tenderest sensibility and refinement, throw interesting light on the pitiable condition
of the southern sections at that time.
During the latter part of her life she resided at "Wilton," the country seat of a friend, "Peaceful Retreat" having become uninhabitable. At "Wilton" she died in 1825, at the age of seventy-nine. Her remains, however, were laid to rest in the family burial ground upon John's Island, the scene of her trials during the days of bloodshed and ruthlessness in the Revolutionary War.
HANNAH CALDWELL.
Not numbered among the heroic, the strong, the dashing or the prominent in the records of the Revolution but held in memory as one of its martyrs, is the name of Hannah Caldwell, whose barbarous murder was perpetrated not as "an act of vengeance upon an individual, but with the design of striking terror into the country and compelling the inhabitants to submission."
So far from producing this effect, however, the crime aroused the whole community to a state of belligerency before unknown. One of the journals of the day says: "The Caldwell tragedy has raised the resolution of the country to the highest pitch. They are ready almost to swear enmity to the name of Britain."
And yet, there was probably no one in all the colonies who was leading a quieter or more peaceful life than Hannah Caldwell. She was the daughter of John Ogden of Newark, and Hannah Sayre, a descendant of the Pilgrims. Her brothers were all stout Whigs, and in 1763 she married the Rev. James Caldwell, pastor of the first Presbyterian church in Elizabethtown (the Elizabeth of to-day), New Jersey, and he was one of the earliest to espouse the cause of this country. Her husband acted as chaplain of the Americans who occupied New Jersey, and his zeal in throwing the influence of his eloquence for the cause of freedom rendered him obnoxious to the enemy, and at length a price was put upon his head. It is said that while preaching the Gospel to his people he was often forced to lay his loaded pistols by his side in the pulpit. The church in which he preached became a hospital for the sick and wounded of the American army and the weary soldiers often slept upon its floor and ate their hurried and scanty meals from the seats of the pews so that worshippers were not infrequently compelled to stand through the service. But even this shelter the British and Tories, because of their anger toward the pastor of the church, determined to destroy, and accordingly it was burned with the parsonage on the night of January 25, 1780. The wife, Hannah Caldwell, fled into the interior of the state with her nine children, but even here there seemed no peace, for a body of Hessian and British troops had landed on the New Jersey coasts and were proceeding to spread devastation and terror throughout the colony. When informed of the enemy's approach, the pastor put his elder children into a baggage wagon which was in his possession as commissary, and sent them to some of his friends for protection. But three of the youngest, with an infant about eight months old, remained with their mother in the house, Mr. Caldwell having no fears for the safety of his wife and young family since he believed it impossible that "resentment could be extended to a mother watching over her little ones," He was called to join the force collecting to oppose
