Ambush of Geary
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The Ambush of Geary was a skirmish of the American Revolutionary War fought in Amwell Twp., Hunterdon County, New Jersey on December 14, 1776.
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[edit] The Ambush
Cornet Francis Geary (1752-1776), son of Admiral Sir Francis Geary, and a party of eight troopers of the 16th (Queen's) Light Dragoons were engaged in a scouting mission when fired upon by a party of local irregulars under the command of Capt. John Schenck of the 3rd Regiment Hunterdon Militia. Geary, the only casualty, fell in the first volley from the revolutionaries with a musket ball to his head. The remaining British troops scattered and returned to their lines.
The American company buried Geary in a shallow grave and divided his possessions amongst themselves (sword, watch, hat, coat, sash, shoes...).
[edit] The Significance
The ambush resulted in British troops reducing the range of their scouting forays. This was crucial as the Americans were massing boats along the Delaware River prior to Washington's December 25, 1776 crossing to attack the British at Trenton. Geary's troops had been within five miles of the Malta Island staging area for the crossing.
[edit] Anecdotes
Hunterdon traditions claim that Geary's belongings were hidden to prevent their discovery by British troops. His coat is said to have been hidden under a pile of wheat on the floor of a garret, while his boots were hidden in an oven.
It is also said that Geary's red sash was unravelled and the thread was used for various ornamental purposes, his sword was melted to make teaspoons and his stiff leather hat was used by a farmer to dip oats from his feed bin for his horses.
For centuries, the site of Geary's grave (unmarked until 1907 except by two unlettered stones) has been considered haunted and some have claimed to have seen his ghost.
