Israel Shreve
Encyclopedia
Israel Shreve was a colonel in the 2nd New Jersey Regiment
during the American Revolution
. He fought at the Battle of Springfield.
Israel Shreve was born December 24, 1739 in the Shreve family homestead at Mount Pleasant, Burlington County, New Jersey, an old community founded by Quakers. His father was Benjamin Shreve and his mother was Rebecca French; they were married at Springfield Township Friends Meeting House February 23, 1729 and raised eight children, of whom Israel was fifth. Israel married Grace Curtis February 27, 1760 at a Quaker meeting somewhere in Burlington County, New Jersey, and after she died in 1771 Israel married Mary Cokely on May 10, 1773 in Philadelphia. Grace gave birth to four children, while Mary gave birth to seven more. One of these was Henry Miller Shreve
. Israel worked and owned farm land and was appointed justice of the peace for Gloucester County, New Jersey in February, 1775.
After news came of the battles of Lexington and Concord, Israel and his brothers William and Samuel enlisted as officers in the New Jersey State militia. In October, 1775, the Continental Congress
recommended to the Provincial Congress of New Jersey that two battalions of soldiers be raised for service in the Continental Army. Israel was appointed lieutenant colonel in the second battalion, under command of Colonel William Maxwell
. Also serving in this battalion was Israel's thirteen year old son, John.
The 2nd New Jersey Regiment was sent north to relieve Benedict Arnold
's attack on Quebec. The regiment arrived in Albany by March 27, 1776, then reached Fort Ticonderoga
by April 18. Shreve arrived in Quebec City May 3 under cannon fire from the British. When a British fleet appeared in the saint Lawrence River, Shreve retreated west with 1,900 Americans. General John Thomas
ordered Shreve to take some of the wounded to Sorel, at the juncture of the Richelieu and saint Lawrence River. By June 11 Americans had been defeated by British troops near Trois Rivieres, Quebec, and they abandoned Sorel June 14, just three hours before the British arrived. Shreve was back at Fort Ticonderoga June 16, 1776, and remained there until November, when the enlistments for the 2nd New Jersey expired.
By April, 1777, Shreve and his regiment were in Princeton, New Jersey. He spent the summer in Reading, Pennsylvania, and returned to service in November, 1777. From March to May, 1778, Shreve and the 2nd New Jersey were stationed at Haddonfield, New Jersey. When General Charles Cornwallis led British troops out of Philadelphia, some of his men burned Shreve's house near Mount Holly, and Sir Henry Clinton offered a reward of 25 guineas for information on the soldiers' identities. Shreve's 2nd New Jersey followed the British to Monmouth Courthouse, site of the Battle of Monmouth
on June 28, 1778. Shreve walked over the battlefield after the British had retreated farther north to New York.
The following year Shreve took the 2nd New Jersey on the Sullivan Expedition
. They left Easton, Pennsylvania June 18, 1779, arriving in Wyoming, Pennsylvania five days later. They remained in Wyoming more than a month before loading 117 rowboats with 1,200 pack horses and 900 cattle. The regiment reached Wyalusing August 5 and Tioga August 11. The next day General John Sullivan
ordered his combined forces to Chemung, ten miles (16 km) west of Tioga, where they burned an Indian village and Israel's son, John, saw a skirmish with a retreating native tribe who killed a man standing next to him with musket fire. Both Israel and John Shreve returned to an army fort at Tioga while Sullivan led his command farther west.
In November, 1779, Shreve led the 2nd New Jersey Regiment to the Continental Army's winter encampment at Morristown, New Jersey. On June 7, 1780, the British Army under Henry Clinton crossed from Staten Island to New Jersey. On June 23 they came west from Elizabeth toward Chatham and Morristown, and met Americans at Springfield, New Jersey. The ensuing fight became known as the Battle of Springfield (1780)
Shreve's men waited at a bridge just west of the village of Springfield as Hessians under Lieutenant General Wilhelm, Baron von Knyphausen came from the east. As Shreve's men fired cannons, a musket ball crashed into a soldier standing next to John Shreve, and as he turned his companion over another musket ball hit John's calf. Israel Shreve's regiment was in danger of being surrounded, so General Nathanael Greene
ordered him to retreat.
