Marblehead Men

Sailors become Soldiers who become Sailors

One of the most overlooked units in the Continental Army also played a vital role in saving the American cause, paving the way for several iconic commemorative paintings. The people who live along the rocky New England coast are as tough and rugged as the landscape itself. 

At least, they were during the era of the Yankee Doodle Spies. Hard, gritty men and women were the first to take meaningful action against what they saw as the injustices of British rule. I suppose carving out a civilization from a weather-beaten wilderness requires folks of tough mettle and stubborn ways.

New England's coast bred tough people

Among the toughest and most resourceful of that group were the men who sailed the cold and stormy waters along the North Atlantic coast, fishing, trading, and smuggling in both fair and foul weather. It is only natural that a militia regiment drawn from such stock would prove to be one of the go-to units of the struggle.

Marblehead Militia

All counties and some towns in New England had militia units that established a long-standing tradition dating back to at least the late 17th century. These units had experience from several wars fought against native tribes, Canadian neighbors, and their French rulers.

At the start of the fight against Britain, the Marblehead militia was among these. Because it was formed along the rugged New England coast, it was naturally composed of men who spent their civilian lives at sea.

Marblehead Militia

As tensions peaked in April 1775, the regiment was lucky to get a commander who proved to be as tough and resourceful as the men he led – Colonel John Glover. Under Glover, the regiment marched to Cambridge, where they joined the New Englanders besieging the British at Boston.

During the siege, Congress formed the new Continental Army under General George Washington's command. The Marblehead Militia, known as “Glover’s Regiment,” joined the Continental Army in June. It was originally called the 23rd Massachusetts Regiment. Only the best militia units were combined into the Continental regiments, creating America's first “professional” army.

The Continental Line

With their new status, they also received a new name, and the Marblehead militia was quickly renamed the 14th Massachusetts Continental Line. As a continental regiment, they would now be required to march and fight wherever the army moved, and wherever George Washington led them. He soon took them south to face new dangers and seek new opportunities for glory.

Nevertheless, the regiment of about 750 sailors never completely abandoned their heritage. Unlike other continental regiments, which started wearing similar uniforms of dark blue tunics, white or buff breeches, and leggings topped with a cocked hat, the Marblehead sailors dressed more like traditional sailors. The Marbleheaders wore distinctive blue jackets, white pants, and white caps. However, it was the skill, not their appearance, that was the greatest trait of these hardy sailors.

Washington’s Navy

As the siege of Boston went on, Washington decided he needed a naval force to stop supplies from reaching the British garrison. He assigned the 14th Massachusetts Line to outfit and crew four schooners for this purpose. Glover even offered his own schooner, the Hannah. His port at Beverly became the base of “Washington’s Navy.” Operating with a limited budget, the small fleet of five schooners managed to disrupt British supply lines and bring in captured supplies to support the Americans. Sailors from Marblehead also built most of the defenses that kept the British from taking the base.

Washington's Navy consisted of
fast schooners manned by experienced sailors

The Miracle on Long Island

Long before it became a traffic nightmare, Long Island was the scenic and rural breadbasket of New York. In the summer of 1776, it became the focal point of the British plan to crush the American rebellion.

Driven from Boston earlier that year, Lord William Howe’s reinforced army of over twenty thousand sailed into New York Harbor and landed at Staten Island. Soon, he moved his troops across the water and quickly encircled George Washington’s forces along the heights of Brooklyn. Although there was fierce fighting, the British numbers and well-positioned guns made Washington’s hold on the island a dangerous liability. He faced a difficult choice: defend with little hope or attempt to escape.

British Landing at Long Island would soon threaten the
American Army and the cause

In some ways, the latter was the toughest decision. The British naval strength was even more powerful than their land forces. Crossing despite these two hurdles would almost certainly cause disaster. But when a sudden fog rolled into New York harbor on the night of August 29th, Washington seized a brief chance to act.

So under cover of darkness and a thick fog, he made a risky decision and ordered his army to move against the enemy. His advantage was the 14th Massachusetts’ sailor-soldiers. For hour after hour, Glover’s men rowed boat after boat, carrying soldiers, horses, and equipment they could manage without alerting the British, who waited just a few hundred yards away.

Glover worked his men through the night to save an army

Despite the darkness and fog, the Marblehead men moved smoothly and silently. A splash or the bumping of a boat against another could easily have alerted the Royal Navy, whose warships lay anchored nearby. By the next morning, they had evacuated around 9,000 men from the jaws of the British lion to the safety of Manhattan.

