Unit History

Brief History of the First New Jersey Regiment

October 9, 1775	Congress authorizes raising of two battalions from New Jersey.
November 10, 1775	First six companies are raised. First NJ ordered to Hudson Highlands.
January, 1776	Detachment from 1st NJ Regt assists in arresting Tories on Long Island.
May 3, 1776	New Jersey Brigade (three regiments) ordered to Quebec, Canada.
October 11, 1776	Battle of Valcour Island. 1st NJ Regt participates under command of Benedict Arnold. Later ordered to garrison Fort Ticonderoga.
November 5, 1776	All New Jersey regiments ordered to New Jersey for discharge and reforming.
December, 1776	First New Jersey Regiment is reorganized.
September 11, 1777	Battle of Brandywine. 1st NJ opens battle as Maxwell's Brigade plays prominent role.
October 4, 1777	Battle of Germantown. As part of reserves under Nash, 1NJ assaults Chew House.
Winter 1777 - 1778	Valley Forge Encampment.
May-June, 1778	Jersey Brigade to harass British in New Jersey.
June 28,1778	Battle of Monmouth. Jersey Brigade part of Lafayette's command.
Winter, 1778 - 1779	Encampment at Elizabethtown.
Spring-Summer,1779	Wyoming Valley Expedition under Sullivan.
June 23, 1780	Battle of Springfield.
September 26, 1780	1st NJ reorganized (Third Establishment).
October 19, 1781	Capitulation of Yorktown and Gloucester.
November 3, 1783	1st NJ Regt discharged at New Windsor Cantonment.

Biographical Sketch of

Matthias Ogden

Colonel of the First New Jersey Regiment

Matthias Ogden was born at Elizabethtown, New Jersey in 1754, the son of Robert Ogden, a lawyer. Robert was politically prominent, serving as the speaker of the House of Representatives on the eve of the Revolution. The family had deep roots in New Jersey: John Ogden had built a house in Elizabeth in 1664 after having moved from Long Island, where he had settled in 1640 from Hampshire, England. Matthias attended the College of New Jersey (Princeton University) as did his brother Aaron. He went along as a volunteer on Arnold's march to Quebec and was wounded in the assault on that city on December 31, 1775. He was named lieutenant colonel of the First New Jersey in March 1776. He became colonel of the same regiment on January 1, 1777 after Silas Newcomb resigned the position. Ogden was captured by the British at Elizabethtown in November 1780. He was exchanged and later granted a leave by Congress in April 1783, to visit Europe. He was breveted brigadier general by Congress in September 1783. Ogden was described by one historian as a "brave and gallant soldier". He died in 1791.