Norwich bulletin., 1921-02-02
ODD INCIDENTS IN AMERICAN
 HIsTORf
THE HERO OF ELIzABETHTowN.

THE HERO OF fsLIZABETHTOWN.
 One Of the most notable of the pre- Revolutionary ministers of the Ameri- tAn colonies was the Rev Jarnes Caldwell, who ais known as the hero of EIizabethtown; N. J. It is related of him that in the battle that occurred near his home at Springfield, N. J.. which was attacked by a hsa1y force Sf British the soldier parsor, which was the nickname that had been given to him, gailoped to the church nearoy and brought back with him an arTnful of Psalm books to supply the r1c with Wadaihg for their hfelocks, and shouted: Nov put Watts into them, boys; put Watts into them.'
 The war had driven the little com muhity of Elizabethtown, over which he presided, as their spiritual advlset, into intense excitement. His devotion to his faithful flock was lis strongest supp6ft in this time of peril. The Rev; CaldVell ministered to distinguished c5hgfegatioh, atnohg their members of which were Governor Livingstone Elias Boudinot. afterWard president of the Continental Congress Abraham Clark, one Of the sighers of the peclafatior of Independence the Hon. Robert Ogden, speaker of the assembly and from this
  Hiissioned officers t6 fight tfe battles Of independence,
 The Rev. Caldwell was chaplain to the New Jersey brigade and assistant eorhtnissary officer from TIT to 177S. The old bafs6hage was destroyed By the enemy the latter year The cam paign of 17S0 opened late in the spring on account tof a severe winter. A few weeks before the Hessiah troops began | an invasion of New Jersey the Rev. Gala | well removed his family from Elizabeth | town to Connecticut Farms-new Union New Jersey.
 When the British troops passed through l the Farms Mrs. Caldwell, with her i maid retired to a secluded apartment with tke children. As she looked out of | the window a red-coat fired his musket at her It was loaded with two bullets wiicf passed through htt body, and she | Instantly expired. A correspondent of | the New Jersey Gazette. of that period says: q saw her corpse, and was inform. ed by the neigh56rs that they obtained | leave to bring the body from the house before the British set fire to it, wit great difficulty.
 1 The soldier parso1' survived his wifi | until the latter part of November, 17g1 | when he was shot dead without : am pro*ocatlon by an Irshlnan named Nor gan. The coroner's jury brougt in { verdict of "wlful inurder' He wa! afine as an American sentry and i | was thought that he was bribed by tn enefhy to do the dreadful deed.
 The British authorities had offered reward for the assassination of Governo Livingston. and next to him Chaplain Caldwell was most dreaded. The hin orphan children of the Caldwels were l hnfriapAdd bIy L were greatly assisted by General Wash ington Marquis de Lafayette, Gen. Lin coln and others. Lafayette obtained tn i privilege Of adopting and educating tn
 eldest son. On his departure for Franc } young Caldwell accompanied him and be came member of his family He remain
 cd abroad until 17s1 when owing to tn
 horrors of the French Revolution; he re turned to America.
 , Young Caldwell lated married an when Lafayette visited this country
 1925 he went with his youngest daughte as far as BiadensBufE to meet the di; [ 'tihguished Ffehchffian and. Brought tiI to his house, where he remained Sever;
 days. A strong friendship always exis
 ed between the two families { Bret Harte has celebf1.ted in rhyme or !. Of the most striking incidents of the' Re
 Caldwelfs life as the soldier pafs5n:" i What would you do?
 U Why just what he did! They We're le l. in the 1ufch
 For the want of more ~aadtng. He "a
 to the church,
 r Broke the door, stripped the pews, ar s dashed out in the road, l. With his arms full of hymn books, al
 threw down his load
 At their feet! Then, above all the shou ,AI ing and shots,
 x Rang his voice, Put .wat4s into 'er lee boys; give 'er71 Wattsr' M And they did, That is an. Grass
 Spring, flowers blow
 Pretty much as they did ninety-thr # years ago. - 4 You may dig anywhere and vou,u t,,