Joseph
Greenwood was born in March 1755 and raised in Kent County,
Delaware. Although no firm documentation has been found to verify
it,
it is thought that he was the son of Joseph Greenwood, who died
ni February 1773) and
his wife Sarah. Joseph married Martha Jones, the daughter of
Jacob
Jones, in about 1775.Joseph enlisted in Colonel John Haslet's Delaware Regiment on January 15th, 1776, and appears on the muster roll of Captain Adam's Company at Dover, Delaware on 12 April 1776. The Regiment was ordered to sail to Wilmington on July 15th, and they met at Lewis town, Delaware (present day Lewes) and took ship. On the 20th they received orders to proceed to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and on August 5th they were ordered to Trenton, New Jersey. The regiment, consisting of about 550 men, made their movements by water until they reached Trenton. They were then ordered to march to New York where they joined the Continental Army under General Washington.
At that early stage of the war it was said that they were the best drilled and the only completely uniformed unit in the entire army. Their uniforms consisted of blue coats, faced and lined with red, white waistcoats, buckskin breeches, white woolen stockings, and round black high-peaked leather caps, inscribed with the words "Liberty and Independence, Delaware Regiment." They often stuck a short red plume in the left side of their hats on the parade grounds. They were armed with English muskets and bayonets.
By holding up the British advance on this flank, Stirling's troops allowed much of the army to retreat to Manhattan Island. During this battle, Joseph's Company had taken, and was left to guard, a party of prisoners. Captain Peter Adam's, a brother of Captain Nathan Adam's, had all but nine of his Company killed while assisting Joseph's Company to keep the prisoners.
The Army retreated to New York City and the Delaware’s were placed in General Mifflin’s brigade and sent to King's Bridge. Washington was soon forced to retreat toward White Plains. To secure his new position, General Washington ordered Stirling to push forward with his brigade. Stirling received the order around 2 o'clock on the 21st of October, and by daylight the Delaware’s and Stirling's other regiments were on the march. By 9 o'clock they reached their destination, and the British were still over 5 miles from the place. The Army's new position was on a slight rise resting on the Bronx River. The British Regulars were encamped near New Rochelle and a corps of Tories was posted on Heathcote Hill near Mamaroneck. The Tory rear was left unguarded since it was on the side toward the right wing of the British. Washington decided to attack these Tories and Colonel Haslet was chosen to conduct the attack. Some Maryland and Virginia companies, making a total force of 750 men, reinforced the Delawares. Local guides were found and the troops moved silently toward the Tory camp. Before reaching the main Tory camp though, Haslet's men stumbled into a small party of Tories who raised the alarm. This party was soon subdued and Haslet led his men toward the main camp. Haslet, having lost the advantage of surprise, decided to withdraw, rather than attempt to storm the strongly held Tory line. Stirling was pleased with Haslet's results and the post of honor was afterward given to the Delawares. On October 23rd a scouting party of Pennsylvania troops returning early in the morning met some of the Delaware’s, unfortunately mistaking them for the enemy. Firing ensued and six Pennsylvanians and nine of the Delaware’s were killed.
On October 25th, the British broke camp and moved north toward the Americans. By the morning of the 28th they were within three quarters of a mile of the American line. The Americans sent out a delaying party and a skirmish ensued. The Americans were forced to retreat back toward Chatterton's Hill, where militia troops were entrenching. Washington sent the Delawares to support the militia, and soon after General McDougall's brigade arrived. McDougall, who was now in command on the hill, rearranged his little army. On the extreme right he posted two militia regiments behind a stone wall and the Delaware regiment in support. After reconnoitering the enemy, Haslet, who felt he could not depend on the militia, asked McDougall to order the Delawares forward and replace it with Smallwood's Marylanders or to order the Marylanders forward with the Delawares in support. McDougall agreed and moved the Marylanders forward. The entire American force on the hill numbered 1,600 and the British force they faced numbered 4,000 plus artillery. The British began their assault, but were forced to build a rough bridge to cross the river at the base of the hill, which was unusually high. The Marylanders and McDougall's New Yorkers took advantage of this situation and moved halfway down the hill to fire upon the British throwing them into disorder. Other British troops came to the support of their comrades and forded the river and charged the Marylanders and New Yorkers. The hill was steep and wooded, the fire of the Americans was heavy; the British attack failed. The entire British force had by now crossed the river and formed at the base of the hill. Unknown to the Americans, another British force had formed on their right flank. Now both of these British forces fell on the Americans, routing the militiamen, which uncovered the right flank of the Delaware’s. Haslet pulled his men back, but the British attacked with full force, breaking three of the Delaware companies and driving them from the field. Haslet held the rest of his command behind a fence and twice repulsed the British. Meanwhile, the British frontal attack had driven back the Marylanders and General McDougall had his force retreat to the road. This left Haslet's men alone on the field to face the British. The British now concentrated on these remaining troops, forcing Haslet to retire from the field. The Delaware’s lost 15 killed and as many wounded. Among the dead was Captain Nathan Adams. The army retreated from White Plains to Young's Hill, where they stayed for several weeks.
By early November a return of the regiment showed only 273 present and fit for duty. By the time they reached Brunswick most of their fine uniforms were tattered, and the men were broken down and fatigued. When the British began bombarding Brunswick, several men were killed and wounded before the orders to retreat were passed. As the Delaware’s formed up in the rear of the army, Colonel Haslet ordered their tents to be burned because no wagons were available to carry them. The entire army now consisted of only about 3,000 men, with desertions by the hundreds.
