are happy in being able to inform Congress, that the Building
is convenient &
comfortable, that the Director General has lately received a large
supply of
the most capital medicines, and that they are now furnished with a
sufficient
quantity of fresh mutton and Indian meal. They yet want Bedding,
and some
other matters which we shall state upon our return. We shall
endeavor to
procure some straw (a very scarce article here) which is much needed
at the
Hospital. At the close of our business at Fort George, we received
a letter
from General Gates, advising us not to pursue our journey to Tyconderoga,
but
to remain at Saratoga, untill further advise from him. We are
just returned
from Fort George, and shall wait a few days to hear further from General
Gates. In the mean time, we shall be pursuing the other parts
of our
instructions, which can be executed here.
General Schuyler has taken every possible step, in order to keep open
the
communication from here to Tyconderoga, that the Army may not want
supplies.
Considerable bodies of the Militia are daily going up: yet we heard,
the last
evening, that the Savages had appeared between the upper End of Lake
George &
Tyconderoga, taken two and killed & scalped one of our people going
to
Tyconderoga. An Express comes in this moment, who brings a letter
from the
commanding officer at Fort George, informing that a part of the Enemy
had
made their appearance, and fired on some of our people who were crossing
Lake
George. General Schuyler yet doubts of this fact.
We shall attend, with all possible diligence, to the remaining business
committed to us by Congress; and for our own sake, as well as the public
interest, return as soon as may be. With the greatest esteem
and respect, we
have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient and
Very humble Servants
Richard Stockton
George Clymer.
Albany November 20, 1776
Sir,
We did ourselves the honor of writing you the 26th of last month from
Saratoga; and after waiting, in vain, a few days, in expectation of
advice
from General Gates, agreeably to his letter to us of the 24th we thought
it
our duty, nevertheless, to proceed on to Tyconderoga. We continued
there
during the first two days in hourly expectation of sharing in the glory
of
our Army, in a successful opposition to the attack of General Carlton:
but we
were disappointed and instead thereof, had the pleasure of knowing
that he
had totally evacuated Crown Point. Of this great event, you will
have
received authentic accounts before this can reach you. We returned
here the
morning before the last, and this morning we received from General
Gates the
inclosed letter, together with some dispatches for ourselves.
The letter he
requested might be immediately forwarded to you by express. We
are
acquainted with the contents of it, and had a Conference with the
Commissioners from the Massachusetts Bay, in company with General Gates,
before we left Tyconderoga. We did not fail to represent to them,
in the
strongest terms, our apprehensions of the fatal consequences of the
measure
adopted by their General Court; and advised them, by all means, to
suspend
the declaration of their powers untill Congress shou'd be advised of
this
extraordinary step. We left them apparently undetermined; and
as to what has
followed General Gates's letter will fully inform you. Having
gone thro' the
business committed to us by Congress, as far as it has been in our
power, we
propose to set out to-morrow on our return, if the weather shall permit.
In
the mean time, with the greatest respect, we have the honor to be,
Sir,
Your most obedient, and
most humble Servants
Richard Stockton
George Clymer.
P.S.
This moment fresh arr. from General Gates inform us, that he had sent
Boats
40 miles down lake Champlain, and no appearance of the Enemy.
Upon his return home from this service Richard Stockton(4) found his
family
and home in danger, Lord Cornwallis being on the march across the Jerseys
and
Princeton lying in the direct line of advance of the British army.
He and
his family took up their residence temporarily at the house of John
Covenhoven, in Monmouth, New Jersey; and there he and Mr. Covenhoven
were
made prisoners of war, on November 30, 1776, by a party of Loyalists.
Richard Stockton(4) was carried to New York, thrown in the common jail,
and
treated with severity. Learning of this, the Continental Congress,
on
January 3, 1777, adopted the follow preamble and resolution:
Whereas, Congress hath received information that the honorable Richard
Stockton(4), Esquire, of New Jersey, and a member of this Congress,
hath been
made a prisoner by the enemy, and that he has been ignominiously thrown
into
a common jail, and there detained:
Resolved, That General Washington be directed to make immediate enquiry
into
the truth of this report, and if he finds reason to believe it well
founded,
that he send a flag to General Howe, remonstrating against this departure
from that humane procedure that has marked the conduct of these states
to
prisoners, who have fallen into their hands; and to know of General
Howe,
whether he chooses that this shall be the future rule for treating
all such,
on both sides, as the fortue of war may place in the hands of either
party.
Soon after this Richard Stockton(4) was exchanged, but his health was
much
broken and he never regained it.
