The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-10-15
WAY BACK IN rs.
Remarkably Interesting
Journal of a Jersey
Woman During the
Revolution.
SAVED A TORY REFUGEE
Startling Times in Burlington
A Veritable Reign OF
Terror.
SAVED A TORY REFUGEE

MgHH Hst
AT an old book store on Broad street
may be seen a rare old pamphlet Whlch
| should be Of rare interest to all jersey
men and in particular to all Jersey wo-
men. This is the legend on the title page
"Priyate Journal Kept During a Portion
of the revolutionary War for the Amuse-
ment of a Sister. By Margaret Morris
of Burlington, N. j." The old
was privately printed in 1886, at Pnliaoei-
phia. The original manuscript MAD peeh
treasured in the family until finally II
was decided to preserve its contents IN
print. Many relatives and friends VINO
had been privileged to peruse 1t desired
copies, and, as has been said, hfty copies
were struck off. Diaries of this sort are
very rare indeed. Few who had the aDll-
ity and the inclination to write had any
opportunity If they lived in a neighoor-
hood where there were affairs OF move
| ment. Letters, even, written during the
Revolution from the Continental army 10
friends and relatives were very few, con-
sequently anything of the sort Is To-Day
priced very highly.
In her journal Mrs. Morris gives many
interesting "reminiscences of fighting
/ dUOul lOi Lily ASA
additional interest from the fact that
they were set down day by day as the
various events transpired. Mrs. Norris
was a Tory and in her writing is at no
pains to conceal her feelings. She has the
heart of a good woman, however, and in
time of suffering forgets her leanings, re-
Numbering only that men in want and
pain suffer Just as much whether they
are rebels or kings men. Margaret Nor
ris was a Quaker and was left a widow
early in life. She died at Burlington, N.
Jim 1876, at the age of 70. The sister, for
which the Journal was written, was Mrs.
Miliah Martha Moore. Concerning Mrs.
Morris the writer of the preface to the
journal writes: "She was a pious Chris
tan; her ever cheerful and equable tenn
permanent through many years OF great
suffering and confinement to her couch
were truly remarkable; it is in that char
acter in which she is best remembered by
her grandchildren and numerous connec-
tions to whom her whole career was a
pattern of modesty, benevolence and a
just reliance in Divine Providence, which
never failed to sustain her through many
trials" The journal opens near the close
of the all-important year of '76, and what
makes it of special interest is that 1t has
something to say of the battle of Trenton
and some of the m~anoeuvers when I'M
mediately preceded that splendid achieve
ment of the Colonial arms. The introduce
tory paragraph is as follows:---
A FAIR TORY'S DIARY.
December 6, 1T6-Being on a visit to
my friend, M. s.. at Haddonfield, I was
a person from Philadelphia told me the
people there were in a great c~onrnotion
that the English fleet was in the
the city-that the inhabitants We're re-
moving into the country-and that sew
eral persons of considerable repute had
been discovered to have have formed g
design Of setting fire to, the city, and
were summoned before the Congress
and strictly enjoined to drop the horrid
bort NV heart almost died within me,
punish the innocent with the guilty, and
terceding Lots and Abrahams amongst
our people. On my journey home was
told the inhabitants OF our little town
the country. and that my nearest neigh
bors were already moved. When I heard
this I felt myself quite sick; ! was ready
ton. no husband to cheer with the
voice of love my sinking spirits. Ny
l rs,,t f Ssan too how w 10 steer a fat Aii t. tbe 81,
things crowded into my mind at once.
and / felt like one forsaken; a flood of
felt a humble confidence that He WHO
had been with me in six rouble would
not forsake me now"
December "A letter from my next
n~eighbors husband, at the (Continentap
camp, wished her to be gone in haste, and
many, persons coming INTO town today.
brought intelligence that the British army
were advancing on us.
The town Is on tiptoe for several days
over wild and conflicting rumors anent
tin0ntal troops begin to come I'D the
river in what Mrs. Morris calls gal
leys.' Rumors of a troop of light horse
the neighborhood become more frequent.
Continental troops, sixty in number. pass
through Burlington. and 1t IS learned
towering force of Hessians. The CONT
nentals hurry on, and as they cross what
y called the York bridge. the Hessians,
direction. Nearly all the. men left in
Burlington are Tor: es. and they go out
to meet the Hessians; The Hessian
are quiet and peaceable and furnish his
troops with refreshments no manner Of
a msan fhall t aoms co tH shs t0w so1a,eT n ba the
been informed that the Hess.ans are al
ready in Burlington, and -four .galleys'
town. They open fire with swivel guns
and eighteen-pounders. While all the
tumult was in town, We. on our peace
the firing, were wondering what It could
mean. and, unsuspecting of danger
were quietly pursuing our business in
the family. when a kline neighbor in.
formed us of the occasion and urged us
to go into the cellar as a place Of
safety. We were prevailed on by hin
to do SO, and remained there until Il
(the bombardmenD ceased.
A THANKFUL HEART.
December 12.-The people of the gal
1eys, suspeoting that some troops were
either concealed in the town or neigh
borhood of IT, nave been very Jealous
of the inh abftants. who nave often been
alarmed with the reports THAT the city
would be set on fire; many have gone in
haste and great distress into the coun-
/, try, bur we still hope no mischief is ser
iously intended. A humber of men
) landed on our bank this morning and told
US 1t was their settled purpose to set
E fire to the town. I begged them not to
was my house. and they said they knew
E last night. for seeing a light in the
Chambers they thought there were Hess.
fans in 1T, and they pointed their guns
4 at it several times. I told them my
: chsldren were sick, which Obliged me Il
( burn a light all night. Though they die
4 not know what hindered them from fir.
i ing ON US, / did; it was the guardian Of
( the widow and the orphan, WIKI took III
e into his bookkeeping, and preserved us
E from danger: oh. THAT ] may keep hum
g Bile and be hankful for this. as well al
other fayors votchsa6ed to my littlt
Z From the 18th to the 18TH. write,
Mrs. Morris. 1--WE had various reports 81