William Maxwell
BIRTH
1733
County Tyrone, Ireland
DEATH
November 4, 1796
Hunterdon County, New Jersey
FAMILY
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Maxwell, William
(1733-1796)
William Maxwell was an Irish-born brigadier general in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.
GRAVE:
GRAVE
Old Greenwich Presbyterian Churchyard
17 Greenwich Church Road, Greenwich Township, NJ, 08886, United States
6
Places | Image | Address | GPS | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Battle of Cooch's Bridge-American Position Marker | Dayett Mills Road, Brookside, Delaware, 19713, USA | MARKER | ||
Battle of Brandywine Begins Marker | 702 Baltimore Pike, Chadds Ford, PA 19317 | MARKER | ||
Battle of Cooch's Bridge-British Position | 811 Eggerts Ln, Newark, DE 19702 | MARKER | ||
Blue Hills Fort and Camp Marker | Green Brook Drive, Plainfield, New Jersey, 07063, USA | MARKER | ||
General William Maxwell Marker | 13 Greenwich Church Rd, Stewartsville, NJ 08886 | MARKER | ||
Spanktown Marker | 1965 St Georges Ave, Rahway, NJ 07065 | MARKER |
DIED:
Hunterdon County, New Jersey
Nov 4, 1796
William Maxwell was a Presbyterian of Scottish descent born in County Tyrone, Ireland in about 1733. By 1747 his family had come to North America, and settled in Warren County, New Jersey. When the French and Indian War broke out in 1754 Maxwell enlisted in the provincial militia, and served in the disastrous expedition of General Edward Braddock. He served as an ensign in Col. John Johnson's N.J. Regiment and then a lieutenant in Col. Peter Schuyler's regiment, the Jersey Blues, and was likely on the 1758 campaign that culminated in the debacle of the Battle of Carillon. At the end of the war he remained in military service, serving on the western frontier.
In August 1777, Gen. George Washington assigned Maxwell, then commanding the New Jersey Brigade in the Main Army, to organize and command a provisional Corps of Light Infantry, culling 100 of the best troops from each of the army's ten brigades. This force formed the advanced skirmish line in the defense of Philadelphia, and was involved in the Battle of Cooch's Bridge prior to the Battle of Brandywine. Maxwell soon returned to the New Jersey Brigade, which served as the reserve at the October Battle of Germantown, and spent the winter at Valley Forge. After Germantown Maxwell was brought up on charges of excessive drinking, but was acquitted.
Maxwell's troops were among those harassing the British as they crossed New Jersey to New York, and were involved in the Battle of Monmouth. He was a member of the 1779 Sullivan Expedition (specifically at the request of John Sullivan) against Iroquoislands in upstate New York, and fought in the Battle of Newtown, the only major action of the campaign. When Sullivan was ill during the expedition, Maxwell had command of the entire force. In 1780 his troops were stationed on guard duty outside New York, and were called out to repulse two British advances on the main army base at Morristown in the June battles at Springfield and Connecticut Farms.
Maxwell, apparently feeling he was inadequately recognized for his contributions, tendered his resignation to Congress in 1780 in the hopes that he would be rewarded. However, Congress accepted his resignation, ending his military career. He tried to get reinstated, but was unsuccessful.