The miracle retreat from LI saved the army and the cause

A War of Maneuver

The regiment’s usefulness was evident during the “war of maneuver,” which caused Washington to hurriedly relocate positions to avoid being destroyed by the British. Glover’s men slowed down the British advance at Kips Bay, giving the rest of the army time to retreat to the safety of Harlem. As the campaign moved north to Westchester, the regiment again played a vital role—this time as soldier-sailors.

Glover's sailor-soldiers stymied the British at Pelham

On October 13th, about 4,000 British and Hessian troops advanced inland from Pelham Bay. However, along the stone walls crossing the farmland, 750 men from the 14th Massachusetts and John Glover’s forces stood ready. They kept the British at bay, trading space for time and allowing the Continental Army a chance to prepare for the next attack. Glover’s men, skilled in scouting and raiding, showed they were just as comfortable on land as they were on their schooners’ decks. They captured supplies and enemy prisoners, then helped operate the artillery during Washington and Howe’s clash at White Plains.

The Crossing that Shocked the World

By December of that year, a battered and severely diminished Continental Army reached its breaking point as it looked across the Delaware River. Just hours behind, the advanced guard of a British column led by Major General Charles Cornwallis was closing in quickly. The men from Marblehead collected anything that floated along the river for miles and quickly ferried the ragtag army to safety.

Gen Charles Cornwallis nearly bagged
Washington, but for the Marblehead Regt.

But their greatest challenge still lay ahead. With enlistments dwindling as a new year approached, Washington had a short window to do something with his army besides fleeing from the redcoats. General Howe gave him the chance. Believing the Americans beaten, he scattered his army into winter quarter garrisons, leaving only a few isolated brigades in West Jersey.

The Glover Regiment brought Washington to destiny

Washington turned to Glover’s men once again. In another secret nighttime operation, Washington enlisted the experienced sailors to operate a different kind of boat. Long and sleek, the Durham boats were powered by pushing long poles into the riverbed. 

On a night when snow mixed with rain, file after file of Continentals, poorly dressed and poorly fed but determined, silently boarded the boats under the watchful eyes of the sailors. Throughout the night, strong arms pushed staffs into the swirling water. Strong legs and backs moved the boats, filled with men and equipment, across the swift current toward the dark and dangerous Jersey side. Despite the ice flows, Glover’s sailors managed to ferry over 2,000 troops and 18 guns.

Sailors to soldiers as Glover's Marblehead Regiment
 joins the night march on Trenton

But their work was not finished. The sailors then became soldiers and marched the grueling nine miles to Trenton, fighting valiantly in the short battle that shocked the world and saved the cause. Their final act was to lead the army back across the river, as their enlistments had expired and the regiment was disbanded.

Down to the Sea in Ships

Glover stayed with the Continental Army, but his men went home. New England was never a major battlefield for the rest of the war, but it still played a crucial role—providing support and attacking the British at sea. Glover’s experienced soldiers now became sailors again, engaging in a different kind of war, less showy but just as damaging to the British.

Privateers devastated British merchant shipping and tied down
the Royal Navy

Some people resorted to smuggling, a crucial way to support the war effort. Others went even further and turned to privateering, attacking British merchant ships in a conflict that deprived the British of wealth and supplies while boosting America’s limited resources. The Marblehead men played a key role in capturing more than 3,000 vessels during the war.

Coryell's Ferry

Before the Brooklyn Bridge, the Lincoln Tunnel, or the Wilson Bridge, there was the ferry. And not just the Staten Island Ferry...And yes, there were tolls...

A Hard Land to Travel

America during the time of the Yankee Doodle Spies was a tough land to travel through. Most of America was still heavily forested and inland, with rugged to mountainous terrain making travel dangerous and often life-threatening. By the mid-1700s, however, the coastal and tidewater regions were relatively developed. Here, a network of mostly poor roads crisscrossed these areas, connected by fords, bridges, and ferries crossing waterways. 

Early American bridge building was limited to short spans, and fords only allowed crossing shallow waters. Numerous ferries were established along rivers and tidal areas, carrying carts, wagons, livestock, and travelers on foot, horseback, or in carriages. 

However, ferries during the Yankee Doodle Spies era were often unreliable and sometimes dangerous. With no weather forecasting, they were vulnerable to sudden storms, weather changes, and shifting tides that could cause accidents, property damage, and injuries to passengers or animals. Many ferries kept irregular schedules, with some only operating part-time, making the service unreliable and often a poor source of income. 

