David Forman (3 November 1745 – 12 September 1797) was born in

Monmouth County, New Jersey Monmouth County () is a county located on the coast of central New Jersey. The county is part of the New York metropolitan area and is situated along the northern half of the Jersey Shore. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the county's population ...

of parents Joseph Forman and Elizabeth Lee. His father was a wealthy shipowner and he was educated at

Princeton Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the ni ...

. At the start of the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of ...

he rallied to the patriot cause and was appointed lieutenant colonel of a New Jersey state regiment. When his commander assumed command of the brigade, he was promoted

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge ...

of the regiment during the

New York and New Jersey Campaign The New York and New Jersey campaign in 1776 and the winter months of 1777 was a series of American Revolutionary War battles for control of the Port of New York and the state of New Jersey, fought between British forces under General Sir Willia ...

in 1776. At the time of the battles of Trenton and

Forman's regiment waged a merciless war against the American Loyalists of Monmouth County. Then and later he became known as "Devil David" for his zeal in suppressing the local Tories. In January 1777, the

Continental Congress The Continental Congress was a series of legislative bodies, with some executive function, for thirteen of Britain's colonies in North America, and the newly declared United States just before, during, and after the American Revolutionary War. ...

authorized him to raise

Forman's Additional Continental Regiment Forman's Additional Continental Regiment was an American infantry unit that served for little more than two years during the American Revolutionary War. Authorized on 11 January 1777, the unit was recruited from southern New Jersey and Maryland. ...

with the rank of colonel in the Continental Army. In March 1777 he was promoted

brigadier general Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed t ...

of New Jersey militia. He led a militia brigade in an unsuccessful attack at Germantown in October 1777. He resigned his general's commission because of political troubles but continued to assist the revolutionary cause. At the

Battle of Monmouth The Battle of Monmouth, also known as the Battle of Monmouth Court House, was fought near Monmouth Court House in modern-day Freehold Borough, New Jersey on June 28, 1778, during the American Revolutionary War. It pitted the Continental Army, c ...

he served on the staff of Charles Lee as an adviser. When local guides failed to appear on time, he directed the vanguard on the correct route. When

Charles Hector, comte d'Estaing Jean Baptiste Charles Henri Hector, comte d'Estaing (24 November 1729 – 28 April 1794) was a French general and admiral. He began his service as a soldier in the War of the Austrian Succession, briefly spending time as a prisoner of war of the ...

's French fleet appeared off the coast soon afterward, Forman stepped in as a liaison between the French and George Washington. His regiment was absorbed by Spencer's Additional Continental Regiment in April 1779. He organized a system of outposts on the coast in 1780 that reported British and French ship movements. This information was passed on to Washington. Late in the war, he played a small role in the Asgill Affair. After the war he had portraits done by James Sharples and in about 1784 by

Charles Willson Peale Charles Willson Peale (April 15, 1741 – February 22, 1827) was an American painter, soldier, scientist, inventor, politician and naturalist. He is best remembered for his portrait paintings of leading figures of the American Revolution, and ...

. He and his wife Ann Marsh had eleven children; of these only five daughters survived him. A slaveowner, he bought a property at

Natchez, Mississippi Natchez ( ) is the county seat of and only city in Adams County, Mississippi, United States. Natchez has a total population of 14,520 (as of the 2020 census). Located on the Mississippi River across from Vidalia in Concordia Parish, Louisiana, ...

and sent 60 of his slaves to work there in 1789. He was admitted as an honorary and then original member of The

Society of the Cincinnati The Society of the Cincinnati is a fraternal, hereditary society founded in 1783 to commemorate the American Revolutionary War that saw the creation of the United States. Membership is largely restricted to descendants of military officers wh ...

in the state of New Jersey and served as Vice President of the New Jersey Society from 1791 to 1793. The following year he moved to Maryland. In 1796 he traveled to Natchez where he had a debilitating stroke the following spring. The dying man took a ship home but it was captured by a British privateer and brought into

The Bahamas The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to 88% of the arc ...

where he succumbed on 12 September 1797.

References

Notes

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External links

The Society of the Cincinnati

The American Revolution Institute
{{DEFAULTSORT:Forman, David 1745 births 1797 deaths Continental Army officers from New Jersey People of colonial New Jersey People from Monmouth County, New Jersey Militia generals in the American Revolution Patriots in the American Revolution Burials at Old Tennent Cemetery