"The Soldier Parson"

As I was reading one day from Peter Marshall and David Manuel's historically thrilling book, "The Light and the Glory" I came upon a paragraph about a man, a preacher from the Revolutionary War era. His name?  Aside from his compelling story, his name really gave me interest! His name was Reverend James Caldwell.



 My Great Grandpa's name was Reverend James Caldwell.  He was a preacher for 50 years. Now, if that wasn't enough to fascinate me I was even more inspired by this man's story.

Rev. Caldwell was born April 1734 in Charlotte County, Virginia. He married Hannah Ogden, with whom he had nine children. He inherited 500 acres, but instead decided to become pastor of the Presbyterian church in Elizabethtown, New Jersey in 1762. He was an active partisan for the Patriots during the Revolutionary War, and was known as the "soldier parson".

Rev. Caldwell's church and house were burnt down on January 25th, 1780 by Loyalists(American colonists who remained loyal to the crown). After the fires, he moved his family to Connecticut Farms (now Union), New Jersey.

While Rev. Caldwell was in Morristown encouraging the troops as chaplain, his wife Hannah was killed while at home with their baby and three year old.  It happened during the Battle of Connecticut Farms, when the Hessians and British were attempting to reach Hobart Gap in Morristown. The house was burnt to the ground, with 11 more following. The children were safe.

Two weeks later, the enemy decided upon another attack. During this battle the combined British-Hessian force was able to push the Americans back to Springfield. At the Galloping Hill bridge, the Americans, who were firing from behind a fence next to Caldwell's church, were running low and eventually ran out of paper wadding needed to hold powder and ball in place in their muskets. Reverend James Caldwell went into the Presbyterian church and came out with as many copies of Watts Psalms and Hymns and ran out to the riflemen. He ran amongst the troops, handing out the hymnals and tearing out pages yelling, “Put Watts into 'em, boys! Give ‘em Watts!” Sadly, the Hessian-British forces charged with bayonets and took Springfield. The whole town was set ablaze, including Caldwell's church. There were no inhabitants, though many were killed by the fires. Though the Americans could not hold their place in Springfield, it was a brave and well fought battle. I don't believe the British ever made it to Morristown.

Reverend Caldwell was involved throughout the war in the cause of the Patriots. On November 24, 1781 he was killed by an American sentinel(who was thought to have been bribed by the British to do so), when he wouldn't let the sentinel inspect a package that he had while picking up a Miss Murray, who had come from New York, under a flag of truce. His and Hannah's children were raised by family friends. 

James Caldwell's story is very appalling in so many ways. He lost his homes, his church buildings, he lost his beloved wife, and in the end, lost his own life in the fight for freedom.

How do we honor and remember such people? We owe our freedom to so many like them.

Honor him by reading about him and others like him. Tell your family and friends about this American hero. Stand for the principles that this man and so many others stood for.

I hope I have given this man, the man that shares my Grandfather's name, the respect he deserves by sharing his story. Thanks for reading!

For further study links, click here and here.