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 1NJ Rgt 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. 1NJ Rgt 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. 1NJ 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 1777-78            Valley Forge Encampment.

May-June, 1778           Jersey Brigade to harrass British in New Jersey.

June 28,1778                Battle of Monmouth. Jersey Brigade part of Lafayette's command.

Winter, 1778-79           Encampment at Elizabethtown.

Spring-Summer,1779  Wyoming Valley Expedition under Sullivan.

June 23, 1780               Battle of Springfield.

September 26, 1780    1NJ reorganized (Third Establishment).

October 19, 1781         Capitulation of Yorktown and Gloucester.

November 3, 1783       1NJ Rgt 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.