Battle of Iron Works Hill
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Iron Works Hill, also known as the Battle of Mount Holly, was a series of minor skirmishes that took place on December 22 and 23, 1776, during the American War of Independence. They took place in Mount Holly, New Jersey
, between an American force mostly composed of colonial militia under Colonel Samuel Griffin
and a force of 2,000 Hessian mercenaries and British Army
regulars under Carl von Donop
.
While the American force of 600 was eventually forced from their positions by the larger British force, the action prevented Donop from being in his assigned base at Bordentown, New Jersey
and in a position to assist Johan Rall
's brigade in Trenton, New Jersey
when it was attacked and defeated
by George Washington
after his troops crossed the Delaware
on Christmas
night.
In July 1776 forces of Great Britain
under the command of General William Howe
landed on Staten Island
. Over the next several months, Howe's forces, which were British Army
regulars and hired German troops usually referred to as Hessian, chased George Washington
's Continental Army
out of New York City
and across New Jersey
. Washington's army, which was shrinking in size due to expiring enlistments, and desertions due to poor morale, took refuge in Pennsylvania
on the western shore of the Delaware River
in November, removing all the available watercraft to deny the British any opportunity to cross the wide river.
General Howe established a chain of outposts across New Jersey, and ordered his troops into winter quarters. The southernmost outposts were located at Trenton
and Bordentown
. The Trenton outpost was manned by about 1,500 German troops from Hesse-Kassel
under the command of Johann Rall, and the Bordentown outpost was manned by Hessians and the British 42nd Regiment
, about 2,000 troops in all, under the command of the German Carl von Donop
. Bordentown itself was not large enough to house all of Donop's brigade. While he had hoped to quarter some troops even further south at Burlington
, where there was strong Loyalist
support, floating gun batteries from the Pennsylvania Navy
threatened the town, and Donop, rather than expose Loyalist allies to their fire, was forced to scatter his troops throughout the surrounding countryside.
As the troops of Donop and Rall occupied the last outposts, they were often exposed to the actions of Continental Army raids and the actions of Patriot
militia forces that either arose spontaneously or were recruited by Army regulars. These actions frayed the nerves of the troops, as the uncertainty of when and where such attacks would take place, and by what size force, put the men and their commanders on edge, leading them to jump up to investigate every rumored movement. Rall went so far as to order his men to sleep "fully dressed like [they were] on watch."
One militia force that arose in December 1776 was a company under the command of Virginia
Colonel Samuel Griffin
. Griffin (whose name is sometimes misspelled "Griffith") was the adjutant to General Israel Putnam
, who was responsible for the defense of Philadelphia. His force, whose exact composition is uncertain, probably included some Virginia artillerymen, Pennsylvania infantry, and New Jersey militia, and numbered five to six hundred. By mid-December he had reached Moorestown
, south of Mount Holly
, and rumors of his presence reached Donop. Donop sent a Loyalist to investigate, who reported a force of "not above eight hundred, nearly one half boys, and all of them Militia a very few from Pennsylvania excepted". Thomas Stirling, the commander of the 42nd, heard rumors that there were 1,000 rebels at Mount Holly, and that "2,000 more were in the rear to support them", and began pulling in his foraging parties. When Donop asked Stirling for advice, he replied that "You sir, with the troops at Bordentown, should come here and attack. I am confident we are a match for them." Griffin had advanced to Mount Holly and established a rough fortification atop a hill near an iron works, south of Rancocas Creek
and the village center.
), where the 42nd was quartered, to investigate the situation. After learning that Griffin's men were at Mount Holly, he returned to Bordentown, only to hear alarm shots from Blackhorse. According to Donop's journal (a document that historian David Hackett Fischer
believes is of dubious reliability) a guard outpost of the 42nd was attacked at Petticoat Bridge by Griffin's full force, and made to retreat before being reinforced by nearby British and Hessian troops.
On the evening of December 22, Washington's adjutant, Joseph Reed
, went to Mount Holly and met with Griffin. Griffin had written to Reed, requesting small field pieces to assist in their actions, and Reed, who had been discussing a planned attack on Rall's men in Trenton with Washington, wanted to see if Griffin's company could participate in some sort of diversionary attack. Griffin was ill, and his men ill-equipped for significant action, but they apparently agreed to some sort of actions the next day.
