attack at Bound Brook
According to orders, the British waited until the American sentries cried out, “All’s well,” and the morning gun had been fired, and then the two detachments simultaneously rushed upon them.
The American guards were quickly overpowered. Lincoln and his soldiers were startled by the fierce cry of his sentries, “To arms!” Hastily arising, without time for dressing, they made a rapid retreat, passing through the fast enclosing lines of the two detachments of the enemy’s army, firing a few shots aimlessly as they ran.
Had the alarm come only a few minutes later, or had Comwallis’s plan for surrounding the Americans been more speedily effected, the entire body of the Americans would surely have been captured by this superior force. It was, in fact, a very narrow escape from total destruction or capture. After reaching the higher ground, the Americans made a stand and began a brisk firing, but the British line reforming and returning the fire, the Americans were compelled to fall back to the mountains in the rear of Bound Brook for safety.
Conflicting Accounts About the Battle of Bound Brook
The various accounts of this engagement are so conflicting that I give the leading reports from the officers and press of both parties, and leave the conclusions to the individual reader.
Lincoln’s report, as given in the book Washington and His Generals by J. T. Headley, is as follows:
While lying at Bound Brook on the Raritan, with only 500 men fit for service, he was surprised by Comwallis and Grant at the head of a large force.
At daybreak on the spring morning of April 13th, as he was quietly reposing in his camp, he was startled by the cry “to arms,” the fierce roll of the drum, and the report of cannon.
Looking from the house in which he was quartered, he saw the enemy within 200 yards. Through the carelessness of his patrols, they had been allowed almost to enter his camp without the alarm being given.
Springing to his horse, he, with one of his aides, rallied his troops and led them between the two rapidly closing columns of British, and escaped to the mountains with the loss of sixty men killed and wounded.
One of his aides, all his baggage, papers, and artillery. fell into the hands of the enemy.
A similar report is given by one of Lincoln’s officers in a letter dated Bound Brook, April 14, 1777. He says:
Yesterday morning, about five o’clock, the enemy, having found means to evade the observation of our patrols, attacked our small encampment in several parts, which obliged us to retire to the mountains in our rear.
We left three pieces with a few men. I lost most of my baggage and papers. We had 600 men who were extended a distance of five or six miles. The enemy’s forces were about 4,000, with four or five general officers.
The enemy remained in the village only a few hours, and after destroying a few stores, returned to their quarters at Brunswick, and we to our own. We are within three or four miles of the enemy, and a good road between us.
I hope we shall soon have such reinforcements as will enable us to look them in the face. What could be expected from 400 or 500 men, in the scattered state our men were necessarily in, against the force brought to attack us, supported, as I am informed, by eighteen or twenty cannon?
General Howe made this report to the British Government:
Lord Comwallis, ever watchful to take advantage of the enemy’s situation, surprised and defeated on the 13th instant, at break of day, a corps of rebels at Bound Brook, killed 30 and took between 80 and 90 prisoners, including officers, with three brass field pieces.
The general officer commanding there very narrowly escaped being one of the number.
The loss on our side was only three Yagers and four soldiers of the light infantry, slightly wounded.
One of the British officers in a letter from New Brunswick, April 20, 1777, says:
A detachment from the garrison here, of which our battalion of grenadiers is in part composed, surprised the rebels at Bawnbrook on the morning of the 13th, being Sunday, when three brass field pieces were taken, a quantity of spirits, flour and other stores destroyed, several rebels killed and made prisoners, among the latter were three officers, the rest by mere dint of running made their escape to the mountains which lie above the town.
The general officer who commanded found means to get off in a critical point of time. His papers fell into our hands.
There was but little firing, what was, fell to the light infantry and chasseurs, two of the former and one of the latter were wounded, being all our loss.
The Boston Gazette, in its issue of April 28, 1777, gives the following account:
By the Morristown post we are informed that early last Sabbath morning a large body of the enemy attacked about 400 of our troops at Bound Brook, and that after a smart engagement they got possession of the village. The Americans who were taken prisoners were taken to New York.
The Massachusetts Spy of April 24, the State Journal of New Hampshire, and the Connecticut Courant of the same week, all give substantially the same report. The Boston Gazette of the same date as mentioned above says further:
The enemy at New York continues to treat the American prisoners with great barbarity. Their allowance to each man for three days is one pound of beef, three worm-eaten, musty biscuits, and a quart of salt water.
The meat they are obliged to eat raw, as they have not the smallest allowance of fuel. Owing to this more than savage cruelty, the prisoners die fast, and in the small space of three weeks, no less than 1,700 brave men have perished.
