His church was burned down on the night of Tuesday, January 25, 1780, and the services of the congregation were thenceforth held in Colonel Hatfield’s red storehouse. It is probably while preaching here, or it may have been at an earlier date, that Reverend Caldwell (as related by Reverend McDowell) preached with his pistols lying on each side of him in the pulpit, and the sentinels had to keep watch during time of service.
The Sunday found him, whether at home or in camp, ready to proclaim the gospel with its message of mercy and comfort to his fellow men, while he was ever watchful at other times to improve every opportunity to promote the spiritual welfare of citizens and soldiers. He was held, therefore, in the highest esteem by officers and men, confided in by all, and regarded with enthusiastic love by the rank and file. No one, consequently, save his parishioner, Governor Livingston, was more feared and hated by the Tories and the British. Gladly would they have kidnapped him if they could.
At the fall ejection of 1780 he was chosen by his fellow-citizens a member of the State Council. He continued in the discharge of his various duties to which he was called until the autumn of 1781. The last record made of him by the Presbytery was at their meeting, May 7, 1782. It is in these words: “The Rev. James Caldwell departed this life, falling by the hands of a cruel murderer on the twenty-fourth day of Nov., 1781.” The circumstances attending this mournful event were very fully announced in the public prints at the time. Rivington of New York, in his Gazette (a Tory journal of that time), said: “The Rev. Caldwell was shot dead without any provocation at the Point (now Elizabethport) by a native of Ireland named Morgan.” Note the sting this allegation placed to an Irish name.
The New Jersey Journal and the New Jersey Gazette devoted much space to the murder at the time, but they never mentioned the murderer’s name nor claimed him to have been Irish. These are the only accounts written and published at the time. As that of the New Jersey Gazette is the most particular and was written after sufficient time had been allowed to obtain by means of the coroner’s inquest, and from other sources, the exact state of the case, it is apparently the most to be relied upon. It was generally affirmed at the time that the murderer, as intimated in the New Jersey Journal, was bribed by the British enemy to do the dreadful deed. And it is not strange that it should have been believed, as it was known that the British had offered a reward for the apprehension or assassination of Governor Livingston, and as no other reason could be assigned for the murder.
The body of Rev. Mr. Caldwell was carried to the public house at the Point, now Red Jacket Hotel. A homely ambulance was obtained and the body was slowly brought to town. A crowd of people, greatly excited, gathered by the way. The mournful cortege, tradition says, passed through Water street, now Elizabeth avenue, to Broad street; then to Jersey street; and then to the residence of Mrs. Noll. The day following, when the people gathered for public worship, the place where they met might well have been named “Bochim, the Weeping Place.” The people were crushed under the sad calamity.
The funeral service was held on Tuesday, the 27th, the whole town suspending all business and gathering in uncontrollable grief at the house of Mrs. Noll. An opportunity was given to the people to view the corpse in front of the house in the open street. After all had taken their last look and before the coffin was closed, Dr. Boudinot came forward leading nine orphan children, and placing them around the bier of the parent, made an address of surpassing pathos to the multitude in their behalf. It was an hour of deep sorrow. The procession then slowly moved to the grave and laid his body by his wife’s remains. Over his body was placed a marble slab with the following inscription:
“Sacred to the memory of Rev. James Caldwell and Hannah, his wife, who fell victims to their country’s cause in the year 1781. He was a zealous and faithful pastor of the Presbyterian church in this town, where, by his evangelical labors in the gospel vineyard and his early attachment to the civil liberty of his country, he has left in the hearts of his people a better monument than brass or marble. Here also lies the remains of a woman who exhibited to the world a bright constellation of female virtues. On that memorable day never to be forgotten, when a British foe invaded this fair village and fired even the Temple of the Deity, this peaceful daughter of heaven retired to her hallowed apartment, imploring heaven for the pardon of the enemy,—in that sacred moment she was by the bloody hand of a British ruffian despatched, like her divine Redeemer, through a path of blood to her long wished for native skies.”
THE IRISH IN SOUTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA, ALABAMA, LOUISIANA AND TENNESSEE.
BY HON. PATRICK WALSH,[[24]] AUGUSTA, GA.
The time has come when the history of the Irish people in America should be written. It will be a grand heritage for the Irish-Americans. It will show how many of their race fought and bled for liberty. This history will be a priceless gift for future generations. It will be a lasting memorial of the noble and patriotic work of the element.