Shreve resigned his commission in early 1781. In 1788 he led his wife and six of his children, along with twenty one other settlers, to land in western Pennsylvania. He contracted to lease land in Fayette County, Pennsylvania from General George Washington. Five years later Shreve contracted to buy 1744 acres (7.1 km²) of land from Washington, but spent several years haggling over payments and prices. Washington threatened to bring a lawsuit for payment, but no suit was recorded. Washington wrote Shreve in 1798 and 1799 asking for payments due, but could not bring himself to sue a fellow army officer. Shreve and Washington both died on the same day - December 14, 1799 - although hundreds of miles apart.
2nd New Jersey Regiment
The 2nd New Jersey Regiment was raised, on 9 October 1775, at Trenton, New Jersey, for service with the Continental Army under the command of Colonel William Maxwell...
during the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
. He fought at the Battle of Springfield.
Israel Shreve was born December 24, 1739 in the Shreve family homestead at Mount Pleasant, Burlington County, New Jersey, an old community founded by Quakers. His father was Benjamin Shreve and his mother was Rebecca French; they were married at Springfield Township Friends Meeting House February 23, 1729 and raised eight children, of whom Israel was fifth. Israel married Grace Curtis February 27, 1760 at a Quaker meeting somewhere in Burlington County, New Jersey, and after she died in 1771 Israel married Mary Cokely on May 10, 1773 in Philadelphia. Grace gave birth to four children, while Mary gave birth to seven more. One of these was Henry Miller Shreve
Henry Miller Shreve
Henry Miller Shreve was the American inventor and steamboat captain who opened the Mississippi, Ohio and Red rivers to steamboat navigation. Shreveport, Louisiana, is named in his honor....
. Israel worked and owned farm land and was appointed justice of the peace for Gloucester County, New Jersey in February, 1775.
After news came of the battles of Lexington and Concord, Israel and his brothers William and Samuel enlisted as officers in the New Jersey State militia. In October, 1775, the Continental Congress
Continental Congress
The Continental Congress was a convention of delegates called together from the Thirteen Colonies that became the governing body of the United States during the American Revolution....
recommended to the Provincial Congress of New Jersey that two battalions of soldiers be raised for service in the Continental Army. Israel was appointed lieutenant colonel in the second battalion, under command of Colonel William Maxwell
William Maxwell
William Maxwell may refer to:*William Maxwell , Irish-born American soldier from New Jersey in the American Revolutionary War*General Sir William Maxwell, 7th Baronet of Calderwood...
. Also serving in this battalion was Israel's thirteen year old son, John.
The 2nd New Jersey Regiment was sent north to relieve Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold
Benedict Arnold V was a general during the American Revolutionary War. He began the war in the Continental Army but later defected to the British Army. While a general on the American side, he obtained command of the fort at West Point, New York, and plotted to surrender it to the British forces...
's attack on Quebec. The regiment arrived in Albany by March 27, 1776, then reached Fort Ticonderoga
Fort Ticonderoga
Fort Ticonderoga, formerly Fort Carillon, is a large 18th-century fort built by the Canadians and the French at a narrows near the south end of Lake Champlain in upstate New York in the United States...
by April 18. Shreve arrived in Quebec City May 3 under cannon fire from the British. When a British fleet appeared in the saint Lawrence River, Shreve retreated west with 1,900 Americans. General John Thomas
John Thomas
-Education:* John Martin Thomas , Twelfth president of Rutgers University* John R. Thomas , American intellectual property professor- Military history :* John Thomas , American general in the American Revolutionary War...
ordered Shreve to take some of the wounded to Sorel, at the juncture of the Richelieu and saint Lawrence River. By June 11 Americans had been defeated by British troops near Trois Rivieres, Quebec, and they abandoned Sorel June 14, just three hours before the British arrived. Shreve was back at Fort Ticonderoga June 16, 1776, and remained there until November, when the enlistments for the 2nd New Jersey expired.