Upon the organization of the State governments under the Confederation,
he
received on the first ballot an equal number of votes with William
Livingston
for governor of New Jersey; but Livingston was finally chosen.
Richard
Stockton(4) was then unanimously selected for chief justice, but declined.
He died soon after, at his home, on February 28, 1781. An oil
portrait of
him, by Peale, hangs in Independence Hall, at Philadelphia; and in
1888 the
State of New Jersey placed his statue, by Henry Kirke Brown, in the
Capitol
at Washington, a beautiful piece of work, and one of the few artistic
statues
there.
Sanderson's Biographies of the Signers has the following to say about
the
personality of Richard Stockton(4):
Richard Stockton(4), when unadorned by the gorgeous robes of judicial
office
that prevailed previous to the Revolution, was neat but simple in his
dress.
Before the Revolutionary War he lived in a state of splendor frequently
adopted by distinguished men in the Royal Government. Every stranger
who
visited Morven was cordially welcomed in the genuine style of ancient
hospitality, and it was customary in those days for distinguished strangers
to call upon men of rank.
He was a man of great coolness and courage. His bodily powers,
both in
relation to strength and agility, were of a superior order, and he
was highly
accomplished in all manly exercises peculiar to the period in which
he lived.
His skill as a horseman and swordsman was particularly great.
His manners
were dignified and simple, though highly polished.
The family estate, "Morven", which he had made one of the most beautiful
in
the Colonies, suffered severely during the Revolutionary War.
His library,
one of the best in the country, was burned, the lands laid waste, the
furniture burned, and the live stock driven away. The plate and
other
valuable articles had been packed in three boxes and buried in the
woods at
some distance from the house, but through treachery two of the boxes
were
discovered and fell into the hands of the British soldiers. The
third one
escaped and was recovered by the family. The depreciation of
the continental
currency, in which Richard Stockton(4) invested largely, further reduced
his
fortune.
Among the friends of Richard Stockton(4) "The Signer" were a number
of the
most eminent public men of his day. He was a devoted friend of
George
Washington, who was a frequent visitor at "Morven". He and the
Honorable
Elias Boudinot each married the other's sisters; and the celebrated
Dr.
Benjamin Rush, of Philadelphia, was his son-in-law.
When he visited England, in 1766, he invited his wife to accompany him,
but
she thought it her duty to remain at home with the children.
They
corresponded with the ardor of youthful lovers, he always giving his
wife her
favorite poetical name of "Amelia" in these letters, while she called
him her
"Lucius". As an example of the loving letters he wrote to his
wife, here
follows a copy of one never before published.
He writes:
London October 21st, 1766
My dearest Amelia,
I have he pleasure to inform you that I arrived in good health in this
city
yesterday afternoon from Ireland. I had a very disagreeable and
tedious
passage thither, but a pleasant & quiet one back again. I
know how cordially
you will join me in thanks to God Almighty for His gracious protection.
I
can tell you now, after it is over, that it was not only a tedious
but a very
dangerous passage. I never thought myself in real danger, at
sea, before.
My pleasure was greatly increased upon my arrival here, upon my finding
a
packet of letters from America. You may be sure I opened it with
great
eagerness having not heard one word from you since I left you.
Your well
known hand first attracted my attention, & I read, & read again.
I have only
your letters of July, one dated fourteenth upon your getting home,
& the
other three about the twenty-fourth, if I recollect. I received
Elias' dated
the twenty-sixth of August sent by packet when, I suppose, you did
not write,
& he informs me that all was well. The only melancholy announcement
you give
me is the death of our excellent friend, Dr. Finley, but as I fully
expected
it, I was not so much shocked; but notwithstanding I was sure of hearing
it,
I feel it affects my spirits exceedingly. I pray God to support
our dear
Mrs. Finley under this heavy stroke & tell her one of my great
pleasures,
when I return, will be to endeavor to administer comfort to her.
I wrote you from Clonmel, in Ireland, sent via Cork, & I also wrote
you from
Dublin, both of which I hope you have received. I have been running
to every
American coffee house to see if any vessels are bond for your side
of the
water, & I can find none so direct as Captain Bran bound to Boston,
but as I
cannot omit giving you the most early information of my return from
Ireland,
I shall try this round about way, & let me tell you that all the
elegance &
grandeur I have yet seen in these kingdoms, in different families where
I
have been received, serves but to increase the pleasures I have for
years
enjoyed in my domestic connections. I see not a sensible, obliging,
tender
wife but the image of my dear Amelia is full in view. I see not
a haughty
imperious ignorant dame, but I rejoice that the partner of my life
is so much
her opposite. But why need I talk so gallantly, you knew me long
ago as well
as you would should I write a volume on this endearing topic.
