The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1917-04-17
Historic Mount Holly.
THE HEssIAN OCCUPATION AND THE
BATTLE OF DECEMBER %, 1776.

Historic Mount Holly.
THE HEssIAN OCCUPATION AND THE
BATTLE OF DECEMBER %, 1776.
The population Of Mount Holly was
largely composed Of Friends, and there
must have been stirring times in the
village in 177e when the Hsssians I'M
der Count Won Donop marched over
the old Jacksonville road and camped
north Of the mount, sending out .
accommodating party which captured
two men, Henry Paxson and Joseph
Read, who were taken to the camp and
closely questioned. They assured Won
Donop that all the men were with the
army and there were none in town to
oppose them, 30 thecaptives were freed.
Officers and men were quartered on
the townspeople, and q quantity OF
arms stored in the town hall over the
market house was destroyed by them.
The Presbyterian church on Brainard
street was used as o stable, and the
Friends meeting house by the COM
missary department. A number Of
soldiers were quartered at the Cross
KEYS tavern, 80 named from two large
keys crossed and hung up for sign.
1t stood on the west side of Main street,
on the site now occupied by s. Earl
Assay and Walter Wright. The Hes
slams could not speak English, and the
houses in which they were quartered
were designated by numbers. No. 9
was on Mill street, on the site of the
present residences Of George L. Gar
wood and Mrs. ]. C. Lippincott.-[Dr.
Read mss
Josiah White, one of the towns
prominent citizens, then Y years of
age, lived at the northwest corner Of
Pine and Church streets. He was very
benevolent, and being skilled in the
use OF herbs, is said tohave treated the
diseases of the Hessians, refusing any
payment, and gently reasoning with
them upon the wickedness of coming
thousands of miles ito kill fellow
creatures whom they had not SEEN"
It is believed that the Hessians were
in Mount Holly about three weeks,
and had frequent communication with
their posts at Bordsntown, Crosswicks,
and Burlington. They were probably
settling themselves to enjoy Christmas
| in the hearty German fashion when
Col. Samuel Griffin marched up from
Philadelphia with six hundred men,
three days before the battle of Trenton,
attacked the Hessians ct Mount Holly,
and drove them back through jack
sonville to Columbus so precipitately
that they threw away their knapsacks
in their fight. The American force
was joined by a large number OF IT.
regulars, for the depredRtions OF the
Hessians had incensed the peace-lov-
ing people. A Philadelphia newspaper
stated that Griffin had six hundred
men, but diary kept by Burlington
lady gives his force as one thousand,
SO it is probable many joined him on
the march. At any rate, when Griffin
arrived at Columbus, his force was SO
numerous and effective that it caused
| the Hessian commander, enormously
stated to be Col. Rail, but in reality
Won Donop, to turn out the Borden
town garrison of two Thousand men
with seven or eight pieces of artillery.
In face Of this superior force the
Americans retreated in good order to
Mount Holly, to avoid being outfiank-
ed. The women and children had fed
from the town and battle line was
formed along Mill street extending to
Top-e-toy hill. The frog pond on the
mount is the remains of entertainments
made for the Hessian cannon, and the
many cannon balls and grape shot
which have been found in line be-
tween that point and Top-e-toy, proves
the direction of the fire. Much skirmish-
ing went on through the village streets.
The Americans being generally undis-
ciplined, laid in ambush and pounced
upon the British when least expected.
1t is related that man named Mills,
living on Pine street, died about this
time, and as the funeral was about to
move to the burying ground skirmish
took place nearly in front Of the house
| in which one man was killed and the
funeral was delayed some hours.
The Americans gradually retired,
sinking one Of their cannon in the
creek back Of the present water works
to prevent it's capture, and making an
other stand at the San Domingo prop
erty and Iron Works Hill. An artillery
duel took place across what General
Clinton called 1.-The dangerous pass at
Mount Holly" from the mount on one
side to the Iron Works Hill on Pine
street, and the forces opposed each
other for several days.
Capt. Charles Lyon moved here
from Philadelphia before the Revolu-
ton, and lived on Mill street, about
where J. L. P. Eckman now lives. He
was walkingin his garden one morning
while the Hessians were upon the
mount, when cannon ball, fred by
them, struck the chimney just over his
head. 1t stuck far into the brick and
was preserved by the family for many
years.-[Dr. Read mss.
The American troops finally retired
to Moorestown. Both sides sustained
number of losses, and on the retreat
q man named John Gibbon was taken
prisoner by the British, and sent to
the prison hulk Jersey" where he
died six months later. After the battle
of Trenton Donop withdrew his forces
from Mount Holly, and joined the
other British troops at Princeton.
There is no doubt that Grifin's at
tack on Mount Holly was a complete
surprise to the British. Although the