HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Israel Shreve (December 24, 1739 – December 14, 1799) was a colonel in the
2nd New Jersey Regiment The 2nd New Jersey Regiment was raised, on 9 October 1775, at Trenton, New Jersey, for service with the Continental Army under the command of Colonel William Maxwell. The regiment would see action at the Battle of Trois-Rivières, Battle of Va ...
during the
American Revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...
. He fought at the
Battle of Brandywine The Battle of Brandywine, also known as the Battle of Brandywine Creek, was fought between the American Continental Army of General George Washington and the British Army of General Sir William Howe on September 11, 1777, as part of the Am ...
and at the
Battle of Germantown The Battle of Germantown was a major engagement in the Philadelphia campaign of the American Revolutionary War. It was fought on October 4, 1777, at Germantown, Pennsylvania, between the British Army led by Sir William Howe, and the American ...
and wintered at
Valley Forge Valley Forge was the winter encampment of the Continental Army, under the command of George Washington, during the American Revolutionary War. The Valley Forge encampment lasted six months, from December 19, 1777, to June 19, 1778. It was the t ...
.


Early life

Israel Shreve was born December 24, 1739, in the Shreve family homestead at Mount Pleasant, New Jersey, an old community founded by
Quakers Quakers are people who belong to the Religious Society of Friends, a historically Protestantism, Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations. Members refer to each other as Friends after in the Bible, and originally ...
. Shreve's father, Benjamin Shreve, and his mother, Rebecca French, were married in the Springfield Township Friends Meeting House on February 23, 1729. Israel was the fifth of their eight children. Israel married Grace Curtis on February 27, 1760, at a Quaker meeting in
Burlington County, New Jersey Burlington County is a county in the South Jersey region of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The county is the largest by land area in New Jersey and ranks second behind neighboring Ocean County in total area. Its county seat is Mount Holly.< ...
. On April 8, 1762, Grace gave birth to
John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...
. After she died in 1771, Israel married Mary Cokely on May 10, 1773, in
Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...
. Grace gave birth to four children, and Mary gave birth to seven more. One of these was
Henry Miller Shreve Henry Miller Shreve (October 21, 1785 – March 6, 1851) was an American inventor and steamboat captain who removed obstructions to navigation of the Mississippi, Ohio and Red rivers. Shreveport, Louisiana, was named in his honor.Gloucester County, New Jersey Gloucester County ( ) is a County (United States), county in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the county was the state's List of counties in New Jersey, 14th-most populous county
, in February 1775.


