The Penn's Grove record., 1906-06-08
REL BANKS Fight
The Attack on Fort Mercer r2e Years
Ago--Count Donop's Repulse.

Notifications ON the Delaware, below
Philadelphia-Fort Mercer at Red Bank
and Fort Miflin on Mud Island. 1t was
about this time that Francis Hopkinson,
of Bordentown, wrote his famous ditty Oh
the "Battle of the Kegs" beginning;
"Gallants, attend and hear a friend
Trill forth harmonious ditty;
Strange things L. tell which late befell
In Philadelphia City"
1t was a satire on the British, whose
guns had been aimed at numerous kegs
which came floating down the Delaware.
These kegs were set adrift at B~ordentown
and were intended to injure the British
ships in front Of Philadelphia. Within
each key was an internal machine. While
the shooting was going on
''Sir William, he, snug as a flea,
Lay all the time a-snoring;
Nor dreamed of harm, as he lay warm,
In bed with Mrs. Loring."
The song was sung to the tune of "Yan-
kee Doodle" and though quite lengthy,
was caught up and sung by the "rebels'
within as well as without the British lines.
1t gave General Howe great offence, and
he embraced the first opportunity for re-
venge. The fort at Red Bank was garris-
oned by about 400 Americans, in com
maud of Colonel Christopher Greene, of
OF Rhode Island. Howe determined to
reduce this fort and make a general sweep
of all the American works on the Della
ware.
On October 20-it was Monday that
year-he ordered Count Donop, with
nearly 1000 Hessian grenadiers, to march
upon Fort Mercer. The next day the
Hessians crossed the Delaware at Cooper's
Ferry, and marched thence to Haddon-
field whence they went by way OF Cattle
town to the Kings highway above Wood
bury. They had intended taking a more
direct route, but the Americans had des-
troyed the bridges across the intervening
streams. A portion of their route still
goes by the name of the .Hessian road,
and a stream of water that crosses the
road is known as Hessian Run, from the
fact that it was here that they rested and
r~eplenished their canteens. A white man
named McIlvaine, with Tory proclivities,
and a negro named "Dick," belonging to
Colonel Ellis, of H%addonfield, volunteer
ed to act as guides, and cold Mitch" an
other negro, at work on Cooper creek
bridge, was pressed into service for a like
purpose.
In the meantime Colonel Greene and
his 400 patriots were not idle. Not having
men enough to properly man the entire
fort, they put a double board fence across
the lower end. To hide their cannon
from view they covered them with brush
and filed the space between the two
fences with hay, old lumber and such
other distractions as were at hand. On
October % Donop arrived before the fort
and demanded its surrender, adding that
no quarter would be given if he had to
capture the fort by force.
On being told that theAmericans would
not surrender, Donop began his assault.
The Americans had previously determin-
ed to make only a show of defence at the
upper end OF the fort, retreating to the
lower end as soon as the attack was found
to be in earnest. The Hessians got with
i'll the upper end with little or no loss,
and finding it abandoned they rushed
forward with eXultant shouts certain OF
easy victory. Donop and Mingerode, the
latter second in command, were at the
head OF their men. While crowded into
a small enclosure, their bodies almost in
contact with the muZZles OF the cannon,
the latter were discharged, and III a few
minutes seventy Hesslans were laid
out on the ground dead. The wounded
numbered seventy-three, and among the
latter were Donop and Mlngerode, who
fell almost at the same instant, Such an
unexpected reception appalled, and de-
moraliZed the Hessians, and they retreat
ed in great confusion. The American loss
was fourteen killed and twenty-five
wounded. DOnop received a ball through
bis hip and was covered by bodies OF his
dead followers.
Some OF the Americans, s~allying out to
repair their fence, broke in the attack
were heard by Donop. With a weak voice
the latter said;
whoever you are draw me hence"
He was accordingly taken into the fort.
Here the Americans, remembering the
threat Of the Hessian officer and drum
mer who were permitted to approach the
fort with a flag OF truce before the assault
-''the King OF England orders his rebel
lious subjects to lay down their arms, and
they are warned that if they stand the
battle no quarter whatever will
be giyen"-remembering this threat, the
Americans said to DOnop:
cit is determined to give no quarter"
81 am in your hands" said the Count;
you may revenge yourselves" Never
theless, the wounded Hessian was prop
erly cared for. He was removed first to
Whitall House, below the fort, and after
ward to the house of one Lowe over the
dam, at Woodbury. creek, where he died
of his wounds three days later. Manudit
the French engineer, directed the artill-
cry in this engagement, and seeing him,
the wounded Donop said: "You appear
to be a foreigner, sir. Who are your
"a French officer" said Manduit. 81
am content; l die in the hands of honor
itself, " said Donop. When told that his
end was near, Donop said: cit is finish
ing a noble career early" he was then
thirty-seven), "but | die the victim OF
ambition and the avarice OF my sovereign.
| have seen the vanity of all human
grandeur; have shone in all the courts OF
Europe, and here | am dying on the
banks of the Delaware, in the house OF
an obscure Quaker"
Donop was buried about half way be-
tween the John and Ann Whitall House,
and the lower end of the fort. Some one
placed a stone at his head, on which was
picked, III a very crude way, the one
word "Donop." Years afterward what
was left OF the Hessian was dug up and
distributed among various persons as
CHASTITY relics. Time was when men were
guilty OF exhibiting canes, the heads OF
which were set with teeth taken from the
Counts jaw
A monument was dedicated on October
p, 1929, in memory of Colonel Greene
and commemorative of this battle by
some Pennsylvania and New Jersey sol
diers, at which time a sham battle was
fought on the field in front of the font.
The Pennsylvania troops, three or -four
hundred in number, commanded by Col.
Bartle, OF Philadelphia, represented tie
Hessians, After they had passed the
Whltall House they were met by the Jer-
sey troops, not much over one hundred
IN number, commanded by Colonel Arm.
strong OF Woodbury., and representing
the Americans.
The two companies made a good deal
OF noise; perhaps a few were 'fshot in the
neck" but there were no serious wounds.
The monument was first placed upon the
brow OF the hill, but afterward it was sci