Consequently, many ferry operators had second jobs, such as farming, running a tavern, or owning a store. Schedules were frequently nonexistent, leaving weary travelers at the mercy of the ferryman's other commitments, which could lead to delays and long waits.

Dutch settlers used ferries to traverse the Hudson
and cross to Long Island

But they were vital to the transportation system of that era. Ferries linked America's growing tidal cities to their surroundings, utilizing an expanding network of toll roads, pikes, and longer-range boats connected to them, enabling efficient if sometimes unpredictable transit from the mid-Atlantic to distant locations like New York and Baltimore. 

North of Philadelphia, major ferry operations connected Mercer County, New Jersey, and Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Between 1675 and the start of the American Revolution, Trenton established the Lower, Middle, and Upper Ferry crossings over the Delaware River. The Middle Ferry was linked with a stagecoach line to New Brunswick and provided downriver service to Philadelphia.

River Ferries

Simple Designs

Some ferries were simply small longboats that were rowed or sailed across a body of water. However, most were purpose-built with a simple design. They essentially consisted of a rectangular platform with a flat bottom and vertical sides. These ferries were easy and inexpensive to construct, with the only requirement being that they could float. The bottoms at each end angled upward, reducing water resistance and allowing for easier movement across the water. 

Most upriver ferries lacked landing docks, instead loading and unloading directly onto a natural riverbank, which was sometimes modified to include a sloping earth ramp for entry and exit. In more advanced ferries, a movable ramp was attached at each end, pivoting on hinges and operated by a long pole. 

When crossing, both ramps were kept in a raised position. The simplest and most reliable way to move a ferry across a typically shallow river was by manpower, specifically by poling. This method was used by most riverboats and was the technique employed by the Durham boats during the military transport across the Delaware in 1776. Some ferries used oars or winches pulling on ropes.

Photo of 19the century ferry - simple design little changed from 18th century
this one powered by winch and rope

The Ferry to Freedom

The ferry played a major role in the American War for Independence. The movement of supplies relied on them. But most important was the ferry's role in the movement of armies. Some engagements, such as Stonos Ferry in South Carolina (1779), took place at or near ferries, and many others were facilitated by ferry travel.

The battles around New York in 1776 (the setting for my first novel, The Patriot Spy) relied on ferry crossings to move troops and supplies. Brooklyn was central to Washington's escape from Long Island despite overwhelming British forces. He used the Brooklyn ferry point as his landing spot. 

Most famously, the ferries between Pennsylvania and New Jersey played key roles in the American Revolution. As the war moved across the Jerseys, other ferries operated on the Delaware. Trenton’s Lower Ferry earned the nickname "the Continental Ferry” because its owner, Elijah Bond, offered reduced rates to active American soldiers. 

During the British occupation of Philadelphia (September 1777–June 1778), American spies disguised as farmers used ferries on the Schuylkill River, including Gray’s Ferry, to slip in and out of the city. The most famous ferry incident of the war was George Washington and his army crossing the Delaware on Christmas night in 1776, at McConkey’s Ferry. This brave event and related stories are told in my second novel, The Cavalier Spy. But a lesser-known ferry in the region also played a crucial role in the fight for independence.

Washington's Crossing of Delaware on Durham boats
in December 1776

A Lesser Known Ferry

Some ten miles upriver on the Delaware was an important ferry run by John Coryell, a tavern keeper and ferry operator. Coryell's Ferry crossed the Delaware between what are now Lambertville, New Jersey, and New Hope, Pennsylvania. At the time, both towns were also known as Coryell's Ferry. Though less famous than McConkey's Ferry, Coryell's Ferry was a key crossing during the Revolutionary War. 

In early December 1776, Coryell refused passage to British soldiers as General Charles Cornwallis pursued the Continental Army into Pennsylvania. There was also military activity around Coryell's Ferry during this period, with Cornwallis's troops pressing the retreating Americans and guarding against local militias. In 1777, part of Washington's army camped near the ferry, using it to cross into Pennsylvania ahead of the Brandywine campaign.

Coryell's Ferry 1776

Mentioned in the Dispatches

Coryell's Ferry is referenced in three of George Washington's papers from December 1776: “General Orders, 12 December 1776,” “From George Washington to John Hancock, 12 December 1776,” “General Orders, 29 December 1776.” Spelling was inconsistent in 1700s America, and the ferry's name is spelled differently in each document—"Corells," "Corriels," and "Coryells." 

Campaign of 1778

Coryell's Ferry played a significant role in the Monmouth campaign of June 1778, when the Continental Army crossed there to pursue the British into the Jerseys. The events that initiated that crossing began the previous fall. The British army occupied the American capital, Philadelphia, from September 26, 1777, until June 18, 1778. This occupation compelled Congress to relocate to York, Pennsylvania, which demoralized many Americans. 