The next day, Donop brought his full brigade (the 42nd and the Hessian regiments Block and Linsing) to Mount Holly, where he reported scattering about 1,000 men near the town's meeting house. Jäger
Captain Johann Ewald
reported that "some 100 men" were posted on a hill "near the church", who "retired quickly" after a few rounds of artillery were fired. Griffin, whose men had occupied Mount Holly, slowly retreated to their fortified position on the hill, following which the two sides engaged in ineffectual long-range gunfire.
), they moved in force to drive the militia from the hill, but Griffin and his men had retreated during the night. For whatever reason, Donop and his full brigade again remained in Mount Holly, 18 miles (29 km) and a full day's march from Trenton, until a messenger arrived on December 26, bringing the news of Rall's defeat by Washington
that morning.
News of the skirmishes at Mount Holly was often exaggerated. Published accounts of the day varied, including among participants in the battle. One Pennsylvanian claimed that sixteen of the enemy were killed, while a New Jersey militiaman reported seven enemy killed. Both Donop and Ewald specifically denied any British or German casualties occurred during the first skirmish on December 22, while the Pennsylvania Evening Post reported "several" enemy casualties with "two killed and seven or eight wounded" of the militia through the whole action.
Some reporters, including Loyalist Joseph Galloway
, assumed that Griffin had been specifically sent to draw Donop away from Bordentown, but Donop's decision to attack in force was apparently made prior to Reed's arrival. Reed noted in his journal that "this , though perfectly accidental, had a happy effect as it drew off Count Donop ..." The planning for Washington's crossing of the Delaware
did include sending a militia force to Griffin in an attack on Donop at Mount Holly; this company failed to cross the river.
Mount Holly Township, New Jersey
Mount Holly Township is a township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States as well as an eastern suburb of Philadelphia. As of the 2000 United States Census, the township population was 10,728. It is the county seat of Burlington County....
, between an American force mostly composed of colonial militia under Colonel Samuel Griffin
Samuel Griffin
Samuel Griffin was a lawyer and politician from Virginia. He represented Virginia in the U.S. House of Representatives.-Biography:...
and a force of 2,000 Hessian mercenaries and British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
regulars under Carl von Donop
Carl von Donop
Count Carl Emilius von Donop was a Hessian colonel who fought in the American Revolutionary War.-Origins and ambitions:...
.
While the American force of 600 was eventually forced from their positions by the larger British force, the action prevented Donop from being in his assigned base at Bordentown, New Jersey
Bordentown, New Jersey
Bordentown City is in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 3,924. Bordentown is located at the confluence of the Delaware River, Blacks Creek and Crosswicks Creek...
and in a position to assist Johan Rall
Johan Rall
Johann Gottlieb Rall was a German colonel, best known for being in command of Hessian troops in Trenton, New Jersey at the Battle of Trenton during the American War of Independence.-Early life and career:...
's brigade in Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
when it was attacked and defeated
Battle of Trenton
The Battle of Trenton took place on December 26, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, after General George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River north of Trenton, New Jersey. The hazardous crossing in adverse weather made it possible for Washington to lead the main body of the...
by George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
after his troops crossed the Delaware
Washington's crossing of the Delaware
Washington's crossing of the Delaware River, which occurred on December 25, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, was the first move in a surprise attack organized by George Washington against the Hessian forces in Trenton, New Jersey...
on Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
night.
Background
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
under the command of General William Howe
William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe
William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe, KB, PC was a British army officer who rose to become Commander-in-Chief of British forces during the American War of Independence...
landed on Staten Island
Staten Island
Staten Island is a borough of New York City, New York, United States, located in the southwest part of the city. Staten Island is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull, and from the rest of New York by New York Bay...
. Over the next several months, Howe's forces, which were British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
regulars and hired German troops usually referred to as Hessian, chased George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
's Continental Army
Continental Army
The Continental Army was formed after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War by the colonies that became the United States of America. Established by a resolution of the Continental Congress on June 14, 1775, it was created to coordinate the military efforts of the Thirteen Colonies in...
out of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and across New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
. Washington's army, which was shrinking in size due to expiring enlistments, and desertions due to poor morale, took refuge in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
on the western shore of the Delaware River
Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river on the Atlantic coast of the United States.A Dutch expedition led by Henry Hudson in 1609 first mapped the river. The river was christened the South River in the New Netherland colony that followed, in contrast to the North River, as the Hudson River was then...
in November, removing all the available watercraft to deny the British any opportunity to cross the wide river.
General Howe established a chain of outposts across New Jersey, and ordered his troops into winter quarters. The southernmost outposts were located at Trenton
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
and Bordentown
Bordentown, New Jersey
Bordentown City is in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 3,924. Bordentown is located at the confluence of the Delaware River, Blacks Creek and Crosswicks Creek...
