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Simcoe’s Enterprise in New Jersey

From Diary of the American Revolution, Vol II.  Compiled by Frank Moore and published in 1859.

October 27.—Yesterday morning, about two o’clock, the Queen’s rangers, with the cavalry belonging to that regiment, and ten light horse under the command of Captain Stewart, who are stationed on Staten Island, landed at Amboy, in Jersey, and proceeded as far as Bonamtown, when the foot returned to Amboy, and the cavalry, amounting to seventy, commanded by Colonel Simcoe, advanced to Bound Brook, where they destroyed eighteen large flat-bottomed boats, and some stores. They then proceeded to Somerset court house, twenty-eight miles from Amboy, released the loyalists confined, set fire to it, and destroyed a large quantity of forage and stores, collected for Mr. Washington’s army.

On their return, on the south side of the Raritan, within two miles of Brunswick, in a piece of woods, they were fired upon by a large body of rebels who lay in ambush. The cavalry immediately charged and dispersed the rebels; but Colonel Simcoe having, in the charge, his horse shot under him, in the fall received a bruise which stunned him, and his gallant party, thinking him killed, left him on the field, approached to Brunswick, and on the hill near the barracks they discovered one hundred and seventy rebels drawn up to receive them. These were also immediately charged and defeated, with great slaughter. Among the killed, we are informed, was a rebel major named Edgar, a Captain Voorhies, and another captain, besides many other officers. The party then proceeded on the road towards South Amboy; and several miles from Brunswick they joined the foot, who had passed over to South Amboy. In this excursion near thirty prisoners were taken. The whole loss sustained by the enterprise, is one man killed and four taken, besides the brave Colonel Simcoe, who, we hear, is now a prisoner at Brunswick.1

 

1 New York Gazette, November 1.