I have not
time to write to a soul but you, as this must be sent immediately.
My love
to your good Father, whose affectionate prayers, I hope will be heard.
Love
to all my brothers & sisters, Mr. & Mrs. Forman, the Justice
& dear Mrs.
Finley. I shall write to many next packet; to Mrs. Forman particularly.
Kiss my dear sweet children, & give the hardest squeeze to my son,
if you
think it is right, if not divide in equally without any partiality.
Tell
Dick I wil bring him a laced hat & each of the little girls something.
Adieu, my dearest Amelia, may Haven protect you & your dear little
family
till I meet you. Tell the servants I have made an account of
their good
behavior, & will not fail to remember it. I am yours forever
in the utmost
affection & love.
Richard Stockton(4)
Mrs. Stockton survived her husband and died February 6, 1801, at White
Plains, Burlington, New Jersey. She was a woman of very considerable
literary attainments. She wrote a drama called " The Triumph
of Mildness",
besides odes and poems, and contributed to a number of periodicals.
She
corresponded freely with George Washington; and one of her poems, addressed
to him upon the occasion of the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown,
he
gracefully acknowledged in the following letter:
Philadelphia, July 22nd, 1782
Madam;
Your favor of the 17th, conveying to me your pastoral on the subject
of Lord
Cornwallis' capture, has given me great satisfaction. Had you
known the
pleasure it would have communicated, I flatter myself, your diffidence
would
not have delayed it to this time.
Amidst all the compliments which have been made on this occasion, be
assured,
madam, that the agreeable manner, and the very pleasing sentiments
in which
yours is conveyed, have affected my mind with the most lively sensations
of
joy and satisfaction.
This address, from a person of your refined taste and elegance of expression,
affords a pleasure beyond my powers of utterance, and I have only to
lament
that the hero of your pastoral is not more deserving of your pen; but
the
circumstance shall be placed among the happiest events of my life.
I have the honor to be, madam,
Your most obedient and respectful servant,
George Washington
Mrs. Stockton.
Upon the announcement of peace, in 1783, Mrs. Stockton addressed this
ode to
General George Washington:
ODE TO WASHINGTON
With all thy country's blessings on thy head,
And all the glory that encircles man,
Thy deathless fame to distant nations spread,
And realms unblest by Freedom's genial plan;
Addressed by statesmen, legislators, kings,
Revered by thousands as you pass along,
While every muse with ardor spreads her wings,
To greet our hero in immortal song;
Say, can a woman's voice an audience gain,
And stop a moment thy triumphal car?
And wilt thou listen to a peaceful strain,
Unskilled to paint the horrid wrack of war?
For what is glory? What are martial deeds,
Unpurified at Virtue's awful shrine?
Full oft remorse a glorious day succeeds--
The motive only stamps the deed divine.
But thy last legacy, renowned chief,
Hath decked thy brow with honors more sublime--
Twined in thy wreath the Christian's firm belief,
And nobly owned thy faith to future time.
To this, General Washington replied in a letter dated at Rocky Hill,
New
Jersey, where he had been provided with a house:
Rocky Hill, September 2d, 1783
You apply to me, my dear madam, for absolution, as though I was your
father
confessor, and as though you had committed a crime, great in itself,
yet of
the venial class. You have reason good, for I find myself strangely
disposed
to be a very indulgent ghostly adviser on this occasion, and notwithstanding
"you are the most offending soul alive", (that is, if it is a crime
to write
elegant poetry), yet if you will come and dine with me on Thursday,
and go
through the proper course of penitence which shall be prescribed, I
will
strive hard to assist you in expiating these poetical trespasses on
this side
of purgatory. Nay, more, if it rests with me to direct your future
lucubration's, I shall certainly urge you to a repetition of the same
conduct, on purpose to show what an admirable knack you have a confession
and
reformation; and, so, without more hesitation, I shall venture to recommend
the muse not to be restrained by ill-grounded timidity, but to go on
and
prosper.
You see, madam, when once the woman has tempted us and we have tasted
the
forbidden fruit, there is no such thing as checking our appetite, whatever
the consequences may be. You will, I daresay, recognize our being
the
genuine descendants of those who are reputed to be our great progenitors.
Before I come to the serious conclusion of my letter, I must beg leave
to say
a word or two about these fine things you have been telling in such
harmonious and beautiful numbers. Fiction is, to be sure , the
very life and
soul of poetry. All poets and poetesses have been indulged in
the free and
indisputable use of it, time out of mind; and to oblige you to make
such an
excellent poem, on such a subject, without any materials but those
of simple
reality, would be as cruel as the edict of Pharaoh, which compelled
the
children of Israel to manufacture bricks without the necessary ingredients.
