The Battle of Bound Brook

referenced under John Theobald "Dewalt" Mechling of the Mechling Line

After the Continental victories at Trenton and Princeton the conflict in New Jersey entered into what is often called the Foraging War. The British consolidated their forces at New Brunswick and Paulus Hook (now part of Jersey City), and proceeded to conduct raids on the local farmers and merchants. Supplies from England were uncertain due to colonial privateers, and these raids were intended to provide them with the supplies they needed.

General Washington was trying to hold together the Continental Army, which had been heavily reduced by the expiration of enlistments at the end of the year. Nonetheless, he felt it important that these raids not go unchallenged. The New Jersey Militia, aided by some small units of Continental regulars, attacked these foraging parties whenever they left their post. These counter-measures were quite successful and the British had to employ ever-larger quantities of troops for the purpose with diminishing results. As a result, General Lord William Howe and General Lord Charles Cornwallis decided to attack the roughly 500 Continental troops stationed at Bound Brook under the command of Major General Benjamin Lincoln.

The diary of Colonel Johann Ewald, commander of the Hessian Field Jaeger Corps, describes the attack. Four prongs of attack were launched. Two columns, with cannon, forded the Raritan River at night and attacked from the southeast. The New Jersey militia was on guard over the river, which was easily forded. Whether they were lax or whether, as some stories have it, a local farmer learned the password and provided it to the British, these columns got through. A third column attacked from the west and took the Van Horne House, General Lincoln's headquarters—Lincoln barely escaped and "did not collect his clothes." The fourth column was to attack from the east to prevent escape, but was late.

The colonial forces, caught totally by surprise, were routed. The British reported 30 Americans dead and 80-90 captured; the Americans reported 60 dead or wounded. Only one British soldier was killed. Dewalt Mechling was among the wounded.

The battle had little lasting impact. The British captured cannon and supplies, but retreated to New Brunswick instead of consolidating their victory. General Nathaniel Greene retook Bound Brook that evening. Washington pulled in the small outposts such as Bound Brook until the early summer when he defeated the British at Short Hills, causing them to abandon New Brunswick.