American Revolutionary War

When the
Battle of Bunker Hill The Battle of Bunker Hill was fought on June 17, 1775, during the Siege of Boston in the first stage of the American Revolutionary War. The battle is named after Bunker Hill in Charlestown, Boston, Charlestown, Massachusetts, which was peri ...
occurred on June 17, 1755, Israel Shreve was a farmer living on the "Franklin Park Farm" in
Rancocas, New Jersey Rancocas is an unincorporated community located within Westampton Township in Burlington County, New Jersey. The name derives from the Native American word , which was used in the name of the Powhatan Lenape Nation Indian Reservation located i ...
. After news came of the
Battles of Lexington and Concord The Battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19, 1775 were the first major military actions of the American Revolutionary War between the Kingdom of Great Britain and Patriot (American Revolution), Patriot militias from America's Thirteen Co ...
, Israel and his brothers William and Samuel enlisted as officers in the New Jersey State militia. In October 1775, the
Continental Congress The Continental Congress was a series of legislature, legislative bodies, with some executive function, for the Thirteen Colonies of British America, Great Britain in North America, and the newly declared United States before, during, and after ...
recommended to the
Provincial Congress of New Jersey The Provincial Congress of New Jersey was a transitional governing body of the Province of New Jersey in the early part of the American Revolution. It first met in 1775 with representatives from all New Jersey's then-thirteen counties, to supersed ...
that two battalions of soldiers be raised for service in the Continental Army. Israel was appointed lieutenant colonel in the second battalion, under command of Colonel William Maxwell. Also serving in this battalion was Israel's thirteen-year-old son,
John John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...
. The 2nd New Jersey Regiment was sent north to relieve
Benedict Arnold Benedict Arnold (#Brandt, Brandt (1994), p. 4June 14, 1801) was an American-born British military officer who served during the American Revolutionary War. He fought with distinction for the American Continental Army and rose to the rank of ...
's attack on
Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...
. The regiment arrived in
Albany, New York Albany ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. It is located on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River. Albany is the oldes ...
by March 27, 1776, then reached
Fort Ticonderoga Fort Ticonderoga (), formerly Fort Carillon, is a large 18th-century star fort built by the French at a narrows near the south end of Lake Champlain in northern New York. It was constructed between October 1755 and 1757 by French-Canadian ...
by April 18. Shreve arrived in
Quebec City Quebec City is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the Census Metropolitan Area (including surrounding communities) had a populati ...
May 3 under cannon fire from the British. When a British fleet appeared in the
Saint Lawrence River The St. Lawrence River (, ) is a large international river in the middle latitudes of North America connecting the Great Lakes to the North Atlantic Ocean. Its waters flow in a northeasterly direction from Lake Ontario to the Gulf of St. Lawrenc ...
, Shreve retreated west with 1,900 Americans. General
John Thomas John Thomas is the name of: Politics United Kingdom * John Thomas (c. 1490–1540/42), British Member of Parliament for Truro * John Thomas (c. 1531–1581/90), British Member of Parliament for Mitchell * John Thomas (British politician) (1 ...
ordered Shreve to take some of the wounded to Sorel, at the juncture of the Richelieu and Saint Lawrence River. By June 11, American forces had been defeated by British troops near
Trois-Rivières Trois-Rivières (, ; ) is a city in the Mauricie administrative region of Quebec, Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Saint-Maurice River, Saint-Maurice and Saint Lawrence River, Saint Lawrence rivers, on the north shore of the Sain ...
, Quebec, and they abandoned Sorel on June 14, just three hours before the British arrived. Shreve was back at
Fort Ticonderoga Fort Ticonderoga (), formerly Fort Carillon, is a large 18th-century star fort built by the French at a narrows near the south end of Lake Champlain in northern New York. It was constructed between October 1755 and 1757 by French-Canadian ...
June 16, 1776, and remained there until November, when the enlistments for the 2nd New Jersey expired. By April 1777, Shreve and his regiment were in
Princeton, New Jersey The Municipality of Princeton is a Borough (New Jersey), borough in Mercer County, New Jersey, United States. It was established on January 1, 2013, through the consolidation of the Borough of Princeton, New Jersey, Borough of Princeton and Pri ...
. He spent the summer in
Reading, Pennsylvania Reading ( ; ) is a city in Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. The city had a population of 95,112 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census and is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, fourth-most populous ...
, and returned to service in November 1777. From March to May 1778, Shreve and the 2nd New Jersey were stationed at
Haddonfield, New Jersey Haddonfield is a borough (New Jersey), borough located in Camden County, New Jersey, Camden County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 12,550, an increase of 957 (+8.3%) from the ...
. In mid-June, the British, now under the command of General Sir Henry Clinton, departed Philadelphia, crossed the Delaware River and began their march in a northeasterly direction across New Jersey. When some of his men burned Shreve's house near Georgetown, Clinton offered a reward of 25
guineas The guinea (; commonly abbreviated gn., or gns. in plural) was a coin, minted in Great Britain between 1663 and 1814, that contained approximately one-quarter of an ounce of gold. The name came from the Guinea region in West Africa, from where m ...
for information on the soldiers' identities. Shreve's 2nd New Jersey followed the British to Monmouth Courthouse, site of the
Battle of Monmouth The Battle of Monmouth, also known as the Battle of Monmouth Court House, was fought near the Village of Monmouth Court House, New Jersey, Monmouth Court House in modern-day Freehold Borough, New Jersey and Manalapan, New Jersey, Manalapan, on J ...
on June 28, 1778. Shreve walked over the battlefield after the British had retreated farther north to New York. The following year Shreve took the 2nd New Jersey on the
Sullivan Expedition The 1779 Sullivan Expedition (also known as the Sullivan-Clinton Expedition, the Sullivan Campaign, and the Sullivan-Clinton Campaign) was a United States military campaign under the command of General John Sullivan (general), John Sullivan duri ...
. They left
Easton, Pennsylvania Easton is a city in and the county seat of Northampton County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city's population was 28,127 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Easton is located at the confluence of the Lehigh River and the Delawa ...
, on June 18, 1779, arriving in
Wyoming, Pennsylvania Wyoming is a borough in the Greater Pittston area of Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located north of Wilkes-Barre, along the Susquehanna River. The population was 3,097 as of the 2020 census. Etymology The name "Wyoming" ...
, five days later. They remained in Wyoming more than a month before loading 117 rowboats with 1,200 pack horses and 900 cattle. The regiment reached
Wyalusing, Pennsylvania Wyalusing is a borough in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The population was 596 as of the 2010 census. History The history of Wyalusing dates back centuries. It was originally known as ...
, on August 5 and Tioga Point on August 11. The next day General John Sullivan ordered his combined forces to Chemung, Pennsylvania, west of
Tioga Point Athens is a borough in Bradford County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is part of Northeastern Pennsylvania and is located south of the New York state line on the Susquehanna and Chemung rivers. The population was 3,749 in 1900 and 3,796 in ...
, where they burned an Indian village and Israel's son, John, witnessed a skirmish with a retreating native tribe; a man standing next to him was killed by musket fire. Both Israel and John Shreve returned to an army fort at Tioga while Sullivan led his command farther west. In November 1779, Shreve led the 2nd New Jersey Regiment to the Continental Army's winter encampment at
Morristown, New Jersey Morristown () is a Town (New Jersey), town in and the county seat of Morris County, New Jersey, Morris County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.
. On June 7, 1780, the British Army under Henry Clinton crossed from
Staten Island Staten Island ( ) is the southernmost of the boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County and situated at the southernmost point of New York (state), New York. The borough is separated from the ad ...
to New Jersey. On June 23, they came west from
Elizabeth, New Jersey Elizabeth is a City (New Jersey), city in and the county seat of Union County, New Jersey, Union County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.Springfield Township. The ensuing fight became known as the
Battle of Springfield The Battle of Springfield was fought during the American Revolutionary War on June 23, 1780, in Union County, New Jersey. After the Battle of Connecticut Farms, on June 7, 1780, had foiled Lieutenant General Wilhelm, Baron von Knyphausen's e ...
. Shreve's men waited at a bridge just west of the village of Springfield as Hessians under Lieutenant General Wilhelm, Baron von Knyphausen came from the east. As Shreve's men fired cannons, a musket ball crashed into a soldier standing next to John Shreve, and as he turned his companion over another musket ball hit John's calf. Israel Shreve's regiment was in danger of being surrounded, so General
Nathanael Greene Major general (United States), Major General Nathanael Greene (August 7, 1742 – June 19, 1786) was an American military officer and planter who served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, Revolutionary War. He emerge ...
ordered him to retreat. On January 20, 1781, Shreve alerted Washington about revolt in the
New Jersey Line The New Jersey Line was a formation within the Continental Army in the American War of Independence. A "New Jersey Line" was the quota of numbered infantry regiments that the Congress of the Confederacy assigned to New Jersey at various times. ...
of the Continental Army at Pompton, New Jersey, "It is with pain I inform your Excellency, that the troops at this place revolted this evening and marched towards Trenton. Their behavior and demands are similar to those of the Pennsylvania line." Washington answered the same day requesting to suppress the
Pompton Mutiny The Pompton Mutiny, also referred to as the Federal Hill Rebellion, was a revolt of Continental Army troops at Pompton Camp in what was then Pompton Township, New Jersey, present-day Bloomingdale, New Jersey, that occurred on January 20, 1781, b ...
, which was accomplished by General Robert Howe. Shreve resigned his commission in the
Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies representing the Thirteen Colonies and later the United States during the American Revolutionary War. It was formed on June 14, 1775, by a resolution passed by the Second Continental Co ...
in January 1781. Two years later, he joined other New Jersey officers in becoming a founding member of the
Society of the Cincinnati The Society of the Cincinnati is a lineage society, 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 milita ...
in the State of New Jersey.


