The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1925-07-02
Beacon Lights
At Highlands

This is the last Of the series of articles
on Beacon Lights, the first appearing
during the late war on Watchful Pre-
paredness at the Highlands during the
Revolution:
August 10, TAG. At a meeting Of the
Council of East Jersey held at Perth
Amboy the President communicated a
letter from some gentlemen Of the Coun-
Gil of New York, to whose care and di-
rection his excellancy, Gov Clinton
had recommended the peace and safety
of New York City and lower part Of the
Province of New York. Gov. Clinton
had ordered watchers to be stationed
along the coast of Monmouth County,
at Squan, Deal and the Highlands, un-
der the direction of the Colonel of the
Monmouth Militia. They were informed
by Lieut.. Col John Little and Major
John Redford that watches had been
established since the 28th and Both days
of April last These watchers have
from time to time been supplied by the
Regiment of Foot of Monmouth Coun-
ty and the Instructions given to these
watchers are to give notice to the next
commanding officer who shall call to-
gether their company's and to send for
wa d the alarm to the commanding Off
Ger Of the company. And "That prop
er beacon be sett up and erected upon
the most convenient part of the High
lands of Neversinks in order to give the
Erylist Alarm of the approach of the
Enemy. Orders shall be given to the
several persons who shall be appointed
to keep watch near the same beacon
when erected that they do not presume
to set fire to the said beacon or suffer
any person to set fire to said beacon
without : our order of Colonel or one
of the field officers of the regiment un
der your command; the order of Ric1
ard Salter, Nathaniel Leonard or Rob
ert Hartshorne, or of anyone of you or
them. Upon the approach of six ships
or more the person then on the watch is
immediately to apply to one of the per-
sons above mentioned, who upon such
application is requested to proceed to
the said beacon and if he JUDGES the
said ships to be enemys he is then TO
order the said beacon to be fired and is
to send immediate notice to you or one
of the field officers of the regiment of
said county, who is hereby required up
on receipt of such intelligence to send
notice thereof to me, Col Johnson, Of
the Monmouth Regiment, or to the
Commander-in-C Chief of the Province Cor
the time being,
Sept. 81, 1746. The Council being
informed that one of the beacons erected
in the Highlands of Neversink, on the
18th of August last, had been by acct
dent set on fire in the night time and
that no notice had been taken of it by
the persons appointed in the govern
ment of New York to take and commu-
nicate such alarm; they Informed the
New York Council of the neglect of the
watch stationed there in order they may
take such steps as will prevent the like
for the future. At the session Mordecai
Gibbons of MiddletoWn, and the others
were fined fifteen pounds and forty
shillings each.
The very earliest maps Of the High
lands of Neversink, about 1850, depicts
a military post built in the form of q
stockade, with store-houses, officers
quarters, soldiers barracks, and cross
donating the chapel sc. Inside of these
buildings was formed an open space.
From the map taking Sandy Hook and
the Shrewsbury river as guide the To-
cation of this early military post, prob
ably the first in the Colonies, was
about where Thompson's Pavilion ho-
tel now stands.