During that same winter of 1777, General George Washington positioned his army about twenty miles from Philadelphia at Valley Forge, which served as an excellent location for "winter quarters." The forge offered solid ground for defending against British attacks and was a strategic vantage point for observing or blocking British movements. 

In early 1778, the British recalled General William Howe and appointed his second-in-command, Sir Henry Clinton, as the new commander-in-chief. Recognizing his vulnerability and aiming to consolidate his forces for a new British strategy, Clinton decided to retreat to New York. His forces set out on June 18, 1777, crossing the Delaware River at Cooper's Ferry into New Jersey. From there, they began a northeast march across the Jerseys.

There were numerous ferries along the coastal and inland rivers
of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania 

By then, Washington had the Continental Army on the move. Learning of the British evacuation of Philadelphia, Washington decided it was time to leave Valley Forge. 

On June 20, the columns of dust-covered but eager soldiers arrived at the Pennsylvania side of Coryell's Ferry. The next day, Washington crossed to the New Jersey side (at today's Lambertville) and set up his headquarters at the Holcombe House. The main body of the army soon followed the commander-in-chief into New Jersey. This was not a secret, nighttime crossing like at Brooklyn or McConkey's. With a much larger force, including 700 horses and 200 wagons, the 1778 crossing was a large, loud event. 

By the morning of June 21, they began pursuing the retreating British. From Coryell’s Ferry, the army traveled through what is now West Amwell (then called simply Amwell). The main body camped near Ringoes on June 22. This effort culminated on June 28, when they fought the British near Monmouth Courthouse in the famous battle of that name. Although it was a draw, the Continental Army faced the British on equal terms in open battle. 

Crossing at Coryell's Ferry led to the battle at Monmouth

A Call for Help

Although Monmouth's maneuver and actions occurred in June, Washington had done extensive prior planning and clearly saw Coryell and his ferry as vital to his efforts to prevent the British from using it and to ensure its availability for the Continental Army. The dispatches to and from Coryell shown below provide insight into the logistical aspect of Washington's war, which required early preparation of the operational area. (Note: indifferent spelling was common across all classes during the time of the Yankee Doodle Spies.)

To John Coryell
Head Quarters Valley Forge 1st March 1778

Sir

I am very anxious to have all the continental flat Boats below Trenton carried up the River as far as Easton or near it, that they may be intirely out of the Enemy’s reach—I have desired the Gentlemen of the Navy Board to order Commodore Hazelwood to collect all those and carry them up as far as Trenton and when he has got them there to let you know it. I shall therefore be exceedingly obliged to you if you will collect a proper number of hands who are used to carry Boats thro’ the Falls and go down for them when you have notice. Or if you do not receive such notice in a few days, the Men may as well go down to Bordentown where the Boats are and bring them up from thence. There are a number of Cannon and some Stores there which I want carried to a place of safety. If you think the Boats can be taken thro’ the falls with the Cannon in them, it will save much expence and secure them perfectly. You are to apply to Messrs Hopkinson and Wharton of the Continental Navy Board at Bordentown for the Cannon if they can be carried up in the Boats.

I see by a letter of yours to Colo. Lutterloh that you want Money for these purposes. You may hire the Men for doing this service upon an assurance of their being paid the moment it is performed. And you will therefore make out the account when you have finished and apply directly to me for the Money when it shall be paid with thanks. 

I am &c.

(Washington)

Coryell's Landing Toll House

Response to His Excellency

Coryells Ferry [Delaware River]

March the 6th 1778

Honoured Sr

I Recd yours of the 1st instant the third at night & am Determined to serve you according to your Directions If Possable the Badness of the weather has hindered me to proceed on with any more Boats since my Last1 but Expect to Start the Remainder in two or three Days that I now have at my Ferry & when they are gone I will go after the Rest I am afraid I cant Bring up any Cannon in the Fleet Boats If there should be any Dur[ha]m boats below as I Expect there is I kno I Can Bring up Canno[n] in them and Will I have ingaged a number of Brave watermen for the purpose & I am dr Sr your Humble sert

Jno. Coryell

P.S. there was a number of peac eis of Duck Left at my place I had to press sleds to move them to Reading & I Kept one for the use of my self & men; If it Cant be spared it is not Cut I will send it on.

J.C.

