"Camp-field." At this point many interesting Revolutionary relics have been ploughed up by former owners of the land. Until within a few years numerous low mounds were to be seen, which when opened revealed large stones and brick bats-the remains of the foundations of chimneys and fire-places-plainly indicating the site of the log-cabins or huts in which the troops were quartered. These huts were constructed of dove-tailed tree-trunks, no nails or iron-work of any kind being used. The interstices between the logs were filled with clay, and the chimneys, made of small sticks, were similarly plastered. The officers' huts were generally divided in two apartments, for four occupants who comprised one mess, but the privates' and non-commission officers' huts had but one room, and contained ten or twelve straw-filled bunks for that number of men. Late in the autumn, General Gates having been ordered to Boston, Putnam was sent to take his place in Hartford. This left the division under the command of its senior brigadier-Muhlenberg, our old friend, the Jersey parson. Thacher writes of him as being corpulent and clumsy, but as "brave as Cæsar," and although exhibiting but few of the refinements of education, his bold and undaunted front and military carriage proclaimed the veteran soldier. He was a good liver and fond of entertaining his brother officers. On New Year's day he gave a supper and dance, inviting many of the ladies of the neighborhood, and none of the company were permitted to retire before three o'clock in the morning.

Somerset is peculiarly rich in Revolutionary houses. A notable example is the one which was occupied that winter by General Greene, located midway between Bound Brook and Somerville on the banks of the Raritan, a short distance southwest of the Finderne railway-station. It was built by Derrick Van Veghten early in the last century, he having been born in 1699 in an adjoining stone house. This earlier structure was erected by his father, Michael, who, born in 1663, migrated from the upper Hudson, and was among the earliest of the Dutch pioneers in the Raritan valley. Although bearing many marks of age this dwelling's two solid storeys of Holland brick still press firmly and unimpaired upon their foundation, and its rooftree continues to cap a family homestead. A brigade was encamped on that

MRS. GREENE AT THE VAN VEGHTEN HOUSE. 459

portion of the Van Veghten land forming the slope northeast of and back from, the river, now known as the Shaw farm. Derrick Van Veghten, who at this time was nearly eighty years of age, was very strong in his sympathy for the patriot cause, and did much to add to the comfort of the rank and file of the army, as well as of its officers. His homestead, which even then was a very old dwelling, was the centre of a bounteous hospitality.

The hills of Somerset have echoed to the tread of many heroes. As has been before implied, few Revolutionary figures can be credited with the possession of more distinguished attainments than can Nathanael Greene. What greater eulogy could a soldier desire than that spoken of this officer by Washington? Here are his words :

There is no officer in the army more sincerely attached to the interests of his country than General Greene. Could he but promote these best interests in the character of a corporal, he would exchange, without a murmur, his epaulet for the knot. For, although he is not without ambition, that ambition has not for its object, the highest rank, so much as the greatest good.

Greene at this time was acting as quartermaster-general, he having accepted the position in the previous March, in order to relieve that department and Washington from great embarrassments. He had retained all his right of rank and pay as major-general in the line, and at the battle of Monmouth commanded the right wing of the army. In addition to the official intercourse at the Van Veghten dwelling, made necessary by the occupancy of Greene, the presence of his lady proved a powerful attraction, and drew many to this old Dutch farm-house. Mrs. Greene was possessed of brilliant qualities, which earned for her high distinction and great influence, her society and friendship being sought by the best people of the country. At this time she was about twenty-five years old, and is said to have been singularly lovely in person. Expressive

*It was not long before quite a village of blacksmith's shops, store-houses, and other buildings connected with the quartermaster's department grew up on the main Raritan road at the crossing of the road running to the Raritan bridge (Finderne). The near-by elevation, even then known as Mount Pleasant, where is now the residence of John C. Shaw, was also in use at that time by the army for camping and other purposes. This was probably the location of Wayne's encampment in 1777 when he dated his letter to General Lincoln, from "Mount Pleasant." (See page 419.)

gray eyes lit up a fair face of regular and animated features. With a nature joyous and gay, her quickness of perception and unusually retentive memory combined in making her conversation brilliant, and her society a delight to all who came within the magic of her presence. She was held in great esteem at headquarters. Long after the war, at the levees given by Mrs. Washington in Philadelphia as wife of the chief magistrate, it was the custom of the President to personally accompany the widows of Generals Greene and Montgomery to and from their carriages-a distinction which he conferred upon none other of the lady guests.

