Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1904-07-14

remaining oyer night in the latter village
The next morning, by the Kings Highway
above Woodbury., and over the shallow
ford, at or near Clements Bridge, the
Hessians forced on toward Fort Mercer.
It was in the afternoon Of October 22nd
when Hessian officer, in the advance of
the line, halted close to the ramparts,
shouting that the English King orders his
rebellious subjects to lay down their arms
and to expect no quarter. The answer
flung back was shat no quarter was expected
nor would any be given, although a we'll
founded tradition has it that the true reply
was, Gwen see King George be damned
first; we ask no quarter
With this open declaration, hostilities
began both upon the river and on land.
Upon the Delaware, the Augusta, y the
sRoebuck, = the Merlin all of which
were large ships, together with two frigates
and their gallles, passed the Cheveaux-de-
frize and engaged the American fleet. The
Hessians sprang into the abandoned part of
the fort, and rushed upon the abatis, with a
cry of victory Upon the approach Of
the mercenaries, the Rhode Islanders opened
terrific fire of cannon upon the Hessian s
front, and musketry upon their flank Won
Donop led the charge, fighting bravely,a the
dead and wounded Hessians fell upon the
boughs of the abatis and into the moat.
Repulsed, the Kings men made an attack
upon the eseapement on the river side of the
fort, bnt the fire from the ships drove the
Hessians to the protection OF the near by
woods A like attack upon the South was
unsuccessful, and it was then that the
French engineer NJ. du Plessis Maduit,
heard voice from among the heaps of dead
and dying call for aid. 1t was none other
than the brave Won Donop, who three days
later died Of his wounds. In his last mo-
ments Won Donop expressed a regret that
he had finished career so early to die the
victim of ambition and avarice of his
sovereign. To Colonel Clymer, Won Donop
= lid, 1'See in me the vanity of all human
pride. | have shone in all the courts of
Europe, and now am dying on the banks
the Delaware in the house OF an obscure
Quaker
The rout Of the Hessians was complete.
They lost two officers Won Donop and Ming
erode, and in dismay, beat disorderly re-
treat toward Coopers Ferry, while the
Americans condemned to death and hung
the two Tory guides who had conducted
the mercenaries over the Gloucester County
roads. In THIS short but highly spirited
engagement v hich lasted about forty live
minutes, accounts differ as to the loss. A
summary would probably show Hessians;
81 killed, 100 wounded 90 prisoners;
Americans IA killed, % wounded, pris-
oner.
The subsequent history Of Fort Mercer
may be briefly told. For six days Fort
Miffiin upon the Pennsylvania side of the
river was besieged, finally captulated and
its garrison escaped to Red Bank. Thus by
the first of November the control of the
Delaware passed inuo the hands of the Brit
ish, with the exception of Fort Mercer.
exposed, particularly as Lord CORVALLIS
was ordered to advance from New York, re-
duce the fertilization, and redeem the Hess
ians failure. Upon November 18th, Corn
wallis with 2, 600 men crossed the Delaware
from Chester Reinforcements were hur-
ried to Fort Mercer, but through the fail
ure of Generals Nathaniel Greene and Lafa-
yette to connect with Gloves brigade, the
needed assistance did not arrive. Before
CORVALLIS could make an assault, Colonel
Christopher Greene, acting Under orders
blew up Fort Mercer upon November Goth,
and advanced to Haddonfield, his Rhode
Islanders haying first raided the plantation
of Job Whittall. CORVALLIS reached Wood
bury upon the 21st, and having failed in
the enterprise, raided near by plantations
and finished the work of destruction in
and about the Whittal house.
mus feli FORT Mercer, SO CALAMITY pro-
tected, the last of the river defenses upon
the Delaware river. Thus fell the last
place which offered safety to South jersey
farmers, who in the following spring in the
operation in Salem County, and the affairs
at Hancock $ and Quintons bridges, were to
feel she heavy hand of the Kings troops and
Tory raiders. Thus fell the one place Of
refuge, ere Philadelphia became, for sea
son, the resort of idle and licencious troops
Of the crown while Washington starved at
Valley Forge.
With Fort Mercer two names are in
separately connected. One is that Of Doc
tor and Colonel Hugh Mercer, who, born in
Scotland, emigrated to Virginia after the
dafaat of Ir;nna Charles ia ,x,ard opd