Little Egg Harbor massacre
Encyclopedia
The Little Egg Harbor massacre took place on October 15, 1778, place in New Jersey
, USA, during the American Revolution
. The massacre took place about one week after the Battle of Chestnut Neck
, a British raid aimed at suppressing privateer
s who used the area as a base to harass and seize British ships and their cargoes.
was wreaking havoc on Colonial shipping in the Mullica River
, 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, came too late to be of great use against Ferguson's operations. But their arrival did stop Ferguson from raiding the iron works at Batsto, and stemmed their attacks on privateers at The Forks of the Mullica River
.
district (near present-day Tuckerton
), and immediately set up camp on a farm. A deserter, Lt. Gustav Juliet, found Ferguson and told him of Pulaski's encampment; he mentioned that morale was fairly low, and security almost nonexistent, so that a surprise attack would be devastating. 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 then marched them a further 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; only five of his quarry were taken alive. Pulaski eventually led his mounted troops up, causing Ferguson to retreat to his boats minus a few men that had fallen into the colonists' hands.
The land formerly home to the farm is now the Country Club Estates development, a small parcel of the 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.
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...
, USA, 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...
. The massacre took place about one week after the Battle of Chestnut Neck
Battle of Chestnut Neck
The Battle of Chestnut Neck was a battle fought on October 6, 1778 in New Jersey during the American Revolutionary War, at Chestnut Neck, a settlement on the Little Egg Harbor River near the present-day town of Port Republic, New Jersey.-Background:...
, a British raid aimed at suppressing privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
s who used the area as a base to harass and seize British ships and their cargoes.
Background
At the time that Captain Patrick FergusonPatrick Ferguson
Major Patrick Ferguson was a Scottish officer in the British Army, early advocate of light infantry and designer of the Ferguson rifle. He is best known for his service in the 1780 military campaign of Charles Cornwallis, in which he aggressively recruited Loyalists and harshly treated Patriot...
was wreaking havoc on Colonial shipping in the Mullica River
Mullica River
The Mullica River is a river in southern New Jersey in the United States. The Mullica was once known as the Little Egg Harbor River.The river provides one of the principal drainages into the Atlantic Ocean of the extensive Pinelands...
, Kazimierz Pułaski and his newly raised forces were ordered to oppose his actions. Pulaski's Legion
Pulaski's Legion
Pulaski's Legion was raised on March 28, 1778 at Baltimore, Maryland under the command of Kazimierz Pułaski for service with the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. The Legion consisted of one troop of lancers, two troops of dragoons and 200 light infantry soldiers...
, along with three companies of light infantry, three troops of light horse, and one artillery detachment, came too late to be of great use against Ferguson's operations. But their arrival did stop Ferguson from raiding the iron works at Batsto, and stemmed their attacks on privateers at The Forks of the Mullica River
Mullica River
The Mullica River is a river in southern New Jersey in the United States. The Mullica was once known as the Little Egg Harbor River.The river provides one of the principal drainages into the Atlantic Ocean of the extensive Pinelands...
.
Attack
Pulaski's troops were deserters, mainly, as well as a number of foreign adventurers. They reached the Little Egg HarborLittle Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey
Little Egg Harbor Township is a Township in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population had increased to a record high of 20,065....
district (near present-day Tuckerton
Tuckerton, New Jersey
Tuckerton is a Borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, named for founder Ebenezer Tucker , and was a port of entry, but not the third Port of Entry as commonly believed, in the United States As of the 2000 United States Census, the borough population was 3,517.Tuckerton was incorporated as a borough...
), and immediately set up camp on a farm. A deserter, Lt. Gustav Juliet, found Ferguson and told him of Pulaski's encampment; he mentioned that morale was fairly low, and security almost nonexistent, so that a surprise attack would be devastating. 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
Mystic Island, New Jersey
Mystic Island is a large, mostly-waterfront development originally planned as a resort community within Little Egg Harbor Township, in Ocean County, New Jersey...
. He then marched them a further 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; only five of his quarry were taken alive. Pulaski eventually led his mounted troops up, causing Ferguson to retreat to his boats minus a few men that had fallen into the colonists' hands.
The land formerly home to the farm is now the Country Club Estates development, a small parcel of the 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.