The troops of General Wayne, which comprised the 1st, 2d, and 7th, Pennsylvania regiments, were encamped south of the Raritan, on a ridge of land west of the road running from Finderne station to Millstone, adjoining where is now the residence of D. R. Disborough. This general is often mentioned in Revolutionary annals as "Mad Anthony," because of a bravery that was fearless of consequences. Somerset traditions, however, distinguish him as "Dandy Wayne," for the reason of his having been conspicuously handsome, with much magnetism and dash, and always uniformed and appointed with great care and fastidi

CHAPTER XXXI.

The Artillery Park at Pluckamin-General and Mrs. Knox at the Van der Veer House-The French Alliance Fête -General Steuben at Bound Brook.

The corps of artillery commanded by General Knox lay, as has been said before, at Pluckamin. The guns were parked and the men's quarters were erected on the northwest side of the Cornelius Eoff farm, now owned by Nathan Compton, a piece of rising ground a short distance from the road, which displayed the camp to good advantage. A range of field-pieces, mortars, howitzers and heavy cannon formed the front line of a parallelogram, while flanking the remaining sides were huts for the officers and privates, and other necessary buildings. Facing the parade, and standing on a slightly-elevated plateau, was a spacious and well-proportioned structure, capped with a small cupola. It was called the academy, and enclosed a room fifty feet by thirty, with an arched ceiling and plastered walls. Here from a low rostrum at one end of this room, the brigade preceptor delivered lectures on tactics, gunnery and other military subjects. It may be readily supposed that this capacious hall also furnished an agreeable rendezvous for the officers during the long evenings of that winter. Altogether, the encampment unfolded itself very attractively to an approaching visitor, and was in every respect a superior military village; one of a no inconsiderable population, as the returns of the artillery corps at that time show its total effective strength to have been forty-nine companies, containing sixteen hundred and seven men. Had the companies been full the command would have numbered over one thousand more.

Both officers and men of this artillery brigade wore uniform

coats of black, turned up with red, jackets and breeches of white wool, and hats trimmed with yellow. The adoption of this dress had created dissatisfaction among some of the commands, their officers being loth to abandon their former distinctive uniforms. Colonel Procter, whose batteries had marched with Washington since 1776, especially demurred against the men of his crack corps losing their individuality of dress, they, from the first, having well served their guns in blue coats faced with white and buff. Washington, however, wrote to President Reed, saying:-"As black and red have been pitched upon for that of the Continental artillery, it is unreasonable for him [Procter] to make objections to it;" so of course the colonel was forced to succumb.

In an earlier chapter mention was made that in the first years of the struggle Revolutionary soldiers were rarely arrayed in martial attire. As the war progressed, and enlistments were made for longer terms, uniforms were adopted, and in other ways the regiments presented a much more soldierly appearance. One of the greatest offences against historical verity is the prevalent belief that the continental troops were uniformed in blue and buff. Such were the colors of the commander-in-chief, his staff, and of many of the generals, but the prevailing uniforms of the rank and file were brown, blue, and green, with trimmings of various hues. This popular but erroneous notion has been fostered by artists, who, in illustrating Revolutionary scenes, have pictured continental soldiers clad in blue coats with buff facings, buff waistcoats and breeches, top boots, cocked hats, and ruffled shirts. This is false as to the dress of the men, and, often, also as to that of the officers; the latter, in the artillery, at least, were arrayed in the same colors as the privates. Interesting testimony in this regard is furnished by a letter written by Knox from Pluckamin, to his brother Peter, at Boston, on the thirteenth of January. The general says:

I have heard that there is plenty of black cloth in the state store of Massachusets, and, to be sure, I belong to Massachusets. I therefore beg as you would wish the benedictions of the righteous that you would apply to said store for cloth enough to make a couple of coats for myself, and one for Maj. Shaw, [a staffofficer], we are both naked, therefore I pray you cloath us—and if they have white for waistcoats-don't forget that * * I could not procure these

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articles under a small fortune here and yet they are absolutely necessary don't forget the uniform buttons-and all the trimmings-were you to see my cloaths I think you would not think my request unreasonable.