. The Trenton outpost was manned by about 1,500 German troops from Hesse-Kassel
Hesse-Kassel
The Landgraviate of Hesse-Kassel or Hesse-Cassel was a state in the Holy Roman Empire under Imperial immediacy that came into existence when the Landgraviate of Hesse was divided in 1567 upon the death of Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse. His eldest son William IV inherited the northern half and the...
under the command of Johann Rall, and the Bordentown outpost was manned by Hessians and the British 42nd Regiment
42nd Regiment of Foot
The 42nd Regiment of Foot was an infantry regiment of the British Army. Originally the 43rd Highlanders they were renumbered the 42nd in 1748.- Early history :...
, about 2,000 troops in all, under the command of the German Carl von Donop
Carl von Donop
Count Carl Emilius von Donop was a Hessian colonel who fought in the American Revolutionary War.-Origins and ambitions:...
. Bordentown itself was not large enough to house all of Donop's brigade. While he had hoped to quarter some troops even further south at Burlington
Burlington, New Jersey
Burlington is a city in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States and a suburb of Philadelphia. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was 9,920....
, where there was strong Loyalist
Loyalist (American Revolution)
Loyalists were American colonists who remained loyal to the Kingdom of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. At the time they were often called Tories, Royalists, or King's Men. They were opposed by the Patriots, those who supported the revolution...
support, floating gun batteries from the Pennsylvania Navy
Pennsylvania Navy
The Pennsylvania Navy served as the naval force of Pennsylvania during the American Revolution and afterward, until the formation of the United States Navy...
threatened the town, and Donop, rather than expose Loyalist allies to their fire, was forced to scatter his troops throughout the surrounding countryside.
As the troops of Donop and Rall occupied the last outposts, they were often exposed to the actions of Continental Army raids and the actions of Patriot
Patriot (American Revolution)
Patriots is a name often used to describe the colonists of the British Thirteen United Colonies who rebelled against British control during the American Revolution. It was their leading figures who, in July 1776, declared the United States of America an independent nation...
militia forces that either arose spontaneously or were recruited by Army regulars. These actions frayed the nerves of the troops, as the uncertainty of when and where such attacks would take place, and by what size force, put the men and their commanders on edge, leading them to jump up to investigate every rumored movement. Rall went so far as to order his men to sleep "fully dressed like [they were] on watch."
One militia force that arose in December 1776 was a company under the command of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
Colonel Samuel Griffin
Samuel Griffin
Samuel Griffin was a lawyer and politician from Virginia. He represented Virginia in the U.S. House of Representatives.-Biography:...
. Griffin (whose name is sometimes misspelled "Griffith") was the adjutant to General Israel Putnam
Israel Putnam
Israel Putnam was an American army general and Freemason who fought with distinction at the Battle of Bunker Hill during the American Revolutionary War...
, who was responsible for the defense of Philadelphia. His force, whose exact composition is uncertain, probably included some Virginia artillerymen, Pennsylvania infantry, and New Jersey militia, and numbered five to six hundred. By mid-December he had reached Moorestown
Moorestown Township, New Jersey
-Demographics:At the 2000 census, there were 19,017 people, 6,971 households, and 5,270 families residing in the township. The population density was 1,287.3 per square mile . There were 7,211 housing units at an average density of 488.1 per square mile...
, south of Mount Holly
Mount Holly Township, New Jersey
Mount Holly Township is a township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States as well as an eastern suburb of Philadelphia. As of the 2000 United States Census, the township population was 10,728. It is the county seat of Burlington County....
, and rumors of his presence reached Donop. Donop sent a Loyalist to investigate, who reported a force of "not above eight hundred, nearly one half boys, and all of them Militia a very few from Pennsylvania excepted". Thomas Stirling, the commander of the 42nd, heard rumors that there were 1,000 rebels at Mount Holly, and that "2,000 more were in the rear to support them", and began pulling in his foraging parties. When Donop asked Stirling for advice, he replied that "You sir, with the troops at Bordentown, should come here and attack. I am confident we are a match for them." Griffin had advanced to Mount Holly and established a rough fortification atop a hill near an iron works, south of Rancocas Creek
Rancocas Creek
Rancocas Creek is a tributary of the Delaware River in southwestern New Jersey in the United States. The creek's main stem is long, with a North Branch of and a South Branch flowing...
and the village center.
Battle
On December 22, Donop rode down to Blackhorse (present-day ColumbusColumbus, New Jersey
Columbus is an area within Mansfield Township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP Code 08022.-External links:*, United States Census Bureau*...
