September 4, 1776

In the late summer of  1776, Philadelphia newspapers were filled with notices about soldiers who had deserted ahead of the engagement with the British forces in New York. In this advertisement in the Pennsylvania Journal, the jailer in Cumberland County, New Jersey, announced that Joel Bennett and James Hendrickson, “Deserters from Capt. Nathaniel Smith’s Company of Artillery of Baltimore,” had been detained at the county jail. Several weeks earlier, Captain Smith had issued an advertisement in this same newspaper offering a reward of $24 for the return of three men: Hendrickson, Bennett, and an Irishman, John Troy. Smith described Hendrickson as “born in Queen Anne’s county, Maryland, 26 years of age, 5 feet 6 inches and a half high, dark brown hair, grey eyes, and fair complexion.” He was wearing a light blue coat and light grey waistcoat when he went on the run. Joel Bennett had been wearing a buff coat and green waistcoat, and Smith described him as “born in West New-Jersey, by trade a shoemaker, 22 years of age, 5 feet 6 inches high, brown hair, dark grey eyes, and fair complexion.” The Cumberland County jailer requested that Captain Smith send for Bennett and Hendrickson “in a short time, or they will be discharged with paying cost.” 

The Pennsylvania Journal; and the Weekly Advertiser
Printed by William and Thomas Bradford

Cumberland County, West-New-Jersey, August 26, 1776.

WAS committed to Cumberland goal, on the twenty-third of August, the following men: JOEL BENNET and JAMES HENDRICKSON, who appears to be Deserters from Capt. Nathaniel Smith’s Company of Artillery of Baltimore, by an advertisement in the Pennsylvania Journal bearing date August 13th, 1776, and he is hereby desired to send for them in a short time, or they will be discharged with paying cost.

JOHN SAULLARD Goaler.