The Murder of a Patriot Preacher - The Tragedy of James Caldwell
James Caldwell was a New Jersey preacher who served with the militia during the Revolutionary War and in doing so suffered great personal losses.
James Caldwell
James Caldwell was raised in Virginia, but after studying at Princeton he decided to take up residence in Elizabethtown, New Jersey.
Caldwell became a popular and respected Preacher in his corner of the world during the years leading up to the Revolutionary War.
A fervent Patriot, James often promoted the ideas of liberty and freedom which were popular at the time in his sermons.
Chaplain/Quartermaster
Caldwell joined the New Jersey Militia as a Chaplain and served in the regiment led by Elias Dayton.
In addition to religious offerings, James picked up his weapon and joined the men on the field on several occasions.
Furthermore, he was given the position of Quartermaster for his regiment which put him in charge of securing provisions for his men. This was especially difficult because it coincided with the Forage War the two sides were fighting for food in New Jersey.
Tragedy
During the war, James Caldwell had both his house and church burned by the British.
After that, while the Redcoats were retreating from the Battle of Connecticut Farms, a Loyalist spotted James’ wife, Hannah, through a window and shot her dead in front of their children.
Despite his great loss, or perhaps because of it, Caldwell participated in the Battle of Springfield less than three weeks later.
This decisive victory was the last major battle in the northern theater of the Revolutionary War.
Murdered
In November of 1781, after the Victory at Yorktown, Caldwell was returning to Elizabethtown when he was stopped by an American guard.
Although he spoke with the man, James refused to let his bag be searched.
The guard, James Morgan, overreacted and suddenly shot Caldwell, killing him.
The death was shocking and Morgan was tried and convicted of murder, punished with a hanging the following January.
The Caldwell children were now orphaned and were taken care of by friends and family. Of the many people who donated money for their support, one was George Washington who provided a then-substantial sum of $100.
Here are some other Preachers from the American Revolution:
Preaching Abolition - Lemuel Haynes Breaks Barriers
Samuel Kirkland - Preacher on the Frontier
It is a bit surprising that the Caldwell’s story is not better known (it was only recently brought to my attention).
This is even the case in writing, as I have only been able to find one book on the Patriot, ‘The Rebel Reverend.’
If you’d like a copy you can get one through the Amazon affiliate link below (you’ll support this site, but don’t worry, Amazon pays me while your price stays the same).
