Taking Sides in Revolutionary New Jersey: Caught in the Crossfire
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Often referred to as the “Crossroads of the American Revolution,” New Jersey witnessed not only battles between the British and Continental armies but also internecine strife between supporters and opponents of independence. Folks in New Jersey found themselves fighting each other in the context of the Anglo-American conflict. As suggested by this book’s subtitle, Dr. Maxine N. Lurie points out the wide extent of crossfire in the crossroads.Lurie, Professor Emerita of History at Seton Hall University, has devoted much of her academic career to studying the history of the Garden State. Taking Sides in Revolutionary New Jersey delves into the complex history of a new state beset not only by invasion and occupation from without but also by civil strife from within. New Jersey’s fledgling state government had to deal simultaneously with both, with little assistance from the weak Confederation government.Taking Sides admirably avoids oversimplification of a conflict characterized by “messy complexity” (xiii). Furthermore, Lurie approaches this “messy complexity” from the perspective of individuals confronted with tough choices. Any choice, whether in the direction of loyalty to Britain or support for independence, involved the potential for, and often the reality of, hardship and loss. No one could safely assume that either loyalty to the Crown or to the Congress guaranteed safety and security.Additionally, Lurie points out that the neat classifications of “Whig” and “Tory” do not adequately describe the choices confronting folks living in New Jersey. Rather, Lurie deftly moves across a spectrum of opinions and attitudes. When an individual acted on her or his opinions and attitudes towards events, that individual only increased the risk of reprisal against self, family, and community. The geographical context—British occupied New York and shifting lines of military control within the state—reinforces Lurie’s argument against those “neat” classifications.The spectrum of opinions Lurie presents ranges from “adamant Patriots” to “irreconcilable Loyalists” (23, 190). In between were less adamant Patriots, straddlers, trimmers, and opportunists. Lurie also commendably discusses those forced to choose between loyalty to their faith or to the state, most notably the Quakers. Often confronting sanctions either from the civil authorities or the discipline of their local meeting, faith added a spiritual dimension to tough political choices.Lurie looks at the civil strife that beset New Jersey through individual and family perspectives. For example, she discusses the ordeal of Richard Stockton, signer of the Declaration of Independence. Soon after signing that document, the British captured Stockton, at which time he apparently took an oath of allegiance to the King, recanting it after his release from captivity. Stockton’s dilemma, though by no means typical, certainly points to the uncertainties faced by those who took a strong stand for one or the other side.On the other side, Lurie discusses the response of the prominent Coxe family of Burlington and Trenton. That family included staunch Loyalists, those who straddled the fence, as well as solid Patriots. Avowed Loyalists faced confiscation of their property, as did Daniel Coxe V (ca. 1741–1826). Tench Coxe (1755–1824), after providing supplies for British forces, changed sides and represented Pennsylvania at the Annapolis convention and later served in the Washington administration. Lurie adds further perspective by discussing the difficult circumstances confronting women in the Coxe family.Overall, Taking Sides in Revolutionary New Jersey affirms that just as there were no “neat” classifications, there is no “one size fits all” explanation for the position an individual took during the conflict. Lurie’s painstaking examination of the lives of so many individuals and families certainly makes clear that folks were often torn by conflicting obligations to family, community, and faith, not to mention personal political values and ideological assumptions.Brief historiographical summaries in many of the chapters reinforce this argument. In discussing the Loyalists, Lurie points out that economic status certainly cannot alone explain the choice to be a Loyalist. She proceeds to mention a variety of motives, including occupation, religious affiliation, as well as a conservative, monarchist mindset. She further reinforces her own argument by pointing out more personal factors that could influence one’s decision, including family members, peers, and mentors.A brief chronology of events precedes the narrative, listing the major battles of the war, especially those close to or within New Jersey. Inclusion in this chronology of other key events, such as legislative action regarding oaths of allegiance and confiscation of Loyalists’ estates would benefit the reader, especially as such legislation affected those whose loyalties were fixed, shifting, or genuinely uncertain.Taking Sides in Revolutionary New Jersey also opens doors for further research. The choice between respecting civil or religious authority that confronted so many Quakers is a case in point. Many Quakers faced either disownment by their local meetings on the one hand or punishment from civil authorities for refusing militia duty or paying war-related taxes on the other. Further study of this at times agonizing choice, alluded to in this work, would enhance our understanding of why folks took one side or the other, or perhaps sought to avoid doing so.Maxine N. Lurie has unquestionably deepened our understanding of eight tumultuous years of New Jersey history. Both scholars and the more general reading public can appreciate this readable, comprehensive, and informative work. Once again, it reminds the reader of that “messy complexity” and, surely, the heart-rending choices confronting those who saw and felt the impact of the war on their families, their property, and themselves.
Source: Pennsylvania history
Author: Bruce A. Bendler, PhD
Institution: University of Delaware
Language: English
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4409574886