Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1906-01-18

through the aid Of scout who knew a
by-road that Lafayette escaped being
captured.
But according to Lafayette's own report,
the time Of day is wrong, as well as the
location where he was, when seen by the
enemy, and pursued. In his official re-
port to Washington, he says that this
reconnoitreing was in tho morning, and in
his map Of the engagements and location Of
the enemy's forces, Sandy Point is dis
tinctly shown to be North Of Newton Creek
where the New York Shipbuilding Plant
now is. Directly opposite, about where the
old iron foundry is now located, in the
upper part Of Gloucester portion Of
Corvallis troops was posted, to guard
the approach from Camden, and these were
the troops who saw Lafayette while stand
ing near the river bank at the mouth of
Newton Creek, accommodating their posi-
tion, and watching the boats coming from
Gloucester to Philadelphia with their
plunder.
ITO insure protection" to the British
army, and to the foraging parties sent ont
by CORVALLIS, English and Hessian ''pick-
cts we're kept on and along the Kings road
which crossedn Newton Creek and Little
Timber Creek at the Two Tons Tavern,
kept by an old lady known as Aunty High
Cap. The road extending Sousherly passed
close in front Of tbe Browning homestead,
and over Big Timber Greek where the. old
bridge formerly stood. Going Southerly
(easterly is correot) from the old tavern it
went near the former residence of Jonathan
Atkinson, and through Mount Ephraim
towards Haddonfeld" [d)
The section Of country lying between
this old road and the riyer was the scene
of many encounters, numberless reconnois-
sances and much strategy, and traditions
are still remembered, touching their pur-
pose and success, while others are lost sight
of and forgotten (d)
There are many accounts Of this battle
or skirmish. In Brooks True Story of
Lafayette we read: On the twenty-ffth Of
Noyember. while accompanying Genera
Greene as volunteer, to test the strength
of the British advance from Philadelphia,
he (Lafayette) discovered the British posi-
tion near the town of Gloucester, and with
force of but three hundred and fifty men,
attacked and routed the Hessian advance,
with such spirit that CORVALLIS supposed
himself assailed by Greene's entire division,
and with his men retreated in hot haste to
the security of the main army" (e1
i In Barbes's Historical Recollections A
small, but brilliant affair was performed by
a detachment Of about one hundred and
fifty ridemen under Lieut.. Col. Butler, and
a like number Of militia under the Mar
quis de Lafayette, who served as a volun-
teer. They attacked picket Of the enemy,
consisting Of about three hundred men,
and drove them with the loss Of twenty OF
thirty killed, and great number wounded
quite into their camp, retiring themselves
without pursuit. (d)
In Lossing's Field Book of the Revolution
the following brief account is given: "a
detachment Of one hundred and fifty rife
men under Lieut. Col. Butler, and an equal
number Of militia under Lafayette, at
tackled picket Of the enemy three hundred
strong, killed between twenty and thirty Of
them, droYe the remainder Of them quite
into camp at Gloucester, and returned with
out losing man. !" ~
The following account Of the engagement
and the events that led up to it, was pub
lished in one Of the newspapers, and can b5
found in the New Jersey Archives:
Mount Holly, Nov. 25, TIT
s'This day at 10 O'Clock General Gloyer's
brigrade joined the detachmentof Continen-
tai troops at this place under the command
of Major General Greene, who was pre-
pared to attack Lord CORVALLIS, and only
awaited the arrival Of this reinforce
ment From the intelligence the General
had received, he expected the enemy were
encamped on this side Of Little Timber
Creek, and intending either to possess
themselves Of Haddonfeld, or after plunder-
ing and rayaging the country, suddenly, tc
cross the Delaware; he therefore ordered the
whole troops to march that night at twelve
O'Clock. The Marquis LaFayett who, ths
day before had been down to reconnoitre ths
country, had shat evening fallen in with 8
part Of the enemy, consistingof about foul
hundred; the Marquis took with him tht
fifiemen and part Of the Jersey militia as !
covering party; with these, though greatly
interior ID number be Immediately engaget
THE hraperv n9 xhi4 1itt1e Marty