Lambert Cadwalader (December 1742 – September 13, 1823) was an American merchant and leader in

New Jersey New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...

and

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 ...

. He fought in the Revolutionary War, then represented New Jersey in 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 ...

and the

U.S. Congress The United States Congress is the legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a bicameral legislature, including a lower body, the U.S. House of Representatives, and an upper body, the U.S. Senate. They both ...

Early life

Lambert was born in

Trenton, New Jersey Trenton is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County, New Jersey, Mercer County. It was the federal capital, capital of the United States from November 1 until D ...

, to Doctor

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and Hannah (

née The birth name is the name of the person given upon their birth. The term may be applied to the surname, the given name or to the entire name. Where births are required to be officially registered, the entire name entered onto a births registe ...

Lambert) Cadwalader. By 1750, his family had returned to

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 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 ...

, where he attended Dr. Allison's Academy. In 1757, he entered the

College of Philadelphia The Academy and College of Philadelphia (1749–1791) was a boys' school and men's college in Philadelphia in the colonial-era Province of Pennsylvania. Founded in 1749 by a group of local notables that included Benjamin Franklin, the Academy of P ...

(later the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...

), but did not graduate. Instead, he went into business with his brother John Cadwalader.

Career

The brothers' business was a success and they became more active in civic affairs, both in Philadelphia and the wider field of the colony of Pennsylvania. They signed the non-importation agreement in 1765, to support the boycott of English merchants. Lambert became a particularly outspoken opponent of the Stamp Act and later measures. In 1768 he was elected to the

American Philosophical Society The American Philosophical Society (APS) is an American scholarly organization and learned society founded in 1743 in Philadelphia that promotes knowledge in the humanities and natural sciences through research, professional meetings, publicat ...

. In 1774, he has elected to the Provincial Assembly, and, in Philadelphia, he was appointed to the city's

Committee of Correspondence The committees of correspondence were a collection of American political organizations that sought to coordinate opposition to British Parliament and, later, support for American independence during the American Revolution. The brainchild of S ...

Revolutionary years

In 1775, Lambert returned again to the colonial Assembly. He also advanced in the militia, and was named captain of one of the companies raised in the city. Then, in the spring of 1776, he played a prominent role in the call for a state Constitutional Convention. He was named as a delegate, but attended only the first few meetings, as military duty called him away. In January 1776, Cadwalader had been promoted to lieutenant colonel of the 3rd Pennsylvania Battalion of 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 ...

. Late in the summer, he was in

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...

to aid that city's defense. He began work on building the defenses at Fort Washington in August. After the

Battle of Brooklyn The Battle of Long Island, also known as the Battle of Brooklyn and the Battle of Brooklyn Heights, was an action of the American Revolutionary War fought on August 27, 1776, at and near the western edge of Long Island in present-day Brooklyn ...

, he worked with

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 set up defenses on the Brooklyn Heights, but they were forced to withdraw to

Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...

on August 30, because the British had overwhelming numbers. The 3rd Pennsylvania returned to the defense of Fort Washington. At the beginning of the battle for the Fort, on November 15, Cadwalader was holding the old line on the Harlem Heights. Facing two British regiments, with three more landed to their rear, the Americans were forced to withdraw to the fort. When Colonel Magaw surrendered the fort on the next day, Cadwalader was among those taken prisoner. He was soon released, after giving his parole to British

General Howe William Howe, 5th Viscount Howe, (10 August 1729 – 12 July 1814), was a British Army officer who rose to become Commander-in-Chief of British land forces in the Colonies during the American War of Independence. Howe was one of three broth ...

. Lambert's quick release was partly due to the consideration that his father, Dr.

Thomas Cadwalader Thomas Cadwalader ( – November 14, 1779) was an American physician in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.Richard Prescott Lieutenant General Richard Prescott (1725–1788) was a British officer born in England. Military career Prescott was appointed a major of the 33rd Regiment of Foot on 20 December 1756. He transferred to the 72nd Regiment of Foot on 9 May 1758 ...

as a prisoner of war in Philadelphia in 1776. Early in 1777, Cadwalader was named colonel and commander of the 3rd Battalion, now called the

4th Pennsylvania Regiment The 4th Pennsylvania Regiment, first known as the 3rd Pennsylvania Battalion, was raised on December 9, 1775, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for service with the Continental Army. The regiment was assigned to Thomas Mifflin's brigade in the m ...

. He declined to take up the assignment because he was on parole and could not serve until exchanged. He was carried on the rolls for almost two years, but a suitable exchange was never arranged. Finally, after officer exchanges broke down, Washington accepted his resignation on January 29, 1777. When the British occupied Philadelphia in 1777, he withdrew to his father's property near

. This home, called "Greenwood", would be his residence for the rest of his life.

Later life

In 1784, New Jersey selected him as a delegate to the

. He would serve there for the remaining life of that institution, being returned each year until 1787. When the new government was established for the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, Cadwalader was a

Federalist The term ''federalist'' describes several political beliefs around the world. It may also refer to the concept of parties, whose members or supporters call themselves ''Federalists''. History Europe federation In Europe, proponents of deep ...

in national politics. He was elected to the

twice, in 1788 and 1792.CADWALADER, Lambert, (1742 - 1823)

Biographical Directory of the United States Congress The ''Biographical Directory of the United States Congress'' (Bioguide) is a biographical dictionary of all present and former members of the United States Congress and its predecessor, the Continental Congress. Also included are Delegates fr ...

. Although eligible, Cadwalader did not join 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 ...

as an original member when it was established in 1783. He did however qualify for membership and became eligible for representation by a living descendant after the "Rule of 1854" was adopted by the Society as a way to revive the membership.

Personal life

In 1793, in his early 50s, Cadwalader married Mary McCall (1764–1848), the daughter of Archibald and Judith (née Kemble) McCall. They had one child:Rawle, William Henry. ''Colonel Lambert Cadwalader, of Trenton, New Jersey.'' Philadelphia, n.p., 1878. *

Thomas McCall Cadwalader Thomas McCall Cadwalader (September 11, 1795 – October 22, 1873) was an American who trained to be a lawyer but made his career in the military, retiring as a major general. Early life Thomas McCall Cadwalader was born on the family estate c ...

(1795–1873), who married Maria Charlotte Gouverneur (1801–1867). Maria was the sister of Samuel Laurence Gouverneur (1799–1865) and the niece of Elizabeth Kortright and

U.S. President The president of the United States (POTUS) is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president directs the Federal government of the United States#Executive branch, executive branch of the Federal government of t ...

James Monroe James Monroe ( ; April 28, 1758July 4, 1831) was an American Founding Father of the United States, Founding Father who served as the fifth president of the United States from 1817 to 1825. He was the last Founding Father to serve as presiden ...

. He died at Greenwood, in Trenton, Mercer County, New Jersey on September 13, 1823, and is buried in the Friends Burying Ground at Trenton.

References

External links

The Society of the Cincinnati

The American Revolution Institute
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cadwalader, Lambert 1742 births 1823 deaths Cadwalader family American Revolutionary War prisoners of war held by Great Britain Continental Army officers from Pennsylvania Continental Congressmen from New Jersey Members of the United States House of Representatives from New Jersey Politicians from Trenton, New Jersey People of New Jersey in the American Revolution American people of Welsh descent University of Pennsylvania people Members of the American Philosophical Society People from colonial Pennsylvania New Jersey Federalists 18th-century American merchants 18th-century members of the United States House of Representatives