The Affair at Little Egg Harbor took place on October 15, 1778, in southern New Jersey during the American Revolutionary War. American Loyalists killed 45 Patriot men, bayonetting them as they slept. The massacre took place about one week after the Battle of Chestnut Neck, a British raid aimed at suppressing privateers who used the area as a base to harass and seize British ships and their cargoes.
British Army officer Captain Patrick Ferguson led a raid on Chestnut Neck, on the Mullica River, to retrieve supplies taken by privateers and try to stop their use of the town as a base for the distribution of their prizes and shipment of captured goods to General Washington at Valley Forge.
Count Kazimierz Pułaski and his newly raised forces were ordered to oppose his actions. Pulaski's Legion, along with three companies of light infantry, three troops of light horse, and one artillery detachment, arrived the day after Ferguson departed Chestnut Neck. But their arrival did stop Ferguson from raiding the iron works at Batsto. The plan was to attack Batsto, but the river proved too shallow and time ran out, Batsto remained untouched. [1] and stemmed their attacks on privateers at The Forks of the Mullica River. For a week the two forces were at a standoff.
Attackedit
Massacre plaque
Pulaski's troops reached the Little Egg Harbor district (near present-day Tuckerton), and immediately set up camp on a farm.
Lt. Gustav Juliet, a deserter, found Ferguson and told him of Pulaski's encampment; he mentioned that morale was fairly low, and security almost nonexistent. Ferguson promptly loaded 250 of his best men onto boats and rowed them, in the dark, some ten miles to what is now Osborne Island. He marched them two miles to the site of the infantry outpost, which comprised fifty men a short distance from the main encampment. At first light, Ferguson ordered the attack; he took only five prisoners and his men, all American Loyalists, killed nearly 50 men.
Pulaski eventually led up his mounted troops, causing Ferguson to retreat to his boats, and leaving a few men who had fallen into the Patriot colonists' hands.
Legacyedit
The farm land which was the site of the massacre has been developed as the Country Club Estates; a small parcel of the colonial farm was preserved on a plot of land between Hollybrook Drive and Cedarbrook Lane.
The Pulaski Monument is located on Pulaski Blvd in the Mystic Island section of Little Egg Harbor.[2][3]
^Wrobleski, Joseph (April 14, 2010). "Pulaski Legion Memorial Little Egg Harbor Massacre". Historical Marker Database. Retrieved 2012-02-28.
^Kent, Bill (December 28, 1997), "JERSEYANA; One Soldier's Battle to Preserve the Memory of Others", The New York Times, retrieved 2012-02-28
Information adapted from Boatner's Landmarks of the American Revolution, 1992 ed.
Stryker, William Scudder (1894). The affair at Egg Harbor, New Jersey, October 15, 1778. Trenton, NJ: Naar, Day & Naar.
April 12, 2024
affair, little, harbor, little, harbor, massacrepart, american, revolutionary, wardateoctober, 1778locationnear, little, harbor, present, tuckerton, jersey39, 375resultbritish, victorybelligerents, united, states, great, britaincommanders, leaderskazimierz, pu. Little Egg Harbor massacrePart of the American Revolutionary WarDateOctober 15 1778Locationnear Little Egg Harbor present day Tuckerton New Jersey39 32 56 N 74 22 30 W 39 549 N 74 375 W 39 549 74 375ResultBritish victoryBelligerents United States Great BritainCommanders and leadersKazimierz PulaskiPatrick FergusonStrength50250Casualties and losses45 killed5 captured3 killed3 wounded The Affair at Little Egg Harbor took place on October 15 1778 in southern New Jersey during the American Revolutionary War American Loyalists killed 45 Patriot men bayonetting them as they slept The massacre took place about one week after the Battle of Chestnut Neck a British raid aimed at suppressing privateers who used the area as a base to harass and seize British ships and their cargoes Contents 1 Background 2 Attack 3 Legacy 4 See also 5 ReferencesBackground editMain articles New Jersey in the American Revolution and Battle of Chestnut Neck British Army officer Captain Patrick Ferguson led a raid on Chestnut Neck on the Mullica River to retrieve supplies taken by privateers and try to stop their use of the town as a base for the distribution of their prizes and shipment of captured goods to General Washington at Valley Forge Count Kazimierz Pulaski and his newly raised forces were ordered to oppose his actions Pulaski s Legion along with three companies of light infantry three troops of light horse and one artillery detachment arrived the day after Ferguson departed Chestnut Neck But their arrival did stop Ferguson from raiding the iron works at Batsto The plan was to attack Batsto but the river proved too shallow and time ran out Batsto remained untouched 1 and stemmed their attacks on privateers at The Forks of the Mullica River For a week the two forces were at a standoff Attack edit nbsp Massacre plaquePulaski s troops reached the Little Egg Harbor district near present day Tuckerton and immediately set up camp on a farm Lt Gustav Juliet a deserter found Ferguson and told him of Pulaski s encampment he mentioned that morale was fairly low and security almost nonexistent Ferguson promptly loaded 250 of his best men onto boats and rowed them in the dark some ten miles to what is now Osborne Island He marched them two miles to the site of the infantry outpost which comprised fifty men a short distance from the main encampment At first light Ferguson ordered the attack he took only five prisoners and his men all American Loyalists killed nearly 50 men Pulaski eventually led up his mounted troops causing Ferguson to retreat to his boats and leaving a few men who had fallen into the Patriot colonists hands Legacy editThe farm land which was the site of the massacre has been developed as the Country Club Estates a small parcel of the colonial farm was preserved on a plot of land between Hollybrook Drive and Cedarbrook Lane The Pulaski Monument is located on Pulaski Blvd in the Mystic Island section of Little Egg Harbor 2 3 See also editAmerican Revolutionary War Stalemate in the North Places Affair at Little Egg Harbor in overall sequence and strategic context References edit Franklin Kemp Nest of Rebel Pirates Wrobleski Joseph April 14 2010 Pulaski Legion Memorial Little Egg Harbor Massacre Historical Marker Database Retrieved 2012 02 28 Kent Bill December 28 1997 JERSEYANA One Soldier s Battle to Preserve the Memory of Others The New York Times retrieved 2012 02 28 Information adapted from Boatner sLandmarks of the American Revolution 1992 ed Stryker William Scudder 1894 The affair at Egg Harbor New Jersey October 15 1778 Trenton NJ Naar Day amp Naar Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Affair at Little Egg Harbor amp oldid 1195995997, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