Thus are you sheltered under the authority of prescription; and I will
not
dare to charge you with an intentional breach of the rules of the decalogue
in giving so bright a coloring to the services I have been enabled
to render
my country, though I am not conscious of deserving anything more at
your
hands than what the purest and most disinterested friendship has a
right to
claim; actuated by which, you will be permit me to thank you, in the
most
affectionate manner, for the kind wishes you have so happily expressed
for me
and the partner of all my domestic enjoyments. Be assured, we
can never
forget our friend at Morven, and that I am, my dear madam, with every
sentiment of friendship and esteem,
Your most obedient and obliged servant,
G. Washington
Mrs. Stockton.
Another of his letters to her, a copy of which follows, shows that her
letter
which he was answering, was more than five weeks reaching Mount Vernon
from
Princeton:
Mount Vernon, February 18th, 1784
Dear Maham:
The intemperate weather, and very great care which the post-riders take
of
themselves, prevented your letter of the 4th of last month from reaching
my
hands until the 10th of this. I was then in the very act of starting
on a
visit to my aged mother, from whence I am just returned. These
reasons I beg
leave to offer as an apology for my silence until now.
It would be a pity, indeed, my dear madam, if the muses should be restrained
in you; it is only to be regretted that the hero of your poetical talents
is
not more deserving their lays. I cannot, however, from motives
of false
delicacy, (because I happen to be the principal character in your pastoral)
withhold my encomium on the performance. For, I think, the easy,
simple, and
beautiful strains with which the dialogue is supported, do great justice
to
your genius, and will not only secure Lucinda and Aminta from wits
and
critics, but draw from them, however unwillingly, their highest plaudits,
if
they can relish the praises that are given as highly as they must admire
the
manner of bestowing them.
Mrs. Washington, equally sensible with myself of the honor you have
done her,
joins me most affectionate compliments to yourself, and the young ladies
and
gentlemen of your family. With sentiments of esteen, regard,
and respect, I
have the honor to be, dear madam,
Your most obedient and most humble servant,
G. Washington
Mrs. Stockton
(The foregoing letters and ode are taken from Mr. John W. Stockton's
History
of the Stockton Family). Mrs. Stockton also wrote the stanzas,
beginning:
"Welcome, mighty chief, once more"! which were sung by the young ladies
of
Trenton when George Washington passed through that city on his way
to his
inauguration as the first President. These lines are given in
full, in
Marshall's Life of Washington.
RICHARD STOCKTON(5)
"THE DUKE"
Richard Stockton(5) (Born April 17, 1764 - Died March 7, 1828 at 64
years
old) was the son of Richard Stockton(4) "The Signer" and Annis (Boudinot)
Stockton. He was often called "The Duke". He married Mary
Field (Born
October 10, 1766 - Died December 25, 1837), daughter of Robert and
Mary
(Peale) Field, of Burlington, New Jersey, and sister of Robert Field
who
married his sister, Abigail Stockton. Robert Field lived at "White
Hill", on
the Delaware, a plantation which had been in possession of the family
from
their first settlement in the State. He was noted for the quality
of his
character and the extent of his fortune, and was active in the
cause of the
Colonies up to the time of his death, which occurred shortly before
hostilities began. Richard "The Duke" Stockton(5) died in Princeton.
He was graduated at Princeton in 1779, and studied law in Newark, New
Jersey
with his uncle, Honorable Elias Boudinot. At twenty-five years
of age, he
stood at the head of the New Jersey bar, and maintained the position
for
forty years. In politics he was a Federalist. He was a
presidential elector
in 1792 and 1801, and in 1796 was elected to the United States Senate
and
filled the unexpired term of Frederick Frelinghuysen, serving till
March 3,
1799. He also served one term in the lower house of Congress,
in 1813-15,
declining re-election to both offices. He was eloquent speaker
and
exceptionally able common-law lawyer, and was consulted by eminent
lawyers
from many other states.
Mr. Samuel J. Bayard, of Princeton, related the following characteristic
anecdote of Richard "The Duke".
When Lafayette made the tour of America, in 1824 - 1826, the master
of
"Morven" was appointed by the committee of reception to act as their
mouthpiece in welcoming the distinguished visitor to Princeton.