Coryell's Landing today

Winter Gamble

Darkness Descends

December 1776 was truly a month that tested men's resolve. The British had been pressing the Continental Army since their invasion of Long Island in the summer. The "victory" at Harlem was the closest the struggling Americans came to stopping Lord Howe's advance. The only thing standing between Washington and an early British victory that could end the rebellion was, well, Lord Howe. His smart strategic moves, well-executed naval landings, precise tactics, and professional sieges characterized Howe's offensive. However, his slow movements allowed Washington to repeatedly slip free.

Cornwallis crossed with five thousand crack troops to begin
the rout through the Jerseys

Winter Quarters

Lord Cornwallis

 By late December, Washington's army was safe across the Delaware River and prepared to defend the nation's capital, Philadelphia. He had fewer than 2500 effective troops, and that number would soon decrease as many enlistments ended in January, with the much-needed replacements not arriving until early the next year, if at all. 

The Continental Army lacked supplies of all kinds, especially

clothing- not just winter gear, but any clothing at all! However, Washington had help from Howe, who halted General Cornwallis's 5,000 crack troops at the Delaware. Washington's men had confiscated every civilian boat for miles along the river, forcing Cornwallis to wait for the British pontoon trains before crossing. 

Meanwhile, Howe, believing Washington was defeated, ordered his army into "winter quarters," and he himself hurried back to New York to be with his mistress. Cornwallis's wife was reportedly ill, and he headed to New York to catch a ship to England before winter made crossing impossible. To guard his New Jersey holdings, Howe left brigade-sized garrisons at Princeton, Brunswick, Bordentown, and Trenton.

An Army at rest and an Army formed

General John Sullivan

As soon as he escaped Cornwallis' onslaught, Washington began to think about his next move. Congress abandoned the capital and fled to Baltimore. Congress also offered him near-dictatorial powers, which he refused. Then, the help he had counted on, and had previously dismissed, suddenly arrived. General John Sullivan, returned from British captivity, led the division of General Charles Lee across the Delaware and joined Washington near Yardley, New Jersey. 

Washington then decided to proceed with his plan; he would gamble on a surprise attack against the British garrisons closest to the Delaware: Bordentown and Trenton. Washington's bold gamble required meticulous planning, daring, and a bit of luck. His first stroke of luck was Sullivan's arrival. 

The second was his ability to persuade the troops to extend their enlistments long enough for his plan to succeed. Washington personally met with the men, and his sincerity and apparent dedication to them and the cause swayed just enough. 

The third factor was the weather, and the last was maintaining the element of surprise during a period when not only Loyalists but even discouraged patriots might betray him to the British. Spies were everywhere.

The Crossing

Washington concealed his movements from Loyalist spies and led his army to McGonkey's Ferry on the evening of December 25th. The weather was cold with snow flurries, but the river had not yet frozen over. The crossing began after dark, but one delay followed another, throwing off Washington's schedule. He planned to march about nine miles downstream and surprise the Hessian garrison commanded by Colonel Johan Rall at dawn. The critical element was the guns. Henry Knox assured him he could get all 18 cannons across. However, the snow increased in intensity, and ice floes started to form. With each wave of boats crossing in the darkness, the risk grew. Yet, Colonel John Glover's Marblehead sailors, along with the renowned Gloucester Regiment, outperformed even the heroics of Long Island. A delay in crossing would not mean crossing denial—at least at McGonkey's. Further downriver, two other divisions of Pennsylvanians, under Generals Ewing and Cadwallader, were supposed to cross and take Bordentown, as well as assist at Trenton. But the ice floes thickened to the point where neither division could cross that night. This part of Washington's plan had failed.

The Miracle

Washington's forces did not fully cross until late at night. Then, they began the night march in two columns—one along the river road and the other, which Washington joined, moving further inland. The men, cold, wet, and exhausted, struggled across rugged, rocky, and wooded terrain. With limbs frozen and nearly blind from the elements, the soldiers used patches of white paper to guide them in the dark.

 

All the time, Washington hoped the other columns could cross without being detected and that the Hessians would not be alerted and waiting. His worst fears were confirmed in the first case, but his greatest hopes came true in the second. Arriving well into the early morning light, the Americans were surprised to find the small town still asleep and the weather clearing. The sound of a cannon signaled the two-pronged attack. 

Surprised, the Hessian professionals formed up as best they could to meet the invaders, but within an hour, the battle was over. Rall, the enemy commander, was mortally wounded, and his men soon surrendered. Not a single American died, and only a few were wounded. Washington's gamble succeeded... but his winter campaign was only just beginning.

Continentals rush a Hessian gun to open the battle