), where the 42nd was quartered, to investigate the situation. After learning that Griffin's men were at Mount Holly, he returned to Bordentown, only to hear alarm shots from Blackhorse. According to Donop's journal (a document that historian David Hackett Fischer
David Hackett Fischer
David Hackett Fischer is University Professor and Earl Warren Professor of History at Brandeis University. Fischer's major works have tackled everything from large macroeconomic and cultural trends to narrative histories of significant events to explorations of...
believes is of dubious reliability) a guard outpost of the 42nd was attacked at Petticoat Bridge by Griffin's full force, and made to retreat before being reinforced by nearby British and Hessian troops.
On the evening of December 22, Washington's adjutant, Joseph Reed
Joseph Reed (jurist)
Joseph Reed was a Pennsylvania lawyer, military officer, and statesman of the Revolutionary Era. He served as a delegate to the Continental Congress and, while in Congress, signed the Articles of Confederation...
, went to Mount Holly and met with Griffin. Griffin had written to Reed, requesting small field pieces to assist in their actions, and Reed, who had been discussing a planned attack on Rall's men in Trenton with Washington, wanted to see if Griffin's company could participate in some sort of diversionary attack. Griffin was ill, and his men ill-equipped for significant action, but they apparently agreed to some sort of actions the next day.
The next day, Donop brought his full brigade (the 42nd and the Hessian regiments Block and Linsing) to Mount Holly, where he reported scattering about 1,000 men near the town's meeting house. Jäger
Jäger
Jäger is the German word for "hunter", and also a common Jäger is the [[German language|German]] word for "[[hunter]]", and also a common Jäger is the [[German...
Captain Johann Ewald
Johann Ewald
Johann von Ewald was a German military officer from Hesse-Kassel. After first serving in the Seven Years' War, he was the commander of the jäger corps of the Hessian Leib Infantry Regiment attached to British forces in the American Revolutionary War. He arrived with his troops, first serving in...
reported that "some 100 men" were posted on a hill "near the church", who "retired quickly" after a few rounds of artillery were fired. Griffin, whose men had occupied Mount Holly, slowly retreated to their fortified position on the hill, following which the two sides engaged in ineffectual long-range gunfire.
Aftermath
Donop's forces bivouacked in Mount Holly on the night of December 23, where, according to Ewald, they plundered the town, breaking into alcohol stores of abandoned houses and getting drunk. Donop himself took quarters in the house that Ewald described as belonging to an "exceedingly beautiful widow of a doctor", whose identity is presently uncertain. The next day (Christmas EveChristmas Eve
Christmas Eve refers to the evening or entire day preceding Christmas Day, a widely celebrated festival commemorating the birth of Jesus of Nazareth that takes place on December 25...
), they moved in force to drive the militia from the hill, but Griffin and his men had retreated during the night. For whatever reason, Donop and his full brigade again remained in Mount Holly, 18 miles (29 km) and a full day's march from Trenton, until a messenger arrived on December 26, bringing the news of Rall's defeat by Washington
Battle of Trenton
The Battle of Trenton took place on December 26, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, after General George Washington's crossing of the Delaware River north of Trenton, New Jersey. The hazardous crossing in adverse weather made it possible for Washington to lead the main body of the...
that morning.
News of the skirmishes at Mount Holly was often exaggerated. Published accounts of the day varied, including among participants in the battle. One Pennsylvanian claimed that sixteen of the enemy were killed, while a New Jersey militiaman reported seven enemy killed. Both Donop and Ewald specifically denied any British or German casualties occurred during the first skirmish on December 22, while the Pennsylvania Evening Post reported "several" enemy casualties with "two killed and seven or eight wounded" of the militia through the whole action.
Some reporters, including Loyalist Joseph Galloway
Joseph Galloway
Joseph Galloway was an American Loyalist during the American Revolution, after serving as delegate to the First Continental Congress from Pennsylvania.-Early life:...
, assumed that Griffin had been specifically sent to draw Donop away from Bordentown, but Donop's decision to attack in force was apparently made prior to Reed's arrival. Reed noted in his journal that "this , though perfectly accidental, had a happy effect as it drew off Count Donop ..." The planning for Washington's crossing of the Delaware
Washington's crossing of the Delaware
Washington's crossing of the Delaware River, which occurred on December 25, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, was the first move in a surprise attack organized by George Washington against the Hessian forces in Trenton, New Jersey...
did include sending a militia force to Griffin in an attack on Donop at Mount Holly; this company failed to cross the river.