Washington's army arrived in Princeton, New Jersey on December 2nd and Washington decided to leave Stirling and 1,200 men there to guard against a possible cavalry attack. The men were delighted to have a dry billet for a change. On December 7th Washington retraced his steps and took about 1,200 reinforcements back to Stirling in Princeton. Leaving a guard at the landing in Trenton, he proceeded about two miles when he met Stirling's men retreating from Princeton. Washington received a brief summary of the situation from Stirling and then sent him forward to Trenton. Washington then rode to the rear and took charge. The Delaware’s again had the post of honor there, and about thirty of them were busy tearing up bridges and cutting down trees to impede the enemy. Washington supervised the demolition job himself. After reaching Trenton, they were shuttled across the river on the night of the 7th and morning of the 8th. The Delaware Regiment made it to the Pennsylvania side without mishap, but spent the night without tents or blankets.
The regiment now only consisted of 124 men, with 32 of the 92 privates present but sick, it was December 22nd. It is thought by some that the unit participated in the Battles of Trenton on Christmas Day, 1776 and at Princeton on January 3, 1777. If it did then I don’t believe Joseph was among them. His pension application makes no mention of participating in either of these battles, however he states that at Princeton Colonel Haslet was promoted to the rank of General and afterwards killed in a skirmish with the British there. He states that afterward Lt. Col. Bedford commanded the regiment. From Princeton they were pursued by the British to Philadelphia, and from there they marched to Wilmington. I suspect the pursuit from Princeton that Joseph refers to is the one that took place on December 7th and not the battle that took place on January 3, 1777. A description of Lt. Col. Bedford states that he was assigned to Washington's staff during the Battles of Trenton and Princeton and infers that the regiment participated in both battles. It goes on to say that the "...regiment, having been reduced to less than one hundred men at the time of the battle of Princeton, and still lower by that battle,...was never reorganized..."
Addressing the Battle of Trenton, Ward makes that case that "It would certainly be an extraordinary thing, if this force of 100 men (on December 22nd), who had withstood all the hardships of that year's campaign, had, in the next three days, faded away..." Ketchum states that only Colonel Haslet participated in the battle of Princeton and that his regiment had disbanded.
Joseph was sick when they left Princeton (7 December) but was partially recovered when they reached Wilmington. Joseph described the conditions at Wilmington as "very bad, the unit having no commissary or provisions." Joseph was permitted to go home upon furlough since his term of service was within about ten days of expiring (this would be about January 5th). Dr. Tilton, the Regimental Surgeon, gave his furlough to him. Joseph walked home, about 70 miles, having served out his twelve-month enlistment.
In June 1777, Joseph volunteered for a term of six months in Captain Frances Manna's company of Delaware Militia commanded by Colonel William Rhodes. On June 31st Congress ordered that the militia of Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland be called out to repel any invasion of the enemy. It was apparently to this call that Joseph volunteered. His unit marched to a tavern called "the trap" in New Castle County, Delaware. They then marched to Cochran's Tavern and then to Middletown. The militia had been ordered to assemble at Middletown, actually nearby Noxontown, where a camp was established. The two Kent County regiments, under Colonel Rhodes and Colonel French Battell, consisted of 441 men. The militia was under the command of Caesar Rodney who commanded troops from Kent and Sussex. General Washington had hoped to combine Rodney's troops with the militia of New Castle and have them and the Maryland militia move to his support. The New Castle militia refused to march to Noxontown. When Rodney again called on them, it was too late, for the Battle of Brandywine was fought the following day. Washington was unable to best the British and therefore there was no enemy rear for the militia to fall upon. The British now turned to Delaware and took possession of Wilmington. The militia was helpless to do anything against the British, but acted only within the state to intimidate the Tories. Joseph completed his enlistment of six months and returned home about Christmas.
In January 1778, there was a draft across the State line in Maryland. Joseph entered as a substitute for a term of two months under Captain Henry Downs and Lt. Peacock. The company marched to the White Marsh Church above Philadelphia where they joined other Companies of militia under the command of Colonel Guess. General Patten who was on the opposite side of the Schuylkill River commanded the Maryland militia. A foraging party of British came into the area and General Morgan marched to meet them. Joseph's unit was ordered to reinforce Morgan's men, but had not marched far when they met Morgan's men retreating. The British marched to Philadelphia crossed the bridge over the Schuylkill, and on the following day, attacked and defeated General Patten's militia. By this time the term of two months had expired and Joseph was permitted to go home. This ended Joseph's service during the American Revolution; he served a total of twenty months.
Sources:
Revolutionary War Pension Record of Joseph Greenwood, obtained from the National Archives
Probate Record of Jacob Jones, Kent Co., DE 1777, obtained from the Delaware Public Archives
Delaware. Public Archives Commission. Delaware Archives: Military and Naval Records. 5 vols. Wilmington, DE: Delaware
Ketchum, Richard M. The Winter Soldiers: The Battles of Trenton and Princeton
Whiteley, William Gustavus. The Revolutionary Soldiers of Delaware. Papers of the Historical Society of Delaware. Wilmington, DE: Historical Society of Delaware, 1896.
Ward, Christopher Longstreth. The Delaware Continentals, 1776-1783. Wilmington, DE: Historical Society of Delaware, 1941
Anderson, Enoch. Personal recollections of Captain Enoch Anderson, an office of the Delaware regiments in the Revolutionary War. Wilmington, DE: Historical Society of Delaware, 1896