By April, 1777, Shreve and his regiment were in Princeton, New Jersey. He spent the summer in Reading, Pennsylvania, and returned to service in November, 1777. From March to May, 1778, Shreve and the 2nd New Jersey were stationed at Haddonfield, New Jersey. When General Charles Cornwallis led British troops out of Philadelphia, some of his men burned Shreve's house near Mount Holly, and Sir Henry Clinton offered a reward of 25 guineas for information on the soldiers' identities. Shreve's 2nd New Jersey followed the British to Monmouth Courthouse, site of the Battle of Monmouth
Battle of Monmouth
The Battle of Monmouth was an American Revolutionary War battle fought on June 28, 1778 in Monmouth County, New Jersey. The Continental Army under General George Washington attacked the rear of the British Army column commanded by Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton as they left Monmouth Court...
on June 28, 1778. Shreve walked over the battlefield after the British had retreated farther north to New York.
The following year Shreve took the 2nd New Jersey on the Sullivan Expedition
Sullivan Expedition
The Sullivan Expedition, also known as the Sullivan-Clinton Expedition, was an American campaign led by Major General John Sullivan and Brigadier General James Clinton against Loyalists and the four nations of the Iroquois who had sided with the British in the American Revolutionary War.The...
. They left Easton, Pennsylvania June 18, 1779, arriving in Wyoming, Pennsylvania five days later. They remained in Wyoming more than a month before loading 117 rowboats with 1,200 pack horses and 900 cattle. The regiment reached Wyalusing August 5 and Tioga August 11. The next day General John Sullivan
John Sullivan
John Sullivan was the third son of Irish immigrants, a United States general in the Revolutionary War, a delegate in the Continental Congress and a United States federal judge....
ordered his combined forces to Chemung, ten miles (16 km) west of Tioga, where they burned an Indian village and Israel's son, John, saw a skirmish with a retreating native tribe who killed a man standing next to him with musket fire. Both Israel and John Shreve returned to an army fort at Tioga while Sullivan led his command farther west.
In November, 1779, Shreve led the 2nd New Jersey Regiment to the Continental Army's winter encampment at Morristown, New Jersey. On June 7, 1780, the British Army under Henry Clinton crossed from Staten Island to New Jersey. On June 23 they came west from Elizabeth toward Chatham and Morristown, and met Americans at Springfield, New Jersey. The ensuing fight became known as the Battle of Springfield (1780)
Battle of Springfield (1780)
The Battle of Springfield was fought during the American Revolutionary War on June 23, 1780. After the Battle of Connecticut Farms, on June 7, 1780, had foiled Lieutenant General Wilhelm, Baron von Knyphausen’s expedition to attack General George Washington’s army at Morristown, New Jersey,...
Shreve's men waited at a bridge just west of the village of Springfield as Hessians under Lieutenant General Wilhelm, Baron von Knyphausen came from the east. As Shreve's men fired cannons, a musket ball crashed into a soldier standing next to John Shreve, and as he turned his companion over another musket ball hit John's calf. Israel Shreve's regiment was in danger of being surrounded, so General Nathanael Greene
Nathanael Greene
Nathanael Greene was a major general of the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. When the war began, Greene was a militia private, the lowest rank possible; he emerged from the war with a reputation as George Washington's most gifted and dependable officer. Many places in the United...
ordered him to retreat.
Shreve resigned his commission in early 1781. In 1788 he led his wife and six of his children, along with twenty one other settlers, to land in western Pennsylvania. He contracted to lease land in Fayette County, Pennsylvania from General George Washington. Five years later Shreve contracted to buy 1744 acres (7.1 km²) of land from Washington, but spent several years haggling over payments and prices. Washington threatened to bring a lawsuit for payment, but no suit was recorded. Washington wrote Shreve in 1798 and 1799 asking for payments due, but could not bring himself to sue a fellow army officer. Shreve and Washington both died on the same day - December 14, 1799 - although hundreds of miles apart.