Expeditions

In 1788, he led his wife and six of his children, along with 21 other settlers to southwestern
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...
, and settled in
Rostraver Township, Pennsylvania Rostraver Township is a township in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 11,374 at the 2020 census. History Rostraver Township is in the southwestern corner of Westmoreland County and is the location of the House ...
. From January 1789 to June 1789, Shreve accompanied retired
Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies representing the Thirteen Colonies and later the United States during the American Revolutionary War. It was formed on June 14, 1775, by a resolution passed by the Second Continental Co ...
colonel George Morgan to Spanish
Louisiana Territory The Territory of Louisiana or Louisiana Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 4, 1805, until June 4, 1812, when it was renamed the Missouri Territory. The territory was formed out of t ...
to survey the western bank of the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...
. Morgan, who was a land developer, received permission from the Spanish Ambassador to the United States,
Don Diego de Gardoqui Don, don or DON and variants may refer to: Places *Don (river), a river in European Russia *Don River (disambiguation), several other rivers with the name * Don, Benin, a town in Benin * Don, Dang, a village and hill station in Dang district, Gu ...
to establish a colony on the
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...
at Anse a la Graisse, located in present-day Missouri. On January 3, 1789, the expedition departed from
Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States, and its county seat. It is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, second-most populous city in Pennsylvania (after Philadelphia) and the List of Un ...
and traveled along the
Ohio Ohio ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Erie to the north, Pennsylvania to the east, West Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Indiana to the ...
and
Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the main stem, primary river of the largest drainage basin in the United States. It is the second-longest river in the United States, behind only the Missouri River, Missouri. From its traditional source of Lake Ita ...
until they reached Anse a la Graisse; a new town was demarcated and named New Madrid by Morgan. On June 19, 1789, members of the expedition including Shreve safely returned to Pittsburgh. During the journey, Shreve kept a journal, in which he described geography, environment, and encounters with the Native Americans. Instead of moving to New Madrid, Shreve decided to lease land in
Fayette County, Pennsylvania Fayette County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is located in southwestern Pennsylvania, adjacent to Maryland and West Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 128,804. Its county seat is Uniontown. The county wa ...
, from General
George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...
. Shreve contracted to buy of land from Washington but spent several years haggling over payments and prices despite settling on the land. Washington threatened to bring a lawsuit for payment, but no suit was recorded. Washington wrote Shreve in 1798 and 1799, asking for payments but could not bring himself to sue a fellow
Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies representing the Thirteen Colonies and later the United States during the American Revolutionary War. It was formed on June 14, 1775, by a resolution passed by the Second Continental Co ...
officer. On December 21, 1798, Shreve wrote Washington, asking for delay in payments.


