Patriots
The Battle of Minisink Ford took place during the American Revolution on July 22, 1779 between British Loyalists and their Native American supporters, led by Mohawk Chieftain Joseph Brant, versus approximately 120 American militiamen from New York and New Jersey, led by Colonel John Hathorn. In response to Brant’s attack two days prior at the frontier settlement at Peenpack (Point Jervis), American militia sought to intercept Brant’s escape up the Delaware Valley, catching up with him and his forces at Minisink Ford.
With the American militia preparing to ambush Brant as he prepared to cross the Delaware River into Lackawaxen, and with Colonel Hathorn having split his forces into a group of skirmishers and two main units, an accidental rifle discharge from a militiamen unfortunately alerted Brant. Upon his discovery, Brant responded quickly and forcefully, attacking the American militia before they were able to fully deploy, splitting the American forces. One group of the Americans retreated to the top of the hill overlooking the river to regroup and regain their strategic advantage. Unfortunately, only about 50 of the original group of 120 American militiamen were left, the separated forces having dispersed or having been killed or wounded. Brant outflanked the Americans and broke through the new small defensive square of the Americans. The Americans were routed, with 47 militiamen killed. Brant lost approximately seven men. It was a decisive British victory.
A commemorative tablet attached to a large boulder, with the names of those soldiers who died at the battle of Minisink Ford was dedicated by The Delaware Company on July 22, 2007. With the citation, “Honoring these patriots who sacrificed their tomorrows for America’s tomorrows”, those soldiers who died at Minisink Ford include:
Lt. Colonel Benjamin Tusten, M.D.
Captain Bezaleel Tyler
Ensign Ephraim Masten
Adjutant Nathaniel Fitch
Captain John Duncan
Captain Samuel Jones
Captain John Little
Ensign Ephraim Middaugh
Gabriel Wisner, Esquire
Stephen Mead
Captain Benjamin Vail
Lieutenant John Wood
Mattias Terwilliger
Joshua Lockwood
Joseph Rider
Ephraim Forguson
Robert Townsend
James Knapp
Benjamin Bennett
William Barker
Jacob Dunning
Jonathan Pierce
James Little
Joseph Norris
Gilbert S. Vail
Joel Decker
Abram Shepherd
Nathan Wade
Nathan Wade
Simon Wait
Daniel Talmadge
John Carpenter
David Barney
Jonathan Haskell
Abram Williams
James Mosher
Isaac Ward
Baltus Niepos
Gamaliel Bailey
Moses Thomas II
Eleazer Owens
Adam Embler
Samuel Little
Benjamin Dunning
Daniel Reed
Samuel Knapp
Timothy Barber
