Belleville, New Jersey

Second River (Belleville/Nutley)
in the American Revolution

Includes background and history of more than 68 American Revolution war veterans buried in Belleville, N.J.

Washington's Retreat Across the Jerseys

Skirmishes at Second River

Two local men die in battles against British

Revolutionary War Sites in Belleville, N.J.

Belleville's American Revolution War Stories

Col. Philip Van Cortlandt, 'A hero of Battle of Saratoga', added to roster of veterans buried in church cemetery

Roster of 68 American Revolution Soldiers Buried in Dutch Reformed Church Cemetery

Names of Soldiers, Services, Military References

Sources and References

BELLEVILLE SONS HONOR ROLL: Remembering The Men Who Paid For Our Freedom

Two local men die in separate battles against British

Belleville Son Joseph Hornblower Killed in Action

Private Joseph Hornblower, 21, was killed in action on April 4, 1777, at the Battle of Quibbletown in central New Jersey, during the American Revolution. Joseph was born in 1756 in the Hornblower home adjacent to the old Dutch Reformed Church on what is now Main Street in Belleville.

He was the eldest son of Josiah and Elizabeth Hornblower. His father, Josiah, assembled the first steam engine in America, served as Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly during the war and after the war served in the Continental Congress and worked on the passage of the U.S. Constitution.

Private Hornblower was one of five American soldiers killed in the April 4 engagement with the British. Quibbletown is today known as New Market, a section of Piscataway Township. Private Hornblower was most likely buried in an unmarked grave on or near the battlefield as was the practice at the time.

Thirty-three days after the death of Private Joseph Hornblower, a new child was born to Elizabeth and Josiah Hornblower. In honor of their recently killed heroic son, the Hornblowers named the newborn Joseph adding the middle name of Coerten.

Private Joseph Hornblower's brother Joseph Coerten would go on to become the long serving and distinguished Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court and founder of the New Jersey Historical Society.

-- Courtesy Michael Perrone, Belleville Historical Society

Pvt. Harmanus Brown, 18, of Second River (Spring Garden, Nutley), was killed in action at Connecticut Farms (Union, N.J.) on June 8, 1780, and is buried in the Dutch Reformed Church cemetery. The Belleville Historical Society dedicated a monument to Private Brown at the old Belleville Dutch Reformed Church on July 4, 2015.

The Battle of Second River

Cannon on the Second River (Belleville) side of the Passaic River held back British troops during Washington's retreat in Sept. 12 to Sept. 14, 1777. Read about the battle of Second River (Belleville) and the Belleville Historical Society effort to establish a monument to the first day's battle fought at the Dutch Reformed Church.

Private Benjamin Salter, Eastern Battalion, Morris County Militia, was killed in action in Belleville in the second day of fighting during the Battle of Second River on Sept. 14, 1777. Private Salter would have been buried there in an unmarked grave on or alongside the battlefield. Eight British soldiers were also killed and buried in what today is Belleville Park along the Second River.

Originally known as “Second River” or “Washington”, the inhabitants renamed the settlement “Belleville” in 1797.

The village of Second River (what today is Belleville and Nutley), included all the land between the Second and Third rivers, or roughly from present day Mill Street in Belleville to Kingsland Road at the Nutley-Clifton border. The Dutch Reform Church at what is now Main Street and Rutgers Street, Belleville, was the spiritual, political and military center of the community. The village rallied about 200 militia men to serve in the new republic's army.

Colonel Phillip Van Cortlandt was the commanding officer of the 2nd Essex Regiment, he was the highest ranking Revolutionary War officer from Essex County. Van Cortlandt lived on Main Street also and is buried in the Van Cortlandt crypt in the cemetery at the Dutch Reformed Church.

Captain Abraham Speer, was the commander of the local militia unit, headquartered at the Dutch church. He lived on what is now Chestnut Street in Nutley. He was the owner/operator of the ferry that operated in front of the church. Tradition says that his father John Spear shot and killed a British officer on the North Arlington side of the river. Spear then crossed the river and took the officers pocket watch as a souvenir. Both Abraham and John Spear are buried in the cemetery.

Battle memorial in Belleville Park on Mill Street.

NAMES OF SOLDIERS, SERVICES, MILITARY REFERENCES

Sources and References

For more information, email Belleville Historical Society

ANNUAL

BELLEVILLE 4TH OF JULY – INDEPENDENCE DAY CEREMONY

JULY 4 – 11 a.m.,
DUTCH REFORMED CHURCH, 171 Main St, Belleville, NJ 07109
(Main Street at Rutgers Street)

For more information, email

Belleville Historical Society