This Day in History: April 9

Extract of a letter from Kildare, Monmouth county, April 9, 1778.

"About 135 of the enemy landed on Sunday last [5 Apr 1778] about ten o'clock, on the south side of Squan inlet, burnt all the salt-works, broke the kettles, &c. stripped the beds, &c. of some people there, who I fear, wish'd to serve them then crossed the river and burnt all excepting Dirrick Longstreet's: after this mischief they embarked. The next day they landed at Shark river and set fire to two small works, when they observed fifteen horsemen heave in sight, which occasioned them to retreat with great precipitation, indeed they jumped in their flat-bottomed boats in such confusion that they sunk one or two of them. One of their pilots was the noted Thomas Oakeson. The enemy consisted chiefly of Greens, the rest Highlanders." [More]