In the
morning of the day when Lafayette was to arrive, the council assembled
to
hear Mr. Stockton read his address. He commenced by saying:
"Marquis de La
Fayette". After he concluded, Mr. Bayard suggested timidly that
Lafayette
had renounced his title in the National Assembly, and that he would
prefer in
this country to be called "General". Mr. Stockton sternly said:
"Once a
marquis, always a marquis. I shall address him by what was his
title before
the infamous French revolution". And he did so address him.
He was a man of dignity and possessed of a lofty sense of honor and
integrity. Queen's College (now Rutger's) conferred upon him
the degree of
LL. D. in 1815, and Union did the same in 1816.
Having inherited the family estate, "Morven", he restored and greatly
improved it, and made it his home until his death.
ROBERT FIELD STOCKTON(6)
"FIGHTING BOB"
Commodore Robert Field Stockton(6) (Born August 20, 1795 - Died October
7,
1866 at 71 years old) was the most distinguished son of Richard Stockton(5)
"The Duke". He was known as "Fighting Bob," in history.
He married Harriet
Maria Potter (Born - Died 1862), daughter of John Potter, of Charleston,
South Carolina, in 1823. He became a student at College of New
Jersey when
but thirteen years old. A few years later he left his studies
to enter the
navy. After spending ten years in foreign countries he returned
and became
interested in the American colonization cause. The United States
Navy
equipped a new vessel called the Alligator for him, and he established
a
colony on the western coast of Africa which subsequently became the
Republic
of Liberia. Thus, the name of Stockton is associated with the
foundation of
that country.
In 1840 he was selected by President Tyler to be Secretary of the Navy,
but
declined the honor. In 1842 the Navy Department gave him permission
to
construct a steamship of war, which was named the "Princeton" attracted
much
attention in European ports. She was armed with twelve forty-two ponders,
and
two guns of ten tons each, which were called the "peacemaker" and the
"Oregon." One of these guns exploded, during an exhibition trip, and
killed
the Secretary of State, Secretary of the Navy, and a number of prominent
men.
A naval court of inquiry exonerated Stockton from blame for this
accident
due to the Secretary of the Navy demanding a gun to be fired.
In October 1845, Captain Stockton was ordered to proceed, in the frigate
Congress, to the Pacific Coast, to act as commander-in-chief of the
Pacific
squadron at the beginning of the Mexican War. Out numbered ten
to one by
General Castro of the Mexican Army, Commodore Stockton(2) defeated
General
Castro and drove his Army back into Mexico. The people of California
named
for him the city of Stockton, also one of the principal streets of
San
Francisco, and there is a memorial window in his memory in the St.
Peter's
Chapel at Mare Island Navy Yard.
On May 28, 1850 Commodore Stockton(6) resigned his command in the United
States Navy. From 1851 to 1857 he was elected to the United States
Senate
from New Jersey but resigned in 1853. During his brief term,
he introduced
and advocated the bill by which flogging was abolished from the Navy.
From
the time of leaving the Senate, he devoted himself to his private interest's
and was president of the Delaware & Raritan Canal Co. Also,
he became famous
for developing the Camden & Amboy railroad. Notwithstanding his
exciting life
in the navy, and the fact that he was engaged in several duels, he
lived to a
ripe old age and died in 1866. The chapeau he wore as Commodore is
now in the
possession of his grandson, Richard Stockton, of Trenton, New Jersey.
Philip Augustus Stockton(6), third son of the first Lucius Witham
Stockton(5), was also a naval hero. He served on the old Constitution,
when
it was the flagship of Commodore Read. After eleven years' service,
he
resigned, with the rank of Lieutenant. He was Consul-General
for Saxony six
years.
Commodore Stockton(6) left three sons, Richard Stockton(7), John Potter
Stockton(7) and General Robert Field Stockton(7). John P. Stockton(7)
was
Attorney-General of New Jersey. In 1857 President Buchanan appointed
him
United States Minister to Rome. He was the youngest man ever appointed
a
Minister. He was elected to the United States Senate in 1865,
and was
reelected in 1869 and served a full term. His name was several
times
mentioned in connection with the Democratic nomination for President.
He was
appointed Attorney-General of New Jersey in 1877 and served twenty
years in
that capacity. He was State Comptroller and later Adjutant-General
of the
State of New Jersey prior to the term of General William S. Stryker.
He
received the thanks of the Legislature of the State for the manner
in which
he discharged the duties of these two offices.
Richard Stockton(8), of Trenton, New Jersey, son of Richard P. Stockton(7),
the former Attorney-General of New Jersey, was the youngest Consul
of the
United States ever appointed. He served at Rotterdam and subsequently
in
charge of affairs at the Hague.
