At four o'clock on the afternoon of August 18th, 1779, Major Henry Lee,
with four hundred infantry and a troop of dismounted dragoons started
from New Bridge (Hackensack), on a march of fourteen miles through the
woods to make an attack upon the fort at Paulus Hoeck. He detached
patrols of horse to watch the communication with the North River and
stationed parties of infantry at different roads leading to Paulus
Hoeck. At Union Hill he filed into the woods where by the guide's
timidity, or treachery, the march was prolonged to three hours before
gaining the right road. The same night Colonel Van Boskirk left Paulus
Hoeck with a force of one hundred and thirty men to make a raid upon
the English neighborhood. Fortunately the two parties did not meet.
Major Lee and his men reached Prior's Mill at 3 A. M., August 19th; at
3:30 they reached the ditch at the intersection of Newark avenue and
Warren street. The tide was rising but Lieut. Rudolph found the canal
fordable, and led by Lieuts. McCallister and Rudolph the troops pushed
through and soon gained possession of the outer fort. Major Sutherland,
who was in command of the fort, retired into a small redoubt with a
few officers and forty Hessians. It was nearly daylight and Major Lee
had no time to dislodge them. He had intended to burn the barracks,
but on finding sick soldiers, women and children in them he refrained.
He retreated, carrying with him one hundred and fifty-nine prisoners,
officers and men; he lost two men killed, and had three men wounded.
Captain Forsyth was ordered to Prior's Mill to collect such men as were
most fit for action and take a position on Bergen Heights to cover the
retreat. This position was in the woods near Bergen and Sip avenues,
said to be about the site now occupied by Dr. Hornblower's house, 631
Bergen avenue. Dr. Hornblower's grandmother was then a little girl,
Anna Merselis, and that morning in looking for a cow, she came upon
Lee's soldiers, who detained her while they waited, to prevent her
carrying any report of their presence to possible enemies. The troops
remained there until messengers had been sent to ascertain if the
boats that Major Lee had arranged to have in waiting for him at Dow's
Ferry were there. He had intended to cross the Hackensack and by the
Belleville Turnpike reach the high ground east of the Passaic, and
thus return to New Bridge; but the boats had been removed to Newark,
and Major Lee with ruined ammunition and tired men, encumbered with
prisoners, was obliged to return by a route liable to be interrupted
by troops from New York. With undaunted courage and wise precautions
the brave troops started on the return march of fourteen miles to New
Bridge; at "Weehock" Captain Catlett came up with fifty men and good
ammunition. At the Fort Lee road Col. Ball met him with two hundred
fresh men, and Major Lee and his men safely reached New Bridge about
one o'clock in the afternoon. The English were greatly annoyed and the
Americans exceedingly jubilant over the affair.
In a letter to Congress General Washington said: "The Major displayed
a remarkable degree of prudence, address and bravery upon this
occasion, which does the highest honor to himself and to all the
officers and men under his command. The situation of the fort rendered
the attempt critical and the success brilliant." On the 24th of
September, Congress passed the following resolutions respecting the
affair:
"_Resolved_, That the thanks of Congress be given to His Excellency
General Washington for ordering with so much wisdom, the late attack
on the enemy's fort and work at Powles Hook.
"_Resolved_, That the thanks of Congress be given to Major General
Lord Stirling for the judicious measures taken by him to forward the
enterprise and to secure the retreat of the party.
"_Resolved_, That the thanks of Congress be given to Major Lee for
the remarkable prudence, address and bravery displayed by him on the
occasion; and that they approve the humanity shown in circumstances
prompting to severity as honorable to the arms of the United States,
and correspondent to the noble principles on which they were assumed.
"_Resolved_, That Congress entertain a high sense of the discipline,
fortitude, and spirit manifested by the officers and soldiers under
the command of Major Lee in the march, action and retreat, and while
with singular satisfaction they acknowledge the merit of these gallant
men, they feel an additional pleasure of considering them a part of
an army in which very many brave officers and soldiers have proved,
by their cheerful performance of every duty under every difficulty,
that they ardently wish to give the truly glorious examples they now
receive.
"_Resolved_, That Congress justly appreciates the military caution
so happily combined with daring activity by Lieuts. McCallister and
Rudolph in leading on the forlorn hope.
"_Resolved_, That a medal of gold emblematical of this affair be
struck, under the direction of the Board of Treasury, and presented to
Major Lee.
"_Resolved_, That the brevet and the pay and subsistence of Captain be
given to Lieuts. McCallister and Rudolph respectively."
Congress also placed in the hands of Major Lee $15,000 to be
distributed among the soldiers engaged in the attack. On one side
of the medal awarded to Major Lee is a bust of the hero, with the
words "Henrico Lee, Legionis Equit Praefecto, Comitia Americana. The
American Congress to Henry Lee, Colonel of Cavalry." On the reverse,
"Non Obstantib fluminibus vallis astutia et virtute bellica parva manu
hostes vicit victosq armis humanitate devinxit. In mem. pugn. ad Paulus
Hook, die XIX August, 1779." "Notwithstanding rivers and entrenchments,
he with a small band conquered the foe by warlike skill and prowess and
firmly bound by his humanity those who had been conquered by his arms.
In memory of the conflict at Paulus Hook, nineteenth of August, 1779."
[Illustration: THE LEE MEDAL.]
[Illustration: "THE KING OF THE WOODS."]