Death

Shreve and
George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...
both died on the same day, December 14, 1799, although hundreds of miles apart.Thompson, 85-94.


Gallery

File:Promissory Note 1774.jpg,
Promissory note A promissory note, sometimes referred to as a note payable, is a legal instrument (more particularly, a financing instrument and a debt instrument), in which one party (the ''maker'' or ''issuer'') promises in writing to pay a determinate sum of ...
to William Shreve, 1774 File:Shreve, Israel (1).jpeg, Account of illness in camps and hospital by Shreve, August 4, 1777 File:Letter_from_Israel_Shreve_to_Mary_Shreve_(August_28,_1779).jpg, Letter from Shreve to Mary "Polley" Shreve, his wife, 1779 File:Shreve, Israel (10).jpeg, Hand-drawn map of Anse a la Graisse by Shreve, 1789 File:Washington, George (1).jpeg, Correspondence from General
George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...
to Shreve, on April 6, 1778 File:Washington, George (3).jpeg, Correspondence from General George Washington to Shreve, January 16, 1780 File:Letter, Israel Shreve to George Washington, 21 December 1798.jpg, Correspondence from Shreve to General George Washington, December 21, 1798


References


Sources

* Allen, L. P. (1901). ''The genealogy and history of the Shreve family from 1641''. Greenfield, Ill: Privately Printed, 1901. * Fleming, Thomas (1973). ''The forgotten victory: The battle for New Jersey, 1780''. New York: Reader's Digest Press. * French, Howard Barclay (1909). ''Genealogy of the descendants of Thomas French''. Philadelphia: Privately Printed, 1909. * Mackey, Harry D (1973). ''The gallant men of the Delaware forts, 1777''. Philadelphia: Dorrance and Company. * Nelson, William, and Berthold Fernow (1899). ''Calendar of records in the office of the Secretary of State. 1614-1703''. The Press Printing and Publishing Co. * ''Poulson's American Daily Advertiser'', Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. * Stryker, William S. (1927). ''The Battle of Monmouth''. Port Washington, New York: Kennikat Press. * Thompson, William Y. (1979). ''Israel Shreve: Revolutionary War officer''. Ruston, Louisiana: McGinty Trust Fund Publications. * Woodward, E. M. (1883), ''History of Burlington County, New Jersey, with biographical sketches of many of its pioneers and prominent men''. Philadelphia: Everts & Peck.


Further reading

* Allen, L. P
''The Genealogy and History of the Shreve Family from 1641''
Greenfield, Ill: Privately Printed, 1901. * ''Israel Shreve Records.'' The American Revolution: Manuscript sources Special Collections and University Archives, Rutgers University Libraries. * Anderson, Bethany
''Finding aid for Israel Shreve Journals, 1788-1797''
William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan, n.d.


External links

*
Biographical and Historical Notes on Colonel Israel Shreve
* University of Houston Digital Library
Israel Shreve Revolutionary War Letters, 1768-1894.


* http://www.latech.edu/library/scma/ The Israel Shreve Letters, 1771–1804, are housed at Louisiana Tech University, Prescott Memorial Library, Department of Special Collections, Manuscripts, and Archives. {{DEFAULTSORT:Shreve, Israel Continental Army officers from New Jersey 1799 deaths 1739 births People from Fayette County, Pennsylvania People from Mansfield Township, Burlington County, New Jersey People of New Jersey in the American Revolution People from colonial New Jersey Military personnel from Pennsylvania