The New York papers, which were loyal to the British Crown, give the most details of the engagement. The Royal American Gazette of April 14, 1777, after giving an account of the regiments and officers engaged, and the night march to Bound Brook, says:
The order being given for the attack, the troops rushed on with their usual intrepidity, and put the rebels to flight, killed upwards of 100, took 73 prisoners amongst which were one of Lincoln’s aid-de camps, one captain, one lieutenant, and a man in irons sentenced by the rebels to be shot on Sunday, 3 brass cannon, a quantity of arms, two wagons loaded with ammunition, a number of horses, 120 head of cattle, sheep, hogs, etc., besides destroying 300 barrels of flour, several hogsheads of New England rum, with sundry other articles that the flourishing states could not very well spare. Our loss was one killed and two Yagers wounded. Many of the friends of the government availed themselves of the confusion the rebels were thrown in by the above disaster, and came into Brunswick with the troops; several of the rebels embraced the same opportunity, and brought in their arms.
It is said the rebel general had not time to collect his clothes, his safety requiring his utmost dexterity and swiftness. The prisoners were brought to New York to-day, and are lodged in gaol with their wretched brethren.
The New York Mercury of April 21, 1777, gives the following account of the results of the encounter:
Above one hundred of the rebels were killed, eighty-five taken prisoners, among whom was a fellow who passed for Lincoln’s aide-de-camp, and two others under the style of officers.
The rebels taken have been brought to town, and are the most miserable looking creatures that ever bore the name of soldiers, being covered with nothing but rags and vermin. Three brass field pieces, muskets, ammunition, camp equipage, papers, several horses, near two hundred head of cattle, with sheep, hogs, rum, flour, bread, etc., were chiefly brought away, and the rest, such as the rum and salted provisions, being very bad, were destroyed.
- Author Note — From these conflicting reports, it is difficult to determine the real loss of the Americans.
British at Bound Brook
The British General did not attempt to follow the Americans in their retreat, but with his army, spent the morning of that Sabbath day in gathering stores and provisions, and plundering the homes of the people of Bound Brook, many of which had no inmates, they having fled with the soldiers and hiding in the mountains. They also destroyed or carried away much valuable property on the return march to New Brunswick.
Lord Cornwallis took his first breakfast in Bound Brook that day, it is said at the house of Philip Van Home, although another report says his stopping place while in the village was at the home of Widow Myers.
Greene Marches to Bound Brook
General Greene, who was stationed with his army at Basking Ridge, hastened to the support of Lincoln, but it was past midday when he reached Bound Brook, and the British had already left the place and marched back to New Brunswick.
A detachment was at once sent forward with all haste to attack the rear of their Army. They were overtaken near Raritan Landing, one officer and seven privates were killed, and sixteen were made prisoners. Upon the return of the American soldiers to their camp at Bound Brook, they looked with dismay upon the devastation perpetrated by the enemy. Immediate steps were taken to restore order and repair damages.
Alexander Sends Supplies to Lincoln
Supplies were sent from other divisions of the Army. Gen. Alexander, also known as Lord Stirling, wrote to Lincoln from Basking Ridge: “It has just occurred to me that a little refreshment for your men will be no disagreeable acquisition to you. I have therefore ordered 600 pounds of beef, three barrels of flour, and twenty gallons of rum to be sent to you instantly.”
The surprise at Bound Brook caused much anxiety to Washington. It showed that it was a post of great importance and also of great danger.
Washington Abandons Bound Brook
Washington intended to construct strong fortifications at Bound Brook and to station a large part of the American Army there.
However, General Greene, having made a careful survey of the field and noting its exposure on all sides to attacks from the enemy, which might be attended with more disastrous results than the first defeat, it was deemed unwise to carry such plans into effect.
On the 28th of May in the same year, Washington came to his encampment on theMiddlebrook, and the troops were withdrawn from Bound Brook.
Washington, with the main body of the American forces, encamped on the elevation of ground overlooking the village of Bound Brook, and only a mile distant. Here, an excellent view of the valley of the Raritan could be obtained, and from the true “Washington Rock” on the summit of the hill (*), all the movements of the enemy at New Brunswick could be seen.
- Author Note (*) — There is also a Washington Rock on the same range of hills between Dunellen and Plainfield. From this rock, the American Commander watched the sharp battle between Lord Stirling’s American troops and the British under Cornwallis near New Market on the 26th day of June, 1777.
Middlebrook Encampment
The American Army came from Morristown on May 28, 1777, and pitched their tents on the Middlebrook. The entire Army numbered 8,398, including cavalry, artillery, and infantry. Of these, 2,660 were sick or disabled, so the real strength of the Army was only 5,738 men.
The first encampment was on the west branch of the Middlebrook, in what is called Washington Valley, between the first and second range of mountains. Three forts guarded this valley from any rear attack by the enemy.
Washington remained with his Army in this valley only seventeen days, moving on June 14th to the south side of the mountain, where he took up a very strong position on the elevated ground in full view of the British.
It was his intention to make a strong line of fortifications here, but on June 30, Lord Howe, with the British Army, retreated from New Jersey to Staten Island. Two days after, on July 2, Washington moved his Army to Pompton Plains.
During this entire encampment, as we learn from a letter written to his brother John, Washington occupied a tent in the midst of his Army. This first encampment lasted 35 days, from May 28 to July 2, 1777.
