The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-12-27
JERSEYS PATRIOTISM
The Pioneer State in the
Unions Defenses in
1912.
A SPLENDID RECORD
Her Troops Protected New
York Harbor-New Pro-
whence Manifesto.

In the issue of the stCall" of November
| IS there was noticed the recent organlza-
ton in the city CT Newark Of the Society
Of the War of 1872 in the State Of New
Jersey. says John w. Bell, in the Newark
Sunday call
It is none foo soon that New Jersey, the
first to call troops to the field, and who
bore the brunt of the labor of protecting
not only its W shores but the commerce
and harbor Of New York City in the ma
lions second war for independence. should
possess such a society.
For there can be no blinking the fact
thai the record of New Jersey in that war
was a splendid one. Not the least splen-
| did was the promptness will which she
accepted the struggle before called upon
to do so. There were no substitutes for
telegraphs. Indeed, the official notlilca-
tion of 4 state of war went to the army
in an ordinary letter posted to Washing
ton June IS, 1912. which was taken BY Cen
eral Bloomfield. commanding at the
| South Battery, now the Aquarium, from
his ordinary mail, on the morning of SAT-
urday, June 20. But before any official
reuuisition reached Governor Pennington
he called out the militia of New jersey
and sent them, on his own decision, %
such points as certainly needed the earli-
est defense. viz.-Sandy Hook, NavesinA
(then called New Jersey Highlands ana
| Jersey city Chen called sPauPs' or
ePowle's Hook The ringing words Of
that proclamation ring yet, when they are
repeated.
once more we are called, said the Coy
L -. = e w RI ~ ~ inc
Eefense of our liberties with the n1ghtIes[
| nation in Europe. AS New Jersey stood
snoulder to shoulder with her brethren IN
that eight years struggle. and as, from
tirst to last. for seven years. her soil wts
| drenched with the blood of her slaash-
tered sons. she is ready again, AZ sns
was earliest In the field then. she Will ne
| earliest now. The eyes Of elle world ne
once more turned upon a people Struggling
only to be free.
There was. indeed. let it be promised,
much reason why our people should NOT
welcome a. second war with Great
Britain. When the Revolution ended the
patriots had achieved their liberties. but
they had achieved nothing else They
were paupers and the Tories-who had
| buried their wealth or hurried it away 70
| Canada, or Who had fred al the patriots
in the rear and scoffed at Washington's
ragged banditti~-held mortgages on the
PATRIOTS farms. But there were no
Shay's rebelliens and no Hartford con-
ventions" in New Jersey, and the second
oan to ,~ar met an earnest, solemn and
an u~nhesitating response. as had the first.
The call wa for 5000 men for the service
of the State for twenty days-at the end
Of which time It was expected h q the
President would have called for Federal
volunteers. eThe result, as will be seen,
justified the Governors promptness, as
/ lid Presidents call for 10000 men from
/ New York and 10, 600 from New Jersey
came nearly q month later9 Within ten
aays from its date. the New Jersey Sea
Fencibles, 500 strong, We're encamped at
| sandy Hook, where a b~lockhouse, chris
tened Fort Gates. was hurriedly erected
of tirnbers hewn at the Highlands. and
constantly strengthened by masonry
ramparts end parapets of sand inclosed
by cribwork, etc. It may be noted that
Fort Gates was never attacked by q
landing party, though 1t was kept con-
stantly garrisoned, the famous Sandy
Hook alarm Of August IS, 1914, being the
only occasion on which it was seriously
threaterea-
Twenty companies of New Jersey raili-
tia. under command Of Colonel Freling-
huysen, We're placed at Raulus hlooN' %
follows
Captain Kilburn's Artillery company
from Orange etwo companles'-
Captain Harrison's Rin Company,
from Orange 1.-TWO ~coInpanies).
Captain Lindsey's Rifle Company, from
Essex two companies).
CAPTAIN Mitchel's Rangers, from Pater-
son
Captain Cranes Rife Company. from
CslaweIl.
caDtain Bars Light Infantry Company,
from Bloomfield.
CAPTAIN Halliday's Rangers, from Nor
s~ristawn.
captain Castles Rifle Company. from
Rattle Hill.
Captain Britton's Fusilesrs, from Chat
ham.
cantain Fair.s Light infantry, from
lFaekensaet
anta;n Garirson,s Light Infantry. from
salem ftwo c-omnanies).
ranrsfn preft.s Light Infantry. from
Rasrinp Rsdee
Cartajp no4,tle,v,s Rangers from Bel