Sgt. Thomas Sullivan Describes the "Forage War" of 1777

Reenactors portray British Soldiers (not of the 49th Regiment)

Dear Reader

Sgt. Thomas Sullivan of the 49th Regiment of Foot served through much of the American War of Independence before 1778. For a man from the ranks, he leaves surprisingly detailed descriptions of combat. Except to improve clarity, I have left the original spelling and punctuation.  This entry is his description of skirmishing around Brunswick, New Jersey, in the opening days of 1777:

"January 4th [1777]....

Our Army's leaving Trenton and Princetown greatly animated the Enemy, so that they crowded from all Parts of the Country two our suburbs, and drove the Waldeckers from Elizabethown to Amboy, where the 4th Brigade [of] British lay. They made an attempt to surprise that Town twice but in Vain, in order to cut off the communication with Brunswick by land.

The 33d. and 42d Regiments with a Battalion of the 71st Regiment, and some Companies of Light Infantry were stationed at Bonumtown and Piscataway, to keep that communication open, for the River was frozen up, so that the Provisions could not be brought from Amboy to Brunswick by water, the most part of the winter.

January 21st. A Detachment of 100 British Grenadiers, 100 Light Infantry, 200 Hessian Grenadiers, and a Squadron of Light Dragoons, with 2 three pounders, under the command of Lieut. Colonel Abercrombie, went from Brunswick to Forrage, with all the waggons of the Army, about 9 miles from the town, towards the Bridge that was on the Rariton river above Hillsborough,. Major Dilkes with 100 British Grenadiers marched in the rear of the Forragers, and took post in the skirts of the wood on their left, having the river on the right.

There were about 4,000 of the Rebels that mustered out of the woods, that attacked the front of the Waggon line, and drove off 24 of the English Waggons with four horses each, before the Grenadiers could come up. Major Dilkes with his party engaged them with two field Pieces, and kept a continual fire up, untill they expended all their Ammunition, at the rate of 60 rounds per man. Then they retreated to the second Party of Grenadiers from whom they got more Ammunition.

During this interval, the Hessian Grenadiers with their two pieces of cannon attacked the enemy upon their flank, and kept them in continual Play, untill the British Grenadiers and Light Infantry joined them. The engagement began very hot, but with their united force & usual bravery they repulsed the Enemy, driving them across the Bridge which they defended for some time.

The Forragers threw their Forrage away mostly, and made the best of their way home. Our loss in that action did not exceed 12 men killed and wounded.

January 23rd. The 28th and 35th Battalions with a detachment of the Royal Highlanders, under the command of Lieut. Colonel Prescott, went to cover the Provision waggons, being near half-way between Brunswick and Amboy, where a large party of the Rebels advanced from the woods upon them, with three pieces of Cannon. The Highlanders being drawn up and advanced to them in front; on the other side the 28th Battalion advanced under a heavy fire from the Enemy, and engaged their Flanking Party, which they drove to their main body. The Highlanders observing that the Rebels wound not advance out of the wood, made a charge upon them, which was always a terror to the Rebels, and put them to an immediate rout. The Enemy could never endure to stand for any time to the Bayonet, but if the King's Troops kept at a distance, they stood firing with Musquetry long enough."[1]

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Thanks for Reading,

Alex Burns

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[1] The original journal resides at the American Philosophical Society, and has been published and republished a number of times. The most recent priniting is From Redcoat to Rebel: The Thomas Sullivan Journal, edited by Joseph Lee Boyle.