The cause of the American Revolution was a conflict between two motives: one for independence from Britain and its monarchy, and the other for continued allegiance to that same monarchy as part of the larger British "empire" that grew in the 18th century. The Loyalists often get a bad reputation. They were not evil, misguided, or any more treacherous than the patriots overall. They were simply traditional folks who saw greater benefits in remaining under the crown than in rejecting it. In the long lead-up to the War for Independence, many tried to steer the politics of their respective colonies toward resolving their grievances.
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| Political agitation caused some to remain ambivalent |
But by the outbreak of actual hostilities, Loyalists were forced to go underground (keep their sympathies secret) or assert royal prerogative through action. New Jersey was the most divided of all the states in this regard. Many influential Loyalists had participated in the various committees, associations, and even Congress to guide the disaffected toward a political solution. But once the challenge was made, they began to slip away quietly or suddenly to action.
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| Loyalists organized for the day the British would arrive |
One such "First Loyalist" was a little-known doctor from Teaneck, New Jersey, in divided Bergen County, named Abraham Van Buskirk. Van Buskirk was a notable figure in the region. The Van Buskirk family was an old Dutch family that had lived there for many years. His father, Lawrence Van Buskirk, operated a successful stagecoach service. By the time of the war, the elder Van Buskirk had passed the enterprise, called The Flying Machine, to his son Andrew, who managed the stage to the Hoboken Ferry. He also ran a tavern in New Bridge.
Doctor Abraham occasionally helped out, usually making the run to Paulus Hook. Van Buskirk and his family were well established in the area. His travels on the stage and familiarity with the region would later prove useful. Abraham Van Buskirk and many other prominent New Jersey Dutch failed in their political efforts to keep the colony aligned with the crown. Additionally, they secretly took other measures as the cloud of war gathered over the troubled Royal Colony.
Despite his Tory leanings, Van Buskirk became an officer in the county militia. However, many local patriots were skeptical and saw him as a Loyalist. He had been associated with the patriot cause early on, having been elected as a moderate to the county committee and provincial congress. Van Buskirk managed to dodge accusations so skillfully that he appeared more like a patriot. But he was a man of principles; he broke ranks with the patriots over the issue of outright independence for the thirteen colonies, refusing to swear the oath of abjuration, renouncing his loyalty to the Crown, and resigning from the provincial congress. Yet, in his practical Dutch way, Van Buskirk and his fellow secret Loyalists would only openly declare if the British showed up in loco. Fortunately for them, and unfortunately for the patriots, they did not have to wait long.
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| Cornwallis's Invasion of the Jerseys |
During late summer and into the fall of 1776, the people of Jersey waited anxiously as the British, under Lord William Howe, systematically drove Washington and his Continental Army from Staten Island, Long Island, and the Island of New York (Manhattan). After an inconclusive battle at White Plains (in Westchester), Washington moved most of his forces across the North (Hudson) River to the "safety" of the Jerseys.
In November, British General Lord Cornwallis led a force of 5,000 men up the palisades overlooking the Hudson River and forced the Continental Army into a hasty retreat toward Pennsylvania. Now was Van Buskirk's moment! On November 22, the British crossed the Hackensack River and captured the city. Swarms of Hessians dazzled or terrified residents, depending on their allegiance. The Volunteer Loyalists gathered in town. He and his men could openly declare and organize their unit, the 4th Battalion, New Jersey Volunteers. Van Buskirk, the citizen, soon proved himself as a capable military leader, guiding his unit with a steady hand and determined efficiency.
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| Loyalist Infantry |
The War for Independence was fought fiercely at the local level, especially between Loyalists and rebels. Some of the most intense fighting took place in the Hackensack Valley. To support British efforts to control Jersey, Van Buskirk began sending his men on raids across Bergen County and later patrolling key areas like Bergen Neck and Staten Island. Van Buskirk's patrols captured prisoners for questioning or exchange. They foraged from the local people’s resources, just like the patriots did. They engaged in numerous skirmishes with the hated rebel militia and sometimes with Continental troops. Van Buskirk quickly became a terror to Hackensack Valley patriots and any Continental units passing through the area.
After Washington's surprise victory at Trenton, many British units left New Jersey, but a few stayed near Paulhus Hook and Bergen. From there, Van Buskirk's companies launched more raids into the so-called "neutral ground" of the valley. They played a part in the "Winter War" (or Forage War), helping to safeguard farmers trying to supply goods to the British forces concentrated in New York. Throughout 1777, Van Buskirk effectively waged unconventional warfare from his base at Bergen Point, sending operatives as far as the New York border to capture patriots for interrogation and retaliation.
In September 1777, the British commander in New York, General Clinton, launched a three-pronged, 2,000-man assault into New Jersey. Van Buskirk's men participated eagerly, landing at Elizabeth Town and moving quickly north, where they performed well during an engagement at Passaic. In August of that year, American General John Sullivan started an attack on British and Loyalist forces on Staten Island. Abraham Van Buskirk's battalion was part of Brigadier General Cortland Skinner's Loyalist Brigade.
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| Patrick Ferguson |
In May 1779, Van Buskirk supported a British raid on Closter with the aim of reaching Paramus. Captain Patrick Ferguson, who would later gain fame for King's Mountain, played a key role in the operation. Later that year, Van Buskirk foiled local patriots in another way by escaping Light Horse Harry Lee's raid on Paulhus Hook, where he was among the intended targets. Van Buskirk's intelligence network was now well-established in that part of New Jersey, and it made a real difference.
The winter of 1779-80 was exceptionally cold. Van Buskirk's 4th New Jersey was based on Staten Island. Conditions would soon warm up. On January 14, American General Lord Stirling attempted a raid against Van Buskirk but was ultimately unsuccessful. Undeterred, Van Buskirk launched a counter-attack on January 25, capturing 50 prisoners despite the severe cold affecting both sides. In April of that year, Van Buskirk played a leading role in the Battle of Hooperstown.
In September 1781, Van Buskirk led his battalion during the turncoat Benedict Arnold's infamous burning of New London and the siege at Fort Griswold, where the surrendering fort commander, Colonel Ledyard, was infamously stabbed and many of his men were bayoneted to death. The last action of the war in the North somewhat symbolizes the true nature of the desperate struggle for America.
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| Benedict Arnold: British general |
The action in Connecticut in 1781 was one of the last major engagements in the North. Following the lengthy negotiations after Yorktown in October 1781, the war returned to a state of "low intensity." One can imagine Van Buskirk played his part skillfully until the end. After the war, Van Buskirk's fate was no different from that of many other Loyalists whose dreams were shattered and whose homes were destroyed or seized by vengeful rebels. Someone as dedicated to the crown as Van Buskirk had few options. As a result, the surgeon, businessman, politician, and soldier joined many other Loyalists who emigrated to Nova Scotia. There, he settled in Shelburne, where he died in 1791.
